Abstract: A hand-held communication device with an automatically oriented antenna fixed thereto and including a closed container at least partially filled with liquid. A floating element including a patch antenna is positioned within the cavity and carried by the liquid so as to maintain the patch antenna in a continuous orientation. An electrical coupling is formed between the patch antenna and the hand-held communication device to operatively couple the patch antenna for receiving transmissions in the hand-held communication device.

Abstract: A wireless access unit (12) for providing an interface between a satellite communications system (32) and a plurality of terrestrial user devices (14-26) in a centralized or distributed architecture includes a spectrum allocation unit (92) for dynamically allocating spectrum to the plurality of terrestrial user devices (14-26) based on a spectral environment about the wireless access unit (12). A spectrum scan unit (60) scans the spectral environment about the wireless access unit (12) and generates a spectrum signal indicative thereof. An environment understanding unit (61) provides signal information corresponding to signal emitters in proximity to the distributed or centralized network. A spectrum table (90) assembles data related to the spectral environment and the proximity emitters for use by the spectrum allocation unit (92) in dynamically allocating spectrum.

Abstract: An apparatus (30) and method minimize voice delay by combining comfort noise with subframe insertions to fill gaps in speech and maintain a minimum delay for packets arriving late. When a packet is late, short durations of sound are repetitively inserted until the late packet arrives. When the late packet finally arrives, the durations of future speech pauses are modified so there is no voice degradation.

Abstract: A conflict resolution center (130 FIG. 1) is used to manage and resolve resource allocation conflicts in communications system (100) including a number of semi-autonomous communications nodes (SACNs). SACN (110) operates semi-autonomously because SACNs cannot independently allocate and de-allocate resources but rather operate within the confines of at least one local neighborhood. SACNs (110) allocate and de-allocate resources locally based on local neighborhood information. A conflict occurs when at least two SACNs try to allocate the same resource. Conflict resolution center (130) resolves conflicts using a number of different procedures. When a conflict can be resolved, conflict resolution center (130) provides resource reallocation data to at least one SACN (110). When a conflict cannot be resolved, conflict resolution center (130) notifies a system administrator.

Abstract: An RF assembly (20) operating at a predetermined wavelength of &lgr; and having a ground-plane interface (26) between first and second components (22, 24) is presented. A bond wire (48) couples the components (22, 24) along a bond-wire directrix (54). The components (22, 24) have grounding members (30, 32) establishing substantially coplanar ground planes (42, 44). The grounding members (30, 32) are coupled together so as to create a semi-cylindrical slot (28) having an opening (60) substantially coincident with the ground planes (42, 32). The slot 28 has an axis (66) proximate the bond-wire directrix (54), and a radius (68) substantially equal to &lgr;/2. The slot axis (66) and the bond-wire directrix (54) are located within a plane (56) substantially perpendicular to the ground planes (42, 32).

Abstract: A method and apparatus for coupling a microelectronic component (114) to a printed circuit board (112) are disclosed. The component (114) is coupled to the circuit board (112) by placing leads (116) of component (114) in contact with conducting pads (118) on the circuit board (120), dispensing a bead of solder paste (110) onto the leads (116), and applying heat to the applied paste (110) to cause the solder to reflow. The solder bead is dispensed using a solder paste dispenser (108) and heated using a light source (102).

Abstract: An optical interconnect system (100) includes an array of optical sources (102), a high-density fiber bundle (110), and an array of optical receivers (150). The density of the fiber bundle is such that each optical source (104) couples light to multiple fibers within the bundle. The fiber bundle has a consistent cross section along its length so that the footprint of fibers (306, FIG. 3) illuminated by a spot (304) from an optical source illuminates a similar footprint (404, FIG. 4) over the optical receivers (406). The optical receiver array has a density of optical receivers such that the footprint of fibers corresponding to a single optical source illuminates at least one optical receiver. A method (600, FIG. 6) for creating optical source/receiver pairs excites each optical source in turn and detects energy at the optical receiver array.

