text:
|Publication number
|Publication type
|Application number
|Publication date
|Oct 31, 2006
|Filing date
|Jan 16, 2004
|Priority date
|Nov 29, 1999
|Fee status
|Also published as
|Publication number
|Charles E. Wheatley, III, John E. Maloney
|Original Assignee
|Qualcomm, Inc.
|Export Citation
|BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan
|Patent Citations (30), Non-Patent Citations (2), Referenced by (2), Classifications (16), Legal Events (2)
|External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, Espacenet
The present Application for Patent is a Continuation and claims priority to patent application Ser. No. 09/450,265, entitled "METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR A PILOT SEARCH USING A MATCHED FILTER" filed Nov. 29, 1999 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,760,366, now allowed, and assigned to the assignee hereof and hereby expressly incorporated by reference herein.
1. Field
The present invention is related to detection of pilot signals by a digital cellular communications mobile unit. Specifically, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus of using a matched filter in a digital cellular communications mobile unit to search for and detect pilot signals generated by cellular base stations.
2. Background
In a code division multiple access (CDMA) spread spectrum communication system, a shared frequency band is used for communication with all base stations within that system. An example of such a system is described in the TIA/EIA Standard TIA/EIA-95-B entitled "Mobile Station-Base Station Compatibility Standard for Dual Mode Wideband Spread Spectrum Cellular System," incorporated herein by reference. The generation and receipt of CDMA signals is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,901,307 entitled "SPREAD SPECTRUM MULTIPLE ACCESS COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS USING SATELLITES OR TERRESTRIAL REPEATERS" and in U.S. Pat. No. 5,103,459 entitled "SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR GENERATING WAVEFORMS IN A CDMA CELLULAR TELEPHONE SYSTEM," both of which are assigned to the assignee of the present invention and incorporated herein by reference.
Radio Frequency (RF) signals are exchanged between a respective mobile unit and one or more base stations. Mobile units do not communicate directly with one another. Base stations communicate with a base station cellular or personal communication system controller, referred to herein as a base station controller (BSC) using various media such as ground based wires or a microwave link, for example. The BSC can route calls to a public switching telephone network (PSTN) or can route packets to a packet switched network, such as the Internet. The base station also coordinates the operation of base stations within the system during soft handoff for example.
TIA/EIA-95 is one example of a CDMA communication system. Communication from a mobile unit to one or more base stations in a TIA/EIA-95 CDMA system takes place over shared frequency channels each of which occupies approximately 1.25 MHz of radio frequency bandwidth. More specifically, communication signals occupying a given frequency band are discriminated at a receiving station through the spread spectrum CDMA waveform properties based on the use of a high rate pseudonoise (PN) code. A PN code is used to modulate signals transmitted from the base stations and mobile units. Signals from different base stations can be separately received at a given mobile unit either by the discrimination of different PN codes, and/or by the discrimination of shifted versions of the same PN code. The high rate PN spreading also allows a receiving station to receive a signal from a single transmission station where the signal has traveled over distinct propagation paths. Demodulation of multiple signals is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,490,165 entitled "DEMODULATION ELEMENT ASSIGNMENT IN A SYSTEM CAPABLE OF RECEIVING MULTIPLE SIGNALS" and in U.S. Pat. No. 5,109,390 entitled "DIVERSITY RECEIVER IN A CDMA CELLULAR TELEPHONE SYSTEM," both of which are assigned to the assignee of the present invention and incorporated herein by reference.
The various channels within a given "forward" (base station to mobile unit) TIA/EIA-95 CDMA channel include data channels, a synchronization channel, a pilot channel, and a set of paging channels, all transmitted from the base station to mobile units. The pilot channel carries a reference signal, commonly known as the pilot signal. The pilot signal is a regularly repeated digital pattern of "chips," wherein each chip is represented by a single binary digit. In the exemplary embodiment, the pilot signal is a pattern that is 32,768 "chips" in length, which repeats at a chip rate of 1.2288 MHz. Thus, the pattern repeats itself every 26.6 milliseconds (ms).
The pilot provides for time reference and for amplitude and phase tracking. The pilot signal allows mobile units to identify and become synchronized with the relative phase of a base station that is within range of the mobile units' communication capability. Synchronization with a base station allows the mobile unit to further refine its timing and receive data signals from the base station.
However, as the mobile unit moves, the base stations with which it is synchronized may become more distant or become blocked, and the signal from various stations may become too weak for continued reception. Further, as the mobile unit moves, a closer base station that was previously blocked may become unblocked. The more powerful signal from the closer base station may then suppress the reception of the weaker signal from the more distant, synchronized base station.
Accordingly, a mobile unit must periodically perform searches for pilot signals transmitted from other, alternative base stations in order to identify a base station with a stronger or higher power pilot signal with which to synchronize. In general, in order to facilitate these searches, the synchronized base station sends signals to the mobile unit that identify phase offsets of pilot channels for base stations neighboring the synchronized base station. Typically, to avoid pilot signal overlap, the pilot signals of neighboring base stations are phase shifted by at least 64 chips from each other. Thus, if a mobile unit is synchronized with a base station transmitting a pilot signal at a relative phase shift of 128 chips, the synchronized base station could have neighboring base stations broadcasting at relative phase shifts of 64 chips, 192 chips and, perhaps, 256 chips, for example. The mobile unit can then search for neighboring base station pilot signals around the specific phase offsets identified by the currently synchronized base station (e.g. 64, 172 and 256) on a periodic basis to determine whether to synchronize with another base station.
The base station creates a pilot signal having two components: an in-phase, or "I" component; and a quadrature, or "Q" component. Using these two components, the base station modulates or "spreads" the pilot signal. Most often, the specific protocol used in spreading a CDMA signal is referred to as Quadrature Phase Shift Keying (QPSK) spreading. QPSK spreading is discussed in detail, for example, in R. Prasad, CDMA for Wireless Personal Communications, (Artech House, 1996). After receiving a signal and passing the signal through an analog to digital converter (not shown), despreader 12 performs a mathematical algorithm on the I- and Q-components of a signal to ensure that the correct signal magnitude is detected. The mathematical algorithm used for PN despreading involves the exclusive-oring (XORing) of expected I- and Q-components with the I and Q components received. The specifics of the mathematical algorithm, as well as the specific components used in a typical despreader are well known in the art.
Correlator 14 compares an input despread signal from despreader 12 and compares it with a reference signal, commonly termed an expected signal. The expected signal can include a portion of the 32,768 chip pattern of the PN pilot signal provided to the correlator at a certain phase offset. Correlator 14 produces an energy output indicative of the level of correlation between the input despread signal and the reference signal. For example, while an exact match of all compared chips will yield a high energy output, and a match of 50% or less of all compared chips will yield a low energy output, various energy outputs between the high and low range will be yielded in accordance with a match that falls between these levels.
Output 118 is then fed into integrator 120 which sums the outputs of comparator 112 over the total period of the portion of the PN signal used as the expected signal. For example, if the expected signal is 1024 chips in length, then the integration time will be (1024)(0.81 microseconds)=829 microseconds, because a chip arrives every 0.81 microseconds in the preferred embodiment. In this way, the output 14 of the correlator will have a relatively large magnitude when the detected signal matches the expected signal.
Additionally, even when there is a match of the pilot signal with the expected signal, the magnitude of the correlator output will be larger for a stronger signal. This is because as a signal becomes weaker, that is, if it is transmitted over a relatively long distance or reflected off various objects, it degrades. This degradation results in changes of the individual chip values of the pattern of the transmitted pilot signal. Thus, for a weaker signal, even though the pilot signal is being transmitted at a phase offset that is being searched for, it is likely that fewer chip values will result in matches, and the integrator of the correlator will therefore not sum as many positive values as would be summed were the signal stronger. Thus, the output of the integrator is a relative representation of the strength or energy of a given phase pilot signal that was searched for. The larger the magnitude of the correlator output 14, the stronger or higher energy of the detected pilot signal.
The output of the correlator 14 is fed into energy storage and sorting module 16. Energy storage and sorting module 16 can perform a number of functions. It can place in memory output energies from correlator 14 that are above a certain threshold. It can also place in memory the corresponding phase offset of the pilot signal that generated the stored energies. Alternatively, it can place in predetermined memory locations corresponding to given pilot phase offsets (such as offsets corresponding to neighbors of the synchronized base stations) the energy output of the correlator 14 at that phase offset. Specific components used for, and the operation of, typical energy storage and sorting modules are well known in the art and generally include RAM for storing energy levels and phase offsets, and logic for sorting the different energy levels.
Processing control 18 provides general control for the mobile unit and makes determinations concerning with which pilot signal, and therefore which base station, the mobile unit should synchronize. It can access the energy information in energy storage and sorting module 16 for data on which to base such determinations. Processing controls such as processing control 18 typically include a microprocessor, memory, and busses, the configuration of which is well known in the art.
Because processing control 18 provides general control for the mobile unit, it may only be able to allocate a small amount of time to checking the energy storage and sorting module 16 to determine if the mobile unit should be re-synchronized with another base-station. Additionally, the sequential collection of information concerning magnitudes of pilot signals having phase offsets other than that of the currently synchronized pilot signal can be time consuming. Thus, from time to time, the mobile unit may remain synchronized with a pilot signal of a given base station even though it could synchronize with the pilot signal of another closer, or otherwise more suitable, base station instead. This can undesirably lead to the signal jamming or weak signal difficulties described above.
Additionally, due to reflections off of buildings, hills or other obstacles and/or atmospheric conditions, the neighboring base stations may not appear to be phase shifted by exactly 64 chips from the synchronized base station. And, depending on the location of the synchronized base station, there may be other base stations in the area for which phase offsets were not provided by the synchronized base station. Thus, it may be desirable to search the full sequence of 32,768 phase offsets for pilot channels, not just pilot channels that are phase shifted by predetermined multiples of 64 chips from the currently synchronized base station. The searching, sorting, storing and processor control checking associated with such full sequence searches can consume considerable processing control resources.
Methods and apparatus are also known for determining when to handoff a signal from one base station to another as a mobile unit moves. One such method using a matched filter is disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,864,578, to Yuen, et al., for a "MATCHED FILTER BASED HANDOFF METHOD AND APPARATUS." However, the matched filter disclosed by Yuen must be programmable. Such a programmable matched filter can be relatively expensive to manufacture and can require a relatively large amount of power to operate and require extra circuitry. This can be disadvantageous as mobile cellular units typically operate with a limited power supply battery and have limited space for circuitry.
Accordingly, cellular pilot searching improvements are desired. In particular, such searching should be able to be performed relatively quickly while still encompassing a broad portion of the full PN pilot sequence. A searcher should also allow for relatively high frequency checks of high priority pilot phase offsets, such as those of base stations that neighbor the synchronized base station. Additionally, such searching should require a relatively small amount of processing control time to monitor. Also, the searcher should be relatively low cost to manufacture, consume relatively low power, and be relatively compact.
The present invention includes a signal detection circuit or "searcher" in a mobile unit of a digital cellular communications system. The signal detection circuit includes a matched filter for comparing a received digital input pattern with a predetermined expected digital pattern. The matched filter includes a plurality of taps, each tap for detecting a single digital signal component. The matched filter also includes at least one summer connected to the taps. The summer generates a relatively large signal when the digital signal components detected by the plurality of taps match the predetermined digital pattern.
The signal detection circuit can also include a correlator that is connected in parallel with the matched filter. The correlator is also for comparing the received digital input pattern with the predetermined digital pattern. Preferably, both the matched filter and the correlator are separate from a central processing control of the mobile unit.
The matched filter is advantageously able to search through an entire sequence of pilot signal phase offsets in a relatively short period of time. By including the correlator as part of the detection circuit, a parallel search for a small number of specific pilot signal phase offsets can advantageously be performed in an even shorter period of time. Additionally, if the matched filter and correlator are separate from a central processing control of the receiver, a minimum of processor resources are necessary to monitor search results from the matched filter and correlator.
Another aspect of the present invention includes a method for detecting a digital cellular communications signal. According to the method, the digital signal is input into a matched filter. The matched filter compares a digital pattern of the input digital signal to a predetermined digital pattern. The matched filter then generates a relatively high output signal if the digital pattern of the input digital signal matches the predetermined digital pattern.
Prior art
Prior art
FIG 3A is a diagram illustrating a first phase pilot signal and matching detection device detecting of a portion of the first phase pilot signal, and the output of such a matching detection device, in accordance with the present invention.
