Abstract: Apparatus for detecting the envelope of an RF signal that comprises an RF transistor operating essentially at a non-linear operating point at the RF frequency range; a DC power supply for feeding the RF transistor; a dummy load for terminating the output of the RF transistor; and at lease one impedance, through which the DC power supply feeds the RF transistor, for obtaining an indication signal developed across the impedance. The indication signal represents the envelope, from the fluctuating current drawn by the RF transistor from the DC power supply during the time period when the RF signal is applied to the feeding input.

Abstract: A method for trading non financial options in a virtual marketplace, including an option seller that provides for trading an option in respect of product or service. The option is associated with option price and option terms including option expiration date. An option buyer provides a buying price. There is further provided the step of calculating option trading, including transferring option ownership to the buyer if the following conditions are met: (i) verifying at least the seller, the buyer and the option, (ii) determining that if the option price matches said buying price, and charging the buyer with an option price.

Abstract: A centralized travel packaging system retrieves available vendor offered travel products from airline, hotel, car rental companies, etc., as well as associated pricing, time restrictions, use restrictions, class, availability, rules, and description(s). Travelers, agents and distributors search the centralized travel packaging system for possible package matches based on the traveler's criteria. The system compiles packages either in advance or interactively with the requestor using an intelligent matching mechanism retained within the centralized travel packaging system. The matching method uses requestor criteria and additional criteria such as geographic distributions, type of product, time considerations, cost, defined restrictions, expert travel packaging knowledge base, and distribution channel limitations to match vendor offered travel products. Upon selection of a package, the system processes the request for purchase to include cost determination, commission schedules and payment.

Abstract: Method and circuit for stabilizing the output power of a power amplifier, operated with signals having a large peak-to-average ratio and fed by a DC power supply with fluctuating output voltage. An allowable fluctuating range for the voltage output from the DC power supply and a constant voltage level are determined. A controllable voltage enhancement circuitry that can output an enhancement voltage is provided. The input of the voltage enhancement circuitry and a first DC supply path are connected to the output of the DC power supply. The output of the voltage enhancement circuitry is connected to a second DC supply path. While the instantaneous value of the fluctuating output voltage is lower than the constant voltage level, the voltage enhancement circuitry generates an enhancement voltage that causes the sum of the voltages supplied through the first and the second supply paths, to be identical to the constant voltage level.

Abstract: Method and circuit for stabilizing the output power of a power amplifier, operated with signals having a large peak-to-average ratio and fed by a DC power supply with fluctuating output voltage. An allowable fluctuating range for the voltage output from the DC power supply and a constant voltage level are determined. A controllable voltage enhancement circuitry that can output an enhancement voltage is provided. The input of the voltage enhancement circuitry and a first DC supply path are connected to the output of the DC power supply. The output of the voltage enhancement circuitry is connected to a second DC supply path. While the instantaneous value of the fluctuating output voltage is lower than the constant voltage level, the voltage enhancement circuitry generates an enhancement voltage that causes the sum of the voltages supplied through the first and the second supply paths, to be identical to the constant voltage level.

Abstract: Circuitry for allowing efficient pulse-type enhancement of the voltage supplied to a power amplifier fed by a power supply that is connected to the power amplifier at a first feeding point through a main supply path that is connected via a component having high impedance to an enhancement pulse at the feeding point, and to a second feeding point.

Abstract: A method for dialing a telephone number indirectly, including obtaining an alphanumeric identifier that is assigned to a telephone subscriber and associating the identifier with a destination telephone number of the telephone subscriber to form a mapping therebetween. The method further includes storing the mapping in a lookup table, dialing the identifier using an originating telephone, using the identifier as a pointer to the lookup table so as to recover the destination telephone number from the stored mapping, and establishing a connection between the originating telephone and a destination telephone via the destination telephone number.

Abstract: Apparatus for detecting the envelope of an RF signal that comprises an RF transistor operating essentially at a non-linear operating point at the RF frequency range; a DC power supply for feeding the RF transistor; a dummy load for terminating the output of the RF transistor; and at lease one impedance, through which the DC power supply feeds the RF transistor, for obtaining an indication signal developed across the impedance. The indication signal represents the envelope, from the fluctuating current drawn by the RF transistor from the DC power supply during the time period when the RF signal is applied to the feeding input.

Abstract: Circuitry for allowing efficient pulse-type enhancement of the voltage supplied to a power amplifier fed by a power supply that is connected to the power amplifier at a first feeding point through a main supply path that is connected via a component having high impedance to an enhancement pulse at the feeding point, and to a second feeding point.

Abstract: A method for dialing a telephone number indirectly, including obtaining an alphanumeric identifier that is assigned to a telephone subscriber and associating the identifier with a destination telephone number of the telephone subscriber to form a mapping therebetween. The method further includes storing the mapping in a lookup table, dialing the identifier using an originating telephone, using the identifier as a pointer to the lookup table so as to recover the destination telephone number from the stored mapping, and establishing a connection between the originating telephone and a destination telephone via the destination telephone number.

