Abstract: Apparatus for a touch sensitive panel or input screen for a hand held computing device that provides increased active or key area for the input screen. Four wires, each connected to one of the electrodes, are divided into smaller two-wire and one-wire units, with two of the four wires being connected to a signal processor from opposed locations on a boundary of the input screen. Replacing a conventional four-wire unit with this arrangement, the active or key area on the input screen can be increased by as much as 10-14 percent on a typical hand held device, or one or more dimensions of the device housing can be reduced. The four wire connection may be replaced by a three wire connection.

Abstract: A task description is stored in a database accessible by a mobile computer system. The mobile computer system receives positioning information corresponding to its geographic location and indexes the database based on the positioning information when the information indicates that the mobile computer system is in a geographic location that facilitates completion of a task associated with the task description. The database may be resident in the mobile computer system or accessible in other ways, for example, via the Internet. The task description preferably includes a geocode which corresponds to the geographic location at which completion of the task may be facilitated. The task description may also include textual, voice or other message which can be displayed and/or played back to a user. The positioning information may be obtained from a GPS satellite, a GLONASS satellite or a pseudolite. The mobile computer system may be a portable unit, such as a PDA, or integrated within a vehicle.

Abstract: A method of monitoring and controlling the application of a selected amount of lubricant to a plurality of locations comprising placing of plurality of sensors at each of said plurality of locations respectively; placing a plurality of valves in the vicinity of each of said locations for dispensing said lubricant to each of said locations respectively for a selected on position and a selected off position; monitoring and controlling said plurality of sensors and valves by microprocessor means; programming data to said microprocessor means by separable programming means.

Abstract: A system for monitoring location and speed of a vehicle, using a location determination system such as GPS, GLONASS or LORAN and an optional odometer or speedometer, for determining and recording the locations and times at which vehicle speed is less than a threshold speed for at least a threshold time (called a “vehicle arrest event”). Vehicle arrest event locations, times and time intervals are stored and/or printed to provide trip and mileage records and for efficiency monitoring. A vehicle odometer and/or speedometer can also be calibrated and/or corrected using this approach.

Abstract: A task description is stored in a database accessible by a mobile computer system. The mobile computer system receives positioning information corresponding to its geographic location and indexes the database based on the positioning information when the information indicates that the mobile computer system is in a geographic location that facilitates completion of a task associated with the task description. The database may be resident in the mobile computer system or accessible in other ways, for example, via the Internet. The task description preferably includes a geocode which corresponds to the geographic location at which completion of the task may be facilitated. The task description may also include textual, voice or other message which can be displayed and/or played back to a user. The positioning information may be obtained from a GPS satellite, a GLONASS satellite or a pseudolite. The mobile computer system may be a portable unit, such as a PDA, or integrated within a vehicle.

Abstract: A system for monitoring operation and location of a first moving vehicle relative to a second moving vehicle. A minimum separation distance between the first and second vehicles is estimated, based on the first vehicle velocity, and optionally on the second vehicle velocity, using location determination (LD) signals received from satellite-based transmitters from GPS, GLONASS and LEO satellites, or from ground-based signal sources such as LORAN signal towers, and using ranging signals from SONAR, RADAR or a similar system. The minimum separation distance is compared with the actual separation distance at selected times, and a vehicle driver is advised if the actual separation distance is too small, if the separation distance is decreasing too quickly, or if the second vehicle velocity is decreasing too quickly. The second vehicle may travel in the same traffic lane, in an adjacent lane, or on a road that intersects the road used by the first vehicle.

Abstract: A task description is stored in a database accessible by a mobile computer system. The mobile computer system receives positioning information corresponding to its geographic location and indexes the database based on the positioning information when the information indicates that the mobile computer system is in a geographic location that facilitates completion of a task associated with the task description. The database may be resident in the mobile computer system or accessible in other ways, for example, via the Internet. The task description preferably includes a geocode which corresponds to the geographic location at which completion of the task may be facilitated. The task description may also include textual, voice or other message which can be displayed and/or played back to a user. The positioning information may be obtained from a GPS satellite, a GLONASS satellite or a pseudolite. The mobile computer system may be a portable unit, such as a PDA, or integrated within a vehicle.

