Abstract: A method for purchasing items over a non-secure communication channel uses a secure communication device. The secure communication device includes a host processor, a secure memory that includes a laser-scribed encryption key, and a non-secure memory for storing encrypted data. A user's sensitive data is encrypted within the secure memory using the laser-scribed encryption key and stored as encrypted data in the non-secure memory. An encrypted credit card number and an encrypted secret key is retrieved from the non-secure memory, the encrypted credit card and secret key are decrypted with the laser-scribed encryption key, the credit card number is encrypted with a session key, and the encrypted credit card number is transferred over the network to a destination such as an internet vendor.

Abstract: A conformal patch antenna comprises an aperture layer having an at least partially metallized surface that may have at least one aperture slot therein, and a feed-network layer positioned adjacent to the aperture layer and having a feed-network circuitry metallized thereon. The aperture layer and feed-network layer may be comprised of a low permittivity dielectric material. The dielectric material of the aperture and the feed-network layers may be formed in a predetermined shape by a molding process prior to metallization. The feed network may be located within a recessed area of the feed-network layer dielectric, and may include at least one signal probe molded in the dielectric material and having metallization thereon to align with holes in aperture layer. The signal probes may couple signals from the aperture to the feed-network circuitry.

Abstract: Energy (110) and mission data (108) for a guided projectile are transferred from a projectile setter (102) over an inductive interface (118). The projectile may include energy storage element (114) to store the energy and a data storage element (112) to store the mission data. Precision GPS clock circuitry (316) of the projectile may receive power from a capacitive energy storage (304) element during projectile loading until a flight battery (320) is activated. In one embodiment, the capacitive energy storage element (304) includes at least one super capacitor (322) and a gun-hardened capacitor (324). The clock circuitry (316) may receive power from the gun-hardened capacitor (324) if the super capacitor (322) fails during the launching operation. The capacitive energy storage element (304) may include one-way energy transfer elements (326) coupled between the super capacitor (322) and the gun-hardened capacitor (324).

Abstract: A pre-payment energy metering system uses two-way smart card communications. Secure power line carrier communications are provided at the consumer locations communication between a customer terminal and the utility meter. Two-way secure communication of data is provided through the use of a smart card or memory card which conveys data from the utility service provider to the customer's terminal and also conveys information from the customer's terminal back to the utility. The pre-payment power system of the present invention allows consumers to pay for electricity prior to consumption through the use of the smart card which is loaded with funds at a fully automatic point-of-sale (POS) terminal or at the utility service providers staffed customer service center. Back office software interfaces between the POS terminals and customer service centers, and utility service providers customer information systems.

Abstract: An orthogonal frequency division multiplexed wideband communication system provides improved time and frequency synchronization by inserting an unevenly spaced pilot sequence within the constellation data. A receive correlates the received data using the unevenly spaced pilot sequence. The pilot sequence is generated with a maximum length pseudo random noise code and inserted into frequency bins having prime numbers.

Abstract: A system (20) transmits a digital data stream (22) using a lossy compression service (24) having a communication path (28) through which compressed signals propagate. The system includes a data conditioner (36) configured to condition the received digital data stream (22) to produce data subsets (66). A frame generator (36) expands each of the data subsets (66) to generate distinct signal sets (68). The distinct signal sets (68) are expressed in a data size greater than the data subsets (66) to compensate for lossy compression cause by the lossy compression service (24). A transmitter is in communication with the frame generator (36) and transmits digitized ones of the distinct signal sets (68) in frames of a digital bit stream (126) over the communication path (28).

Abstract: A system and method for determining operating parameters to control a communication rate for an adaptive rate communication system includes a transmitter (101) to transmit a signal (135) through a network (142) to a receiver (103). The receiver (103) determines operating parameters based on, among other things, packet information from a received signal (e.g., packet). The receiver conveys the operating parameters to the transmitter for use in subsequent communications from the transmitter (101) to the receiver (103).

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 two-dimensional FET array (102) within a Q-band power amplifier module is presented. Array (102) has a plurality of substantially identical one-dimensional FET arrays (106) substantially centered upon a primary axis (130) of two-dimensional array (106) substantially perpendicular to a propagation axis (110) of module (100). Each one-dimensional array (106) is formed of a plurality of FETs (128) substantially centered along a FET axis (134) substantially parallel to propagation axis (110). Each one-dimensional array (106) is proximate and coupled to each of an input bus (136) and an output bus (138), both oriented substantially parallel to propagation axis (110).

Abstract: A TCS (200) and procedure (400) for identifying an unidentified class as a class of a group of classes includes a new tree-structured classifier (208) and training processor (204). Unidentified feature vectors representing an unidentified class are combined with predetermined models to compute a score for each of the unidentified feature vectors. Based on the scores for each of the unidentified feature vectors, an association is made with the predetermined models to identify the unidentified class. Predetermined models are created using a training procedure (300) for predetermined feature vectors associated therewith. A procedure (400) for identifying an unidentified class as a class of a group of classes is useful when determining access privileges to a device or system.

