Abstract: The present invention provides a user interface having a plurality of user entry regions (34 and 36) Each user entry region is preferably separated into a first user entry sub-region (40) and a second user entry sub-region (42) by a visual cue (38). A first character is received in the first user entry sub-region (40) and a second character is received in the second user entry sub-region (42) to provide a unitary collection of strokes. The unitary collection of strokes is then matched as a whole against at least one character template in order to identify a desired character of a user.

Abstract: A communication system transmits packetized voice data from a voice source to a voice destination. At the voice destination, the packets are accumulated in a buffer, sequentially played out and the time the packet waits in the buffer is monitored. The time future voice packets are played out is accordingly adjusted.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of bringing sampling instants of a first internal coder-decoder (14) of a first microprocessor (10) into synchronization with sampling instants of a second internal coder-decoder (20) of a second microprocessor (12). The first and second microprocessors (10 and 12) wait a predetermined time to achieve phase lock. A common interrupt is generated by the first microprocessor (10). The common interrupt is simultaneously sent to and received by the first and second microprocessors (10 and 12). The first and second internal coder-decoders (14 and 20) are forced into a known state simultaneously.

Abstract: A method of operation of a data communications system (5) with session control having a data communications network (10) and at least a first communications device (1), a second communications device (2) and a third commnunications device (3) in communications with the data communications network (10). The data communications network (10) identifies a fault status change in communications with the first communications device (1), generates a session control command (6) with an identification number (7) attached responsive to identifying the fault status change and sending the session control command (6) to at least the second and the third communications devices (2 and 3). At least at the second communications device (2), the second communications device (2) receives the session control command (6), deter-mines from the identification number (7) whether the second communications device (2) is affected by the fault status change and selectively performs a session control action in response thereto.

Abstract: A method of communicating between radio units (10, 11, 12, 13) by transferring cells over a communication channel having repeating frames. A matrix (200) of frame positions is maintained, where a first dimension (X) of the matrix corresponds to positions in a frame and a second dimension (Y) corresponds to frames in a sequence of frames. A value (P) is associating with each frame position, representative of a minimum repeat number. A cell is allocated to a position in a frame and the cell allocation is repeated every Nth frame where N is an integer multiple of the repeat number (P). In another embodiment, a cell is transmitted at the selected position in the frame and an indicator is included in the transmitted cell, where the indicator represents an integer value N. Subsequent cells are transmitted at the selected position every Nth frame.

Abstract: A method and apparatus in a communication system (100) for allocating and controlling data transmissions to and from communications unit (134) in communications system (100). The communication systems (100) includes a cable distribution network (106) with a base communications unit (102) and a number of downstream communications units (134) all connected to the cable distribution network (106). A plurality of channels are used to transmit data transmissions between the base communications unit (100) and the downstream communications unit (134). Uplink and downlink channels are monitored to determine channel quality for each of the channels in communications system (100). The determined channel quality is used to both initiate transfers of communications links to other frequencies and for assigning channels to various communications units (134).

Abstract: Carriers (51) in a cable telephony system (10) are prioritized (70) according to their usability. A local access manager (LAM) (27) creates a frequency list that ranks the carriers (51) based upon their frequency. When a cable fixed access unit (CFAU) (44) requests a traffic channel, the LAM (27) selects a traffic channel based on the channel's carrier usability. The LAM (27) also selects an alternative channel based on both the channel's carrier usability and the based on the number of carriers between the traffic channel and the alternate channel in the frequency list. When either the LAM (27) or the CFAU (44) determines the traffic channel is unacceptable during a call they transmit a "Switching to Alternate Channel" message. The CFAU (44) retunes to the alternate channel and transmits a "Re-Connect" request. The LAM (27) then transmits a new alternate channel and the call continues.

Abstract: A sound recognizer uses a feature value normalization process to substantially increase the accuracy of recognizing acoustic signals in noise. The sound recognizer includes a feature vector device which determines a number of feature values for a number of analysis frames, a min/max device which determines a minimum and maximum feature value for each of a number of frequency bands, a normalizer which normalizes each of the feature values with the minimum and maximum feature values resulting in normalized feature vectors, and a comparator which compares the normalized feature vectors with template feature vectors to identify one of the template feature vectors that most resembles the normalized feature vectors.

Abstract: A method and apparatus in a communications system (100) for providing communications units (134) access to the communications system (100). The communications system (100) includes a cable distribution network (106) with a base communications unit (102) and a number of downstream communications units (134) all connected to the cable distribution network (106). A plurality of channels are used to transmit data between the base communications unit (102) and the downstream communications units (134). A first set of channels are used primarily for access to the communications system (100) and a second set of channels are used for transmitting data within the communications system (100) after access to the communications system (100) has been gained. The base communications unit (102) sends a first type of data transmission including an identification of access channels used for requesting access to the communications system (100).

Abstract: A control station (8) is coupled to a plurality of tributary devices (20, 16, 18) by way of at least one high speed broadcast downstream data channel and more than one shared lower speed upstream data channels. The control station (8) broadcasts data to all the tributary devices (20, 16, 18) and selects a channel for a specific tributary device (20, 16, 18) to respond to a poll. After polling, the tributary device (20, 16, 18) changes the tributary device transmitter (42) to the frequency of the selected channel. The tributary device (20, 16, 18) either sends data to send to the control station (8) or sends a negative acknowledge to the control station (8). If a negative acknowledgment was transmitted, the control station (8) notifies the control station transmitter that the channel is idle.

