Abstract: The error detection method includes decoding a portion of each control channel that is simultaneously received by a user equipment (UE) in a wireless communication system. The UE is provided with techniques to determine if one or more of the control channels were successfully received during the decoding step. If more than one control channel was successfully received, the method selects only one of the successfully received control channels based on calculated path metric differences (PMD) that serve as a “tie-breaking” mechanism to select the correct control channel for a particular UE.

Abstract: An amplifier device (40) includes at least one amplifier (42) having an output. A plurality of conductors (48, 50, 52) are coupled to the output in parallel with each other. The plurality of conductors (48, 50, 52) each has an electrical length that corresponds to a quarter wavelength of a signal amplified by the amplifier. The electrical length of the conductors (48, 50, 52) allows for any one of them to be selectively shorted so that the shorted conductor appears as an open circuit relative to the output of the amplifier (42) and has no effect on the operation of the amplifier device under such circumstances. The disclosed amplifier configuration allows for daisy chain connections for stacking amplifiers to increase amplification in an effectively lossless manner.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus comprising a substrate and first and second disks. The disks are rotatably located over the substrate, each disk having an outer circumference with teeth thereon. The first disk is positioned to interleave one or more of its teeth with the teeth of the second disk. The substrate includes a channel with an exit port located near the teeth of one of the disks. Another apparatus comprises at least one disk rotatably located over a substrate and in a well of the substrate, the disk having an outer circumference with teeth thereon. The disk is positioned to provide a maximum distance of less than about 10 microns between each one the teeth and a nearest wall defining the well. The substrate includes a channel with an exit port located near the teeth of the disk.

Abstract: A novel topology sensing methodology is provided for point-to-point link setup among a set of network nodes, which are mobile. The technique provided is TDMA contention-based, where each network node sends pilot signals to announce its existence. Pilot signals transmitted by network nodes are used by surrounding nodes to extract various pieces of information such as node identity, node location and potential link quality. Information collected from pilot signals of neighboring nodes is used in conjunction with other topological criteria to identify the best set of nodes with which a given node should establish links. The topology sensing methodology avoids duplexer problems and attempts to achieve minimum collision by allowing the nodes to continually monitor available pilots and transmit on the least-interference channels.

Abstract: A method is provided for administering a game over a wireless telecommunications network (30) serving a number of mobile terminals (20). The wireless telecommunications network (30) includes a number of base stations (32) providing wireless communication coverage for corresponding geographically defined cells (34). The method includes: establishing a game offering in response to a triggering event; designating a region in response to the established game offering; locating mobile terminals (20) within the designated region; sending over the wireless telecommunications network (30), to mobile terminals (20) within the designated region, an invitation to participate in a game in accordance with the established game offering; and, collecting over the wireless telecommunications network (30), from mobile terminals (20) to which the invitation was sent, responses to the invitation, the responses indicating that the invitation to participate in the game has been accepted or declined.

Abstract: The invention relates to devices and methods for detecting a ligand in a liquid, based on deflection of one or more microscopic cantilevers. Each cantilever has an optical waveguide fixed thereto or integral therewith. Deflection of the cantilever is detected by assessing coupling of light between the optical waveguide on the cantilever and an optical waveguide fixed distally thereto.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed wherein nanostructures or microstructures are disposed on a surface of a body (such as a submersible vehicle) that is adapted to move through a fluid, such as water. The nanostructures or microstructures are disposed on the surface in a way such that the contact between the surface and the fluid is reduced and, correspondingly, the friction between the surface and the fluid is reduced. In an illustrative embodiment, the surface is a surface on a submarine or other submersible vehicle (such as a torpedo). Illustratively, electrowetting principles are used to cause the fluid to at least partially penetrate the nanostructures or microstructures on the surface of the body in order to selectively create greater friction in a desired location of the surface. Such penetration may be used, for example, to create drag that alters the direction or speed of travel of the body.

Abstract: An electronic shelf includes a plurality of system circuit boards including a first system circuit board containing a first central processing unit (CPU) providing decision-making intelligence for end-user services supported by the first system circuit board. An auxiliary circuit board is connected to the first circuit board and provides input and output communications between the CPU and devices external to both the first system circuit board and auxiliary circuit board. The CPU is solely responsible for decision-making intelligence for management control for at least a predetermined number of system circuit boards while also being responsible for the decision-making intelligence for end-user services supported by the first system circuit board.

Abstract: A memory management system adapted to process large data files. The system has a plurality of low storage capacity high speed memories and a lower speed high storage capacity bulk memory. An access flow regulator generates requests for the reading and writing of data files by the memories. Large data files have a first part and an excess portion. Both parts of each file are written into the high speed memories. The excess portion of each file is immediately transferred from the high speed memories to the bulk memory while leaving the first part in the high speed memories. In read operations, the first part is read from the high speed memories. The excess portion is transferred from the bulk memory to the high speed memory in a burst mode and then read from the high speed memories.

