Abstract: A sensor sampling system comprises a field unit to receive at least one analysis parameter from a base station and a signal representing a machine parameter monitored by a machine sensor. The field unit analyzes the signal based on the at least one machine parameter to generate a representation of the machine parameter, and wirelessly transmits the representation of the machine parameter for reception by the base station.

Abstract: A vibration-sensing field unit includes a base with at least one accelerometer, and a body mounted to the base. The base is composed essentially of a first material, while the body is composed essentially of a second material that is more flexible than the first material to reduce a vibration at the accelerometer caused by a mass supported by the body. In another embodiment, a vibration-sensing field unit includes at least one accelerometer and at least one ultrasonic transducer.

Abstract: A sensor sampling system comprises a base station and a field unit. The field unit receives a quasi-periodic signal representing machine parameters monitored by a machine sensor, and samples a first portion of the quasi-periodic signal to generate a first reference waveform. The field unit subsequently samples a second portion of the quasi-periodic signal to generate a first sample waveform. Finally, the field unit generates a first delta data set representing a difference between the first reference waveform and the first sample waveform and wirelessly transmits a representation of the first delta data set for reception by the base station.

Abstract: A facility modeling system renders graphical representations of machines and their environment in a facility model to facilitate monitoring of machine parameters and health. A sensor control module communicates with a plurality of sensors detecting machine parameter data for machines housed in a facility. The machine parameters may include any information that may directly or indirectly indicate the status of a machine or a part of a machine. The information collected from the sensors is incorporated into the facility model (a graphical rendering of the facility) which may provide any of a variety of multi-dimensional views of the facility. A GUI allows a user to navigate through the facility model to identify and monitor the status of the sensors. The sensor status may be indicated by an icon, callout, change in a display characteristic of a facility, machine, part, space, or item, a combination of these, and the like.

Abstract: A sensor sampling system comprises a field unit to receive at least one analysis parameter from a base station and a signal representing a machine parameter monitored by a machine sensor. The field unit analyzes the signal based on the at least one machine parameter to generate a representation of the machine parameter, and wirelessly transmits the representation of the machine parameter for reception by the base station.

Abstract: A vibration-sensing field unit includes a base with at least one accelerometer, and a body mounted to the base. The base is composed essentially of a first material, while the body is composed essentially of a second material that is more flexible than the first material to reduce a vibration at the accelerometer caused by a mass supported by the body. In another embodiment, a vibration-sensing field unit includes at least one accelerometer and at least one ultrasonic transducer.

Abstract: A sensor sampling system comprises a base station and a field unit. The field unit receives a quasi-periodic signal representing machine parameters monitored by a machine sensor, and samples a first portion of the quasi-periodic signal to generate a first reference waveform. The field unit subsequently samples a second portion of the quasi-periodic signal to generate a first sample waveform. Finally, the field unit generates a first delta data set representing a difference between the first reference waveform and the first sample waveform and wirelessly transmits a representation of the first delta data set for reception by the base station.

Abstract: A facility modeling system renders graphical representations of machines and their environment in a facility model to facilitate monitoring of machine parameters and health. A sensor control module communicates with a plurality of sensors detecting machine parameter data for machines housed in a facility. The machine parameters may include any information that may directly or indirectly indicate the status of a machine or a part of a machine. The information collected from the sensors is incorporated into the facility model (a graphical rendering of the facility) which may provide any of a variety of multi-dimensional views of the facility. A GUI allows a user to navigate through the facility model to identify and monitor the status of the sensors. The sensor status may be indicated by an icon, callout, change in a display characteristic of a facility, machine, part, space, or item, a combination of these, and the like.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system and method for affiliating a wireless device with a wireless local area network (WLAN). An embodiment of the method of this invention comprises establishing, at a control node of the WLAN, access frequency(s) for affiliation with the WLAN. The control node periodically provides a beacon frame on the access frequency(s) that indicates the timing of affiliation with the WLAN. The wireless device determines the access frequency(s) for affiliating with the WLAN and the timing of affiliation with the WLAN based on the beacon frame. The wireless device provides self identification information via the access frequency during the beacon frame. This allows the control node to determine the access privileges of the wireless device based on the identification information. Finally, the control node affiliates the wireless device with an initial access channel from a set of access channels in accordance with the access privileges.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for dynamic data rate adjustment of a wireless transport channel include processing that begins with one of a plurality of client modules within a wireless multimedia system monitors channel characteristics of a wireless transport channel. The monitoring is done at or below a received packet rate to determine variations in the channel characteristics on a packet-by-packet basis or on a group-of-packets by group-of packets basis. The processing continues when the client module determines whether the variations in the channel characteristics affect the data rate of data contained in the packets received via the wireless transport channel. When the variations in the channel characteristics affect the data rate, the client module provides data rate adjustment feedback to a multimedia server of the wireless multimedia system via the wireless transport channel.

Abstract: A multimedia processing system and method thereof are provided. The system and method provide for synchronizing a first clock of a multimedia decoder of a first multimedia processing device to a second clock of a multimedia encoder of a second multimedia processing device, synchronizing a first timing reference of the multimedia decoder to a second timing reference of the multimedia encoder, receiving, at a network interface of the first multimedia processing device, an encoded multimedia data stream from a network interface of the second multimedia processing device, wherein the encoded multimedia data stream is encoded by the multimedia encoder based on the second clock and the second timing reference, and decoding the encoded multimedia data stream at the multimedia decoder based on the first clock and the first timing reference.

