Abstract: A system and method for supporting multiple applications are described. A digital subscriber line system includes two transceivers in communication over a communication channel using multicarrier modulation. Application profiles are defined for characterizing transmission of information over the communication channel. Each application profile is a parameter set that is associated with a unique set of one or more applications that may become active between the transceivers and specifies the transmission requirements for such applications. Each transceiver stores the application profiles and transmits information over the communication channel according to the one of the stored application profiles. When a change in a number of applications active between the transceivers occurs, a second one of the application profiles is retrieved. The transceivers then transition to transmitting information over the communication channel according to the second application profile.

Abstract: A DMT system and method with the capability to adapt the system bit rate on-line in a seamless manner. The DMT system provides a robust and fast protocol for completing this seamless rate adaptation. The DMT system also provides a framing and encoding method with reduced overhead compared to conventional DMT systems. The DMT system and method provide seamless rate adaptation with the provision of different power levels. This framing and encoding method enables a system with seamless rate adaptation capability. The system and method of the invention can be implemented in hardware, or alternatively in a combination of hardware and software.

Abstract: A Discrete Multitone Modulation (DMT) system and method with the capability to adapt the system bit rate on-line in a seamless manner. The DMT system provides a robust and fast protocol for completing this seamless rate adaptation. The DMT system also provides a framing and encoding method with reduced overhead compared to conventional DMT systems. The DMT system and method provide seamless rate adaptation with the provision of different power levels. This framing and encoding method enables a system with seamless rate adaptation capability. The system and method of the invention can be implemented in hardware, or alternatively in a combination of hardware and software.

Abstract: Methods for initiating an electronic shopping transaction, for initiating a control operation for a user-selectable video game character, for emphasizing an advertisement in a computer generated display, and for presenting multiple GUIs in desktop user interfaces using detail-in-context graphical distortions. The method for initiating an electronic shopping transaction, for a user-selectable item presented in a computer generated original image on a display, comprising: receiving a selection signal for the item from a user; distorting the original image to produce a distorted region for the item to provide the user with detailed information for the item; and, receiving a purchase signal for the item from the user.

Abstract: Faults are detected and recovered from in a multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) network by communicating packets between a first node and a second node in the MPLS network using a set of prioritized label switch path (LSP) pairs. A failure to receive a relatively constant rate of packets during a predetermined time interval is detected at the first node. Packets are sent from the first node to the second node using a backup LSP pair responsive to detecting the failure. Packets are then sent from the second node to the first node using a backup LSP pair responsive to receiving packets at the second node on the backup LSP pair.

Abstract: Detail-in-context techniques are described. In an implementation, an original image is distorted to produce a distorted region for a selected object at a first position in an original image displayed on a display screen. The distorted region magnifies at least a portion of the object. A signal is received to drag the object and the distorted region from the first position to a second position. A signal is received to drop the object at the second position. The distorted region is removed from the original image after the object is dropped at the second position.

Abstract: An adaptive transversal filter having tap weights Wj which are products of corresponding tap coefficients Cj and tap gains Mj is provided. A filter control loop controls all of the tap coefficients Cj such that an error signal derived from the filter output is minimized. One or more tap control loops controls a tap gain Mk such that the corresponding tap coefficient Ck satisfies a predetermined control condition. For example, |Ck| can be maximized subject to a constraint |Ck| Cmax, where Cmax is a predetermined maximum coefficient value. In this manner, the effect of quantization noise on the coefficients Cj can be reduced. Multiple tap control loops can be employed, one for each tap. Alternatively, a single tap control loop can be used to control multiple taps by time interleaving.

Abstract: A method of optimizing filter performance through monitoring channel characteristics is provided. A signal enters a channel and a receiver receives the signal. The receiver includes a FIR filter to remove near-end transmitted interference and recover a far-end desired signal. The filter has storage elements configured as a shift registers to move the signal, multipliers to multiply the signal by a filter coefficient, an intermittent summer to combine the multiplied results into a replica of an interfering signal, a final summer to remove the replica from the receiver signal to provide direct and indirect monitoring of the signal, where direct monitoring includes time or frequency monitoring, and indirect monitoring includes monitoring signal to noise ratio, error magnitude or bit error rate. The filter is optimized according to monitoring and includes reducing a dynamic range, reducing bits of precision, reducing linearity, the filter, and reallocating the filter.

Abstract: An improved decoder and decoding method for low density parity check (LDPC) codes is provided. Decoding proceeds by repetitive message passing from a set of variable nodes to a set of check nodes, and from the check nodes back to the variable nodes. The variable node output messages include a “best guess” as to the relevant bit value, along with a weight giving the confidence in the, guess. The check node output messages have magnitudes selected from a predetermined set including neutral, weak, medium and strong magnitudes. The check node output messages tend to reinforce the status quo of the input variable nodes if the check node parity check is satisfied, and tend to flip bits in the input variable nodes if the check node parity check is not satisfied. The variable node message weights are used to determine the check node message magnitudes.

Abstract: A technique is provided that may be employed in multicarrier communications to improve the efficiency of error correction using symbol-oriented error correction methodologies, by reducing the number of error correction code symbols (102, 104 . . . ) that are received in error that result from a single channel error. More specifically, in this technique, bits from the symbols are allocated among the channels in such a way as to minimize the number of respective channels that are allocated bits belonging to more that one respective symbol during a respective transmission period.

