Abstract: A communications signal-transmitting device carried by a communications system user indicates the location of that user relative to other wired or wireless communications devices connected to a communications system. This location indication is utilized by the communications system to forward incoming voice and/or data communications for that user to the other communications device so that the user can receive such communications. As a result, the location of any potential system user is provided and call forwarding for that user is accomplished without the prior art problems associated with activation and deactivation. In the disclosed embodiments which pertain to the forwarding of voice communications in a PBX environment, the communications device is a pager which communicates with the wired or wireless telephone sets connected to the line side of the PBX to provide the PBX with the location of the system user relative to these telephone sets.

Abstract: An optical coupler using round optical fibers whose ends have been formed into a predefined shape to allow greater physical packing densities in order to achieve greater uniform illumination efficiency. The interstitial space between optical fibers is greatly reduced by thermoforming the ends of round optical fibers in a mold that makes a gradual transition from a circular shape to the predefined shape to avoid optical loss. Since the change in shape is gradual, the total cross-sectional area of the fibers remains constant; and optical loss is minimal because there is no reduction in mode volume. The predefined shape may be substantially square or rectangular. The core and cladding materials of the optical fiber are carefully chosen with respect to the glass transition state temperatures of both materials because the temperature at which the materials are formed by a mold are slightly above the glass transition state of the core or cladding, whichever is higher.

Abstract: A communications switching system such as a PBX, central office switch and the like, responds to an incoming call to a called party by signaling a paging device as well as some other communications device having communications capability different from that of the paging device. In the disclosed embodiment, which pertains to a private branch exchange (PBX), this other communications device is one which provides two-way voice communications. Advantageously, the paging device may also be provided with the capability of signalling the communications system that the called party will shortly answer the call via a communications device possessing two-way voice communications. Upon receipt of this pager-transmitted signal, the communications system, if desired, can be provided with the ability to provide an announcement to the calling party of the called party's intent to answer the call.

Abstract: A molded polymeric resin-filled coupler comprising two low-refractive index plastic molded subassemblies. One subassembly has an optically finished mixing region, with a channel that has a V shaped lower portion. The mixing region subassembly is covered with a lid subassembly of the same material as the mixing region subassembly. During assembly, optical fibers are inserted into the mixing region subassembly which is then filled with a high index material to form a high-refractive index waveguide core region in the channel. The molded low-refractive index subassemblies provide a waveguide cladding around the high-refractive index waveguide core. Low cost is attained by utilizing optically finished metal molds to produce the subassemblies resulting in an optically finished mixing region and lid subassemblies without the need to polish each subassembly.

Abstract: An optical coupler using round optical fibers whose ends have been formed into a predefined shape to allow greater physical packing densities in order to achieve greater uniform illumination efficiency. The interstitial space between optical fibers is greatly reduced by thermoforming the ends of round optical fibers in a mold that makes a gradual transition from a circular shape to the predefined shape to avoid optical loss. Since the change in shape is gradual, the total cross-sectional area of the fibers remains constant; and optical loss is minimal becuase there is no reduction in mode volume. The predefined shape may be substantially square or rectangular. The core and cladding materials of the optical fiber are carefully chosen with respect to the glass transition state temperatures of both materials because the temperature at which the materials are formed by a mold are slightly above the glass transition state of the core or cladding, whichever is higher.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a high efficiency optical coupler by matching the emerging light exit pupil from a coupler opening to the acceptance shape of a couple optical fiber. An excimer laser forms the coupler opening in an optical fiber by removing cladding from the optical core surface. The coupler opening has an elliptical shape resulting in an emerging light exit cone, and that exit cone matches an acceptance cone of a circular coupler optical fiber.

Abstract: A method for fabricating optical components in the cladding of an optical fiber bus by the utilization of a laser. An excimer laser fabricates either an optical coupler opening or an optical mode scrambler by ablatively removing the cladding from the optical core of an optical fiber bus without damaging the optical core. Either coupler housing or a mode scrambler housing is attached to the optical fiber bus where the coupler or mode scrambler is to be fabricated. The coupler housing is used to position the laser, secure and align a coupler fiber, and provide cavities for junction and cladding repair materials. The mode scrambler housing serves a similar purpose.

