Abstract: Method to make a splice in a laid rope construction containing at least two strands includes splitting one end of the laid rope into a first part having a first number of strands and a second part having a second number of strands, then tucking the first part of the first rope from a first direction into an opening in the laid rope, and thereafter tucking the second part into the opening from an opposite direction. The first and second parts are tucked at least 3 times into additional openings being separated from one another such that the first part and the second part cross over at least once all the strands of the laid rope and leave the second rope at the last opening.

Abstract: Real time digitization of handwritten text and integration of digital recordation of handwritten text with traditional paper-based record making systems is achieved with a recording unit which may record a sequential data stream of strokes and associated events. The data stream may be stored in the apparatus and processed in accordance with various applications. Recordation of handwritten strokes may be accompanied by automatic detection and recordation of predefined events, and by user invoked generation of events. Recorded handwritten text may be processed to produce character strings or image data for text recorded in conjunction with predefined events.

Abstract: Rate management in adaptive data rate wireless communication systems in which communicating stations move with respect to one another implements algorithms for calculation of the repetition rate. A rate management module is used for selecting a proper value of repetition rate to be communicated back to sending station and for a selecting proper value of repetition rate to encode the data at the sending station. The repetition rate calculation procedure enables each station to dynamically calculate the optimum rate with which each station should be receiving information from another station. The repetition rate calculation procedures take into consideration past and present measurements of the link quality, age of the link quality measurements, speed of change in the link quality, packet types, packet lengths, received signal strength, and pattern and correlation in the link quality measurements. The rate management module utilizes one or more tables which are accessible from either hardware or software.

Abstract: A gateway enables point to multipoint connectivity from voice, data, or SVD clients over voice and data networks. The gateway connects one or more known voice networks (e.g. telephone networks) and one or more data networks (e.g. LANs, WANs, and internet) so that clients on either network may access any of the networks via various devices like analog telephones, data modems, SVD modems, or direct data network connections (e.g., ethernet, token ring). The gateway has connections to both the data network(s) as well as the voice network(s). The gateway is capable of splitting a signal with both voice and data streams and routing either and/or both of these streams over the voice network alone, the data network, or both. A process, executing on the gateway enables the gateway to establish connections on gateway paths and to control and direct a flow of voice and data information between the destinations on these networks.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for interfacing a wired communications network (12) to a wireless communications network (13). Both networks operate with a CSMA protocol. An interface unit (16) includes circuitry (28) for bidirectionally interfacing to the wired medium for transmitting messages thereto and for receiving messages therefrom. The interface unit also includes circuitry (29, 22, 24, 26) for bidirectionally interfacing to the wireless medium for transmitting messages thereto and for receiving messages therefrom. The interface unit further includes logic (28) for bidirectionally routing messages received from the wired medium to the wireless medium and for routing messages received from the wireless medium to the wired medium. A further feature of the interface unit is a collision detector (30), responsive to the reception of a rebroadcast wireless transmission, for comparing the transmitted message to the received rebroadcast message to determine if a collision has occurred.

Abstract: The throughput of a Request-to-Send and Clear-to-Send (RTS/CTS) based distributed media access control protocol is improved by reserving the medium in a hierarchical fashion. The shared medium is reserved for two stations called the participants. During the reserved period, a master (or primary) attribute and a slave (or secondary) attribute are given to the participants and the medium is shared between them using any suitable coordination algorithm. During the reserved time, the secondary can signal the primary station that it has data to send to the primary station and request that the primary and secondary roles or attributes be exchanged. In the case that a role exchange takes place, control of the medium is transferred from one station to another and data transfer in an opposite direction can take place without requiring another reservation.

Abstract: In a wireless multi-rate communications system, a method for extending the range of communications in the system by dividing the physical layer frame into two portions: a robust header portion and a body, where the repetition rate of the data symbols in the header portion is greater than or equal to the repetition rate of the data symbols in the body of the frame. In this way the header can be received and decoded by all stations in the system with a high probability, while the body of the frame need only be received and decoded by the destination station to which the body of the frame is intended to be received and decoded.

Abstract: An apparatus for receiving ferromagnetic container lids from a first processing unit and for advancing the lids to a second processing unit includes a storage track having first and second magnet assemblies extending parallel to the length dimension of the storage track. The magnet assemblies have a clearance from one another corresponding to an expected outer diameter of the lids for accommodating the lids in the clearance in an orientation in which the lid plane is perpendicular to the length dimension of the storage track. The lids are adapted to be suspended in the clearance by magnetic forces generated by the first and second magnet assemblies. First and second abutments are provided at opposite ends of the storage track and can be abutted by outermost lids suspended in the clearance. A supply conveyor extends to the storage track for introducing the lids in a vertical direction into the storage track; and a removal conveyor extends from the storage track for removing a lid therefrom.