Abstract: A GPS receiver acquires carrier frequency and Gold code phase using short segments of a received GPS signal. In one embodiment, a 1-ms segment of the GPS signal is transformed to the frequency domain. This is multiplied by a frequency representation of the Gold code. The resulting product is converted to the time domain, and a peak is detected. The location of the peak corresponds to the code phase. If no peak is located, the carrier frequency is changed. Full- and half-bin steps in carrier frequency are considered. Processing gain is achieved by using longer segments of the input signal, for example 4 or 16 ms and integrating 1-ms segments. Considerations are provided for compensating for the effects of a transition, should it occur in the short segment of the GPS signal being processed. Integrations can be performed using non-coherent and coherent techniques. Adjustments are made for non-integral millisecond segment lengths.

Abstract: A system and method for reporting a status of an asset is described. In one embodiment, an asset status is determined based on configurable parameters to thereby enable accurate reporting of departures and arrivals of an asset.

Abstract: A system and method for adaptive motion sensing with location determination is described. In one embodiment, the adaptive motion sensor is based on vibration sensor readings and can identify different states of motions based on modifiable parameters.

Abstract: A system and method for implementing a low-power local-area wireless network for use with a mobile terminal satellite modem. This low-power local-area wireless network enables sensors on an asset to wirelessly transmit sensor data to a mobile terminal affixed on the asset. The mobile terminal reports the sensor data along with asset position information to a centralized facility via a communications satellite.

Abstract: A frequency translator uses a CORDIC phase rotator coupled to a phase accumulator to translate an input signal in frequency. The CORDIC phase rotator performs required phase angle rotations of input vectors using only shift and add operations. Thus, the frequency translator can be readily implemented in hardware. Higher precision arithmetic is used in the CORDIC phase rotator operations than the input vectors contain. To avoid truncation error at the output of the CORDIC phase rotator, stochastic rounding is employed. A dither signal is added to avoid errors due to nonlinear operation of D/A converters, where D/A conversion of the frequency translated signal is required.

Abstract: A GPS receiver acquires carrier frequency and Gold code phase using short segments of a received GPS signal. In one embodiment, a 1-ms segment of the GPS signal is transformed to the frequency domain. This is multiplied by a frequency representation of the Gold code. The resulting product is converted to the time domain, and a peak is detected. The location of the peak corresponds to the code phase. If no peak is located, the carrier frequency is changed. Full- and half-bin steps in carrier frequency are considered. Processing gain is achieved by using longer segments of the input signal, for example 4 or 16 ms and integrating 1-ms segments. Considerations are provided for compensating for the effects of a transition, should it occur in the short segment of the GPS signal being processed. Integrations can be performed using non-coherent and coherent techniques. Adjustments are made for non-integral millisecond segment lengths.

Abstract: A multi-mode asset tracking and monitoring system and method is provided that enables comprehensive reporting of asset position, status, and alerts. In one embodiment, the multi-mode system and method is based on the addition of a local network monitoring system to a wide area satellite network monitoring system. In this example, the local network monitoring system would add container presence and status monitoring in crowded environments (e.g., within a port facility, on-board a ship, etc.), while the wide area satellite network monitoring system would provide tracking and monitoring coverage when the container is in dispersed environments. Both the local and wide area monitoring systems work together to provide end-to-end container tracking and monitoring to thereby ensure continuous container tracking and monitoring from container loading to container unloading.

Abstract: An improved switch interface is provided that does not rely on direct contact by the user interface element to the switch apparatus. This feature enables the switch to be enclosed within a sealed housing, thereby improving reliability and longevity of the switch mechanism.

Abstract: A system and method for performing distance measurement using wireless signals. A time of flight calculation is enabled by an interrogating device that transmits an interrogation signal to a responding device, which returns a synchronized signal back to the interrogating device. The wireless signals between the interrogating device and the receiving device have a harmonic relationship. In one embodiment, a time shift of a received signal relative to a transmitted interrogation signal is determined based on a comparison of a first reference point on a signal representative of the transmitted interrogation signal and a second reference point on a signal representative of the received signal.

Abstract: The present invention is a system and method of conducting refund transactions via electronic transaction records. System user transaction information entered into the system is stored in association with user biometric information. Transaction information is retrieved via user biometric recognition/verification for conducting refund transactions.

Abstract: A GPS receiver acquires carrier frequency and Gold code phase using short segments of a received GPS signal. In one embodiment, a 1-ms segment of the GPS signal is transformed to the frequency domain. This is multiplied by a frequency representation of the Gold code. The resulting product is converted to the time domain, and a peak is detected. The location of the peak corresponds to the code phase. If no peak is located, the carrier frequency is changed. Full- and half-bin steps in carrier frequency are considered. Processing gain is achieved by using longer segments of the input signal, for example 4 or 16 ms and integrating 1-ms segments. Considerations are provided for compensating for the effects of a transition, should it occur in the short segment of the GPS signal being processed. Integrations can be performed using non-coherent and coherent techniques. Adjustments are made for non-integral millisecond segment lengths.

