Abstract: A circuit is provided for controlling a battery-charger device with a closed-loop architecture. The circuit includes sensing means for sensing an operative quantity of the device, control means, and driving means. The control means alternately controls the sensing means to track the operative quantity during a tracking phase and to hold the operative quantity during a holding phase. The driving means provides a regulation signal that regulates the operative quantity based on a comparison between the operative quantity sensed by the sensing means and a reference value. The control means causes the driving means to hold the regulation signal during at least part of each of the holding phases. Also provided is a method of controlling a battery-charger device with a closed-loop architecture.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer readable medium for transmitting at least one packet across a network destined for reception by at least one network endpoint. A plurality of packets is processed sequentially from a queue to be sent to at least one network endpoint. At least a first packet from the plurality of packets is transmitted to the network endpoint. The at least first packet transmitted to the network endpoint is determined to not have been acknowledged. A first retry packet associated with the at least first packet is transmitted to the at least one network endpoint. Transmission of packets other than the first retry packet is suspended to the network endpoint. The first retry packet is determined to have been acknowledged by the at least one network endpoint. Transmission of remaining packets in the plurality of packets to the at least one network endpoint is resumed.

Abstract: An electronically scannable multiplexing device is capable of addressing multiple bits within a volatile or non-volatile memory cell. The multiplexing device generates an electronically scannable conducting channel with two oppositely formed depletion regions. The depletion width of each depletion region is controlled by a voltage applied to a respective control gate at each end of the multiplexing device. The present multi-bit addressing technique allows, for example, 10 to 100 bits of data to be accessed or addressed at a single node. The present invention can also be used to build a programmable nanoscale logic array or for randomly accessing a nanoscale sensor array.

Abstract: A method and system for providing personal and emergency service hailing. A profile database stores profiles with individualized distance thresholds for each of a number of wireless devices. A wireless message proximity request is received from a requesting wireless device. Distances between a location of the requesting wireless device and locations of each of other wireless communications devices is computed and compared to individualized distance thresholds stored for the requesting wireless communications device. A set of wireless devices consisting of wireless devices that satisfy the individualized distance thresholds for the requesting wireless communications device is identified and a wireless message proximity response is sent to the requesting wireless communications device. The wireless message proximity response identifies the set of wireless communications devices that satisfy the at least one individualized distance threshold.

Abstract: Method for duplex printing on transparencies to create auto-stereoscopic images. By choosing different halftone structures, differing by having different spatial frequencies for each of the two sides of a transparency, a moiré pattern resulting due to halftone overlapping can be observed. On one side of the transparency is provided a uniform halftone with a selected median spatial frequency as printed. On the other side, the printing consists of two partitions: what is to be perceived as the background is printed using a halftone with spatial frequency equal to the median plus some delta x, while a desired image partition is printed using a halftone with a spatial frequency equal to the median minus the same delta x. The spatial frequency difference creates a corresponding shift-magnification factor M with an amplified total depth of the shift-magnification factor M times the thickness of the transparency.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an image processing method for producing enhanced halftone edges, particularly suited to those edges which only lie upon the background as apposed to those edges which abut other halftone screens. It utilizes a step of defining border pixels and a step of halftoning those border pixels in a different manner than the halftoning applied to the interior region of the tint or image segment. The preferred halftone for the border pixels will be related to the interior halftone by some number of common spatial frequency harmonics.

Abstract: A protected content distribution system utilizes media-based copy protection to support online distribution of protected content in a secure and legitimate fashion. Using a media-based copy protection scheme based on broadcast encryption, the protected content distribution system realizes online distribution of protected content such as, for example audio files, movies, etc, authorizing consumption of unlicensed content by transfer of a unique encrypted key to the protected media. This transaction is fast, involving the transfer of an encrypted binding key rather than the protected content. Content is enabled through a unique encrypted key on protected media accessed through a device separate from the media driver.

Abstract: An electronic circuit layout refinement method and system. A grid of equally sized tiles is defined on a circuit layout area. Each tile of the grid has a respective critical area estimate metric associated with critical area estimates for a circuit to be placed on the circuit layout area. A global circuit routing for a circuit to be placed within a plurality of tiles of the grid is performed. An estimation of critical area estimate metrics that are assigned to respective tiles of the grid is performed prior to performing a detailed circuit routing for the circuit. The global circuit routing is adjusted, after estimating the critical area estimate metrics, in order to improve a respective critical area estimate metric assigned to at least one tile of the grid. The adjusted global circuit routing is then produced.

