Abstract: An integrated circuit having a monitor circuit for monitoring timing in a critical path having a target timing margin is disclosed. The monitor circuit has two shift registers, one of which includes a delay element that applies a delay value to a received signal. The inputs to the two shift registers form a signal input node capable of receiving an input signal. The monitor circuit also has a logic gate having an output and at least two inputs, each input connected to a corresponding one of the outputs of the two shift registers. The output of the logic gate indicates whether the target timing margin is satisfied or not satisfied.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an algorithm dynamically selects a method for reducing distortion in a multi-carrier modulated signal, such as an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) signal. The algorithm directs a transmitter to transmit peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR)-reduction signals over reserved tones (i.e., frequencies) if reserved tones are available. If reserved tones are not available, then the algorithm directs the transmitter to transmit PAPR-reduction symbols over free tones if free tones are available. If the free tones for this transmitter are used by adjacent transmitters, then interference-reduction techniques may be used to reduce interference with the adjacent transmitters. If reserved tones and free tones are not available, then the transmitter may use an alternative method to reduce distortion, such as successive clipping and filtering. In another embodiment, the transmitter may transmit PAPR-reduction symbols over both free and reserved tones, if available.

Abstract: A processor (e.g., a Digital Signal Processor (DSP) core) rewinds a pipeline of instructions upon a watchpoint event in an instruction being processed. The program execution ceases at the instruction in which the watchpoint event occurred, while the instruction and subsequent instructions are cancelled, keeping the hardware components associated with executing the program in their previous states, prior to the watchpoint. The rewind is such that the program is refetched to enable execution to continue from the instruction in which the watchpoint event occurred. The watchpoint event is executed in a “break before make” manner.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for processing data packets having a payload and a checksum, wherein the payload has a first portion of interest. If a received data packet fails a CRC check, then it is determined whether the first portion has a valid relationship with one or more previous first portions of one or more corresponding previous payloads of one or more corresponding previous data packets. If the relationship is valid, then the first portion is output. The method enables recovery of first portions of interest from corrupted data packets having transmission errors in other parts of the data packets, thereby potentially decreasing retransmissions and increasing throughput.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a matrix-vector multiplication (MVM) component generates a product vector based on (i) an input matrix and (ii) an input vector. The MVM component has a permuter, memory, and an XOR gate array. The permuter permutates, for each input sub-vector of the input vector, the input sub-vector based on a set of permutation coefficients to generate a set of permuted input sub-vectors. The memory stores a set of intermediate product sub-vectors corresponding to the product vector. The XOR gate array performs, for each input sub-vector, exclusive disjunction on (i) the set of permuted input sub-vectors and (ii) the set of intermediate product sub-vectors to update the set of intermediate product subvectors, such that all of the intermediate product sub-vectors in the set are updated based on a current input sub-vector before updating any of the intermediate product sub-vectors in the set based on a subsequent input sub-vector.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a surface-plasmon (SP) beam generated by an SP source and directed via an SP waveguide is applied to a gate node of a field-effect transistor (FET). The FET also has a source node and a drain node. In a representative configuration, the gate, source, and drain nodes are electrically biased to pass an electrical current between the source and drain nodes in a manner that makes the electrical current responsive to the intensity of the SP beam.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a cervical spine protection apparatus one or more composite bands attached to provide restraint of one or more motions of the cervical spine of a wearer. The apparatus is designed to protect a wearer from incurring cervical spinal injuries, and/or to reduce the severity of cervical spine injuries without substantially compromising the normal functional range of motion of the wearer's cervical spine.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a cold storage system for biological samples has one or more freezers, each freezer having one or racks, each rack receiving one or more boxes, each box receiving one or more sample containers. In addition to the biological sample, each sample container has a unique passive RFID tag. Control electronics in each box energize reader coils to query individual RFID tags. Control electronics in each rack communicate with and provide power to the control electronics of each corresponding box, and control electronics in each freezer communicate with and provide power to the control electronics of each corresponding rack, and a host computer communicates with the control electronics in each freezer. In each instance, communication and power provisioning is implemented using magnetic inductive coupling. The system is able to determine the identity of each sample container in the system and maintain that information in a database.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a grounding bracket is provided for apparatus, such as optical network terminals (ONTs), for grounding interior electrical wiring such as coaxial cables that are electrically coupled with fiber optic fed devices. The grounding bracket provides an electrically conductive pathway for the coaxial cable, which pathway carries current safely to a ground wire from the coaxial cable. The grounding bracket carries all of the current from the coaxial cable to the ground wire without relying upon any printed circuit board (PCB) traces of the ONT to carry current to the ground wire.

Abstract: A binaural cue coding scheme involving one or more object-based cue codes, wherein an object-based cue code directly represents a characteristic of an auditory scene corresponding to the audio channels, where the characteristic is independent of number and positions of loudspeakers used to create the auditory scene. Examples of object-based cue codes include the angle of an auditory event, the width of the auditory event, the degree of envelopment of the auditory scene, and the directionality of the auditory scene.

