Abstract: A device for communicating digital data over power lines includes a power line interface for transmitting data over at least one band of frequencies. An orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) modulation unit generates OFDM symbols using a set of tones for the frequency band. A preamble generation unit generates preamble sequences for the frequency band by using the set of tones used by the OFDM modulation unit. The tones used by the preamble generation unit have a constant magnitude, and a set of phases obtained by quantizing to a small alphabet the phase of a set of tones obtained by taking an IFFT of a portion of a preamble used by a non-interoperable powerline access device. The device may transmit on two or more bands using a sampling frequency clock, wherein a lower band clock frequency is equal to or an integer divisor of a higher band clock frequency.

Abstract: A flow meter ultrasonically measures fluid velocity in a pipe. Ultrasonic signals received by ultrasonic transducers are digitized. The difference between two ultrasonic propagation times is determined by computing a discrete cross-correlation of the digitized received signals. Computation time is reduced by computing only a few cross-correlation values near a peak cross-correlation value.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide time-domain link adaptation in power line communications. In one embodiment, the cyclic prefix length and position is adjusted with an OFDM symbol to overlap a periodic impulse noise pulse, thereby allowing the data carried in the symbol to be detected at a receiver. The cyclic prefix may be adjusted to provide a pattern that yields an integer number of OFDM symbols in one zero crossing period. The data rate used for the symbols overlapping the zero-crossing period may be zero or very low. A high data rate may be used for symbols outside the zero-crossing period because those symbols will not be affected by the periodic impulse noise.

Abstract: A touch screen system includes a capacitive touch screen (1) including a plurality of row conductors (7-1,2 . . . n) and a column conductor (5-1). A plurality of cotemporaneous orthogonal excitation signals (S1(t), S2(t) . . . Sn(t)) are simultaneously driven onto the row conductors, respectively. The capacitively coupled signals on the column conductor may be influenced by a touch (10) on the capacitive touch screen. Receiver circuitry (50) includes a sense amplifier (21-1) coupled to generate an amplifier output signal (r1(t)) in response to signals capacitively coupled onto the column conductor. WHT-based circuitry (35) determines amounts of signal contribution capacitively coupled by each of the excitation signals, respectively, to the amplifier output signal.

Abstract: Systems and methods for enabling co-existence among power line communications (PLC) technologies are described. In some embodiments, a method performed by a PLC device, such as a PLC gateway, may include detecting a communication from foreign PLC device on a PLC network in response to a foreign preamble received by the PLC device, terminating transmissions to the PLC network for a network-specific co-existence Extended Interframe Space (cEIFS) time period in response to the foreign preamble, and resuming transmissions to the PLC network after expiration of the network-specific time period.

Abstract: A method for multi-tone mask communication including generating, by a power line communication router, a superframe to include a plurality of beacons corresponding to a plurality of tone masks. Each beacon also defining a plurality of tone masks, a contention access region, a contention free period, an inter router communication slot. The superframe also includes at least one of the beacons also defining an idle time during which nodes receiving the superframe are to transition to a low power mode. Transmitting the superframe to a power line communication node.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for communicating via a network. In one embodiment, a device for communicating via a network includes a medium access controller (MAC). The MAC is configured to apply a contention window for collision avoidance on the network, and to determine whether the network is free for use on expiration of a time value of the contention window. The MAC is also configured to initiate a transmission based on a determination that the network is free for use. The MAC is further configured to increase, in accordance with a predetermined probability value, the time value of the contention window based on: the transmission being successful; and the time value of the contention window being a minimum contention window time value. The probability value establishes the likelihood of the MAC increasing the time value of the contention window with respect to successful transmissions with the minimum contention window time value.

Abstract: Systems and methods for designing, using, and/or implementing communications in beacon-enabled networks are described. In various implementations, these systems and methods may be applicable to power line communications (PLC). For example, a method may include identifying one of a plurality of orthogonal superframes. The identified superframe may include beacon slots and contention access period (CAP) slots. The beacon slots may follow a sequence of two or more frequency subbands, and the CAP slots may follow the same sequence of two or more frequency subbands. Also, the sequence of two or more frequency subbands may be distinct from other sequences of two or more frequency subbands followed by other beacon slots and CAP slots within others of the plurality of available superframes. The method may then include communicating with another device using the identified superframe.