Abstract: A system for tracking the location of, and for providing cellular telephone handoff for, a mobile cellphone user as the cellphone user moves from one cellzone to another. A boundary curve B12 between a first cellzone and an adjacent second cellzone is defined in an electronic map by an equation hB12(x,y,z)−K12=0 for points with spatial location coordinates (x,y,z) lying on the curve B12, where K12 is a selected constant. First and second quasi-boundary curves QB1 and QB2, lying within the first and second cellzones, respectively, are defined, where each point on the curve QBi (i=1,2) lies at a selected distance di from the boundary curve B12. A region CR12 of points lying between the quasi-boundary curves QB1 and QB2 and including the boundary curve B12 is defined. The present location of the cellphone user is determined using a Satellite Positioning System (SATPS) such as GPS or GLONASS.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for a location determination and reporting (LDR) system for clandestinely determining and reporting a missing vehicle present location. The vehicle is equipped with a handheld cellular phone unit and controller that are accepted and held by a cellular phone cradle that can include electrical poster and/or a location determination (LD) unit to determines the LD unit present location. The cellular phone unit can operate on one cellular channel or on two distinct cellular channels. When the vehicle is reported missing, the central station interrogates the vehicle LDR system to determine the vehicle present location. A location interrogation signal is transmitted, commanding the LD unit to transmit its present location. The cellular phone does not signal receipt of an incoming call for an initial time period of selected length .DELTA.td, awaiting possible receipt of a location interrogation signal on the first cellular channel.

Abstract: Methods for identification of, and compensation for, the effects of presence of a multipath signal in a received composite digital signal that includes a direct, distortion-free signal. A direct signal is additively or multiplicatively combined with a distinguishable indicium signal and the resultant signal is transmitted to a receiver. The indicium signal may be distinguished by use of a different frequency or by use of a bit pattern that cannot be included in a direct signal pattern. The receiver identifies the received indicium signal within the received signal, compares the received indicium signal with a reference signal that is substantially a replica of the transmitted indicium signal, determines what operations will convert the reference signal into the received indicium signal, and applies an inverse of these operations to the portion of the received signal that contains the received direct signal, to obtain an enhanced received direct signal with reduced multipath signal effects.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for drying and/or cleaning a workpiece, such as an electronic part, semiconductor wafer, printed circuit board or the like. As the workpiece is withdrawn from a processing liquid, a selected drying liquid, such as hydrofluoroether (HFE), ethylated HFE, an HFE azeotrope or an ethylated HFE azeotrope, that has a very small surface tension, is volatile, and has a density that is greater than the processing liquid density, is sprayed on, dribbled on or otherwise transferred to an exposed surface of the workpiece. The exposed surface may be stationary, may be rotating or may be moving along a selected path. The workpiece can be dried in 5-60 seconds, or less, in most situations and can be cleaned using the invention. Drying and/or cleaning can be performed in a single workpiece process, a single workpiece continuous process or a batch process.

Abstract: Methods and apparati for representing and storing a sequence of digital data values so that, once stored in memory, a data value cannot be modified, or cannot be modified without detection. Detection of subsequent data alteration may use error checksums, storage of instrument data in different data fields, data constraint relations, data encryption techniques and/or comparison of instrument identification numbers. Where data are to be stored in non-alterable form, the number of elements used in representing the sequence is reduced or minimized. A data value sequence can be supplemented by one or more additional data values that are received and similarly stored, without changing any of the sequence of data values already stored. The instrument data values can be individual readout values or can be accumulated sums of data values. Some of the methods are exact, allowing reconstruction of any data value with zero error. Other methods are approximate but are less complex to apply.

Abstract: A system for monitoring location and speed of a vehicle, using a location determination system such as GPS, GLONASS or LORAN and an optional odometer or speedometer, for determining and recording the locations and times at which vehicle speed is less than a threshold speed for at least a threshold time (called a "vehicle arrest event"). Vehicle arrest event locations, times and time intervals are stored and/or printed to provide trip and mileage records and for efficiency monitoring. A vehicle odometer and/or speedometer can also be calibrated and/or corrected using this approach.

Abstract: A method for estimating two or three location coordinates and/or receiver time offset for a receiver that receives and analyzes timed signals transmitted from one, two or three non-geosynchronous satellites (GPS, GLONASS, modified LEO, etc.). Combinations of pseudorange, Doppler shift and/or first time derivative and/or second time derivative of Doppler shift are determined and used to estimate the location coordinates and/or receiver time offset.

