Abstract: A light wavelength meter (10) able to accept light into a light diverter (16) and impart to it a transverse displacement characteristic which can be detected in a light detection unit (20) connected to a processor (22). Optionally, a light diverger (18) may be provided to enhance angular resolution. The light diverter (16) and the light diverger (18) may either transmit or reflect the light. The light diverter (16) may include a diffraction grating (116, 156), Fabry-Perot interferometer (216), multiple slit plate (316), or an acousto-optical unit (416). The processor (22) may employ wavelength data look-up tables, including addressed based on light intensity and the first defivative of light intensity.

Abstract: A wavelength reference (10) including at least one gas-tunable etalons (12). Each etalon (12) has first and second reflective surfaces (20,22), making a reflecting surface pair (23). Each reflecting surface pair (23) surrounds a cavity (16) which is filled with a gas-tunable medium (19) having a variable optical index of refraction. The etalons (12) produce equally-spaced spectral lines (4) which are variable in response to changes in the gas-tunable medium (19) such as varying gas pressure or composition. The spectral lines (4) are tuned to align to an external wavelength standard, preferably an ITU reference grid (2). The properties of the gas-tunable medium (19) are then fixed, preferably by sealing an enclosure (14) which surrounds the etalons (12), so that they act as a wavelength reference (10). The etalon (12) can be a reflective etalon (29) or in an alternate embodiment (60), can be a transmissive etalon (29).

Abstract: A dynamic private network (DNP)(100) for use in a tele or other communications infrastructure (102) to communicate between customer premises equipment CPE (30) via a network matrix (26). A DPN router (104) connects logical networks (106) having the CPE (30) to a datapath node (152).

Abstract: An interference filter (10) and a process (100) by which it may be fabricated. A substrate (12, 52, 82) is provided and a working region (56, 84) is defined therein or thereupon. Relative to the horizontal substrate (12, 52, 82), a plurality of vertical layers having differing refractive index are then constructed by applying material into the working region (56, 84) or altering material already in the working region (56, 84). Photo masking and etching processes may be used to selectively remove material in the working region (56, 84) for applying additional material having a differing refractive index. Photo masking and impurity doping processes may be used to selectively change material to have a differing refractive index.

Abstract: A light frequency locker (10) able to accept a light beam (14) generated by a controllable light source (12) into a light diverter (16) and impart to it a transverse displacement characteristic which can be detected in a light detection unit (20) connected to a processor (22). The processor (22) then controls the light source (12). Optionally, a light diverger (18) may be provided to enhance angular resolution. The light diverter (16) and the light diverger (18) may either transmit or reflect the light. The light diverter (16) may particularly include a diffraction grating (116, 156), Fabry-Perot interferometer (216), multiple slit plate (316), or an acousto-optical unit (416).

Abstract: A data distribution system (10) including an information card (12) and a reader (14). The information card (12) includes visible indicia (20) on its front and stripe zones (34) and a ring zone (36) on its back. The zones (34, 36) are suitable for magnetically recording data, and optional data identifiers. The reader (14) may be a linear reader (14a) or a rotary reader (14b), and optionally may act automatically in response to reading a data identifier. If the reader (14) is a rotary reader (14b) the information card (12) may be loaded into a cartridge (16) which is loaded into the rotary reader (14b).

Abstract: A process (400) to construct single- and multi-dimensional optical gratings (100, 800) of interlayers (110, 230, 310 808) of differing refractive index, either in or atop a non-fiber substrate material (104, 202, 302). The optical gratings (100, 800) may particularly be Bragg type gratings, and thus suitable for receiving a laser beam (102, 240, 802) and forming there from one or more reflected beam portions (118, 248, 810) having one or more narrow wavelengths and a passed beam portion (120, 250, 812) of other wavelengths.

