Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for decoding single-frequency or multi-frequency signals, such as DTMF signals, without the use of analog bandpass filters. The method of the present invention is equally applicable to any decoding of multi-frequency signals. The method is composed of a number of steps. First, an incoming (analog) signal is received and transformed into binary signals (1 or 0) at specific instances of time. The incoming binary signal is compared to a pre-defined expected (binary) signal at each time step. The incoming and expected bit values for each time step are then compared and the comparison result is stored as part of a frequency response table. The comparison values are then summed and, if the summed value exceeds a pre-defined threshold, the incoming and expected signals are declared a match. Otherwise, the signals are declared a mis-match.

Abstract: A process for the production of dimers from an olefinic feedstock containing &agr;-olefins, by contacting the feedstock with a metallocene/aluminoxane catalyst, thereby selectively to dimerize &agr;-olefins in the feedstock by way of a metallocene-catalyzed dimerization reaction. The feedstock is in the form of a Fischer-Tropsch-derived definic feedstock involving a mixture of Fischer-Tropsch-derived hydrocarbons made up of at most 90% by mass of &agr;-olefins, at least 5% by mass of olefins, other than &agr;-olefins, selected from linear internal olefins, branched internal olefins, cyclic olefins, dienes, trienes and mixtures thereof, at least 5% by mass of constituents, other than olefins, selected from paraffins, oxygenated hydrocarbons, aromatic hydrocarbons and mixtures thereof. The metallocene-catalyzed dimerization reaction takes place while the olefins which are dimerized form part of the mixture constituted by the feedstock.