Abstract: A dual function interface operating in a Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA) mode of operation switches to an alternative interface operating in the appropriate mode of operation as defined by the alternative interface system specification. This is accomplished by setting a unique combination of address lines (203) and/or control lines (202) and automatically and transparently switching from the PCMCIA mode of operation to the alternate mode operation in response to the unique combination.

Abstract: A method for synchronizing timing of signal transmissions in a telecommunication system (100) determines a "fixed portion" (222) of the propagation delay between the central unit (102) and subscribers (206, 208) in a particular node (202). Additionally, the method determines a `variable portion` (226) of the propagation delay that accounts for the variation of spacing of different subscribers (e.g., homes (206, 208)) on a particular node (202). The preferred method offsets the control unit's (102) receiving window (410) in accordance with the fixed portion, and directs the various subscriber units (206, 208) to offset the timing of signals (314, 322) (i.e., bursts of data) that they transmit by the variable portion (226).

Abstract: A method for detecting fraudulent use of a communication system (10) includes the steps of determining a system parameter associated with a subscriber unit (32). The system then compares the system parameter to a previous system parameter for the subscriber unit (32). An alarm is set when the system parameter differs more than a predetermined amount from the previous system parameter.

Abstract: Apparatuses, systems, and a method provide for a visual display of speech, such as the visual display of a received audio signal in telecommunications, especially useful for the hearing impaired. The preferred apparatus includes a network interface that is coupleable to a first communication channel to receive an audio signal; a radio frequency (RF) modulator to convert a baseband output video signal to a RF output video signal and to transmit the RF output video signal on a second communication channel for video display; and a processor coupled to the network interface and to the RF modulator for running a set of program instructions to convert the received audio signal to a text representation of speech, and to further convert the text to the baseband output video signal. The RF output video signal, when displayed on a video display, provides the visual display of speech. The preferred apparatus may also include a speech generation subsystem.

Abstract: A communication system includes a virtual session manager (225) for establishing and maintaining a sessionless communication path with a user device (201) on the one hand and a session-oriented communication path with a host system (231). The session-oriented connection with the host system permits normal access to, e.g., LAN-based applications, while the virtual session between the virtual session manager and user permits this access to be carried out remotely without the expense of a dedicated/circuit-switched or other session-oriented connection.

Abstract: A subscriber terminal (104) suitable for operation in a wireless communications system (100) arranged and constructed to provide data communications between the infrastructure (111) and the subscriber terminal, includes a portable computing device (105) operating in a operating state and a radio frequency receiver (201) operatively coupled to the portable computing device, the radio frequency receiver arranged to detect a radio frequency interference corresponding to an operating environment, and to execute a corrective action that corresponds to the radio frequency interference. A corresponding method of avoiding desensitization of the radio frequency receiver includes detecting, at the RF receiver, a radio frequency interference that corresponds to an operating environment to provide an interference indication; determining, responsive to the interference indication, a corrective action for the RF receiver; and executing the corrective action for the RF receiver.

Abstract: For optimized reply, when sending a reply (902) in a first embodiment a remote communication unit's controller (206) generates a delta between a preceding message and the reply message, and forms an optimized reply (904) using the delta and an identifier of the preceding message. On receiving the optimized reply, the communication server uses the data unit identifier to retrieve (910) the preceding message from a further server (e.g., the post office mailbox of the user associated with the remote unit), reconstructs (914) the full reply from the retrieved message and the delta, and forwards (916) the full reply to the addressee. When receiving a reply for the remote unit (918), an index is preferably maintained by both units of mail stored at the remote unit. From this index a preceding message forming part of the reply is identified (920). An optimized reply is then similarly formed (922) and sent to the remote unit.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for recovering packet data with unknown delays and error transients is disclosed that includes a received waveform containing a desired information signal relative to a fixed reference, for eliminating an undesired error in the received waveform where the error is localized in time relative to the received waveform to a transient interval, and recovering the desired information signal. Included also is a sampler, responsive to the received waveform, providing a series of time samples representative of the received waveform. A buffer, responsive to the time samples, for providing a plurality of representations of the received waveform at different instants of time, where the length of time is an appreciable duration of a transient interval. A reference slicker, responsive to the plurality of representations, for providing an estimate of a fixed reference.

Abstract: The disclosed communication unit includes synchronization circuitry having a sync sequence match detector and a decode detector. Upon matching a received sync sequence or word with a known sync sequence, the sync word (or, e.g., the block containing the received sync sequence) is decoded to determine whether the block is correctable (or more generally, whether the signal quality is above a threshold). When a match is found and the sequence/block is correctable, an appropriate sync indication is outputted. Additional information, such as color code matching of consecutive sync words, may also be used before determining synchronization has been achieved.

Abstract: The present invention provides a user with the option of editing handwritten input such that the user may elect to split one or more continues segments, or blocks of ink, to form one or more discrete continues segments. The split discrete segments are then presented as individual discrete continuous segments and analyzed as individual discrete segments by the method of machine recognition of handwritten input being employed by a device that functions to receive handwritten input.