Abstract: An encoded signal is modulated to produce a first radio frequency (RF) signal that is transmitted to a client module over a first transceiver channel when a first transceiver module is in a transceive mode. A channel scan is performed when the first transceiver module is in a scan mode. The encoded signal is modulated to produce a second RF signal and that is transmitted over a second transceiver channel when a second transceiver module is in a transceive mode.

Abstract: Audio video synchronization begins by receiving an audio-video signal via a first communication path. The processing continues by capturing a representation of an audio component of the audio-video signal, wherein the audio component was rendered audible via a second communication path. The processing continues by deriving a reference representation of the audio component of the audio-video signal received via the first communication path. The processing continues by aligning a video component of the audio video-signal of the first communication path with the audio component of the audio video signal of the second communication path based on the representation of the audio component and the reference representation of the audio component.

Abstract: A method for receiving high data rate wireless communication transmissions begins by receiving a plurality of radio frequency (RF) signals in accordance with a wireless communication standardized data rate on a plurality of RF channels. The method continues by converting each of the plurality of RF signals into a plurality of signals. The method continues by processing the plurality of signals at baseband or near baseband into media access control (MAC) data, wherein a number of the plurality of signals corresponds to an integer multiple. The method continues by processing the MAC data at a combination of wireless communication standardized data rates to produce recovered data.

Abstract: A method for adjusting transmit power of a wireless communication device begins by determining requirements of a wireless communication between the wireless communication device and a receiving wireless communication device. The method continues by determining whether a current transmit power level of the wireless communication can be lowered without adjusting the requirements of the wireless communication. The method continues by when the current transmit power level of the wireless communication can be lowered without adjusting the requirements of the wireless communication, adjusting the current transmit power level to a second transmit power level, wherein the second transmit power level is less that the current transmit power level.

Abstract: A wireless communication device capable of receiving data using non-standard data includes a receiver section, a demodulation mapping module, a decoding module, and a rate determination module. The receiver section is operably coupled to convert a radio frequency signal into a digital signal. The demodulation mapping module is operably coupled to demodulate the digital signal to produce demodulated data. The decoding module is operably coupled to decode the demodulated data based on the coding rate to produce decoded data. The rate determination module is operably coupled to determine the coding rate from at least one of the digital signal and the demodulated data, wherein the coding rate is one of a plurality of standard coding rates or a non-standard coding rate that is selected for a given transmission.

Abstract: A low power radio transmitter includes an intermediate frequency stage, signal-to-pulse conversion module, and a power amplifier. The intermediate frequency stage up-converts the frequency of a base-band digital signal into an N-bit signal at the intermediate frequency. The signal-to-pulse conversion module converts the N-bit signal at the intermediate frequency into a pulse signal of M-bits at the radio frequency. As such, the signal-to-pulse conversion module is taking an N-bit signal (e.g., an 8-bit digital signal) and converting it into an M-bit pulse signal (e.g., a 1-bit pulse stream). Accordingly, the M-bit signal at the radio frequency is essentially a square-wave, which has a peak to average ratio of zero, is subsequently amplified by the power amplifier.

Abstract: A multimedia processing system and method thereof are provided. The system and method provide for synchronizing a first clock of a multimedia decoder of a first multimedia processing device to a second clock of a multimedia encoder of a second multimedia processing device, synchronizing a first timing reference of the multimedia decoder to a second timing reference of the multimedia encoder, receiving, at a network interface of the first multimedia processing device, an encoded multimedia data stream from a network interface of the second multimedia processing device, wherein the encoded multimedia data stream is encoded by the multimedia encoder based on the second clock and the second timing reference, and decoding the encoded multimedia data stream at the multimedia decoder based on the first clock and the first timing reference.

Abstract: A wireless communication device capable of receiving data using non-standard data includes a receiver section, a demodulation mapping module, a decoding module, and a rate determination module. The receiver section is operably coupled to convert a radio frequency signal into a digital signal. The demodulation mapping module is operably coupled to demodulate the digital signal to produce demodulated data. The decoding module is operably coupled to decode the demodulated data based on the coding rate to produce decoded data. The rate determination module is operably coupled to determine the coding rate from at least one of the digital signal and the demodulated data, wherein the coding rate is one of a plurality of standard coding rates or a non-standard coding rate that is selected for a given transmission.

Abstract: A correlation module includes a plurality of first functional modules, a plurality of second functional modules, a plurality of function adjust modules, a summation module, a correlation value register, and a correlation evaluation module. The plurality of first functional modules is operably coupled to perform a first function upon a first corresponding pipelined data element to produce a first corresponding value. The plurality of second functional modules is operably coupled to perform a second function upon a second corresponding pipelined data element to produce a second corresponding value. The plurality of function adjust modules is operably coupled to selected ones of the plurality of first functional modules and to selected ones of the plurality of second functional modules. The summation module is operably coupled to sum the plurality of first corresponding values, the plurality of second corresponding values, and a previous correlation value to produce a current correlation value.