Abstract: A method and system for streamlining the calculation of a rate for a prepaid wireless call is provided. A mobile subscriber can be billed at one rate when she is within her home network and at a different rate when she is roaming in another network or can be billed at a special rate if she is within a location subject to the special rate. A time period for charging a call is allocated by the Service Control Point (SCP) and reported to the Mobile Switching Center (MSC) in the case of an outgoing call or a Gateway Mobile Switching Center (GMSC) in the case of an incoming call. A message from the MSC or GMSC to the SCP reporting an expiration of the first time period can contain information regarding a location of the prepaid subscriber. Thus, the next time period allocated by the SCP for the call can be billed at a rate that reflects the mobile subscriber's location at that time as reported by the MSC or GMSC.

Abstract: A method and system for streamlining the call processing for a prepaid call in a mobile telecommunications network is provided. A trigger detection point (TDP) for processing an originating call placed by a prepaid wireless subscriber, which may be called “O-Answer,” is defined in a mobile user's subscription information stored in the prepaid subscriber's home location register (HLR). An additional TDP for an incoming call to a prepaid subscriber as a terminating party, which may be called “T-Answer,” also is defined in the prepaid subscriber's subscription information stored in the HLR. If the prepaid mobile subscriber's account balance is above a threshold amount, the call can be processed using the O-Answer and T-Answer TDPs without the need to contact the prepaid platform for authorization, thus reducing the amount of signaling required to process a prepaid call.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices are described for the implementation of a novel architecture to support download sequencing techniques for circuit configuration data. Sets of configuration data from nonvolatile memory may be sequentially transferred to volatile memory to support reconfigurable circuit elements, for example, for use in a clock generator. Different programmable circuit elements may use configuration data, but have different ramp-up times before stable operation. With early download sequence positioning of configuration data, and corresponding immediacy in initiation of operation, certain clock elements are able to commence initiation of operation while remaining clock elements are provided with configuration data from a latter portion of the download sequence.

Abstract: A multi-core microprocessor provides an indication of the power management state of each of the cores on output terminals. Cooling of the cores is adjusted responsive to the indication of the power management state of the respective cores with additional cooling being provided to those cores in a more active state and less cooling provided to those cores in a less active state.

Abstract: Systems and methods for performing joint demodulation using a Viterbi equalizer having an adaptive total number of states are disclosed. Generally, a method includes joint demodulating a desired signal and none or more interfering signals with a Viterbi equalizer having an adaptive total number of states based on channel impulse response (CIR) coefficients associated with a desired signal and the one or more interfering signals.

Abstract: Decorrelation is provided between data stored in respective pairs of adjacent memory cells in a plurality of bit lines of a flash memory. Each of the pairs of adjacent memory cells is located along a respective one of the bitlines and common to two adjacent wordlines. The decorrelation is achieved by storing scrambled data in at least one memory cell of each of the pairs of adjacent memory cells and storing unscrambled data in at least one memory cell of at least one of the pairs of adjacent memory cells.

Abstract: A wireless communications system providing interactive voice response is disclosed. The system is menu-driven, and can accept information and requests from customers. In response to one type of request, the system can provide the customer with information regarding one or more previous transactions. The system also includes provisions that permit customers to retrieve multiple previous transactions.

Abstract: A voltage-controlled oscillator is implemented with a succession of delay cells coupled in series to form an oscillator loop. The oscillator loop is supplied with reference voltages produced by a voltage generator. The reference voltages produce stable operation of the voltage-controlled oscillator. Cascode reference current generators are incorporated within the voltage generator to supply a cross-coupled arrangement of pull-up devices within each delay cell. The cross-coupled pull-up devices are instrumental in producing complementary output signaling from each delay cell. A pair of cascode current generators is configured in parallel to produce a magnitude of current according to an applied voltage and to be selectable for dual or single operation with a corresponding frequency determination.

Abstract: An electrostatic fluid accelerator includes an electrode array comprising an array of corona discharge electrodes and an array of accelerating electrodes for moving a fluid. A detector is configured to sense a constituent component of the fluid. A control circuit supplies power to the electrode array and operates the electrostatic fluid accelerator in response to an output from the detector.

Abstract: Systems and methods for cleaning emitter electrodes of air conditioner systems are provided. The air conditioning system includes an emitter electrode, a collector electrode and a high voltage generator to provide a high voltage potential difference between the emitter and collector electrodes. The system also includes a cleaning member having a channel through which the emitter electrode passes. A plunger mechanism and a spring, or a lever and a fulcrum, are used to force the cleaning member to travel upward along the emitter electrode to thereby frictionally removing debris from the emitter electrode. This description is not intended to be a complete description of, or limit the scope of, the invention. Other features, aspects, and objects of the invention can be obtained from a review of the specification, the figures and the claims.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for use in reducing residual phase error (RPE) in orthogonal frequency division multiplexed (OFDM) communication signals are described. In at least one embodiment of the invention, an apparatus includes a residual phase error estimator configured to estimate a residual phase error at least partially based on a plurality of phases of a first channel-compensated received signal and a plurality of phases of a sliced version of the first channel-compensated received signal. The residual phase error estimator is configured to correct a channel estimate at least partially based on the residual phase error estimate to thereby generate a corrected channel estimate. The apparatus includes a channel compensator configured to generate a second channel-compensated received signal at least partially based on a received signal and the corrected channel estimate.

