Abstract: An apparatus for fabricating a nonwoven fabric having the appearance of a woven fabric includes a supply station for parallel warp yarns, a support structure for orienting the parallel warp yarns into a cylindrical orientation, a weft yarn applicator for wrapping weft yarns around the cylindrically oriented warp yarns after an adhesive scrim has been overlaid onto the warp yarns, a heating station for activating the adhesive and a cooling station for setting the adhesive, and a cutter for severing the cylindrically formed fabric laminate so that it can be flattened and wrapped onto a take-up roller. A warp yarn alignment station includes two sets of rollers spaced apart to allow the warp yarns to pass between the two sets of rollers, wherein the of rollers are over-driven to provide a roller surface speed greater than a predetermined speed of the warp yarns.

Abstract: A system includes a broadcast overlay network including a ring topology. The ring topology includes a first network ring and a second network ring that is coupled to the first network ring via at least one cross-connect element. The ring topology is adapted to carry broadcast traffic from a network. The system also includes a digital subscriber line access multiplexer (DSLAM) having a line interface and a network interface. The network interface is in communication with the broadcast overlay network via the second network ring. The DSLAM is adapted to receive a request for a particular video channel from a customer premise via the line interface and to deliver the particular video channel from the network interface to the line interface.

Abstract: Devices and methods are presented for elevating seat devices. The device allows a vertical and forward motion of a seat from a first position to a second position. Such motion more resembles a natural body motion during the standing motion. A similar but converse motion is also possible with movement from a standing position to a sitting position.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program product for generating and processing upstream channel descriptor (UCD) messages in a DOCSIS-based broadband communications system, such as a DOCSIS-based two-way satellite communications system, is provided. A satellite modem termination system (SMTS) generates a UCD message that includes one or more standard parameters pertaining to an upstream channel of the two-way satellite communications system, wherein the one or more standard parameters are defined in accordance with the DOCSIS protocol, and one or more satellite application-specific parameters pertaining to the upstream channel, wherein the one or more satellite application specific parameters are not provided for by the DOCSIS protocol. The UCD message is transmitted to a satellite modem that extracts both the standard and satellite application-specific parameters for use in managing communication over the upstream channel.

Abstract: An apparatus for fabricating a unique nonwoven fabric which has the appearance of a woven fabric includes a supply station for parallel warp yarns, a support structure for orienting the parallel warp yarns into a cylindrical orientation, a weft yarn applicator for wrapping weft yarns around the cylindrically oriented warp yarns after an adhesive scrim has been overlaid onto the warp yarns, a heating station for activating the adhesive and a cooling station for setting the adhesive, and a cutter for severing the cylindrically formed fabric laminate so that it can be flattened and wrapped onto a take-up roller. The weft yarn applicator including a rotating drum wherein a plurality of spools of weft yarn material are mounted in circumferentially spaced relationship and a tensioner is provided for applying the weft yarn material around the warp yarns in a predetermined tension which may be the same as, greater than, or less than the tension in the warp yarns.

Abstract: Devices and methods are presented for elevating seat devices. The device allows a vertical and forward motion of a seat from a first position to a second position. Such motion more resembles a natural body motion during the standing motion. A similar but converse motion is also possible with movement from a standing position to a sitting position.

Abstract: A system and method for requesting additional bandwidth in a communications channel between one or more first satellite terminal devices and a second satellite terminal device, are provided. The method includes identifying an available field in a header to be transmitted from the one or more first devices to the second device and allocating at least a portion of the available field for requesting the additional bandwidth. A size of the available field is reconfigurable. The method also includes forwarding the extend header to the second device.

Abstract: A system is configured to facilitate bidirectional voice communication between a number of data and/or telephony devices.

Abstract: A network gateway is configured to facilitate on line and off line bi-directional communication between a number of near end data and telephony devices with far end data termination devices via a hybrid fiber coaxial network and a cable modem termination system. The described network gateway combines a QAM receiver, a transmitter, a DOCSIS MAC, a CPU, a voice and audio processor, a voice synchronizer, an Ethernet MAC, and a USB controller to provide high performance and robust operation.

Abstract: A downstream adaptive modulation system and method. The downstream adaptive modulation system comprises a wireless access termination system and one or more wireless modems. The wireless access termination system includes a plurality of queues and a parser. The parser parses data traffic onto the plurality of queues. Each queue is associated with a different coding and modulation scheme. Each of the one or more wireless modems receives data traffic from the plurality of queues based on the wireless modem's ability to demodulate and decode the signal from each of the plurality of queues. When a wireless modem experiences a change in signal strength, the present invention enables the wireless modem to adapt to data from other queues to compensate for the change in signal strength. Thus, if the signal strength improves over a period of time, the wireless modem may receive data at a higher order modulation and FEC code rate.

Abstract: A downstream adaptive modulation system and method. The downstream adaptive modulation system comprises a wireless access termination system and one or more wireless modems. The wireless access termination system includes a plurality of queues and a parser. The parser parses data traffic onto the plurality of queues. Each queue is associated with a different coding and modulation scheme. Each of the one or more wireless modems receives data traffic from the plurality of queues based on the wireless modem's ability to demodulate and decode the signal from each of the plurality of queues. When a wireless modem experiences a change in signal strength, the present invention enables the wireless modem to adapt to data from other queues to compensate for the change in signal strength. Thus, if the signal strength improves over a period of time, the wireless modem may receive data at a higher order modulation and FEC code rate.