Abstract: A method for operating a field emission device (100) having an electron emitter (115) includes the steps of providing an emitter-enhancing electrode (117) proximate to electron emitter (115), causing emitter-enhancing electrode (117) to emit electrons, and causing the electrons emitted by emitter-enhancing electrode (117) to be received by electron emitter (115). A method for fabricating a field emission device (100) includes the steps of forming a layer (126) of dielectric material, forming emitter-enhancing electrode (117) on layer (126) of dielectric material, forming an enhanced-emission structure (131) in emitter-enhancing electrode (117), removing a portion of layer (126) of dielectric material proximate to enhanced-emission structure (131) to form a well (114, 158), and forming electron emitter (115) within well (114, 158).

Abstract: A method and apparatus for acquiring satellite signals and subscriber unit signals utilizes broadcast beams (205) and acquisition beams (215) projected from a satellite (20). The broadcast beams (205) and acquisition beams (215) form broadcast acquisition beam pairs that are swept within the footprint (50) of the satellite (20) on the surface of the earth. Broadcast bursts are transmitted by the satellite (20) in the broadcast beams (205), and acquisition bursts broadcast by subscriber units (30) are received by the satellite (20) in acquisition beams (215).

Abstract: A method for virtual end nodes indicates in routing information (51) that the routing information is a “special access” to a virtual end node (60). An RF network device then inserts the identity (52) of the physical end node into user information (62) and insert a filter field for selecting which virtual end node(s) are to respond to the user information (63). An end node (41) determines whether the user information is for it (69-72), then the end node 41 responds to the RF network (75), otherwise the end node 41 ignores the user information.

Abstract: A ground-based antenna assembly (10) is provided that includes an assembly base (14) defining a substantially horizontal plane (18) and configured for attachment to a residential, commercial or governmental structure. The ground-based antenna (10) also includes a plurality of planar receiving panels (22) having a circular and/or elliptical shape. The plurality of planar receiving panels (22) are radially-spaced about the assembly base (14) and tilted with respect to the substantially horizontal plane (18) for a receiving field-of-view. The ground-based antenna assembly (10) further includes a plurality of planar transmitting panels (26) having a circular and/or elliptical shape. The plurality of planar transmitting panels (26) are radially-spaced about the assembly base (14) and tilted with respect to the substantially horizontal plane (18) for a transmitting field-of-view.

Abstract: A conductive element (FIG. 1, 220) incorporates a wide end portion (230) which is subdivided into a set of low impedance coupling paths (235) separated by one of the planar grooves (250). Each of the low impedance coupling paths (235) is suitable for coupling to a corresponding solid-state amplifier device (210). Power from each solid-state amplifier device (210) is combined at a narrow end portion (240) and conveyed to a transmission line (260). The high frequency low loss power combiner requires minimal integrated circuit chip area and can be designed and fabricated using existing microstrip analysis and design tools. Additionally, the substantially fully metallic structure provides additional excess heat dissipation through increased surface area over that of the Wilkenson power combiner. Further, due the broad conductive path formed by the conductive element, resistive losses are also minimized, thus increasing overall device efficiency.

Abstract: A portable electronic device (10) is configured to include an accessible container (12) which has an access hatch (16) and a receptacle (18). The hatch (16) and receptacle (18) are each one-piece molded items. The hatch (16) includes a molded supple coating (56) over a molded rigid shell (54). The coating (56) is applied over walls (70) and a shell edge (82). The shell edge (82) is conformingly shaped to match a receptacle edge (28) so that a seal results when the hatch (16) is latched over a receptacle opening (26), with the supple coating (56) between the two edges (82, 28). Latches (20) are integrally formed with the shell (54), and relief notches (84, 86) are formed adjacent to the latches (20) so that a desired latch resilience results. The coating (56) covers the relief notches (84, 86) so that no openings extend into the accessible container (12).

