Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture to optimize power consumption and capacity in a multi-mode communication system are disclosed. A utilization factor controller is to estimate power consumption values corresponding to a plurality of first utilization factor and second utilization factor pairs, the first utilization factor corresponding to utilization of the first transceiver that is to communicate using a first protocol, the second utilization factor corresponding to utilization of the second transceiver that is to communicate using a second protocol different form the first protocol, the utilization factor controller to select a first utilization factor and second utilization factor pair based on the estimated power consumption value. A transmission time controller is to calculate first and second transmission times to be used by the first and second transceiver based on the selected first utilization factor and second utilization factor pair.

Abstract: A network includes a first wireless node that communicates over a wireless network connection. The first wireless node includes a first encryption engine that processes a first initialization data set and a current transmit sequence associated with a current communication to generate a next transmit sequence that is employed to communicate with a second wireless node that derives a next received sequence that corresponds to the next transmit sequence to process a subsequent communication.

Abstract: A network includes a plurality of parent nodes to communicate in a wireless network via a wireless network protocol. A network node establishes a network connection to one of the parent nodes of the plurality of parent nodes in response to received beacons from the parent nodes. A signal analyzer in the network node processes a received signal strength of the beacons and the number of beacons received over a given time period from each of the parent nodes. The signal analyzer selects the parent node by analyzing the received signal strength for a number of beacons received from each parent node with respect to a number of expected beacons transmitted from each parent node of the plurality of parent nodes over the given time period.

Abstract: In a disclosed embodiment, a method for communication in a network includes receiving, at a first device registered to the network, a physical layer (PHY) frame that includes a PHY header and a MAC header. The PHY frame may further include a MAC payload. The PHY header includes a destination address field. The method further includes comparing a network address of the first device to the destination address field to determine whether the destination address field stores a value having the same number of bits as the network address. When the comparison indicates that the value stored by the destination address field does not have the same number of bits as the network address, the method skips decoding the MAC header and the MAC payload.

Abstract: A network includes a mobile network node (MNN) that includes a mobile node communications manager (MNCM) to facilitate wireless communications to a plurality of stationary network nodes (SNNs) in a wireless network via a wireless network protocol. The MNCM utilizes a multicast address received over the wireless network. The multicast address is assigned to a predetermined network time slot to communicate uplink data from the MNN to the SNNs. The MNN receives downlink data via a separate predetermined network address and time slot assigned to a given SNN.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a cord yarn, which has at least one filament strand, includes applying a first twist so that a K1 value has a value of 0.1837763/D1n or below, applying a second twist so that a K2 value has a value between 0.0166819/D2n and 0.3183099/D2n, and applying a third twist so that a K3 value has a value between 0.0278485/D3 and 0.2968288/D3, wherein the twists are applied so that the cord yarn has roundness of 50% or above, and when the filament is a multi filament, so that porosity between strands of the cord yarn is less than 40%.

Abstract: Systems and methods for application profiles and device classes in power line communications (PLCs) are described. In some embodiments, a PLC device has the device class defined by a PHY layer and may include a processor and a memory coupled to the processor. The memory may be configured to store program instructions, which may be executable by the processor to cause the PLC device to communicate with a higher-level PLC apparatus over a power line using a frequency band. The frequency band may be selected based upon an application profile and/or a device class associated with the PLC device. In some implementations, the higher-level PLC apparatus may include a PLC gateway or a data concentrator, and the PLC device may include a PLC modem or the like. Examples of application profiles include access communications, in-premises connectivity, AC charging, and/or DC charging. Device classes may represent a minimum communication data rate and/or an operating frequency band restriction of the PLC device.

Abstract: In a disclosed embodiment, a method for communication in a network includes receiving, at a first device registered to the network, a physical layer (PHY) frame that includes a PHY header and a MAC header. The PHY frame may further include a MAC payload. The PHY header includes a destination address field. The method further includes comparing a network address of the first device to the destination address field to determine whether the destination address field stores a value having the same number of bits as the network address. When the comparison indicates that the value stored by the destination address field does not have the same number of bits as the network address, the method skips decoding the MAC header and the MAC payload.

