Patents Issued in April 20, 2004
  • Patent number: 6724782
    Abstract: A femtosecond laser-electron X-ray source. A high-brightness relativistic electron injector produces an electron beam pulse train. A system accelerates the electron beam pulse train. The femtosecond laser-electron X-ray source includes a high intra-cavity power, mode-locked laser and an x-ray optics system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Frederic V. Hartemann, Hector A. Baldis, Chris P. J. Barty, David J. Gibson, Bernhard Rupp
  • Patent number: 6724783
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for synthesizing waveforms with arbitrary amplitude, frequency, and phase modulation. Pulses from a broadband (supercontinuum) optical source are filtered into a plurality of wavelength channels, and the intensity of each wavelength channel is adjusted to an appropriate level depending on the desired shape of the envelope of the output pulse. The envelope of the sampling wavelength channels can be stretched, compressed, or inverted in the time domain later using a dispersive medium. After time domain manipulation, the optical pulse train is observed with a combination of high-speed photodetectors and a radio frequency low-pass filter, a low-speed photodetector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Bahram Jalali, Parag V. Kelkar
  • Patent number: 6724784
    Abstract: The present invention provides an optical filter module. In one embodiment, the wavelength locker module includes an optical interferometer or filter, such as an etalon. In addition, the wavelength locker module also includes an electrically nonconductive material having a high thermal conductivity substantially surrounding the etalon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Agere Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Ling Cheng, Kaushal Verma, Mark Meyers, Mark A. Eshelman, Richard B. Bylsma
  • Patent number: 6724785
    Abstract: A tunable optical cavity constructed from a fixed mirror and a movable mirror. The fixed mirror is attached to a substrate having a first electrically conducting surface. A support member having the moveable mirror supported thereon and having a second electrically conducting surface, is suspended above the substrate. A circuit applies an electrical potential between the first and second electrically conducting surfaces thereby adjusting the distance between the fixed and movable mirrors. The fixed mirror and the moveable mirror are positioned such that the mirrors form the opposite ends of the optical cavity. The distance between the fixed mirror and the moveable mirror is a function of the applied electrical potential. The support member has physical dimensions that are chosen such that the amplitude of thermally induced vibrations in the support member are less than 0.01 percent of the wavelength of the resonating light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Rodney S. Tucker, Wayne V. Sorin, Douglas M. Baney, Curt A. Flory
  • Patent number: 6724786
    Abstract: A system and method for automatically attenuating optical signals transmitted in optical systems. The system and method exploits a wavelength-locked loop servo-control circuit and methodology that enables real time mutual alignment of the center wavelength of an optical signal having a peaked spectrum function and transmitted through the optical system, and a center wavelength of a wavelength selective device such as an optical filter element implementing a peaked passband function. The wavelength-locked loop servo-control circuit and methodology particularly is capable of real-time aligning the center wavelength of an optical signal in a range between maximum overlap with the center wavelength of the peaked passband function of the optical filter for maximum transfer of output optical signal by the filter element and minimum overlap with the peaked passband function of the optical filter so that output optical signal may be attenuated in the optical system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Lawrence Jacobowitz, Casimer Maurice DeCusatis
  • Patent number: 6724787
    Abstract: A low noise laser includes a birefringent gain crystal arranged so that polarization is not constant within the gain crystal. The gain crystal and an intracavity optical element each have a nonzero polarization retardance. The total single-pass retardance is approximately equal to an odd multiple of one-half wave; for example each may provide one quarter wave retardance. In one embodiment the optical element comprises a nonlinear crystal situated within the laser cavity for Type II frequency doubling. The principal crystal axis of the gain crystal is offset from the principal axis of the nonlinear crystal at an offset angle for example about 45°. In one embodiment a gain crystal and frequency-doubling crystal are coupled together to form a monolithic laser component. An alternative embodiment is described in which the optical element comprises a quarter-wave plate and the laser output includes substantially two linear polarizations at the fundamental wavelength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Melles Griot, Inc.
