Abstract: A coupling mechanism for coupling a light vehicle to a surface, the coupling mechanism comprising: a magnetic coupling device arranged such that it may be switched between a first mode and a second mode, wherein in the first mode the device generates an external magnetic field less than a first strength, and in the second mode the device generates an external magnetic field of at least a second strength, the second strength being greater than the first strength; and a surface detection unit, coupled to the magnetic coupling device, and arranged to determine when the light vehicle is within a predetermined distance of a surface, wherein in response to the surface detection unit determining that the light vehicle is within the predetermined distance, switching the magnetic coupling device from the first mode to the second mode, to secure the light vehicle to the surface.

Abstract: In a first technique one or more tuned circuits (“traps”) are placed in series in the metal detector coil, tuned to the operating frequency of the other sensor. In another technique a single turn coil of wire, or a small number of turns coil, is used as the metal detector coil, in combination with a step up transformer at the coil feed, to increase the EMF of the coil. In a further technique, the metal detector coil is formed in a plane that has regard to the sensing field of the other sensor. In another technique, the feed for the metal detector coil comprises a twisted pair of wires, which are routed along an axis in order to try to minimize and equalize the effect of the metal detector feed on the operation of the other antenna.

Abstract: A surface wave launcher for launching electromagnetic surface waves, the launcher comprising: a waveguide comprising a planar conductive layer; a feed structure comprising a first conductor, the first conductor coupled to the waveguide at a coupling; wherein the waveguide is arranged to be positioned adjacent to a surface suitable for guiding electromagnetic surface waves; and wherein the planar conductive layer comprises one or more slots each having a pair of longitudinal edge, the one or more slots extending through the conductive layer and arranged such that an axis radially extending from the coupling intersects each pair of longitudinal edges of the one or more slots.

Abstract: A device for the transmission of electromagnetic signals, the device comprising: a conductive element at least one inducer, for inducing charge in said conductive element; a transmission circuit, for generation and transmission of electromagnetic signals; wherein said conductive element and said at least one inducer are movable, with respect to each other, between a plurality of relative positions; in a first position of said relative positions, said at least one inducer is arranged to induce a charge in said conductive element; in a second position of said relative positions, said conductive element is arranged to discharge; the conductive element is arranged to couple with the transmission circuit, in said first position and/or said second position, such that charging and/or discharging of said conductive element causes the transmission circuit to generate and transmit an electromagnetic signal; and the device is arranged such that movement of said device causes relative movement of said conductive element

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention proxy control the establishment or continued existence of a WLAN connection by using the back end authentication mechanism to authenticate/de-authenticate a WLAN session in dependence on the experienced quality of the connection during the set-up phase or session itself. This has the effect of preventing a bad quality connection from being established or from continuing, and hence should improve the user experience, and help a WLAN network operator maintain a service with high Quality of Service (QoS).

Abstract: An apparatus for radio communication using surface waves, the apparatus comprising: a guiding medium having a first surface suitable for the propagation of surface waves, the first surface having a reactive impedance; at least one communication node, the node having a transmitter and/or receiver coupled to a transducer, the transducer positioned on or adjacent the first surface of said guiding medium; wherein the at least one communication node is arranged to launch and/or receive surface waves, over the first surface of said guiding medium.

Abstract: A power manager for a mobile device comprises a traffic shaping unit (30) and a management unit (26). The traffic shaping unit is incorporated into a networking layer (8) of a mobile device architecture. The traffic management unit spans application layer (7) and networking layer (8) of the mobile device architecture. The traffic shaping unit and management unit are connected via a feed path (73). The management unit (26) is provided with inputs (74) to receive measurements of external parameters (65 to 69). The management unit further comprises a processor (20) to process the received measurements and a traffic shaping function generator (21) to receive the processed measurements and generate a traffic shaping function. The management unit (26) inputs the generated traffic shaping function to the traffic shaping unit (30) via the feed path (73), whereby the traffic management unit controls transmissions from the mobile device.

Abstract: A method for detecting signals using an adaptive transducer arrangement, the arrangement including a transducer array having a plurality of transducers, a beamformer, and an energy detector, the method comprising: determining weights to be applied by the beamformer to signals emitted from each transducer in order to maximize a performance metric; applying the determined weights to the signals emitted from each transducer; measuring the energy received at the energy detector; comparing the measured energy with a predetermined value and based on said comparison determining whether or not one or more signals are present.

Abstract: A rod antenna and antenna circuit are described which make use of negative feedback to reduce the Q of the antenna, but which also makes use of a different coil tapping arrangement to significantly reduce electric field susceptibility on the detected signal from the main coil as well as different biasing arrangements to reduce noise. More particularly, in some embodiments of the invention the main detector coil of the antenna has a centre tap that is AC grounded with signal taps then being taken from the opposite ends of the main coil, and being respectively fed to the inputs of a differential amplifier. The output of the differential amplifier is then fed to the magnetic circuit of the rod antenna via a second inductor winding that is magnetically coupled to the resonance circuit of the main antenna coil.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide the ability to use policy defined by the operator to control the interfaces on which data is sent and received by a device. The policy can be dynamically updated by the operator, by pushing new policy to the device for implementation. The policy can define that the device should switch certain data between two or more available interfaces at certain times, or may define when certain data may be sent or received over a particular interface. Advantageously, the device may receive new policy from the operator in order to help with the operator's own operational objectives. For example, the operator may be engaging in traffic shaping or other traffic limitation, for example to ease congestion or enforce service agreements.

