Abstract: Improvement to an adornable binocular device having a telescope pair and an adjustable inter-pupillary distance (IPD) where both telescopes move simultaneously and substantially the same distance when the IPD is adjusted, the improvement including a mechanism for releasably preventing unintentional adjustment of the IPD and including a first releasably pivoting coupling between each telescope and arm and a second releasably slideable coupling between each telescope and arm.

Abstract: A complex frequency shift keyed homodyned diplexed radar system and method that can accurately determine the range of one or more targets where the targets have little or no velocity relative to the radar system. The system and method generates a FSK electromagnetic wave that is reflected off the one or more targets and converted into a delayed or phase shifted baseband signal and undelayed baseband signal where the delayed and an undelayed baseband signal may be analyzed to determine the range of the one or more targets.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for advancing and extracting a component from a tube or channel of a magazine by the employment of a vacuum to a port that engages an open proximal end of the tube or channel of the magazine where the vacuum is sufficient to advance and hold the component as the head is moved away from the proximal end in a direction parallel to the long axis of the tube or channel of the magazine.

Abstract: A method for producing a cephalometric lateral profile usable for growth forecasts and treatment simulations particularly for use by orthodontists and maxillo-facial surgeons in planning treatments for their patients. The method includes obtaining a lateral cephalometric x-ray and image of a subject, e.g. by an x-ray machine and a video camera, creating a polyline outline of the lateral profile of the image, identifying a set of pre-defined points on the outline, and converting the polyline outline to a corresponding series of Bezier curves using the identified points as anchor points. The pre-defined points preferably include a set of points on the polyline outline at which the ratio of the subject's soft tissue to the subject's hard tissue is known, e.g. the glabella, the soft nasion, the tip of the nose, the subnasal, the soft A-point, the upper lip, the upper lip embrasure, the lower lip embrasure, the lower lip, the soft B-point, the chin, and the soft menton.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for flipping or rotating a component 180 degrees. The apparatus includes a rotatable plate having a component opening where the component may pass through and a top and a bottom shutter where when the plate is rotated in a first direction, the top shutter closes and the bottom shutter opens and when the plate is rotated in a second, opposite direction, the bottom shutter closes and the top shutter opens. The top shutter and the bottom shutter may be coupled to a proximal and distal cam following bearing where the proximal and distal cam following bearings are located within a proximal and distal cam slot of a cam barrel.

Abstract: A synchronized frequency hopping method and apparatus for use in a cellular communication system where the cellular communication systems has a plurality of cells and a plurality of frequencies available to be assigned to the cells. At predetermined times, cells in the system synchronously change or hop to a new frequency. The new frequency to which a cell hops to may be a function of the present frequency the cell is assigned. In addition, synchronized frequency hopping may occur at predetermined intervals and the pattern of hopping may periodically repeat. This technique limits the period of time a non-system source of interference may impair communications in any cell since the cell hops to different frequencies periodically.

Abstract: A flexible forceps device comprises a distal end to be inserted into a patient, a proximal end to remain outside the patient and a flexible, elongated body extending between the ends. The flexible body has at least one lumen and may have a smooth, sealed external surface. An effector assembly is attached to the distal end and includes a support piece and at least one movable element. A control assembly is attached to the proximal end and includes a push-pull mechanism. A coaxial actuating assembly extending through the lumen of the flexible body consists of a flexible tube having a lumen, with a control wire slidably disposed within the lumen of the tube. The tube provides a flexible, yet relatively incompressible column support between the effector assembly and control assembly. The proximal end of the control wire is attached to the push-pull mechanism and the distal end is linked to the movable elements, whereby operation of the control assembly moves the movable elements relative to the support piece.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods and apparatus for detecting the presence of a CDPD carrier in a channel of a cellular system (although the invention is broadly applicable to detecting a specific kind of carrier associated with an "overlay" system, wherein an "overlay" system is one that shares the frequency allocation of another system on a non-cooperating basis). This specification describes a spectral estimation technique for detection of a CDPD carrier. In addition, this specification describes an MMSE (minimum mean-squared error) method that improves on the spectral estimation method.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus determining codevectors in response to a speech signal include a first codebook member which stochastically determines the characteristics of a bi-pulse codevector representative of a target vector associated with the speech signal and for removing the bi-pulse codevector from the target vector thereby forming an intermediate target vector. A second codebook member stochastically determines the characteristics of a second bi-pulse codevector in response to the intermediate target vector. In one embodiment of the invention a third codebook member adaptively determines a first codeword in response to the target signal and forms another intermediate target signal and a fourth codebook member stochastically determines a second codeword in response to the intermediate target signal.

Abstract: The invention provides a method and system for extending channel access in a wireless communications system employing half duplex subscriber units. The subscriber units transmit multi-block bursts to improve the burst throughput over half duplex subscriber units that transmit only single-block bursts. The number of blocks per burst is selected based on the code rate used and may be selected in a manner that also maximizes the system throughput. The subscriber unit includes a block processor for assembling the blocks of data with overhead based on the code rate, a burst formatter for combining the blocks and formatting the combination based on the code rate, and a process manager for selecting the number of blocks to be transmitted in each transmit burst.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for digitally phase modulating and frequency upconverting communication signals to an intermediate frequency, producing the IF output with only digital hardware and without the use of digital to analog converters, analog multipliers (mixers) or power combiners. A digital phase modulator provides an in-phase and a quadrature output, each of which is coupled to one input of a relatively simple multi-bit to single-bit delta-sigma data converter. The output from the converter is a pair of single-bit digital output signals. Each such single-bit output is inverted and both the inverted single-bit output and the non-inverted single-bit output of both the in-phase and the quadrature outputs are coupled to a 4:1 multiplexer. One of these four inputs is then selected by a modulo-4 counter. The modulo-4 counter is incremented at a rate that is selected based upon the desired IF frequency.

