Abstract: The invention provides a method and apparatus for providing hitless protection switching in a transmission systems which support a standardized implementation of virtual concatenation. A switching apparatus is arranged to receive data signals on at least two transmission paths and to output data from a selected one of said transmission paths. The apparatus is arranged to align the respective received data signals so that a selector mechanism can select between corresponding elements of the received data signals. This arrangement allows hitless switching to be performed since there is no loss or repetition of signal elements when switching occurs. In a preferred embodiment, data in respect of each frame of each data signal is stored and the selector mechanism selects between paths on a frame-by-frame basis by comparing quality information carried by the data signals. This arrangement offers a very low end to end Bit Error Rate (BER) performance.

Abstract: Hitless Switching provides a method of delivering data to a remote point in a reliable fashion. However, no guarantee or acknowledgement is provided that data has been written to a remote storage device. This is problematic for remote data mirroring. Apparatus and methods are provided to guarantee that data arriving at a remote terminal is correctly stored. Interaction with hitless switching and remote optical mirroring systems are described.

Abstract: The invention provides a method and apparatus for providing hitless protection switching in a synchronous transmission system. A switching apparatus is arranged to receive data signals on at least two transmission paths and to output data from a selected one of said transmission paths. The apparatus is arranged to align the respective received data signals so that a selector mechanism can select between corresponding elements of the received data signals. This arrangement allows hitless switching to be performed since there is no loss or repetition of signal elements when switching occurs. In a preferred embodiment, data in respect of each frame of each data signal is stored and the selector mechanism selects between paths on a frame-by-frame basis by comparing quality information carried by the data signals. This arrangement offers a very low end to end Bit Error Rate (BER) performance.

Abstract: A sponsored search campaign management tool designed to eliminate the gap between search engines and Sponsored Search advertisers by combining website monitoring with Sponsored Search campaigns. Specifically, by combining website monitoring technology with API (Application Program Interface) access to Sponsored Search advertising networks, the present invention is able to provide a conduit for better managing the sponsored search bidding process. If an advertiser's website should become unavailable, the present invention will not just tell the advertiser about it, but protect their Sponsored Search budget by automatically pausing their listings and, equally as important, automatically reactivating their listings once their website recovers.

Abstract: A technique for provisioning cross-connects in network switching environment includes receiving a portion of the an input data stream including having header data and the payload data, the payload data occurring at a first offset relative to the header data and generating a delayed version of the portion of the input data stream. The technique also includes generating a portion of a retimed data stream by selecting between the portion of the input data stream and the delayed version of the portion of the input data stream, the retimed data stream including the header data and the payload data, the payload data occurring at a second offset relative to the header data.

Abstract: An apparatus for monitoring a path or section trace identifier. The apparatus receives the trace identifier and subjects it to a transform algorithm to produce a transformed trace identifier. The apparatus then compares the transformed trace identifier with a correspondingly transformed expected trace identifier and determines if there is a match or a mismatch. The CRC-32 (32-bit cyclic redundancy check) checksum algorithm may be used. The algorithm produces transformed trace identifiers that are significantly smaller than the non-transformed trace identifiers.

Abstract: One aspect of the invention provides an apparatus for modelling a plurality of switching operations arranged in a plurality of switching stages. The apparatus comprises a respective switch stage component for each switching stage, and each switch stage component comprises a respective addressable switch state indicator for each switching operation associated with the respective switching stage. The values of the switch state indicators in a given switch stage component identify a respective switch state indicator in another switch stage component. The switch stage components are interconnected such that addressing a switch state indicator in one switch stage component causes the respective identified switch state indicator in another switch stage component to be addressed. In the preferred embodiment, each switch stage component comprises a respective Look-Up Table.

Abstract: The invention concerns a switching apparatus comprising a low order switch subtended from a high order switch. In order to compensate for delays incurred by passing a data frame through the high order switch to the low order switch and delays incurred by the operation of the low order switch, the apparatus is arranged to advance the payload of a received data frame with respect to the fixed overhead of the data frame by an amount corresponding to the incurred delays. The low order switch uses the advanced payload to create an output frame, for sending to the high order switch, which is advanced with respect to the data frame that it receives. The apparatus, which is particularly suitable for use in SDH and/or SONET systems, obviates the need to provide an alignment apparatus, such as a VT/TU aligner between the high order switch and the subtended low order switch.

Abstract: Hitless Switching provides a method of delivering data to a remote point in a reliable fashion. However, no guarantee or acknowledgement is provided that data has been written to a remote storage device. This is problematic for remote data mirroring. Apparatus and methods are provided to guarantee that data arriving at a remote terminal is correctly stored. Interaction with hitless switching and remote optical mirroring systems are described.

Abstract: The invention relates particularly to the switching of an SDH low order VC-3 using a high order switching apparatus, such as an STS switch. A low order VC-3 is aligned with a TU-3 pointer to form a TU-3. The TU-3 is mapped into a high order VC-3 type data structure which, in turn, is aligned with an AU-3 pointer to form an AU-3 type data structure. The AU-3 type data structure is suitable for switching by the high order switch. After switching, the AU-3 type data structure is combined with similar AU-3 type data structures and converted into an AU-4 suitable for transmission across an SDH/SONET network. Advantageously, the arrangement is such that each AU-3 pointer has the same fixed value. Hence, conversion to an AU-4 is achieved by a fixed pointer replacement operation.

