Abstract: An ultrasonic transducer with housing contains a transducer assembly, an outer housing surface being fixed against a barrier surface for transferring ultrasonic waves to and from a barrier. The housing has an inner surface with plateau. A cap closes the housing and the transducer assembly has a piezoelectric transducer with a pressure surface around its outer perimeter and an opposite vibration surface engaging the plateau. A ring engages the pressure surface for biasing the vibration surface against the plateau. A holder engages the cap, transducer and ring for positioning and a plurality of springs are spaced around the transducer perimeter and between the cap and ring for biasing the vibration surface toward or against the raised plateau. A viscous couplant is between the vibration surface and plateau for enhancing transmission of the ultrasonic waves.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for transmitting data and power through a metal barrier using ultrasonic waves, having ultrasonic transmission channels through the barrier formed by coupling ultrasonic transducers on opposite sides of the barrier. A power transmitter sends power over a channel and forward and reverse data transmitters send forward and reverse data signals by orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing OFDM over a separate channel. The data signals are made up of plural sub-carriers at plural different sub-carrier frequencies with none of the sub-carriers of the forward transmission signal being at a power harmonic frequency.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for rotational alignment and attachment of ultrasonic transducers to a barrier with one submerged surface uses a temporary transducer assembly to position mounting rings on opposite surfaces of the barrier. Plural permanent transducers are then mounted to each mounting ring and are aligned with each other across the barrier by virtue of the alignment of their mounting rings. The submerged mounting ring is used like a cylinder in combination with a mounting plate for the transducers on the submerged side of the barrier or each submerged side transducer has a suction cup fitting for use to exclude water from between each transducer and the submerged barrier surface to facilitate bonding of the submerged side transducers to the barrier.

Abstract: An EIT system includes a plurality of voltage sources for supplying a corresponding plurality of voltages to a corresponding number of other structures, voltage source calibration means for calibrating each voltage source, and switching means for individually connecting the calibration means to each voltage source in succession during a period when each other structure is in an inactive condition. Calibrating respective voltages and currents for each voltage source compensates for shunt impedance of each voltage source. A method for calibrating the system includes individually connecting the calibration means to each voltage source in succession during a period when each other structure is in an inactive condition for calibrating all of said voltage sources in the same way.

Abstract: A system, method and program storage device tangibly embodying a program of instructions for determining whether to allow transmission of data from a source destined for a destination over a network, comprising: acquiring a string of a predetermined length in bits (L) from the data; partitioning the acquired string into a partition of phrases, each of the phrases in the partition being unique and having one or more bits; determining a number of phrases (N) in the partition; estimating a normalized complexity (C) for the Kolmogorov Complexity in the acquired string via C ? N 2 ? L ; and evaluating whether to allow transmission of the data based on a comparison of whether the normalized complexity estimate (C) is within a predetermined normal complexity estimate band.

Abstract: A circuit for applications such as electrical impedance tomography includes a voltage-to-current converter having an input for receiving a voltage waveform and an output for outputting a current waveform to a load at an output resistance for the voltage-to-current converter. The voltage-to-current converter includes resistance control means for adjusting the output resistance of the voltage-to-current converter under computer control. The circuit of the present invention also includes an inductance control circuit operatively connected to the voltage-to-current converter for synthesizing a selected inductance. The inductance control circuit includes inductance control means for adjusting the value of the selected inductance by computer control.

Abstract: A system, method and program storage device tangibly embodying a program of instructions for determining whether to allow transmission of data from a source destined for a destination over a network, comprising: acquiring a string of a predetermined length in bits (L) from the data; partitioning the acquired string into a partition of phrases, each of the phrases in the partition being unique and having one or more bits; determining a number of phrases (N) in the partition; estimating a normalized complexity (C) for the Kolmogorov Complexity in the acquired string via 1 C ≡ N 2 ⁢ L ;

Abstract: The present invention provides a novel Geometric Harmonic Modulation (GHM) system. The GHM system operates in two modes, a preamble mode and a traffic mode. During the preamble mode, n+1 frequencies are each offset by a predetermined phase offset in the transmit unit and passed through a channel to a receive unit. The set of phase offsets is used as the spreading code in the transmit unit, and also acts as an `address` of receive units to transmit to. The receive unit monitors preamble signals to determine the phase offsets. When it recognizes a set of phase offsets, or `address`, which pertains to itself, the receive unit stores the phase offsets and uses these phase offsets to despread and decode the appended message. After the preamble mode is finished, the GHM modulator enters the traffic mode and requests the message to be transmitted from the message source. A traffic carrier waveform is created by multiplying tones, each having its specific phase offset.

