Abstract: A wireless communications device may include a wireless transmitter, a modulator connected to the wireless transmitter, and a white Gaussian noise generator connected to the modulator. The white Gaussian noise generator may include at least one pseudorandom number generator, and a fast Walsh transform module for generating white Gaussian noise based upon the pseudorandom numbers.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for processing documents in a document database includes generating an initial ranking of retrieved documents using an information retrieval system and based upon a user search query, and processing vocabulary words based upon occurrences thereof in at least some of the retrieved documents. Respective relevancies of the vocabulary words based on the occurrences thereof and the user search query are generated. A re-ranking of the retrieved documents is generated based on the relevancies of the vocabulary words.

Abstract: A decoding device may include a sequential convolutional code decoder, and a parallel convolutional code decoder. The decoding device may further include a controller for selectively processing a convolutionally encoded input signal via at least one of the sequential convolutional code decoder and the parallel convolutional code decoder. The selection of decoder may be based upon a signal-to-noise ratio or the passage of time, for example.

Abstract: A flight information communication system has a plurality of RF direct sequence spread spectrum ground data links that link respective aircraft-resident subsystems, in each of which a copy of its flight performance data is stored, with airport-located subsystems. The airport-located subsystems are coupled by way communication paths, such as land line telephone links, to a remote flight operations control center. At the flight operations control center, flight performance data downlinked from plural aircraft parked at different airports is analyzed. In addition, the flight control center may be employed to direct the uploading of in-flight data files, such as audio, video and navigation files from the airport-located subsystems to the aircraft.

Abstract: A limited acknowledgement-based communication methodology increases the throughput efficiency of extended range, wireless packetized data transmissions to a ‘master’ data-reception site from a ‘slave’ data-sourcing site, geographically remote with respect to the data-reception site. Rather than return an acknowledgement for each received packet, the master returns an acknowledgement only after receipt of a group of packets. When returning an acknowledgement, the master identifies which packets of the group were not successfully received. Missing packets may be retransmitted by the slave transmitter either immediately, or in response to a subsequent poll by the master.