Abstract: A method of determining differing characteristics of magnetic dipole elements such as orientation, coercivity, bias and response amplitude and a tag reader for reading magnetic tags containing such elements. The elements are scanned by a rotating magnetic field and two sets of transition data are determined. The transition data sets are associated with respective elements and analyzed to determine mean field values resolved along the element vectors. These field values are used to determine properties of the elements, such as coercivity.

Abstract: A method of determining differing characteristics of magnetic dipole elements such as orientation, coercivity, bias and response amplitude and a tag reader for reading magnetic tags containing such elements. The elements are scanned by a rotating magnetic field and two sets of transition data are determined. The transition data sets are associated with respective elements and analyzed to determine mean field values resolved along the element vectors. These field values are used to determine properties of the elements, such as coercivity.

Abstract: One aspect of the invention provides an ingress apparatus comprising a signal processing apparatus for receiving an incoming data frame and locating the position of path overhead, and a monitoring apparatus arranged to extract information from the located path overhead. The ingress apparatus further includes an insertion apparatus for receiving, from the monitoring apparatus, information extracted from the path overhead of one or more signal path, and being further arranged to insert the extracted information into a respective data frame component which occupies a fixed position in a data frame. Thus, information which would normally occupy a non-fixed position in a data frame is moved to a fixed position. As a result, the information can subsequently be accessed without having to employ relatively complex apparatus for locating information which occupies a non-fixed position.

Abstract: In order to enable nodes with a single protocol switch core to be used in a synchronous transmission network carrying both SDH and SONET traffic then one option is to convert traffic between protocols at the various network nodes. For example, if the network node has a switch core arranged for SONET, then when SDH traffic arrives at that node it can first be converted to SONET before being processed by the switch core and then converted back to SDH again if required. Known methods of converting between SONET and SDH are not suited for use at egress points of network nodes where pointer alignment processes do not occur. A new method of converting between SONET and SDH is described which overcomes these problems by reordering the position of stuff columns.

Abstract: One aspect of the invention provides an apparatus for modelling a plurality of switching operations arranged in a plurality of switching stages. The apparatus comprises a respective switch stage component for each switching stage, and each switch stage component comprises a respective addressable switch state indicator for each switching operation associated with the respective switching stage. The values of the switch state indicators in a given switch stage component identify a respective switch state indicator in another switch stage component. The switch stage components are interconnected such that addressing a switch state indicator in one switch stage component causes the respective identified switch state indicator in another switch stage component to be addressed. In the preferred embodiment, each switch stage component comprises a respective Look-Up Table.

Abstract: A magnetic flow meter includes a cylindrical vessel within which electrodes are placed directly opposite each other about a magnetically permeable core. In that way, two flow channels are obtained in the vessel. A common magnetic field is applied across both flow channels. The magnetic flow meter is used in conjunction with a controller which monitors amplitude modulated signals representative of applied magnetic field and induced electric field. These amplitude modulated signals are passed to Sigma-Delta modulators, which directly digitise the amplitude modulated AC signals into digital pulses. The controller is capable of monitoring reverse flow through the meter, and to store results until forward flow resumes. Moreover, the controller generates a driving signal for coils which generates a magnetic field, the coil being placed in conjunction with a capacitor which causes resonance. This reduces power consumption by the coil in driving the meter.

Abstract: A flap actuator system for an airfoil structure including a flap member for controlling the airfoil structure; a bearing member interconnected with the flap member and airfoil structure; and an electromagnetic motor segment integral with the flap member and airfoil structure for rotating the flap member about the axis of the bearing member relative to the airfoil structure and including a field circuit integral with one of the flap member and airfoil structure and an armature circuit integral with the other; the bearing member may be a tension member which is attached to the airfoil structure at a first point and to the flap member at a second point spaced from the first point.

Abstract: The invention provides a method and apparatus for providing hitless protection switching in a transmission systems which support a standardized implementation of virtual concatenation. A switching apparatus is arranged to receive data signals on at least two transmission paths and to output data from a selected one of said transmission paths. The apparatus is arranged to align the respective received data signals so that a selector mechanism can select between corresponding elements of the received data signals. This arrangement allows hitless switching to be performed since there is no loss or repetition of signal elements when switching occurs. In a preferred embodiment, data in respect of each frame of each data signal is stored and the selector mechanism selects between paths on a frame-by-frame basis by comparing quality information carried by the data signals. This arrangement offers a very low end to end Bit Error Rate (BER) performance.

Abstract: The invention provides a method and apparatus for providing hitless protection switching in a synchronous transmission system. A switching apparatus is arranged to receive data signals on at least two transmission paths and to output data from a selected one of said transmission paths. The apparatus is arranged to align the respective received data signals so that a selector mechanism can select between corresponding elements of the received data signals. This arrangement allows hitless switching to be performed since there is no loss or repetition of signal elements when switching occurs. In a preferred embodiment, data in respect of each frame of each data signal is stored and the selector mechanism selects between paths on a frame-by-frame basis by comparing quality information carried by the data signals. This arrangement offers a very low end to end Bit Error Rate (BER) performance.

Abstract: A combinatorial processor capable of processing a plurality of groups of informational elements is provided in which each group has at least one distinguishing characteristic. The combinatorial processor comprises a time-division multiplexed combinatorial logic element; and a plurality of storage elements. Each storage element is associated with one of the plurality of groups, and within a time-slot of the time-division multiplexed combinatorial logic element a storage element stores state information in accordance with information processed from one of the informational elements of the group associated with that storage element. The invention thus enables read state information for an informational element currently being processed to be replaced with the write state information from a previous informational element in the case where two informational elements belonging to the same group are adjacent to each other in the sequence.