Abstract: A scanning probe microscope detects or induces changes in a probe-sample interaction. In imaging mode, the probe 54 is brought into a contact distance of the sample 12 and the strength of the interaction measured as the probe 54 and sample surface are scanned relative to each other. Image collection is rapidly performed by carrying out a relative translation of the sample 12 and probe 54 whilst one or other is oscillated at or near its resonant frequency. In a preferred embodiment the interaction is monitored by means of capacitance developed at an interface between a metallic probe and the sample. In lithographic mode, an atomic force microscope is adapted to write information to a sample surface.

Abstract: A hybrid time division duplex/code division multiple access communication system comprises a radio network controller coupled to a plurality of Node-Bs. The radio network controller comprises a resource allocation device for providing each Node-B with a list of timeslots that the Node-B can use to assign uplink timeslots and downlink timeslots. The list of timeslots does not include all potential timeslots as being assignable for uplink communications and does not include all potential timeslots as being assignable for downlink communications. Each of the plurality of Node-Bs comprises an assignment device for dynamically assigning uplink and downlink communications to users of the Node-B in response to the assignable uplink and downlink timeslots of the list.

Abstract: The invention includes a system and methods for orthogonal variable spreading factor (OVSF) code assignment, de-allocation and code tree pruning. The invention also includes OVSF code identification and storage schemes. Embodiments are provided for code tree pruning, code assignment and de-allocation. These embodiments apply to both slotted and non-slotted code division multiple access systems.

Abstract: An optical device guides illuminating light from a light source and includes a columnar light-guiding unit having an incidence face which the illuminating light from the light source is incident upon, an emission face which emits the illuminating light and has a larger area than the incidence face, and reflection faces which guide rays of the illuminating light which is incident from the incidence face to the emission face while bringing the rays to total internal reflection, and holders which secure the columnar light-guiding unit in position with respect to the light source, in which the columnar light-guiding unit and the holders are connected together in a single piece only on the reflection faces on the emission face side of the columnar light-guiding unit.

Abstract: A pair of counter-wound spring-like members are placed in a gutter above an opening communicating with a downspout. A cord joined to the spring-like members extends through said downspout and out of an opening in the downspout. The cord is pulled and released to contract and expand the spring-like members to grind and/or crush debris collected in the gutter.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of manufacturing a field emitter electrode using self-assembling carbon nanotubes as well as a field emitter electrode manufactured thereby. The method comprises anodizing an aluminum substrate to form an anodized aluminum oxide film having a plurality of uniform pores on the aluminum substrate, preparing an electrolyte solution having carbon nanotubes dispersed therein, immersing the anodized aluminum substrate in the electrolyte solution and applying a given voltage to the aluminum substrate as one electrode, so as to attach the carbon nanotubes to the pores, and fixing the attached carbon nanotubes to the pores.

Abstract: The number of users and data capacity of wireless systems are increased by employing apparatus and method for increasing the number of spreading codes available in the system by providing a mechanism to reuse the already allocated spreading code or use the codes that may correlate to those already being used within the same sector/cell. This, in return, provides capacity improvement proportional to the number of added base station (BS) antennas for each cell. An antenna null steering technique for code allocation maintains the cross correlation properties of the codes only for the desired user and to obtain a gain in capacity improvement.

Abstract: A method and a wireless communication device that implements a control node for a mesh network. Preferably, the device and method are implemented in an Access Point for an 802.11 LAN.

Abstract: A stopping rule for Turbo decoding that is applied for both good and bad code blocks is disclosed. If the iteration either converges or diverges, decoding is terminated. In an alternative embodiment, the result of the stopping rule testing may be used for hybrid automatic repeat-request (HARQ) acknowledgement generation: if the iteration converges, an acknowledgment (ACK) is generated and if the iteration diverges, a negative acknowledgement (NACK) is generated. Optionally, the maximum number of decoding iterations may be dynamically selected based on modulation and coding scheme (MCS) levels.

Abstract: A drawer guide rail for a stabilized and guided in and out movement of a drawer with respect to the furniture member, having at least one surface of the pull out channel mounted on the bottom surface of the drawer, and a fixed guide (20) adapted to be fastened on either side or both sides of the inner sidewalls of the respective furniture member. The guide rail assembly includes an outer pull out channel (50), intermediate pull out channel (30) and roller units (15, 25) for allowing the relative movement of the pull out channels. The essential part of the present invention is an additional stabilizer means (10), in the form of a metal plate adapted to provide a running surface and is disposed between two roller units (15, 25) accordingly, to facilitate absorbance of vertical forces and stabilized drawer motion.