The present invention includes a method and apparatus for rapidly detecting the strength or power of different phase pilot signals being received by a mobile cellular unit. Because, as discussed above, each base station transmits a pilot signal at a different phase offset, by rapidly detecting the strength of the received pilot signals having different phases, the mobile cellular unit can efficiently determine the most appropriate base station with which to synchronize.
When the mobile unit receives a pilot signal 310, it actually receives a mixture of the transmitted signal and noise. For the purposes of simplicity, the received mixture of pilot signal 310 and noise is hereinafter referred to as pilot signal 310. As pilot signal 310 is serially received by the mobile unit, a portion of digital signal pattern of the pilot signal 310 is compared to the digital signal pattern configured in the matching detector 312. Because the matching detector 312 is configured with at least a portion of the specific digital pilot signal pattern, at some point during the serial receipt of the pilot signal 310, the portion of the pattern of the pilot signal 310 that is being compared will likely match the pattern configured in the matching detector 312. This situation is shown in FIG 3A. Specifically, the portion 314 of the pilot signal 310 matches the portion of the pilot signal pattern configured in matching detector 312. When the match occurs, the matching detector can generate a match signal.
As discussed in the background section, the digital chip pattern is the same for a pilot signal transmitted by any base station. However, the phase of the pilot signals transmitted by different base stations is shifted.
However, as shown in
As discussed in the background section, when the mobile unit synchronizes with a base station, it receives an absolute time base from that base station in the form of a chip offset assigned to the base station. Thus, the mobile unit can use this absolute chip offset to assign absolute chip offsets to the relative times, such as t1 and t3, at which relatively large magnitude signals have been detected. For example, the mobile unit can determine that relative time t1 occurred at a chip offset of 64, and the relative time t3 occurred at a chip offset of 128, 64 chips after t1.
Additionally, because the magnitude of the signal generated by matching detector 312 is proportional to the number of chips that match, the relative magnitude of the matching detector signal indicates the relative strength of the detected signal. This is because the weaker or lower power the pilot signal, the more noise will be received with it. And, the more noise, the greater the errors in the chip pattern received by the mobile unit. Thus, on average, for a relatively weaker pilot signal, relatively fewer chips will match in the portion of the pilot signal configured in the matching detector.
This situation is shown in
By collecting pilot signal phase and magnitude information as discussed above, a mobile unit can determine whether a base station other than the one with that it is currently synchronized is more appropriate for synchronization. For example, a mobile unit may currently be synchronized on a base station transmitting a pilot signal at a chip offset of 64. And, matching detector 312 detects a pilot signal at a chip offset of 128 that has a larger magnitude (that is, generates a higher magnitude output signal on a match) than the pilot signal detected at chip offset 64. Thus, the mobile unit may operate more effectively, that is, generate a clearer transmission and/or be less likely to drop a received transmission, if it re-synchronizes with the base station transmitting the pilot signal of chip offset of 128.
The above described method and apparatus can advantageously check the entire sequence of pilot signal phase offsets for relatively strong pilot signals in a relatively short period of time. Specifically, as noted in the Background section, each pilot signal chip pattern extends for 32,768 chips before repeating itself. Thus, there are 32,768 possible phases of pilot signals. For each possible phase of pilot signal, the portion of the pilot signal pattern that is configured in the matching detector will necessarily occur once in the time it takes an entire pilot signal serially pass through the matching detector 312. Accordingly, to check for a match at each of the possible 32,768 phases of pilot signals, a received signal must be serially passed through the matching detector for the amount of time it takes to pass an entire pilot signal through the matching detector. And, because pilot signals are transmitted at a frequency of 1.2288 MHz, this takes 26.6 ms. Therefore, using the method and apparatus of the present invention, the entire sequence of pilot signal phase offsets can be advantageously checked in 26.6 ms using a single matched filter. In alternate embodiments, two or more matched filters operate in parallel, in which each matched filter searches a different phase offset. In this manner, the entire sequence of phase offsets could be checked in a fractional portion of 26.6 ms (for example, 13.3 ms when two matched filters are present, 8.87 ms when three matched filters are present, etc.).
It is also within the ambit of the present invention to use a matching detector as described above in parallel with the type of correlator shown in
Thus, by using a correlator in parallel with a matching detector such as matching detector 312, the correlator can check phase offsets of base stations around the phase offset of the pilot signal with which the mobile unit is currently synchronized. Simultaneously, the matching detector can advantageously sweep through the entire sequence of phase offsets to check for any other strong pilot signals that the correlator might miss because it is checking only a small subset of the total sequence of pilot signal phase offsets. This advantageously provides the mobile unit with information concerning pilot signal strength over the entire sequence of pilot signal phase offsets in a relatively short period of time (˜26.6 ms) while still allowing monitoring of high priority phase offsets (e.g., the phase offsets of base stations neighboring the currently synchronized base station) at an even higher rate (e.g. two, three or more neighboring phase offsets could be checked in ˜26.6 ms).
As described above, a correlator provides an efficient means of searching for pilots at particular offsets. Additionally, correlators, which typically sum large numbers of chips, can often provide more reliable estimates than a matched filter as to whether a pilot signal has actually been detected. Although a matched filter may not provide as reliable an estimate as a comparable costing correlator, as described above, a matched filter provides a very quick and efficient means of detecting relatively strong pilot signals at unknown offsets. Thus, a matched filter can prove useful in various situations, such as locating a first pilot signal as soon as a phone is powered on. As well, when a neighbor list transmitted by a base station fails to advertise a pilot that is receivable by a mobile station, a matched filter would allow the mobile station to quickly find the pilot nonetheless. Solely using correlators to find such a pilot could prove to take a much longer time, since the neighbor list would not have indicated to the correlators the offset to search for this pilot at.
Specific embodiments of the present invention are described below. It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described above. Many widely different embodiments of the present invention may be constructed without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
Despreading matched filter 212 is for despreading and detecting pilot signals received by a mobile unit in which searcher 210 is deployed.
Preferably, at the end of the I-primary line 228, adjacent to an I-output 233, is an I-integrator 234 and at the end of the Q-primary line 230, adjacent to a Q-output 235, is a Q-integrator 236. The I-integrator 234 and Q-integrator 236 are for summing chip values held on the taps 224A–224D and 225A–225D. A plurality of tap lines 240 a–240 h connect the I-taps 224A–224D and Q-taps 224A–225D to the I-integrator 234 and Q-integrator 236. The I-output 233 and Q-output 235 are then fed into a final integrator 239. Final integrator 239, in the exemplary embodiment, sums the squares of I-output 233 and Q-output 235, and produces a matched filter voltage output, matched filter output 242, accordingly. Matched filter output 242 feeds into energy storage and sorting module 214. Matched filter 212 detects a pilot signal that matches a predetermined digital pattern by outputting a relatively large energy signal when a match is detected. Additionally, it despreads the pilot signal that was initially spread by the base station, as discussed in the background section. This despreading is implemented to compensate for any relative shift in phase that may have occurred to the pilot signal in transmission of the signal from the base station. Preferably, matched filter 212 implements a QPSK despreading scheme. However, it is within the scope of the present invention for matched filter 212 to implement any type of despreading scheme.
To perform these functions, the I-component of a received digital pilot signal is fed into the I-input 220 and the Q-component of the received pilot signal is fed into the Q-input 221. The rate at which the Q- and I-components of the pilot signal are fed into the inputs 220 and 221, respectively, that is, the "sampling" rate of matched filter 212, allows one chip of the pilot signal to be placed on the taps 224A and 225A, respectively, per sample. This sampling rate is preferably simply the frequency of the pilot signal, which in the present embodiment is 1.2288 MHz. The first delay circuits 226 in the I-primary line 228 and Q-primary line 230 then delay the pilot signal, preferably holding the chip values on the first taps 224A and 225A for approximately 0.81 microseconds, the period of a pilot chip. The delays 226 then pass the chip values on taps 224A and 225A to taps 224B and 225B, respectively.
Because in a presently preferred embodiment, 0.81 microseconds is the period of a pilot chip, this delay time allows a second chip value of the pilot signal to be placed on the taps 224A and 225A simultaneously with the transfer from taps 224A and 225A to taps 224B and 225B, respectively, of the first chip value. This process continues until each tap 224A–224D and 225A–225D in matched filter 212 has a chip value.
Each time a sample is taken, that is, preferably approximately every 0.81 microseconds, the chip values at the nth tap are routed to the I- and Q-integrators 234 and 236, respectively, via tap lines 240A–240H, according to chart 1 below.
By routing the I-and Q-component chip values to the I- and Q-integrators as in Chart 1, the matched filter 212 both despreads the input QPSK pilot signal and provides a maximum output when a predetermined signal is matched. The predetermined sequence of chip values for which the matched filter searches is configured into the matched filter by the interconnection or mapping of tap lines 240A–240H with I- and Q-integrators 234 and 236, respectively, an example of which is shown in
To detect the predetermined pilot sequence having an I-chip sequence of, for example, 1,−1,−1,1 and Q-chip sequence of, for example, −1,−1,1,1, according to a QPSK despreading scheme, the tap line interconnection or mapping shown in
For example, the first row of Chart 1 shows how to connect an I-tap and Q-tap to the I-integrator 234 and Q-integrator 236 if the expected chip value on the I-tap will be 1 simultaneous with an expected chip value of 1 on the Q-tap, that is, for an (I-expectedn, Q-expectedn) combination of (1,1). The "In" in the I-outn column (the third column) of the first row indicates that, for an (I-expectedn, Q-expectedn)=(1,1), the actual value on the I-tap is directly routed to, that is, directly wired to, the I-integrator 234. The "Qn" in the Q-outn column (the fourth column) of Chart 1 indicates that for an (I-expectedn, Q-expectedn)=(1,1) the actual value on the Q-tap is directly routed to, that, directly wired to, the Q-integrator 234.
For a predetermined pilot sequence having an I-chip sequence of, 1,−1,−1,1 and Q-chip sequence of, −1,−1,1,1, the I-tap and Q-tap that would be interconnected to integrators 234 and 236 to produce a maximum output for an (I-expectedn, Q-expectedn)=(1,1) would be taps 224 d and 225 d. This is because in the expected pilot sequence, the (I-expectedn, Q-expectedn) of (1,1) is the fourth combination to occur in the predetermined pilot sequence, and I-tap 224D and Q-tap 225D are the pair of taps that are fourth along the I-primary line 228 and Q-primary line 230, respectively, from the I-input 220 and Q-input 221, respectively.
Thus, as shown in
The second row of Chart 1 shows how an I-tap and Q-tap would be interconnected to integrators 234 and 236 for an (I-expectedn, Q-expectedn)=(1,−1). To generate a maximum matched filter output signal, and QPSK despread the input pilot signal, for (I-expectedn, Q-expectedn)=(1,−1) the "−Qn" in the I-outn column of the second row indicates that the actual value on the Q tap be inverted and routed to the I-integrator 234. The "In" in the Q-outn column of the second row indicates that the actual value on the I-tap be directly routed to the Q-integrator 236. For the example, predetermined pilot sequence having an I-chip sequence of, 1,−1,−1,1 and Q-chip sequence of, −1,−1,1,1, the (I-expectedn, Q-expectedn) of (1,−1) occurs as the first combination. Thus, I-tap and Q-tap that would be interconnected to integrators 234 and 236 to produce and maximum output for an (I-expectedn, Q-expectedn)=(1,−1) would be I-tap 224D and Q-tap 225D, the first pair of taps in the primary lines 228 and 230 after inputs 220 and 222.
Thus, as shown in
The third and fourth rows of Chart 1 are implemented in the manner described above with respect to the first and second rows of Chart 1. In the third row, for (I-expectedn, Q-expectedn)=(−1,1), as is the case on taps 224C and 225C, the I-tap value, −1, is routed via tap line 240C through inverter 241C, to the Q-integrator 236 and the Q-tap value, 1, is routed via tap line 240G directly to the I-integrator 234. Because the I value, −1, is inverted, and the Q value, 1, is routed directly, the integrators 234 and 236 add maximally to the sum for taps 224C and 225C when there is a match on taps 224C and 225C to the expected values of (−1,1). Finally, if (I-expectedn, Q-expectedn)=(−1,−1), as it would on taps, 224B and 225B the I-tap value, −1, is routed through inverter 241B to the I-integrator 234 via tap line 240B and the Q-tap value, −1, is routed through inverter 241B to the Q-integrator 236 via tap line 240F. Again, this mapping generates a maximal sum in integrators 234 and 236 for taps 224D and 225D when there is a match on these taps to the expected value of(1,1).
Each integrator 234 and 236 sums the inputs from the tap lines 240A–240H. The I-output 233 and Q-output 235 are then fed into a final integrator 239. Final integrator 239 preferably squares value of the I-output 233 and Q-output 235 signals and preferably sums the result. In this way, the final integrator 239 effectively generates an energy measurement from the voltage signals. This energy measurement can be a multiple bit digital signal and will be relatively large for times at which the digital signal on the taps of the matched filter match the matched filter's predetermined sequence.
Only eight taps 224D and 225A–225D are shown in matched filter 212. For a digital signal length of 32,768 chips, up to 32,768 taps in each primary line of the matched filter could be used. However, to manufacture a matched filter with such a large number of taps would be extremely difficult and relatively expensive, and it is unnecessary. In order to detect the presence of the pilot signal pattern, only a portion of the chip pattern need be used. However, to minimize the likelihood of a false match, matched filter 212 preferably has at least 16 taps in each primary line 228, 230. More preferably, matched filter 212 includes approximately 1024 taps; 512 in I-primary line 228 and 512 in Q-primary line 230.