    Inventors: Bernard P. Masterson, Henrik Hofvander
  • Patent number: 6724788
    Abstract: A method for generating radiation with stabilized frequency, comprises the steps of providing laser light pulses with a repetition frequency fR, said pulses comprising a plurality of N frequency components fn with fn=n fR+f0, wherein f0 represents an offset frequency with n=1 , . . . , N, said frequency components forming a comb with first and second different frequency portions, and generating a primary light output with at least one output frequency component corresponding to the difference of frequencies of said first and second frequency portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Max-Planck-Gesellschaft zur Forderung der Wissenschaften e.V.
    Inventors: Ronald Holzwarth, Theodor W. Hänsch
  • Patent number: 6724789
    Abstract: An optical light source for use in wavelength division multiplexed and dense wavelength division multiplexed systems may include a reference gas contained by a hermetically sealed enclosure which also protects a plurality of light generating structures. A frequency grid generator, typically in the form of an optical etalon, can be frequency referenced to an absolute reference point provided by the reference gas. An electronic feedback control system acts upon injection current to keep the laser frequency coincident with that of the referencing structure. An active, feedback based, thermal management systems provides control of the laser frequency ranges and etalon operating point. Electronic control over a number of separate lasers (and the grid) may be effected using a multiplexed digital controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: SRI International
    Inventor: Pajo Vujkovic-Cvijin
  • Patent number: 6724790
    Abstract: A tunable external cavity laser apparatus and method of laser operation. The apparatus includes a gain medium having first and second facets defining a facet laser cavity in which a first portion of light is internally reflected to produce a first lasing condition having a first reflection phase. A reflective element is positioned opposite the second facet of the gain medium, forming an external laser cavity defined by the first facet and reflective element. A second portion of light is internally reflected within the external cavity to produce a second lasing condition having a second reflection phase. A phase adjustment means is employed to adjust the first reflection phase relative to the second reflection phase so as to control a characteristic of the output beam emitted from the apparatus, such as the power output level of the beam. In one aspect, the relative phase is adjusted by controlling the temperature of the gain medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew Daiber, Jiann-Chang Lo, Paul Chi-Hwa Lin
  • Patent number: 6724791
    Abstract: A semiconductor laser diode for transmitting optical signals in a telecommunications network is housed within a module supported adjacent to a thermoelectric cooling element that is mounted in thermally conductive contact with a heat sink. The cooling element is positioned externally on the surface of the module. The adjacent surface areas of the module and the cooling element are brought into thermal conductivity by a thermally conductive filler occupying the space between the module and the cooling element. The filler conforms to the configuration of the adjacent surfaces of the module and the cooling element to increase the thermal conductivity therebetween for maximum efficiency in the transfer of heat from the laser diode through the module to the cooling element and the heat sink.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: C-COR.net Corp.
    Inventors: Joseph F. Chiappetta, James Jamra
  • Patent number: 6724792
    Abstract: The laser diode arrays with removable linear laser diode bars and the methods of removing and replacing linear laser diode bars of the present invention provide easy and immediate removal of individual linear laser diode bars in laser diode arrays. The laser diode array is at least partially made of a plurality of removable linear laser diode bars and a plurality of spacers, such that each removable linear laser diode bar is disposed between a respective pair of spacers. A linear laser diode bar may be slideably removed from between the respective pair of spacers in the laser diode array without breaking any mechanical connection between the removable linear laser diode bar and the respective pair of spacers. A replacement linear laser diode bar may then be slideably inserted between the respective pair of spacers without forming a mechanical connection between the replacement linear laser diode bar and the spacers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Robert Rex Rice
  • Patent number: 6724793
    Abstract: A laser diode drive circuit for an optical disc recording and/or reproducing apparatus includes a plurality of laser diodes to output laser beams having different wavelengths, a switch circuit for selectively connecting a required laser diode from a plurality of laser diodes, a laser diode drive power supply circuit for driving the laser diode selectively connected by the switch circuit, a photodiode for detecting at least part of laser beams emitted from the laser diode to convert a detected part of laser beams into an electrical signal, a plurality of current-to-voltage conversion amplifiers connected to an output of the photodiode and whose conversion resistance values can be adjusted and having differently designed center conversion resistance values and an automatic power control circuit connected to outputs of the current-to-voltage conversion amplifiers to output a feedback signal to the laser diode drive power supply circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Toru Nagara
  • Patent number: 6724794
    Abstract: A method of integrating a chip with a topside active optical chip is described. The topside active optical chip has at least one optical laser device, having an active side including an optically active region, a laser cavity having a height, an optically inactive region, a bonding side opposite the active side, and a device thickness. The method involves bonding the optical chip to the electronic chip; applying a substrate to the active side, the substrate having a substrate thickness over the active region in the range of between a first amount and a second amount, and applying an anti-reflection without a special patterning or distinguishing between the at least one optical laser device and any other device. A hybrid electro-optical chip is also described as having an electronic chip; and a topside active optical chip. The hybrid electro-optical chip having been created by one of the methods herein. A module is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Xanoptix, Inc.