Abstract: Systems and methods for designing, using, and/or implementing hybrid communication networks are described. In various embodiments, these systems and methods may be applicable to power line communications (PLC). For example, one or more of the techniques disclosed herein may include methods to coordinate medium-to-low voltage (MV-LV) and low-to-low voltage (LV-LV) PLC networks when the MV-LV network operates in a frequency subband mode and the LV-LV network operates in wideband mode (i.e., hybrid communications). In some cases, MV routers and LV routers may have different profiles. For instance, MV-LV communications may be performed using MAC superframe structures, and first-level LV to lower-level LV communications may take place using a beacon mode. Lower layer LV nodes may communicate using non-beacon modes. Also, initial scanning procedures may encourage first-to-second-level LV device communications rather than MV-to-first-level LV connections.

Abstract: A communication system and method includes a receiver for receiving a communication signal coupled through a physical medium in accordance with a protocol. An interface formed in a single substrate receives from the receiver an indication of the signal strength of the received communication signal. The interface also decodes the information contained in the received communication signal. For example, the interface sends the information decoded from the received communication signal to a first application for consuming the decoded information. The interface also sends the indication of the signal strength of the received communication signal to a second application for generating a quality determination of the physical medium in response to the indication of the signal strength of the received communication signal.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide multiple cyclic prefix lengths for either both the data-payload and frame control header or only the data payload. Frame control header (FCH) and data symbols have an associated cyclic prefix. A table is transmitted in the FCH symbols, which includes a cyclic prefix field to identify the cyclic prefix length used in the data payload. A receiver may know the cyclic prefix length used in the FCH symbols in one embodiment. In other embodiments, the receiver does not know the FCH cyclic prefix length and, therefore, attempts to decode the FCH symbols using different possible cyclic prefix lengths until the FCH symbols are successfully decoded.

Abstract: An orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) receiver includes detection logic, offset generation logic, tone erasure logic, and correction generation logic. The detection logic is configured to detect a signal containing a block of samples that includes a narrowband interferer from a communication channel. The offset generation logic is configured to align a frequency of the narrowband interferer to a center of a subcarrier frequency of the communication channel to produce an offset signal thereby introducing inter-carrier interference (ICI). The tone erasure logic is configured to remove the subcarrier frequency from the offset signal to produce an interferer erased offset signal. The correction generation logic is configured to remove the ICI to produce an interferer erased signal.

Abstract: A contact lens virtual fitting method comprises the steps of: capturing an image of a contact lens mounted on a contact lens holder through a second optical lens in a case forming a darkroom; identifying a contact lens region from the captured image of the contact lens; granting a degree of transparency to corresponding pixels of the contact lens region on the basis of a color of the contact lens holder or a color of a contact lens case; synthesizing the contact lens image created through the second optical lens with a pupil of an identified eye region according to the degree of transparency granted to the contact lens image; and displaying the synthesized image.

Abstract: In a disclosed embodiment, a power line communication (PLC) transmitter includes a forward error correction (FEC) encoder that receives payload data and adds parity information to the data to create an encoded output, a fragmenter that receives the encoded output from the FEC encoder and segments the encoded output into a plurality of fragments, a fragment repetition encoder that receives the plurality of fragments from the fragmenter and copies each of the fragments a selected number of times, and an interleaver that receives the copies of the plurality of fragments from the fragment repetition encoder and interleaves the copies of the plurality of fragments for transmission on a power line.

Abstract: A network system comprising a first network element and a second network element. The first network element is programmed to provide the step of first, communicating to the second network element a plurality of configuration parameter sets. Each configuration parameter set corresponds to a respective frame fragment and comprises a parameter value that differs in value from the parameter value in another configuration parameter set in the plurality of configuration parameter sets. The first network element also is programmed to provide the step of second, communicating a frame, to the second network element, in a plurality of frame fragments, wherein each frame fragment in the plurality of frame fragments is communicated according to a respective parameter value in the plurality of configuration parameter sets.

Abstract: A method of encoding a first bit and a second bit for transmission on a transmission band is provided. The method includes: mapping, via a mapping component, the first bit and the second bit into a first symbol; mapping, via the mapping component, the first bit and the second bit into a second symbol; dividing, via a dividing component, the transmission band into subcarriers; allocating, via an allocating component, the first symbol to a first subcarrier of the subcarriers; allocating, via the allocating component, the second symbol to a second subcarrier of the subcarriers; and differentially encoding, via a differential encoder, the first symbol and the second symbol.