Abstract: A vacuum loader system is disclosed. In the vacuum loader system, the air inlet comprises a load-bearing member of a support structure that supports the system. The vacuum loader system also includes a filter chamber with co-located primary and secondary or safety filter elements. A safety filter element is at the center of the filter chamber, surrounded by primary filter elements. After the air flows through the primary and safety filter elements, it is directed downwardly, out of the filter chamber and back toward the blower, beyond which it is ultimately expelled through a silenced outlet. In some embodiments, the conduit that carries air from the filter chamber toward the blower may also be a member of the support structure.

Abstract: Optical networks can comprise a branch structure with the de-multiplexing/multiplexing structure that operates to disperse a plurality of optical bands. Thus, the optical network comprises an optical network connection with a common optical channel, a plurality of de-multiplexed branch optical service connections and the de-multiplexing/multiplexing structure. In some embodiments, one optical band can be used to deliver input from a common channel to the branch node and the other optical band can carry output along the common channel from the branch node. The de-multiplexing/multiplexing element can be an arrayed waveguide grating. The AWG can have desirable architecture to efficiently provide the corresponding functions with respect to the two optical bands. Appropriate photodetectors and light sources can be associated with the AWG.

Abstract: Optical networks can comprise a branch structure with the de-multiplexing/multiplexing structure that operates to disperse a plurality of optical bands. Thus, the optical network comprises an optical network connection with a common optical channel, a plurality of de-multiplexed branch optical service connections and the de-multiplexing/multiplexing structure. In some embodiments, one optical band can be used to deliver input from a common channel to the branch node and the other optical band can carry output along the common channel from the branch node. The de-multiplexing/multiplexing element can be an arrayed waveguide grating. The AWG can have desirable architecture to efficiently provide the corresponding functions with respect to the two optical bands. Appropriate photodetectors and light sources can be associated with the AWG.

Abstract: A vacuum loader system is disclosed. In the vacuum loader system, the air inlet comprises a load-bearing member of a support structure that supports the system. The vacuum loader system also includes a filter chamber with co-located primary and secondary or safety filter elements. A safety filter element is at the center of the filter chamber, surrounded by primary filter elements. After the air flows through the primary and safety filter elements, it is directed downwardly, out of the filter chamber and back toward the blower, beyond which it is ultimately expelled through a silenced outlet. In some embodiments, the conduit that carries air from the filter chamber toward the blower may also be a member of the support structure.

Abstract: An optical device with a non-rectilinearly shaped optical integrated circuit over a substantially flat portion of a riser, the riser also equipped with a relief structure that is in thermal contact with a stabilizing brace that is in turn connected to two portions of the non-rectilinearly shaped optical integrated circuit. The non-rectilinearly shaped optical integrated circuit exhibits reduced center wavelength drift.

Abstract: An optical device with a non-rectilinearly shaped optical integrated circuit over a substantially flat portion of a riser, the riser also equipped with a relief structure that is in thermal contact with a stabilizing brace that is in turn connected to two portions of the non-rectilinearly shaped optical integrated circuit. The non-rectilinearly shaped optical integrated circuit exhibits reduced center wavelength drift.

Abstract: The invention provides integrated optical matching elements for use in integrated optical devices. The matching elements each comprise one or more lenses. The lenses may have low index contrast with the surrounding medium. Required dioptric power is achieved by using a train of lenses. Optical matching elements according to the invention can be used to enhance the optical coupling between channel waveguides and slab waveguides. The insertion loss of devices such as optical power splitters, optical couplers and arrayed waveguide grating routers can be reduced by incorporating optical matching elements according to the invention.

Abstract: A printing system utilizing object-oriented modules in a distributed object system is disclosed. Particularly, a method is described for controlling a printing system using a job-oriented approach to facilitate communication between system objects. In one aspect, a plurality of print job objects are provided including a top level job control object that maps communication between the print job objects via a virtual control network. A job is then created involving the print job objects for the purpose of transferring an electronic print image to a substrate.

Abstract: A method and system for modeling of object-oriented database structures, translation to relational database structures, and dynamic searches thereon. The user may create, edit and manipulate a user's object database (dynamically translated into a set of relational database structures), to create, edit and manipulate objects for that object database (dynamically translated into data for those relational database structures), and to create, edit and manipulate queries to be applied to that object database (dynamically translated into queries to be applied to those relational database structures). A meta-model of the user's object database, which is itself an object database, and which has itself been translated into a set of relational database structures for manipulation by a relational database engine. The meta-model comprises a set of classes, objects, and relationships between classes which model the classes and relationships between classes of the system.