Abstract: A lithographic mask is illuminated with light from different directions such that intensities of a plurality of incident beams of light provide a largest possible integrated process window defined in terms of an allowed range for defining shapes. Constrained sets of intensity parameters are imposed. A first set of intensity parameters represents maximum possible intensities that can be permitted for overexposed tolerance positions. A second set of intensity parameters represents minimum possible intensities that can be permitted for underexposed tolerance positions. Optimum source intensities of incident beams are defined using a linear program and constraints. The optimum source intensities maximize an integrated range of dose and focal variations without causing printed shapes to depart from the allowed range. Apparatus are detailed and variations are described.

Abstract: In one aspect this invention provides a DC-DC converter that has a switch mode part for coupling between a DC source and a load, the switch mode part providing x amount of output power; and that further has a linear mode part coupled in parallel with the switch mode part between the DC source and the load, the linear mode part providing y amount of output power, where x is preferably greater than y, and the ratio of x to y may be optimized for particular application constraints. In a further aspect there is a radio frequency (RF) transmitter (TX) for coupling to an antenna, where the TX has a polar architecture having an amplitude modulation (AM) path coupled to a power supply of a power amplifier (PA) and a phase modulation (PM) path coupled to an input of the PA, where the power supply includes the switch mode part for coupling between a battery and the PA and the linear mode part coupled in parallel with the switch mode part between the battery and the PA.

Abstract: An audio path is constructed to include a multi-bit sigma-delta converter for converting an N-bit digital input to an n-bit output representing an over-sampled, lower resolution n-bit version of the N-bit digital input; a formatter for converting the n-bit output to an m signal output (e.g., as a thermometer code, a SDM format or a PWM format); an m-by-m switching matric for receiving the m output signals and for reordering the m output signals, m class-D drivers individual ones of which are driven by one of the reordered m output signals for driving one of m speakers; and a dynamic element matching (DEM) block coupled to the switching matric for controlling the reordering of the m output signals driving the m class-D drivers for spreading the distortion due at least to driver-speaker pair mismatch to wide band noise. The DEM may operate to generate white noise, or it may generate shaped (colored) noise.

Abstract: An antenna arrangement for dual mode radio devices such as WCDMA/GSM or Bluetooth radio devices. The arrangement contains two antennas close to each other, where a shorting switch is used at an open end of one antenna to increase isolation by effectively converting the one antenna from a quarter wave length antenna to a half wave length antenna when not needed in order to improve the efficiency of the other antenna. The shorting switch is typically a MEMS switch and the antennas are typically PIFA antennas. A radio device containing the arrangement has also been disclosed.

Abstract: The invention concerns a system for monitoring an occupancy area (15.1–15.3). The system includes the following elements. A device (10) that is arranged in connection with the monitored party (A–D) which device (10) includes localizing means (12), means of communication (13) for communication in a wireless data communication network (20.1–20.3), a processor unit (MCU) and a storage medium (16), wherein at least location information (23–25) defining the limit of the said occupancy area (15.1–15.3) is arranged, based on which the current status information of the monitored party (A–D) is adapted to be defined. A terminal equipment (22) that is arranged in connection with the monitoring party (21), and a wireless data communication network (20.1–20.3) as a means of communication between the said device (10) and the terminal equipment (22). The said location information (23–25) defining the occupancy area (15.1–15.

Abstract: A method and system for synchronizing the PN phase of a pseudo-noise (PN) coded signal with a phase of a master PN decade-code is provided. The method includes the steps of associating the master PN decade-code initialization t0 with a first time zone reference date and time and determining an elapsed time t1. The next steps equate the elapsed time t1 to a corresponding phase of the master PN code and synchronize the phase of the PN coded signal with the corresponding phase of the master PN decade-code.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for operating a synchronous space division multiple access, code division multiple access communications system. The method includes steps of, within a coverage area of a base station (BS), (a) assigning the same spreading code to a plurality of subscriber stations (SSs); and (b) beamforming using an antenna array at the BS so as to maximize the signal to interference plus noise ratio for a signal transmitted from a desired SS, The beamforming operates to steer a null towards another same-code SS to minimize interference from the same-code SS. Assuming that the antenna array has M-elements (M>1), then individual ones of P orthogonal spreading codes can be reused ?M times within the coverage area, where 1/M<??1. The step of beamforming includes an initial step of despreading the signal received from the desired SS, followed by a step of spatial filtering.

Abstract: A method is taught to provide an improved mobile station International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) code having at least a six digit hexadecimal SNR representation, in conjunction with modifying a Check Digit calculation procedure so as to insure backwards compatibility with an existing installed base of mobile stations having a six digit BCD SNR representation.

Abstract: This invention provides a highly flexible multiplexing scheme for Direct Sequence CDMA systems enabling the CDMA system to flexibly allocate CDMA channel resources between packet-switched broadcast channels and fast-circuit-switched dedicated channels in order to optimize system throughput. A method and system are provided for operating a communication system. The method has steps of: flexibly allocating CDMA channel resources between packet-switched broadcast channels and fast-circuit-switched dedicated channels in order to optimize system throughput, and employing a side channel as required to send all or a part of a total amount of data, depending on the total amount of the data. A bandwidth allocation scheme allocates a set of CDMA channels for burst packet-switched channels, and data is time division multiplexed over the set of burst CDMA channels providing a wide bandwidth data pipe for packet-switched data.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for presenting information to a user of an audiovisual appliance such as a television receiver, a set top box, or a DVD or a VCR player. The method includes extracting source text from a graphical representation of the source text in an associated audiovisual program; translating the extracted source text into a target text in a language different than a language of the source text; and presenting the target text in a human perceptible format in a synchronized manner with the associated audiovisual program. Translating the extracted source text may include an initial step of identifying the source language.

