Abstract: An electronic device has reduced radio frequency interference (RFI) emissions. The electronic device includes a signal generator that is coupled to a reference clock signal and a first digital circuit. The signal generator generates a random signal derived from the reference clock signal. The first digital circuit is coupled to the signal generator. The random signal governs pulse characteristics of the first digital circuit.

Abstract: A serial modem (14) having a phase-locked loop (22), a central processing unit (20), a serial buffer (26) and a universal asynchronous receiver transmitter (UART) (28), wherein the serial buffer (26) and the UART (28) are connected to a host device (10) via an asynchronous serial interface (32). The central processing unit (20) enters a sleep mode when data is not being received. A start bit s received at a predetermined baud rate via the asynchronous serial interface (32). An interrupt is activated to start a wake-up transition at the central processing unit (20) upon receipt of the start bit. A series of bits following the start bit is sampled and stored in the serial buffer (26) until the central processing unit (20) is enabled. After the central processing unit (20) is enabled, a remainder of the series of bits are sampled and stored at the UART (28).

Abstract: A technique is used in a selective call communication system (100) and in a broadcast communication system (106) to provide additional information about a broadcast to a selective call device (111). A broadcast receiver (109) receives a broadcast that includes a prompt (220), such as a FLEX.TM. logo, and an information address signal (305), such as an inaudible portion of the sound portion of the broadcast. The prompt indicates that additional information is available in a message to be transmitted by the selective call communication system. The selective call device receives the information address signal when activated to do so in response to the prompt. The selective call device receives and decodes an information address from the information address signal and uses it to recover the message at a protocol position indicated by the information address. The additional information is then recovered from the message.

Abstract: A method for setting up a link for a call in a narrowband cellular communication system (100) includes, in a selective call radio (106), determining a transmitter identity and a signal quality (310, 315) of a strongest monitoring channel of a set of N monitoring channels, each of which has propagation characteristics that closely represent propagation characteristics of one of N groups of channels, and transmitting a report (330) of the transmitter identity and a signal quality of the strongest monitoring channel; and includes, in a system controller, receiving the report (405), choosing an available outbound resource (425, 430) in a first group of the N groups of channels, wherein the first group includes the strongest monitoring channel, and establishing the call (555) using the chosen available outbound resource at a bit rate that is a highest bit rate that is compatible with the signal quality.

Abstract: A selective call receiver (100) operating from a battery (102), includes a battery monitor (114), a radio receiver (108), a regulator (104), a capacitor (105) coupled to the regulator and the radio receiver, and a processor (116) for controlling the foregoing elements. The processor is adapted to determine from the battery monitor an energy level of the battery, configure the regulator to supply a first limited current to the radio receiver and the capacitor for a first predetermined time when the energy level is above a predetermined threshold, or configure the regulator to supply a second limited current to the radio receiver and the capacitor for a second predetermined time when the energy level is at or below the predetermined threshold. After configuring the regulator, the processor is then adapted to enable the regulator to charge the capacitor and to power the radio receiver.

Abstract: In a technique for reducing duplicate messages in a two way data device, a determination (30) is made as to whether a first signature of a new message is the same as a second signature of a matching message. An error check is performed (50) on the new message when the first and second signatures are the same. A first response flag of the new message and a second response flag of the matching message are compared (40) when the first and second signatures are not the same. When the first and second response flags are both enabled, the new message is stored (20). Otherwise the error check is performed (50) on the new message. Select portions of the new message and matching message are stored (70, 80, 100, 110) in place of the matching message, depending on the comparison of the first and second response flags and the error check.

Abstract: A line controller (115) for controlling a manufacturing process comprises a data entry device (225) for receiving product identification information and determining circuitry (310, 315) coupled to the data entry device (225) for receiving the product identification information and determining whether the product identification information is indicative of a first product or a second product. A control unit (320) coupled to the determining circuitry (310, 315) automatically generates, in response to the determining circuitry (310, 315) determining that the product identification information is indicative of the second product, a request for information relevant to the processing of the second product. The line controller (115) further comprises a data port (330) coupled to the control unit (320) for transmitting the request and for receiving in response thereto the information.

Abstract: An interactive method for composing an alphanumeric message by a caller using a telephone keypad includes storing (215) a lexical database (135) from which unigram probabilities, forward conditional probabilities, and backward conditional probabilities for a plurality of words can be recovered; storing a received sequence of key codes (405) representing a sequence in which keys on a telephone style keypad are keyed; generating a word trellis including candidate words (415) derived from the sequence and the lexical database; determining a most likely phrase (420) from the candidate words, the unigram probabilities, forward conditional probabilities, and backward conditional probabilities; generating a most likely message (425) from the most likely phrase and presenting the most likely message to the caller; and confirming that the most likely message is the alphanumeric message (430).

Abstract: An electrical circuit includes a substrate having at least two alignment pads on the substrate that are accurately aligned with a first set of electrical interconnect pads, and also includes a corresponding number of alignment posts that are cylindrical and have flat bases that are geometrically similar to and smaller than a corresponding shape of each of the at least two alignment pads by a predetermined solder fillet radius. Each of the at least two alignment posts is reflow soldered to one of the at least two alignment pads. An electrical part can be accurately aligned to the substrate using the alignment posts, during attachment of the electrical part.