    Inventors: Greg Dudoff, John Trezza
  • Patent number: 6724795
    Abstract: A semiconductor laser adapted for telecommunications applications. The opitical mode delivered by the laser has a high power output beam and a narrow far field, thus, enabling efficient coupling of the laser into small numerical aperture optical fibers. The laser is made up of a semiconductor heterostructure and one or more optical trap layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Bookham Technology, PLC
    Inventor: Benoit Reid
  • Patent number: 6724796
    Abstract: An optical device has at least one reflector disposed in an optical cavity. The reflector has a plurality of mirror pairs each comprising a pair of layers, each layer of each mirror pair having an index of refraction different than that of the other layer of the respective mirror pair. A tuning layer is disposed in the reflector, the tuning layer having an index of refraction different from that of the layers of the mirror pairs. In another embodiment, the reflector has first and second adjacent reflector sections, each reflector section having a respective plurality of mirror pairs where the difference in refractive index of a mirror pair's layers defines a refractive index contrast for the mirror pair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Applied Optoelectronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Wen-Yen Hwang, Klaus Alexander Anselm
  • Patent number: 6724797
    Abstract: A laser apparatus wherein a gain medium and an optical output assembly are mounted on a common, thermally conductive substrate which provides selective thermal control of the gain medium and output components on the substrate while avoiding unnecessary thermal control of other laser components, and methods for selectively cooling a gain medium and output components of a laser apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventor: Andrew Daiber
  • Patent number: 6724798
    Abstract: The invention includes both devices and methods of production. A device in accordance with the invention includes a top surface and a bottom surface, a through wafer via extending from the top surface to the bottom surface, an optoelectronic structure and an ion implanted isolation moat, wherein the optoelectronic structure and the through wafer via are enclosed within the isolation moat. A method in accordance with the invention is a method of producing a device that includes the steps of forming an optoelectronic structure, forming a through wafer via, extending from a top surface to a bottom surface of the device and forming an ion implanted isolation moat, wherein the through wafer via and the optoelectronic structure are enclosed by the isolation moat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Yue Liu, Klein L. Johnson, Steven M. Baier
  • Patent number: 6724799
    Abstract: A wavelength tunable laser light source necessary for a Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM)-based optical communication system, and more particularly, a wavelength tunable laser light source for maintaining a stable wavelength without a wavelength locker is provided. The wavelength tunable laser includes an optical fiber and a semiconductor device. The optical fiber can implement multiple reflection peaks. The semiconductor device includes a mode size converter section, a gain section and a DBR mirror section. One facet of the semiconductor device, which is adjacent to the optical fiber, has an antireflection coating layer. Therefore, the wavelength tunable laser based on an optical fiber containing multiple reflection peaks can maintain excellent wavelength stability insensitive to current injection, temperature, and environments without a wavelength locker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
    Inventors: Sang-wan Ryu, Je-ha Kim
  • Patent number: 6724800
    Abstract: A wavelength monitor capable of obtaining an optical detection signal of high quality is proposed. In the wavelength monitor, a light incident surface of an optical filter is disposed with an inclination relative to the light incident direction. With this arrangement, it is possible to make the route of a reflection light that has been reflected from the light incident surface of the optical filter deviate large from the route of an incident light that has been incident to the optical filter. Consequently, the reflected light is prevented from being incident to a semiconductor laser device or optical detectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: The Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideyuki Nasu, Takehiko Nomura, Tomohiro Takagi, Mizuki Oike
  • Patent number: 6724801