Abstract: A frequency translator uses a CORDIC phase rotator coupled to a phase accumulator to translate an input signal in frequency. The CORDIC phase rotator performs required phase angle rotations of input vectors using only shift and add operations. Thus, the frequency translator can be readily implemented in hardware. Higher precision arithmetic is used in the CORDIC phase rotator operations than the input vectors contain. To avoid truncation error at the output of the CORDIC phase rotator, stochastic rounding is employed. A dither signal is added to avoid errors due to nonlinear operation of D/A converters, where D/A conversion of the frequency translated signal is required.

Abstract: A GPS receiver acquires carrier frequency and Gold code phase using short segments of a received GPS signal. In one embodiment, a 1-ms segment of the GPS signal is transformed to the frequency domain. This is multiplied by a frequency representation of the Gold code. The resulting product is converted to the time domain, and a peak is detected. The location of the peak corresponds to the code phase. If no peak is located, the carrier frequency is changed. Full- and half-bin steps in carrier frequency are considered. Processing gain is achieved by using longer segments of the input signal, for example 4 or 16 ms and integrating 1-ms segments. Considerations are provided for compensating for the effects of a transition, should it occur in the short segment of the GPS signal being processed. Integrations can be performed using non-coherent and coherent techniques.

Abstract: A system and method of providing employers with an accessible system and convenient method for tracking the work of mobile workers. By obtaining customer biometric data upon the initiation and conclusion of a work session, an employer may ensure that a customer is billed for an appropriate amount of time.

Abstract: A system for authorizing a check cashing transaction between a consumer and a merchant using identity verification based on biometric information. A system comprises a central biometric information database containing biometric and personal identity-verifying data registered therein by a consumer and containing merchant identity-verifying data registered therein by a merchant. The system further comprises a merchant local device having a biometric reader and linked via a network to the central biometric information database. Using the biometric reader, a consumer desiring to cash a check presents biometric data to the central biometric information database via the biometric reader. The central biometric information database provides an electronic comparison of the present biometric data with the biometric data registered by the consumer. If the presented data and the registered data match, an approval signal is transmitted to the merchant local device.

Abstract: An apparatus and methods suited to add commercial value to traffic control systems. A computer device is provided that allows connections with a computer network, external sensors or external devices, and a traffic control system. Combinations of the features of the connected components results in a variety of commercially valuable implementations.

Abstract: An apparatus and methods suited to add commercial value to traffic control systems. A computer device is provided that allows connections with a computer network, external sensors or external devices, and a traffic control system. Combinations of the features of the connected components result in a variety of commercially valuable implementations.

Abstract: A geographic tracking system with minimal power and size required at the mobile terminal collects observation data at the mobile terminal, forwards the data to a processor, which calculates the position. The mobile terminal needs only to gather a few milliseconds of observation data, and to relay this observation data to the processor. The range from the satellite (or other airborne transponder) to the terminal is determined using the known positions of an interrogating transmitter and a satellite, and a known terminal delay between the received signal and the transmission of the return signal, and the round trip time. An arc of locations is determined by computing an intersection of a sphere centered at the satellite having a radius given by the calculated range with a model of the Earth's surface. The candidate points are considered and refined using code phase measurements from a set of GPS satellites.

Abstract: A communication system between head-ends and end-users is provided which expands bandwidth and reliability. A concentrator receives communication signals from a head-end and forwards the received communication signals to one or more fiber nodes and/or one or more mini-fiber nodes. The concentrator demultiplexes/splits received signals for the mini-fiber nodes and the fiber nodes and forwards demultiplexed/split signals respectively. The mini-fiber nodes may combine signals received from the head-end with loop-back signals used for local medium access control prior to forwarding the signals to the end-users. Upstream data are received by the mini-fiber nodes and/or fiber node and transmitted to the concentrator. The concentrator multiplexes/couples the mini-fiber node and the fiber node upstream signals and forwards multiplexed/coupled signals to the head-end.

Abstract: Unweighted finite state automata may be used in speech recognition systems, but considerably reduce the speed and accuracy of the speech recognition system. Unfortunately, developing a suitable training corpus for a speech recognition task is time consuming and expensive, if it is even possible. Additionally, it is unlikely that a training corpus could adequately reflect the various probabilities for the word and/or phoneme combinations. Accordingly, such very-large-vocabulary speech recognition systems often must be used in an unweighted state. The directed graph optimizing systems and methods determine the shortest distances between source and end nodes of a weighted directed graph. These various directed graph optimizing systems and methods also reweight the directed graph based on the determined shortest distances, so that the weights are, for example, front weighted. Accordingly, searches through the directed graph that are based on the total weights of the paths taken will be more efficient.