Abstract: A multicast message is transmitted from an originating subscriber unit (110, FIG. 1) through a network of satellite communications nodes (120, 130, and 140) to a plurality of receiving subscriber units (150, 160, and 170). Each message is distributed through the network of satellite communications nodes (120, 130, and 140) and replicated at the node nearest to the receiving subscriber unit. Receiving subscriber units (150, 160, and 170) are mapped into geographic cells which allows a single multicast transmission to be transmitted from the satellite communications node to those subscriber units within the same geographic cell. Multicast groups and membership rules are established by the originating subscriber unit (110) through a service provider (180). A multicast session manager (185) manages the multicast session.

Abstract: A switch system (20) switches at least sixty-four asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) input data streams (22) into at least sixty-four ATM output data streams (24). The switch system (20) includes a backplane assembly (38) having integral data transmission lines, integral clock transmission lines, and discrete slots (36). A single stage space switch circuit card (26), a clock circuit card (28), and input circuit cards (30) are connected to separate slots (36) in the backplane assembly (38). The integral data transmission lines are coupled between the input circuit cards (30) and the switch circuit card (26) and the integral clock transmission lines are coupled between the clock circuit card (28) and the input circuit cards (30). Data path lengths for the integral data transmission lines differ in the backplane assembly (38), and clock path lengths for the clock transmission lines differ in the backplane assembly.

Abstract: A power amplifier core (40) for amplifying RF signals is provided. The power amplifier core (40) includes a first string of FET cells (46) for amplifying the RF signal. The FET cell string includes at least two FET cells (46) connected in series with an output port (48) of the amplifier core. A bias network (44) coupled between an amplifier core input port (42) and the FET cells (46) couples the RF signal to the FET cells (46). The bias network (44) includes a bias capacitor (50) and a resistor network. The bias capacitor (50) is coupled to the input port (42) for AC coupling the RF signal to an associated FET cell (46) in the FET cell string. The resistor network is coupled from the bias capacitor (50) to the associated FET cell (46) for providing a DC bias to the associated FET cell (46).

Abstract: A system for switching radio frequency signals from an input side (5, FIG. 1 ) to an output side (6) can be used to combine multiple input signals to form a single output and to distribute a single input signal to form multiple outputs. Gain correction amplifiers (20, 25) are employed to adjust the overall gain of a particular column and row of the switch matrix which minimizes the effect of variations in the gain of the amplified switching elements (30) which perform the switching function. Resistive matching units (70, FIG. 2) provide coupling to and from the amplified switching elements (30) without substantially changing the characteristic impedance of the input and output paths.

Abstract: In a communication system having Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites (210), one or more Mission Operations Control Centers (MOCCs) (220), one or more Distributed Virtual Network Managers (DVNMs) (230), and several types of Customer Premises Equipment (CPE) (250, 260, 270, and 280), individual service providers (20) are able to control the network services they provide independently from other service providers (20) through local management of the DVNMs (230).

Abstract: Methods (400, 500, 600, 700, 800, and 900) and a multi-layer service management system (300) enable mutilayer service management in a global network environment in a communication system (100) which includes a core network (230) and multiple Distributed Virtual Network Segments (DVNSs) (240). The system (300) includes a network service manager (315) capable of managing a set of services for operating the core network, DVNS service managers (DVNSMs) (345, 347) residing within a core side (340) and a product side (335) of each item of DVNS equipment (330) for managing a first and second set of services associated with the DVNS and also a set of value added services (352) provided through the DVNS equipment (330), and a processor/server 385 residing within customer premises equipment (CPE) (370) for enabling provision of value added services to the CPE.

Abstract: The present invention provides two approaches for eliminating a keyhole problem associated with an azimuth-elevation gimbal antenna which is a problem that occurs when the antennae is tracking a satellite vehicle that is substantially directly overhead, i.e., the satellite vehicle is near the zenith position. At such a point, the azimuth motor of the gimbal antenna must turn very rapidly when the satellite passes through such near zenith position. A first approach involves tilting up one of the elevation axis joints when the antenna points at or near its zenith position such that the pointing angle may be altered by a predetermined angle, for example around 0.5° to 1°, from the zenith position. A second approach involves tilting the secondary reflector of the cassegrain antenna such that the pointing direction of the antenna may be altered by a predetermined angle.