Abstract: A traffic carrier waveform W.sub.n (.PHI.,R;t) being the product of a number of tones is employed in transmitting blocks of information from a transmit unit to a receive unit. The tones are geometrically increasing multiples of a frequency of a fundamental tone. Each tone incorporates a tone phase. The selection of these tone phases uniquely identifies each transmitted signal. The tone phases also is used as a `key` in converting a message signal into a direct wide spectrum signal for communication. To insure that third parties do not decode the transmitted message, the tone phases are transformed to seed phases by a method known to both the transmit and receive units, but not to third parties. The seed phases are then transmitted by intermittent preamble carrier waveform to the receive unit which transforms these into the tone phases and decodes the message signal. The seed phases may be dynamically changed according to a sequence known or generated by both the transmit unit and receive unit.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system for determining, and correcting for, channel-induced distortion in transmitted wideband carrier signals. During a synchronization, or sounding mode, known as the preamble mode, a wideband signal consisting of a number of tones, which may be those of geometric harmonic modulation (GHM), each having a phase of zero are transmitted to a receive unit. At the receive unit, the phases for each tone are extracted. Since each tone is at a different frequency, a snapshot of the change in phase over a number of frequencies can be determined. These phase changes are employed in determining the generalized phase distortion over frequency equation which is used to remove the phase distortion induced by the channel before decoding of the signal. The device then operates in its traffic mode thereby transmitting information to a receive unit which uses the phase distortion information to remove phase distortion induced by the channel and then decode a message signal.

Abstract: The present invention provides a novel Geometric Harmonic Modulation (GHM) method. The GHM method functions in two modes, a preamble mode and a traffic mode. During the preamble mode, n+1 frequencies are each offset by a predetermined phase in a transmit unit and passed through a channel to a receive unit. The set of phases is used as the spreading code in the transmit unit, and also acts as an `address` of intended receive units. The receive unit monitors preamble signals to determine the phases. When it recognizes a set of phases, or `address`, which pertains to itself, the receive unit stores the phases and uses these phases to despread and decode the appended message. After the preamble mode is finished, the GHM modulator enters the traffic mode and requests the message to be transmitted from the message source. A traffic carrier waveform is created by multiplying tones, each having its specific phase. An analog or binary message is encoded by modulating the traffic carder waveform.

Abstract: An apparatus for electrical impedance imaging of a body includes an array of multiple electrodes. Each is connected to an adjustable amplitude precision current source of fixed frequency and an oversampling type digital voltmeter. The current amplitudes are set to produce a series of spatial current patterns, all orthogonal to each other, and each applied for only a short time interval while voltages are measured. The voltage and current values are used to create real and reactive impedance images of the interior of the body.

Abstract: A set of phases defining an `address` and a `spreading key` is selected. These are employed in determining a preamble waveform and a traffic waveform. The preamble carrier waveform is a sum of a set of tones each offset by its phase, whereas the traffic carrier waveform is the product of these same offset tones. The tones have frequencies which are geometrically increasing multiples of a fundamental frequency. The phases and magnitudes of the preamble and traffic carrier waveforms are determined and prestored in a transmit and receive unit storage device. An inverse discrete Fourier Transform unit (IDFT) in the transmit unit receives the phase preamble offsets and magnitudes from the storage unit and creates a preamble carrier signal transmitted to the receive unit which determines if the phases match those which it is to listen to. If not, the following message is ignored; if they are, the following message is despread and decoded.

Abstract: The present invention provides a novel Geometric Harmonic Modulation (GHM) system. The GHM system operates in two modes, a preamble mode and a traffic mode. During the preamble mode, n+1 frequencies are each offset by a predetermined phase offset in a transmit unit and passed through a channel to a receive unit. The set of phase offsets is used as the spreading code in the transmit unit, and also acts as an `address` of receive units to transmit to. The receive unit monitors preamble signals to determine the phase offsets. When it recognizes a set of phase offsets, or `address`, which pertains to itself, the receive unit stores the phase offsets and uses these phase offsets to despread and decode the appended message. After the preamble mode is finished, the transmit unit enters the traffic mode and requests the message to be transmitted from the message source. A traffic carrier waveform is created by multiplying tones, each having its specific phase offset.

