Abstract: An optical amplifier includes at least one pump source and an optical fiber cable which includes an amplifying optical fiber and a pump optical fiber that are defined by respective lengths. The amplifying optical fiber and the pump optical fiber are coated with a common coating along a portion of their respective lengths, and the fibers are in optical contact with each other along a coating length within the common coating. The common coating has a refractive index which is lower than a refractive index of a cladding material of the pump optical fiber. The fibers are made substantially from glass. The amplifying optical fiber includes a core and a cladding, and is doped with a rare earth dopant. The pump optical fiber is defined by a first end and a second end, the first end of the pump optical fiber being connected to the pump source.

Abstract: An optical amplifier includes at least one pump source and an optical fibre cable which includes an amplifying optical fibre and a pump optical fibre that are defined by respective lengths. The amplifying optical fibre and the pump optical fibre are coated with a common coating along a portion of their respective lengths, and the fibres are in optical contact with each other along a coating length within the common coating. The common coating has a refractive index which is lower than a refractive index of a cladding material of the pump optical fibre. The fibres are made substantially from glass. The amplifying optical fibre includes a core and a cladding, and is doped with a rare earth dopant. The pump optical fibre is defined by a first end and a second end, the first end of the pump optical fibre being connected to the pump source.

Abstract: A method is described for monitoring a plurality of process instances, such as business process instance. The method comprises: providing a model object reflecting a workflow common to the process instances, the model comprising a plurality of nodes with at least some of the nodes being capable of assuming at least active and blocked states; receiving events and changing the states of the nodes in corresponding model object instances in accordance with the events received so as to reflect the status of the process instances, repeatedly determining an “at risk” state indicator for the model instances, the “at risk” state indicator when set for a model instance indicating that the corresponding workflow instance is in a state in which it cannot progress to a normal completion without encountering a node in the blocked state.

Abstract: An optical fiber arrangement has at least two optical fiber sections, each optical fiber section defining an outside longitudinally extending surface. The outside longitudinally extending surfaces are in optical contact with each other. The invention further provides for an amplifying optical device have an optical fiber arrangement as just described, and a pump source. The amplifying optical device is configured such that the pump source illuminates the amplifying optical fiber. A amplifying arrangement is also disclosed. The amplifying arrangement includes a plurality of amplifying optical devices as just described, and each amplifier also has at least one input fiber and a first multiplexer connected to the input fiber. Each amplifier is configured such that at least one of the amplifying optical fibers is connected to the first multiplexer. The amplifying arrangement also has a second multiplexer connected to each of the first multiplexers.

Abstract: An optical fibre arrangement has at least two optical fibre sections, each optical fibre section defining an outside longitudinally extending surface. The outside longitudinally extending surfaces are in optical contact with each other. The invention further provides for an amplifying optical device have an optical fibre arrangement as just described, and a pump source. The amplifying optical device is configured such that the pump source illuminates the amplifying optical fibre. A amplifying arrangement is also disclosed. The amplifying arrangement includes a plurality of amplifying optical devices as just described, and each amplifier also has at least one input fibre and a first multiplexer connected to the input fibre. Each amplifier is configured such that at least one of the amplifying optical fibres is connected to the first multiplexer. The amplifying arrangement also has a second multiplexer connected to each of the first multiplexers.

Abstract: An optical fiber arrangement has at least two optical fiber sections, each optical fiber section defining an outside longitudinally extending surface. The outside longitudinally extending surfaces are in optical contact with each other. The invention further provides for an amplifying optical device have an optical fiber arrangement as just described, and a pump source. The amplifying optical device is configured such that the pump source illuminates the amplifying optical fiber. A amplifying arrangement is also disclosed. The amplifying arrangement includes a plurality of amplifying optical devices as just described, and each amplifier also has at least one input fiber and a first multiplexer connected to the input fiber. Each amplifier is configured such that at least one of the amplifying optical fibers is connected to the first multiplexer. The amplifying arrangement also has a second multiplexer connected to each of the first multiplexers.

Abstract: An optical fibre arrangement has at least two optical fibre sections, each optical fibre section defining an outside longitudinally extending surface. The outside longitudinally extending surfaces are in optical contact with each other. The invention further provides for an amplifying optical device have an optical fibre arrangement as just described, and a pump source. The amplifying optical device is configured such that the pump source illuminates the amplifying optical fibre. A amplifying arrangement is also disclosed. The amplifying arrangement includes a plurality of amplifying optical devices as just described, and each amplifier also has at least one input fibre and a first multiplexer connected to the input fibre. Each amplifier is configured such that at least one of the amplifying optical fibres is connected to the first multiplexer. The amplifying arrangement also has a second multiplexer connected to each of the first multiplexers.

Abstract: An optical fiber arrangement has at least two optical fiber sections, each optical fiber section defining an outside longitudinally extending surface. The outside longitudinally extending surfaces are in optical contact with each other. The invention further provides for an amplifying optical device have an optical fiber arrangement as just described, and a pump source. The amplifying optical device is configured such that the pump source illuminates the amplifying optical fiber. A amplifying arrangement is also disclosed. The amplifying arrangement includes a plurality of amplifying optical devices as just described, and each amplifier also has at least one input fiber and a first multiplexer connected to the input fiber. Each amplifier is configured such that at least one of the amplifying optical fibers is connected to the first multiplexer. The amplifying arrangement also has a second multiplexer connected to each of the first multiplexers.

Abstract: An optical fibre including a waveguide and at least one stress applying region is described. The waveguide is defined by a numerical aperture, and the stress applying region is defined by a depressed refractive index. The optical fibre is configured such that the waveguide supports at least two polarised fundamental modes, two polarized first second-order modes, and two polarised second second-order modes. The waveguide includes comprises a gain medium. The stress applying region, the waveguide and the disposition of the gain medium are such as to provide preferential guidance to at least one of the modes at an operating wavelength.

Abstract: An optical fibre arrangement has at least two optical fibre sections, each optical fibre section defining an outside longitudinally extending surface. The outside longitudinally extending surfaces are in optical contact with each other. The invention further provides for an amplifying optical device have an optical fibre arrangement as just described, and a pump source. The amplifying optical device is configured such that the pump source illuminates the amplifying optical fibre. A amplifying arrangement is also disclosed. The amplifying arrangement includes a plurality of amplifying optical devices as just described, and each amplifier also has at least one input fibre and a first multiplexer connected to the input fibre. Each amplifier is configured such that at least one of the amplifying optical fibres is connected to the first multiplexer. The amplifying arrangement also has a second multiplexer connected to each of the first multiplexers.

Abstract: A computer apparatus for implementing a workflow, the workflow being defined by a sequence of activity nodes, the computer apparatus comprising a processor for arranging and initiating the execution of the activity nodes in accordance with the defined sequence; a store for storing process state data associated with the execution of the workflow; a processor for generating from the state data an executable process state file and display means for generating from the process state file a graphical representation of the executed workflow.