Author: claimsbot

1. A GNSS receiver system for receiving signals from GNSS satellites, including at least one SBAS satellite, which receiver system includes:
a receiver including a nonvolatile memory adapted for storing a table of bias corrections for at least one GNSS satellite;
each bias correction including at least one of a group delay correction component and an inter-signal bias correction component; and
an ionosphere-free pseudo range being SBAS-corrected using data broadcast in the SBAS signal as well as data in the bias correction table according to the formula:
R
\u2062
–

(
T
SV

–
\u2062

\u03c4
GD
)

\u2062
–

ISC

L
\u2062
\u2062

1

CA
+

T
SV
GPS

–

\u03c4
GD
GPS

+
T
SV

–

T
SV
GPS

+

ISC

L
\u2062
\u2062

1

CA
–

(
\u03c4
GD

–

\u03c4
GD
GPS
)
=
R
wherein:
the GPS broadcast clock model=TSVGPS;
the broadcast group-delay=\u03c4GDGPS;
the superscript \u201cGPS\u201d indicates that TSVGPS and \u03c4GDGPS are estimates provided by
the GPS Control Segment rather than the true values;
the GPS navigation message, which is modulated on the GPS transmitted signals, contains coefficients of a time-based polynomial fitting TSVGPS;
the navigation message contains a single word providing the group-delay, \u03c4GDGPS;
each satellite sends its respective, satellite-specific values for the above quantities; and
the SBAS clock correction, TSBAS, can be broken down into its individual constituents as follows:
T
SBAS

=
T
SV

–

T
SV
GPS

+

ISC

L
\u2062
\u2062

1

CA
–

(
\u03c4
GD

–

\u03c4
GD
GPS
)
P
iono
\u2062
_
\u2062
free

\u2062

_
\u2062
corrected
CA

=
K
1

\u2062

C
1
–
K
2

\u2062

P
2
+

T
SV
GPS

+

T
SBAS

+

B
ISC_TGD
B

ISC
\u2062
\u2062
_
\u2062
\u2062
TGD
=
K
2

\u2062

ISC

L
\u2062
\u2062

1

CA
+

(
\u03c4
GD

–

\u03c4
GD
GPS
)
;