Abstract: A method of communicating scrambling seed information includes obtaining raw data to be transmitted using a processor, and generating scrambled data from the raw data according to a scrambling seed. A scrambled data packet structure is configured by combining a preamble portion, a synch portion, and a header portion to the scrambled data, wherein the header portion includes a scrambler field value including a plurality of bits (M). The scrambled data packet structure is transmitted to a receiver. The receiver receives the header portion including the scrambler field value. The receiver maps the scrambler field value to a scrambling seed, and decodes the scrambled data using the scrambling seed.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for accessing a wireless telecommunications network by transmitting a random access signal. The random access signal includes a cyclic prefix signal and a guard interval. The cyclic prefix signal and the guard interval are adapted to optimize random access channel coverage in a telecommunications cell. The disclosed method for transmitting a random access signal includes transmitting a cyclic prefix signal. The duration of the cyclic prefix signal is approximately the sum of a maximum round trip delay duration of the telecommunications cell and a maximum delay spread duration. The method further includes providing a guard interval. The guard interval duration being approximately the duration of the maximum round trip delay of the telecommunications cell.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide methods for maximizing the bandwidth utilization in the uplink of a communication system supporting time division multiplexing between unicast and multicast/broadcast communication modes during transmission time intervals in the downlink of a communication system. This is accomplished by multiplexing at least unicast control signaling for UL scheduling assignments in TTIs supporting the multicast/broadcast communication mode. Moreover, multiplexing of unicast control signaling can also be accomplished by splitting a symbol of the multicast/broadcast TTI into two shorter symbols with the first of these two shorter symbols carrying at least unicast control signaling and the second of these shorter symbols carrying multicast/broadcast signaling.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide methods for maximizing the bandwidth utilization in the uplink of a communication system supporting time division multiplexing between unicast and multicast/broadcast communication modes during transmission time intervals in the downlink of a communication system. This is accomplished by multiplexing at least unicast control signaling for UL scheduling assignments in TTIs supporting the multicast/broadcast communication mode. Moreover, multiplexing of unicast control signaling can also be accomplished by splitting a symbol of the multicast/broadcast TTI into two shorter symbols with the first of these two shorter symbols carrying at least unicast control signaling and the second of these shorter symbols carrying multicast/broadcast signaling.

Abstract: A system and method for communicating in a power line communications (PLC) network using Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiplexing (OFDM) symbols. Pilot tones are carried by the OFDM symbols according to a predetermined pattern. A receiving device identifies pilot tones on each frequency. A group of previously received pilot tones on a selected frequency are filtered to generate a channel estimate for a tone on the selected frequency in a new symbol. The channel estimates on two different frequencies within an OFDM symbol may be interpolated to determine a channel estimate for a third frequency with the OFDM symbol.

Abstract: A touch screen system includes a capacitive touch screen (1) including a plurality of row conductors (7-1,2 . . . n) and a column conductor (5-1). A plurality of cotemporaneous orthogonal excitation signals (S1(t), S2(t) . . . Sn(t)) are simultaneously driven onto the row conductors, respectively. The capacitively coupled signals on the column conductor may be influenced by a touch (10) on the capacitive touch screen. Receiver circuitry (50) includes a sense amplifier (21-1) coupled to generate an amplifier output signal (r1(t)) in response to signals capacitively coupled onto the column conductor. WHT-based circuitry (35) determines amounts of signal contribution capacitively coupled by each of the excitation signals, respectively, to the amplifier output signal.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide time-domain link adaptation in power line communications. In one embodiment, the cyclic prefix length and position is adjusted with an OFDM symbol to overlap a periodic impulse noise pulse, thereby allowing the data carried in the symbol to be detected at a receiver. The cyclic prefix may be adjusted to provide a pattern that yields an integer number of OFDM symbols in one zero crossing period. The data rate used for the symbols overlapping the zero-crossing period may be zero or very low. A high data rate may be used for symbols outside the zero-crossing period because those symbols will not be affected by the periodic impulse noise.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for communicating on a pilot wire between Electric Vehicle Service Equipment (EVSE) and an Electric Vehicle (EV). The EVSE and EV exchange a Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) signal on the pilot wire to control charging operations of the EV. Data communications may also be transmitted on the pilot wire, such as between transmit and receive modems. The modems transmit communication signals either continuously, without regard to the state of the PWM signal, or only when the PWM is in an off-state. If transmitting while PWM is on, the modem needs a large coupling impedance and/or a large signal injection. To transmit only when the PWM is off, the modem may use a blocking diode in the coupling circuit or may synchronize to the pulses in the PWM signal.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide an interleaver design and header fields for ITU-T G.hnem. The header may comprise two parts that are separately encoded. A common header segment is encoded alone, and an embedded header segment is encoded with payload data. The interleaver operates on blocks having a size based upon a total number of input bits in an FEC codeword block, a total number of bits loaded on symbols that span a half mains cycle, or a maximum fragment size of 3072 bits. The blocks may be repeated before interleaving. Each block and its repetitions may be interleaved together, such as for header data, or each block and repetition may be interleaved separately, such as for payload data. Cyclic padding may be used on each block to create an integer number of symbols for transmission.

Abstract: A system comprises a wireless device that communicates across a spectrum having a plurality of sub-channels. The wireless device comprises a plurality of antennas through which the wireless device communicates with another wireless device, wherein each antenna communicates with the other wireless device via an associated communication pathway. The wireless device further comprises sub-channel power analysis logic coupled to the antennas and adapted to determine which communication pathway has the highest communication quality on a sub-channel by sub-channel basis. The wireless device still further comprises diversity selection logic coupled to the sub-channel power analysis logic and adapted to determine a weighting vector for an associated antenna based on the communication quality, wherein the weighting vector specifies a relative transmission power for each sub-channel for the associated antenna.

Abstract: A cellular communicating device (10). The device comprises means (221) for communicating bi-directional data to and from a cellular transceiver station along a bi -directional channel (30S). The device also comprises means (222) for receiving SPS information. The device also comprises means (223) for receiving broadcast Doppler information from a source other than the bi-directional channel and an SPS system. Lastly, the device also comprises means (24) for determining a location fix of the electronic device in response to the SPS information and the broadcast Doppler information.

Abstract: Interference rejection (85) can be applied to a wireless communication signal with reduced computational complexity by producing from a sample vector (y) a plurality of vectors (w) that are smaller than the sample vector. The interference rejection operation can then be applied to each of the smaller vectors individually to decide communication symbols represented by the sample vector.