Abstract: In a robotic tool coupler, a rotating cam member having a plurality of surfaces formed therein urges a plurality of ball members in one tool coupling unit radially to contact an angled surface in the other tool coupling unit. Further rotation of the cam member exerts a radial force through the ball members onto the angled surface. A component of that force is directed by the angled surface toward the opposite tool coupling unit, locking the two units together. The cam member may include a failsafe surface and/or a failsafe lobe to maintain the two units locked together in the event of a loss of power to positively actuate the cam member.

Abstract: A multi-grid tic-tac-toe game herein requires players to strategically plan moves in advance. An associated game apparatus includes a plurality of individual tic-tac-toe grids. Each grid includes playing areas that receive playing pieces. At least one of the grids shares at least one common playing area with another one of the grids. To play, different players use different sets of playing pieces. The players take turns placing their pieces in different playing areas, attempting to form tic-tac-toes. A player forms a tic-tac-toe if he or she places a predetermined number of pieces in a corresponding number of adjacent playing areas that are aligned, irrespective of whether those playing areas belong to different grids. Points are awarded for each tic-tac-toe, and are accumulated over the course of the game. The game apparatus may include a mechanism for tracking each player's points. The winner is the player with the most points accumulated.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for allocating communications-related charges are disclosed. In an exemplary method, a communications device receives notification of an uncompleted incoming call attempt, the notification including a calling a party identifier. The communication device retrieves a call attempt descriptor associated with the uncompleted incoming call, the call attempt descriptor comprising charge-back data. In response to the initiation of a return call to the calling party, the communication device sends a charge-back message, comprising all or part of the charge-back data, to a charge allocation server for use in allocating charges relating to the return call. An exemplary system, including a charge allocation server, for implementing the disclosed methods is also disclosed.

Abstract: A receive station of the present invention despreads a received signal over both long and short despreading periods to determine individual channel estimates over each symbol period of an extended period for multiple pilot signals. As a result, the present invention provides channel estimates sufficient for both slow and fast fading conditions. The receive station determines an average channel estimate for each of the pilot signals over the extended period by despreading the received signal over the extended period using mutually orthogonal extended spreading sequences. The receive station further determines a combined channel estimate for the pilot signals over each symbol period of the extended period by despreading the received signal over each symbol period using a common spreading sequence. Based on the average and combined channel estimates, the receive station determines individual channel estimates for each pilot signal over each symbol period of the extended period.

Abstract: A Distributed Antenna System employs a downlink transmission method that requires limited channel information feedback and less coherency between signals than is required for information broadcast. Distributed antennas are treated as diversity antennas with a given power allocation. Each antenna can transmit to multiple UEs by transmitting a weighed sum of their signals, and multiple antennas can transmit to one UE by transmitting weighed space-time (or space-frequency) coded signals. The power allocation weights are determined as an optimum power allocation policy with per-antenna power constraints.

Abstract: A method of variable rate vector quantization reduces the amount of channel state feedback. Channel coefficients of a communication channel are determined and second order statistics (e.g., variances) of the channel taps are computed). Bit allocation for the channel taps are determined based on the coefficients statistics. The channel taps are individually quantized at rates determined based on said bit allocations.

Abstract: According to one aspect, the present invention advantageously provides a method and apparatus that increase communications throughput by manipulating the order or manner in which CQI values are reported in a multi-rank CQI report that constrains one or more such values according to reporting order. As a non-limiting example, the present invention provides that the reporting order used for reporting multiple CQI values is chosen to eliminate or at least reduce under-reporting and over-reporting errors arising from the use of differential reporting formats for one or more of the reported CQI values. Additionally, the present invention provides for selection between single-rank or multi-rank CQI reporting, based on determining which one corresponds to the highest channel capacity, in view of the differential reporting constraints.

Abstract: A stud spacer for a metal wall having a series of spaced apart studs with each stud having a pair of flanges and an interconnected web with the web having an opening therein. Connected between each pair of consecutive studs is a stud spacer. Each stud spacer includes a pair of end flanges that are secured to the web of an adjacent stud. In addition, each stud spacer includes a projection that projects through an opening in the adjacent stud and extends into an opening or slot in an adjacent stud spacer such that the respective stud spacers are effectively linked or connected by the projections of the various stud spacers found in the metal wall.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for adaptively transmitting data in a wireless communication network are disclosed, in which channel conditions between a mobile terminal and two or more base stations in an active set are evaluated and used to select a transmission mode from a set of available downlink transmission modes including a non-interference-coordinated point-to-point transmission mode as well as at least one of a multi-cell single-frequency-network transmission mode and an interference-coordinated point-to-point transmission mode. Using the dynamic transmission mode selection described herein, a higher cell-edge throughput in HSDPA systems may be achieved.