and
P

iono
\u2062
\u2062
_
\u2062
\u2062
free
\u2062
\u2062
_
\u2062
\u2062
corrected

CA

=

R
.
2. The GNSS receiver system of claim 1, which includes: a Kalman filter adapted for estimating the troposphere as its state.
3. The system of claim 1, which includes:
said GNSS receiver comprising a dual frequency receiver using one of:
L2(P) and L1(P); and
L2(P) and L1(CA).
4. The system of claim 1, which includes means for calibrating the biases using either:
a Kalman filter or a least squares method to: estimate and remove the effects of un-modeled troposphere errors and clock errors; and to effectively time-average the data.
5. The method of claim 1, which includes means for providing a separate BTOTAL value for each of multiple GNSS satellites.
6. A GNSS receiver system for receiving pseudo range signals from GNSS satellites, including at least one SBAS satellite, which receiver system includes:
a receiver including a nonvolatile memory adapted for storing a table of bias corrections for at least one GNSS satellite;
a microprocessor controller connected to said GNSS receiver;
each bias correction including at least one of a group delay correction component and an inter-signal bias correction component;
the pseudo range signals being bias-corrected using data broadcast in the SBAS signal as well as data in the bias correction table; and
the pseudo range being SBAS-corrected using a GNSS broadcast clock model and a broadcast group delay, each satellite sending respective satellite-specific correction values and the biases being calibrated using a Kalman filter or a least squares method to estimate and remove the effects of un-modeled troposphere errors and clock errors and to effectively time-average the data.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A rotary cathode assembly comprising:
a rotary cathode;
a vacuum chamber surrounding at least a portion of said cathode, said vacuum chamber defined by a chamber housing connected and sealed relative to said cathode; a power supply which supplies a current to the cathode; and
a power connection between said power supply and said cathode, said power connection being connected with said cathode at a point within said vacuum chamber.
2. The cathode assembly of claim 1 wherein the current source is a fluctuating current source.
3. The cathode assembly of claim 2 wherein said fluctuating current source is chosen from one or more of the group comprising an AC current source, a bipolar DC current source, and a pulsed DC current source.
4. The cathode assembly of claim 3 wherein said power connection further comprises one or more electrical contact assemblies between said power connection and said cathode.
5. The cathode assembly of claim 4 wherein said electrical contact assemblies further comprise electrical brushes constructed of a carbon or graphite based material with molybdenum disulfide as an additive.
6. The cathode assembly of claim 4 further comprising a main support housing operably attached to the chamber, the main support housing being hollow and surrounding a length of a drive shaft, the drive shaft rotatably supported by the main support housing and connected to said cathode.
7. The cathode assembly of claim 6 wherein said electrical contact assembly is an electrical contact further comprising:
at least one electrical brush disposed in electrical contact with a portion of the rotary cathode.
8. The cathode assembly of claim 7 wherein said at least one electrical brush is made from a carbon or graphite based material with one or more of molybdenum disulfide, CdI2, PbI2, CdCl2, HgI2, BaF2 and dichalcogenides, diselenides and ditellurides of the metals of molybdenum, tungsten, niobium and tantalum.
9. The cathode assembly of claim 8 wherein the electrical brush is made from a carbon or graphite based material with molybdenum disulfide as an additive.
10. The cathode assembly of claim 9 wherein the molybdenum disulfidee is present as an additive in the amount of about 1% to 10% of the carbon or graphite based material.
11. The cathode assembly of claim 10 further comprising a vacuum sealed electrical port disposed on the vacuum chamber, the conductive wire operably connected at a first end to the power supply and operably connected at a second end to the electrical contact, the conductive wire passing through the chamber housing via the vacuum sealed electrical port, whereby the current flows from the power supply, through the conductive wire, and into the electrical contact.
12. The cathode assembly of claim 11 wherein said vacuum seal is a ferro-fluidic seal.
13. A sputter assembly comprising:
a sputter chamber;
one or more rotary sputter cathodes with at least a portion of each of said cathodes positioned within said sputter chamber and a portion of said cathode disposed inside of a housing;
a vacuum seal operably positioned between said cathode and said housing; and
means for supplying a current to the rotary sputter cathode inside of the sputter chamber, thereby avoiding inductive heating of the vacuum seal.
14. The cathode assembly of claim 13 wherein the current source is chose from one or more of the group comprising an oscillating current source, a high power current source, and a fluctuating current source.
15. The cathode assembly of claim 13 wherein said electrical contact assembly is an electrical contact further comprising:
an electrical brush housing operably connected to the main housing and in electrical contact with the same;
and at least one electrical brush disposed in electrical contact on the interior of the housing, the electrical brush in electrical contact with the rotary cathode.
16. The cathode assembly of claim 15 wherein said electrical brush is made from a carbon or graphite based material with an additive to facilitate wear in substantially vacuum conditions.
17. The cathode assembly of claim 15 wherein said electrical brush is made from a carbon or graphite based material with an additive to facilitate current carrying capacity in substantially vacuum conditions.
18. A sputtering cathode assembly comprising:
a rotary cathode;
a vacuum chamber surrounding at least a portion of said cathode, said vacuum chamber defined by a chamber housing connected and sealed relative to said cathode;
a drive shaft connected to said cathode;
a main support housing surrounding a portion of said drive shaft; and
a power supply which supplies a current to the cathode, the current flowing from the power supply, through the main support housing and to the cathode.
19. The cathode assembly of claim 17 wherein said electrical contact assembly is an electrical contact further comprise:
an electrical brush housing operably connected to the main housing and in electrical cooperation with the same;
and at least one electrical brush disposed in electrical contact on the interior of the housing, the electrical brush in electrical contact with the rotary cathode.
20. The cathode assembly of claim 18 wherein said electrical brush is made from a material sufficient to facilitate wear in a substantially vacuum environment.
21. The cathode assembly of claim 19 wherein the alternating current source is chosen from one or more of the group comprising an AC current source, a bipolar DC current source, and a pulsed DC current source.