Abstract: A method (900) and circuit (400) for automatic frequency correcting a frequency modulated (FM) digital signal determines a frequency offset value of the detected FM signal during a preamble portion of the FM digital signal, generates an offset corrected signal by removing the frequency offset value from a detected FM signal (440), and generates a frequency corrected signal (460). The frequency corrected signal is generated by selecting the offset corrected signal during the preamble portion, selecting the detected FM signal after the end of the preamble portion when a magnitude of the frequency offset value of the detected FM signal is below a predetermined threshold (445), and otherwise selecting the offset corrected signal after the end of the preamble portion.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining the order of transmission of packets of information in a communication system includes a priority assignment processor (330) which receives transmission delay information from a delay analyzer (315) and soft handoff state information from a control processor (320). This information is used to determine a priority level for packets of information. The priority level is used by a network arbiter (350) to determine when the associated packet should be transferred relative to other packets of information.

Abstract: A technique is used in a simulcast radio communication system (200) for providing improved local time information. The technique includes, in a fixed portion (300) of the simulcast radio communication system (200), alternatively transmitting in a radio signal a first local time and a second local time in a predetermined protocol position that occurs periodically in a signaling protocol, wherein the first local time and second local time differ by a time zone interval. A radio (500) that receives the radio signal presents local time to a user in manner that indicates the first and second local times.

Abstract: A first complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) current reference circuit (100, 500) has a first and a second current mirror (110, 150) and is implemented using one of bulk wafer technology and silicon on insulator (SOI) technology. The first current mirror (110) has an output stage (130) that includes at least one cascode coupled field effect transistor (FET) (125) having one of a source tied well (when implemented using bulk wafer technology) or a source tied body (when implemented using SOI technology). A second CMOS current reference circuit (600, 800) has a first and a second current mirror (650, 610) and is implemented using SOI technology. The first current mirror (650) has a first bias FET (161) having a gate tied body.

Abstract: A symbol synchronizer (10) for use in a communication device. The symbol synchronizer (10) comprises a sampling circuit (100) which samples the demodulated signal at a plurality of sampling events for each symbol period to generate three sample values at each sampling event. An eye pattern detector circuit (200) generates eye pattern characteristic information based on the three sample values, and outputs a symbol pulse in response to detecting eye pattern characteristic information consistent with a symbol center. A synchronization noise mask circuit (400) filters symbol pulses that occur during a predetermined period of time after a first symbol pulse is detected for each symbol period. A synchronization adjust circuit (500) generates a synchronization pulse during each symbol period at a particular instant of time during the symbol period based on a history of the occurrences of symbol pulses for a current symbol period and for prior symbol periods.

Abstract: A communication device (125) receives a signal in which messages are included. The communication device (125) includes a decoder (215) for recovering a received message from the signal and a message status element (250) for determining whether the received message is of a first type or a second type of message. Transmission of an acknowledgment by the communication device (125) indicative of a presentation of the received message to a user occurs in response to presentation of a message of the first type, and transmission of an acknowledgment by the communication device indicative of a presentation of the received message to a user does not occur in response to presentation of a message of the second type. The communication device (125) further includes a display (230) for visually presenting information to the user by which the user is alerted to whether the received message is of the first or the second type.

Abstract: A method processes a hyperlink formatted message to make it compatible with an alphanumeric messaging device (118) that lacks hyperlink decoding capability. The hyperlink formatted message includes at least one hyperlink having tags, a hyperlink identifier, and a resource locator. The method, which is used in a messaging controller of a messaging system (100) that communicates with a plurality of alphanumeric messaging devices, replaces (210) all occurrences of a first character within the hyperlink formatted message with a second displayable character, marks (220) each hyperlink identifier within the hyperlink formatted message using the first displayable character, removes (225) the tags and resource locator of each of the at least one hyperlink, and stores (227) the resource locator of each of the at least one hyperlink in association with the hyperlink identifier.

Abstract: A processing system (150) that generates a voice output signal having high precision controlled gain from a voice input signal by generating (225) a slow gain signal from the voice message by controlling a signal level gain of the voice signal using a setup gain and a first slow time constant, and then generating (230) a high precision controlled gain voice signal from the slow gain signal by controlling a signal level gain of the slow gain signal using at least one of a fast attack time constant and a slow release time constant.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for constructing a digital phase differentiator incorporating a dynamic decrement counter (30). A limited signal is sampled at a fixed sampling rate. A fixed rate for an intermediate frequency is obtained. The fixed sampling rate is divided by a divisor to obtain a frequency of a clock. The frequency of the clock is divided by the intermediate frequency to obtain an desired average divider. A set of integer load values (34, 36 and 38) is selected that on average yields a non-integer value that is close to the desired average divider. A load of the dynamic decrement counter (30) changes cyclically using the set of integer load values (34, 36 and 38) to obtain a phase of the limited signal.

Abstract: A communication system includes a transmitter for transmitting messages to a plurality of receiving devices of the communication system, and a processing system. The processing system is adapted to convert a caller's voice message to a sequence of phonemes whereby the caller's voice message is intended for a receiving device. To accomplish the conversion, steps of Fourier transform, spectral subdivision, envelope filtering autocorrelation function determination of each subdivision, and voiceness determination for each subdivision are performed. The processing system is further adapted to generate a sequence of phoneme indexes and voice features corresponding to the sequence of phonemes, and to cause the transmitter to transmit the sequence of phoneme indexes to the receiving device for generating a voice signal representative of the caller's voice message. The voice features can include spectral features, average energy, duration, and pitch to improve the quality of the voice signal.