Abstract: A method is described for treating fabrics, yarns and individual fibers to improve the mechanical properties thereof, for example their wrinkle-resistance, by treating the fabric, yarn, and fibers in a solution containing nanoparticles. The nanoparticles include two sizes of particles and b appropriate selection of the nanoparticles the degree and mode of cross-linking in the fabric can be controlled with corresponding control of the mechanical properties.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for producing branch metrics in a LogMAP turbo decoding operation. During a forward recursion of a trellis, a set of primary branch metrics is generated. The primary branch metrics are stored in receiver form in a relatively small memory cache module (370) and corresponding secondary branch metrics are produced by negating the primary branch metrics. The primary branch metrics and said secondary branch metrics constitute all possible branch metrics for a given state in the trellis. During a backwards recursion of the trellis, the stored primary branch metrics are retrieved from the memory cache module (370) and the secondary branch metrics are regenerated by negating the retrieved primary branch metrics.

Abstract: A method of iterative soft input-soft output decoding in which loglikelihood ratio and output extrinsic determination is performed upon a time slice of a trellis. A priori data input to the determination that are greater than or equal to a predetermined value are identified, and where such data is identified for any one time slice, that one time slice is removed from the determination. A quantizing function may be applied to the output extrinsic for each time slice. The quantizing function advantageously consists of a companding and flooring function. The quantized value is substituted for the output extrinsic value for that time slice.

Abstract: A method and system for upfront analysis of at least one substance used in the design process of a vehicle. A vehicle ontology is created that is stored in a database. The vehicle ontology records all the substances used in the design of the vehicle along with all the attributes of the substances and the relations between the substances. All the standards for the substances and the attributes of the standards are recorded in a materials ontology. A knowledge base engine, e.g., the database, analyzes the materials ontology to determine whether a substance conforms to a standard, e.g., a recyclability requirement.

Abstract: The synthesis of thiophene based conducting polymer molecular actuators, exhibiting electrically triggered molecular conformational transitions is reported. Actuation is believed to be the result of conformational rearrangement of the polymer backbone at the molecular level, not simply ion intercalation in the bulk polymer chain upon electrochemical activation. Molecular actuation results from &pgr;-&pgr; stacking of thiophene oligomers upon oxidation, producing a reversible molecular displacement that leads to surprising material properties, such as electrically controllable porosity and large strains. The existence of active molecular conformational changes is supported by in situ electrochemical data. Single molecule techniques have been used to characterize the molecular actuators.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a butterfly processor capable of performing convolutional decoding and LogMAP decoding in telecommunications systems. First and second add-compare-select modules are provided for receiving input path metrics. A branch metric calculator is also provided for receiving input data and extrinsic data. The branch metric calculator generates output branch metrics to each of the first and second add-compare-select modules. Each of the add-compare-select modules includes a log-sum correction means coupled to compare and select components. A controllable switch selectively couples outputs of the select components and the log-sum corrections means to enable either one of convolutional or LogMAP decoding.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a single unified decoder for performing both convolutional decoding and turbo decoding in the one architecture. The unified decoder can be partitioned dynamically to perform required decoding operations on varying numbers of data streams at different throughput rates. It also supports simultaneous decoding of voice (convolutional decoding) and data (turbo decoding) streams. This invention forms the basis of a decoder that can decode all of the standards for TDMA, IS-95, GSM, GPRS, EDGE, UMTS, and CDMA2000. Processors are stacked together and interconnected so that they can perform separately as separate decoders or in harmony as a single high speed decoder. The unified decoder architecture can support multiple data streams and multiple voice streams simultaneously. Furthermore, the decoder can be dynamically partitioned as required to decode voice streams for different standards.

Abstract: Calixarene-based, noncentrosymmetric transition metal complexes that exhibit large second order nonlinear optical and related electro-optical properties are provided, as are materials and devices comprising the same.