Abstract: A transaction is sent over a communication link to a receiving node. The transaction includes data along with a tag identifying a data type of the data. The receiving node either forwards or processes the data according to whether the data type matches the type of data type processed by circuitry associated with the receiving node. Thus, a destination is determined for data transported on the communication link using a data type identifier sent with the data.

Abstract: A generic NUMA-compliant memory selection technique is provided to enable a device capable of accessing memory anywhere in a system to select a near (potentially the nearest) memory for use with the device. For example, an AGP controller can access system memory anywhere within a multiprocessing node system, but will operate more efficiently, and interfere less with other data transactions, if it locates the closest memory, determines the memory addresses corresponding to the closest memory, and locks (or otherwise allocates) memory addresses for AGP functionality within the range of determined addresses in the near memory.

Abstract: A universal method of trellis encoding signals mapped according to any signal constellation format involves constructing an encoder output table and a state transition table. The encoder output table defines the output symbol of an encoder given the input symbol and the present state of the encoder, while the state transition table defines the next state of the encoder given the present state of the encoder and the input applied to the encoder. The output table and the next state table are constructed with the objective of providing maximal distances between the branches of the trellis diagram without any regards for the shift register implementation of the code. Cyclic trellis-coded modulation is an example of such codes without feed-forward or feed-back shift register implementations, and with equal or better performance than “optimal” shift register trellis codes with 16 states or less.

Abstract: Interference cancellation is implemented for a multiple antenna system. The multiple antenna receiver is provided that includes a whitening filter coupled to receive processed signals corresponding to signals received at respective antennas, and to generate whitened signals corresponding to each of the received signals, having a colored noise component whitened. The whitening filter coupled to determine the whitened signals, at least in part, utilizes symbols corresponding to the signals received by the plurality of antennas. A signal separator is coupled to supply the whitening filter with processed received signals having interference components reduced as compared to received signals.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a system and method for managing a prepaid wireless account for voice and data communications services. According to one embodiment the communications system, having a prepaid architecture for managing a plurality of prepaid wireless accounts for communication services, wherein each prepaid account is associated with a prepaid subscriber comprises a wireless network including a mobile switch, in communication with a wireless device, the wireless device for remotely managing at least one of the prepaid accounts. The communications system also comprises a wide area network including a prepaid account database for storing records assigned to subscribers of prepaid communications services; a prepaid application module for initializing and updating the prepaid accounts; a credit card transaction server, coupled to a credit card database, for checking available credit; and a prepaid server coupled to the prepaid account database and the prepaid application module.

Abstract: An amplified indication of the elongation of a fastener is provided for determining instantaneous loading conditions of a fastener. A load indicator is couplable to a fastener for instantaneous load measurement and includes a housing defining a fastener interface configured to removably couple the housing to a fastener. A moveable datum probe extends from the housing in contact with a datum rod anchored within an internal bore of the fastener. A first lever is pivotally mounted within the housing and is moveable in response to displacement of the datum probe. A load display indicates a degree of loading of a fastener as a function of displacement of the datum probe. A second lever can be used to further amplify the reading from the displacement of the datum probe. An inclined visual scale and a multi-faceted lens allows for viewing of loading values from multiple directions or angles.

Abstract: Real power delivered to a load in an RF transmit path is measured. Measuring the real power includes supplying a first voltage from a first side of a passive network disposed between the power amplifier and the load, supplying a second voltage from a second side of the passive network; and using the first and second voltages and a phase delayed voltage to determine the real power delivered to the load. A voltage difference between the first and second voltages is determined and multiplied by the phase shifted voltage. A low pass filter is then applied to the output of the multiplier to provide an indication of the real power consumed by the load. The indication of real power consumed may then be used to control the power amplifier.

Abstract: Response delay associated with a state-based client-server application can be reduced with utilization of an application state server-side cache. A server caches data for a set of one or more possible states of a client-server application that may follow a current state of the application. The server rapidly responds to a client request with data that corresponds to an appropriate new state of the application in accordance with the application state server-side cache. The server determines that the application will transition to the appropriate new state from the current state of the application with the application state server-side cache based, at least in part, on an operation indicated by the client request.

Abstract: A technique reduces cost, complexity and/or power consumption of a memory system by including intelligence in a memory buffer circuit of the memory system. An apparatus includes a memory buffer circuit configured to selectively operate in one of a plurality of modes. In a first mode, the memory buffer circuit is configured to interface to a first type of memory device, is configured to enable an input circuit of the memory buffer circuit, and is configured to drive on a terminal of a memory interface of the memory buffer circuit a version of a signal received by the input circuit during a memory operation. In a second mode, the memory buffer circuit is configured to interface to the first type of memory device, is configured to disable the input circuit, and is configured to drive a signal on the terminal during the memory operation.