Abstract: A system for monitoring operation and location of a moving first vehicle relative to a second vehicle. A minimum separation distance between the first and second vehicles is estimated, based on the first vehicle velocity, and optionally on the second vehicle velocity, using location determination (LD) signals received from satellite-based transmitters from GPS, GLONASS and LEO satellites, or from ground-based signal sources such as LORAN signal towers, and using ranging signals from SONAR, RADAR or a similar system. The minimum separation distance is compared with the actual separation distance at selected times, and a vehicle driver is advised if the actual separation distance is too small, if the separation distance is decreasing too quickly, or if the second vehicle velocity is decreasing too quickly. The second vehicle may travel in the same traffic lane, in an adjacent lane, or on a road that intersects the road used by the first vehicle.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for tracking the location of, and for providing cellular telephone handoff for, a mobile cellphone user as the user moves from one cell to another. A boundary curve B12 between a first cell and an adjacent second cell is defined in an electronic map. First and second quasi-boundary curves QB1 and QB2, lying within the first and second cell, respectively, are defined, where each point on the curve QBi (i=1,2) lies at a selected distance from the boundary curve B12. A common region CR12 of points lying between the quasi-boundary curves QB1 and QB2 and including the boundary curve B12 is defined. The present cellphone location of the cellphone user is determined using a location determination system, such as GPS or GLONASS or a ground-based system. Cellular telephone service for the cellphone user is provided by a first cell site or by a second cell site, when the cellphone user is located within the first cell or the second cell, not including the overlap region CR12.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for using a plurality of correlators to improve the estimate of direct signal arrival time by identifying detailed features of a correlation function at and adjacent to the correlation peak. The errors in location of the center point of a correlation function R(.tau.), formed by the received signal and a stored copy of the expected signal, are assumed to be strongly correlated for narrow sample spacing and wide sample spacing of the correlation function. Alternatively, the multipath signal strengths and phases are estimated by a least mean squares analysis, using multiple sampling of a correlation function of an expected signal and an arriving composite signal that includes the direct signal and one or more multipath signals. Times of arrival or path delays of the direct signal and the multipath signals are determined separately. Path delays can be determined by at least three approaches: (1) identification of slope transition points in the correlation function R(.tau.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for improving the accuracy of a received composite signal s(t) that contains a known reference signal S.sub.d (t) with a known bit transition period .DELTA.tchip and that may contain a multipath signal S.sub.m (t;.chi.;b) with an unknown multipath time delay b and an unknown multipath gain factor .chi. (-1.ltoreq..chi..ltoreq.1). Autocorrelation functions AC(.tau.) and AC(.tau.;d) for the incoming signal and for the reference (direct) signal are determined, dependent upon a time shift variable .tau., and a double difference autocorrelation function .DELTA..DELTA.AC(.tau.)=AC(.tau.)-AC(.tau.-.tau.LE)-AC(.tau.;d)+AC(.tau.-. tau.LE;d) is formed, where .tau.LE is a selected time shift displacement satisfying 0 <.tau.LE.ltoreq..DELTA..tau..sub.chip. Two integrals or sums of .DELTA..DELTA.AC(.tau.) are measured over different selected time shift intervals. The ratio of these two integrals or sums provides a quadratic equation in the time delay variable b that is solved for b.

Abstract: A method for estimating the location of the source of a (possibly unfriendly) electromagnetic probe signal (threat radar) received by an aircraft as the aircraft moves along a chosen path. A signal direction finder on the aircraft determines geometric parameters describing a probe signal plane that contains a probe signal propagation direction, as received at the aircraft, at two or more selected times. A location determination system on the aircraft determines the location of the aircraft at each of the selected times. Information on the probe signal plane and the aircraft location is used to estimate initial location coordinates and, optionally, velocity coordinates and acceleration coordinates, for the probe signal source, in two dimensions or in three dimensions. Probe signal planes at additional selected times can be used to provide a check on, or provide a more reliable estimate for, the probe signal source location.

Abstract: A system for monitoring location and speed of a vehicle, using a location determination system such as GPS, GLONASS or LORAN and an optional odometer or speedometer, for determining and recording the locations and times at which vehicle speed is less than a threshold speed for at least a threshold time (called a "vehicle arrest event"). Vehicle arrest event locations, times and time intervals are stored and/or printed to provide trip and mileage records and for efficiency monitoring. A vehicle odometer and/or speedometer can also be calibrated and/or corrected using this approach.