1. A suitcase with a foldable chair, comprising:
a suitcase body, said suitcase body having top and bottom surfaces, front and rear surfaces, and first and second side surfaces;
a first pair of wheels, said wheels being connected to said bottom surface of the suitcase near the rear surface of said suitcase;
a foldable base plate, said base plate having front and rear edges, said rear edge of said base plate being rotatably attached to said front surface of the suitcase proximate to said bottom surface of said suitcase, said front edge being adapted for extending distally from said bottom surface of said suitcase;
a second pair of wheels, said second pair of wheels being connected to said front edge of the foldable base plate;
first and second fixing devices, said fixing devices being connected to said front surface of said suitcase proximate to said first and second side surfaces of said suitcase, respectively, and said fixing devices being adapted for fixing the foldable base plate to said front surface of said suitcase;
a foldable seat plate, said seat plate being rotatably connected to said front surface of the suitcase between said top and bottom surfaces of said suitcase; and
first and second auxiliary rails, said rails being connected to said front surface of said suitcase proximate to said first and second side surfaces of said suitcase, respectively, said auxiliary rails being located intermediate said seat plate and said top surface of said suitcase, said auxiliary rails being adapted for forming armrests;
wherein said foldable chair is adapted for being in a folded configuration so that:
(1) said foldable base plate, the fixing devices, the foldable seat plate and the auxiliary rails are folded in substantially one plane against said front surface of said suitcase; and
(2) said front edge of the foldable base plate and said second pair of wheels being proximate to said bottom surface of said suitcase and said first pair of wheels; and
wherein said foldable chair is adapted for being in an unfolded configuration so that:
(1) the foldable base plate, the fixing devices, the foldable seat plate and the auxiliary rails are unfolded; and
(2) said front edge of said base plate and a said second pair of wheels being distal from said bottom surface of said suitcase and said first pair of wheels.
2. The suitcase of claim 1, wherein:
the foldable seat plate is adapted for bending into a substantially right angle to form a horizontal seat portion and a perpendicular leg portion, said leg portion having a front and rear end;
the front end of the leg portion being adapted for connecting to the foldable base plate; and
said auxiliary rails having front ends, said auxiliary rails being adapted for bending into a substantially right angle for fixing said front ends of the auxiliary rails to the seat portion of the foldable seat plate.
3. The suitcase of claim 1, wherein:
the fixing devices are extensible fixing levers, said fixing devices having top and bottom ends;
said foldable base plate having first and second sides, said sides being proximate to said first and second side surfaces of said suitcase, respectively;
said top end of said first and second fixing devices being rotatably mounted to the front surface of said suitcase and said bottom end of said first and second fixing devices being detachably connected to said first and second sides of the foldable base plate, respectively, so that the foldable base plate is connected to the front surface of the suitcase at a substantially right angle; and
the foldable base plate being adapted for folding by removing said bottom end of each fixing device from the foldable base plate.
4. The suitcase of claim 1, wherein:
the foldable seat plate and the auxiliary rails are adapted for being folded into a flat configuration, said flat configuration being adapted for pivoting against said front; and
the front edge of the foldable base plate being adapted for positioning distal to said bottom surface of said suitcase and said first pair of wheels, and said front end of said fixing devises being adapted for supporting the foldable base plate at a substantially right angle with the front surface of the suitcase whereby said suitcase forms a cart.
5. The suitcase of claim 1, wherein:
the foldable base plate further comprises first and second flat plates, said first plate being shorter than said second plate, each of said plates having a top end and a bottom end;
said bottom end of said first plate being rotatably mounted to said front surface of said suitcase, proximal to said bottom surface of said suitcase;
the second pair of wheels being provided proximal to said top end of said second plate; and
the second pair of wheels being adapted for positioning proximate to said bottom surface of said suitcase, between said front edge of said base plate and said first pair of wheels when the foldable base plate is folded.
6. The suitcase of claim 1, wherein a handle is connected within said rear surface of the suitcase and said handle being adapted for extending from said rear surface to an extended position, and said handle being adapted for locking in said extended position.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A method of operating a wireless communication system for communicating a presence message from a presence server to a monitoring wireless communication device, wherein the presence message indicates location-oriented status of a monitored wireless communication device, method comprising:
in the wireless communication system, receiving the presence message from the presence server and determining if the monitoring wireless communication device is in an active mode;
responsive to receiving the presence message when the monitoring wireless communication device is in the active mode, in the wireless communication system, transferring the presence message for delivery to the monitoring wireless communication device; and
responsive to receiving the presence message when the monitoring wireless communication device is not in the active mode and filtering characteristics indicate to transfer the presence message then, in the wireless communication system, transferring the presence message for delivery to the monitoring wireless communication device;
responsive to receiving the presence message when the monitoring wireless communication device is not in the active mode and the filtering characteristics indicate to withhold transfer of the presence message then, in the wireless communication system, withholding transfer of the presence message to the monitoring wireless communication device, applying the filtering characteristics to the presence message, and creating summary data of the presence message, wherein the summary data comprises an identity of the monitored wireless communication device; and
responsive to the monitoring wireless communication device entering the active mode, transferring the summary data of the presence message for delivery to the monitoring wireless communication device.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein withholding transfer of the presence message to the monitoring wireless communication device comprises preventing the presence message from causing the monitoring wireless communication device to enter the active mode when the monitoring wireless communication device is not in the active mode.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the filtering characteristics comprise allowing the presence message to be transferred for delivery to the monitoring wireless communication device when the presence message is associated with a high priority and the monitoring wireless communication device is not in the active mode, and withholding the presence message from transfer for delivery to the monitoring wireless communication device when the presence message is associated with a low priority and the monitoring wireless communication device is not in the active mode;
