Abstract: A rule executing engine is modified to recognize, when present, a so-called “actionwrap”rule, which is a rule that is expanded and executed in place of the original rule, and the original rule is placed in the context of the actionwrap rule, so that it may operate upon the original rule. If the actionwrap rule is not present, the rule engine executes the original rule unmodified. An actionwrap rule may be defined to be present for some situations but not for others, and its presence or absence is defined by the user or users submitting the rules. Each defined actionwrap rule, when present, is applied in a uniform manner on each target rule. More than one actionwrap rule may be defined for use at any one time, and the various actionwrap rules in use at one time may be independent of each other or they be linked. If the actionwrap rules are linked, they must be activated in the correct order as specified by the actionwrap rule writer.

Abstract: Paging areas aligned with wireless terminals are dynamically created. A first base station passes to the wireless terminal a list of all the base stations that it knows and are within a prescribed number of handoffs of the first base station. The wireless terminal uses this list to define its own “personal” paging area. Each time the wireless terminal emerges from a sleep state, it listens for the base station having the best signal and compares its identification against the list of base stations in its personal paging area. If the best signal base station is on the list, any paging messages for the wireless terminal are automatically broadcast by that base station. Otherwise, the wireless terminal must conduct a handoff to that base station to obtain a new personal paging area centered on that base station with that base station as paging agent. Messages originating elsewhere in the network are forwarded to the paging agent for delivery to the wireless terminal.

Abstract: A conference bridge is selected for a conference call so as to reduce the overall cost of the conference call, and the conference bride selected may be changed dynamically, e.g., as parties are added or dropped from the conference call, so as to continuously maintain the low cost of the conference call. User telephones are connected via device servers, which may include a packet circuit gateway (PCG), to a packet network which provides both transport and service. Accordingly, in response to a request for a conference call, the packet network determines the parties to be on the conference call and selects a conference bridge that results in the lowest cost for the conference call, e.g., a bridge located more closely to two of the parties on the conference call. In the event the parties on the conference call change, e.g.

Abstract: Telephone service is supplied using a distributed architecture that employs a collection of resources each of which exposes a hierarchical namespace. The architecture includes two fundamental resource types, the device server and the call coordinator, which are interconnected by a network employing a common protocol, e.g., TCP/IP. The interaction between the various resources follows “client-server” principles to implement end-to-end communication. Device servers represent physical/logical telephone devices, which include a) end-point device servers and b) gateway device servers. End-point device servers 1) represent controls for communication, such as keypads, indicator lamps, and displays, and 2) perform media rendering, e.g., voice digitization, transport, and reconstruction. Gateway device servers have two “sides”.

Abstract: Reverse jog play can be provided quickly and simply in a player that plays a recorded stream of inter-frame encoded digital video by storing, in intra-coded frame format, frames that were previously decoded by the player and are in the vicinity of the frame currently being displayed. The intra-frame encoded versions of the decoded frames may be digitally stored in random access memory (RAM) or in some other storage medium that is easily accessible. The number of previously decoded frames may be a fixed number essentially independent of the frame structure of the video stream. Alternatively, the player stores each decoded frame from a predetermined, e.g., the most recently or next to most recently decoded, intra-coded frame (I-frame) until the current frame. Thus, the number of useable stored frames is a function of the video stream structure, the design choices of the user, and the current frame being displayed.

Abstract: In a wireless communication system, the constellation mapping scheme employed may be changed on a per-time-slot basis, i.e., from time slot to time slot, so that the constellation used to encode the symbols of each time slot may be different for each time slot within a single frame and may be different for a particular time slot in different consecutive frames. In other words, several constellation mapping schemes are available, with each providing the ability to transmit a different number of bits per symbol, and the particular constellation mapping scheme employed for any time slot need be selected for that time slot only. The ability to use any particular constellation mapping scheme is dependent on the current channel quality. The particular constellation mapping used for the user data of the time slot may be indicated in the preamble of the time slot.

Abstract: When there is an inability to convey motion that is occurring in the frames of a video source by a full-frame-rate transmission, a surrogate effect, other than another form of motion, may be used as a compensation technique to better convey motion to a viewer. The surrogate effect employed may be a) fading, b) wiping, c) dissolving, d) blurring, e) enhancing the contrast, f) enhancing one or more colors, g) enhancing the brightness, h) scaling the image, and i) the like. How the surrogate effect is applied to any frame may be a function of one or more video frames. Optionally, more than one effect may be used in combination. Advantageously, a more continuous sense of motion is perceived by a viewer. In one embodiment of the invention, full-frame-rate video is initially available. A controller monitors the ability to transmit or display full-frame-rate video.

