Abstract: A system and method for communication along a track implementing a channel equalizer is disclosed. The signaling system includes a track having a pair of rails spaced apart in a parallel orientation and a first signaling point electrically connected to the track. A second signaling point is electrically connected to the track and separated from the first signaling point such that the first and second signaling points are capable of communicating track data therebetween. The second signaling point includes therein a channel equalizer configured to filter the track data received from the first signaling point.

Abstract: A wireless communication system includes a network controller configured to manage communication time periods in a wireless network, and a plurality of peripheral devices connected to the network controller through the wireless network. Each peripheral device is associated with a respective contiguous communication time period during which communications between the network controller and the peripheral device are allowed. The network controller is further configured to identify an open communication time period associated with one of the plurality of peripheral devices that has no communication between the network controller and the one of the plurality of peripheral devices and associate another of the plurality of peripheral devices that is associated with a different communication time period with the identified open communication time period.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for determining network association status includes a first electronic device having a wireless communication system and a proximity system, and a second electronic device having a wireless communication system and a proximity system. The wireless communication systems of the first and second electronic devices have a communication range therebetween greater than an interaction range between the proximity systems of the first and second electronic devices. The proximity system of one of the first and second electronic devices is configured to interact with the proximity system of the other of the first and second electronic devices to determine proximity between the first and second electronic devices. The communication system of the first electronic device is configured to establish an association status communication with the communication system of the second electronic device after the proximity of the first and second electronic devices has been determined.

Abstract: A wireless patient monitoring system forms a Network Around a Patient (NAP) and includes sensor nodes configured to acquire patient data from a patient. A gateway device is in bi-directional wireless communication with the sensor nodes for a plurality of defined communication frames. The gateway device is configured to transmit a beacon message to the sensor nodes at each of a plurality of frequencies. The sensor nodes are further configured to receive the beacon message from the gateway device and transmit the acquired patient data to the gateway device at each of the plurality of frequencies.

Abstract: A system and/or method for relaying messages in a network (e.g. a mobile network) are provided. Certain portable communications nodes are instrumented with omni-directional antennas. Certain static communications nodes are network cluster-head nodes with directional antennas, and, for example, achieve much of the gain possible when all nodes have directional antennas. Cluster-head communications preferably are used when the nodes are separable by the directional antennas. Preferably, there is a transition to mesh communications when the nodes cannot take advantage of the directional antennas. One feature of certain exemplary embodiments is that only one side of a communication link requires a directional antennal to enable spatial frequency reuse.

Abstract: Methodologies for determining one or more staged topologies for a communication network, communication networks implementing one or more staged topologies, and systems for determining one or more staged topologies for a communication network are provided.

Abstract: Methodologies for determining one or more staged topologies for a communication network, communication networks implementing one or more staged topologies, and systems for determining one or more staged topologies for a communication network are provided.

Abstract: Methodologies for determining one or more staged topologies for a communication network, communication networks implementing one or more staged topologies, and systems for determining one or more staged topologies for a communication network are provided.

Abstract: Systems and/or methods for relaying messages between nodes in a network (e.g. a wireless network) are provided. In accordance with certain exemplary embodiments, substantially simultaneous communications between nodes may be accomplished. At least one secondary message may be piggybacked onto a primary message. Messages in the network may be queued and sent from a transmitter to at least one receiver based at least in part on the signal-to-noise ratio(s) of the receiver nodes with respect to the transmitter. The queuing of the messages may be performed in dependence on a link set that indicates which messages are capable of piggyback communications. Thus, it may be possible to realize a network that reduces collision problems, reduces delays in communications, and/or increases throughput.

Abstract: Systems and/or methods for relaying messages between nodes in a network (e.g. a wireless network) are provided. In accordance with certain exemplary embodiments, substantially simultaneous communications between nodes may be accomplished. At least one secondary turbo-coded message may be piggybacked onto a turbo-coded primary message. Messages in the network may be queued and sent from a transmitter to at least one receiver based at least in part on the signal-to-noise ratio(s) of the receiver nodes with respect to the transmitter. Thus, it may be possible to realize a network that reduces collision problems, reduces delays in communications, and/or increases throughput.

Abstract: A system predicts bandwidth capacity for a plurality of nodes of a wireless network. The system includes a primary node of the plurality of nodes. The primary node collects signal measurements. The primary node selects a history of measurement values from the signal measurements. The primary node calculates a slope of the measurement values within a window of the history. The primary node calculates a future value of signal measurements from the slope. The primary node thereby determines future bandwidth requirements for the plurality of nodes of the wireless network.

Abstract: Apparatus, and an associated method, for selectably introducing desired levels of diversity into data communicated upon a radio communication channel to effectuate a communication service, such as a 1×EV-DV communication service. Responsive to channel conditions, the level of diversity is selected, and levels of encoding are utilized. Matching encoder and decoder apparatus are provided to sending and receiving station pairs. Encoder apparatus includes constituent encoder elements, and associated interleaver elements for interleaving data that is to be communicated by associated encoder elements. One, or more, antenna transducer elements are selectably utilized to provide spatial diversity in addition to temporal diversity.