Abstract: A vibration wave motor includes a housing, a rotor, a bearing member, a vibrator serving as an actuator and having a support shaft and a driving element, and a leaf spring having a pressing protrusion. The vibrator is slidably disposed in an opening of the housing along a rotation axis direction of the rotor, and a support shaft of the vibrator is rotatable. The vibrator is held while being urged by the leaf spring and being in contact with the rotor. The vibrator is excited to generate supersonic vibration so that the rotor is rotated. Since the vibrator is movably supported by the housing in the rotation axis direction and the vibrator is urged by the leaf spring and is in contact with a friction contact surface of the rotor, the vibrator is evenly in contact with the rotor in a direction perpendicular to the friction contact surface so as to provide superior driving conditions of the vibration wave motor.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for efficiently processing packets from neighboring basic service sets (BSSs) to characterize the traffic within a wireless local area network (WLAN), mesh network, or similar wireless communication system is disclosed. The apparatus may be an access point (AP) in a BSS which includes a measurement period (MP) interval timer, a promiscuous measurement period (PMP) timer and a receiver filter. An interval of the MP interval timer is set while the receiver filter is enabled. During the interval, the AP only processes packets which originated from the AP's own BSS. When the MP interval timer expires, a value of the PMP timer is set to a predetermined time duration and the receiver filter is disabled. During the predetermined time duration, the AP processes all received packets irrespective of which BSS the packets originated from. The receiver filter is again enabled when the PMP timer expires.

Abstract: In a system having a received PN clock signal, a method is disclosed for providing a synchronized system clock signal having reduced jitter wherein the synchronized system clock signal is synchronized with the received PN clock signal. The method includes providing a stable high frequency reference signal and dividing the high frequency reference signal to provide a system clock signal having a plurality of system clock phases. The method also includes adjustably selecting a system clock phase of the plurality of system clock phases in accordance with the received PN signal in order to provide the synchronized system clock signal. The received PN clock signal is recovered by providing PN phase adjustments of the received PN clock signal. A tracking control signal is provided in accordance with the PN phase adjustments and the system clock phase is adjustably selected in accordance with the tracking control signal. The high frequency reference signal can be multiplied prior to the dividing.

Abstract: A plurality of data signals are received over an antenna array having a plurality of antenna elements. The data signals are transmitted over a shared spectrum in a wireless communication system. A signal having each of the data signals is received over each antenna element. The plurality of data signals are grouped into a plurality of groups. The received signals of the antenna elements are matched filtered for a first group of the plurality of groups, producing a matched filtered result. Data is jointly detected of the first group using the matched filtered result. An interference correction signal is constructed using the detected data for each antenna element. The interference cancelled result is subtracted from the received signal of each antenna element, producing an interference cancelled result for each antenna element. Data is successively detected for remaining groups using the interference cancelled result for each antenna element.

Abstract: The described actuation device comprises a casing, intended for the attachment to the handlebar of the bicycle, a cable-winding bobbin, angularly mobile in the casing about a main axis of the device, a first driving mechanism, acting on the bobbin to rotate it in a first angular direction, a second driving mechanism, acting on the bobbin to rotate it in a second angular direction opposite the first, as well as indexer assembly for removably holding the bobbin in predetermined angular positions. In accordance with the invention, the indexer assembly comprise first countering means, to counter the rotation of the bobbin in the first direction, and second countering means, distinct from the first countering means, to counter the rotation of the bobbin in the second direction. Asymmetric operation is thus obtained which allows active actuation to be set both for upward gearshifting and for downward gearshifting.

Abstract: A transmitting station for communicating data in a cellular system utilizes transmission diversity by transmitting a plurality of signals. A transmitter is configured to transmit at least a first data signal corresponding to the data in a first time slot and to transmit a second data signal corresponding to the data in a second time slot. The second time slot occurs after the first time slot so that the first and second transmitted data signals are not simultaneously transmitted. Preferably, the transmitter includes a first antenna from which the first data signal is transmitted and a second antenna spaced apart from the first antenna from which the second data signal is transmitted. Where the transmitting station is for a CDMA system, the transmitter is configured to transmit said data signals as PN spread spectrum signals. In such case, an encoder is provided for spreading and modulating the data with PN codes to form the data signals. Preferably, different PN codes are used to form the data signals.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for capturing and logging activities of a state machine prior to error. The state machine receives a packet and processes the packet. A state machine monitor is provided for each state machine. The state machine monitor logs activities of its associated state machine in a trace buffer when the state machine changes its state. The changes of the states in the state machine are traced to create a record in the trace buffer. Optionally, a snooper may be provided to determine whether a predetermined condition exists in the received packet. The snooper attaches a trigger tag to the received packet when the predetermined condition exists. The state machine monitor stops tracing the changes of the states of the state machine when the state machine monitor detects the trigger tag in a packet forwarded to its associated state machine.

Abstract: A field sequential lighting device for emitting light corresponding to a plurality of colors using a field sequential method includes: a light source; and a light converting section for intensifying the emitted light by sequentially converting the light, emitted from the light source, corresponding to the plurality of colors. By doing this, it is possible to provide a field sequential lighting device using the light emitted from the light source efficiently and having desirable color reproducibility, and an image projecting device having it.

Abstract: In a single-lens reflex camera, the rotation center of a lever used for driving a shutter device is arranged rearward of a shutter device with respect to an optical axis, and the lever end (point of action) is arranged in front of the shutter device with respect to the optical axis. Thereby, compactness of the camera body can be realized.

Abstract: A wireless handset including an antenna array. The antenna array includes an active antenna element and two passive antenna elements. The active and passive antenna elements are arranged to form a triangle with a vertex. The vertex includes a vertex angle and the active antenna element is disposed at the vertex. The vertex angle is between 90 degrees and 180 degrees.