Abstract: A method and apparatus for preventing inter-set miscommunication while maintaining robust signalling in a noisy environment includes providing a controller and a set of devices, the set of devices having a unique set ID and communicating with said controller. The set of devices communicates with said controller by transmitting and receiving messages to and from the controller respectively via an electrically noisy transmission medium. The messages include: (a) inquiries from the controller to the set of devices inquiring as to whether each device either doesn't need attention or does need attention from the controller; and, (b) responses to the controller from each device as to whether each device needs attention or doesn't need the attention of controller. Each device transmits its own responses, once and in a “look-back” embodiment repeatedly receives the responses of other devices and stores those responses of the other devices in a look-back record in its message.

Abstract: A method for non-orthogonal frequency division multiplexed communication through a non-linear transmission medium includes the steps of selecting at least one desired bandwidth, selecting a non-orthogonal pair of base frequencies within a first bandwidth of the at least one desired bandwidth, identifying where primary intermodulation products formed as a result of signal transmission on the pair of base frequencies fall within the first bandwidth. The method may also include the step of selecting a plurality of non-orthogonal interleaved frequencies adjacent at least one of the pair of base frequencies so as to be interleaved between the primary intermodulation products to form a frequency cluster which includes the at least one of the pair of base frequencies and the interleaved frequencies.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus and method for consolidating received messages from a plurality of devices. Each of the received messages has a condition portion representing at least one condition being reported by at least one of said plurality of devices. The apparatus comprises a receiver, a processor, and a transmitter. The method comprises receiving at least one received message from the plurality of devices, selecting at least one transmit condition from the at least one conditions being reported by the plurality of devices, and transmitting a transmit message having a transmit condition portion and a transmit identifier portion. The transmit condition portion is selected so as to optimize the length of the transmit identifier portion.

Abstract: An improved zero crossing circuit includes a signal output circuit element for registering a sharply defined signal, and in one embodiment an isolation circuit element cooperating with the signal output element, and a delay-inducing circuit element cooperating with the signal output element for applying a substantially constant time delay to the signal. In particular, the delay-inducing element includes a switch circuit and a delay circuit. The switch circuit commences the time delay by the delay circuit upon a triggering voltage being reached. The time delay circuit is adapted so that the time delay equates to a time period required for the triggering voltage to change to zero so as to cross zero voltage substantially as the time delay expires.

Abstract: A method for non-orthogonal frequency division multiplexed communication through a non-linear transmission medium includes the steps of selecting at least one desired bandwidth, selecting a non-orthogonal pair of base frequencies within a first bandwidth of the at least one desired bandwidth, identifying where primary intermodulation products formed as a result of signal transmission on the pair of base frequencies fall within the first bandwidth. The method may also include the step of selecting a plurality of non-orthogonal interleaved frequencies adjacent at least one of the pair of base frequencies so as to be interleaved between the primary intermodulation products to form a frequency cluster which includes the at least one of the pair of base frequencies and the interleaved frequencies.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of controlling communication between a plurality of devices having a plurality of routing paths between the plurality of devices. The method comprises measuring quality of communication between each of the plurality of devices and recording communication values representing the quality of communication with an associated repeating time value. The method further comprises selecting a current time value corresponding to a desired time period according to a selection criteria and selecting a routing path having an optimized communication value corresponding to the current time value. The communication values may be determined by utilizing a plurality of quality of service indicators including quality of service amplitude, quality of service signal quality and quality of service reported. The communication values may be used to distribute functions from the master device to a designated slave device in response to a triggering event.

Abstract: A method of communication in an environment having repetitive noise where the signal bit rate of the incoming signal is substantially an integer multiple of the half-wave frequency of the alternating current wave form, the method including the steps of: in a receiver, de-modulating an incoming signal containing signal bits by taking digital samples of the incoming signal so as to demodulate the incoming signal into separate x and y channels, the x and y channels approximating respectively, a co-sine and sine wave, summing consecutive groups of the samples from the x and y channels so as to determine corresponding x and y channel points, wherein each group of the consecutive groups contains substantially the same number of the samples, within the receiver, defining at least first and second demi-bits wherein each demi-bit of the first and second demi-bits is of the same length and wherein the first and second demi-bits together, or integer multiples of the first and second demi-bits together, are the same leng

Abstract: In summary, the spread spectrum direct sequence communication system of the present invention has a plurality of transmitters for uni-directionally simultaneously transmitting, through a transmission medium to a single receiver, a plurality of data streams. Each transmitter transmits a single data stream. Each data stream comprises a plurality of direct sequence data packets. Each transmitter has a data collector, a data formatter, a transmission device, a transmission interface, and a power supply.