Abstract: Calibration of a differential scale factor associated with left and right wheels of a vehicle having a terrestrial navigation system. The terrestrial navigation system includes a GPS receiver integrated with a dead reckoning system. The dead reckoning system has wheel sensors coupled to the left and right wheels. The calibration of the differential scale factor includes: determining a heading change with the dead reckoning system, using the determined heading change to determine an open loop heading, determining an error in the differential scale factor based on the open loop heading and an alternate heading, and using the error in the differential scale factor to adjust an initial value of the differential scale factor.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of calculating, within the framework of a speaker dependent system, a standard filler, or garbage model, for the detection of out-of-vocabulary utterances. In particular, the method receives new training data in a speech recognition system (202); calculates statistical parameters for the new training data (204); calculates global statistical parameters based upon the statistical parameters for the new training data (206); and updates a garbage model based upon the global statistical parameters (208). This is carried out on-line while the user is enrolling the vocabulary. The garbage model described in this disclosure is preferably an average speaker model, representative of all the speech data enrolled by the user to date. Also, the garbage model is preferably obtained as a by-product of the vocabulary enrollment procedure and is similar in it characteristics and topology to all the other regular vocabulary HMMs.

Abstract: A vehicle route planning system takes a trip origin location and a trip destination location provided by the driver then considers alternative routes, taken from a map (107), between the trip origin location and trip destination location. Certain attributes, such as traffic congestion and concentration intensity, and driver preferences are considered in a fuzzy inferencing device for planning a preferred route.

Abstract: The present invention provides a power adapter (10) adapted to couple an external antenna (17) to a communication device (30) by way of a cable (12) which is typically plugged into a cigarette lighter of a vehicle or some other power source at one end, and an input connector of the communication device (30) at the other. In particular, the present invention provides a simple one-piece vehicle power adapter which also provides RF input/output capability for connection to an external vehicle antenna. According to certain aspects of the invention, the adapter can be configured to have a variety of selection mechanisms. For example, the communication device could include an RF switch (34) and control circuitry for selecting either the internal or external antenna for optimum reception. Alternatively, the cable could include an external switch (70) for allowing the user to select the desired antenna.

Abstract: The present invention provides a power adapter (10) adapted to couple an external antenna (17) to a communication device (30) by way of a cable (12) which is typically plugged into a cigarette lighter of a vehicle or some other power source at one end, and an input connector of the communication device (30) at the other. In particular, the present invention provides a simple one-piece vehicle power adapter which also provides RF input/output capability for connection to an external vehicle antenna. According to certain aspects of the invention, the adapter can be configured to have a variety of selection mechanisms. For example, the communication device could include an RF switch (34) and control circuitry for selecting either the internal or external antenna for optimum reception. Alternatively, the power adapter could include an external switch (70) for allowing the user to select the desired antenna.

Abstract: A method eliminates the discharge of the backup battery (42) prior to the primary source of power initially being applied to the device. The method comprises detecting the application of a source of primary power (12) and providing a path by way of a switch (46) in response to receiving the power (14), wherein the path allows the backup battery to power the device. Also, a circuit for maintaining the charge in a backup battery (42) of a device before primary power is applied comprises a sensing circuit (60) for generating an activation signal after initially sensing the application of the primary power to the device, and a switch element (61) coupled the sensing circuit (60) to receive the activation signal. The switch element (61) provides a path for the backup battery (42) to power the device.

Abstract: The present invention provides an assessment, in real-time, of the integrity of the positioning solution and navigation sensors used to support an Emergency Calling System (ECS) that integrates positioning and cellular phone technology. This integrity information is used, via a warning light displayed to the driver, to indicate when the system will not support Emergency Calling to the accuracies required. The present invention discusses that at least two types of warnings may be generated and provided to the user. The first being an indication that the positioning accuracy will no longer support Emergency Calling. The second being an indication that a sensor or subsystem of the Emergency Call positioning system is malfunctioning and should be serviced as soon as possible whereby such a malfunction may lead to eventual failure of the system.

Abstract: A sensor (10) includes a plurality of sensing elements (14-20) deposed on a sensor substrate (12) and an electronic switching circuit (22) electrically connected to each of the sensing elements (14-20) for electrically selecting at least one of the sensing elements (14-20).

Abstract: A vehicle (100) has a plurality of vehicle systems (11, 12, 13) and a plurality of user devices (40, 50, 60), each vehicle system including a unique function. The vehicle also has a vehicle bus (10) and a user bus (30), the vehicle bus coupled to the plurality of vehicle systems, the user bus coupled to the plurality of user devices, the vehicle bus coupled to the user bus by means of a gateway (20). Each function corresponding to each vehicle system is registered in the gateway. As a result, the user devices can determine and interact with the functionality of the individual vehicular devices.

Abstract: A vehicle (100) includes vehicle systems (11-13) coupled to a vehicle bus (10) and user devices (40-60) coupled to a user bus (30), the user bus coupled to the vehicle bus by a gateway (20). The user bus transports user information and the vehicle bus transports vehicle information. Based on one or more gateway rules, the gateway transports vehicle information to the user bus for the benefit of target user devices. Also based on these gateway rules, the gateway transports user information to the vehicle bus for the benefit of target vehicle systems. The gateway rules are programmed by both user devices and vehicle systems as follows: First, a proposed rule is provided (303) to the gateway. Second, the gateway determines (305) when to accept the proposed rule based on a variety of factors. Third, when the proposed rule is accepted, the proposed rule becomes (307) a gateway rule.