Abstract: A frequency locker (100) for working with external light sources or frequency locked light sources (200, 300, 400) having integrated laser light sources (214, 414). The locker (100) provides multi-channel frequency tuning and stabilization with common components, particularly including common beam splitters (114, 118), an interferometer (128), and a processing circuit (138). The locked light source (200) integrates a light source (214) and single channel frequency tuning and stabilization capabilities. The locked light source (300) integrates multiple instances of the locked light source (200) within a single housing (312) to provide multi-channel capability. And the locked light source (400) provides multi-channel frequency tuning and stabilization with common components, particularly including a single beam splitter (420), an interferometer (426), and a processing circuit (434).

Abstract: A frequency processing system for detecting, tuning, or stabilizing light frequency or wavelength in a light beam produced by a light source. A grating block receives the light beam and may produce diffracted beams and a passed beam. The diffracted beams are received by respective detectors which produce measurement signals that are communicated to a processor. The processor then produces control signals that are communicated to the light source where they are usable for detecting, tuning, or stabilizing the light frequency or wavelength. The grating blocks particularly employ planar or cubical gratings, or gradient versions of these, to produce the diffracted beams.

Abstract: A content addressable memory (CAM)(10, 102) and method having a data-in sub-circuit (44), memory cells (16, 18), a match-high line (36), a match-low line (38), and pre-charge devices (40, 42). Input lines (30, 32, 48, 50) from the data-in sub-circuit (44) are not necessarily discharged to ground in every cycle of a clock signal (62) used by the memory cells (16, 18). Further, the pre-charge devices (40, 42) may be operated at one half of the rate of the clock signal (62). Yet further, the CAM (10, 102) may be selectively configured to operate in either binary or ternary mode.

Abstract: A bandwidth transfer switching system (100) connecting various customer devices (12a-g), including local area networks (44), from customer premises (42) through a local loop (50) to a telco central office (50), to deliver switched circuit traffic to central office switches (60) and data packet traffic to wide area networks (64), such as the Internet. Access concentrators (104, 140) are employed at the customer premises (42), remote concentrators (106, 140) and optional relay nodes (160, 140) are employed in the local loop (50), and transfer switches (108, 140) are employed in the central office (56). Copper wire lines (166) and fiber optic lines (168) are used to handle typical protocols such as POTS, E1/T1/xDSL, and SONET between the various transfer nodes (140).

Abstract: A parallel search engine able to receive commands via a search instruction input and data words via a search data input. The commands received, which are optionally programmable, control operation of a data dispatch unit and a result dispatch unit. The data words received are sent by the data dispatch unit as search data to a CAM module array made up of CAM modules interconnected by a cascade information bus for comparison against pre-stored comparand databases. The CAM modules of the CAM module array provide search results to the result dispatch unit which generates results, typically multiple in parallel, at a result output. Optionally, multiple of the parallel search engines may be cascaded by connection to an expansion bus to form a mega search engine.

Abstract: A servo track writing apparatus (10) for writing servo tracks (16) on a media disk (14) of a disk drive assembly (12) having a Positioning arm (22) with a through hole (28) therein. The writing apparatus (10) has a laser source (29) which directs a source beam (30) through a polarizing beam splitter (32) and a quarter-wave plate (34) to either pass through the through hole (28) and reflect off of the media disk (14) as a reflected beam (38), or to be reflected from regions of the positioning arm (22) proximate to the through hole (28) as a reflected beam (56). The writing apparatus (10) further has a remote tracking arm (42) with two photodiodes (40a, 40b) suitably mounted thereon to receive the reflected beams (38, 56). The tracking arm (42) is caused by a motive means (54) to precisely track the positioning arm (22) of the disk drive assembly (12).

Abstract: An exciter system (1, 2) able to communicate information between an exciter unit (10) and one or more remote units (12) or between multiple exciter units (10). The exciter units (10) may include wireless type exciter devices, such as optimum exciters (14), or they may include wired equivalent type exciter devices, such as direct connect exciters (16). The exciter devices (14, 16) inject or extract RF currents (24) in the metallic framework (22) of a vehicle. The remote units (12) couple electromagnetic fields (26) with the metallic framework (22) of the vehicle. The information is exchanged with the exciter devices (14, 16) by communications equipment (20) that modulates or demodulates the RF currents (24) and/or electromagnetic fields (26) with the information. As the RF currents (24) and/or electromagnetic fields (26) reach everywhere within, on and in close proximity to the vehicle the information is communicated throughout.

