Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for reducing a startup interval of a temperature controlled crystal oscillator chip. The method includes the steps of connecting an operating circuit of the temperature controlled crystal oscillator chip into a first configuration to reduce the startup interval following application of power and reconnecting the operating circuit into a second configuration after a predetermined time period.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for reconstructing a set of CT images from helical CT data. The method includes the steps of receiving the helical CT data and generating a set of fan-beam sinograms at equally spaced longitudinal positions. The method further includes the steps of estimating a set of parallel-beam sinograms from the generated set of fan-beam sinograms and reconstructing the CT images using a parallel beam reconstruction algorithm.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for identifying a call record of a telephone call to be moved from a source automatic call distributor to a destination automatic call distributor. The call record is of a type having been previously stored under a call identifier of the source automatic call distributor in a memory of the host computer serving both the source automatic call distributor and destination automatic call distributor in an area of the memory reserved for the source automatic call distributor. The method includes the step of storing a call action provided message in a call overflow table of the host computer including the call identifier of the telephone call and an identifier of the source automatic call distributor.

Abstract: A method and automatic call distribution system 100 for routing incoming telephone calls 206 from external telephonic units 102 to selected ones of a plurality of agents A1001-A1007 wherein the agents A1001-A1007 are grouped into skill groups 110a-110n are provided. Each of the skill groups 110a-110n is comprised of agents having a common agent-skill indicator. An agent-skill indicator being representative of a skill of the agent. Further, the agents in a skill group are arranged by length of time the agent has been available. An incoming telephone call 206 is initially assigned a call-skill indicator representative of a skill deemed useful in satisfying a need of the external caller. The call-skill indicator is then matched to a common agent-skill indicator of one of the skill groups. The telephone call is routed to the available agent in the matched skill group having been available the longest time.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for reducing distortion in a dynamically delayed digital sample stream of an imaging system. The method includes the steps of delta-sigma modulating an input analog signal of the imaging system at a frequency above the Nyquist frequency of the input analog signal to generate a digital sample stream and changing a length of the sample stream to delay a portion of the sample stream while maintaining synchronism between a delta-sigma modulator and a demodulator of the system.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for disconnecting a starting winding of a single-phase motor during startup. The method includes the steps of disposing a heater element of a thermal switch in series with a main winding of the single-phase motor and disposing a set of contacts of the thermal switch in series with the starting winding of the single-phase motor.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for modulating a laser beam with an information signal. The method includes the steps of modulating a plurality of coherent, optical signals with a respective information signal of the plurality of information signals and directing the modulated optical signals onto a photodiode. The method further includes the steps of detecting the collected signals in the photodiode and refractively synchronizing the laser beam with clock reference signals which allow easy separation of the modulated signal blocks at the receiving end of the fiber optic.

Abstract: A video communications system 100, a video switching system 108 and method are provided for establishing video communications with a video communications device 104 utilizing the agent selection and reporting features of an automatic call distributor (ACD) 102. The ACD 102 receives an initial request from the video communications device 104 and rejects the initial request. A computer system 112 detects the initial request and acquires destination information in the initial request identifying the video communications device 104. The computer system 112 sends a simulated call to the ACD 102 requesting an agent for video communications. The ACD 102 selects an agent and notifies the computer system 112 which agent is selected. The computer system 112 then instructs an agent terminal 110 associated with the selected agent to establish video communications with the video communications device 104. The ACD 102 generates reports relating to the video communications.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus is provided for decoding a communicated radio frequency signal containing a sequence of phase values. The method includes the steps of amplitude limiting the communicated signal and maximum likelihood decoding the amplitude limited signal.

Abstract: A method of de-interleaving ISDN channels for an information signal transceived through an ISDN interface.