Abstract: The teachings herein present a method and apparatus for protecting usage restriction data that governs usage of an electronic device. A cryptographic circuit supports secure and non-secure accesses. When non-securely accessed, it is operable only to verify the stored usage restriction data, and, when securely accessed, it is operable to generate a new message authentication code for changed usage restriction data, for subsequent authentication of that data. The usage restriction data may be stored in non-secure memory and may include static and dynamic parts. One or more embodiments include a secure circuit indicating whether the device has been initialized. The cryptographic circuit outputs a message authentication code for the static part using a permanent device key from the secure circuit, only if the device has not been initialized, and outputs a message authentication code for the dynamic part as needed to support authorized changes to the dynamic part.

Abstract: According to a method and apparatus taught herein, a network node includes a receiver circuit that determines soft values for received packets corresponding to the information bit groups associated with network coding operations, where the soft values are determined for each information bit group based on joint probabilities of the information bits within the information bit group. For example, first soft values are determined for the information bit groups in a first (received) constituent packet and second soft values are likewise determined for the information bit groups in a network-coded (received) packet that depends on the first constituent packet and a second constituent packet. Third soft values are generated for the information bit groups of the second constituent packet based on jointly evaluating the first and second soft values.

Abstract: The second-order inter-modulation distortion, originating in a differential passive mixer core from imbalance between devices, is reduced by compensating for the mismatch or load, by means of tuning the differential output impedance at the mixer core, or the input impedance of a filter coupled to the output of the passive mixer. Compensating for the imbalance allows greater suppression of even-order harmonics in the differential structure, which reduces second-order intermodulation at the output of the mixers. The compensation is achieved by tunable resistive elements that are calibrated by a built-in self-test architecture. The calibration circuit is deactivated during receiver operation.

Abstract: A method of removing phosphonates from water includes directing the water into a first settling zone. The water is then directed to a membrane filtration zone and is filtered therein to produce a concentrate containing phosphonates. The concentrate containing phosphonates is then contacted with sludge such that at least some of the phosphonates in the concentrate are adsorbed onto the sludge. Flocculant is added to the sludge and the concentrate to form a floc-mixture which is directed to a second settling zone to form treated concentrate.

Abstract: A parallel, multi-stage noise shaping (MASH) delta-sigma (??) modulator reduces the required operating frequency by predicting the inputs to later stages of a serial MASH modulator to be multiples of the MASH input. An Nth order parallel MASH ?? modulator generates N outputs (one from each stage) in a single modulator cycle. Accordingly, the Nth order parallel MASH ?? modulator may be operated at 1/N the frequency of a corresponding prior art Nth order serial MASH ?? modulator.

Abstract: A game that includes a stylus with differently shaped ends and a housing having stylus-receiving holes therein that are in at least two sets corresponding to the shapes of the stylus ends. Variable visual indicators and sensors are associated with each hole, with the sensors operative to detect the presence of the stylus in the corresponding hole. A controller causes the visual indicators to be sequentially activated. The controller causes a different indictor to be activated in response the stylus being present in the targeted hole. Thus, the stylus-receiving holes are progressed through in a targeting sequence. The controller is configured to terminate an active game session in response to the earlier occurring of: expiration of the timer and detection of the insertion of the stylus into an untargeted hole. Various game modes are described, including with a vibration sensor and a moving housing.

Abstract: A communication network protection system made up of interconnected networks, at least one of which has an automatic control plane (for example ASTN) among which are terminal interconnecting nodes. With the terminal interconnection nodes, termed primary nodes, are associated corresponding secondary terminal nodes wherein a secondary terminal node is used to realize a protection circuit in case of failure of the associated primary node.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for securely streaming multimedia packets, such as RTP packets, are disclosed, in which the payloads of the packets are shuffled. This reordering is performed using a shuffling function that depends on sequence numbers associated with each of the packets, a pre-determined group size N, and a pre-determined initialization value; in some embodiments this shuffling function comprises a cryptographic hashing function or other one-way function. A receiving device may reverse the shuffling, using a similar shuffling function, if the pre-determined group size N and the pre-determined initialization value are known.

Abstract: In MIMO systems, two or more transmit signals are transmitted from different antenna clusters having one or more transmit antennas each. A precoding circuit weight the transmit signals transmitted from each transmit antenna using a common set of frequency independent antenna weights for all antenna clusters. The antenna weights are computed based on correlations between transmit antennas in the same antenna cluster.

Abstract: Techniques for processing data related to common interests of two or more users of a communication system are disclosed. In an exemplary method disclosed herein, the occurrence of a trigger event at a first communication device is detected, wherein the trigger event is related to communications between the first communication device and a second communication device. In response to the trigger event, the transmission of a first data object to the second communication device is initiated, wherein the first data object comprises information indicating one or more interests of a user of the first communication device. The exemplary method further comprises receiving and processing a second data object formed in response to the first data object, the second data comprising data related to one or more common interests shared by the users of the first and second communication devices.

Abstract: In a method and device, simple hardware such as a standard User Equipment (UE), a mobile telephone, is used to collect the impulse response of a radio channel. The data generated is used to classify radio channels based on the impulse response estimates by estimating distribution parameters of the impulse response. This makes it possible to distinguish between different types of fading and hence, radio environments by matching the parameters to known radio channel models.