Abstract: The penalties associated with relying on layer-4 to handle packets lost as a result of a handoff can be reduced by forwarding, in response to a handoff request from a first base station to a second base station, at least one layer-2 frame of a layer-3 packet destined to/from the wireless terminal that has been passed down from layer-3 to layer-2, and so is indicated to have been transmitted at layer-3 even though not all of the layer-2 frames of the layer-3 packet have actually been transmitted. In one embodiment of the invention, each of the at least one layer-2 frames may be encapsulated together in a special layer-3 packet that is transferred from the first base to the second base station in the usual manner of inter-base-station communication. Advantageously, packets are not lost at layer-4 due to handoffs. Thus, layer-4 retransmissions are not required, and so delays in the network are reduced.

Abstract: A terrestrial wireless telecommunication system is disclosed that uses an electronic scanning antenna to rotate a beam that carries communication messages between a base station and a plurality of wireless terminals. A base station transmitter transmits the communication messages to each wireless terminal, via the electronic scanning antenna, in a time-division multiplexed (“TDM”) data stream that is synchronized with the rotation of the beam, and a base station receiver receives the communication messages from each wireless terminal in a time-division multiple access (“TDMA”) data stream that is also synchronized with the rotation of the beam.

Abstract: The signal to interference and noise ratio (SINR) of wireless systems can be improved, if not optimized, by determining operating parameters used by the base station to substantially simultaneously control the transmit beam patterns that are each formed to establish a communication channel between a base station and a respective one of the wireless terminals as a function of received channel information from at least two of the wireless terminals. In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the weight vectors and the power allocation employed by a base station are determined by the base station using information supplied by at least each of the wireless terminals served by the base station, and potentially from wireless terminals served by other base stations, e.g., in neighboring cells to the cell served by the base station, the information from the other cells being supplied via the neighboring cell base stations using inter-base-station communication, e.g., a wire line connection.

Abstract: Multiported register files are employed to implement the input delays necessary for finite impulse response (FIR) filter operation. A multiported register file is a memory, typically small, with at least one read port and one write port. Data written into the multiported register file may be read out therefrom in any desired order. The multiported register tile may have additional output ports from which the data stored therein may be read out, also in any desired order, and independent from the order of any other output port. At least one output of each multiported register file is coupled to the input of the next stage of the FIR filter, if any. In addition, each multiported register file feeds data from one output to the multiply-add portion of its associated stage of the FIR filter.

Abstract: Drop testing is performed by controlling the position of a product to be tested with respect to the drop surface until just before the initial impact and then the product is allowed to impact like a free body. Advantageously, realistic, controllable, and substantially repeatable free drop testing can be achieved. In one embodiment of the invention the product is suspended at an angle from a falling structure, e.g., using at least one string or wire, and the suspending material is effectively released just prior to initial impact. By effectively released it is meant actually released, or the effect of the suspending material is essentially negligible, e.g., where the suspending material produces a very low restitutional force when deformed, such as a weak rubber band. The suspension of the object is arranged in such a way that initial impact occurs at the desired point on the product.

Abstract: A limitation of a three-dimensional world in which objects in the distance may be represented in only two dimensions as a video on a screen occurs when a computer graphic object represented by computer graphics, e.g., in front of, to the side, above, or below the video screen, undergoes a trajectory that takes it to a location in the world that is not represented as computer graphics, but instead is within the field represented by the video, because such an object would disappear from view by the viewer. This limitation is overcome by having such an object be represented as video on the screen, rather than computer graphics. Thus, the computer graphics object “goes into the video” as video and remains visible to a viewer in front of the video screen, rather than becoming invisible because it is blocked from view by the video screen if it were to be generated at its proper location using computer graphic techniques.

