Abstract: A computer estimates multiple angles of arrival of a target signal received by an array of commutated antenna elements. In one aspect, samples of a received target signal obtained from an array of communicated antenna elements and from an element in an array of reference antenna elements are processed to make maximum-likelihood-estimations of multiple angles of arrival at which signals are received by the array of commutated antenna elements; and a display is mapped over time and frequency of the estimations, with the angle of arrival for a particular sample being represented by a variable given display feature.

Abstract: A method of deciding whether an observed received signal is a particular signal of interest (SOI) includes the steps of: providing a statistical model of the particular signal of interest and a statistical model of the environment when the particular signal of interest is not present, and processing the observed received signal in accordance with a decision rule that uses the provided statistical models to decide whether the observed received signal is the particular signal of interest.

Abstract: A method of communicating individual packets i of K bits includes permutation mapping of the packets, with each permuted packet being denoted by ?n(i), wherein ?n is a permutation on K letters that is unique for each packet transmission. Each permuted packet ?n(i) is modulated to provide a complex vector x(?n(i)) for each packet. The packets are transmitted over a AWGN channel so each individual packet i is received as a variable of the vector x(?n(i)) in a complex vector yn=x(?n(i))+vn, wherein n represents the sequential number of the transmission attempt for a particular packet and vn represents noise. This method enables the packets to be transmitted while using an improved ARQ routine that includes soft-combining decisions and a constant constellation with a constellation complexity greater than two bits/symbol to thereby significantly improve ARQ-routine performance over the current state of the art.

Abstract: A system for managing the operation of a semiconductor device in accordance with varying load conditions that affect the power being dissipated by the semiconductor device, includes a sensor for measuring a temperature related to the junction temperature of an operating semiconductor device; electronic components for measuring the real-time operating load conditions of the operating semiconductor device; and a computer that is adapted by computer executable program instructions to perform the steps of: (a) determining the power being dissipated by the operating semiconductor device in accordance with the measured real-time operating load conditions of the semiconductor device; (b) determining a dynamic temperature cutback threshold for the operating semiconductor device in accordance with the determination of the power being dissipated; and (c) managing the operation of the semiconductor device in accordance with the measured temperature and the dynamic temperature cutback threshold.

Abstract: A parameter of interest of a signal, such as the angle of arrival of a target signal received by an antenna system having an array of antenna elements, is estimated by (a) obtaining disparate observations of the target signal received by the antenna system; (b) with a computer, processing the disparate observations of the target signal to determine a subset of a set of possible further obtained disparate observations of the target signal for processing to enable an optimal estimation of the angle of arrival of the target signal; (c) obtaining the subset of further disparate observations of the signal; and (d) processing the obtained subset of further obtained disparate observations to obtain the optimal estimate of the parameter of interest.

Abstract: A communication signal including a plurality of bursts that individually include a plurality of data symbols is processed by both interleaving diversity and duplication diversity prior to transmission in order to preserve the content of the signal when the signal is corrupted by interference during transmission of the signal. A received communication signal having a plurality of bursts that individually include a plurality of data symbols which have been processed for transmission by interleaving diversity is processed to recover the content of the signal when the signal is corrupted by interference during transmission of the signal. Upon determining that the received communication signal may have been corrupted by interference during transmission, the received signal is processed by inserting erasure symbols into a deinterleaver prior to deinterleaving of the data symbols. The erasure symbols are necessary for recovering the content of the transmitted interleaved data symbols.

Abstract: A preferred estimate of a given parameter is made by processing a set of data points representing estimates of the given parameter, such as the angle of arrival of a target signal. The process includes the steps of: (a) obtaining a set of data points representing estimates of a given parameter; (b) using a computer to process said data points with an unsupervised clustering algorithm to select data points for use in making a preferred estimate of the given parameter; and (c) using the selected data points to make a preferred estimate of the given parameter.

Abstract: The angle of arrival is estimated for a received signal received by an array of commutated antenna elements, wherein there is a temporal boundary at the instant of commutation between antenna elements. Samples of the signal received by the elements of the array are preprocessed to construct maximum-likelihood-estimates of the received signal for points in time that are immediately adjacent the temporal boundaries and thereby provide a preprocessed signal. A maximum-likelihood-estimation of the angle of arrival of the received signal is made for the array of commutated antenna elements by processing the preprocessed signal.

Abstract: In a system for determining the angle of arrival of a target signal received by an array of antenna elements, a pair of receivers simultaneously obtain observations of a received target signal from multiple elements of an array of antenna elements; and a computer processes the simultaneously obtained samples of the target signal to determine a maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) of the angle of arrival ? of the target signal by using the following equation: ?MLE=argmax?Re(?*?). The value of ? is determined in accordance with whether the target signal is known or unknown. When the target signal is unknown, the computer also processes the simultaneously obtained samples of the target signal to estimate the bandwidth of the received target signal by using binary hypotheses and a generalized log likelihood ratio test (GLLRT) or by using multiple hypotheses and pair-wise generalized log likelihood ratio tests.

Abstract: In a system for determining the angle of arrival of a target signal received by an array of antenna elements, a receiver obtains observations of a received target signal from an array of antenna elements; and a computer processes the obtained observations of the target signal with estimates of a target signal for different angles of arrival of a target signal received by the array of antenna elements to determine that the angle of arrival of the target signal is an angle of arrival at which dissimilarity between the observations of target signal and the estimates of the target signal for the different angles of arrival is minimized.

Abstract: Opposite sides of an article are irradiated to sterilize the article. The cumulative irradiation should be above a first value, and below a second value greater than the first value, at all of the positions in the article to provide the article with desired radiation benefits. Any amount of cumulative radiation between the first and second values is considered as optimal values. For a first range of article thicknesses, the cumulative radiation in the article is at the optimal values. For article thicknesses in a second range greater than in the first range, the cumulative radiation at positions in the article is greater than the optimal values. For article thicknesses in a third range greater than the second range, the cumulative radiation at the different positions in the article is at the optimal values. For the thicknesses in the second range, a member disposed in the radiation path weakens the radiation passing to the article, thereby reducing the cumulative radiation to an optimal value.

Abstract: An RF shield is fabricated from a solid piece of metal or metal alloy. Holes are cut through the metal or metal alloy at fixed positions to form an array. The diameter of the holes is selected to be significantly smaller than the RF wavelength (e.g., ?) it is designed to prevent from passing through the holes. The thickness of the plate (length of the holes) establishes the attenuation of the shield. The number of holes establishes the air or other fluid throughput.