Abstract: A multiple mode data communication system and method provides the flexibility to schedule wireless unit transmissions and/or allow the wireless unit to transmit autonomously. In certain embodiments, the wireless units can transmit autonomously and/or use scheduling depending on the data rate, the length of the data packet or the type of data. For example, the wireless units can transmit autonomously at lower data rates and use scheduling at higher data rates. Thus, the multiple mode system enables wireless unit transmissions to be scheduled and/or be transmit autonomously, and wireless units can simultaneously operate in different scheduling and/or autonomous modes.

Abstract: A method of setting up calls over circuit-switched and packet-switched resources on a single network having the steps of receiving a request from a user for a call having one or more resources, and allocating the one or more resources among packet-switched, resources and circuit-switched resources associated with a communication network to set up the call. The call may be a multi-media call. Resources may be allocated based on one or more call characteristics that may be in a request for resources by the user.

Abstract: The dependency of intensity noise is used to determine the wavelength difference between a laser diode gain peak and a reflection peak of a fiber grating in a fiber grating type laser diode. Monitoring and determining the relative noise intensity of such a laser enables the control of the laser diode or the fiber grating such that the intensity noise is as low as possible. Such an approach enables the use of a fiber grating type laser diode as Raman pumps in high-speed transmission systems where low intensity noise is a requirement, especially when the Raman pump power propagates in the same direction as the transmission signals (known as Raman co-pumps).

Abstract: Mobiles are sorted by using a first metric and one or more of the sorted mobiles are selected. A second metric is determined using the selected sorted mobiles, and mobiles are selected to transmit during a time period based on the second metric. Multiple embodiments are disclosed using these steps and exact or approximate solutions as to which mobiles should transmit may be determined. By way of example, the first metric may be a weighted marginal rate and the second metric may be an objective function. An uplink proportional fair technique is presented in which, for example, either a single “strong” mobile or a group of “weak” mobiles may be selected to transmit during a single time period. In addition, techniques are presented for determining uplink scheduling when there is partial orthogonality in Walsh codes, modeled by an orthogonality factor, assigned to mobiles.

Abstract: Location enabled voice mail is described. Such capability can be provided by service providers to offer their customers a host of unique location based voice mail services of both an audio and video nature. By way of example, a first calling party may leave a voice mail message for a second called party at a first time. First location information for the calling device is obtained about the first time. Upon retrieving the voice mail message at a second time, the called party is provided with the location enabled voice mail services. For example, the called party may receive a map containing the location of the calling device at a first time plotted thereon.

Abstract: Personalized location enabled indicators, such as ring backs or ring tones are described. Such capability can be provided by wireless service providers to offer their customers a host of unique location based ring tones and ring backs of both an audio and video nature. By way of example, a first calling party may be provided with a video ring back indicative of location, such as a picture of the Golden Gate Bridge when a second called party is in San Francisco, or a ring tone may indicate a called party is at work and busy, at home and not busy, or the like, with different ring tones for different classes of callers, such as coworkers, family, friends or specified individuals.

Abstract: Techniques and systems for designing a network providing communication and location identification services are described. A solution point comprising parameters for each of a plurality of base stations is generated. A coverage and locatability performance value for the solution point is computed, as well as derivatives of the performance value. The coverage and locatability performance value and its derivatives are used to indicate favorable directions for searching for subsequent solution points, and subsequent solution points are generated and compared against previous solution points until an optimum solution point is found. The coverage and locatability performance value is a weighted sum of coverage and locatability values for each point in the service area of the network, with coverage values representing forward and reverse link quality and locatability values representing the probability that a point will experience an acceptable power level from at least four base stations.

Abstract: An apparatus in one example comprises one or more information sender components that upon engagement of a communication device with a communication session that involves a plurality of communication devices, send to one or more information receiver components identification information of two or more communication devices of the plurality of communication devices and the communication device.

Abstract: A system for and method of implementing a backoff protocol and a computer network incorporating the system or the method. In one embodiment, the system includes: (1) a client subsystem that generates a request for access to a shared resource and (2) a server subsystem that receives the request, returns a LOCKED indicator upon an expectation that the shared resource is unavailable and otherwise returns a FREE indicator, the client subsystem responding to the LOCKED indicator by waiting before regenerating the request for the access.

Abstract: A wireless communication network contains a plurality of spatially distributed communication devices (access point devices and station devices) for exchanging wireless signal frames. A device processes signal frames only when a strength of the signals exceeds a carrier detection threshold. Devices defer an intended transmission upon detection of a wireless signal with a strength greater than a defer threshold prior to the intended transmission. A measuring circuit performs a first measurement of a first signal strength of signals from access point devices and a second measurement of a second signal strength of signals from station devices associated with a first one of the access point devices. A threshold adjustment circuit first sets the carrier detection threshold of a first one of the access point devices above the first signal strength. The second measurement is performed when said first setting has taken effect.

Abstract: An algorithm calculates a correction value to be applied to a slot in an adjustment period for power correction. For each slot, the algorithm determines whether adding a correction value in a given slot would bring the actual accumulative adjustment value closer or farther from a total desired power correction value for the adjustment period. In one embodiment, the correction value is added to consecutive slots in the adjustment period to conduct the correction as fast as possible. The algorithm also checks the total amount of adjustment applied to the slots over a sliding adjustment window within the adjustment period to make sure that the total amount of adjustment applied to the slots in the adjustment window do not exceed a predetermined maximum threshold.