Abstract: A limitation of a three-dimensional world in which objects in the distance may be represented in only two dimensions as a video on a screen is that when an object within the field represented by the video undergoes a trajectory that takes it to a location in the world that is not represented by the video but instead is a location in the foreground which is represented by computer graphics, namely, any portion of the object that is no longer on the video screen disappears. To overcome this limitation, when an object within the field represented by the video undergoes a trajectory that takes it to a location in the world that is not represented by the video but instead is a location in the foreground which is represented by computer graphics, such an object, or portion thereof, is made to continue to be visible to the user by representing it at the foreground location to which its trajectory was carrying it using computer graphic techniques, rather than video.

Abstract: The performance of a CDMA receiver employing multiple antennas can be improved, in accordance with the principles of the invention, by directly combining together appropriately weighted signals from the rake receiver fingers that are being supplied by at least two different antennas, i.e., they are in two different receiver modules each of which is what would have been called in the prior art a rake receiver module but without the associated summer, to develop an output with at least as good, and more likely an improved, signal to interference and noise ratio (SINR), as compared to the prior art rake receiver architecture. By doing so the functionality of the beamforming coefficients and the rake multiplier vectors is joined, and it is possible to optimize the rake receiver performance.

Abstract: A high density read only memory structure is arranged to have the decoders and selectors which are used to access the read only memory arrays in a layer which is above and/or below the read only memory array layers. Note that by layer it is meant a substantially planar structure with some thickness in which the circuitry that makes up particular functionality resides. Thus, the inefficient two-dimensional structure of the prior art is folded over to create a compact read only memory device with a three-dimensional structure. Connection of the decoders to the rows is not limited to the ends of the rows, but instead may be made at any point along the rows. Similarly, connection of the selectors to the columns is not limited to the ends of the columns, but instead may be made at any point along the columns. Advantageously, additional circuitry is not required on the periphery of the memory array, so that a smaller overall memory device is achieved.

Abstract: The NEG output of the Booth encoding circuit and the multiplicand input are gated so as to minimize switching activity in the multiplier without adding any delay to the critical path thereof. Advantageously, power consumption in the multiplier is significantly reduced, e.g., on the order of 90%, when multiplication is in fact not being performed. Additionally, by changing the structure of the last XOR gate of the partial product generation circuit, the need to gate the multiplicand input can be eliminated. Advantageously, this eliminates the extra circuitry which would otherwise be required to gate the multiplicand input, thus reducing cost. Furthermore, additional power savings may be achieved by efficiently resynchronizing the multiplicand input with the Booth encoded input to the partial product circuit.

Abstract: The clock may be recovered rapidly for burst mode signals that are at one of a set of different a priority known frequencies by using a single device that is similar to that of U.S. Pat. No. 5,237,290 except that the delay lines used in each of the gated oscillators are controllably selectable so that the gated oscillators are each capable of providing a clock signal at more than one frequency. Typically, the same frequency is selected for use by both of the gated oscillators at any one time. This is achieved by having each gated oscillator be made up of 1) a plurality of “internal” gated oscillators that each have different length delay lines, and 2) a selector for selecting the output of one of the internal gated oscillators that is to be used for a particular frequency. The internal gated oscillators may be made up of delay elements. The ratio of the number of delay elements in the various internal gated oscillators to each other determines their relative frequency.

Abstract: For a world that has a portion of the world distant from the point of view of the user represented in only two dimensions as a video on a video screen, when an object on the video screen undergoes a trajectory that takes at least a portion of it to a location in the world that is not represented by the video but instead is a location in the world that is represented by computer graphics, in addition to being able to continue to see such an object when it is rendered as computer graphics in the computer graphics part of the world, i.e., popped out from the video, one is able to interact with such an object. Thus, an object which pops out from a video into the computer graphics part of the world may be “investigated” by a viewer of the world. For example, the user could enter a store which popped out of the video, and engage in virtual shopping therein. The particular store which is actually entered may be customized on a per user basis, e.g., as a function of geography.

Abstract: A limitation of a three-dimensional world in which objects in the distance may be represented in only two dimensions as a video on a screen occurs when a computer graphic object represented by computer graphics, e.g., in front of, to the side, above, or below the video screen, undergoes a trajectory that takes it to a location in the world that is not represented as computer graphics, but instead is within the field represented by the video, because such an object would disappear from view by the viewer. This limitation is overcome by having by determining when a computer graphic object undergoes a trajectory that takes it to a location in the world that is not represented as computer graphics, but instead is within the field represented by the video, and representing such an object as computer graphics in front of the screen to which at least one perspective transformation is applied, the perspective transformation being at least a function of the position at which the object is actually located.