Abstract: The invention is a method system and apparatus for a group driver. In the event that a system-wide application is needed, a plurality of devices that belong to the system are identified and divided into groups. The groups include a processor and at least one device such as a switch. Once the groups are determined, the system-wide application is transmitted to the devices via the group processors.

Abstract: An exemplary embodiment of the present invention described and shown in the specification and drawings is a transceiver with a receiver, a transmitter, a local oscillator (LO) generator, a controller, and a self-testing unit. All of these components can be packaged for integration into a single IC including components such as filters and inductors. The controller for adaptive programming and calibration of the receiver, transmitter and LO generator. The self-testing unit generates is used to determine the gain, frequency characteristics, selectivity, noise floor, and distortion behavior of the receiver, transmitter and LO generator. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract which will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or the meaning of the claims.

Abstract: Analog signal paths are utilized between a baseband processor and a radio front end to support high throughput communications for a multiple in multiple out radio transceiver that support communications over two or more antennas. Specifically, analog differential I and Q path communication signals are exchanged between a radio front end core and a baseband processor to maximize throughput capacity for high data rate signals. Along the same lines, the impedances of traces and the interface are matched to reduce I/Q imbalance.

Abstract: A network device for processing packets. The network device includes applying specific fields from a packet to an associated memory device and comparing means for comparing input to the memory device with entries in the memory device. The network device also includes enabling means for enabling selection of bits, by the memory device, that are required to match exactly with bits from the input to the memory device. The network device further includes outputting means for outputting an address for a matched entry by the memory device and applying means for applying a match from the memory device to an associated entry in a table for applying actions from the table that are associated with the match to the packet.

Abstract: An integrated circuit radio transceiver and method therefor includes an integrated circuit radio transceiver operable to provide pre-distortion settings that correspond to specified analog transmit path gain levels. Further, a change in gain is provided solely through digital gain when the new gain is within a specified range. If the gain change is not within the specified range, the gain is provided by a new transmit path gain module and, if necessary, with additional digital gain. Additionally, a new pre-distortion setting is applied to correspond to the new analog transmit path gain setting.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for adaptive impulse noise detection and suppression (INDS) where information regarding detected impulse noise (IN) pulses is used to adjust detection and suppression parameters. To decrease the rate of false detection, groups of samples, instead of individual samples, of the digitized received signal are used to detect the presence of IN pulses. The method and apparatus for adaptive INDS may be used in communication systems employing single-carrier or multi-carrier modulation schemes, and is preferably used for Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) modulation. The proposed adaptive INDS systems may be used to effectively reduce the effects of impulse noise and improve the quality of received signals.

Abstract: Certain embodiments of a method and system for handling connection setup in a network may comprise a network interface hardware device (NIHW) that may be operable to receive a services list and/or connection acceptance criteria from a first guest operating system running on a host system, receive a connection request from a second guest operating system running on the host system, and determine whether to allow establishment of the requested connection based on one or both of the services list and the connection acceptance criteria. The determination may be made prior to or during connection set up. The NIHW may maintain a connection state comprising information regarding set up of the requested connection. The services list may comprises one or more of a local network address, a local transport address, a network protocol, and a transport protocol. The communicated acceptance criteria may comprises packet filtering operations and/or security operations.

Abstract: A high-speed bit stream interface module interfaces a high-speed communication media to a communication Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) via a Printed Circuit Board (PCB). The high-speed bit stream interface includes a line side interface, a board side interface, and a signal conditioning circuit. The signal conditioning circuit services each of an RX path and a TX path and includes a limiting amplifier and a clock and data recovery circuit. The signal conditioning circuit may also include an equalizer and/or an output pre-emphasis circuit. The limiting amplifier applies respective gains to the RX path and to the TX path that are based upon respective dynamic ranges of the incoming signals.

Abstract: A method to process DP bits within a WCDMA receiver where a noise estimation that may be implemented within hardware is provided for improved flexibility and performance. DPCH pilot symbols are received, quantized, channel compensated and combined. The computation of an SNR estimate based on the combined DPCH pilot symbols is provided. Noise estimation is used as part of the SNR estimation of the DP bits (used for downlink power control). This method does not rely on the assumption that the channel is constant over the DP field, while prior methods did.

Abstract: An upstream amplifier is integrated on a substrate with a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) to form an integrated circuit. In an embodiment, a low-pass filter is also integrated on the substrate. The output signal level of the upstream amplifier is controllable. In embodiments, fine adjustments are made to the output signal level of the upstream amplifier by varying a bias current of the DAC. A software control bit is used to switch between a power-on mode of operation and a power-down mode of operation. The upstream amplifier transmits in a burst mode. The power consumption of the upstream amplifier scales with the amplifier's output signal level. A high degree of matching is attained between the positive and negative paths of the upstream amplifier. This provides high immunity from common-mode disturbances such as substrate noise, clock spurs, and glitches caused by a gain change.

Abstract: Methods and systems for utilizing a single PLL to clock an array of DDFS for multi-protocol applications are disclosed. Aspects of one method may include generating a first signal for use in generating a plurality of local oscillator (LO) signals. The first signal may be communicated to a plurality of LO generators. Each of the LO signals may be generated independently of each other by a corresponding one of the LO generators. Each of the LO signals may be communicated to one or more mixers, where each mixer may perform down-conversion or up-conversion. A LO generator may utilize, for example, a DDFS or a digital delay circuit. A frequency of a LO signal may be varied by adjusting a divide factor for a divider that generates a reference clock for the DDFS or for a divider that generates a second signal used for mixing with a signal generated by the DDFS. The LO signal frequency may also be varied by adjusting frequency control words received by a DDFS.

