Abstract: A communication system includes a controller, a data pump under the control of the controller and a data access arrangement under the control of the controller. The controller establishes a data communication session with a remote communication system using the data pump and the data access arrangement. The controller then places the communication session in an on-hold state for a period of time and generates an indication relating to a status of the on-hold state. The controller may generate a sound as an indication or may transmit data relating to the status. The sound may be generated by toggling a relay in the data access arrangement, by transmitting a tone or by transmitting an audio sample. The audio sample may be generated by a codec controlled by the controller. The indication is generated to provide a progress notification relating to the period of time, a warning notification relating to the period of time or an expiration notification of the period of time.

Abstract: An integrated tuner is programmable to optimize its components for either analog signal reception or digital signal reception. Power to the components is increased for analog operation and decreased for digital operation. The tuner also includes a selectable and integrated low noise amplifier that may be selected for single-signal reception and bypassed for multi-signal reception.

Abstract: A data communications system accommodates high transfer rates of non-isochronous data to and from a communications medium handling isochronous data. The system suitably includes an interface for transmitting non-isochronous data to and from a first system, such as a host system, and transmitting isochronous data to and from a second system, such as a WAN. The interface includes a clear-to-send (CTS) signal generated by the system receiving the non-isochronous data. If the CTS signal is asserted, the sending system continues to provide data to the receiving system. On the other hand, if the CTS signal is deactivated, the sending system withholds the non-isochronous data for the relevant channel until the CTS is reasserted. In an exemplary embodiment, the CTS signal is an out-of-band hardware-implemented signal, which tends to provide optimal simplicity and speed.

Abstract: The present invention minimizes power consumption and processing time in a very long instruction word digital signal processor by identifying certain blocks of instructions and placing them in a small, fast buffer for subsequent retrieval and execution. A decoder unit decodes a prefetch instruction flag bit that indicates when instructions are to be prefetched and placed into the buffer. The decoder unit signals a control unit, which sends the instruction code from a memory unit to the buffer and maintains an address mapping table and a program counter. The control unit also sets a select input on a multiplexer to indicate that the multiplexer is to output the prefetch instructions it receives from the buffer. The multiplexer outputs the prefetch instructions to an instruction register that sends the prefetch instructions to appropriate functional units for execution.

Abstract: A system of and method for extended Booth encoding of two binary numbers, K and L. A stage of the encoder receives K[2n+1], K[2n], L[2n+1], and C[n−1], N−1≧n≧0, with N being the length of L, and it being assumed L[2n]=0, and forms C[n], S[n], M1[n], and M2[n] according to the following equations: C[n]=K[2n+1]|L[2n+1], S[n]=K[2n+1]{circumflex over ( )}L[2n+1], M1[n]=K[2n]{circumflex over ( )}C[n−1], M2[n]=(S[n]&/K[2n]&/C[n−1])|(/S[n]&K[2n]&C[n−1]), where | refers to the logical OR function, {circumflex over ( )} to the exclusive OR function, & to the logical AND function, and/to the logical inversion function.

Abstract: In one system embodiment, the system is characterized by: a differential amplifier including but not limited to at least one amplifying transistor having an emitter coupled directly to a ground. In one embodiment of a method of making a system, the method is characterized by: operably coupling at least one amplifying transistor of a differential amplifier directly to a ground. In one embodiment of a method of driving a system, the method is characterized by: driving at least one amplifying transistor of a differential amplifier with an emitter-follower feedback loop. In one system embodiment, the system is characterized by: a differential amplifier including but not limited to a first amplifying transistor having a base operably coupled with a first emitter-follower feedback loop.

Abstract: The present invention uses a wiring scheme for data transmission. The wiring scheme includes designating N−1 telecommunication wires and a common wire to each carry N−1 signals. The wiring scheme further includes designating one telecommunication wire, other than the N−1 telecommunication wires, as a common wire for each of the N−1 wires. In addition, the DC voltage polarities of at least one of the N−1 telecommunication wires may be reversed to reduce the likelihood of overloading the common wire. The wiring scheme may be utilized in the context of many data transmission systems including: POTS, PSTN, DSL, data modems, facsimile modems, and ISDN. The wiring scheme of the present invention may achieve higher data rates for data transmission.

