Abstract: Disclosed are methods for evaluating the environmental impact of various chemical components as a function of their proposed functional use in a chemical product, methods for formulating products based on those evaluations, and databases for assisting in those methods. Consumer products can be environmentally improved using these methods. Environmental criteria are in part developed based on the nature of the ultimate use of the product, and usually vary for a given chemical between types of proposed uses. The environmental classes for components are adjusted by their weight representation in the final product.

Abstract: A method and location determination module is provided for determining a location of one of a plurality of units using neighbor lists. Each unit is communicatively coupled to at least some of the other plurality of units, where at least some of the plurality of units are reference units, whose locations are known. The units communicate with other nearby units within communication range, to establish neighbor lists. A unit to be located then identifies an aggregate value corresponding to the number of occurrences of the reference units in the neighbor list of the unit to be located and the neighbor lists of each of a group of associated units. The location of the unit to be located is then determined, based upon the known locations of the reference units and the number of identified occurrences of the reference units in the corresponding neighbor lists.

Abstract: A direct sequence spread spectrum (DSSS) receiver (100) consistent with certain embodiments has a frequency generator (112) that generates a local oscillator signal without use of a piezoelectric crystal. A frequency converter (108) receives the local oscillator signal and mixes the local oscillator signal with a received DSSS signal to produce a down-converted signal. The received DSSS signal is encoded using a first set of DSSS code. A differential chip detector (116) receives the down-converted signal and converts the down-converted signal to a differentially detected signal. A correlator (120) receives the differentially detected signal and correlates the detected signal with a set of DSSS codes that are time-shifted from the first set of DSSS codes. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

Abstract: The present invention provides a multimode receiver design for mitigation of frequency offset by selective demodulation of an input modulated signal. The receiver (103) comprises a plurality of demodulators (207). Each of the plurality of demodulators (207) has the same functionality but different receiver sensitivity versus frequency-offset mitigation characteristics. Each of these demodulators incorporates a different demodulation technique. A suitable demodulator is selected to demodulate the received signal. The choice of a suitable demodulator is based on the value of the frequency offset (305, 307).

Abstract: A method (500) and system for compensation of frequency offset between a first transceiver (102) and a second transceiver (104) in wireless communication are disclosed. The compensation of the frequency offset between two or more transceivers (102, 104) is achieved using frequency synchronization bursts. These bursts contain information about the frequency offset. The frequency synchronization bursts are transmitted by the first transceiver at a range of frequencies above and below its carrier frequency (502). A second transceiver that receives at least one of these bursts (504) determines the frequency offset (504), and adjusts its frequency to match the frequency of the first transceiver (508). Thereafter, the second transceiver may enter a low power sleep mode (510) in order to reduce its power consumption. The second transceiver returns to active mode (512) just before the start of the transmission of the data packets (514).

Abstract: A computer based system and method automatically classifies a financial transaction. The system and method establish a set of parameters associated with the financial transaction and classify the financial transaction as a function of the set of parameter.

Abstract: A computer based pivot method and system retrieves information for use by a requestor application. An information request is sent by the requester application to a master pivot program. The information request includes document information related to a requested information document. The document information is retrieved from the information request and document retrieval information is retrieved from a configuration database as a function of the document information. The requested information document is retrieved using the document retrieval information.

Abstract: A computer based system and method exchange information between systems. The system and method deliver the information from a first system to a hub application, receive the information at the hub and map the information at the hub into a predefined data structure. The system and method automatically update information stored on at least one other system using the predefined data structure.

Abstract: A computer based system and method automatically creates a custom package of financing documents. The system and method requests a decision criteria document and presents the decision criteria document to a user. The decision criteria document includes a plurality of data fields to be completed by the user. The system and method also receive completed data fields from the user and automatically select a required set of documents based on the completed data fields.

Abstract: A narrow passband, reflective optical filter at a wavelength L, has a container filled with a pressurized gas, the pressurized gas having a ground state transition corresponding to the wavelength L and transparent to all other wavelengths. The container has at least one optically transparent major planar surface serving as the face thereof, whereby incoming broadband light is absorbed by the gas, except at its resonance wavelength L, which is specularly reflected. The optically transparent face of the container optionally has a broadband anti-reflective coating to improve its out-of-band rejection of unwanted wavelengths of the light signal.

Abstract: A tracking system to enable a tracking telescope follow a light source, utilizes an atomic resonance filter positioned in close proximity to said telescope, and imaging optics positioned between the light source and the atomic resonance filter. The atomic resonance filter is positioned such that light signals from the light source pass through the imaging optics and are focused in a region within its interior. A plurality of optical sensors are positioned to detect re-emitted light signals from the atomic resonance filter. The optical sensors convert the detected re-emitted light signals to electrical signals proportional to the intensity of said re-emitted light signals. The telescope is repositioned by using these differences in electrical signals to equalize the re-emitted light signals detected by each of the optical sensors, thereby pointing the telescope directly at incoming light from the light source.

Abstract: A non-imaging optical telescope having a variable field-of-view utilizes an atomic resonance filter within its non-reflective tube. The atomic resonance filter received incoming light through the aperture of the telescope and re-emits the light to an optical sensor. The field-of-view is a function of the distance of the atomic resonance filter from the aperture. A positioning mechanism is provided to move the atomic resonance filter within the tube, thereby varying the field-of-view.

Abstract: A method of providing secure tactical communications between a submerged submarine and an airborne platform using a pulse-modulated blue-green laser beam. During an initial acquisition mode, the airborne transceiver sends out a downlink laser beam to the ocean surface and below using a predetermined IFF code to identify the transceiver to the submarine. In the preferred embodiment the transmit optics spread the beam out into an elongated elliptically-shaped pattern to maximize coverage of the search area. When the downlink beam energy is within range of the submarine, an optical receiver on the submarine detects the beam, filters out the background light with a very narrow-band filter, and converts the light pulses to equivalent electrical pulses. A signal processor in the submarine receiver decodes the electrical pulses and verifies the IFF code to prevent the submarine from responding to a laser beam from an unfriendly source.

Abstract: A two-dimensional image and energy profile of the output from a pulsed laser is analyzed on a pulse-by-pulse basis by a video graphics image processing system coupled to a minicomputer. An intensity distribution in psuedo color for the full beam is formed by the processor and displayed on a color monitor in real time. The minicomputer performs analytical measurements in two dimensions on the beam shape and size as well as on the pulse timing properties of the laser. The system serves as a real time diagnostic tool for laser development.