Abstract: A conductor clamp (4) for a trailing line (5) which is secured to crabs (7) which can be moved along a carrier rail (1) comprises a support (8) for the trailing line, a clamping device (9) for securing the trailing line to the support and a shock absorber (10) for absorbing an impact of the first crab on the conductor clamp. The shock absorber has at least two spring bodies (20, 22) which have different characteristics and which are arranged one behind the other in the anticipated direction of action of the shock absorber. In this context, the most resilient spring body (20) is arranged closest to the end of the shock absorber which is provided for the application of an impact force. The shock absorber also has a lifting rod (16) which can be displaced under the effective impact force in the anticipated direction of action of the shock absorber. At the two ends of the lifting rod, spring bodies with different characteristics are arranged.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method and apparatus for moiré-free color halftone printing with up to four color image separations. The method and apparatus utilize a plurality of non-orthogonal halftone screens to produce outputs that are moiré free and form uniform periodic rosettes. The method and apparatus provide for defining a first and a second color halftone screen fundamental frequency vector for each of three halftone screens such that the halftone screen set output forms uniform hexagonal rosettes; then defining a fourth color halftone screen where a first fundamental vector of the fourth screen shares a fundamental frequency vector with one of said three halftone screens and a second fundamental frequency vector of the fourth screen shares a fundamental frequency vector with a different one of said three color halftone screens.

Abstract: A multiple video stream capture and encoding apparatus produces compressed data that represents multiple video streams capturing a common scene. Images from multiple video streams are analyzed to identify image color segments that are encoded into a composite graph data structure. Corresponding image segments across the multiple video streams are also identified and represented by one node in the composite graph data structure. The composite graph data structure also includes links between pairs of nodes that describe the relationship between the image segments associated with those nodes. The composite graph data structure is updated to represent changes to the image segments in the multiple video streams over time. The composite graph data structure is used to create compressed encoded data for storage and/or transmission.

Abstract: Method for duplex printing on transparencies to create auto-stereoscopic enhancement to rendered images. On one side of the transparency is provided a uniform halftone with a selected median spatial frequency as printed. On the other side, the image for enhanced rendering consisting of two partitions is printed: that partition which is to be perceived as the background is printed using a halftone with spatial frequency equal to the median plus some delta x, while the other image partition is printed using a halftone with a spatial frequency equal to the median minus the same delta x. The spatial frequency difference creates a corresponding shift-magnification factor M with an amplified total depth of the shift-magnification factor M times the thickness of the transparency.

Abstract: A system provides solder into cavities in a circuit supporting substrate. The system places a fill head in substantial contact with a circuit supporting substrate. The circuit supporting substrate includes at least one cavity. A linear motion or a rotational motion is provided to at least one of the circuit supporting substrate and the fill head while the fill head is in substantial contact with the circuit supporting substrate. Solder is forced out of the fill head toward the circuit supporting substrate. The solder is provided into the at least one cavity contemporaneous with the at least one cavity being in proximity to the fill head. The system brings a second circuit supporting substrate in close proximity to the circuit supporting substrate, at least one receiving pad on the second circuit supporting substrate substantially contacts the conductive bonding material of the at least one cavity.

Abstract: An integrated chemical, biological, metals, radiation, nuclear, explosives sensor system I-CBMRNE deployed on a common platform supports chemical, biological, metals, radiation, nuclear, explosives (CBMRNE) surveillance systems. The common platform provides a database for collected sensor and video data, spectral analysis for sensor data, pattern recognition systems, data analysis and communications. An I-CBMRNE sensor system provides modular sensor interfaces to enable integration of any commercial off the shelf or proprietary sensor, and provides for ease of integration for new sensor technologies as they emerge. An I-CBMRNE sensor system provides critical functions for sensor support enabling accurate calibrated data to be presented for analysis.

Abstract: A method for estimating the phase in a digital communication system, comprising the steps of: receiving and storing a block of observations Yk; executing at least one phase locked loop (PLL) on a predetermined sequence of observations extracted from said block. Each PLL provides an intermediate value, combining both intermediate values makes it possible to provide a sharpened phase estimate. The method allows realization of an improved phase estimator based on the simplicity of phase locked loops.

Abstract: In the presence of an indication of change of configuration containing the characteristics of a new configuration of fingers of a “Rake” receiver, continue performing the combination by using the old configuration (fng1, fng2, fng3) and, only when all the fingers of the new configuration have delivered information, the combination is performed by using the new configuration (fng1, fng3, fng4).