Abstract: Apparatus for controlling the transition of a number of lasers that are transmitting light to an optical bus from an off state to a sub-threshold bias state so as to minimize the transmission of light from lasers in the sub-threshold bias state. The apparatus places each laser in the sub-threshold bias state a predetermined time before it is to transmit data to the bus; and then, the apparatus places each laser in the off state after the data transmission has occurred. The lasers transmit in a sequential order onto the optical bus.

Abstract: A voice message service system stores subscriber-specific voice phrases (e.g., names) using digitally encoded phonemes while common system voice phrases are stored using digitally encoded voice samples. System voice announcements are formed by combining selected common system voice phrases with selected subscriber-specific voice phrases generated from phonemes. When a voice mail message is sent from one message system to another message system, the sender's identification is sent using digitally encoded phonemes in the message header. The destination message system uses the received digitally encoded phonemes to generate the sender's identification as a synthetic voice signal.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a high efficiency optical coupler by matching the emerging light exit pupil from a coupler opening to the acceptance shape of a coupler optical fiber. An excimer laser forms the coupler opening in an optical fiber by removing cladding from the optical core surface. The coupler opening has an elliptical shape resulting in an emerging light exit cone and that exit cone matches an acceptance cone of a circular coupler optical fiber.

Abstract: An apparatus for fabricating optical fiber mode scramblers and optical fiber couplers as an integral part of an optical bus by the utilization of a laser to remove cladding on the optical fiber bus to form the mode scramblers and couplers. An excimer laser is utilized to ablatively remove the cladding which is a polymer material. The optical core is composed of a material which is not readily affected by the excimer laser. The optical bus is fabricated by enclosing an optical fiber in an optical bus assembly. The optical fiber has only cladding and an optical core and has no buffer surrounding the cladding. The optical bus assembly provides for a plurality of optical couplers for removing and adding light to the optical bus and intermixed with the optical coupler are a plurality of optical scramblers.

Abstract: An excimer laser fabricates either an optical coupler opening or an optical mode scrambler by ablatively removing the cladding from the optical core of an optical fiber bus without damaging the optical core. Either coupler housing or a mode scrambler housing is attached to the optical fiber bus where the coupler or mode scrambler is to be fabricated. The coupler housing is used to position the laser, secure and align a coupler fiber, and provide cavities for junction and cladding repair materials. The mode scrambler housing serves a similar purpose.

Abstract: A mode scrambling arrangement for a multimode optical fiber by irradiating the cladding using an ultra-violet light to change the index of refraction of the cladding. The cladding uses a material whose index of refraction is modified in response to ultra-violet light. The exposure time and intensity of the light required is determined by monitoring the mode pattern in the multimode fiber during the irradiation to provide the desired amount of mode scrambling.

Abstract: A non-invasive optical fiber coupler for coupling light into an optical fiber bus through the cladding surrounding the optical fiber bus without bending the optical fiber bus. The coupler comprises a tap optical fiber free end adjacent to and facing a region of straight optical fiber bus with the tap fiber free end and optical fiber bus region encapsulated with a junction media having substantially the same index of refraction as the cladding of the optical fiber bus. Since the bus cladding is not removed nor is the optical fiber bus bent, there is no additional light lost due to the coupler from the optical fiber bus.

Abstract: A diagnostic test facility for a processor having a plurality of boards hierarchically arranged with respect to processor function.The first and most independent board contains the processor microstore that stores the usual information plus the processor diagnostic subroutines required to test all boards. The processor is tested by executing the diagnostic subroutines associated with the first board and by collecting and comparing test data with predicted data as the subroutines are executed. The second board is tested by using the facilities on the first board and by executing diagnostic subroutines associated with the second board. In a similar manner the remaining hierarchically arranged boards are tested in sequence with the testing of each board using the circuitry on the priorly tested boards.

Abstract: In a data processing system, the subject error correcting circuit is connected in the bridging mode to the data bus which interconnects a processor and a memory for error detection. It is presumed that the memory words obtained from the memory are relatively error-free, and the subject circuit does not delay their transmission, but simply monitors the data. If an error in the data is detected, an error signal is generated on the next processor microcycle, the processor aborts its present operation and then fetches the corrected data from the error correction circuit. If the frequency of errors increases or if a permanent error is detected, the subject error correction circuit switches to an in-line mode where it functions much as prior art error correction circuits: delaying the transmission of each memory word until the error check is complete.