Abstract: A microphone bar for obtaining audio input for a video conferencing system includes a master module and one or more slave modules. The master module houses a first pair of unidirectional microphones for obtaining audio from opposite sides of the bar, and each of the slave modules houses a second pair of unidirectional microphones for obtaining audio from opposite sides of the bar. Extensions connect the modules together, and at least one bus conducts audio signals through the extension from the microphones to the video conferencing system. The microphones are operable according to a broadside mode of stereo operation when a central axis of the bar is substantially orthogonal to a view angle of the conferencing system. Furthermore, the microphones are operable according to an end-fire mode of stereo operation when the central axis of the bar is substantially parallel to the view angle of the conferencing system.

Abstract: The invention relates to methods and compositions useful for screening for altered cellular phenotypes using an inducible expression system to enrich for and detect the altered phenotypes and, more particularly, relates to screening libraries of candidate bioactive agents, for example, nucleic acids and peptides, in cells using an regulatable expression system to enrich for a subpopulation of cells having an altered phenotype due to the presence of a candidate bioactive agent.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus and method for flexible controlling endpoint memory within an USB device. In one embodiment, the method includes a USB device receiving a first token packet from a USB host, wherein the first token packet includes a first endpoint number. The first endpoint number is stored into a first tag in memory corresponding to a first data buffer in the USB device. The USB device then receives a data packet from the USB host, wherein the data packet comprises endpoint data. The; endpoint data of the data packet is stored into the first data buffer.

Abstract: The invention relates to methods and compositions useful for screening for altered cellular phenotypes using an inducible expression system to enrich for and detect the altered phenotypes and, more particularly, relates to screening libraries of candidate bioactive agents, for example, nucleic acids and peptides, in cells using an regulatable expression system to enrich for a subpopulation of cells having an altered phenotype due to the presence of a candidate bioactive agent.

Abstract: An overhead microphone assembly using multiple unidirectional microphone elements. The microphone assembly is installed overhead, generally above all the desired sound sources and below the undesired sound sources. The signals from these multiple microphone elements are fed into a microphone steering processor which can mix and gate the signals to ensure the best signal/noise ratio. The steering processor may also track the sound source dynamically when such tracking (source locating) is desired. The resulting audio signal from the steering processor may be further processed, such as echo canceling, noise reduction and automatic gain control.

Abstract: Methods and devices for improving the intelligibility of audio in a teleconferencing unit. Multiple microphones and multiple audio channels are used, in which only the best microphones are selected to represent each audio channel. Multiple microphones signals may be mixed according to microphones' positions in a room to form a single signal to represent one audio channel. The audio signal may be further processed to effectuate other features.

Abstract: Systems and methods provide a mechanism to create and maintain web pages and other types of output pages. The system and methods use an author markup language (AML) to define output pages. Additionally, a Component Markup Language (CML) may be used to define components that may be referenced by the AML. The AML and CML may be translated to an intermediate format, which may then be further processed at runtime to combine dynamic data with the intermediate format to produce the output page.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method, to facilitate processing a payment for an online transaction, includes, responsive to receiving secure transaction data from a merchant server, using a payment processor to generate a transaction data identifier to identify the transaction data. The payment processor communicates the transaction data identifier to the merchant server. In response to receiving a request to process a payment, including the transaction data identifier, the payment processor requests user credentials from a user. Upon receiving user credentials from the user, the payment processor verifies the user credentials. The payment processor processes the payment and generates a payment identifier to identify payment data associated with the payment. The payment processor communicates the payment identifier to the merchant server.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed herein to provide various optical techniques. For example, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a pulse position modulation discriminator architecture is disclosed for discriminating temporal positions of PPM-encoded optical pulses by converting them from time modulated to frequency modulated signals. As another example, time division multiplexed optical signals may be translated to wavelength division multiplexed optical signals. One or more of the architectures disclosed herein may be implemented, for example, to provide PPM to FM or time to wavelength conversion for receiver or transmitter applications.

Abstract: A system and method for performing phase-encoded optical Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA). A transmitter encodes digital data onto a wavelength of an optical signal using a codeword, splits the optical signal into a plurality of beams having separated frequency components, selectively phase-shifts the beams in accordance with the codeword, recombines the beams into the optical signal, and transmits the optical signal. The receiver receives the optical signal, splits the optical signal into a plurality of beams having separated frequency components, selectively phase-shifts the beams in accordance with the codeword, recombining the beams into the optical signal, and decodes the digital data from a wavelength of the optical signal using the codeword.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed herein to provide analog-to-digital converter techniques. For example, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, an analog-to-digital converter architecture is disclosed that utilizes optical techniques to convert an analog electrical signal to a digital electrical signal.

