Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed by which base stations with overlapping service areas allocate frames within superframes of a channel in a cognitive radio communication network. The frames are assigned for sole use by a base station on a frame-by-frame basis using a Frame-Based, On-Demand Spectrum Contention process. The process resolves contentions for use of frames using equally probable random numbers. The results of the process are transmitted and received between base stations using vector messages. Applications of the methods and systems include Wireless Regional Area Networks (WRANs), including those using the standards of IEEE 802.22.

Abstract: This invention relates to cognitive radio based wireless communications of dynamic spectrum access networks, and more particularly to a method of addressing inter-systems (cells) communications for coexistence and spectrum sharing. A method, called Logical Control Connections, is described for reliable connection-based inter-system coordination and communications, which can be established and maintained either over the air or over the backhaul with very low incurred communications overhead in terms of spectrum bandwidth, messaging latency, and hardware/software complexities.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing multimedia instruction enhanced data by the use of an abstract routine generator and a translator. The abstract routine generator takes the multimedia instruction enhanced data and generates abstract routines to compile the multimedia instruction enhanced data. The output of the abstract generator is an abstract representation of the multimedia instruction enhanced data. The translator then takes the abstract representation and produces code for processing.

Abstract: An SRAM having two capacitors connected in series between respective bit storage nodes of each memory cell. The two inverters of the memory cell are powered by a positive voltage and a low voltage. The two capacitors are connected to each other at a common node. A leakage current generator is coupled to the common node. The leakage current generator supplies to the common node a leakage current to maintain a voltage which is approximately halfway between the voltages of the high and low SRAM supplies.

Abstract: Handover of the role of a personal basic service set coordination point (PCP) in a personal wireless area network occurs with the issuance of a PCP handover request by the existing PCP station. A response from a PCP handover capable station within the BSS includes attributes of the responding station pertinent to its ability to carry out the role of a PCP. Once a new PCP station has been identified, handover steps are undertaken to modify beacon filtering and beam-forming in other non-PCP stations within the BSS to facilitate interruption free transition from the old PCP to the new PCP.

Abstract: A wireless, specifically VHT, system that includes APs and STAs can power save during the TXOP. The AP in the system announces whether STAs in the system do SU or MU TXOP power save in a Beacon/Probe Response, and the STAs in the system transmit to the AP whether the STA is capable and willing to save power during a SU, MU, or SU+MU TXOP. For the AP, the process further involves buffering data frames for STAs that have entered doze mode until the end of TXOP. The AP further transmits to STAs a duration of TXOP in the Duration field of a RTS frame. The STA can inform the AP to enter TXOP PM mode in a bit in the HT Control field.

Abstract: Disclosed is a programmable pulse width discriminator circuit operable to receive a set of parameters from a user and indicate when an input signal satisfies conditions set by the user-defined parameters. The input signal is sampled by the pulse width discriminator circuit to detect a desired state of the input signal. The user may set the parameters such that the pulse width discriminator indicates the condition wherein the number of consecutive samples for which the input signal is the desired state is (i) greater than a first threshold value, (ii) less than a second threshold value, or (iii) between the first and second threshold values. In these embodiments, the user sets the first and second threshold values and selects which set of conditions are indicated by the output of the circuit.

Abstract: A six field address scheme identifies both the originating point and the endpoint of a data frame enabling multiple hop forwarding through a plurality of intermediate mesh points in a wireless mesh network. Data frames originating or ending at a point outside of the wireless mesh network access the wireless network at a mesh access point using a legacy address scheme. The legacy address schemes are converted to a six address scheme using a proxy address table at the access point. Each mesh access point includes not only a routing table but a proxy address table as well as enabling the mesh access point, and/or mesh portal points, to convert address schemes having less than six address fields to the six field format. Subsequent to the conversion, mesh points within the wireless mesh network need only the routing table to facilitate the forwarding of the data frame.

Abstract: An SRAM having two capacitors connected in series between respective bit storage nodes of each memory cell. The two inverters of the memory cell are powered by a positive voltage and a low voltage. The two capacitors are connected to each other at a common node. A leakage current generator is coupled to the common node. The leakage current generator supplies to the common node a leakage current to maintain a voltage which is approximately halfway between the voltages of the high and low SRAM supplies.

Abstract: A strain enhanced transistor is provided having a strain inducing layer overlying a gate electrode. The gate electrode has sloped sidewalls over the channel region of the transistor.

Abstract: A copper interconnect structure has an intrinsic graphene cap for improving back end of line (BEOL) reliability of the interconnect by reducing time-dependent dielectric breakdown (TDDB) failure and providing resistance to electromigration. Carbon atoms are selectively deposited onto a copper layer of the interconnect structure by a deposition process to form a graphene cap. The graphene cap increases the activation energy of the copper, thus allowing for higher current density and improved resistance to electromigration of the copper. By depositing the graphene cap on the copper, the dielectric regions remain free of conductors and, thus, current leakage within the interlayer dielectric regions is reduced, thereby reducing TDDB failure and increasing the lifespan of the interconnect structure. The reduction of TDDB failure and improved resistance to electromigration improves BEOL reliability of the copper interconnect structure.