Abstract: A digital demodulator and method for demodulating digital data representing a phase shift keyed (PSK) signal are provided. The demodulator comprises a phase detector, automatic frequency controller, automatic timing recovery controller, data decoder, and unique word detector. According to the method of the present invention, a PSK signal is received and digitized to substantially remove the signal's amplitude characteristics. The phase detector receives an input of the digital data and based upon transitions in the data from a high state to low state and from a low state to a high state, provides phase estimates. The phase estimates are converted by the data decoder into binary data representing the symbols transmitted to form the PSK signal. A number of overlapping windows of digital data are used to determine phase estimates.

Abstract: A circuit for processing related signal components, such as in-phase and quadrature signal components generated within a modulator, in which a first filter and a second filter are matched such that the gain of each such filter is nearly identical. A modulator is provided having matched filters in accordance with the present invention in which the gain "K" of each filter is equal to 1. By using a filter which has a gain of 1, the gain is removed from consideration when attempting to match the filter response of one filter to another. Furthermore, each filter is relatively simple to implement, having only four resistors, two capacitors, and two operational amplifiers.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system and methods for coding and decoding digital data to improve the subjective quality of a voice signal. According to the invention, a sampled voice waveform is compressed by an ADPCM algorithm resulting in a sequence of samples. The sequence of samples are formed into an array and coded into parity bits. Row and column checksums are preferably performed on the parity bits to form row and column vectors. The samples and row and column vectors are transmitted to a receiving unit preferably having a diversity capability. The receiver processes each diversity block by generating row and column vectors from the received samples and comparing the generated row and column vectors to the row and column vectors received. Then based on the comparison, the samples of the best diversity block are used to reconstruct the voice waveform on a sample-by-sample basis.

Abstract: A digital demodulator and method for demodulating digital data representing a phase shift keyed (PSK) signal are provided. The demodulator comprises a phase detector, automatic frequency controller, automatic timing recovery controller, data decoder, and unique word detector. According to the method of the present invention, a PSK signal is received and digitized to substantially remove the signal's amplitude characteristics. The phase detector receives an input of the digital data and based upon transitions in the data from a high state to low state and from a low state to a high state, provides phase estimates. The phase estimates are converted by the data decoder into binary data representing the symbols transmitted to form the PSK signal. A number of overlapping windows of digital data are used to determine phase estimates.

Abstract: A programmable digital modulator and methods of modulating digital data for transmission by a communication system according to operating parameters selected for various applications are provided. A two-chip system is utilized by a preferred embodiment of the invention. One chip comprises a PROM for storing impulse response data which would result from filtering the data to be transmitted. The second chip comprises a data interface for accepting input data, an address generator for generating an address of the PROM where the impulse response data is stored which corresponds to the data input to the chip and for causing the PROM to output the impulse response data stored at the address generated, and a data modulator for modulating a carrier signal with the impulse response data provided by the PROM.

Abstract: A digital demodulator and method for demodulating digital data representing a phase shift keyed (PSK) signal are provided. The demodulator comprises a phase detector, automatic frequency controller, automatic timing recovery controller, data decoder, and unique word detector. According to the method of the present invention, a PSK signal is received and digitized to substantially remove the signal's amplitude characteristics. The phase detector receives an input of the digital data and based upon transitions in the data from a high state to low state and from a low state to a high state, provides phase estimates. The phase estimates are converted by the data decoder into binary data representing the symbols transmitted to form the PSK signal. A number of overlapping windows of digital data are used to determine phase estimates.

Abstract: A method and apparatus used in the context of a digital cellular communication network for allowing a remote unit to determine the conditions under which a handoff should occur and the procedure to be followed. The method and apparatus of the present invention controls handoffs in a manner which causes the boundaries of a cell within a digital cellular network to remain relatively well defined and to very closely conform to the boundaries of a cell of an advanced mobile phone system with which the cellular digital packet data system is associated. The present invention also reduces the effort required by a remote unit within a cellular digital packet data communication system when attempting to change channels. Primary and Secondary Thresholds are defined in accordance with the present invention.

Abstract: An analog circuit for multiplying a first input signal with a second input signal. The inventive analog circuit is capable of linear operation with a low voltage power source. A first pair of transistors is coupled as a first differential pair, and a second pair of transistors is coupled as a second differential pair. The first differential pair is coupled to the second differential pair in a manner that is similar to the corrections made between a first and second differential pair of a conventional Gilbert mixer. However, the emitter degeneration resistors of the present invention are not coupled to the collectors of a third differential pair, as is the case in conventional Gilbert mixers. Rather, the degeneration resistors of the present invention are coupled directly to the negative power supply terminal.