By sampling at a rate of 1.2288 MHz and shifting the samples through and holding them on successive taps, matched filter 212 can build up a history of received signal samples. Further, as discussed in the background section, the pilot signals transmitted by different base stations are identical to each other but shifted or offset in phase. Thus, because the sampling rate of matched filter 212 is the same as the frequency of the broadcast pilot signals, and assuming there are 512 taps in each primary line 228, 230 of matched filter 212, upon the acquisition of each single chip sample, the matched filter 212 effectively checks for a match of a full 512 chips of a pilot signal at a given phase offset. Matched filter 212 detects a match when a large preponderance of the taps (ideally all) route +1's to each integrator 234 and 236, rather than −1's.
As discussed above, in matched filter 212, 1 values are routed from the taps to the integrators 234 and 236 only when the actual value on a tap matches an expected value. Otherwise, a −1 is routed to the integrators 234 and 236, which reduces the magnitude of the output of the integrators 234 and 236 and reduces the magnitude of the output of matched filter 212 from final integrator 239. Thus, the greater the number of received chip values that match the expected chip values on the taps of matched filter 212, the greater the magnitude of the output of matched filter 212. As explained above with respect to
Therefore, a relatively high voltage magnitude generated at output 235 of matched filter 212 would indicate the presence of a relatively strong pilot signal at a given phase offset. Matched filter 212 transmits the output energy level to energy storage and sorting module 214 via output 242.
Energy storage and sorting module 214 can include memory capability (such as RAM) and logic to provide for sorting of signals having different energy levels. If a relatively large magnitude signal is detected at matched filter primary output 242 the magnitude and phase offset of the signal can be stored by energy storage and sorting module 214. There are a variety of ways in which energy storage and sorting module 214 can be configured to store detection information from matched filter 212. For example, energy storage and sorting module 214 can be configured to store information only about signals that are of a magnitude larger than a predetermined value. Alternatively, energy storage and sorting module 214 can store information about signals of a given magnitude at memory locations associated with the given magnitude. Implementation and configuration of memory and logic components to perform these functions is well known in the art.
As shown in
As discussed in the background section, once the mobile unit locates and acquires a relatively strong pilot signal, the pilot signal synchronizes the time base of the mobile unit with the base station that sent the pilot signal. In this way, the mobile unit is provided with the absolute phase offset of the relatively strong pilot signal it is receiving. By comparing when primary searcher 216 detects the pilot of the currently synchronized base station to the times at which matched filter 212 detects each relatively strong pilot signal, processing control 218 can determine the absolute phase offsets of each pilot signal detected by matched filter 212.
The information concerning phase offset and energy of detected pilot signals can be used by processing control 218 in a variety of ways. Processing control 218 could, for instance, alert primary searcher 216 to begin searching at one or more of the absolute phase offsets mentioned above. Additionally, as noted in the Background section, processing control 218 makes decisions concerning with which base station the mobile unit should synchronize. Also, as noted in the Background section, processing control 218 may have synchronized on a base station that is not the closest base station to the mobile unit. Thus, the energy storage and sorting module 214 could alert processing control 218 when a signal having a magnitude above a certain threshold is detected. This would allow processing control 218 to determine whether it should synchronize with a base station other than the one with which it is currently synchronized. This would occur when it is determined from the output of energy storage and sorting module 214 that a pilot signal detected by matched filter 212 having an energy level above a certain threshold constitutes the earliest arriving pilot. Alternatively, rather than energy storage and sorting module 214 provide measurements to processing control 218 whenever energies above a certain threshold are determined, processing control 218 could periodically poll the energy storage and sorting module 214 to check for relatively large magnitude pilot signals at phase offsets other than the phase offset with which the mobile unit is currently synchronized.
As discussed above, each sample received by matched filter 212 allows searcher 210 to effectively check for the presence of a pilot signal at a given phase offset. In a preferred embodiment, searcher 210 preferably acquires a sample about every 0.81 microseconds. Thus, to check for the presence of a pilot signal over the sequence of 32,768 phase offsets requires only about 26.67 milliseconds (ms) due to the incorporation of matched filter 212, which can advantageously search the entire pilot signal phase offset sequence in a relatively short period of time.
Additionally, matched filter 212 does not have to be programmable. As discussed above, the digital pattern of a pilot signal is the same for all base stations. It is the phase of the pattern that changes between base stations, and not the pattern itself. Thus, a single portion of this pattern can be permanently configured into matched filter 212. This advantageously allows matched filter 212 to be manufactured relatively at a relatively low cost. Also, because matched filter 212 does not have to be programmable, it can advantageously consume relatively little power.
As shown in
Despreading correlator 250 includes an I-input 262 and a Q-input 260, each of which are connected to a Q-multiplexer (Q-MIUX) 264 and an I-multiplexer (I-MUX) 266. The output of Q-MUX 264 is determined by the state of control line 268 and the output of I-MUX 264 is determined by the state of control line 270. The state of control lines 268 and 270 is determined by I-expectedn input 272 and Q-expectedn input 274 to exclusive-or (XOR) gate 276. I-expectedn and Q-expectedn are the I- and Q-components, respectively, of the pilot signal for which despreading correlator 250 is searching, that is, the expected pilot signal. Control line 270 contains an inverting buffer 278 to invert the state output by XOR gate 276. The output of Q-MUX 264 serves as one input into XOR gate 278. The other input to XOR gate 278 is I-expectedn, the I-component of the pilot signal for which primaiy searcher 216 is searching. The output of I-MUX 266 serves as one input into XOR gate 280. The other input to XOR gate 280 is Q-expectedn, the Q component of the pilot signal for which primary searcher 216 is searching.
The output of XOR gate 278 is fed into a Q-integrator 282 and the output of XOR gate 280 is fed into I-integrator 284. Both Q-integrator 282 and I-integrator 284 sum the signals on their respective inputs over a predetermined period of time. The outputs of I-integrator 282 and Q-integrator 284 are then fed into final integrator 286, which squares both the values from the outputs of the Q-integrator and I-integrator, and then adds the squared values together to produced an energy output at final output 288. This value can then be fed into energy storage and sorting module 252.
Despreading correlator 250 performs QPSK despreading and correlating on an input signal according to Chart 1 above. Despreading correlator 250 outputs the (In, Qn) required by chart 1 for an expected digital signal input (I-expectedn, Q-expectedn). For example, for (I-expectedn, Q-expectedn)=(1,−1), according to the second row of Chart 1, the I-outn, which is the signal routed to the I-integrator 282, should be −Qn, and the Q-outn, which is the signal routed to the Q-integrator, should be In. Thus, if the received Iin and Qin is the expected signal, that is (1,−1), then—Qn=1 and this value is routed to the I-integrator 282 and In=1, and this value is routed to the Q-integrator 284.
Despreading correlator performs this function as follows: For (I-expectedn, Q-expectedn)=(1,−1), the output of XOR gate 276 is 1. Thus, Q-MUX 264 selects the value of Qin, −1, to feed XOR gate 278. If the sampled pilot signal matches this expected signal, that is (Iin, Qin)=(1,−1), then I-expectedn=1 and XOR gate 278 outputs a 1 to maximally add to the sum performed by Q-integrator 282. On the I-channel, if the output of XOR 276 is 1, then, due to inverter 278, the control input to I-MUX 266 will have a value of −1. This places Iin on I-MUX output 292. For Iin=1, and Q-expected=−1, the output of XOR gate 280 will be 1, which maximally adds to the sum performed by I integrator 284. Matching of other possible combinations of (I-expectedn, Q-expectedn) listed in Chart 1 similarly result in 1's being summed by integrators 282 and 284. In this way, the signals generated by Q-integrator 282 and I-integrator 284 will be relatively large when the pattern of the input signal (Iin, Qin) matches the pattern of the expected signal (I-expectedn, Q-expectedn).
As noted above, the outputs of Q-integrator 282 and I-integrator 284 are fed into final integrator 286, and preferably squared and summed. Thus, if the input into despreading correlator 250 matches the expected signal, the energy output of final integrator 286 will be relatively high. Because to generate a high energy output, the input signal must match the expected signal, and the phase of the expected signal must be that of the signal that the primary searcher is attempting to detect.
Additionally, the time over which data for a given phase is to be collected to determine if there is a match is the integration time of integrators 282 and 284. Thus, to search for a given phase offset pilot signal, an expected signal of the same phase offset is fed into despreading correlator 250. Also, the integration time for integrators 282 and 284 is set to be equal to the amount of time which data for a given phase offset is to be collected. In this way, matches only for a given phase offset are being added to a final output energy at final output 288. Like matched filter 212, despreading correlator 250 takes input samples at the pilot signal frequency of preferably 1.2288 MHz. This is the same frequency that the expected signal is fed into despreading correlator 250.
Because 1's are routed to integrators 282 and 284 only when there is a match of an expected signal, if the received signal does not precisely match the expected signal, some −1's will be routed to integrator 282 and 284. This reduced the magnitude of the output of these integrators and, therefore, the output of despreading correlator 250 from final integrator 286. As discussed above with respect to
Each match will add only a relatively small amount to the total energy value at output 288. Therefore, correlator 250 must take enough samples to be compared with an expected signal to generate a high enough energy so that it may be reasonably determined whether a relatively strong pilot signal has been detected or there is just some random matching occurring. Thus, a given phase expected signal must be fed into despreading correlator 250 for a long enough period of time collect match data to allow for a reasonable determination of whether a relatively strong match has been detected. Although a predetermined number of consecutive samples must be taken before it can be determined whether a pilot signal is likely present at a given offset, it is possible to terminate the collection of samples prematurely if there is a clear lack of correlation prior to collecting the aforementioned predetermined number of consecutive samples. If, for example, a relatively high energy is being generated, samples can continue to be taken. If, however, a relatively low energy is being generated after a significant portion of the desired samples have been collected, the collected information in integrators 282, 284 and 286 can be dumped, the phase of the expected signal can be shifted, and the integrations can be restarted from time zero.
The final output 288 of despreading and correlating module 250 is preferably fed into energy storage and sorting module 252. This module can be substantially identical to energy storage and sorting module 214, shown in
The output of energy storage and sorting module 252 is connected to processing control 218. Processing control 218 can use information stored in energy storage and sorting module 252 to determine whether the mobile unit is synchronized and receiving data signals from the most appropriate base station. As with energy storage and sorting module 214, processing control 218 can poll energy sorting and storage module 252 on a periodic basis or energy storage and sorting module 252 can otherwise alert processing control 218 of energies higher than a predetermined threshold value.
As discussed above, which phase offset pilot signal despreading correlator 250 is searching for is determined by the phase of the expected signal. Thus, it is possible to search at a first phase offset and then, if no significant energy is being detected, switch to searching at any other phase offset, which may be hundreds or thousands of chips from the first phase offset, simply by changing the phase of the reference signal. Additionally, while the maximum energy information would be obtained by a full 26.6 ms search, if no significant or unexpected energy is being detected at a given phase offset after only a portion of 26.6 ms, the search could be abandoned and a search could be initiated at another phase offset.
Thus, by using correlator 250 in parallel with matched filter 212, the correlator 250 can check phase offsets of base stations around the phase offset of the pilot signal with which the mobile unit is currently synchronized. Simultaneously, matched filter 212 can advantageously sweep through the entire sequence of phase offsets to check for any other strong pilot signals that correlator 250 might miss because it is checking only a small subset of the total sequence of pilot signal phase offsets. This advantageously provides the mobile unit with information concerning pilot signal strength over the entire sequence of pilot signal phase offsets in a relatively short period of time (˜26.6 ms) while still allowing monitoring of high priority phase offsets (e.g., the phase offsets of base stations neighboring the currently synchronized base station) at an even higher rate (e.g. two, three or more neighboring phase offsets could be checked in ˜26.6 ms).
While use of matched filter 212 in parallel with despreading and correlating module 250 provides the above advantages, it is also contemplated to use only matched filter 212 by itself. Additionally, it is within the ambit of the present invention to use more than one matched filter either in parallel with a correlator or without a correlator. If more than one matched filter is used, the amount of time required to search the entire sequence of pilot signal phase offsets can be reduced. For example, if two matched filters are used, they can be configured to search for pilot signals that are half of the total sequence of 32,768 phase offsets apart from each other, that is 16,384 chips apart from each other. In this way, the total pilot signal phase offset sequence space could be searched in half the time. It is also contemplated to use more than two matched filters in a similar manner.
Both the matched filter 212, correlator 250 and energy storage and sorting modules 252 and 214 can run substantially independent of processing control 218. Thus, high energy pilot signals can be detected and their energy and phase offsets stored using only minimal processing control resources. This can advantageously free processor control time for other important mobile unit functions.
It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described above. Many widely different embodiments of the present invention may be constructed without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
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|U.S. Classification
|International Classification
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|Mar 23, 2010
|Fee payment
Year of fee payment: 4
|Mar 26, 2014
|Fee payment
Year of fee payment: 8


