Abstract: A method (400, 600, 700) and apparatus (220) for enhancing the intelligibility of speech emitted into a noisy environment. After filtering (408) ambient noise with a filter (304) that simulates the physical blocking of noise by a at least a part of a voice communication device (102) a frequency dependent SNR of received voice audio relative to ambient noise is computed (424) on a perceptual (e.g. Bark) frequency scale. Formants are identified (426, 600, 700) and the SNR in bands including certain formants are modified (508, 510) with formant enhancement gain factors in order to improve intelligibility. A set of high pass filter gains (338) is combined (516) with the formant enhancement gains factors yielding combined gains which are clipped (518), scaled (520) according to a total SNR, normalized (526), smoothed across time (530) and frequency (532) and used to reconstruct (532, 534) an audio signal.

Abstract: Hybrid range coding/combinatorial coding (FPC) encoders and decoders are provided. Encoding and decoding can be dynamically switched between range coding and combinatorial according to the ratio of ones to the ratio of bits in a partial remaining sequence in order to reduce the computational complexity of encoding and decoding.

Abstract: A Multiple Protocol Signal Detector, MPSD (320, 500) has a mixer (406) that receives signal energy from a multi-band antenna system (324) via a low noise amplifier (402) and from a variable frequency synthesizer (408) via a first variable band pass filter (410). The output of the mixer (406) passes through a second variable band pass filter (416) to an envelope detector (418) a power detector (419) and a low resolution A/D (420) that inputs digitized samples to a binary modulation detector, BMD (422). A controller (424) configures the aforementioned devices of the MPSD (320) to detect communications using different protocols based on a scan Look Up Table (426).

Abstract: Model human hands (902) for use in electromagnetic (e.g., microwave and RF) testing comprise a skeleton (1200, 104) of dielectric tubes (142, 148, 166, 170, 174, 178, 206, 208, 210, 1202, 1212, 1214, 1216, 1228, 1230, 1236, 1240, 1242, 194, 195, 196) inside a glove (908) that is filled with a fluid that has electrical properties that match that of a typical human hand at a particular frequency. According to certain embodiments the model hands comprise thumbs (193, 1236) that are located out of a plane of palms of the model hands. According to one embodiment the dielectric tubes are pivotally coupled to each other and biasing means (181,702) are provided to bias the hand into a gripping position so that the model human hand is able to grip different types of wireless communication devices (802) in different ways.

Abstract: A method (100, 200, 300, 400, 600) for sharing values among nodes (processors) (900, 1004, 1006, 1008, 1010) in a network (1000) that includes mobile nodes that is resistant to corruption by faulty nodes. Movement of nodes triggers special messages forwarding processor values to and from nodes that have moved. Movement also triggers initialization of a round counter associated with each message forwarding the processor values in each node that handles the special messages that are triggered in response to movement. The round counter provides additional time for values to be distributed to nodes in the network.

Abstract: Miniature camera lenses (100, 300) include in order an object side (116, 302) to the image side (118, 304) a first double concave lens (102, 306), a lens group including first convergent meniscus lens (104, 318), a first double convex lens (106, 312), a second convergent meniscus lens (108, 318), a second double concave lens (110, 330), a second double convex lens (112, 336), and a divergent meniscus lens (114, 342). The lenses (100, 300) feature a field of view of about fifty six degrees, low distortion, a relatively long back focal distance, and a relatively low F-number.

Abstract: Protocols for ad-hoc wireless networks (200) that use mediation devices (202–210) to facilitate communication between low power, low duty cycle wireless devices (212–226) are provided. In order to avoid premature battery exhaustion in particular devices, devices operating as mediation devices (202–210) report their communication load to low duty cycle wireless devices (212–226) that are positioned to be able to use the mediation devices (202–210). Based on the information as to communication load received from multiple mediation devices (202–210), and optionally on a virtual hop count that is a predictor of how rapidly the use of a route through a particular mediation device will lead to battery exhaustion, low duty cycle wireless devices (212–226) choose a mediation device (202–210) to use or proportion use of mediation devices (202–210) in order to delay battery exhaustion in the network.