    Abstract: A method and system enables communications between a switched telephone network and a wireless network comprising a plurality of Mobile Switching Centers (MSCs). Each MSC is connected by respective interfaces to a broadband packet network used for the transfer of bearer traffic between the MSCs, and controls wireless communications with a respective plurality of wireless transceivers. The switched telephone network and the wireless network are interconnected by at least one media gateway for conveying bearer traffic between the switched telephone network and the broadband packet network. The system comprises a location register and a call manager. The location register is adapted to store, in respect of each wireless transceiver, information identifying a respective current MSC controlling communications with the wireless transceiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited
    Inventor: Dany D. Sylvain
  • Patent number: 6724802
    Abstract: A system for supporting and cooling a furnace roof comprised of refractory bricks comprises a plurality of roof support members extending across the furnace and being supported from above the furnace roof. The support members are provided with internal channels for circulation of a cooling fluid, and are provided with side surfaces adapted to support rows or refractory bricks between adjacent roof support members. The system eliminates the need to suspend individual bricks from above the roof, and provides simultaneous support and cooling of the roof structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Hatch Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenneth M. Donaldson, Bert O. Wasmund, Ken T. Hutchinson, Nils W. Voermann, Brett T. Emery
  • Patent number: 6724803
    Abstract: An induction furnace capable of operation at temperatures of over 3100° C. has a cooling assembly (60), which is selectively mounted to an upper end of the furnace wall (76). The cooling assembly includes a dome and a lifting mechanism (80), mounted to the dome, which raises a cap (16) of the furnace slightly, allowing hot gases from the hot zone to mix with cooler gas in the dome.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: UCAR Carbon Company Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas J. Miller, Werner H. Ruoff, Allan Webster Intermill, Thomas R. Thoman, Richard L. Shao, Stephen L. Strong
  • Patent number: 6724804
    Abstract: In a frequency converter, a phase-locked loop generates a local-oscillation signal having a low frequency, of a plurality of local-oscillation signals having different frequencies, based on an intermediate frequency beacon signal that results from mixing a predetermined beacon signal with the local-oscillation frequency signal. Even if the phase-locked loop is used to generate the low frequency local-oscillation signal only, a frequency offset and a phase noise taking place in remaining high frequency local-oscillation signals are compensated for or canceled out. The frequency converter thus results in a high frequency accuracy. This arrangement reduces the number of bulky, costly and power-consuming phase-locked oscillators, typically used in the quasi millimeter band or the millimeter band. A simplified, compact frequency converter is thus provided, reducing both installation and operating costs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho
    Inventors: Koyo Kegasa, Chitaka Manabe, Takuya Kusaka, Yuichiro Goto, Koji Inoue
  • Patent number: 6724805
    Abstract: Nonlinear dynamic systems for generating and acquiring a spread spectrum signal pseudo-random noise (PN) signal are disclosed. An actuating signal is delayed by a first and second period to produce delayed actuating signals. A continuous, nonlinear function is applied to input that corresponds to the delayed actuating signals to produce an output signal. The function has values that correspond to the binary integer values of the mod 2 addition function of a linear feedback shift register, and a non-zero slope at those values. The output signal becomes a PN signal over time when it is fed back to the actuating signal. The output signal synchronizes with a spread spectrum reference input signal when it is superposed on the reference input signal to produce the actuating signal. The system may be incorporated into a transmitter or a receiver, either of which may be part of a larger communication system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventor: Benjamin Vigoda
  • Patent number: 6724806
    Abstract: A transmission method for implementing variable rate transmission. Part of the baseband processing of a transmitter based on a CDMA transmission scheme is described. A transmitted information sequence in the form of a digital signal is phase modulated by a phase modulator 105. An orthogonal code generator 101 selects, in response to rate information of the transmitted signal, the orthogonal code to be generated. The bit rate of the orthogonal code the orthogonal code generator 101 generates is double the maximum transmission rate. The modulated transmitted signal is multiplied by the orthogonal code corresponding to the rate information with a multiplier 103. The transmitted signal, which is multiplied by the orthogonal code corresponding to the rate information, is further multiplied by a spreading code sequence with a multiplier 104 to be spread into a CDMA signal, and is transmitted under power transmission control based on the rate information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: NTT Mobile Communications Network, Inc.