text:
Carthage Hopes to Avoid Becoming Taylor's Second Upset Victim
Class 3A Division I Region III
Carthage Bulldogs (9-2)
Taylor Ducks (5-6)
7:30 p.m. Friday
Tiger Stadium, Corsicana
Carthage: Scott Surratt
Taylor: Rusty Purser
Last week
Carthage: def. Palestine, 30-27
Taylor: def. Waco La Vega, 17-14
Next week: Winner plays Silsbee (9-2) or Stafford (6-5) in the 3A Division I Region III final.
- DT Isaiah Golden, Sr., 6-2, 315 (64 tackles, 31 for loss, 4 sacks, 4 forced fumbles, 1 recovery; committed to Texas A&M)
- QB Blake Bogenschutz, Jr., 6-0, 182 (142 of 252, 2,275 yards, 32 TDs, 6 INTs; 1 rush TD)
- RB Tevin Pipkin, Jr., 5-10, 170 (178 carries, 1,265 yards, 9 TDs; 18 carries, 190 yards, 1 TD)
- WR/DB Tee Goree, Jr., 6-2, 170 (54 catches, 1,058 yards, 15 TDs; 1 INT, 1 def. TD)
- MLB Trent Jackson, Sr., 6-0, 215 (98 tackles, 9 for loss, 2 INTs, 4 forced fumbles, 2 recoveries, 4 pass breakups)
- WR Okeeron Rutherford, Jr., 6-5, 180 (31 catches, 438 yards, 6 TDs)
- DE/OLB Gregg Graves, Sr., 6-1, 200 (43 tackles, 19 for loss, 6 sacks, 1 forced fumble, 2 recoveries)
- RB/FS Bryian Bolton, Soph., 5-10, 175 (26 carries, 239 yards, 5 TDs; 61 tackles, 6 INTs, 4 pass breakups)
- LT/DE Mario McCain, Jr., 6-0, 240 (51 tackles, 22 for loss, 5 sacks, 6 forced fumbles, 3 recoveries)
- OLB Dvodney Brooks, Jr., 6-3, 190 (5 tackles, 1 fumble recovery, 1 def. TD last week vs. Palestine)
- RB/DB Fred Kerley, Sr. (2 INTs last week vs. Waco La Vega)
- QB Jeremy Snyder, Sr. (1 TD pass, 1 rush TD last week vs. Waco La Vega)
- RB Raymond Rodriguez, Sr.
- WR Reagan Fischer, Sr. (7-yard TD catch last week vs. Waco La Vega)
- K Miguel Morales, Soph. (Game-winning 34-yard field goal with 9:24 left in the fourth quarter last week vs. Waco La Vega)
- ATH Eric Aldrete, Sr.
- ATH David Ancira, Jr.
Just the facts
- Carthage averages 41.6 points per game and allows 20.5.
- Taylor averages 18.4 points per game and allows 25.0.
- Carthage receiver Tee Goree's 15 TD catches tie him with Anthony Pope (1991) for third on the Bulldogs' single-season record list behind Edward Pope (16, 2011) and Jalen Claiborne (18, 2010).
- Goree's 1,058 receiving yards are the fourth-best single-season total in Carthage history. Goree needs nine yards to pass Claiborne's junior year total of 1,066 from 2009.
- Taylor has scored 17 or fewer points six times in 11 games.
- Last week's 17-14 upset of Waco La Vega was Taylor's first playoff win since 1995.
- Taylor almost upset eventual 2011 3A Division II state champion Wimberley in the first round, falling 38-31.
- Carthage's three-point win against Palestine last week marks the Bulldogs' slimmest playoff victory margin since a 13-12 win vs. Graham in the 2009 3A Division II state championship game. Carthage has won nine playoff games since then.
- Carthage is 22-2 in the playoffs under Scott Surratt, including a 5-0 record at Corsicana's Tiger Stadium.
- During Surratt's first five seasons, Carthage did not play in Tiger Stadium in 2007 or 2011, but did in 2008-10, when the Bulldogs won three consecutive 3A D-II crowns.
Key matchup: Taylor's defensive line vs. Carthage's offensive line. Taylor's average of less than 19 points per game means the Ducks have to get most of their wins with defense. That starts up front, where Taylor faces a stiff challenge against a large Carthage offensive front. Carthage averages almost 270 pounds per starter on its offensive line, which features five juniors, six including tight end Jamarcus Roberson. The real beef is at the guard positions, which are manned by 6-foot-2, 275-pound Griffin Bankhead and 6-foot-4, 325-pound Adrian Goodacre. Carthage's offensive line helped tailback Tevin Pipkin run for 179 yards on 29 carries in the Bulldogs' narrow first-round win against Palestine. If they don't have to, the Bulldogs won't burden Pipkin with that many carries, but it's obvious that if they feel like they need to, they will. He also got 29 carries in Carthage's 45-29 win at Center. Carthage's offensive line has been especially good in pass protection, but don't be surprised if the Bulldogs lean on their hogs to establish the tone early with the ground attack. Don't forget: Carthage will add to that girth in short-yardage situations with 6-foot-2, 315-pound Isaiah Golden at fullback and 215-pound Trent Jackson dotting the "I."
Don't be surprised if: Carthage assembles a much cleaner performance than it had against Palestine. Carthage allowed Palestine to stay in the game and ultimately almost upset the Bulldogs in what would have been one of the biggest upsets in the state. Carthage turned the ball over four times, three times in the second half, including a fumble inside Palestine's 1-yard line and an interception in Palestine's end zone. That's 14 points off the board. Carthage then lost a fumble on a mishandled snap clinging to a 30-27 lead and needed its defense to get a stop backed into its own territory to hang on for the win. Coach Scott Surratt was happy with the win, but not much else. Carthage appeared to be rolling entering the playoffs, especially offensively, but suffered the four turnovers and didn't hit the big plays in the passing game vs. Palestine that had come with relative ease during all of October. Taylor has proven it can not only play powerhouses close — Wimberley in 2011 — but beat them. The La Vega team the Ducks ousted in the first round wasn't as strong as the La Vega teams of the last two seasons, but it was still a talented and dangerous squad from a perennially strong program that everyone expected to give Carthage a second-round test. Instead, Taylor got its first playoff win in almost two decades. The Palestine team Carthage barely beat lost 24-23 in overtime to La Vega in the season opener. While the transitive power is far from the best measurement of teams that haven't faced a mutual opponent, it gives a vague idea of what to expect. For Carthage, that's a game Taylor team that has already knocked out one heavily favored foe and is playing with house money at this point. Carthage will be heavily favored, too, but the Bulldogs can't play the way they did against Palestine if they hope to reach next week's 3A Division I Region III championship.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
'In Plain Sight' star has some real baby drama going on
If federal witnesses are tough to babysit, what will watching over a real baby be like? Mary Shannon (Mary McCormack) faces that question at the opening of the fifth and final season of USA's In Plain Sight on Friday (10 ET/PT).
The new mother, who was on the verge of delivery at the end of last season, opens this one months later with a baby girl in tow, balancing the demands of motherhood and her job as a U.S. Marshal in the witness protection program (WITSEC).
McCormack's real-life pregnancy — she gave birth to her third daughter last year — forced a shift in storytelling, but she says things worked out for the best.
"I was glad they wrote it in, because I thought 'in Season 4 of a show it's time for big character shakeups,' " she says. "She's a woman who never thought she would be a mother. She's completely not maternal, so it's a great position to put her in for stories."
Shannon will face other challenges, including the arrival of the father (Terra Nova's Stephen Lang) who abandoned her as a child.
"It's a complex relationship. He was a career criminal, he's a fugitive and she's a cop. And he was the most important person in her life. I think a huge part of her grumpiness and her isolation is from that moment when he lied and left."
Frederick Weller, who plays Shannon's partner, Marshall Mann, cites several reasons for the show's appeal (a strong 5-million-viewer average last season). "You've got interesting characters and a rare combination of drama and humor. I don't know why it took so long for somebody to make a show about WITSEC, because it's fraught with dramatic possibilities. These people give up their identities to save their lives."
Producers promise to resolve open questions for fans, the key one being the relationship between Mary and Marshall. Is it something more than brother-sister? And how will his relationship with Abigail (Rachel Boston) affect things?
A big part of the show's appeal "is the terrific relationship between Mary and Marshall," executive producer Ed Decter says. "She's a bit caustic, she's a bit direct, and Marshall is sort of erudite and educated. They have this tango they do together."
Though ratings are solid, production expenses are one reason for the decision to end the show, producers and actors say. USA Network co-presidents Chris McCumber and Jeff Wachtel said in a statement: "Everything has a natural life span — even a television series. At USA, it's important for us to honor our contract with our audience. When a show has reached its final season, we plan ahead with the writers and actors so the show's loyal viewers can be a meaningful part of the process."
Weller says he feels bad that the show is ending. "Someone asked if it was bittersweet. I guess it will be on the sweet side when I've got the next job, but right now it's kind of bitter."
Knowing the endpoint can help producers close a show satisfactorily, executive producer John Strauss says: "It's a luxury for show runners to have that."
McCormack hopes viewers are satisfied. "Sometimes, shows end and you say, 'Oh, no, what happens next? I don't know where they're going,' " she says. "Other times they end and it feels organic. You feel sort of OK letting them go. I hope that's what we achieve."
Posted | Updated


