Abstract: A magnetic/encoder assembly has a compact design and combines the features of motor, encoder and chuck locating feature within a single motor housing. The motor/encoder includes a DC brushless motor with an inner magnetic rotor. The motor windings and the commutation electronics are mounted towards the bottom side of a printed circuit board. The rotor of the motor is extended above the surface of the printed circuit board. The extended rotor provides a precision seat for the magnetic wheel with multiple poles. The top surface of the printed circuit board mounts the sensor for the encoder. The extension of the rotor provides the precision mounting surface of the cartridge driving chuck.

Abstract: Methods, apparatuses, and systems directed to a wireless node location mechanism that uses a signal strength weighting metric to improve the accuracy of estimating the location of a wireless node based on signals detected among a plurality of radio transceivers. In certain implementations, the wireless node location mechanism further incorporates a differential signal strength metric to reduce the errors caused by variations in wireless node transmit power, errors in signal strength detection, and/or direction-dependent path loss. As opposed to using the absolute signal strength or power of an RF signal transmitted by a wireless node, implementations of the present invention compare the differences between signal strength values detected at various pairs of radio receivers to corresponding differences characterized in a model of the RF environment.

Abstract: Methods, apparatuses and systems directed to a wireless network interface supporting directional antenna diversity. Directional diversity, in one embodiment, makes use of antennas with higher gain and non-overlapping patterns to provide communication over a greater area and select the best antenna to receive signals transmitting wireless frames or packets. Certain embodiments optimize wireless network systems using Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexed (OFDM) signals where spatial diversity protection provided by spatially-separated, omni-directional antennas is not required. In other embodiments, use and selection of directional antennas allows for sectorization resulting in performance gains such as extended coverage areas, noise reduction, enhanced efficiency, and increased throughput.

Abstract: Improvements to turntables that facilitate inoculation of petri dishes. In one embodiment, the present invention is a motorized turntable for a petri dish that allows the user to use both hands for inoculation of the petri dish. In another embodiment, the present invention features an improved upper plate for a petri dish turntable that allows the user to more easily remove the petri dish from the upper plate after inoculation. In another embodiment, the present invention provides an apparatus for rotating a conventional turntable for petri dishes.

Abstract: An electrical connection of a transfer station releasably, repeatably electrically couples with respect to a matching connection of a portable cartridge. A substrate in the portable cartridge has electrical contacts on a facing surface. In the transfer station, a matching circuitized flexible substrate has electrical contacts on a facing surface thereof, which are arranged to match the portable cartridge electrical contacts when in a face-to-face relationship. An elastomeric compression element, at the rear of the matching substrate, has individual protruding compression members contacting the rear surface and registered with corresponding individual electrical contacts. Elongated electrical contacts are registered with two adjacent individual compression members.

Abstract: Methods, apparatuses and systems that facilitate the design, production and/or measurement tasks associated with manufacturing and other processes. In one embodiment, the present invention provides an understanding of how the multiple characteristics of a given process output are related to each other and to process inputs. This knowledge facilitates a reduction in measurement costs. It also facilitates an understanding of the sometimes complex interrelationships between design targets, design tolerances, process inputs, process control variables, average process output and variation in the process output. As discussed in more detail below, embodiments of the present invention facilitate 1.) determination of design target values, 2.) determination of design specification limits, 3.) design of process inputs, 4.) determination of process control variable settings, and/or 5.) reduction of measurement costs.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to systems and methods for efficient and effective multicast delivery over hub and spoke networks, including satellite-based hub and spoke networks. In one embodiment, a method of establishing a multicast connection with a plurality of receiving stations includes receiving with a gateway port a unicast connection, such as a TCP connection, from a sending station, mapping the unicast connection to a multicast connection on a first multicast group IP address, and initiating the multicast connection to a plurality of receiving stations. In alternative embodiments, the multicast connection is established over a satellite link, and/or is unidirectional.

Abstract: Methods, apparatuses and systems directed to a portal-based, dynamically distributed application topology for cellular systems. The portal-based application topology, in one implementation, is an application architecture featuring strategic dynamic distribution of the man-machine interface (such as data acquisition and information presentation) and the backend processing aspects, of a particular application. In one implementation, all terminal interfacing aspects (such as data acquisition, data presentation) are formatted and handled by systems associated with a cellular system operator, as described below, while background processing is performed by a processing facility remote to the cellular system operator. In one implementation, the distributed application topology allows a mobile station, such as a cellular telephone, to simply act as a thin-client accessing an application server via a cellular systems operator's web portal for page-based interface screens.

Abstract: Methods, apparatuses and systems directed to optimizing vector models for use in modeling RF propagation in desired physical environments. In one embodiment, the present invention can operate on pre-existing vector models. In other implementations, the present invention facilitates the conversion of raster images of buildings and other physical locations to vector formats for use in connection with the computational modeling of radio-frequency (RF) propagation. According to certain embodiments, the present invention is implemented within the context of a location diagram editing application that supports a line recognition filter, a snap filter and a merge filter which a user may individually select and configure. As discussed more fully below, the line recognition filter operates on the vector objects to adjust near-vertical lines (as defined by a configurable threshold angle) to vertical, and near-horizontal lines to horizontal.