Abstract: A process (100) and library element (14) product by that process for use with a design tool (18) to incorporate a complex electronic system (CES) (10) into a printed circuit board (PCB) (12) under development. The CES (10) is complex by virtue of having a plurality of connectors (20). The process (100) integrates physical data, and optionally also functional and other data, about the CES (10) into the library element (14). The library element (14) then may be stored and used from a conventional library (16) in the manner already widely used in the art for less complex elements.

Abstract: A secure e-mail system (10) permitting a sender (12) to send a secure e-mail (14) to one or more receivers (16). The sender (12) employs a sending unit (18) having a software module (26) to compose the secure e-mail (14), to send data about it to a security server (24), to receive back from that security server (24) a messageKey (102e) for encrypting the secure e-mail (14), and for sending it conventionally to an e-mail server (22). The receivers (16) employ receiving units (20) also having software modules (26) to receive the secure e-mail (14), to send data about it to the security server (24), and to receive back from the security server (24) the messageKey (102e) for decrypting the secure e-mail (14). The security server (24) stores a user id (102a) and password (102b) for the sender (12) and the receivers (16); a messageId (104a), a sealSalt (104j), and the messageKey (104g) for the secure e-mail (14); and a receiver address (106b) in a database (100).

Abstract: A data distribution system (10) including an information card (12) and a reader (14). The information card (12) includes visible indicia (20) on its front and stripe zones (34) and a ring zone (36) on its back. The zones (34, 36) are suitable for magnetically recording data, and optional data identifiers. The reader (14) may be a linear reader (14a) or a rotary reader (14b), and optionally may act automatically in response to reading a data identifier. If the reader (14) is a rotary reader (14b) the information card (12) may be loaded into a cartridge (16) which is loaded into the rotary reader (14b).

Abstract: A method and system for providing wavelength-locked multi-channel signals with respect to a wavelength reference. Wavelengths of a plurality of radiation sources are introduced to at least one etalon having a gas medium. The etalon produces a plurality of equally spaced spectral lines and is tuned by varying its optical index of refraction, by varying the characteristics of its gas medium. The optical index of refraction is then fixed, by fixing the characteristics of its gas medium, and thus locking the plurality of spectral lines with respect to the wavelength reference. In particular, the etalons may be tuned by varying the pressure or composition of their gas-tunable mediums until the spectral lines of the etalon align with the ITU grid.

Abstract: A report generating and viewing method (10) for generating and viewing reports (72) over the internet (16). A request from a browser (14) is sent to a server (12) whereupon a generate reports program (38) in a server (12) creates an intermediate file (44) containing all the necessary data and metadata. When a request from the browser (14) to view the report (72) is sent, a view reports program (60) in the server (12) parses the intermediate file (44) and sends a menu (66) to the browser (14). The user then selects a report from the menu (66) and the server (12) sends the report (72) to the browser (14).

Abstract: Apparatus (10) and method (100) for inscribing a clock pattern (14), detecting the clock pattern (14) optically, and using the clock pattern (14) to write a sevo pattern in an information storage unit (12), such as a computer hard drive. The clock pattern (14) is inscribed using a marking system (64), which may include a laser (66) or employ other, even non-optical, methods. The clock pattern (14) is inscribable into various locations on a disk platter (16) inside the storage unit (12), including many outside the media surface (26) conventionally used for such in data storage units. While the disk platter (16).is rotating, the clock pattern (14) is on detected using an detection subsystem (46), if desired through a transparent window (36) in a hermetically sealed housing (34) of the storage unit (12), for use in writing the servo pattern with less sector-inconsistency error and off-track error.