text: I've noticed the following bug on my system PC-BSD 7.0-Alpha when I right-click on the icon with my CD to eject it, it is not ejected, instead I get the error message, something like "There are some programs using the files on this CD...". Even if I try to eject my CD immediately after KDE login, I still get this message. In PC-BSD 1.5.1 everything seemed to be OK. P.S. "cdcontrol eject" and "cdcontrol close" works. P.P.S all other volumes (USB, NTFS partitions are ejected normally!!!.


text:
Occupy Our Homes: Another Front in the Fight for Economic Justice
We're watching with interest today as Occupy Our Homes, a new national coalition, takes the message of the 99% from public parks and city squares to residential neighborhoods. They're pushing back against the big banks, with an eye on keeping struggling homeowners in their homes.
The events taking place around the country include marches, rallies and direct nonviolent action.
It's a natural next step for growing the reach and power of the 99% movement. It connects the concerns the Occupy protesters raise over corporate accountability and inequality with the actual on-the-ground effects of those issues. And it makes the protests relevant to communities who may not be occupying squares themselves. Most importantly, it shows a path for organizing and social action to have real-world positive effects.
(Even some not-very-sympathetic-to-Occupy conservative bloggers have suggested an effort to occupy foreclosures makes sense.)
As Sarah Seltzer notes at Alternet, this effort links the economic justice focus of the Occupy protests with an active and growing, but under-reported, movement to fix our broken housing system.
For many occupiers, the exploitative nature of the foreclosure crisis, the fact that families are losing their homes while the bankers who engineered this fateful bubble get bonuses–these were the reasons they joined in September…This day of action will only be the spark plug for what organizers hope is a coordinated but spontaneous national campaign, offering a blueprint for communities to do similar eviction resistance around the country or to coordinate between already-active movements.
Foreclosure is devastating neighborhoods even as it benefits big banks. In the communities we visit every day, foreclosures are a demoralizing reminder of ongoing failures in our economy, and the effect that they have goes beyond the family who lose their home.
The effort of the Occupy movement to fight foreclosures has great potential—enough that Bank of America is concerned, sending an internal email to staff exposing its weaknesses.
As the Occupy Our Homes rallies take place California and Nevada's state Attorneys General are also taking a big step to advance the cause of protecting homeowners, announcing a joint investigation into foreclosure fraud and banking-industry misconduct. It's important that the fight for economic justice take place at both the governmental level and in communities and neighborhoods.
For more, check out this map of today's Occupy Our Homes actions and listen to the stories of people facing down foreclosure.
Photo by Taber Andrew Bain on Flickr, via Creative Commons
Tags: Corporate Accountability, Housing, OWS


