Abstract: An improved vibrational energy harvester includes a housing and at least one energy transducer. In an embodiment, a second mass element is arranged to receive collisionally transferred kinetic energy from a first mass element when the housing is in an effective state of mechanical agitation, resulting in relative motion between the housing and at least one of the second and further mass elements. The energy transducer is arranged to be activated by the resulting relative motion between the housing and at least one of the second and further mass elements. In a further embodiment, kinetic energy is collisionally transferred in a velocity-multiplying arrangement from the first to a second or further mass element that has a range of linear ballistic motion. The energy transducer is arranged to be activated, at least in part, by the ballistic motion of the second or further mass element.

Abstract: A method for operating a personal communication device includes, using a user interface, selecting a policy type and entering parameters of the selected policy type, thereby to designate a policy to govern the distribution of a video signal to viewers by a wireless network. One or more messages are transmitted from the personal communication device, in which the policy is communicated to a video server within the wireless network. A prompt is received from the video server to begin transmitting the video signal, and then the personal communication device begins wirelessly transmitting the video signal on an uplink to the wireless network for distribution according to the policy.

Abstract: An optical amplifier comprises at least two gain regions, an intermediate region situated between the gain regions, and a transition region situated between the intermediate region and each gain region. The aforesaid regions have claddings that collectively form a path for pump radiation propagating from at least one of the gain regions to the other gain region, and cores that collectively form a path for signal radiation propagating from at least one of the gain regions to the other gain region. The cores in the gain regions support multiple propagating optical modes, including at least one signal mode and at least one non-signal mode. The intermediate region, however, supports fewer propagating core modes than are supported by the gain regions. The transition regions are conformed such that when radiation in propagating non-signal core modes passes from the gain regions into the intermediate region, it is at least partly coupled into cladding modes of the intermediate region.

Abstract: A secondary battery and charging system are provided within an electric car or other electric drive vehicle. The secondary battery may, e.g., be owned by the electric utility. The battery is removable and can be charged and discharged independently of the primary car battery system. The utility can use the secondary battery to implement vehicle-to-grid functionality.

Abstract: A method for implementation of HARQ between a transmitting node and a receiving node in a communication network is provided. HARQ processes may be selected from a list for instantiation according to a policy that may deviate from strict first-in, first-out processing of packets. The greater flexibility that this affords may lead to improved efficiency in the use of transmission resources.

Abstract: A method is provided, according to which data are collected on downstream packet losses at a single point in a network. From from the collected data, packet loss rates are estimated on at least two subnetworks downstream of the collection point. The respective subnetworks may differ by one or more links.

Abstract: Cellular signals or other wireless signals/messages are introduced into a building or to an outside location by transmitting packets corresponding to those signals over a data network and low cost cables to designated locations within the data network. Once the designated packets containing the signals reach the destination, they are then broadcast over the air to a terminal capable of receiving the wireless message. In a first embodiment, an in-building gigabit Ethernet network, such as that currently existing presently in many buildings, is used to distribute radio signals indoors. Instead of transmitting the radio signals over the air from a repeater connected to a base station, coded baseband signals generated by the coding processor (e.g., a CDMA Modem Unit) in the base station are packetized and sent over the Ethernet network to radio processing equipment and antennas distributed throughout the building.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of allocating resources in a packet data system to a User Equipment (UE) with an active data session, such as a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) call, using dedicated resources to transmit scheduling requests, thereby reducing latency which may occur as a result of collisions associated with transmitting scheduling requests over a random access channel. The method comprises the step of transmitting over dedicated resources a scheduling request, and receiving a scheduling grant in response thereto. The scheduling request indicates that a transmitter in a data session has a data packet to transmit. The scheduling grant indicates resources allocated for transmitting the data packet.

Abstract: Improvements are provided in an OFDM network that uses superposition coding. A broadcast signal and e.g. a unicast signal are each subjected to OFDM modulation including processing by an IDFT, combined, and transmitted using non-orthogonal transmission resources. In one approach, the respective signals are combined after instead of before the IDFT processing. In specific examples, a respective cyclic prefix is appended to each signal after the IDFT processing but before the respective signals are combined. In another approach, a broadcast pilot signal and e.g. a unicast pilot signal are transmitted concurrently with the broadcast and unicast information signals. The pilot signals are transmitted using the same time and subcarrier resources, but are made more distinguishable by combining each with a respective scrambling or spreading code. In specific examples, embodiments, the unicast pilot signal is used for estimating the data rate for transmission of further unicast information signals.

Abstract: A construction is provided for uplink pilot signals in a cellular network. Three sets of pilot signals are defined, having orthogonality properties that lead to reduced inter-cell interference. In example embodiments, the network has a reuse factor of 3 for pilot signals, with sets U, V, and W of pilot signals assigned to cells in respective reuse classes. The pilots of each set form an orthogonal basis. Some pilots of each class, i.e. those which will generally be assigned to mobile stations near the cell edges, will also form an orthogonal basis with some pilots of each of the other classes.