Abstract: Aspects of a method and system for advertising a Bluetooth multicast feature are provided. A master device may provide a multicast service to active slave devices during a Bluetooth piconet connection. A Bluetooth multicast packet addressed to a specific slave device may be transmitted over a point-to-point connection. The multicast packet may be decoded and acknowledged by each of the slave devices on the piconet. The master device may re-transmit the multicast packet addressed to the specific slave device over the same point-to-point connection when an acknowledgment or response indicating a reception of the multicast packet from each of active slave devices may not be detected. The point-to-point connection may be associated with a L2CAP channel identified by a determined unique channel identifier (M-CID). The point- to-point connection may be secured by assigning a common authentication key shared among the slaves of the piconet.

Abstract: An audio decoding system performs frame loss concealment (FLC) when portions of a bit stream representing an audio signal are lost within the context of a digital communication system. The audio decoding system employs two different FLC methods: one designed to perform well for music, and the other designed to perform well for speech. When a frame is deemed lost, the audio decoding system analyzes a previously-decoded audio signal corresponding to previously-decoded frames of an audio bit-stream. Based on the results of the analysis, the lost frame is classified as either speech or music. Using this classification, other signal analysis, and knowledge of the employed FLC methods, the audio decoding system selects the appropriate FLC method which then performs FLC on the lost frame.

Abstract: Transmitter calibration of a wireless device is initiated based upon an operational value of the wireless device. The calibration operations are performed over a plurality of calibration time periods, each calibration time period divided into a plurality of first interval portions interspersed with a plurality of second interval portions, for each calibration time period of the plurality of calibration time periods, respective calibration settings are applied. During the first interval portions substantially fixed first current input is applied to at least one gain adjustable element of the RF circuitry. During the second interval portions, varying current input is applied to the at least one gain adjustable element of the RF circuitry. Output levels of the RF circuitry are measured over the calibration time period. Operational calibration settings for the baseband processing circuitry and analog signal path components of the transmitter are selected based upon the calibration operations.

Abstract: Aspects of a system and method for processing video data may comprise, for each line of a field of an image, generating noise based on a current seed, inserting the generated noise in a current line of the field, and generating a new seed for processing a subsequent line of the field by shifting the current seed. The current seed may be used to generate a random number and the generated noise may be produced using this generated random number.

Abstract: A method and system for bits and coding assignment utilizing Eigen beamforming with fixed rates for a closed loop WLAN is provided. Aspects of the method for communicating information in a communication system may comprise transmitting data via a plurality of radio frequency (RF) channels utilizing a plurality of transmitting antennas and receiving feedback information related to the plurality of RF channels. Bits may be assigned for transmission via at least one of the plurality of RF channels based on the feedback information. At least a portion of subsequent data having at least a first coding rate based on the assignment of bits may be transmitted via at least one of the plurality of RF channels. The method may also comprise receiving data via a plurality of RF channels utilizing a plurality of receiving antennas, and transmitting feedback information related to the plurality of RF channels.

Abstract: A wireless communication device processes N Radio Frequency (RF) bursts contained within N slots of a digital communications time divided frame, wherein N is a positive integer greater than one. The wireless communication device includes an RF front end, a baseband processor, and an equalizer module. The RF front end is operable to receive the plurality of received RF bursts and to convert the RF bursts to corresponding baseband signals. The baseband processor is operable to receive the baseband signals, to pre-equalization process the baseband signals to produce processed baseband signals, and to post-equalization process soft decisions. The equalizer is operable to equalize the processed baseband signals to produce the soft decisions. These RF bursts may be contained in adjacent slots or, in non-adjacent slots, or in a combination of adjacent slots and non-adjacent slots.

Abstract: Communications signal transcoder. A solution is provided to transcode a signal from a first signal type to a second signal type to ensure proper interfacing between devices that may operate using different signal types. For example, within a communication system, a first signal type (having a first modulation type, e.g., 8 PSK) may be received. The transcoder then ensures that this signal, after it has undergone any initial processing (such as tuning, down-converting, decoding, and so on), is encoded into a second signal type (having a second modulation type, e.g., QPSK) such that it can interface properly with a device for which the received signal is intended. This transcoder functionality may be implemented within discrete components, or it may alternatively be integrated within a functional block of an integrated circuit. This functionality may be implemented in a variety of communication systems including satellite, cable television, Internet, and others.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a scalable integrated MIM capacitor in a semiconductor die includes a high-k dielectric segment over a substrate and a metal segment over the high-k dielectric segment, where the metal segment forms a capacitor terminal of the integrated MIM capacitor. The capacitor further includes a filler laterally separating consecutive capacitor terminals, where the filler can be used as a capacitor dielectric of the integrated MIM capacitor. In one embodiment, the metal segment comprises a gate metal. In another embodiment, the integrated MIM capacitor is formed substantially concurrently with one or more transistors without requiring additional fabrication process steps.

Abstract: A system and method is provided for scheduling transmissions from a plurality of services operating over a widely distributed communications network. A headend communications device (such as a cable modem termination system) arbitrates bandwidth among a plurality of cable modems configurable for bi-directional communications. The headend grants a bandwidth region to a specified cable modem or assigns contention regions for a group of cable modems. Each cable modem contains a local scheduler that sends requests for bandwidth according to local policies or rules. Upon receipt of a grant from the headend, the local scheduler selects packets to be transmitted to best serve the needs of the services associated with the cable modem. Accordingly, a service requesting bandwidth may not be the service utilizing the grant corresponding to bandwidth request.