    Inventors: Yukihiko Okumura, Fumiyuki Adachi
  • Patent number: 6724807
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for processing Satellite Positioning System (SPS) signals. In one exemplary method, a first set of frequency coefficients, which corresponds to a first Doppler frequency of an SPS signal, is determined, and said SPS signal is processed in a matched filter with the first set of frequency coefficients during a first window of time. A second set of frequency coefficients, which corresponds to a second Doppler frequency of the SPS signal, is determined, and the SPS signal is processed in the matched filter with the second set of frequency coefficients during a second window of time, where the first and second windows of time occur within a period of time which is not greater than one SPS frame period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Snaptrack Inc.
    Inventors: Norman F. Krasner, Paul Conflitti
  • Patent number: 6724808
    Abstract: A transmission power control method of measuring an Eb/N0 after weighted signals are combined is disclosed. A plurality of rake receivers detect respective received signals for respective paths, delay demodulated data which are the detection result based on a set delay time, and then combine and output the demodulated data. A multipath searcher acquires reception delay information which is information on a delay time among the respective paths contained in the received signals. A rake receiver control unit sets the delay times for the rake receivers based on the reception delay information acquired by the multipath searcher. A plurality of first weighting units weight the demodulated data output from the respective rake receivers. A first combining unit combines the signals weighted by the first weighting units into one signal. An Eb/N0 measuring unit measures an Eb/N0 of the demodulated data combined by the first combining unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Manabu Ohshima
  • Patent number: 6724809
    Abstract: A parallel interference cancellation receiver that reduces impulse response interference using a model of the received signal similar to that used in block linear equalizers. Block linear equalizers comprise decorrelating receivers, zero-forcing receivers, minimum mean square error receivers and the like. The invention comprises an interference computation processor feedback loop for correcting the output of a direct interference canceller. The m iterative process removes interferers from the output symbols of a matched-filter. The PIC receiver uses received signal models of the various block linear equalizers that do not assume that each subchannel consists of several distinct paths. The receiver estimates the impulse response characteristic of each subchannel as a whole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: InterDigital Technology Corporation
    Inventor: Alexander Reznik
  • Patent number: 6724810
    Abstract: A correlation circuit arrangement for de-spreading spread spectrum signals. In various embodiments, the correlation circuit arrangement includes an adder-subtractor and a shift register arrangement. The adder-subtractor adds an input sample value to or subtracts the sample value from an accumulated correlation value, responsive to an input PN code. The adder-subtractor is time-multiplexed between one or more PN code generators and correlation values are accumulated in the shift register arrangement. In another embodiment, transmission path delay can be analyzed by using the shift register arrangement to store correlation values that result from delaying the PN code across multiple chip periods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Xilinx, Inc.
    Inventor: Kenneth D. Chapman
  • Patent number: 6724811
    Abstract: A terrestrial C/A code GPS receiver system digitally samples, filters and stores a segment of 11 half chips of the received composite as a binary number and multiplexes this number for parallel correlation with each of a series of multibit code replicas for the satellites to be tracked. Each of the time delay specific correlation products are accumulated in a cell of a memory matrix so that at least twenty two delays for each satellite may be evaluated each code period providing fast reacquisition, even within a city intersection, as well as correction of multipath tracking and multipath interference. All cells of the memory matrix may be used for an acquisition of a single satellite in about 4 ms. Two satellite tracking, in addition to altitude hold, uses cross track hold alternating with clock hold to update the cross track estimate. Single satellite tracking uses cross track and clock hold together. Navigation data is updated with detected changes in motion including turns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: SiRF Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Sanjai Kohli, Steven Chen, Charles R. Cahn, Mangesh Chansarkar, Greg Turetsky
  • Patent number: 6724812
    Abstract: A matched filter has a circuit calculating an exclusive-OR of two input data, a circuit calculating an exclusive-OR of two codes corresponding to the two input data, respectively, and a correlation processor. The correlation processor, using the exclusive-OR of the two input data, one of the two input data, the exclusive-OR of the two codes, and the code corresponding to one of the two input data, calculates a correlation value of the two input data and the two codes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinji Toyoyama, Yuichi Sato