Abstract: Through the use of a variable state length initialization, both the transmitter and the receiver can have control of the length of one or more initialization states. For example, a transmitter can send information, such as a message, to the receiver at the commencement of, during initialization or prior to entering a variable length initialization state. The information can specify, for example, a minimum length of an initialization state as needed by the transmitter.

Abstract: Hybrid frequency compensation is provided. Hybrid circuits are used to subtract the transmit signal from the receive signal in a full duplex communication system. Since the hybrid circuit and the main line driver are exposed to different loads, accurate subtraction is difficult to achieve. A frequency dependent network is used to match the loading seen by the driver and the hybrid. The compensation network can be based on active and/or passive components.

Abstract: Automated methods and systems are disclosed for persistently facilitating the timely gathering, monitoring, distribution and delivery of information related to medical care where such may include: (1) finding a communications channel for effectively attempting a message delivery to a specific target person at a specified time; (2) deliverable message content to limitations of a chosen communications channel; adaptively finding a targeted recipient even if the latter is highly mobile and/or has travel patterns or communications-channel preferences that change over time; (3) verifying that a targeted recipient has actually received an attempted delivery within an applicable time limit; (4) automatically recognizing that an urgent message delivery-attempt was not timely completed and adaptively alerting responsible entities of the in completion; and (5) automatically recognizing that an urgent change or non change of condition has occurred by virtue of information gathered during an automated or manually-conduct

Abstract: The present invention provides an electronically accessible site that lists a product and associated distributors that distribute the product to customers. A customer purchases a product from the electronically accessible site, and during the purchasing process, the customer selects the distributor he wants to receive the product from. The order is received by an agent, and transmitted to the selected distributor for eventual distribution of the product to the customer. In response to the purchase, the agent and electronically accessible site receive compensation based on the amount of the purchase.

Abstract: In an implementation, an appearance of lens is displayed on a display device for a selected region of an image to magnify the selected region of the image in comparison with a portion of the image outside of the appearance of the lens. A zoomed-in view of the image is displayed on the display device by increasing magnification of the portion of the image outside the appearance of the lens successively as an animation until the magnification of the portion of the image outside of the appearance of the lens corresponds with the magnification of the selected region of the image within the appearance of the lens, at which point the appearance of the lens is no longer displayed.

Abstract: Hybrid frequency compensation is provided. Hybrid circuits are used to subtract the transmit signal from the receive signal in a full duplex communication system. Since the hybrid circuit and the main line driver are exposed to different loads, accurate subtraction is difficult to achieve. A frequency dependent network is used to match the loading seen by the driver and the hybrid. The compensation network can be based on active and/or passive components.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for the photorealistic representation of dynamic, complex, three-dimensional scenes by means of ray-tracing. Said device comprises at least one programmable ray-tracing processor in which are implemented: special traversing instructions and/or vector arithmetic instructions and/or instructions for establishing ray-tracing acceleration structures and/or at least one decision unit (mailbox), which prevents objects or triangles that have already been intersected by a ray cast during ray tracing from being intersected again by the ray. The inventive device is organized such as to allow a plurality of threads to be processed in parallel and to allow a plurality of threads to be automatically processed synchronously, the device being provided with an n-level cache hierarchy and/or virtual memory management and/or a direct link to the main memory.

Abstract: A scheme that enables seamless roaming between the WLAN and the cellular carrier network by enabling a user that originates a call in the WLAN and happens to go outside the range of the WLAN to automatically switch over to the cellular carrier network without losing connection with the other party. This solution assumes that the mobile device has the capability to operate in at least two modes that include the WLAN mode and one of the cellular carrier modes, such as the GSM, IS-95 CDMA, IS-136 TDMA, and iDEN.

Abstract: A method of digitally controlling a timing recovery loop to control jitter and reduce word-length in a recovered clock is provided. A timing error detector provides an output identifying the error sign. First and second randomizing digital attenuators provide first and second estimates of the phase error in a timing signal. A controller receives the first estimate and provides a signal to an NCO. An output from the NCO provides feedback to the error detector to complete a first order feedback loop, providing a first estimate phase error compensation. An integrator receives the second estimate and provides an output estimate for frequency offset of the timing signal that is received by the controller and the sign and magnitude of the integrated phase error are calibrated to provide a frequency offset. The controller determines a number of additional updates to the NCO required to minimize jitter and reduce word-length.

Abstract: A directional and interleaved wireless mesh network is described where mesh nodes have directional antennas facing in horizontally orthogonal directions. The antennas can be focused to have a beam width of less than ninety degrees in order to achieve greater strength of signal and radiation. Each mesh node can have two radios that communicate on separate channels, such that packets propagated through the mesh network can utilize either channel in order to hop from one node to the next. Each radio can be connected to four orthogonally directed antennas in order to enable communication with adjacent nodes. Alternatively, a separate independent radio can be connected to each antenna in order to achieve greater simultaneity of transmission and reception to the node. For example, two such radio-antenna combinations can be facing in each of the four orthogonal directions, each of the two combinations operating on a different RF channel.