Abstract: In one aspect of the present invention, a network gateway is configured to facilitate on line and off line bi-directional communication between a number of near end data and telephony devices with far end data termination devices via a hybrid fiber coaxial network and a cable modem termination system. The described network gateway combines a QAM receiver, a transmitter, a DOCSIS MAC, a CPU, a voice and audio processor, an Ethernet MAC, and a USB controller to provide high performance and robust operation.

Abstract: An apparatus for fabricating a unique nonwoven fabric which has the appearance of a woven fabric includes a supply station for parallel warp yarns, a support structure for orienting the parallel warp yarns into a cylindrical orientation, a weft yarn applicator for wrapping weft yarns around the cylindrically oriented warp yarns after an adhesive scrim has been overlaid onto the warp yarns, a heating station for activating the adhesive and a cooling station for setting the adhesive, and a cutter for severing the cylindrically formed fabric laminate so that it can be flattened and wrapped onto a take-up roller. The weft yarn applicator including a rotating drum wherein a plurality of spools of weft yarn material are mounted in circumferentially spaced relationship and a tensioner is provided for applying the weft yarn material around the warp yarns in a predetermined tension which may be the same as, greater than, or less than the tension in the warp yarns.

Abstract: In one aspect of the present invention, a network gateway is configured to facilitate on line and off line bi-directional communication between a number of near end data and telephony devices with far end data termination devices via a hybrid fiber coaxial network and a cable modem termination system. The described network gateway combines a QAM receiver, a transmitter, a DOCSIS MAC, a CPU, a voice and audio processor, an Ethernet MAC, and a USB controller to provide high performance and robust operation.

Abstract: In a DOCSIS based satellite gateway data is transmitted over a single downstream channel, at different throughput rates. Data destined for each subscriber/receiver is assigned a throughput rate depending upon the downstream signal quality of that subscriber/receiver. To accomplish this, the downstream DOCSIS MAC data is parsed to extract DOCSIS packets. The DOCSIS packets are then loaded into packet queues based on an identifier within such packets such as the MAC destination address or SID. Each of the queues represents a bandwidth efficiency or throughput rate that can be currently tolerated by specific subscribers based on the current signal quality being experienced at the subscriber location. A PHY-MAP describing the downstream data structure to be transmitted and inserted into the downstream data. Data is extracted from the packet queues in queue blocks as defined by the PHY-MAP.

Abstract: Satellite communications are carried out using the Data Over Cable Interface Specification (DOCSIS). Satellite modems are notified of upstream channel congestion by inserting a congestion notification message in a medium access protocol (MAP) message for the upstream channel. Specifically, the congestion notification message is inserted in an unused field of the MAP message, such as the explicit congestion notification (ECN) field. The MAP message can also carry other characteristics of the upstream channel, including priority threshold, multicast access burst availability, and available bandwidth.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an extruder for producing a thermoplastic material having a first and second portion comprising an axially extending barrel and a screw conveyer axially disposed within said barrel so as to define a passage for conveying thermoplastic material from an input through a melt zone to an output. Furthermore the present invention discloses an insulation member comprising an elongated insulation member formed of a thermoplastic insulating material, said insulating member having a top edge, a bottom edge, and first and second side edges; the top edge comprising a protrusion, said top edge extending beyond a corresponding top edge of a corresponding panel of siding; and the bottom edge comprising a ledge, said ledge operable to overlap the protrusion.

Abstract: In a DOCSIS based satellite gateway data is transmitted over a single downstream channel, at different throughput rates. Data destined for each subscriber/receiver is assigned a throughput rate depending upon the downstream signal quality of that subscriber/receiver. To accomplish this, the downstream DOCSIS MAC data is parsed to extract DOCSIS packets. The DOCSIS packets are then loaded into packet queues based on an identifier within such packets such as the MAC destination address or SID. Each of the queues represents a bandwidth efficiency or throughput rate that can be currently tolerated by specific subscribers based on the current signal quality being experienced at the subscriber location. A PHY-MAP describing the downstream data structure to be transmitted and inserted into the downstream data. Data is extracted from the packet queues in queue blocks as defined by the PHY-MAP.

Abstract: An apparatus for fabricating a unique nonwoven fabric which has the appearance of a woven fabric includes a supply station for parallel warp yarns, a support structure for orienting the parallel warp yarns into a cylindrical orientation, a weft yarn applicator for wrapping weft yarns around the cylindrically oriented warp yarns after an adhesive scrim has been overlaid onto the warp yarns, a heating station for activating the adhesive and a cooling station for setting the adhesive, and a cutter for severing the cylindrically formed fabric laminate so that it can be flattened and wrapped onto a take-up roller. The weft yarn applicator including a rotating drum wherein a plurality of spools of weft yarn material are mounted in circumferentially spaced relationship and a tensioner is provided for applying the weft yarn material around the warp yarns in a predetermined tension which may be the same as, greater than, or less than the tension in the warp yarns.