Abstract: Disclosed is a programmable buffer circuit (16) for interfacing a CPU (12) to a plurality of channel interfaces (14). The buffer circuit includes a dual port memory (18) having a first port coupled to a CPU data bus and a second port coupled to a channel data bus that serves the plurality of channel interfaces. The buffer circuit further includes an arbitrator (24) for arbitrating access to the dual port memory by individual ones of the channel interfaces over the channel data bus; an address generator (26) for generating dual port memory addresses for reading and writing data using the CPU data bus and the channel data bus; and a control unit (20) and allocator (22) that are programmable by the CPU for specifying individual ones of buffer locations and sizes within the dual port memory for individual ones of the channel interfaces, and for enabling and disabling individual ones of the buffers.

Abstract: An apparatus for improving the signal to noise ratio of measurements of the thickness of layers in a thin film stack uses a photoacoustic measurement system that includes a time differentiation system for inducing a delay in pump beam pulses. The time differentiation system uses, among other things, a birefringent element and other elements to control the polarization of pump beam pulses. Use of the apparatus involves applying a time varying voltage to an electro-optic modulator driver and setting a time differentiation step; or, in another embodiment, applying a time varying voltage to an electro-optic modulator to induce a fixed time delay delta-t between a vertically polarized pulse and a horizontally polarized pulse. The high frequency operation of the system provides for improved determinations of film thickness.

Abstract: A method for operating a dual-band mobile station (10) includes a first step of (a) storing information in the mobile station. The stored information includes an ordered list of frequency bands (Band Order Table 24A). For example, at least one frequency band is an 800 MHz frequency band and at least one other frequency band is a 1900 MHz frequency band. The stored information further includes an identity (24B) of a band wherein an acceptable control channel was last located. A next step (b) is executed in response to a user invoking a search procedure to locate a new non-public system. This step accesses the memory to determine the identity of the band wherein an acceptable control channel was last located, and marks this band as a band to be searched. A next step (c) collects signal strength measurements on channels in the band to be searched and executes a channel search procedure to locate a control channel of a desired non-public system within the band to be searched.

Abstract: A system and a method is shown for conducting electronic commerce. The system includes a mobile station (10) containing a user interface (15) and an application (27A), which could cooperate with a user authentication module (13A); and a computer (1) coupled to a data communications network (2). The computer includes a browser (1A) for contacting a site, such as a commerce related site, and a browser plug-in module (1B) and/or a browser extension. The browser and plug-in (or extension) cooperate to detect a presence of a received message that requires a response from the user, such as an authentication of the user, or a digital signature, or a payment request, etc. The computer also includes an interface (1C, 1D, 1E) for sending a message from the computer to the mobile station over a bidirectional link (3).

Abstract: A method is disclosed for operating a synchronous space division multiple access, code division multiple access communications system. The method operates, within a coverage area of a base station (BS) or radio base unit (RBU) having a multi-element antenna array, for estimating a SSV for individual ones of a plurality of active subscriber stations (SSs) and assigns a spreading code to a subscriber station (SS) that minimizes the similarity of the determined SSVs of the SSs in a spreading code set. A metric used to measure the similarity of the spatial signature vectors of the SSs comprises the squared sum of the inner products of same code SSs' SSV with a current SS's SSV. The step of assigning includes calculating the magnitude of the squared inner product of the SSVs of all pairs of active SSs; using the calculated values for determining ?n(c) for each spreading code that is not already used some specified maximum number of times; and assigning to a SS the spreading code with a minimum ?n(c).

Abstract: The invention relates to route guidance for navigation terminals. A navigational system calculates a route from a start location to a destination. The route is divided into segments and sequentially delivered to a mobile navigational terminal remote from the stored segments at respective points in the calculated route.

Abstract: A hybrid oil filter assembly includes a housing and a first (e.g., conventional) oil filter element disposed in proximity to a bottom portion of the housing. The first oil filter element contains an open inner volume. A second oil filter element having a generally circular cylindrical shape is disposed circumferentially about a length of the first oil filter element. The second oil filter element may be made of rolled paper and filters particles of a smaller size than the first oil filter element (e.g., down to about one microns, thereby providing micro-filtering of the engine oil).

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an angled conductor electrical connector including extruding a metal member having a channel therein; and bending the metal member such that the channel forms two angled conductor receiving areas. Each conductor receiving area has a channel axis angled relative to each other.

Abstract: An electrical wedge connector including a connector shell having a general C-shaped cross-section with two opposing free ends, and a wedge. The free ends each comprise an outward extension from the opposing ends. Each outward extension has an outer tip along a longitudinal length of the shell adapted to stablely locate the shell on a surface of a frame of a wedge connector installation tool. The wedge is adapted to wedge two electrical conductors against respective opposing inner sides of the shell.

Abstract: An inventive method provides optimum topology for a multi-antenna system dedicated to higher throughput/capacity by bundling the Point Coordination Function (PCF) operation in infrastructure mode of the current and/or enhanced IEEE MAC with PHY specifications that employ some form of coherent weighting based on CSI at the transmitter in conjunction with the corresponding optimum receiver detection based on CSI. Specifically, CSI is measured from a control message, so data messages and control messages are separated. In the contention period of IEEE 802.11, the RTS/CTS exchange is used for CSI and the data message is sent following the CTS message. In the contention free period, a poll by the PC is separated from a data frame, which gives the polled station the first opportunity to send a data message. This change in topology results in various changes to the frame exchange format in the CFP for various scenarios of data and control messages to be exchanged.