Abstract: A processor (22) of an encryption system (20) receives plain text (24) and operates an encryption algorithm to convert the plain text (24) to cipher text (26). A state monitor (30) confirms a conversion sequence within each of a plurality of conversion cycles performed by the encryption algorithm. The state monitor (30) produces a first enablement signal (38) when the conversion sequence is confirmed. An encryption activity monitor (34) determines a number of blocks of cipher text (24) that are not encrypted. The encryption activity monitor (34) produces a second enablement signal (42) when the number of unencrypted blocks of cipher text (26) is less than a predetermined failure threshold (86). A monitor gate (36) enables output of the cipher text (26) in response to the first and second enablement signals (38, 42).

Abstract: In a code division multiplexed system, a subscriber unit (260, FIG. 1), which includes a pseudonoise code generator (70), is synchronized with the pseudonoise code generator (220) of a communications node (200). Synchronization between the pseudonoise code generators (70, 220) is achieved through measuring the time delay of a signal transmitted from the communications node (200) to the subscriber unit (260) and advancing the code generator of the subscriber unit in accordance with the time delay. This permits transmissions from the subscriber unit (260) to be received synchronously at the satellite. The synchronization is maintained through the periodic transmission from the communications node (200) to the subscriber unit (260) of a message which commands the subscriber unit (260) to adjust the timing of its pseudonoise code generator. The resulting synchronous code division multiplexed system offers increased capacity over conventional systems.

Abstract: System efficiently communicates a perceptually encoded speech spectrum signal from a transmitter to a receiver. The transmitter includes a speech analyzer which accepts a speech signal input and generates a parameterized speech signal. The transmitter also includes a vector quantizer for generating the perceptually encoded speech spectrum signal from the parameterized speech signal. The receiver decodes the perceptually encoded speech spectrum signal to produce decoded spectral parameters to further produce a synthetic speech output. The vector quantizer performs a method for partitioning a vector quantizer (VQ) codebook to produce perceptually organized sub-codebooks. The vector quantizer performs a second method for quantizing a vector based on the perceptually organized sub-codebooks. The second method identifies a vector, from one of the perceptually organized sub-codebooks, to perceptually model the speech signal input.

Abstract: A communications network is capable of using time division multiple access (TDMA) techniques, code division multiple access (CDMA) techniques, or a combination of both. A subscriber unit (30) makes a request for a traffic channel over a CDMA pilot channel or a TDMA broadcast channel. A satellite (20) or a base station (40) receives the request and determines whether to assign a TDMA or CDMA traffic channel. The downlink and uplink can have the same access scheme (e.g., TDMA) or different access schemes (e.g., TDMA on the uplink and CDMA on the downlink).

Abstract: An improved method and system for training and classifying using a low complexity and high accuracy multiresolutional polynomial classifier (412) is presented. A method of training an multiresolutional polynomial classifier which reduces the complexity of existing classifiers allows models representing subgroups of classes to easily be created. The models which represent subgroups of classes are applied to an unidentified input to produce a coarse classification of the unidentified input using a low order classifier. Once a coarse classification of the unidentified input is performed, a more detailed classification is performed using another low complexity classifier.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for rapidly characterizing a communications channel is used to mitigate the effects of the communications channel as present in a received signal. A satellite (20) transmits a data signal (40) and a pilot signal (50). The data signal (40) and the pilot signal (50) are substantially orthogonally polarized. A user terminal (30) receives the orthogonally polarized data signal (40) and pilot signal (50). The user terminal includes a channel information recovery circuit (250) and a channel effects mitigation circuit (240). The channel information recovery circuit (250) characterizes the communications channel by analyzing the pilot signal (50), and then provides the channel information (260) to the channel effects mitigation circuit (240) which then mitigates the effects of the channel.

Abstract: A radio is disclosed in which different waveforms may be utilized. The radio includes a memory (801) in which software (802, 805, 806) for specific waveforms is stored. The radio further includes one or more processors (807, 809, 811) which extract waveform specific software to process information for transmission or reception. All processing of the information between reception or reproduction of speech and transmission and reception of radio frequency signals, respectively, is performed in software.

Abstract: A message processing center (140) is used in a global message delivery system. Message processing center (140) uses at least one GEO satellite (130) and at least one Non-GEO satellite (120) to delivers messages (pages) to a number of ground stations (110) located at various locations on the surface of the earth. Message processing center (140) determines loading for at least one GEO satellite (130) and at least one Non-GEO satellite (120). Message processing center (140) determines available capacity for at least one GEO satellite (130) and at least one Non-GEO satellite (120). Message processing center (140) uses a number of criteria to optimize the delivery of the message data.

Abstract: A distributed airbag firing system (10) includes a controller (12) receiving sensor signals from a sensor (20) over a two-wire bus (18). The controller provides a firing command over to the two-wire bus to a squib driver circuit (26), which provides the firing current necessary to detonate a squib device (32) and inflate the airbag. The squib driver circuit includes a rectifier (42) with its first and second inputs interchangeably connected to the two-wire bus. The rectifier circuit converts the voltage orientation on the first and second conductors to a positive potential on a first output conductor and a negative or ground potential on a second output conductor. The interchangeability of the first and second inputs of the rectifier to the two-wire bus makes the connection arbitrary and fail-safe.