Abstract: A new method is provided for establishing real-time services that can coexist with NAT and firewalls, even when the signaling protocol uses cryptography. A communication channel between the call server and the middlebox passes information between them about the bearer channels associated with each signaling session.

Abstract: Improvements are provided in an OFDM network that uses superposition coding. A broadcast signal and e.g. a unicast signal are each subjected to OFDM modulation including processing by an IDFT, combined, and transmitted using non-orthogonal transmission resources. In one approach, the respective signals are combined after instead of before the IDFT processing. In specific examples, a respective cyclic prefix is appended to each signal after the IDFT processing but before the respective signals are combined. In another approach, a broadcast pilot signal and e.g. a unicast pilot signal are transmitted concurrently with the broadcast and unicast information signals. The pilot signals are transmitted using the same time and subcarrier resources, but are made more distinguishable by combining each with a respective scrambling or spreading code. In specific examples, embodiments, the unicast pilot signal is used for estimating the data rate for transmission of further unicast information signals.

Abstract: A nozzle useful for enhancing localized cooling of electronic elements and the like is provided. The nozzle is mountable on a substantially planar face of a substrate. It is conformed to intercept a fluid flowing across said face and redirect it toward the substrate. The nozzle comprises a hood, an output window, and between them, a transition region. The transition region is conformed to turn the flowing fluid toward the substrate and to contract the fluid flow.

Abstract: In a system and method of optical communication, optical signals are generated in multiple wavelength channels. Each optical signal is passively transported from an origination node of a network to a destination node. The destination node is determined by the signal wavelength. For at least some signals, the passive transport includes transport through a branch point of the network, such that the signal wavelength determines the output branch through which the signal is routed. In certain embodiments, signals are generated according to a schedule devised to substantially prevent the concurrent arrival, at the same destination node, of signals having the same wavelength but coming from different origination nodes.

Abstract: In a method of block coding, each character of the codeword may be thought of as a sum of characters of the message word, computed such that each message-word character that contributes to the sum is weighted by a respective weight coefficient. In the method described here, the weight coefficients are derived from a division polynomial of an elliptic curve.

Abstract: A new annular-core optical fiber is useful, inter alia, for stabilizing the behavior of an optical attenuator based on a Long Period Grating (LPG) against fluctuations in the polarization of the fundamental optical signal. The fiber dimensions and ?n are selected such that when a LPG of some period is used to couple fundamental-mode radiation in the fiber into higher-order modes, the wavelength of peak coupling into an HE mode is removed by at least 30 nm from the wavelength of peak coupling into the nearer of a TE mode or a TM mode.

Abstract: To improve the thermal management of an enclosure for electrical equipment or the like, one or more wall-mounted panels are provided. An air-filled space between each panel and the adjacent wall, door, or ceiling has insulative behavior when the air in the space is stagnant. Accordingly, thermal exchange through the wall, etc. is impeded. When the air in the air-filled space is circulated, thermal exchange is permitted.

Abstract: A procedure for designing WDM optical networks provides both working circuits and protection circuits for carrying traffic demands between node pairs. The protection circuits are activated for the purpose of network recovery in case of a fault on a working circuit. Each protection circuit is link-disjoint, and preferably node-disjoint, from its corresponding working circuit. The network is subdivided into logically defined rings, such that each working and protection circuit lies on one or more of the rings. In particular embodiments of the invention, the joint routing of circuits is carried out so as to minimize the total length of the working and protection circuits according to a length that includes a weight for each link. The weight is selected to promote the efficient packing of optical fibers with wavelength channels.

Abstract: An antenna element is provided which responsive in multiple frequency bands, has symmetric beam patterns, and is easily and cheaply fabricated. The antenna element includes at least three conductive plates arranged in a stack At least one pair of adjacent plates contain apertures that are mutually aligned relative to the stacking direction. The antenna element further includes at least one air stripline arranged to create radiative electromagnetic excitations of the apertures when the stripline or striplines are energized by a suitable radiofrequency voltage source or sources.

Abstract: A telephonic handset comprises an active noise reduction (ANR) system. The ANR system comprises a reference microphone and an IIR filter. The IIR filter is receivingly coupled to the reference microphone with respect to noise reference signals, and it is transmittingly coupled to the receiver transducing element of the handset. The ANR system is configured as a fixed feed-forward noise cancellation system. Preferably, the IIR filter has a transfer function derived, in part, from the open-loop gain of a feedback noise cancellation system. In specific embodiments of the invention, the noise reference microphone is situated so as to sample the ambient noise field near the front face of the receiver, but without directly sampling the noise field on the front face.