Abstract: A method and system for facilitating merchant-initiated online payments are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, a payment service provider's server receives a user's request, via a merchant's server, to establish a merchant-initiated payment relationship or agreement. Accordingly, the payment service provider presents the user with options to customize the terms of the merchant-initiated payment agreement. After the agreement has been established and the terms customized, the merchant server communicates a merchant-initiated payment request to the pavement service provider for a transaction entered into with the user. The payment service provider's server processes the payment request after verifying that processing the payment does not exceed the user-customized terms of the agreement.

Abstract: A system and method to associate a gift certificate with an email address is useful to permit on-line merchants to provide gift certificates that may be trusted while remaining used to customers. A gift certificate is purchased on-line and associated with a recipient's e-mail address provided by the gift certificate purchaser. An e-mail message containing confirm information used to authenticate the identity of the recipient is subsequently provided. This e-mail message may be sent when the gift certificate is purchased. This e-mail message may also be sent when a printed gift certificate is redeemed. The recipient of the gift certificate returns this confirmation information to complete the authentication process of the recipient's e-mail address. All subsequent activity of related to the use of the gift certificate may be authenticated using the e-mail address once confirmed.

Abstract: A system and method for acoustic source location using a horizontal and vertical microphone array. Tilt sensors are provided within each array to allow full determination of the tilt of each array. Based on the acoustic source location results, an image capture device may be maneuvered to focus in the direction of the acoustic source location.

Abstract: An automated system to facilitate redemption of value against a single purchase price includes a first module to allocate a first value, of a first value type, to a user within a transaction system. The first module is further to allocate a second value, of a second value type different from the first value type, to the user within the transaction system. A second module is to enable a user to redeem both the first value and the second value against a single purchase price.

Abstract: An EER amplifier for amplifying an RF signal includes: (II) a first RF amplifier for amplifying the phase portion of the signal; (III) an EER modulator for amplifying the envelope or baseband portion of the signal, including: A) a high frequency operational amplifier; B) a power amplifier; C) a feedback control loop including: (1) a current-to-voltage conversion amplifier having an input coupled to a current monitoring output of the power amplifier and an output, (2) an input buffer amplifier having an input coupled to receive the envelope signal and an output; (3) a summing amplifier having: (a) an input coupled to the outputs of: (a) the current-to-voltage conversion amplifier and (b) the input buffer amplifier, and (b) an output coupled to the current control input of the power amplifier.

Abstract: A microwave filter for use at VHF frequencies provides a relatively high-Q without the need for the microstrip line or bulky mechanical resonators and varactors. The transmission line filter in accordance with the present invention utilizes a coaxial resonator, which obviates the need for microstrip line and strip line resonators, thus making the use of large ceramic substrates unnecessary. In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, switched capacitor arrays are used in place of the conventional varactors diode. As such, a microwave filter, suitable for VHF frequencies, is provided using relatively low cost off-the-shelf ceramic resonators which can be used to build a relatively low insertion loss high rejection band pass filter in the aviation band frequency range of 100 MHz to 200 MHz.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, a system and method for computing a location of an acoustic source is disclosed. The method includes steps of processing a plurality of microphone signals in frequency space to search a plurality of candidate acoustic source locations for a maximum normalized signal energy. The method uses phase-delay look-up tables to efficiently determine phase delays for a given frequency bin number k based upon a candidate source location and a microphone location, thereby reducing system memory requirements. Furthermore, the method compares a maximum signal energy for each frequency bin number k with a threshold energy Et(k) to improve accuracy in locating the acoustic source.

Abstract: A system and method for high resolution video conferencing is shown and described. A transmitting station and a receiving station including video cameras or sensors, a plurality of microphones and speakers, video, audio and communication processing engines are disclosed. Video is processed and transferred through the system allowing for multiple video streams to be produced and audio is processed and transferred through the system allowing for sound to be played back with an indication of position in relation to the videoconferencing system.

Abstract: A system and method for high resolution video conferencing is shown and described. A transmitting station and a receiving station including video cameras or sensors, a plurality of microphones and speakers, video, audio and communication processing engines are disclosed. Video is processed and transferred through the system allowing for multiple video streams to be produced and audio is processed and transferred through the system allowing for sound to be played back with an indication of position in relation to the videoconferencing system.