text:
[Software] Università degli Studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia, and CNA SERVIZI Modena s.c.a.r.l, and Università degli Studi di Roma "La Sapienza", and Rheinisch Westfaelische Technische Hochschule Aachen, and Thinking Networks AG, and IBM Italia SPA, and Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung eingetragener Verein, and Free University of Bozen - Bolzano,
SEWASIE. [Other]
SEWASIE implemented an advanced search engine that provides access via a machine-processable semantics of data overrunning current information retrieving tools.
Multilingual ontologies are the basis for the advanced search mechanisms; they are created and maintained with the MOMIS Ontology Builder grounded in W3C standards (XML, XML Schema, RDF(S)). The system provides an open and distributed architecture based on intelligent agents (brokers, mediators and wrappers), implemented in JADE, and supports scalability and flexibility. Ontology based user interface support users when querying heterogeneous web information sources. A user query is processed by a query agent that moves through SEWASIE Information Nodes and retrieve the requested information. Information Nodes are components that semantically enrich existing data sources by linking the data to ontologies and other metadata. The system is also capable of real-life business evaluation of the results, developing tools which solve the problem in a usable, marketable way.
Archive Staff Only: edit this record


text:
Nobody likes a tattletale. And when it comes to Internet fraud, many consumers and companies are not admitting when they've been had.
The first Internet Fraud Complaint Center six-month trend report (May 8-Nov. 8, 2000), which was prepared by the National White Collar Crime Center (NW3C) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), showed 5,273 incidents of Internet fraud resulting in losses of $4.6 million. The mean dollar loss of these cases was $864; the median was $255.
The report, which compiled data submitted through its website (www.ifccfbi.gov), also showed that nearly all complaints were individuals (92.1 percent). Just 7.9 percent of fraud complaints came from businesses.
But silence may very well be the real story.
Despite an estimated 37.5 million visitors to the site in the first six months of operation, Don Rebovich, research director at the NW3C, says Internet fraud is seriously underreported.
"Some individuals are not reporting offenses because they think their losses are too small, or they are too embarrassed or they think nothing will be done about it," says Rebovich.
The biggest fraud danger for consumers, according to the report, is online auctions, which accounted for 64.1% of individual complaints.
Meanwhile, businesses, for a variety of reasons‹including bad publicity and a loss of shareholder confidence‹are keeping a tight lid on the subject of Internet fraud.
"Businesses will come up with a lot of reasons why they won't report fraud to the law enforcement community," says Rebovich. "There's a credibility issue there that would result in underreporting by businesses."
In its 2001 Computer Crime and Security Survey (released March 12), the Computer Security Institute (CSI), in conjunction with the San Francisco Bureau of the FBI, found that 8 percent of respondents reported financial fraud, up from 3 percent in 2000. The survey was based on 538 security practitioners in U.S. corporations, government agencies, financial institutions, medical institutions and universities.
"It's something that more people are becoming aware of," says Patrice Rapalus, director of the CSI. "As many more organizations become networked these kinds of crimes become much easier to perpetrate."
The CSI report showed that 36 percent of respondents reported security breaches, including incidents of fraud, to law enforcement. Last year, just 25 percent of incidents were reported.
"Law enforcement has been making great strides in helping organizations with this kind of crime," Rapalus says. "There is a definite growth of confidence in law enforcement. But there are so many gray areas in legislation. It's still an area of great concern, but there is an increased comfort level among corporations that there is recourse if they're victims of serious attacks."
According to Sandra Michioku, spokesperson for the California attorney general's office, prosecuting Internet crimes is difficult because it often crosses interstate and even international boundaries.
"Perpetrators can be anywhere in the world. That's one of the complexities when you're dealing with Internet fraud and crime," Michioku says. "The Internet represents a whole new arena in which to perpetuate these types of crimes. And the level of sophistication on the Internet is so much greater than other channels."
This story, "Mum's the word on Internet fraud" was originally published by CIO.