Abstract: Data words are transmitted over a radio channel with a novel modulation scheme which transmits data in parallel. An entire data word is modulated by separating a carrier frequency band into a number of discrete `tones`. Tone T.sub.1 is set to a zero phase shift in order to provide timing in synchronization of the signal. The remaining tones are phase shifted according to a predetermined convention, thereby encoding the bits of the data word. The phase shifts for all tones comprises a spectrum which is transmitted to a receiver simultaneously. A receiver monitors tone T.sub.1 for zero phase shifts to provide synchronization of the signal. The remaining tones are analyzed for their phase shift to provide bits which are assembled into a transmitted data word. Since the bits are transmitted in parallel as the data word, as opposed to conventional modulation schemes, the throughput is increased.

Abstract: A method of estimating the quality of a communication channel from a differential phase angle between a received signal and the corresponding transmitted phase angle employs determining a signal to impairment ratio (SIR) as an indicator of channel state information (CSI). A maximum likelihood estimation procedure is employed to calculate this CSI metric as a function of the differential phase angle between be received signal and transmitted signal An alternate embodiment employs an estimation that incorporates average SIR information for a Rayleigh fading channel. Since CSI is derived from the phase angle of the received signal, and does not require signal amplitude information, it is attractive for use with differential detectors, phase-locked loops (PLLs) and hard-limited signals. The CSI provided can be used for implementing post detection selection diversity, by selecting the signal from a plurality of antennae which has the best SIR.

Abstract: A digital radio receiver for synchronization of radiowave transmissions for digital and analog FM signals in TDMA systems such as cellular telephones uses a tangent type differential detector that minimizes the bit error rate. The differential detector employs an A/D converter circuit that samples a received signal, a sorter circuit that selects a predetermined number of samples to be used in the decoding, a sample and phase adjustment circuit that allows for a carrier phase adjustment and sample timing adjustment, a divider circuit that eliminates the need for a conventional limiter by causing a ratio of amplitudes to be processed instead of absolute signal amplitudes, an inverse tangent circuit creates a decoded phase angle from the ratio, a delay circuit and a summer circuit that create a differential signal, a modulo-2.pi. correction circuit that corrects for wrap-around errors about the real axis, and a four-phase decoder circuit to decode the signal into a pair of bits.

Abstract: A digital radio receiver for synchronization of radiowave transmissions for digital and analog FM signals in TDMA systems such as cellular telephones uses a tangent type discriminator that minimizes the bit error rate. The digital discriminator employs A/D converter circuit that samples a received intermediate frequency (IF) signal, a sorter circuit that produces a predetermined number of samples to be used in the decoding, a sample and phase adjustment circuit that allows for a carrier phase adjustment and sample timing adjustment, a divider circuit that eliminates the need for a conventional limiter by causing a ratio of amplitudes to be processed instead of absolute signal amplitudes, an inverse tangent circuit that creates a decoded phase angle from the ratio, a delay circuit and a summer circuit that create a differential signal, a modulo-2.pi.

Abstract: A digital radio receiver for synchronization of radiowave transmissions for digital and analog FM signals in TDMA systems such as cellular telephones uses a Sine/Cosine detector that minimizes the bit error rate. The detector employs an A/D converter, a sorter circuit that produces a predetermined number of samples to be used in the decoding based upon a sample timing adjustment, and a sample and phase adjustment circuit that selects samples based on a sample timing adjustment and adds a carrier phase adjustment to the samples. A cosine detector and a sine detector each decode samples into signals that are measured by a cosine level check circuit and a sine level check circit respectively. A decision logic circuit produces a pair of bits from the levels detected by the cosine level check circuit and the sine level check circuit as the decoded transmitted information.

Abstract: A digital subharmonic sampling converter, for use in an analog IF signal demodulator and the like, includes: an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) means receiving the IF analog signal for conversion to a digital data stream by sampling at a sampling rate frequency substantially equal to 4/(2n+1) times the IF signal frequency, where n is an integer greater than zero. A digital mixer means is used to convert the sampled data to baseband. The interleaved sequential in-phase I data words and quadrature-phase Q data words are then sorted into a pair of concurrent I and Q data word streams.