Abstract: A technique for deriving the locations of one or more wireless base stations is disclosed. After initializing values for the base station location coordinates, a server acquires reference coordinates of a wireless terminal, which are provided from an independent source, and also acquires values for one or more time-of-occurrences of events associated with signals that travel between the wireless terminal and the base stations. The server generates predicted coordinates of the wireless terminal, based in part on the current base station coordinates, by using trilateration. The server then generates updated base station coordinate values, based on a method of least squares, in which each residual is a difference between the reference and predicted coordinates of each wireless terminal location, for one or more wireless terminals. The server modifies the base station coordinate values so as to minimize the least-squares function.

Abstract: A personal assistance monitor for estimating whether a person needs assistance or not, and for requesting assistance, when appropriate. Some embodiments of the present invention can request help for a person even if the person is unconscious or paralyzed. The illustrative embodiment comprises two bracelets—one is worn on a person's right wrist and the other is worn on the left wrist. Each bracelet comprises an acceleration sensor that detects the acceleration of the wrist to which it is affixed. The measures of motion detected by both bracelets are analyzed for insight into the person's well-being. When the illustrative embodiment estimates that the person needs assistance, the illustrative embodiment prompts the person to decline assistance. When the person declines assistance, the illustrative embodiment continues monitoring the person. In contrast, when the person fails to decline the offer of assistance, the illustrative embodiment requests help.

Abstract: A technique for deriving the locations of one or more wireless base stations is disclosed. After initializing values for the base station location coordinates, a server acquires reference coordinates of a wireless terminal, which are provided from an independent source, and also acquires values for one or more time-of-occurrences of events associated with signals that travel between the wireless terminal and the base stations. The server generates predicted coordinates of the wireless terminal, based in part on the current base station coordinates, by using trilateration. The server then generates updated base station coordinate values, based on a method of least squares, in which each residual is a difference between the reference and predicted coordinates of each wireless terminal location, for one or more wireless terminals. The server modifies the base station coordinate values so as to minimize the least-squares function.

Abstract: A technique is disclosed for estimating the location of a wireless terminal at an unknown location in a geographic region. The technique is based on a two-part recognition, the first part being that there are certain optical and acoustic characteristics that are present in some environments while not being present in others, such as lighting flicker and sound reverberation. The second part of the recognition is that a correlation exists between the presence of flicker and reverberation in the vicinity of a wireless terminal and whether the wireless terminal is indoors or not. Under certain environmental conditions, flicker and reverberation are often present indoors but not outdoors. By accounting for flicker and reverberation being detected or not being detected in the vicinity of the wireless terminal, the disclosed technique is able to estimate whether the wireless terminal is indoors, which the technique also uses to improve the location estimate.

Abstract: A technique for deriving the locations of one or more wireless base stations is disclosed. After initializing values for the base station location coordinates, a server acquires reference coordinates of a wireless terminal, which are provided from an independent source, and also acquires values for one or more time-of-occurrences of events associated with signals that travel between the wireless terminal and the base stations. The server generates predicted coordinates of the wireless terminal, based in part on the current base station coordinates, by using trilateration. The server then generates updated base station coordinate values, based on a method of least squares, in which each residual is a difference between the reference and predicted coordinates of each wireless terminal location, for one or more wireless terminals. The server modifies the base station coordinate values so as to minimize the least-squares function.

Abstract: A personal assistance monitor for estimating whether a person needs assistance or not, and for requesting assistance, when appropriate. Some embodiments of the present invention can request help for a person even if the person is unconscious or paralyzed. The illustrative embodiment comprises two bracelets—one is worn on a person's right wrist and the other is worn on the left wrist. Each bracelet comprises an acceleration sensor that detects the acceleration of the wrist to which it is affixed. The measures of motion detected by both bracelets are analyzed for insight into the person's well-being. When the illustrative embodiment estimates that the person needs assistance, the illustrative embodiment prompts the person to decline assistance. When the person declines assistance, the illustrative embodiment continues monitoring the person. In contrast, when the person fails to decline the offer of assistance, the illustrative embodiment requests help.

Abstract: A technique is disclosed for estimating the location of a wireless terminal at an unknown location in a geographic region. The technique is based on a two-part recognition, the first part being that there are certain lighting and acoustic characteristics that are present in some environments while not being present in others, such as lighting flicker and sound reverberation. The second part of the recognition is that a correlation exists between the presence of flicker and reverberation in the vicinity of a wireless terminal and whether the wireless terminal is indoors or not. Under certain environmental conditions, flicker and reverberation are often present indoors but not outdoors. By accounting for flicker and reverberation being detected or not being detected in the vicinity of the wireless terminal, the disclosed technique is able to estimate whether the wireless terminal is indoors, which the technique also uses to improve the location estimate.