Abstract: One method for analyzing a bitstream having a plurality of compressed pictures comprises computing an initial arrival time and a final arrival time of a compressed picture, wherein the initial arrival time is equal to an earlier of the final arrival time of the immediately previous compressed picture or equal to a sum of a fixed time plus a sum of removal delays of all of the compressed pictures between the first compressed picture following the buffering period message and the compressed picture, including the compressed picture, and wherein the final arrival time is equal a sum of the initial arrival time and a time calculated based on the number of bits associated with the compressed picture at the bit rate; and verifying that a difference between the final removal time and the initial arrival time does not exceed the time for reaching the buffer size at the bit rate.

Abstract: The method and system determines if modem pulse dialing has been requested in a telecommunication system having both a modem and an associated modem driver. When modem pulse dialing is requested, a fast timer is activated by the modem driver in association with a slow timer in the modem by stopping the fast timer, calculating a divisor value to set-up an interrupt period for the pulse dialing and restarting the fast timer utilizing the interrupt period. The fast timer is started and stopped by enabling/disabling timer interrupts. By synchronizing the fast timer and the slow timer to count in millisecond increments with the modem continuously operating utilizing both the slow timer and the fast timer, the timer resolution necessary for modem pulse dialing is produced. The modem releases control to the operating system during inter-digit delay time.

Abstract: A signal processing system and process for digitally filtering a single tone digital signal is disclosed. The system includes a single tone signal generator, which may or may not perform frequency modulation. The single tone signal generator receives an input signal and generates a frequency indicator which is used internally by the single tone signal generator and is also communicated to a direct realization filter. The direct realization filter uses the frequency indicator to generate a phase offset indicator, which is communicated back to the single tone signal generator. The single tone signal generator uses the frequency indicator and the phase offset indicator to generate a phase-adjusted single tone signal. The direct realization filter generates a filter gain and multiplies the single tone signal with the filter gain to produce a filtered single tone signal.

Abstract: An interrupt driven interface coupling a programmable media access controller (MAC) and a process controller. The interrupt driven interface is operable within a cable modem system. The specification by which the cable modem operates to transfer data between the programmable media access controller (MAC) and the control processor is loaded into a memory location within the system, and the physical system is operable to provide for backward compatibility, in that, the addition of new messages and the deletion of old messages within the specification is performed via software upgrade. The necessity of a re-design and re-fabrication of the programmable media access controller (MAC) and the control processor, and the interface between them is completely obviated by the present invention.

Abstract: A novel method and apparatus for conditioning an analog signal before it is input to a downstream device such as a delta-sigma analog-to-digital converter is disclosed. An analog conditioning circuit having a reference voltage generator circuit, positive and negative voltage comparators, threshold voltage generator circuits, and a plurality of transistor gate switch limiters is disclosed. The reference voltage generator circuit generates predetermined threshold voltages against which the input signal is compared by the voltage comparators. All conditioning circuit components between the conditioning circuit input and output are electrically disconnected from the circuit when the input signal voltage does not exceed the threshold voltages, thereby minimizing signal distortion in the useful range of the input signal.

Abstract: A signal processor that contains a programmable logic circuitry that is re-configurable in response to various parameters including, but not limited to, characteristics of a plurality of input data that is provided to the signal processor. The signal processor contains, among other things, a programmable logic configuration circuitry that provides a logic configuration to the programmable logic circuitry. In certain embodiments of the invention, the signal processor employs a wide word width to program the programmable logic circuitry, the wide word width is operable to configure an entirety of the programmable logic circuitry. The programmable logic configuration circuitry further contains a default configuration circuitry and an adaptive configuration circuitry. The default configuration circuitry contains a default logic configuration for the programmable logic circuitry.