wherein the presence message transferred for delivery to the monitoring wireless communication device brings the monitoring wireless communication device into the active mode.
4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
in the wireless communication system, maintaining an active communication session with the presence server on behalf of the monitoring wireless communication device when the monitoring wireless communication device is not in the active mode.
5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
when the monitoring wireless communication device is not in the active mode, maintaining a log of the presence message in the wireless communication system.
6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
in the wireless communication system, receiving additional presence messages from the presence server when the monitoring wireless communication device is not in the active mode;
in the wireless communication system, transferring summary data of the additional presence messages for delivery to the monitoring wireless communication device once the monitoring wireless communication device enters the active mode.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein the additional presence messages are associated with additional monitored wireless communication devices; and further comprising:
in the wireless communication system, applying the filtering characteristics to the additional presence messages, wherein the filtering characteristics comprise assigning priorities to each of the presence message and the additional presence messages based upon identities of the monitored wireless communication device and the additional monitored wireless communication devices.
8. The method of claim 6, wherein the additional presence messages are associated with additional monitored wireless communication devices; and further comprising:
in the wireless communication system, applying the filtering characteristics to the additional presence messages, wherein the filtering characteristics comprise assigning priorities to each of the presence message and the additional presence messages based upon a message type of the presence message and the additional presence messages.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the presence message from the presence server comprises:
in the wireless communication system, inspecting communications transferred from the presence server to detect the presence message; and
in the wireless communication system, determining if the presence message is intended for delivery to the monitoring wireless communication device.
10. A communication system for communicating a presence message from a presence server to a monitoring wireless communication device, wherein the presence message indicates a location-oriented status of a monitored wireless communication device, comprising:
a communication interface of the communication system configured to receive the presence message from the presence server;
a processing node of the communication system configured to determine if the monitoring wireless communication device is in an active mode;
responsive to receiving the presence message when the monitoring wireless communication device is in the active mode, the communication interface is configured to transfer the presence message for delivery to the monitoring wireless communication device; and
responsive to receiving the presence message when the monitoring wireless communication device is not in the active mode and filtering characteristics indicate to transfer the presence message, the processing node is configured to transfer the presence message for delivery to the monitoring wireless communication device;
responsive to receiving the presence message when the monitoring wireless communication device is not in the active mode and the filtering characteristics indicate to withhold transfer of the presence message, the processing node is configured to withhold transfer of the presence message to the monitoring wireless communication device, apply the filtering characteristics to the presence message, and create summary data of the presence message, wherein the summary data comprises an identity of the monitored wireless communication device; and
the communication interface configured to transfer the summary data of the presence message for delivery to the monitoring wireless communication device responsive to the monitoring wireless communication device entering the active mode.
11. The communication system of claim 10, comprising:
the processing node configured to prevent the presence message from causing the monitoring wireless communication device to enter the active mode by withholding transfer of the presence message to the monitoring wireless communication device when the monitoring wireless communication device is not in the active mode.
12. The communication system of claim 10, wherein the filtering characteristics comprise allowing the presence message to be transferred for delivery to the monitoring wireless communication device when the presence message is associated with a high priority and the monitoring wireless communication device is not in the active mode, and withholding the presence message from transfer for delivery to the monitoring wireless communication device when the presence message is associated with a low priority and the monitoring wireless communication device is not in the active mode;
wherein the presence message transferred for delivery to the monitoring wireless communication device brings the monitoring wireless communication device into the active mode.
13. The communication system of claim 10, comprising:
the processing node configured to maintain an active communication session with the presence server on behalf of the monitoring wireless communication device when the monitoring wireless communication device is not in the active mode.
14. The communication system of claim 10, comprising:
the processing node configured to maintain a log of the presence message when the monitoring wireless communication device is not in the active mode.
15. The communication system of claim 10, comprising:
the communication interface configured to receive additional presence messages from the presence server when the monitoring wireless communication device is not in the active mode;
the processing node configured to create additional summary data of the additional presence messages; and
the communication interface configured to transfer summary data of the presence message and the additional summary data of the additional presence messages for delivery to the monitoring wireless communication device once the monitoring wireless communication device enters the active mode.
16. The communication system of claim 15, wherein the additional presence messages are associated with additional monitored wireless communication devices; and comprising:
the processing node configured to apply the filtering characteristics to the additional presence messages, wherein the filtering characteristics comprise assigning priorities to each of the presence message and the additional presence messages based upon identities of the monitored wireless communication device and the additional monitored wireless communication devices.
17. The communication system of claim 15, wherein the additional presence messages are associated with additional monitored wireless communication devices; and comprising:
the processing node configured to apply the filtering characteristics to the additional presence messages, wherein the filtering characteristics comprise assigning priorities to each of the presence message and the additional presence messages based upon a message type of the presence message and the additional presence messages.
18. The communication system of claim 10, comprising:
the processing node configured to inspect communications received by the communication interface from the presence server to detect the presence message and determine if the presence message is intended for delivery to the monitoring wireless communication device.