Abstract: Method and apparatus for combining high data rate traffic and low data rate traffic on a common transmission medium while maximizing efficient use of available spectrum. Since spectrum is an economically valuable resource and transport of data generates revenue, the present invention directly leads to more profitable network operation. The disclosed systems are applicable to both wired and wireless transmission media. In one embodiment, a bandwidth reservation scheme provides that data rate may be varied so that when a particular data communication device is allocated a frame, it is also assigned a data rate for use in that frame. Because bandwidth usage varies with data rate, the division of available spectrum into channels for use by individual data communication devices may also vary among frames.

Abstract: Highly effective systems and methods for synchronizing OFDM receiver parameters to an OFDM transmitter are provided. These parameters may include carrier frequency, burst timing, and cyclic prefix length. These systems and methods incorporate special structural features into the OFDM signal to facilitate synchronization. In one embodiment, a supplemental cyclic prefix is added to an OFDM signal to facilitate synchronization. In an alternative embodiment, a synchronization burst with a periodic structure is used to facilitate synchronization. According to the present invention, synchronization may be maintained even if low cost analog oscillator components are used.

Abstract: A keeper (12), a clamp (14), a heater strip (16) and a heated air diffuser (18) are provided for a slider insertion apparatus (10) which inserts sliders (28) on the interlocked profiles (20, 22) of a zipper (23). The heater strip (16) and/or the diffuser (18) heat the zipper (23) to a predetermined temperature prior to slider insertion. The keeper (12) aligns the slider (32) within the insertion area (34) with the activator with pusher (26) of the slider insertion apparatus (10). By changing the mounting of the zipper guide (28) and by actuating the clamp (14) during slider insertion, the zipper (32) indexes to the slider insertion apparatus (10) in alternate directions.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for combining high data rate traffic and low data rate traffic on a common transmission medium while maximizing efficient use of available spectrum. Since spectrum is an economically valuable resource and transport of data generates revenue, the present invention directly leads to more profitable network operation. The disclosed systems are applicable to both wired and wireless transmission media. In one embodiment, a bandwidth reservation scheme provides that data rate may be varied so that when a particular data communication device is allocated a frame, it is also assigned a data rate for use in that frame. Because bandwidth usage varies with data rate, the division of available spectrum into channels for use by individual data communication devices may also vary among frames.

Abstract: An ultrasonic welding assembly comprising a horn, an anvil and an anvil cover. The horn comprises a generally T-shaped flattening surface and a rail projecting forward of the flattening surface. The rail is shaped to serve as a dam for flowing thermoplastic zipper material during stomping of slider end stops. The horn further comprises a plurality of vertical energy directors designed to direct ultrasonic energy into the mass of zipper material and deflect flowing zipper material toward the dam. The horn further comprises first and second recesses located on opposite sides of a stem of the T-shaped flattening surface. The anvil cover overlies opposing portions of the anvil and comprises a T-shaped cutout. The T-shaped flattening surface of the horn fits in the T-shaped cutout of the anvil cover. The resulting zipper has slider end stops located at opposing ends.

Abstract: Systems and methods for efficiently transmitting power level information in a point to multipoint wireless system. Multiple subscriber units may transmit indications of their power level within a shared burst where one or more subchannels are allocated to each subscriber unit. The burst holding the power level information may be understood by the MAC layer to be a data burst. In this way, a wireline MAC protocol may be applied to wireless applications.

Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling subscriber unit power level using power measurements made on access request transmissions. Since a subscriber unit access request typically precedes a subscriber unit data transmission by a relatively short period of time, the data transmission power level will then be based on a recent power measurement. The access request may also trigger a sequence of power control steps including the transmission of special upstream power measurement transmissions which can be used as the basis for even more accurate power control. These power control features are particularly useful in fading environments such as found in a wireless system.

Abstract: An ultrasonic welding assembly comprising a horn, an anvil and an anvil cover. The horn comprises a generally T-shaped flattening surface and a rail projecting forward of the flattening surface. The rail is shaped to serve as a dam for flowing thermoplastic zipper material during stomping of slider end stops. The horn further comprises a plurality of vertical energy directors designed to direct ultrasonic energy into the mass of zipper material and deflect flowing zipper material toward the dam. The horn further comprises first and second recesses located on opposite sides of a stem of the T-shaped flattening surface. The anvil cover overlies opposing portions of the anvil and comprises a T-shaped cutout. The T-shaped flattening surface of the horn fits in the T-shaped cutout of the anvil cover. The resulting zipper has slider end stops located at opposing ends.

Abstract: Systems and methods for converting a baseband OFDM signal to an IF signal while minimizing lengthening of the impulse response duration experienced by the OFDM signal. A conversion technique according to the present invention provides sufficient filtering to limit the effects of spurious frequency domain components caused by transitions between successive OFDM bursts. In one embodiment, the filtering is provided by a combination of a finite impulse response (FIR) filter having non-linear phase characteristics and a cyclic convolution filter. Conversion from the frequency domain into the time domain, upsampling, and cyclic filtering may be combined into one operation.