  • Patent number: 6724813
    Abstract: In a communications system, communications resources are allocated in a dynamic, “as needed” fashion. No explicit signaling is needed to exchange information pertaining specifically to an allocated communications resource. Instead, resources are implicitly allocated by using one or more parameters known to both the radio access network and mobile station that are more or less unique to the mobile station. Such parameters are used to generate or address a communications resource for use by the mobile station. The parameters might, for example, be information readily acquired or communicated as a result of a synchronization procedure, a mobile station registration procedure, a mobile station access procedure, a paging procedure, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ)
    Inventors: Karim Jamal, Paul P. Butovitsch, Erik B. L. Dahlman, Riaz Esmailzadeh, Per Willars
  • Patent number: 6724814
    Abstract: A Digital Impairment detection scheme which is designed for providing reliable estimate of digital impairments such as PAD, and CODEC type in the presence of digital impairments such as Robbed Bit Signalling and non G.711 complaint network CODECs and analog impairments such as IMD, noise and changing line conditions. This estimate is used to derive optimum transmit symbol constellations for a modem connected digitally to a trunk so as to maximize its data transmission rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffrey Allan Green, Vedavalli Gomatam Krishnan
  • Patent number: 6724815
    Abstract: A method is provided for improving the data throughput of a communication system (100) operating under different radio propagation conditions and with radio equipment with different training data requirements. The data rate is increased by optimising the training data structure (205) for the individual radio channel (105) rather than globally employing a worst case training data structure(205). The invention is applicable to the GSM cellular communication system where increased data rate is achieved by setting up links with midamble (205) replaced by user data (203) when allowed by the propagation conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Rene Jepsen, Behzad Mohebbi, Howard Benn
  • Patent number: 6724816
    Abstract: An apparatus for receiving motion pictures is disclosed. The present invention reduces an external memory in an MPEG-2 decoding chip, which is a standard device in the field of digital video transmission. Particularly, a data processing structure is disclosed for compressing video-decoded data in an ADPCM method and storing the same in an external memory so as to ease compensation for motion in a macro-block unit of the MPEG-2 standard device as well as to maintain motion pictures of high definition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Eung Tae Kim, Jin Gyeong Kim, Seung Jong Choi
  • Patent number: 6724817
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus for compressing an image data signal. The apparatus includes a compression control module arranged to eliminate frequency components produced from the image data signal which have a magnitude less than a threshold value. The apparatus compares the volume of the compressed image data signal with a target volume and selects to increase or decrease the applied compression level depending on the outcome of the comparison. The compression level is increased by increasing the threshold value and deacreased by decreasing the threshold value. The compression level, or ratio, is thus adaptable in real-time in order to meet a target volume for the compressed image. This is particularly advantageous in applications where, for example, the compressed image signal is to be transmitted over a fixed bandwidth link. The method and apparatus of the invention are particularly suitable for use in the implementation of the JPEG basline image compression standard.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Amphion Semiconductor Limited
    Inventors: Thomas Albert Simpson, Yi Hu
  • Patent number: 6724818
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for maximizing the prediction utility of previously encoded macroblocks by adjusting the scanning order of the blocks within a macroblock to be encoded is disclosed. Where no previously encoded blocks are available above the macroblock being encoded, the alternative scanning orders allow for maximum utility of previously encoded blocks located to the left of the macroblock being encoded. Where no previously encoded blocks are available either above or to the left of the macroblock being encoded, the alternative scanning orders allow for maximum utility of information from blocks that are presently being encoded in the same macroblock. The particular scanning order used may be signaled implicitly based on the location of the macroblock being encoded, or it may be signaled explicitly by code words within the bitstream containing the encoded block information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ)
    Inventors: Per Fröjdh, Rickard Sjöberg, Torbjörn Einarsson
  • Patent number: 6724819
    Abstract: In a moving picture data structure having a structure comprising I pictures (intraframe coded image) and P pictures (interframe forward predictive coded image), a P′ picture of a forward predictive coded image of a picture immediately preceding an I picture and the I picture is placed following the I picture. If an error occurs during the I picture transmission, the P′ picture can be used to recover from the error.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Matsushitas Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshimasa Takaki, Akino Inoue, Toshio Oka
