Abstract: A wireless handheld GPS-enabled device and supporting system comprises a wireless CPU that functions as a host processor, a GPS chipset to provide GPS measurements, and a GPS application hosted by the wireless CPU. Other applications are also hosted by the wireless CPU and are provided with position solutions from the GPS application. The GPS application calls for GPS aiding information from an Internet server via a TCP/IP socket provided by a GPRS link supported by the wireless CPU. Location area identifier (LAI) and “breadcrumb” information are provided to the GPS application so it can skip having to make a z-count determination during initialization.

Abstract: A GPS receiver depends on CMOS technology for both its GPS digital signal processing (DSP) and radio frequency (RF) stages. A resulting increase in RF input noise generated by the CMOS RF input is overcome by placing the antenna on-chip or on a lid of an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) that includes the DSP and RF stages, and matching it for the best noise figure rather than the best impedance match. The on-chip antenna is matched to the natural high impedance of the CMOS RF input without requiring matching networks that can attenuate already weak signals. Using CMOS technology for both the GPS DSP and RF stages eliminates the need for level shifts between what would otherwise be a 3-volt RF section and a 1.2-volt DSP section.

Abstract: A digital display panel accepts pixel information according to their row-column coordinates. Each pixel can be individually written and read back, much like a random access memory (RAM). A pixel array self-refreshes, and can retain and display each image frame long after the original writing, like a dynamic random access memory (DRAM). Each pixel is instrumented with a transducer to sense pressure, temperature, light, strain, etc., and provide sensor read-out data that is addressable by row-column coordinates. Such is very useful in touchscreen applications. The transducers and their corresponding pixels each have a special relationship, the transducers can directly manipulate a visual quality of the pixel through a direct connection, without intervention or assistance by a host processor.

Abstract: A method for correcting frequency errors in the local reference frequency crystal oscillator of a GPS receiver begins with a step in which the ordinary temperature response of a crystal is characterized. A hardware circuit is incorporated with that crystal to mirror that same characteristic. A temperature sensor is used to control a compensation applied. The combination outputs a fairly flat temperature response, e.g., near zero delta-frequency change over the operating temperature range. But this flat response has an unknown offset from the true frequency. A next step finds a precision timing reference, such as when the receiver locks onto and tracks GPS satellites. The receiver then knows time precisely and a navigation software can compute the offset accurately. A value is stored for that offset in memory. Such value is thereafter recalled at each cold start and is used by software to remove the expected frequency offset.

Abstract: A GPS receiver comprises a crystal oscillator with a manufacturer's characteristic curve, a GPS radio, a TCO temperature sensor, and a GPS receiver software. The crystal oscillator serves as a local reference oscillator for the GPS radio. The GPS receiver software instructs the GPS radio to search radio spectrum for GPS satellite transmissions. Once the combination locks onto a minimum number of GPS satellites and produces a user position fix, the precise crystal oscillator frequency can be measured and associated with a temperature reading from the TCO to software-compensate the local oscillator in later cold-start frequency searches. A “flat” SCXO model is piecemeal upgraded with individual calibrations as they are collected over the life of the GPS receiver. During manufacturing of the GPS receiver such flat-SCXO model begins as a device characteristic curve supplied by the crystal manufacturer.

Abstract: A camera comprises a multitap imager, separate digitizing channels for each imager tap, adjustments for channel gain and black level, a pattern generator, and a channel balancer. The channel balancer compares adjacent pixels and sums the differences in levels over many frames. Any accumulated difference is used as a feedback signal to drive the summing to a minimum. If the imager is temporarily hooded, the feedback is used to balance black levels between the channels. If the imager is operating, the feedback is used to dynamically adjust the channel gain of one channel to match the other. A pattern generator is used once during calibration to generate a test pattern in the digitizing channels that makes it obvious to a framegrabber how exactly to restitching the various lanes or zones of the whole image frame back together.

Abstract: A low-photon flux image-intensified electronic camera comprises a gallium arsenide phosphide (GaAsP) photocathode in a high vacuum tube assembly behind a hermetic front seal to receive image photons. Such is cooled by a Peltier device to ?20° C. to 0° C., and followed by a dual microchannel plate. The microchannels in each plate are oppositely longitudinally tilted away from the concentric to restrict positive ions that would otherwise contribute to the generation high brightness “scintillation” noise events at the output of the image. A phosphor-coated output fiberoptic conducts intensified light to an image sensor device. This too is chilled and produces a camera signal output. A high voltage power supply connected to the dual microchannel plate provides for gain control and photocathode gating and shuttering. A fiberoptic taper is used at the output of the image intensifier vacuum tube as a minifier between the internal output fiberoptic and the image sensor.

Abstract: A bootstrapping tandem navigation receiver system includes two independent navigation receivers. A first uses coherent detection and makes carrier-phase pseudorange measurements. A second uses non-coherent detection and a longer predetection interval and thus can acquire satellites in very weak signal environments. The second navigation receiver delivers a bootstrapping message to the first receiver that allows it to directly acquire the satellites without searching for them. The first navigation receiver then drives to find carrier phase lock and produces its more accurate measurements.

Abstract: A roving extended range high sensitivity satellite positioning system receiver provides position fixes in adverse signal conditions as low as minus 150 dbm and with as few as three satellites by measuring the bit phase of the navData message and the codephase, and finding a simultaneous solution. Previous position fixes that were obtained in the vicinity by earlier rovers are deposited in an indexed database for consultation. A cellular phone system can be used to communicate the vicinity ID's and their database entries.