Abstract: An ultrasonic welding assembly comprising a horn, an anvil and an anvil cover. The horn comprises a generally T-shaped flattening surface and a rail projecting forward of the flattening surface. The rail is shaped to serve as a dam for flowing thermoplastic zipper material during stomping of slider end stops. The horn further comprises a plurality of vertical energy directors designed to direct ultrasonic energy into the mass of zipper material and deflect flowing zipper material toward the dam. The horn further comprises first and second recesses located on opposite sides of a stem of the T-shaped flattening surface. The anvil cover overlies opposing portions of the anvil and comprises a T-shaped cutout. The T-shaped flattening surface of the horn fits in the T-shaped cutout of the anvil cover. The resulting zipper has slider end stops located at opposing ends.

Abstract: A keeper (12), a clamp (14), a heater strip (16) and a heated air diffuser (18) are provided for a slider insertion apparatus (10) which inserts sliders (28) on the interlocked profiles (20, 22) of a zipper (23). The heater strip (16) and/or the diffuser (18) heat the zipper (23) to a predetermined temperature prior to slider insertion. The keeper (12) aligns the slider (32) within the insertion area (34) with the activator with pusher (26) of the slider insertion apparatus (10). By changing the mounting of the zipper guide (28) and by actuating the clamp (14) during slider insertion, the zipper (32) indexes to the slider insertion apparatus (10) in alternate directions.

Abstract: Systems and methods for communicating medium access control (MAC) data without errors. Different encoding processes may be used to encode MAC data and data unrelated to MAC. The encoding processes used for MAC data employ more redundancy and are therefore capable of transmitting data without errors in more severe conditions than the encoding processes used for non-MAC data. Both MAC data and non-MAC data may be represented as a series of so-called symbols where each symbol is a complex value used to modulate a sinusoidal carrier signal. MAC data transmissions may employ a set of symbols having more widely spaced complex values than the symbol set used for non-MAC data transmissions. While the receiver is receiving MAC data, it may more easily distinguish which symbols have been sent, even when the symbols have been heavily corrupted with noise and interference. Thus network operation may be properly coordinated even in the presence of severe degradation of data transmission quality.

Abstract: A space-time signal processing system with advantageously reduced complexity. The system may take advantage of multiple transmitter antenna elements and/or multiple receiver antenna elements, or multiple polarizations of a single transmitter antenna element and/or single receiver antenna element. The system is not restricted to wireless contexts and may exploit any channel having multiple inputs or multiple outputs and certain other characteristics. Multi-path effects in a transmission medium cause a multiplicative increase in capacity.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for transferring physical layer control information from a central access point to individual subscriber units while maintaining transparency to higher layers. Adaptation of wireline MAC protocols to wireless applications is greatly facilitated. Subscriber unit power level may be controlled from the central access point.

Abstract: A method for automatically inserting an interactive HTML object into an existing web page without the user having any knowledge of programming in HTML or server-side scripts. The method is contained in a utility and referred as “WEB Content Customization” (WCC). The WCC utility is launched from a web authoring tool, such as a desktop publishing computer program, when the user selects the option to insert interactive HTML object into their web page. The WCC utility provides a user with the ability to customize their web page by inserting interactive HTML object using the same web site authoring computer program module, such as a desktop publishing computer application program that was used to create the web page. The WCC utility creates a dialog box in the web-authoring tool and opens the remote site in the dialog box. The dialog contains at least one window that displays a list of the available interactive HTML object that the user may select.

Abstract: Improved adjustment of transmission power in a communication system is provided. In one embodiment, in a point to multipoint communication system, transmission power of a subscriber unit is controlled based on power measurements made at a central access point. Power measurement information based on transmissions occurring at irregular intervals may be combined in a beneficial manner to control transmission output power. In one embodiment, a power regulation process determines a series of difference values indicating the differences between desired received power level at the central access point and measured received power level. A smoothing process is applied to the difference values. One or more parameters of the smoothing process vary with elapsed time since a last available power measurement.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for combining high data rate traffic and low data rate traffic on a common transmission medium while maximizing efficient use of available spectrum. Since spectrum is an economically valuable resource and transport of data generates revenue, the present invention directly leads to more profitable network operation. The disclosed systems are applicable to both wired and wireless transmission media. In one embodiment, a bandwidth reservation scheme provides that data rate may be varied so that when a particular data communication device is allocated a frame, it is also assigned a data rate for use in that frame. Because bandwidth usage varies with data rate, the division of available spectrum into channels for use by individual data communication devices may also vary among frames.

Abstract: A space-time signal processing system with advantageously reduced complexity. The system may take advantage of multiple transmitter antenna elements and/or multiple receiver antenna elements, or multiple polarizations of a single transmitter antenna element and/or single receiver antenna element. The system is not restricted to wireless contexts and may exploit any channel having multiple inputs or multiple outputs and certain other characteristics. Multi-path effects in a transmission medium cause a multiplicative increase in capacity.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for transferring physical layer control information from a central access point to individual subscriber units while maintaining transparency to higher layers. Adaptation of wireline MAC protocols to wireless applications is greatly facilitated. Subscriber unit power level may be controlled from the central access point.

Abstract: Improved adjustment of transmission power in a communication system is provided. In one embodiment, in a point to multipoint communication system, transmission power of a subscriber unit is controlled based on power measurements made at a central access point. Power measurement information based on transmissions occurring at irregular intervals may be combined in a beneficial manner to control transmission output power. In one embodiment, a power regulation process determines a series of difference values indicating the differences between desired received power level at the central access point and measured received power level. A smoothing process is applied to the difference values. One or more parameters of the smoothing process vary with elapsed time since a last available power measurement.