Abstract: A buried object detector comprising: a loop antenna and an RF source, the RF source coupled to the loop antenna and arranged to feed the loop antenna with an RF signal, the detector further comprising a detector circuit coupled to the loop antenna and arranged to detect changes in the quality factor of a resonant circuit formed by the loop antenna, wherein the loop antenna is arranged to magnetically couple with a buried object, thereby reducing the quality factor of the resonant circuit.

Abstract: A networked probe system for a communications network (28) comprising at least one user device and at least one network device, comprises a plurality of probes (25). A probe (25) is provided in each path between the or each user device and the or each network device. Each probe (25) stores one or more parameters of interest. The probes (25) monitor communication from the user device for a subset of the communication satisfying the one or more parameters. On determining the presence of the one or more parameters in the subset of the communication, the probe (25) provides a notification to all other probes in the network (28).

Abstract: Systems, methods and a mobile device for using policy defined by the operator to control the interfaces on which data is sent and received by the device are provided. The policy can be dynamically updated by the operator, by pushing new policy to the device for implementation. The policy can define that the device should switch certain data between two or more available interfaces at certain times, or when certain data may be sent or received over a particular interface. The device may receive new policy from the operator in order to help with the operator's own operational objectives, such as traffic shaping or other traffic limitation to ease congestion or enforce service agreements. A policy implementing corresponding traffic limitation or shaping on the air interface between the mobile device and network base stations can be sent to the mobile device so as to reduce signaling congestion on the air-interface.

Abstract: A method of grouping communication sessions, the method comprising: selecting a plurality of communications sessions from a data stream; determining which data structures, of said communication sessions, occur more frequently than chance; and sorting the communication sessions into groups, wherein communication sessions which have similar data structures, determined to occur more frequently than chance, are sorted into the same group.

Abstract: A system for detecting electromagnetic surface waves scattered from a guiding medium, the system comprising: a guiding medium for guiding electromagnetic surface waves; a transmitter arranged to cause electromagnetic surface waves to be transmitted along the guiding medium; at least one transducer arranged to receive electromagnetic waves scattered from said guiding medium as a result of disruption to a surface wave passing over the guiding medium; and a sensor coupled to the transducer and arranged to detect said received electromagnetic waves.

Abstract: A system for sensing disruption to a signal propagating along a guiding medium for guiding electromagnetic surface waves, the system comprising: a guiding medium for guiding electromagnetic surface waves; a transmitter arranged to transmit electromagnetic surface waves along the guiding medium; a receiver arranged to receive electromagnetic surface waves transmitted along the guiding medium and to measure changes to a signal transmitted via the guiding medium in order to sense disruption to said signals based on said measured changes.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to a frequency suppression circuit arrangement, which allows at least one selected frequency band to be suppressed by coupling the frequency suppression circuit between the input and output of an RF power amplifier. The frequency circuit in the embodiments of the disclosure down-converts a feedback signal derived from the amplified output signal into baseband signals. Each of the baseband signals is fed into an inverting amplifier to generate a negative baseband signal. The negative baseband signal is subsequently filtered to selectively pass the negative baseband signal. The filtered signal is subsequently up-converted into an RF signal. The up-converted RF signal is combined and provided to a coupler connected at the input of the power amplifier such that when the input signal is amplified by the RF power amplifier any signals at the selected frequency can be suppressed.

Abstract: An object detector comprising: a transmitter arranged to generate a transmit signal; a transmit loop antenna, coupled to said transmitter and arranged to radiate said transmit signal; and a receive loop antenna arranged to generate a receive signal from received radio waves; wherein said received radio waves include said radiated transmit signal and, in the presence of objects within range of the device which reradiate said transmit signal, one or more radio waves reradiated by such objects; said receive signal includes a component corresponding to said transmit signal and, in the presence of reradiated radio waves, one or more components corresponding to said reradiated radio waves; and said object detector further comprises a signal detector, coupled to said receive loop antenna and said transmitter, the signal detector arranged to detect changes in the amplitude and/or phase of said receive signal which are due to changes in said components corresponding to said reradiated radio waves.

Abstract: A device for the transmission of electromagnetic signals, the device comprising: a conductive element at least one inducer, for inducing charge in said conductive element; a transmission circuit, for generation and transmission of electromagnetic signals; wherein said conductive element and said at least one inducer are movable, with respect to each other, between a plurality of relative positions; in a first position of said relative positions, said at least one inducer is arranged to induce a charge in said conductive element; in a second position of said relative positions, said conductive element is arranged to discharge; the conductive element is arranged to couple with the transmission circuit, in said first position and/or said second position, such that charging and/or discharging of said conductive element causes the transmission circuit to generate and transmit an electromagnetic signal; and the device is arranged such that movement of said device causes relative movement of said conductive element

Abstract: A dipole antenna, comprising: a dipole arrangement comprising at least a pair of antenna arms, each antenna arm having a feed end and a distal end, the feed ends positioned in proximity to each other; a feed structure, coupled to said dipole arrangement, comprising a balun for providing the antenna with a balanced feed; wherein, each antenna arm comprises: a conductive end plate, located at the distal end of the respective antenna arm; and an inductive coil, located at the feed end of the respective antenna arm.