Abstract: A product security system includes an RFID chip and antenna that are polymerized onto separable parts of a commercial product package. The RFID chip includes a unique serial number that can be interrogated by a wireless reader. A database of such unique serial numbers associated with particular manufacturing production runs is used in a method to detect counterfeiting. The RFID chip and antenna are embedded such that attempts to remove or transfer them will be obvious to an inspector.

Abstract: A real-time financial search engine retrieves financial updates in real-time. A condensation memory in the real-time financial search engine stores financial data in a compacted space that allows computation of a smaller set of numbers. Real-time feed is converted into a two-dimensional (X, Y) location code for placement on a linear location code array of a security symbol. A single number of a location code efficiently represents (time, price) or (time, volume) in a 2D coordinate plane for real-time search of financial data.

Abstract: A method for fabricating semiconductor microstructures with a combination of etching steps, i.e. local RIE, isotropic, etc. followed by deep anisotropic etching.

Abstract: A combined satellite positioning and electro-optical total station system includes a reference oscillator that provides local oscillator signals for a satellite navigation receiver and a precision frequency source for use by an electronic distance meter. When the satellite navigation receiver is locked onto and tracking orbiting navigation satellites, the highly precise cesium-rubidium clocks in the navigation satellite system can be used as standards to control the reference oscillator in the combined satellite positioning and electro-optical total station system. Baseline measurements made by the electronic distance meter are therefore not subject to mis-calibrations and drift as long as the satellite navigation receiver is locked onto and tracking the orbiting navigation satellites.

Abstract: A semiconductor-wafer chuck for heating and cooling a device-under-test includes a heat-spreader plate with a clamping surface for a semiconductor wafer. A heater is disposed within the heat-spreader plate. A chiller heat-exchanger provides for heat removal. A motion control system is used to move the chiller heat-exchanger in relation to the heat-spreader plate, and thus provide for an adjustment of the thermal resistance and thermal coupling between the two. The heater comprises electric heating elements with a variable power input, and the chiller heat-exchanger is moved sufficiently far away to prevent boiling and evaporation of a coolant disposed inside. A device-under-test temperature controller controls the device-under-test temperature by adjusting the heater power, chiller fluid temperature and/or by moving the chiller heat-exchanger in relation to the heat spreader plate.

Abstract: In a vehicle time-of-entry and time-of-exit system, the passing of a vehicle through an entrance generates a “trigger-t0” signal. An entrance video camera provides realtime images of entering vehicles. The trigger-t0 signal causes one video frame of the image of vehicle to be stored or “frame-grabbed” in an entrance subsystem. A time-of-entry clock-time signal is used to time-stamp the image which is then forwarded on a connection to a matcher. The passing of a vehicle through an exit generates a “trigger-t1” signal. An exit video camera 116 provides realtime images of exiting vehicles. The trigger-t1 signal causes one video frame of the image of vehicle to be stored or “frame-grabbed” in an exit subsystem. A clock-time signal is used to time-stamp the image which is then forwarded on a connection to the matcher. A output automatically provides a length-of-stay for each exiting vehicle according to its time-of-entry.

Abstract: A radiated electric-field meter comprises high frequency and low frequency antennas connected to a pre-amplifier with manually adjustable gain. This feeds a linear-logarithmic amplifier/detector with a mode switch for logarithmic/linear operations. A standard panel meter provides an analog reading. Red and green LED panel lights are set close together and fed opposite signals proportional to the detected field strength. As the measurements change from zero to full-scale, the relative intensities of the green and red LED's change, providing a hue change proportional to field strength. A silent vibrator can also be switched in to provide a vibrator indication of field strength and changes of field strength.

Abstract: A chassis-rack system mounts two 19″ RETMA rack chassis back-to-back in the same vertical 1U-space. Each has an independent cooling system that draws-in cold air from respective front and rear panels. Such panels are provided with a series of slots that are blocked-off in different patterns according to empirical cooling tests, done with particular complements of internal constituent components. Such intakes are typically at a left side of the panel, and air drawn in is forced to flow to the back and around to the right by two floor-to-ceiling partition walls. Such walls can define bay for a CD-ROM, floppy disk, or PCI-bus. The drawn-in air is critically sequenced first over processors, memory, then hard disk drives, and finally over a power supply. The power supply is near the front on the right, typically, and-two 33-CFM fans exhaust the heated air out the respective panels.

Abstract: A combined satellite positioning and electro-optical total station system includes a reference oscillator that provides local oscillator signals for a satellite navigation receiver and a precision frequency source for use by an electronic distance meter. When the satellite navigation receiver is locked onto and tracking orbiting navigation satellites, the highly precise cesium-rubidium clocks in the navigation satellite system can be used as standards to control the reference oscillator in the combined satellite positioning and electro-optical total station system. Baseline measurements made by the electronic distance meter are therefore not subject to mis-calibrations and drift as long as the satellite navigation receiver is locked onto and tracking the orbiting navigation satellites.

Abstract: A vehicle video imaging system comprises a white-light LED array for illuminating retro-reflective painted parts of a vehicle's license plate, a powerful flash with a visual spectrum cutout filter and a polarizing filter for illuminating any non-retro-reflective license plate paint and the vehicle itself. A video camera with a polarizing filter turned 90° relative to the one in front of the flash receives the illuminated image of the vehicle and its license plate. The retro-reflective paint of a license plate will return polarized light as it is received, so the white-light LED array will provide all the illumination needed by the camera to get a good high-contrast picture of the license plate. The polarizing filters will combine to block out most of the light from the flash that was returned still-polarized by the retro-reflective-paint license plate.