Abstract: A technique is disclosed for estimating the location of a wireless terminal at an unknown location in a geographic region. The technique is based on a two-part recognition, the first part being that there are certain optical and acoustic characteristics that are present in some environments while not being present in others, such as lighting flicker and sound reverberation. The second part of the recognition is that a correlation exists between the presence of flicker and reverberation in the vicinity of a wireless terminal and whether the wireless terminal is indoors or not. Under certain environmental conditions, flicker and reverberation are often present indoors but not outdoors. By accounting for flicker and reverberation being detected or not being detected in the vicinity of the wireless terminal, the disclosed technique is able to estimate whether the wireless terminal is indoors, which the technique also uses to improve the location estimate.

Abstract: A personal assistance monitor for estimating whether a person needs assistance or not, and for requesting assistance, when appropriate. Some embodiments of the present invention can request help for a person even if the person is unconscious or paralyzed. The illustrative embodiment comprises two bracelets—one is worn on a person's right wrist and the other is worn on the left wrist. Each bracelet comprises an acceleration sensor that detects the acceleration of the wrist to which it is affixed. The measures of motion detected by both bracelets are analyzed for insight into the person's well-being. When the illustrative embodiment estimates that the person needs assistance, the illustrative embodiment prompts the person to decline assistance. When the person declines assistance, the illustrative embodiment continues monitoring the person. In contrast, when the person fails to decline the offer of assistance, the illustrative embodiment requests help.

Abstract: A user carries a wireless telecommunications terminal, such as a cell phone, smart phone, tablet, and the like. The wireless telecommunications terminal—alone or in conjunction with the wireless telecommunications infrastructure—records the movement of the user. In other words, the wireless terminal records when and where the user has been. This information is uploaded to a database in well-known fashion. The database contains similar information for many other users. In some embodiments, of the present invention, the wireless terminal is assigned an anonymous user ID that can be reconciled with a specific user if that user then calls in using the wireless terminal.

Abstract: A personal assistance monitor for estimating whether a person needs assistance or not, and for requesting assistance, when appropriate. Some embodiments of the present invention can request help for a person even if the person is unconscious or paralyzed. The illustrative embodiment comprises two bracelets—one is worn on a person's right wrist and the other is worn on the left wrist. Each bracelet comprises an acceleration sensor that detects the acceleration of the wrist to which it is affixed. The measures of motion detected by both bracelets are analyzed for insight into the person's well-being. When the illustrative embodiment estimates that the person needs assistance, the illustrative embodiment prompts the person to decline assistance. When the person declines assistance, the illustrative embodiment continues monitoring the person. In contrast, when the person fails to decline the offer of assistance, the illustrative embodiment requests help.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for distributing information products is described that comprises: receiving a launch code that comprises a candidate authentication code and an explicit first indicium of a first information product; decrypting the launch code with a string, R, as the key to recover the candidate authentication code; and installing the first information product into a computer when the candidate authentication code matches a first known authentication code.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for initiating a telecommunications call. A plurality of beacons (102) are geographically disposed in a telecommunications system (100). Each beacon (102n) radiates an electromagnetic carrier that is modulated with an identifying address (e.g., a telephone number, an Internet address) for an associated terminal. An identifying signal is stored in a memory (206). A controller (208) modulates a carrier with the identifying signal and a transmission element (210) transmits the carrier to allow a communications terminal (104) to initiate a call to the associated communications terminal (114, 116). A wireless terminal (104a) includes a directional receiver (204). To initiate a call, a user points directional receiver (204) at a beacon. The directional receiver (204) receives the electromagnetic carrier and the wireless terminal recovers the identifying address.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for distributing information products is described that comprises: receiving an encrypted launch code; decrypting the encrypted launch code with a string, R, as the key to recover a first candidate authentication code and an indicium of a first information product; and installing the first information product onto the computer when the candidate authorization code matches a first known authorization code.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for distributing information products is described that includes the steps of generating a string, R; encrypting a first authentication code, an indicium of an end-user's identity, an indicium of a first information product, and an indicium of a second information product with the string, R, as the key to create a launch code; decrypting the launch code with the string, R, to recover the authentication code, the indicium of the end-user's identity, the indicium of the first information product and the indicium of the second information product; and installing the first information product and the second information product onto a computer associated with the end-user.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention are capable of hiding a message, such as, for example, a copyright notice or other indicium of authorship, in an electronic document. An illustrative embodiment of the present invention comprises encoding an electronic document with a plurality of tags from a case insensitive markup language; and modulating the case of at least one tag character in at least one of said plurality of tags with a binary string, wherein the binary string represents a message to be hidden in the electronic document.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed that mitigate the induction of baseband interference that can from time-division radios (e.g., radios that radiate an RF signal with a time-varying power envelope). A radio comprising an embodiment of the present invention radiates, in transmit mode, an information-bearing signal. In some or all idle modes, the radio radiates at least one energy-reducing pulse, but in an idle-mode channel. These energy-reducing pulses reduce the energy in the fundamental frequency component of the average RF power envelope of the radio and also reduce the energy in the harmonics of the fundamental frequency.