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The light given off by male fireflies has a dual purpose. First, it helps the male firefly find a mate. Secondly, it serves as a warning light to potential predators that this is a beetle they should avoid. Fireflies contain toxins that can be poisonous to lizards, amphibians, and potentially other animals, including birds. The toxins, called "lucibufagins," are chemically related to cardiotoxins found in toads and plants.
If your lizard, amphibian, or bird does eat a firefly, contact an exotics veterinarian immediately. Emergency supportive treatment needs to be started as soon as possible.
To prevent potential poisonings, make sure your pet does not have access to fireflies. Keep insect proof covers on cages and prevent flying insects from entering the pet's environment. Above all, do not feed fireflies to your pet.
Glor, R; Richardson, JA. Fireflies toxic to bearded dragons. Exotic DVM February 2000, 2(1):6.
Knight, M; Glor, R; Smedley, SR; Gonzalez, A; Adler, K; Eisner, T. Firefly toxicosis in lizards. Journal of Chemical Ecology 1999, 25(9): 1981-1986.
Poppenga, RH. "Natural" does not mean "safe." Presented at the Atlantic Coast Veterinary Conference 2001.
Poppenga, RH. Zootoxins. Presented at the Western Veterinary Conference 2002.
Segelken, R. Biologists alert: Poisonous fireflies are killing exotic zoo and pet lizards. Cornell Chronicle, August 19, 1999.
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Services Provided to Birth Mother, Birth Father & Extended Family
CCI provides you with hope during an unplanned pregnancies. When working with CCI, you will have someone to talk to who is non-judgmental and who can provide you with resources, decision making tools and information to help you make the best decision for you and your child's future life. You make all decisions regarding your expectations for an adoption, including the type of on-going contact you desire with the adoptive family.
CCI will offer these services to birth mothers:
• Information on the adoption process in Texas
• Help arranging medical care.
• Counseling about choices, goals and plans for you and your child.
• Help in locating housing and other resources to meet your needs.
• Counseling to help deal with feelings about the pregnancy and placing a child for adoption.
• The opportunity to choose the adoptive family.
• The opportunity to meet the adoptive family and to discuss on-going contact, if desired.
• Help with legal paperwork.
If the father of your child wishes to receive services, CCI offers these services to birth fathers:
• Information on the adoption process in Texas
• Counseling about choices, goals and plans for birth fathers and the child.
• Help with legal paperwork.
• Counseling to help deal with feelings about the pregnancy and placing a child for adoption.
• The opportunity to help choose the adoptive family, if desired.
• The opportunity to meet the adoptive family and to discuss on-going contact, if desired.
For more birth father information, here is a link to our printable brochure: Think You're the Dad? Brochure
If you would like us to provide services to other members of your family,
CCI offers these services to birth parents' extended family members:
• Information on the adoption process in Texas
• Counseling to help deal with feelings about the pregnancy and the adoption plan.
We are Here to Help You Make an Adoption Plan for Your Child
Children's Connections, Inc. (CCI) works with you regardless of your: Age, Race, Income level, Relationship, Lifestyle, Religion, or Location in Texas
We provide services in a non-judgmental manner. Services are provided in your hometown or in whatever location you desire.
You are in Charge of Your Adoption Process!
You may select the adoptive parents for your child, if you wish. Prospective adoptive parents will provide you with a profile telling you about themselves and sharing pictures of themselves, their home and their family.
You decide what level of openness you prefer for your adoption. You decide if you want to meet the prospective adoptive parents or if you want to have on-going contact with them. We can help you decide what level of openness you desire but you make the decision.
All adoptive parents have successfully completed a home study process in order to be eligible to adopt a child. This includes an investigation into their family background, parenting skills, home environment, health, employment, finances, marital relationships, other children or any others living in the home. They have their criminal history checked and provide doctor's statements and written reference letters so you can feel comfortable that prospective adoptive parents have been thoroughly screened.
We provide you with birth parent counseling before you give birth in order to help you decide if adoption is right for you. We also provide you with birth parent counseling after your child's birth to help you deal with any feelings of loss that you may experience.
You are assured of total confidentiality when you work with CCI. You decide if you want to give adoptive parents your name or information about where you live. At no time will your name be released unless you give us approval in advance.
When you work with Children's Connections, Inc. (CCI), there is never any fee or expense charged to you, as the birth parent. All adoption expenses are the responsibility of the adoptive parents, including legal fees and help with medical expenses, if needed.
Starting the process is easy. All you need to do is call Children's Connections, Inc. at 800-456-4862 or text us at 806-787-2398. We have staff members located throughout Texas so we'll be happy to come to you in order to help you with your adoption plans.


text:
China will relax its "one child" policy, force state-owned enterprises to pay more dividends and give farmers greater property rights under a suite of reform proposals announced late Friday.
In a document released following the Communist Party's Third Plenum, the government also said it would accelerate interest rate and foreign exchange reforms so that the market could play a more "decisive" role in the Chinese economy.
"The reform plan is very ambitious," UBS chief China economist Wang Tao said. She said the document included "sweeping reforms on almost all fronts, in some cases more than expected".
However, Ms Wang said the impact on the economy would depend on implementation of the plans.
China's iconic "one-child" policy will be changed to allow couples to have two children if either parent is an only child.
The government has also formally committed to ending the "re-education through labour" system, which allows local authorities to detain people for up to four years without trial, and will reduce the number of crimes that are subject to the death penalty.
China's top leaders released the document known as "the decision on major issues" following a four-day meeting of the country's top 400 leaders in Beijing, which ended on Tuesday.
The Party's Central Committee pledged to allow the private sector to establish small and medium-sized banks without providing further details.
The document also said that the prices of electricity, fuel and other key resources would no longer be kept artificially low. This would suggest a shift away from coal-fired electricity to gas, nuclear and renewable power sources.
Beijing also plans to stem the flow of local debt by linking the performance of local officials to any increase in debt levels.
State-owned enterprises will be forced to raise dividends paid to public finances to 30 per cent by 2020.
The Australian Financial Review


text: On 21 February 2012 09:02, Jacob Carlborg <doob at me.com> wrote: > On 2012-02-20 17:17, Daniel Murphy wrote: >> >> "H. S. Teoh"<hsteoh at quickfur.ath.cx> wrote in message >> news:mailman.667.1329753569.20196.digitalmars-d at puremagic.com... >>> >>> I've suggested before, and would suggest it again, that it would be nice >>> if dmd had an option, or came with another standalone tool, that can >>> display the fully-expanded type of something, as the compiler would have >>> understood it. For example: >>> >> >> This sounds like dmd's json output, but even less implemented and >> requiring >> repeated lexing/parsing/semantic. >> >> It would make a lot more sense with the compiler as a library. > > > Exactly. We basically need Clang for D, preferably written in D. > > -- > /Jacob Carlborg libclang is awesome, so libdmd should be /more/ awesome, right? -- James Miller


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You have read every book about how to hunt for a job and you follow the advice religiously. You have updated, revised, edited and buffed your résumé until it shines - individualizing it for every position you apply for. You send out dozens of letters and applications a week. You have created LinkedIn and Facebook pages that portray you as the consummate professional and you blog and tweet on an hourly basis. You are a regular at every job fair in your area. You read multiple newspapers just for the help wanted ads and news of any businesses that might be hiring. You troll the online job recruiting sites like a stalker following his favorite celebrity. You are doing everything you are supposed to do and you are still can't find a job. Now what?
The average length of unemployment for workers 55 and older was more than 52 weeks as of August 2011. Of the 14 million people out of work for six months or more, 55 percent were 55 or older, according to AARP. All the books say treat your job hunt like a job. But you cannot hunt for a job eight hours a day, five days a week. So how are you supposed to keep your sanity when your job search is making you crazy?
Your first goal: Stay positive and try not to panic. Determine a schedule for your job hunt and dedicate those hours to your search. You can put the rest of your time to productive use, which does not include watching TV or playing video games.
Take classes. Look into free or inexpensive classes that will help you learn new skills to include on your résumé. You can brush up your computer skills, learn a language or finally learn how to do something you've always wanted to try.
De-clutter your house. Have a yard sale to make some extra money. Sell online anything you couldn't get rid of in the yard sale, and if you can't sell something, give to a charity. Throw away broken things that can't be fixed or junk you don't need or want any more, so it's no longer taking up space.
Plant a garden. It will help you feed your family, get your mind off finding work for a little while, and give you some exercise.
Make small, simple repairs and improvements around the house that you never had time to do before.
Set up a regular exercise routine. It will help you deal with stress, while helping you remain healthy and fit.
Volunteer. Helping someone who is less fortunate than you is a great way to gain perspective. You can add your volunteer experience to your résumé and may even find new job possibilities.
Most importantly, talk to people, and not just in a networking capacity. You may find people will not know what to say to you. You can help them to help you by honestly telling them how you feel and what you need from them - either a sympathetic ear as you vent or positive encouragement. If you find you're spending much of your time with other unemployed people, try to keep the conversation positive.
Looking for a job is one of the toughest jobs out there. Staying positive is vital, even though that's seems impossible. Too many of us define ourselves by our jobs. While you look for a job, you have the chance to redefine who you are, instead of what you do.


