Abstract: A method of manufacturing ceramic tape includes a step of directing a tape of partially-sintered ceramic into a furnace. The tape is partially-sintered such that grains of the ceramic are fused to one another yet the tape still includes at least 10% porosity by volume, where the porosity refers to volume of the tape unoccupied by the ceramic. The method further includes steps of conveying the tape through the furnace and further sintering the tape as the tape is conveyed through the furnace. The porosity of the tape decreases during the further sintering step.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided that dynamically allocates processor resources to data transfer-related operations, minimizing the processor resources used for data transfer-related operations and maximizing the processor resources available for other applications. The apparatus comprises a communication device (104), comprising a processing unit (204) and a complexity controller (206), which communication device (104) is capable of executing multiple data transfer-related operations and is highly configurable. The complexity controller (206) monitors a condition of a communication channel (102) and determines the best configuration of communication device (104) in regard to processor resource utilization to meet a given Quality of Service requirement for the condition of channel (102) and to maximize the processor resources available for other applications, such as data terminal equipment user applications (108) or signal processing by other communication devices using the same host processor.

Abstract: In a PCM modem system, a method and apparatus for optimizing the fractional sampling phase offset in the upstream direction to maximize the upstream data rate utilizes a probing signal from the analog modem generated during startup and having at least two distinct phases of a pure tone, with the probing signal being detected at the digital modem where an optimum sampling phase value is calculated. From this calculated value, a signal representing the appropriate amount to delay the input data stream is transmitted back to the analog modem for adjustment of the fractional sampling phase so that the fractional sampling phase offset at the central office quantizer is optimized.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided that dynamically allocates processor resources to data transfer-related operations, minimizing the processor resources used for data transfer-related operations and maximizing the processor resources available for other applications. The apparatus comprises a communication device (104), comprising a processing unit (204) and a complexity controller (206), which communication device (104) is capable of executing multiple data transfer-related operations and is highly configurable. The complexity controller (206) monitors a condition of a communication channel (102) and determines the best configuration of communication device (104) in regard to processor resource utilization to meet a given Quality of Service requirement for the condition of channel (102) and to maximize the processor resources available for other applications, such as data terminal equipment user applications (108) or signal processing by other communication devices using the same host processor.

Abstract: A system, device, and method for evaluating dynamic range in a communication system utilizes a narrow band multiple tone test signal for emulating a wide band composite signal equivalent to the symbol rate bandwidth of a digitally modulated carrier. The multiple tone test signal is constructed such that a significant portion of the third order intermodulation distortion products fall within the channels adjacent to the test channel so that the dynamic range can be evaluated with a commercially available industry standard CATV analyzer using a standard adjacent channel power measurement technique.

Abstract: An apparatus, software modem, and method for a data communications device, such as a modem (100, 101), to determine a symbol rate and carrier frequency, from a received probe signal, for optimizing a bit rate for data transmission and reception. The various embodiments utilizing a processor (108) or a digital signal processor (106) receive a probe signal, which also typically contains noise and other distortions, particularly envelope delay distortion. The various method and apparatus embodiments then determine a variance of the envelope delay distortion, either directly or indirectly as a correlate of attenuation distortion or as a correlate of a selected transmit pre-emphasis filter specified under the ITU V.34 protocol. The variance of the envelope delay distortion is then utilized to eliminate or disable certain symbol rates and corresponding carrier frequencies in the determination of an optimal symbol rate and carrier frequency for data transmission and reception.

Abstract: The present method (200,300, 400) and device (500, 600, 700) modify phase two of the format set forth in the V.34 Recommendation of the International Telecommunication Union-Telecommunication Standardization Sector to prevent premature disconnection of calls between a call modem and an answer modem. The method and device efficiently ensure connection of the call for high speed data transmission over voiceband channels, by modification of one of: a phase preliminary to phase one and phase two. One implementation, in the answer modem, includes transmitting a signal having first information, followed by a Signal S comprising of aguard tone and a signal S1, wherein an energy of a predetermined guard tone is greater than an energy of a predetermined range of frequencies of the Signal S1; and continuing transmitting and receiving in accordance with the modified V.34 operation.