  • Patent number: 6724820
    Abstract: The MPEG-4 video standard includes a predictive coding scheme. When a scene-cut occurs in the sequence processed by said coding scheme, the first video object plane (VOP) which follows it is coded as an I-VOP, instead of predicting it from the previous VOP, completely different. In case of temporal scalability, when the scene-cut occurs between two VOPs of the enhancement layer, specific rules for selecting the temporal reference(s) during the prediction operations in said enhancement layer are defined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventor: Yves R. Ramanzin
  • Patent number: 6724821
    Abstract: A picture coding apparatus includes a motion vector detector, a vector code length optimizing section, a motion vector coding unit, a variable length coding section, and a multiplexing unit. The motion vector detector detects motion vectors between a current picture data and a reference picture data in units of macro blocks. The vector code length optimizing section determines one of a plurality of parameters based on a total quantity of vector codes for differential motion vectors obtained from the detected motion vectors. The vector code includes a vector variable length code and a vector fixed length code. The motion vector coding unit encodes each of the differential motion vectors into the vector code using the determined parameter. The variable length coding section encodes picture data difference into picture data variable length codes in units of macro blocks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Hideki Sawada
  • Patent number: 6724822
    Abstract: The invention described herein is an efficient motion compensation apparatus for digital video format down-conversion. This apparatus is characterized by an interpolation and decimation filters implemented using efficient computation architectures. The computation architecture comprises the frequency component computing section, coefficient weighting section and pixel reconstruction section. A simple architecture for both interpolation and decimation filtering processes has been invented. The result is the dramatic reduction of the shifting and adding or subtracting operations, making them suitable for implementation in LSI realization of the video format down-conversion of digital video systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mi Michael Bi, Peter Kwong Ming Kiew
  • Patent number: 6724823
    Abstract: A VLSI architecture adapted to be implemented in the form of a reusable IP cell and including a motion estimation engine, configured to process a cost function and identify a motion vector which minimizes the cost function, an internal memory configured to store the sets of initial candidate vectors for the blocks of a reference frame, first and second controllers to manage the motion vectors and manage an external frame memory, a reference synchronizer to align, at the input to the estimation engine, the data relevant to the reference blocks with the data relevant to candidate blocks coming from the second controller, and a control unit for timing the units included in the architecture and the external interfacing of the architecture itself.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Fabrizio Rovati, Danilo Pau, Luca Fanucci, Sergio Saponara, Andrea Cenciotti, Daniele Alfonso
  • Patent number: 6724824
    Abstract: A digital signal processing method comprising the steps of: (a) composing, a plurality of first encoded video data and a plurality of second encoded video data; (b) dividing, each of high quality M bits audio channel into audio data of upper L bits and audio data of lower M-L bits; (c) composing a plurality of first basic data and a plurality of second basic data, wherein each of the first basic data have respective audio data of upper “L” bits, and wherein the second basic data have respective audio data of audio data of lower “M-L”; and (d) transmitting the first basic data in a first data bus, and the second basic data in a second data bus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Otsuka, Masatoshi Taniguchi, Nobukatsu Okuda, Hirofumi Uchida, Tatsushi Bannai
  • Patent number: 6724825
    Abstract: A system for providing an accurate time reference for multiple input and output digital video signals of a transcoder that is particularly suited for use with MPEG data. The multiple streams are synchronized with a single master system time clock at the transcoder. Timing data from the master clock is compared to timing data from packets that are input to the transcoder to determine an offset. In particular, timing data, such as a program clock reference (PCR) field, is recovered from packets of different channels that are input to the transcoder. For each channel, timing data is then provided for packets that are output from the transcoder based on the offset and timing data of the master clock at the respective output times. In particular, the adjusted timing data is determined as a sum of the offset and an associated hardware error, less a delay (PcrSysDly) associated with the transcoder, which includes a lookahead delay and a buffer delay.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: General Instrument Corporation
    Inventors: Robert S. Nemiroff, Vincent Liu, Siu-Wai Wu
  • Patent number: 6724826
    Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed which minimizes the visual artifacts normally generated when images are compressed for transfer through very narrow band channels such as, for example, the Internet. To this end, the images are pre-filtered and then scaled down prior to compression using a two dimensional spatial impulse filter with good pulse fidelity rather than flat pass bands, rapid cutoff at high frequency and minimal impulse response width. The impulse filter preferably is operated at the 6 db point down about 0.6 to 0.9 of the output image spatial band edge, thereby removing visible aliases in the images while compromising between subjective sharpness and total picture entropy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Ampex Corporation
    Inventor: George R. Varian
  • Patent number: 6724827
    Abstract: A communications system and method in which first and second carrier frequencies are transmitted from a first transmitter. The first carrier frequency is at a first low end of a band and the second carrier is at a second higher end of the band. Third and fourth carrier frequencies are transmitted from a second transmitter. The third carrier is at the lower end of the band but higher in frequency than the first carrier and the fourth carrier is at the higher end of the band but lower in frequency than the second carrier. Fifth and sixth carrier signals are transmitted from a third transmitter. The fifth carrier signal is higher in frequency than the third carrier signal and the sixth carrier signal is lower in frequency than the fourth carrier signal. In the illustrative embodiment, the first transmitter is located on a first satellite, the second transmitter is located on a second satellite and the third transmitter is located on a terrestrial repeater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: XM Satellite Radio, Inc.
    Inventors: Stellios J. Patsiokas, Paul Marko, Craig Wadin
  • Patent number: 6724828
    Abstract: A communication circuit is designed with a detector circuit (720) coupled to receive a first signal. The detector circuit is arranged to produce a multipath signal corresponding to a number of paths of the first signal. A comparator circuit (726) is coupled to receive the multipath signal and a threshold signal. The comparator circuit is arranged to produce a diversity signal in response to a comparison of the multipath signal and the threshold signal. The diversity signal has a first logic state for enabling diversity and has a second logic state for disabling diversity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Anand G. Dabak
  • Patent number: 6724829
    Abstract: A system for use in transmitting digital data includes a modulation element that receives block of digital data and modulates each block using one of at least two modulation types, such as QPSK and k-QAM, where k is a power of 2. The system also includes an automatic power control element that applies a selected gain value to each of the blocks of data before transmission. The automatic power control element selects each of the gain values from a group of at least two predetermined gain values, each of which corresponds to one of the modulation types. In general, the modulation types have different associated average power levels, and the power control element selects the gain values to maintain substantially constant average transmission power level among all of the blocks of data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Conexant Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Shimon Tzukerman, Gadi Kalit, Ladd S. El Wardani
  • Patent number: 6724830
    Abstract: The present invention, generally speaking, achieves a highly efficient line driver for high crest-factor signals such as DMT/ADSL signals. In an exemplary embodiment, a digital signal produced by a digital signal processor or the like is processed by a sigma-delta modulator (SDM) to produce one or more binary signal pairs. The signals of a signal pair are low-pass filtered, if necessary, and applied across the winding of a transformer. The transformer has a single secondary winding connected to the line and may has as many primary windings as the number of signal pairs. The transformer may have a unity turns ratio or may have a turns ratio for accomplishing voltage step-up. For one signal pair, the number of possible resulting signals levels on the secondary side is three, for two signal pairs five, etc. Using more than two signal levels, it becomes possible to recreate from the digital signals the corresponding analog waveform with the required accuracy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Tropian, Inc.
    Inventors: Gary L. Do, Earl W. McCune, Jr., Wendell B. Sander
  • Patent number: 6724831
    Abstract: In order to linearize the input/output characteristic of a power amplifier, a pre-distortion is performed using a pre-distortion function obtained from the inverse function of the input/output characteristic, in which the inclination of the highly linear low power part of this input/output characteristic is maintained. When the pre-distortion function is digitized and stored in a table, a differential between the pre-distortion function and a function of y=x is obtained, and a function table indicating this differential is stored. Since the gently inclined part of the pre-distortion function equals a function y=x, it is sufficient if only the difference between the input signal and function y=x is digitized, thereby realizing the reduction of the quantization error.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Hasegawa, Toru Maniwa