Abstract: A method for generating a variable delay of a signal, including: providing a clock indicating a sequence of sample times at regular intervals and receiving a sequence of input samples representing input values of the signal at respective sample times indicated by the clock. The method further includes determining the delay with a temporal resolution substantially finer than the clock interval to be applied to the signal at each of the respective sample times. For each of the sample times, responsive to the respectively-determined delay, one or more of the input samples are processed so as to generate a corresponding output sample representing a delayed output value of the signal at the sample time.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for improving the efficiency and the dynamic range of a power amplifier operated with signals having a large peak-to-average ratio. A reference level is determined, above which at least a portion of the magnitude of an input signal being a modulated signal that is input to the power amplifier, or a baseband waveform that is used to generate the modulated signal, is defined as an excess input signal. The magnitude of the input signal is continuously sampled, for detecting an excess input signal. A lower level of operating voltage is supplied to the power amplifier, if no excess input signal is detected. The lower level of operating voltage is sufficient to effectively amplify input signals having a magnitude below the reference level. A higher level of operating voltage is supplied to the power amplifier, whenever an excess input signal is detected. The higher level of operating voltage is sufficient to effectively amplify input signals having a magnitude above the reference level.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for estimating channel impulse response and data in a signal transmitted over a channel in a communication system. The channel impulse response is estimated uses correlative channel sounding, and then, using the estimated channel impulse response, the data in the signal is estimated. The output is then fed back to the channel impulse response estimator and the channel impulse estimation is repeated. The data estimation and channel impulse response estimation may be iterated a number of times.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for improving the efficiency and the dynamic range of a power amplifier operated with signals having a large peak-to-average ratio. A reference level is determined, above which at least a portion of the magnitude of an input signal being a modulated signal that is input to the power amplifier, or a baseband waveform that is used to generate the modulated signal, is defined as an excess input signal. The magnitude of the input signal is continuously sampled, for detecting an excess input signal. A lower level of operating voltage is supplied to the power amplifier, if no excess input signal is detected. The lower level of operating voltage is sufficient to effectively amplify input signals having a magnitude below the reference level. A higher level of operating voltage is supplied to the power amplifier, whenever an excess input signal is detected. The higher level of operating voltage is sufficient to effectively amplify input signals having a magnitude above the reference level.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for improving the efficiency and the dynamic range of a power amplifier operated with signals having a large peak-to-average ratio. A reference level is determined, above which at least a portion of the magnitude of an input signal being a modulated signal that is input to the power amplifier, or a baseband waveform that is used to generate the modulated signal, is defined as an excess input signal. The magnitude of the input signal is continuously sampled, for detecting an excess input signal. A lower level of operating voltage is supplied to the power amplifier, if no excess input signal is detected. The lower level of operating voltage is sufficient to effectively amplify input signals having a magnitude below the reference level. A higher level of operating voltage is supplied to the power amplifier, whenever an excess input signal is detected. The higher level of operating voltage is sufficient to effectively amplify input signals having a magnitude above the reference level.

Abstract: An apparatus for performance improvement of a digital wireless receiver comprises a processing circuit for processing a plurality of received signals and providing a processed signal, wherein a plurality of weights is applied to the plurality of received signals producing a plurality of weighted received signals. The plurality of weighted received signals are combined to provide the processed signal. A weight generation circuit generates the plurality of weights wherein weights are based on a given number of interferers.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for decoding a frame of multi-rate encoded digital data which contains redundant information provided to validate the decoding operation. A frame of data is received which contains information bits and cyclic redundancy check (CRC) bits. In accordance with the invention, the received frame is decoded and a check is conducted to determine whether the CRC bits correspond correctly for the decoded information bits. If the decoded frame passes the CRC test process, the decoded fame is provided to the user. However, if the decoded frame does not pass the CRC test, then at least one additional decoding process is performed on the received frame. In the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention, on a failure of the CRC check, the data is decoded using a trellis decoder and the data that yields the next most likely path through the trellis is selected.

Abstract: The invention provides methods and apparatus for adaptive adjustment of the phase and amplitude controllers that are needed in Feed Forward Linearized Amplifiers (FFLA) to balance, first, the desired signal component and then the distortion component for the eventual full suppression of the latter. The particular advantage of the methods of the invention is that the adaptive adjustment is achieved without the need for additional RF reference or pilot signals and without RF correlators as proposed in prior art; rather, it is based solely on envelope-detected samples of the signal at two test points and on perturbations of the quiescent operating points of the amplifiers and/or other components, such as vector modulators, by appropriately selected voltage patterns. All these operations are at base band frequencies which makes the apparatus for the adaptive control implementable in simple digital circuitry.

Abstract: An apparatus for performance improvement of a digital wireless receiver comprises a processing circuit for processing a plurality of received signals and providing a processed signal, wherein a plurality of weights is applied to the plurality of received signals producing a plurality of weighted received signals. The plurality of weighted received signals are combined to provide the processed signal. A weight generation circuit generates the plurality of weights, wherein weights are generated so as to solve a minimization problem that penalizes excessive time variability in the weights.

Abstract: A spread spectrum code pulse position modulated communication system is disclosed. The communication system includes a spread spectrum code pulse position modulated receiver that compensates for the delay spread of a transmission medium, such as a wireless radio channel of a local area network. Delay spread may cause signal components of one transmitted spread spectrum codeword to spill over into chip positions of adjacent symbols, causing intersymbol interference, or into chip positions on quadrature channels of a given symbol interval, such as in a QPSK implementation, causing interchip interference. The disclosed receiver decodes a transmitted spread spectrum code pulse position modulated signal in the presence of such delay spread, utilizing a tentative symbol estimator to sample the matched filter data.