Abstract: A signaling technique for use with an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) over asymmetric digital subscriber line (ADSL) system is disclosed. The ATM over ADSL system employs an ATM multiplexer (MUX) operatively connected to a number of downstream ATM devices and operatively connected to an upstream ATM switch. The MUX is configured to receive and process upstream setup messages that originate from the downstream ATM devices. In response to an upstream message cell, the MUX compares the call reference number (CRN) contained in the setup message with a table of CRN values associated with other calls. If necessary, the MUX assigns a new CRN value to the current setup message such that the current connection with the originating downstream device is uniquely identified by the assigned CRN. The MUX uses a CRN mapping table to facilitate the unambiguous downstream routing of subsequent signaling cells.

Abstract: The present invention envisions the use of a coherent signal to make up for lost or delayed samples to a modem. The modem contains a coherent phase buffer containing samples of at least a cycle of a coherent signal corresponding to an outgoing signal. When, for any reason, the samples for the outgoing signal are lost or delayed, the modem adaptively patches the outgoing signal with samples from the coherent phase buffer. The modem tracks the outgoing signal, and synchronizes a pointer into the coherent phase buffer outgoing signal. Thus, when the outgoing signal samples are delayed or lost, the modem may replace the invalid samples from the samples of the outgoing data signal with a patch of an appropriate sample or samples from the coherent phase buffer. As such, disruptions of the modem session associated with an incoherent signal during modem communications are avoided.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for minimizing nonlinear distortions in computer system communications where the upstream signal from a client modem to a server modem is periodically sampled, the samples being utilized by a non-linear decision feedback equalizer to periodically produce sets of equalizer coefficients. The equalizer coefficients are sent via an independent communication channel downstream to the client modem to continuously update distortion-minimizing adjustments to the client modem's upstream output. The samples are taken periodically in order to update the non-linear decision feedback equalizer so that it can provide appropriate equalizer coefficients for the changing characteristics of the upstream signal. The method includes identifying, by a first communication system, nonlinear equalization parameters to be used by a second communication system to minimize nonlinear distortions on a primary communication channel.

Abstract: Using a telephone line interface circuit with negative feedback, it is possible to control the current through the circuit so that the ratio of the voltage applied across the circuit to the current is the desired value of impedance. Voltage feedback from the line controls the current through the circuit, thereby reflecting a “virtual” impedance to the telephone line. By adequately filtering the voltage feedback, the reflected impedance to the line can be adjusted to any desired impedance function, without using the actual values of the impedance. The circuit is thus ideally suited for applications in which the impedance values need to be varied depending upon the characteristics of the telephone system.

Abstract: A modem utilizing a DAA having line side circuitry including a telephone network interface and system side circuitry including a host system interface. The line side circuitry and the system side circuitry are separated by a high voltage isolation barrier. In accordance with the invention, the high voltage isolation barrier and other DAA circuitry are configured such that data and control information may be communicated between the system side circuitry and the line side circuitry using a serialized digital communication protocol. In one embodiment of the invention, the line side circuitry of the modem includes detection and measurement circuitry that is programmable to measure or establish electrical characteristics (e.g., tip/ring voltage and loop current) of the telephone line interface connection. Command information for the programmable circuitry is multiplexed with data communicated across the high voltage isolation barrier.

Abstract: A communication system for communicating over a Universal Serial Bus comprising a data pump and a controller is described. The data pump is physically separated from the controller element and is responsible for conventional signal processing operations such as might be performed by a digital signal processor (DSP) The data pump communicates with the controller via a predetermined communications protocol. The controller is, typically, co-located with a host computer and is responsible for commanding/communicating with the data pump. Physically separating the modem controller function from the modem data pump function allows the manufacturing of lower cost modems. Functional separation also allows either a modem's control or data pump operations to be repaired or upgraded independently of one another. The data pump is minimally equipped to perform only those communications control and data transfer functions that require time critical performance.

Abstract: A telephony system and method for providing telephony services to remote users. The telephony system comprises a user side and a provider side. The user side includes a telephony instrument and a personal computer for establishing communication with the provider side via a communication gateway, a communication device and a wide area network, such as the Internet. The provider side includes a virtual private network in communication with the wide area network and a communication network. The communication network is in communication with a telephony server interfacing with a telephone switched system. The telephone switched network provides telephone lines for allocation of the telephone lines by the virtual private network to the remote users.