Abstract: There is disclosed an M-bit adder capable of receiving a first M-bit argument, a second M-bit argument, and a carry-in (CI) bit. The M-bit adder comprises M adder cells arranged in R rows, wherein a least significant adder cell in a first one of the rows of adder cells receives a first data bit, AX, from the first M-bit argument and a first data bit, BX, from the second M-bit argument, and generates a first conditional carry-out bit, CX(1), and a second conditional carry-out bit, CX(0), wherein the CX(1) bit is calculated assuming a row carry-out bit from a second row of adder cells preceding the first row is a 1 and the CX(0) bit is calculated assuming the row carry-out bit from the second row is a 0.

Abstract: An embodiment of a circuit for maintaining voltage at a voltage bus after a power loss in a hard disk drive system. HDD systems may suddenly lose power and specific tasks, such as parking the read/write head and storing state data may be accomplished using a power generated from back EMF of a motor that is still turning. During the power loss sequence, a drive controller may drive a power chipset to regulate the voltage at a voltage bus so as to conserve power as much as possible. In this manner, the drive circuit may regulate the voltage via a drive algorithm to be just above a threshold voltage (typically 4.4 V) while the HDD system is storing state data, but apply other algorithm for other situations, such as parking the read/write head. Various drive algorithms may be tailored to provide a specific sequence of voltage bus regulation techniques suited to specific applications.

Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed for reduced power consumption in communication networks, including sensor networks implemented according to IEEE 802.11ah, by organizing stations into groups having long sleep periods. By organizing the stations of the network into groups, the access point can match each group's traffic identification map with its target beacon transmit time. One embodiment organizes the stations sequentially by AID numbers. Other embodiments organize the stations by similar power save requirements and/or nearby geographical location. Forms of an Extended Traffic Identification Map are matched with an awaken Target Beacon Transmit Time of the group.

Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed specifying the arrangement and content of the fields in data and management frames, which allow for greater payload efficiency in frame-based communication networks. The content of the fields is changed from the standard 802.11 arrangement to meet of the needs of networks such as Sub-1GHz networks, including those of the 802.11 ah standard, and sensor networks with a large number of stations transmitting at low data rates. In some embodiments, MAC header fields are reduced from standard 802.11 header fields by using only two fields for addressing and eliminating standard fields that are not used in sensor networks.

Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed for the operation of wireless communication networks, in which communication channels can have possibly overlapping bandwidths of different sizes, including sensor networks operating by the IEEE 802.11ah standard. A first method of signaling to negotiate the channel bandwidth conveys the needed information in the SIG field of the PPDUs of duplicate RTS/CTS frames, and uses the SIG field of PPDUs of duplicated data, control and management frames to perform transmit opportunity protection. A second method of signaling to negotiate the channel bandwidth conveys the needed information in the scrambling sequence field of PPDUs of duplicate RTS, and uses the scrambling sequence field of PPDUs of duplicated data, control and management frames to perform transmit opportunity protection.

Abstract: A method of forming dummy structures in accordance with the golden ratio to reduce dishing and erosion during a chemical mechanical polish. The method includes determining at least one unfilled portion of a die prior to a chemical mechanical planarization and filling the at least one unfilled portion with a plurality of dummy structures, a ratio of the dummy structures to a total area of the unfilled portion being in the range of 36 percent and 39 percent. A die formed in accordance with the method may include a plurality of metal levels and a plurality of regions at each metal level, each region having a plurality of dummy structures formed as golden rectangles.

Abstract: Methods and systems are described for transmitting and displaying video data after a hot plug event during a start-up dead period. In particular, hot plug events occurring when a toggleable hot plug detection mechanism is use.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a microfluidic pumping device having a piezoelectric member positioned above a displaceable membrane. A voltage is applied across the piezoelectric member causing the piezoelectric member to displace the membrane. Displacement of the membrane increases and decreases pressure in a cavity that is below the membrane. The increases and decreases in pressure actuate cantilevered check valve members to facilitate unidirectional liquid flow through the pumping device.

Abstract: A self-coexistence window reservation protocol for a plurality of Wireless Regional Area Network (WRAN) cells operating in a WRAN over a plurality of channels includes a sequence of self-coexistence windows that uniquely identifies a transmission period for each WRAN cell. A self-coexistence window reservation protocol is included within the first packet of a Coexistence Beaconing Protocol period identifying when each WRAN cell associated with a particular channel will transmit. When not actively transmitting, a WRAN cells remains in a passive, receiving mode to accept data. As the transmissions of each WRAN cell operating on a particular channel are scheduled, contention for a transmission period is eliminated.