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Professional Psychology: Debating Chamber · Psychology Journals · Psychologists
The process of accepting and preparing abstracts for presentation at an academic conference. The process consists of either invited or proffered submissions of the abstract or summary of work. This abstract typically states the hypothesis, tools used in research or investigation, data collected, and a summary or interpretation of the data.
The abstracts usually undergo peer review after which they are accepted or rejected by the conference chair or committee and then allocated to conference sessions. The abstracts may be presented as an oral talk or as an illustrated poster during the event. Abstracts are often published before or after the event as conference proceedings or in academic journals or online. In some cases submission of a full paper may be required before final acceptance is given.
The abstract management process is closely tied to the need to provide continuing education to professionals. Many annual meetings hosted by specialty societies provide educational credit hours so that attendees may keep current in the field and maintain their professional certifications.
Historically, abstract management was a manual process requiring the handling of large amounts of paper. An increasing number of organizations now use an electronic or web-based system to streamline and automate the process.
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|This page uses Creative Commons Licensed content from Wikipedia (view authors).


text:
Friday, March 16, 2012 | 8:15 a.m.
Fatal accident
A fatal three-vehicle collision Thursday night may have been the result of street racing, Metro Police said.
Police say a 27-year-old Las Vegas man died at the scene of an accident about 9:52 p.m. after his 1992 Honda Civic collided with a 2001 GMC Denali driven by Robert Bauer, 28, near Charleston Boulevard and Sloan Lane.
According to police, witnesses at the scene say the 17-year-old driver of a 2000 Ford Mustang and the driver of the Honda were traveling east on Charleston Boulevard at a high rate of speed, possibly racing each other.
Police say the GMC was also traveling east and was changing lanes when the Mustang hit him from behind, pushing the vehicle into the Honda on the other side.
The driver of the Honda was pronounced dead at the scene. The 17-year-old driver, Bauer and his passenger, 27-year-old Brenda Blanco, were transported to University Medical Center with minor injuries, police said.
The accident is the 25th fatal traffic collision in LVMPD's jurisdiction in 2012 and is under investigation.


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Steak n Shake eatery coming to S.A.
Updated 7:19 pm, Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Steak n Shake's parent company has had its headquarters in San Antonio for more than a year, and now it looks like one of its restaurants may not be too far behind.
A "Coming Soon" sign anticipating the arrival of a Steak n Shake restaurant stands at the northeast corner of Loop 1604 and Interstate 10 West near The Rim Shopping Center. The chain is known for its burgers and milkshakes.
Just when construction might start on the restaurant couldn't be determined. A real estate broker, whose phone number was listed on the sign, referred inquiries to Steak n Shake parent Biglari Holdings Inc. A company official couldn't immediately be reached for comment.
Business Channel
An entity affiliated with Western Sizzlin, another restaurant chain owned by Biglari Holdings, owns the San Antonio land where the Steak n Shake is slated to be built. The land is appraised by the Bexar County Appraisal District at almost $3.5 million.


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|low graphics version | feedback | help
|You are in: World: Europe
Monday, 1 May, 2000, 14:02 GMT 15:02 UK
Austria's Haider bows out
Joerg Haider, the controversial leader of Austria's far-right Freedom Party, officially stepped down on Monday - but he remains the key figure behind the scenes.
He first announced his resignation in February following widespread international condemnation of his party's entry into the governing coalition.
His replacement, Susanne Riess-Passer, the Austrian vice-chancellor, pledged absolute loyalty to Mr Haider.
"The Freedom Party remains Joerg Haider's party," she said in her acceptance speech at a party congress in Klagenfurt.
Ms Riess-Passer, Mr Haider's former spokeswoman, was nominated to the job by Mr Haider himself, who promised continuity of the policy.
She won 91.5% of the vote.
High ambitions
Analysts say that despite the handover, Mr Haider will remain the de facto party leader.
Despite his insistence that he wants to concentrate on his role as regional governor, many predict he will be pulling the strings of his ministers.
He is also likely to further his own political ambitions, as he has made no secret of his desire to be Austria's Chancellor.
According to analysts, Mr Haider can now criticise the coalition's austerity measures, which are hitting Freedom Party voters, and, if local election results show a slump in support, he could be persuaded to return.
Austria's right versus EU
Mr Haider's anger at the European Union's diplomatic and political isolation of Austria following the inclusion of his party in the coalition remains unabated.
Austria's Chancellor, Wolfgang Schuessel, has dismissed such a proposal, but has not excluded Haider's suggestion for a referendum on EU sanctions.
Mr Haider said he expected the EU soon to lift the political sanctions imposed on Austria when his Freedom Party joined the coalition government.
Country profiles
See also:
17 Apr 00 | Europe
EU counters Austrian threat
12 Apr 00 | Europe
Austria pleads for EU 'fairness'
22 Mar 00 | Europe
Austrian leader urges end to sanctions
01 Mar 00 | Europe
Austrian government stands by Haider
29 Feb 00 | Europe
EU cautious over Haider resignation
29 Feb 00 | Europe
Analysis: Haider's tactical move
29 Feb 00 | Europe
Profile: Controversy and Joerg Haider
28 Feb 00 | Europe
Haider resignation fails to impress
10 Feb 00 | Europe
Diplomatic snub for Austria
04 Feb 00 | Europe
Haider's men and women
03 Feb 00 | Europe
Analysis: EU's forceful warning on Haider
02 Feb 00 | Europe
Austria and the Haider factor: Special report
Internet links:
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites
Links to other Europe stories are at the foot of the page.
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text:
Edgy Exegesis
Snap Decisions Are the Best Kind: Reflections on Matthew 4:18-22
Lectionary Reflections on Matthew 4:18-22
January 23, 2011
We usually hear these disciples praised as models to imitate in their spontaneous faith. But did you ever wonder if they weren't being impulsive and irresponsible? They put down their work and left their families to follow Jesus. It seems like a snap decision. And snap decisions aren't always good.
I've been taking an informal poll this week of friends, family, and students, asking them the question: "Have you ever made a snap decision that turned out to be a mistake?" Everyone quickly answered "Yes," but didn't want to elaborate.
It has been up to me to engage in my own cultural research. I picked up a copy of Star magazine at the grocery store checkout rack and perused an article entitled "Plastic Surgery Regrets" in which actresses and actors told about going overboard with plastic surgery procedures to make them feel better about themselves and about how their choices backfired. Jennifer Gray, Heidi Montag, Jessica Simpson, Carmen Electra, Courteney Cox, Kenny Rogers, Jamie Lee Curtis, Joan Rivers, Mickey Rourke, Denise Richards, Dana Delany, and Jane Fonda all shared their regrets. They opted for surgery from what they now believe are the wrong motives and cannot reverse the damage done.
Our negative snap decisions don't only affect ourselves. The events in the Safeway parking lot in Tucson last week are testimony to the effects of one troubled individual's sudden violent actions on the lives of so many around him.
I make trivial snap decisions all the time. I know I should have the grilled salmon salad but when the waiter comes to take the order, I hear myself ordering spaghetti and meatballs. Or I'm at the checkout at Staples and I buy a bag of jelly beans with my printer paper. There's a reason they call that an "impulse buy." Sometimes I may say something I regret because it's hurtful to someone else. Sometimes I agree to do something I don't really have time or skills to do because I'm flattered to be asked.
For these men to leave everything and follow someone they didn't know had to have tremendous impact on their families and communities. All four gospels present it as a sudden move. We are used to Mark's frequent use of the adverb "immediately," to indicate the urgency of people's actions in his gospel. But in this chapter Matthew borrows Mark's favorite word and uses it twice. "Immediately they (Simon Peter and Andrew) left their nets and followed him. . . . Immediately they (James and John, sons of Zebedee) left the boat and their father, and followed him" (Mt. 4:20, 22).
What else can we call this but a snap decision? And snap decisions are not always good. But sometimes they are. When I've asked people the question, "Have you ever made a snap decision that turned out really well?" so far everyone has been willing to answer it. They have all said "Yes."
Then, when I looked at them expectantly, many of them elaborated using similar language that went something like this: "When you listen to your deepest intuition, it doesn't usually lead you astray. When you've been praying and seeking guidance, when it's time for a decision, it almost seems spontaneous."
People are as reticent about the details of their positive snap decisions as they are about their bad ones. I have been left to wonder what their positive snap decisions were. Did someone make a snap decision to trust someone (or not to)? To put on their seatbelt right before they rounded the corner and the car hit them? To enter or exit a relationship? To take someone's advice? To go to a certain school? To take a certain job or choose a certain vocation?
Alyce M. McKenzie is the George W. and Nell Ayers Le Van Professor of Preaching and Worship at Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University.
McKenzie's column, "Edgy Exegesis," is published every Monday on the Preachers Portal. Subscribe via email or RSS.


text:
Gillborn, David (2009) Risk-Free Racism: Whiteness and So-Called "Free Speech". Wake Forest Law Review, 44. pp. 535-555. ISSN 0043-003X. DOI UNSPECIFIED
|Item Type:
|Additional Information:
|This paper is notable for several reasons. First, it appears in a US law journal - showing that my work on critical race theory is respected not only within education internationally, but also in the discipline where CRT began (the law). Second, the paper arises from an invitational symposium at the Wake Forest School of Law, which is consistently ranked among the leading US law schools. This paper has been closed as the permission of the publisher has not been verified.
|Controlled Keywords:
|Ethnicity , Race , Multiculturalism , Philosophy of education , Citizenship , Cultural studies , Sociology , Media
|IOE Departments > Departments > Education Foundations and Policy Studies
IOE Departments > Departments > Humanities and Social Sciences
|Depositing User:
|IOE Repository Editor (2)
|Date Deposited:
|17 Mar 2010 09:18
|Last Modified:
|29 Jan 2015 08:33


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text:
DC Selects 2003's Squirt Minor
2012 AAA Spring Hockey
About the Book
Features & Details
- Category Sports & Adventure
Standard Landscape, 10×8 in, 25×20 cm
58 Pages
- Publish Date Jun 02, 2012
- Tags ice hockey, youth sports, hockey, sports, competition, championships
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About the Creator
Julia Kennedy
Silver Spring, MD
I love capturing the action and intensity of competition.
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