Abstract: A method of allowing use of small, low-power communication systems (20) within the coverage area (11) of larger trunked communication systems. A low-power communication system re-uses the same communication resources used by the larger trunked system whenever sufficient distance exists between large system communication units and the low power system so as to avoid interference. Large system communication units may also be constructed to operate in a dual mode format so as to transmit and receive in a low power mode and on re-used resources, whenever near a low power system or to transmit and receive in a high power mode whenever else necessary.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided of transmultiplexing a plurality of signals between a plurality of signal terminals (17 or 29) and a plurality of selected radio frequency channels. The method includes the step of, and apparatus for, frequency translating and filtering the plurality signals between the plurality of selected channels and a polyphase discrete Fourier transform filter bank (16 or 21) within a comb filter (15 or 22). The method further includes the step of frequency division multiplexing the plurality of signals between the plurality of signal terminals and comb filter (15 or 22) within a polyphase discrete Fourier transform filter bank (16 or 21).

Abstract: A dispatch communication system wherein a communication unit may move from the service coverage area of a first system to the service coverage area of a second system during a communication transaction without the need to re-initiate the call. Communication units and base sites under this invention are constructed to relay signals to and from the system where the call originated.

Abstract: A system is described for providing ISDN services on a PSTN to communication units from an ISDN interface within a resource controller. The communication unit is allowed access to a target such as a subscriber within the PSTN or a communication unit in another cell, in an ISDN environment through entry of a target access number. The ISDN environment may be changed by the communication unit before entry of a target ID number.

Abstract: A method of selecting handover targets for a communication unit exchanging a communicated signal through a serving base site in a digital cellular system. The method uses timing advance to determine a relative distance of a communication unit to the serving base site. The method comprising the steps of comparing a timing advance value with a first threshold. The first threshold may be equal to a distance one and one-half times the radius of the serving cell. When the timing advance value exceeds the first threshold, a base site frequency list is modified to include base sites non-adjacent the serving base site. The identity of the non-adjacent base sites may be determined from the directionality of the communication unit. The method further includes the step of selecting a handover target providing a highest relative RSSI value to the communication unit from the modified base site frequency list.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for muting a audio signal in a digital communication system. The method includes the steps of integrating an indicated error per frame for a time interval and comparing the integrated value with a threshold. The method also includes the step of applying a heavy mute to a frame, with an indicated error, when the integrated value does not exceed the threshold and a light mute to a frame with an indicated error, when the integrated value exceeds the threshold. Integrating the indicated error allows a heavy mute to be applied to bad frames when errors are occasional in nature. Integration also allows a light mute to be applied in the case where the content of a signal has been highly corrupted with erroneous information thereby maximizing the information content of good frames while still allowing contributions from corrupted frames at a reduced signal level.

Abstract: A squelch tail circuit (20) is provided capable of incorporation within integrated circuit structures. A digital timer (26 and 27) provides a time delay based upon a feed-back comparison providing a long time delay to weak signals and a short time delay to strong signals. A comparator (22) is provided to activate the time delay upon signal loss.

Abstract: A method of, and means for, exchanging a communicated signal with a base site (10) by a communication unit (20) within a cellular system is provided. The method includes the steps of, and means for, transceiving the communicated signal under a broadband format while active and receiving the communicated signal under a narrowband format while idle.

Abstract: A method is described of decreasing convergence time in an adaptive echo canceller. The method includes the step of locating a primary echo within a filter vector based upon relative tap values within the filter vector. The filter vector is then narrowed, based upon the located taps. An estimated error is determined based, in part, upon the narrowed filter vector. An updated filter vector is produced based, in part, upon the estimated error.

Abstract: A method is offered of achieving a desired C/I ratio within a cellular system, at reduced transmitter power levels, by measuring a signal loss on a downlink between a base site transmitter (31) and mobile receiver (20) and calculating an uplink signal magnitude at a base site receiver. A communication channel is then selected from a number of communication channels based upon comparison of the uplink signal magnitude with pre-measured interference levels for each channel of the number of channels to produce a desired C/I ratio.