Abstract: A system and a method for automatically segmenting and merging routing domains within a network. The system includes one or more gateway devices and a plurality of nodes segmented into one or more routing domains. Each of said plurality of nodes maintains a single gateway device from among said plurality of gateway devices as the node's primary gateway at any time. Each of said gateway devices possesses a gateway color attribute. Each of said plurality of nodes maintains a node color attribute value whose value is derived from the value of said gateway color attribute of then node's primary gateway. Each node's routing domain is determined by the node's color attribute value.

Abstract: A system and a method for human interface to a vending machine are provided. The system includes sensing devices located in a vending machine that are capable of detecting user actions such as knocking, thumping or slapping on the vending machine. The system also includes similar sensing devices in interface devices possessed by the user. The signals generated in the sensing devices located in the vending machine and the sensing devices in interface devices are compared and matched according to several criteria in a server computer. Based upon a successful match, vending services are enabled and the user is charged to an account for the products dispensed.

Abstract: A system and a method for automatically segmenting and merging routing domains within a network. The system includes one or more gateway devices and a plurality of nodes segmented into one or more routing domains. Each of said plurality of nodes maintains a single gateway device from among said plurality of gateway devices as the node's primary gateway at any time. Each of said gateway devices possesses a gateway color attribute. Each of said plurality of nodes maintains a node color attribute value whose value is derived from the value of said gateway color attribute of then node's primary gateway. Each node's routing domain is determined by the node's color attribute value.

Abstract: An application software generator automatically generates an application software unit. The application software generator includes an application composer that combines components extracted from a component repository with an application framework to generate the application software unit. Each component in the component repository includes a component shell, a component interface and a component core. The application framework includes configurable parameters that determine how the application software unit is generated and operates. The configurable parameters can be entered by a user using a graphical user interface. The user can be assisted using a wizard format. The application framework also provides connectivity between components so that they can pass messages to one another. The connectivity can be, for example, by a message bus or event registry and event dispatch. Components themselves can be automatically generated using the application software generator.

Abstract: A Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) arrangement for use in those situations in which not all of the outputs are desired is controlled in such a fashion that at least those multiplications (and possibly those additions) are not performed which do not contribute toward the desired outputs. The technique is usable in those situations in which the desired output signals are noncontiguous, or are in noncontiguous bins. The technique includes signal preprocessing in which the indices are adjusted so that the index for a particular stage points to those butterflies of the previous stage which contribute toward its output. The FFT is performed on the indexed data. In one embodiment, a pipelined FFT processor is controlled in a corresponding manner.

Abstract: An adaptive intelligent radio module (IRM) is provided in an intelligent radio design for gateways between satellite and terrestrial networks. The intelligent radio module monitors channel signal quality at the channel units of the gateway to determine whether the quality of a channel unit is below a predetermined quality threshold. If the channel quality is greater than or equal to the predetermined quality threshold, then a standard channel unit is employed, and nominal algorithms are used to process the channel. However, if the channel quality is below the quality threshold, then a high performance channel unit is used that employs complex algorithms unique to the particular quality defect of the channel quality. Various additional functions can be performed at the receive side and the transmit side of the channel units monitored by the IRM. Further, the IRM can add or enhance existing algorithms in accordance with new technology.

Abstract: The present invention relates to burst mode digital communication systems where data transmission is preceded by a preamble for acquisition of carrier and clock synchronization using maximum likelihood (ML) principle. The preamble is sampled and the set of samples obtained is processed using the optimization algorithms of the present invention to provide the ML timing estimate. The optimization algorithms in the present invention consist of three parts. The first part deals with isolating the desired optimal estimate from non-optimal extremes satisfying the same necessary condition, and provides the initial conditions for activating the binary search schemes. The second part performs the binary search for the optimal timing estimate that guarantees the convergence. On the basis of the obtained iterative sequence, the last part constructs a more rapidly convergent sequence to obtain the ML symbol timing estimate.

Abstract: A Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) arrangement for use in those situations in which not all of the outputs are desired is controlled in such a fashion that at least those multiplications (and possibly those additions) are not performed which do not contribute toward the desired outputs. The technique is usable in those situations in which the desired output signals are noncontiguous, or are in noncontiguous bins. The technique ncludes signal preprocessing in which the indices are adjusted so that the index for a particular stage points to those butterflies of the previous tage which contribute toward its output. The FFT is performed on the indexed data. In one embodiment, a pipelined FFT processor is controlledin a corresponding manner.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method to achieve frame synchronization from a received data sequence before the carrier phase and frequency offset recovery for any MPSK modulated signals on the basis of maximum likelihood theory. Two overhead configurations are considered in developing the frame synchronization algorithms. One overhead configuration consists of a unique word followed by a preamble, and the other consists of unique word only. For the first overhead, the frame synchronization can be decoupled from carrier recovery because the preamble following the unique word is a known sequence pattern. In this case, the maximum-likelihood frame synchronization rule is simply a complex correlation. In second overhead, the unique word is immediately followed by random traffic data and thus the coupling effects are generated between frame synchronization and carrier recovery. These coupling effects are not dominant, however, and may be neglected in actual practice.

Abstract: The present invention relates to burst mode digital communication systems where data transmission is preceded by a preamble for acquisition of carrier and clock synchronization using maximum likelihood (ML) principle. The preamble is sampled and the set of samples obtained is processed using the optimization algorithms of the present invention to provide the ML timing estimate. The optimization algorithms in the present invention consist of three parts. The first part deals with isolating the desired optimal estimate from non-optimal extremes satisfying the same necessary condition, and provides the initial conditions for activating the binary search schemes. The second part performs the binary search for the optimal timing estimate that guarantees the convergence. On the basis of the obtained iterative sequence, the last part constructs a more rapidly convergent sequence to obtain the ML symbol timing estimate.

Abstract: An automatic, integrated utility usage monitoring, management, billing and payment system is described. Meter reading devices are spread over a geographical area and transmit usage data to a control device which communicates such data to a service device by means of a global communications network.