Abstract: A unique apparatus for coupling radio frequency (RF) signals from a wireless communication device (200) to an external device by way of an I/O port (116). In particular, a connector having three adjacent contact elements (238) couples signals to an external device wherein the first and third contact elements (239, 241) are electrically coupled to a ground plane (302) and wherein the second or middle contact element (240) is electrically coupled to a conductive RF signal path (344). The ground plane and the conductive path (334) are preferably on a printed circuit (pc) board which is preferably a three layer board with the conductive path (334) located between two ground planes (302, 352). The connector is substantially covered with a shield (230) coupled by legs (248) to the ground plane (302) at apertures (332). A mating connector (400) also includes a shield (430) which is commonly grounded.

Abstract: A method of testing a new vocabulary word is performed using any set of enrollment utterances provided by the user or from an available database. The present method preferably does not use separate training and similarity test utterances. This allows any or all available repetitions of a vocabulary word being enrolled to be used for training (204), therefore improving the robustness of the trained models. Likewise, any or all training repetitions can also be utilized for similarity analysis (212), providing additional test samples which should further improve the detection of acoustically similar words. Additionally, the similarity analysis progresses incrementally and does not need to continue if a confusable word is found. Finally, first and second thresholds could be employed (212, 302) to provide greater flexibility for a user training a speech recognition system.

Abstract: A fixed site and satellite data-aided system and method of GPS signal acquisition from a plurality of broadcasted GPS signals includes lengthening a pre-detection integration interval so that weak signals can be detected by operating coherently on captured signals. Coherency is ensured by relying on the predictability of the satellite signal's data pattern. The described method significantly reduces correlation resolution time based on applying information regarding code phase delays from each satellite in view to reduce code search space for other satellites being correlated. A position fix can be either computed locally or remotely at the fixed position reference site.

Abstract: A method improves the decoding rate and reliability of adjacent cell base stations by expediting the decode process if the signal quality of a traffic channel is within a predetermined range. In particular, adjacent control channels are monitored and decoded at a rapid rate by ignoring the speech traffic channel information. The speech is interrupted (526) and the channel information is decoded (526) when, for example, the bit error rate or frame error rate of the traffic channel (TCH) is deteriorating while another channel has a better signal. The scheduling of speech channel interruptions (522) may also occur when insufficient neighbor cell information is available at the beginning of a call or immediately after handover. The lost speech signal could be recovered (536) using conventional speech extrapolation techniques.

Abstract: A method for recovering from a reset in a microprocessor includes steps of evaluating a predetermined pattern in a volatile memory (102), determining the type of reset which occurred depending upon whether the predetermined pattern is intact (103); and initializing the memory depending upon the type of reset. In particular, all locations in the memory will be initialized if a "power on" reset occurs (107) and initializing only selected portions of the memory if a "static" or "cradled" reset has occurred (104). If a static or cradled reset has occurred, all locations of the memory are initialized except those locations including state information to allow normal operation of the microprocessor. That is, the operation of the microprocessor based device can be restored without interruption after the reset.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a snap arrangement comprising snap hooks (208) associated with a first housing (200) that snap over corresponding protrusions (111) in a second housing (100). The snap hooks preferably include an inclined portion (212) such that a finger (504) of a certain width of a removal tool (502) will force them apart to the deflection required for disassembly. Once the tool has been inserted beyond the elbow (213), the snap hook is not deflected any further regardless of the motion of the tool. This enables the tool to continue moving the front housing apart from the rear housing without further deflecting the snap hooks. This ensures that the snap hooks are never overstressed, that the front housing comes completely off of the rear housing every time, and that repeated disassembly will only minimally affect the strength of the snaps.

Abstract: This invention extends GPS coverage in an automotive environment without requiring direct interfaces to the vehicle's sensors in a unique and cost effective way. Since it removes all required vehicle interfaces (except power), it produces a virtually portable navigation system with no installation requirements beyond that of the GPS receiver itself. It also removes the necessary "customization" of the navigation system to each particular vehicle. Fundamentally, the position of a vehicle is obtained by GPS receiver data augmented with a low cost gyro whereby the gyro accurately tracks the heading changes of the vehicle (in the absence of sufficient GPS information), and the GPS receiver includes an innovative algorithm for deriving speed information from Doppler measurements from just one or two GPS satellites.

Abstract: A novel antenna arrangement enables the fully automated insertion of an antenna assembly in a communication device (100), such as a cellular radio telephone. A mounting bracket (112) for the antenna assembly is designed to stand in place to enable reflowing of solder to attach the mounting bracket to the circuit board. According to another aspect of the invention, the sleeve (130) and corresponding head (132) of the antenna assembly operatively couple to enable insertion of the sleeve into the mounting bracket, while preventing removal of the sleeve with the head. Preferably, the lower surface of the head is designed to enable the clockwise rotation of the sleeve, while preventing the counterclockwise rotation of the sleeve. Also, the sleeve is designed to receive a removal device to rotate the sleeve in the counterclockwise direction for removal.

Abstract: An antenna arrangement for a portable radiotelephone (100) is disclosed. In particular, the antenna arrangement generally includes a movable antenna element movable between an extended position and a retracted position, a movable contact (243) movably coupled to a bottom portion of the movable antenna element, the movable contact being movable between an extended position and a retracted position, and a circuit board having a first contact element (236), and a second contact element (238) coupled to ground, the first contact element receiving the movable contact when the movable antenna element is in an extended position, and the second contact element receiving the movable contact when the movable antenna element is in a retracted position for terminating the antenna.