Abstract: A turbo decoder control comprises an address generator for addressing systematic data, parity data, and systematic likelihood ratios according to a pre-determined memory mapping. The systematic data samples are accessed in the order required by the MAP decoding algorithm such that interleaving and de-interleaving functions in the MAP decoding algorithm are performed in real-time, i.e., without delay. Such memory-mapping in combination with data handling functions (e.g., multiplexing and combinatorial logic) minimizes memory requirements for the turbo decoder and allows for use of programmable interleavers, variable block lengths, and multiple code rates.

Abstract: A time-domain communication system in an ultrasonic imaging system includes an ultrasonic probe having an ultrasonic array with ultrasonic array outputs and a time-domain multiplexer with an input connected to each of the ultrasonic array outputs and also having a multiplexer output. The time-domain multiplexer continually cycles through each of the ultrasonic array outputs at a predetermined frequency connecting each of the ultrasonic array outputs to the multiplexer output for a predetermined amount of time. An ultrasonic data processing unit is provided and includes a de-multiplexer connected to the multiplexer output. The de-multiplexer has de-multiplexer outputs and continually cycles through each of the de-multiplexer outputs at the predetermined frequency connecting each of the de-multiplexer outputs to the multiplexer output for the predetermined amount of time.

Abstract: A telemeter for telemetry of diagnostic messages from a mobile asset to a remote station comprises a processor coupled to the output of one or more condition sensors. The processor converts the output of the condition sensors to a diagnostic message, and provides the diagnostic message at a processor output. A transmitter is coupled to the processor output. The transmitter is adapted to transmit the diagnostic messages in the Industrial, Scientific, Medical (ISM) frequency band. An exemplary embodiment of a telemetry system of the invention comprises a telemeter adapted to transmit diagnostic messages in the ISM frequency band, and a remote station including a receiver for receiving the diagnostic messages in the ISM band.

Abstract: Turbo coding is employed with space-time spreading (STS) transmission to improve transmission error performance and efficiency in addressing multipath fading. Different subsets of parity data are transmitted via each antenna/channel, with either subset alone sufficient for error recovery. In general, however, both channels will be received with some fidelity, and the parity data from the two channels is combined and decoded as a lower code rate transmission. Systematic data may be transmitted on both channels, with or without interleaving on an alternate channel. Time diversity may also be introduced by transmitting only part of the parity data within the two parity data subsets, then transmitting the remainder if the receiver could not produce the correct decoding from the original transmission.

Abstract: A dc-free coding scheme that also provides channel gain employs a code that is based on an alphabet of two and comprises a list of N-dimensional vectors, where N is even, with a maximum run of two symbols. From this list, all vectors which begin or end in two identical symbols are eliminated. This avoids runs of longer than two consecutive symbols when vectors are concatenated. With this scheme, if the baseband transmission of a “+” is realized with positive voltage V and transmission of a “−” is realized with a negative voltage −V, then any concatenation of symbols is dc-free. Improved coding gain is realized by mapping modulated signals onto convolutional code trellises.

Abstract: A turbo decoder system utilizing a MAP decoding algorithm has a predetermined number of turbo decoder modules for decoding segments of a turbo code component code word in parallel, thereby expanding the block-length and data rate capability of the turbo decoder. Upon completion of any half iteration of the MAP decoding algorithm, the a posteriori bit probability estimates are provided to an interleave/de-interleave-and-convert-data function block wherein they are re-ordered, segmented, used to modify the original received data samples, and provided back to the respective turbo decoder modules as input data samples for the systematic bits. Decoding continues in this manner until a predetermined number of half iterations is performed, and data decisions are made on the final a posteriori estimates.

Abstract: A turbo decoder system utilizing a MAP decoding algorithm has a predetermined number of turbo decoder modules for decoding segments of a turbo code component code word in parallel, thereby expanding the block-length and data-rate capability of the turbo decoder system. Input data samples are provided to an interleaver/de-interleaver module wherein they are divided into segments of predetermined size, each segment being provided to a respective turbo decoder module. The outputs of each turbo decoder module are a posteriori probabilities which are re-ordered in the interleaver/de-interleaver module, segmented, and provided back to the turbo decoders as a priori information-bit probabilities. For the case of a turbo code comprising two component codes, the a posteriori information-bit probabilities are re-ordered according to the interleaver definition at the end of odd-numbered half iterations, while at the end of even-numbered half iterations, they are re-ordered according to the de-interleaver definition.

Abstract: A turbo decoder control comprises an address generator for addressing systematic data, parity data, and systematic likelihood ratios according to a pre-determined memory mapping. The systematic data samples are accessed in the order required by the MAP decoding algorithm such that interleaving and de-interleaving functions in the MAP decoding algorithm are performed in real-time, i.e., without delay. Such memory-mapping in combination with data handling functions (e.g., multiplexing and combinatorial logic) minimizes memory requirements for the turbo decoder and allows for use of programmable interleavers, variable block lengths, and multiple code rates.