Abstract: A system and method for recompressing a JPEG image using requantization is described. DCT transform coefficients for a compressed JPEG image are statistically analyzed to generate a stored numeric error representation. Local minimizers are determined from the stored numeric error representation with selective rounding. A new quantization matrix Q1 is selected from the local minimizers bounded by a target quantization matrix Qbound. The compressed JPEG image is recompressed using the new quantization matrix Q1.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for performing classification in a hierarchical classification system performing caching are described. In one embodiment, the method comprises walking a classification tree in the hierarchical classification system to determine whether an incoming flow matches a class in the classification tree, and performing a lookup on a cache storing a data structure of multiple classes of one classification type to compare the incoming flow with multiple classes at the same time to determine whether the incoming flow matches one of the classes.

Abstract: Methods, apparatuses and systems allowing for dynamic detection of network devices, located along communications paths associated with a computer network, that include compatible transformation tunneling capabilities. In one embodiment, a tunnel probing device, having transformation tunneling capabilities, monitors data flows to respective destination hosts and probes for other network devices, having compatible transformation tunneling capabilities, located along respective communications paths to the destination hosts. A network device in a communications path, recognizing probes transmitted by the tunnel probing device, responds to the probe by communicating its transformation tunneling capabilities, and passes the probe along the path to the destination host for possible recognition by other compatible network devices. The present invention allows for recognition and optimization of network traffic between network devices without prior configuration.

Abstract: Methods, apparatuses and systems directed to measuring delay attributable to a network. The network delay is computed, in one implementation by determining a round-trip time for a network connection based on the arrival times of selected packets transmitted by first and second endpoints to establish the network connection, measuring the time gaps between consecutively increasing data packets in an ordered packet stream associated with a transaction, comparing the measured time gaps to the round-trip time, and computing a network delay for the transaction by adding the round-trip time to the measured time gaps that exceed the round trip time.

Abstract: Methods, apparatuses and systems facilitating the aggregation or bonding of communications paths into a higher-bandwidth, logical communications path. Embodiments of the present invention can be applied to bond different physical links (e.g., xDSL over twisted pairs), different channels on the same physical line, or even different channels or frequencies in a wireless communications network. The present invention further provides methods, apparatuses and systems facilitating the re-sequencing of data flows transmitted across bonded communications paths. In one embodiment, the re-sequencing methodology of the present invention adapts to the transmission delays (both absolute and relative) across the bonded communications path.

Abstract: A mounting bracket including an impact release mechanism for use in connection with helmet-mount lights and other devices. In one embodiment, the mounting bracket is a two-piece assembly comprising a base plate, an upright bracket configured to detach from the base plate upon a sufficient impact or force. In one embodiment, the impact release mechanism is configured to allow the upright bracket to break away from the base plate without affecting the subsequent utility of the mounting bracket. After the upright bracket detaches from the base plate, the mounting bracket can be reassembled by pressing the base plate and upright bracket together to engage the features associated with the impact release mechanism. Other embodiments of the present invention feature a one-use mounting bracket wherein the upright bracket is integrally formed to the base plate at predefined failure points that allow the upright bracket to break away from the base plate upon sufficient impact.

Abstract: Methods, apparatuses and systems enabling a network services provider to deliver application performance management services to its enterprise customers. The invention allows network service providers to extend their service model beyond connectivity-oriented MNS services to more productivity-oriented, managed application services. The present invention, in one embodiment, allows network service providers to offer an application-aware service that provides real-time monitoring, measurement and control of application performance over MNS and other wide-area network services.

Abstract: According to the present invention a telecommunications apparatus for providing transport of packetized information over large distances. The apparatus provides a bi-directional flow of information from a first satellite gateway using a connection over a satellite network to a second satellite gateway. The apparatus uses a gateway that translates the information using the TCP protocol into information using a satellite protocol, which is suitable for transmission of such information over the satellite network.

Abstract: A method for explicit data rate control is introduced into a packet communication environment (10) which does not have data rate supervision by adding latency to the acknowledgment (ACK) packet and by adjusting the size of the flow control window associated with the packet in order to directly control the data rate of the source data at the station (12 or 14) originating the packet.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for inserting closed-caption and/or other control data into the vertical blanking interval of a video image data stream without the use of special encoding hardware.

Abstract: An amusement or educational device comprising a plurality of interlocking collars, each including gaps, and slidable along and rotatable about a common shaft. The common shaft bears element of a multi-relationship about its circumference in sections of the shaft corresponding to each interlocking collar. The gaps in the interlocking collars selectively expose corresponding elements of the multi-element relationship. In one embodiment, the collars are configured to allow users to construct fortunes, words, sentences, equations, or other relationships by selectively interlocking adjacent collars to expose word, mathematical, sentence or other appropriate elements disposed around the shaft.