Abstract: A wireless transmission system supporting at least first and second high-isolation transmission modes. In the first TX mode, first and second incoming data streams are processed independently within first and second TX paths to generate first and second analog outgoing signals for separate transmission via first and second antennas. In the second TX mode, the two incoming data streams are combined to form a combined data stream. First and second versions of the combined data stream are processed by the first and second TX paths to generate two analog signals that are combined for transmission via a single antenna. In the second TX mode, a feedback signal, based on differences between the two analog signals, is used to adjust the relative phase and/or delay of the two versions of the combined signal in the digital domain to reduce phase differences between the two analog signals, thereby increasing signal transmission power.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the presence of double talk (DT) is detected in a telecommunications network having a near-end user and a far-end user. The energies of both (1) a signal received from the far-end user by the near-end user and (2) a signal to be communicated from the near-end user to the far-end user are computed. An echo return loss (ERL) estimate is calculated based on the energy calculations, and a preliminary decision is made as to whether DT is present based on the ERL estimate and the energy calculations. If DT is detected, then a counter is set to a hangover value. If DT is not detected, then the counter is reduced. This process is repeated, and, for each iteration, a final decision as to whether DT is present is made based on the counter value.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for attenuating applause from a satellite radio signal, including, a spectrum analyzer and comparator having an internal memory for obtaining a spectral signature of different sounds in the radio signal, a detector automatically detecting whether the sounds contain applause, an attenuator attenuating the sounds containing applause; and a digital to analog converter converting the attenuated sounds for audio listening. A comparator compares applause in the radio signal to a threshold level and disables the attenuator when the applause abates below the threshold level.

Abstract: A communication system that enables a specified end-user device to obtain a media file corresponding to a delayed-play entry of a content-definition table prior to the scheduled play time. To deliver the media file to the end user, a service provider requests and receives the corresponding content from a content provider, generates the media file based on the received content, and temporarily stores the media file in a storage unit associated with the service provider. The service provider then breaks the media file into a plurality of data frames and transmits them to the end-user device during an appropriate delivery-opportunity window for storage in local storage unit (e.g., a hard drive) associated with the end-user device. At the play time, the service provider transmits to the end-user device a media-activation packet to initiate rendering thereat a copy of the media file assembled from the data frames stored in the local storage unit.

Abstract: This invention is directed to a durable, compact, two-piece, light weight, load sustaining litter system for the transport of humans, animals or objects. The litter system comprises a litter frame, a fabric disposed between the structure of the frame, at least one hinge and at least one coupling mechanism. The litter system may be quickly assembled under adverse conditions and may be particularly beneficial in transporting individuals who are injured, disabled and/or incapable of movement under combat and/or emergency conditions.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for processing a transport block having a MAC-hs protocol data unit (PDU) and a corresponding checksum in an HSDPA-compatible (high-speed downlink packet access) receiver in a 3GPP wireless communication network, the method including: (a) recovering the transport block, (b) performing, substantially in parallel: (i) a cyclic redundancy check (CRC) on the transport block to determine whether the transport block passes or fails, and (ii) MAC (media access control) disassembly to generate a modified MAC-hs PDU, and (c) determining whether to perform reordering-queue distribution and reordering on the modified MAC-hs PDU based on whether the transport block passes or fails. By performing the CRC check and disassembly substantially in parallel, processing efficiencies may be gained.

Abstract: A ground- or roof-top-based repeater in an OFDM system uses multiple transmission antennas to transmit multiple identical OFDM signals. Dithering is performed by introducing a slight variable-frequency phase offset to all but one of the multiple identical transmitted OFDM signals. The effective overall channel is more dynamic and provides spatial diversity to minimize long periods of fading in fading subchannels of the OFDM signals when the receiver is in a slow moving or stationary situation. To overcome the additional cancellation problem that can occur when two or more of the transmitting antennas are (i) in a line-of-site position with the receiver and (ii) approximately the same distance from the receiver, a delay is deliberately introduced to make the delayed signals appear to be reflected signals. This delay will not negatively impact the OFDM receiver performance as long as the delay is within the guard interval used in the OFDM process.

Abstract: In one embodiment of the invention, a programmable device, such as an FPGA, has a programmable input buffer with a VCCIO-powered buffer stage for high-voltage signaling and a VCC-powered buffer stage for low-voltage signaling. In addition to a main driver section, the VCCIO-powered buffer stage has a mixed-mode section for handling multiple different over-drive and multiple different under-drive conditions, a hysteresis section for providing multiple different trip-point hysteresis modes of operation, and a level-shifting section with look-ahead circuitry that enables the main driver section to be implemented with low-power, high-threshold devices, while still enabling the VCCIO-powered buffer stage to operate with low skew and high speed.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an LDPC decoder has one or more reconfigurable adders that generate variable-node messages and one or more reconfigurable check-node units (CNUs) that generate check-node messages. The LDPC decoder has a five-bit precision mode in which the reconfigurable adders and CNUs are configured to process five-bit variable-node and check-node messages, respectively. If the LDPC decoder is unable to properly decode codewords in five-bit precision mode, then the decoder can be reconfigured in real time into a ten-bit precision mode in which the reconfigurable adders and CNUs are configured to process ten-bit variable-node and check-node messages, respectively. By increasing the size of the variable-node and check-node messages from five bits to ten bits, the probability that the LDPC decoder will decode the codeword correctly may be increased.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a wireless device having two or more antennas. The wireless device substantially concurrently determines (a) using a first antenna, whether a first communications service is available for data transfer, and (b) using a second antenna, whether a second communications service is available for data transfer. After determining that at least one communications service is available for data transfer, the wireless device uses both antennas to transfer data using a selected communications service.