Abstract: An antenna (10) having a plurality of unitary dipole antennas (12) formed by folding a stamped piece of sheet metal. Each of the unitary dipole antennas (12) are fed by two stripline feed systems (20, 22). Each of these feed systems are separated above and extend over a groundplane (14) and are separated by an air dielectric to minimize intermodulation (IM). Phase shifters (40, 42, 44) in combination with a downtilt control lever (52) are slidably adjusted beneath the respective dividing portions of the stripline feed system to adjust signal phase and achieve a uniform beam tilt having uniform and balanced side lobes. These stripline feed systems can also be formed from stamped sheet metal and which have distal ends bent 90° upward to couple to the respective dipole antennas (12).

Abstract: A method of forwarding signals over a cellular link. The method includes receiving, at a first base station of a cellular fixed network, a packet of signals having a data payload directed to a second base station, determining whether the data payload will be used by the second base station, and forwarding the entire packet if the data payload will be used and not forwarding the entire packet if the data payload will not be used.

Abstract: Method and circuitry for determining the timing of data arriving to a predetermined point via a data-bus from two or more data sources located at different locations along the data-bus. The timing is initiated by a first clock signal selected from a plurality of clock signals, at a frequency that is transmitted from a first clock generator. For each data source, the total phase-shift of the data relative is equalized to the phase of the transmitted first clock signal. The total phase-shift is determined by transmitting a first clock signal via a separate transmission path and receiving it at the end of the path. The determined total phase-shift is then utilized for enabling data reading.

Abstract: The present invention provides a technique for enhancing electrocatalysis in electrochemical systems. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy is performed for an electrode/electrolyte system at an intermediate frequency. Using an appropriate equivalent circuit model, the corresponding phase-shift can be derived. From this data, the Langmuir absorption isotherm can be created to determine the relation of and transition between overpotentially deposited and underpotentially deposited reactive species. Knowledge of the overpotentially and underpotentially deposited reactive species permits optimal selection of the operating conditions for an electrochemical system.

Abstract: Method for upgrading operating software and/or initialization program versions of an embedded system by using a single non-volatile memory. The non-volatile memory comprises a write-protected area containing an original initialization and download operation program version, and an unprotected area containing an upgradable initialization and download operation program version. Upon initialization, the upgradable, or the original version, of the initialization and download operation program version is copied into a second memory and/or into a memory location. The embedded system is operated from the second memory and/or memory location, enabling the downloading of the new operating software and/or initialization program versions and programming the unprotected area with the downloaded versions.

Abstract: The specification discloses a multimedia conferencing service capability for dynamically allocating transmission link bandwidth among video, audio and data channels in response to changes in the utilization of those channels. The capability maximizes video quality when data is not being used and minimizes data transfer time when data is being used in a multimedia conference. A multipoint control unit (MCU) monitors the utilization of T.120 MLP data channels and changes the bandwidth allocation for all of the transmission links in response to changes in the utilization for at least one of the data channels. The utilization is monitored by measuring the data rate of outbound T.120 MLP data channels and comparing the measured data rate to the allocated bandwidth to determine the data channel utilization.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a method of protecting the transmission of cells in a telecommunication system, the method consisting, on the transmitter side, of simultaneously transmitting two identical flows of cells on two distinct physical links and, on the receiver side, of receiving each of the two flows of cells respectively transmitted on the said two links and selecting one of them. The method further consists, on the transmitter side, of inserting, regularly in each of the flows, cells serving as markers and thus delimiting blocks of cells or sets of blocks of cells, and, on the receiver side, of selecting, block after block or group of blocks after group of blocks, the block or group of blocks from the flow of cells which has the fewer transmission errors compared with the block or group of blocks of the same order number in the other flow.

Abstract: A method of determining the integrity of a linked list stored in a memory block, comprises the steps of, providing a series of independent bit positions, defining each of the independent bit positions to correspond to one of the cells, setting each of the independent bit positions to a predetermined setting, resetting each of the independent bit positions upon access of its defined corresponding cell, and then, after a predetermined interval testing the independent bit positions. If then any of the independent bit positions have not been reset by the time the test is made, an error condition is set.

Abstract: A dual-band antenna assembly configured to be mounted on a dielectric substrate such as an automobile window glass. The dual-band antenna assembly is adapted to transmit and receive signals in two distinct frequency bands, particularly the cellular frequency band, 800-900 MHz and the PCS frequency band 1.8 GHz. The antenna assembly is further configured to couple signals in either frequency band through the dielectric so that signals originating on a first side of the dielectric substrate may be coupled to the antenna-radiating element located on the opposite side of the dielectric substrate and signals received by the antenna on the second side of the dielectric substrate may be coupled through the dielectric to a mobile telephone located on the first side of the substrate.

Abstract: A method for making a silicon substrate having a buried thin silicon oxide film is described. The method consists of: a) producing a first element having a first silicon body whereof the main surface is coated, in succession, with a buffer layer of germanium, or of an alloy of germanium and silicon, and with a thin silicon film; b) producing a second element, having a silicon body whereof a main surface is coated with a thin silicon oxide film; c) linking the first element with the second element such that the thin silicon film of the first element is in contact with the thin silicon oxide film of the second element; and d) eliminating the buffer layer to recuperate the silicon substrate having a buried thin silicon oxide film and a reusable silicon substrate. The method may be useful in making microelectronic devices such as CMOS and MOSFET devices.

Abstract: A method of anticipating an access code such as a telephone number. A database of reference access codes is provided. As each character of a new access code is dialed, the database is searched for reference access codes that have the same leading digits. If one match is found, that matching reference access code is displayed to allow the user to call it without dialing new characters. If more than one match is found, the matching reference access codes are ranked according to a selection criterion. Preferably, the database includes an indication of the history of usage of the reference access codes and the selection criterion is based on the usage histories of the reference access codes, for example, according to their times of most recent usage, and also according to other criteria such as current day of the week. The highest ranking reference code is displayed. If the user completes dialing with no match found, then the newly dialed access code is included in the database.

Abstract: A surge protection device has a modular construction so that a manufacturer can assemble the parts in any combination desired by a customer. This eliminates any need to maintain large varieties of surge protection modules in inventory. The modular construction includes a housing having a plurality of bores formed therein into which is press fit long pins and short pins for electrical communication with an external power source and an internal customer telephone circuit, respectively. The housing further includes a pair of recesses into each of which may be press fit a positive temperature coefficient resistor. A first embodiment of spring clips helps hold the positive coefficient resistors in place and provides needed electrical contacts, and a second embodiment of spring clips further includes an elongate part that extends to a test point opening formed in a cover for the modular device.

Abstract: The invention relates to a helix antenna with integrated duplexing means comprising two decoupled coaxial helices, each formed by radiating strands (111 to 114) printed on a substrate, each of the helices being associated with an independent and miniaturized structure (12, 13, 14) for the wideband supply of the radiating strands, the supply structures being printed on the corresponding substrate and comprising at least one hybrid coupler (12, 13, 14) made out of semi-localized elements so as to reduce the dimensions thereof. Advantageously, the helices are wound in opposite directions of winding (17) and their points of excitation are offset with respect to each other, in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the helices. Corresponding methods of manufacture are used to form the helix antenna.

Abstract: For each base station of the network, each physical channel processed by the dynamic channel allocation (DCA) method is associated with a respective priority index computed from radio parameters periodically measured with respect to communications taking place on such physical channel. For allocating a new communication channel, the free and accessible channels having the highest priority are preferentially selected. The priority indices may further be used to dynamically transfer communications to free channels of higher priority, which optimises the distribution of the bandwidth between cells as well as the quality of the communications.

Abstract: Continuous presence designed in accordance with H.261 recommendation allows for several sites to be seen simultaneously on one screen. For instance, the H.261 recommendation specifies that two picture scanning formats (i.e., CIF and QCIF) may be used in a codec. Notably, H.323 end-points could send pictures in QCIF while receiving CIF pictures. An MCU could select four appropriate sites, receive QCIF pictures from those sites, form a composite picture, and distribute the composite picture to the conferencing end-points. It is desired to be able to allow the sites to transmit pictures at different rates according to their preferences. Each site is associated with a queue into which the transmitted QCIF pictures are stored. The transmission rate for those sites are then deduced. A thread then activates to determine if there are QCIF pictures to be placed in the associated queues. Another thread retrieves the QCIF pictures from the queues based on the deduced transmission rate.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are described for enabling a user using a communication device, such as a cell phone, to make and receive calls in a hands-free mode and utilize an existing audio system, such as a radio, to output audio received from the other party, i.e., the calling or called party. An accessory containing an RF transmitter and a microphone, among other components, is attached mechanically to a communication device, for example, using a clip. There is no electrical or digital connection between the accessory and the communication device. The accessory has an internal microphone which is positioned close to the speaker of the communication device to detect sounds waves emanating from the speaker. The sound waves are converted to an RF signal and transmitted to a radio at a particular radio frequency channel thereby allowing the user to hear the other party's voice over the radio speakers.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for sending and displaying short messages from data network users which are linked to a telephonic network. The telephonic network comprises telephones, each with a display for visually displaying short messages to subscribers of the telephonic network. The apparatus holds a dialogue between the data network users and a software agent embedded in the telephonic network. The dialogue provides the telephonic network the content, the sender ID and the address information of each short message, stores the content and address information in a database, and displays the content of the messages on the telephone display of each destined subscriber.

Abstract: An optical communication system comprising a first apparatus for supplying at least three optical signals, each having a predetermined wavelength selected from a first range of wavelengths &Dgr;&lgr;; an optical transmission line, optically connected to the first apparatus, for the transmission of the at least three optical signals, the optical transmission line comprising in its turn i. at least one optical amplification system having a predetermined gain spectrum which, in the first range of wavelengths &Dgr;&lgr;, has a maximum and a minimum gain (expressed in dB), the difference between the maximum and minimum gain being &Dgr;Gtot, and ii.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an optical filter whose a sidelobe disturbing a characteristic of an optical filter by weighting an optical coupling efficiency between waveguides is controlled upon applying a selective area growth method in a wavelength selective variable semiconductor optical filter and method of fabricating the same. The present invention can control the thickness of growth layer selectively by controlling the width of the dielectric thin film mask whose the growth is not achieved in the selective area growth method, can control the distance between two waveguides of the wavelength selective variable semiconductor optical filter by applying the result on the distance control between two waveguides. Accordingly, there can be changed an optical coupling efficiency between two waveguides spatially.