Abstract: An MPEG Optimization Software (MOPSW) for maximizing a Video Compression Ratio (VDCR) while maintaining a good output Video Image Quality (VDIQ) of an Input MPEG file (IMPEG) is disclosed. The IMPEG has a set of adjustable MPEG Control Parameters affecting both its VDCR and VDIQ. In a specific embodiment with application to MPEG2 files, the MOPSW employs the following optimized set of adjustable MPEG Control Parameters: Set Video Size=(x)×(Minutes of Video) where x=12 through 18; Maximum BITRATE=2200 through 3300; Maximum Average BITRATE=2200; and Minimum BITRATE=300 and achieved a VDCR that is at least 200% higher than what is typically available from current DVD suppliers in the art while maintaining a good output VDIQ for a representative set of movie titles. An associated method of iteratively determining the optimized set of adjustable MPEG Control Parameters is also presented.

Abstract: A method and system of near saturation gas humidification by mixing a steam and a gas flow is disclosed. The steam is generated with a heating device at a controlled rate from a liquid contained in a vessel near the point of use of the humidified gas. The controlled rate results from a feedback loop that controllably heats the liquid while measuring the steam temperature and maintaining it around a set point. The humidification delivery rate is adjustable by adjusting the temperature set point and/or the gas pressure. Undesirable components from the humidified gas are removed with an in-line filter after its point of generation. Condensation from the humidified gas before its point of use is removed with a drain pipe in combination with a drain valve triggered by a condensation level sensor.

Abstract: Techniques for bonding aligned optical parts to a substrate are disclosed. According to one embodiment, one or more wedges are used to fill in gaps between aligned optical parts and a substrate. Using an appropriate material, the wedges are respectively slid in till respective contacts between the aligned optical parts and the wedges are established, a small amount of a bonding agent is then only applied to the respect contacts. As a result, the shrinkage that may be caused by the bonding agent to destabilize the aligned optical parts is minimized and the alignments among the optical parts are preserved and can sustain under very high environmental stresses.

Abstract: Fiber optical interleavers based on a retro-reflective structure are disclosed. The retro-reflective structure includes three stages of optical components. A first stage includes walk-off crystals, at least one of the crystals is used to displace a received optical signal with multiplexed bands or channels therein into a first ray (e.g. an O-ray) and a second ray (e.g. an E-ray). A second stage following the first stage includes at least a pair of birefringent crystals to form an interferometer that create path or phase differences introduced by the birefringent index differences between the first ray and the second ray. A third stage following the second stage includes a pair of half wave plates, a walk-off crystal and a quarter wave plate, wherein the quarter wave plate has a highly reflective coating on one end to retro-reflect light beams back through the same stages. Respective reflected and processed first ray and second ray are then combined in the first stage to output respective demultiplexed beams.

Abstract: The invention provides methods of separating and isolating protein from at least three subcellular compartments of a single biological sample in a single container. Methods are also provided for determining the subcellular compartmentalization of proteins of interest in a biological sample. Furthermore, methods are provided for fingerprinting a biological sample, as well as identifying a sample type, a cancerous tissue or a developmental stage of a tissue sample. Kits for separating and isolating subcellularly compartmentalized proteins in a biological sample are also provided.

Abstract: Techniques for adding and dropping a desired band, channel or wavelength by calibrating optical tunable devices precisely for the desired wavelength are disclosed. An optical path is formed and includes two tunable devices and a circulator coupled between the two tunable devices so as to prevent possible interference to channels and wavelengths passing through the two tunable devices. A small portion of a dropped signal is used as a reference signal to be introduced into the optical path. A reflected signal of the reference signal is coupled out of the optical path for determination of control signals most suitably for the two tunable devices so as to achieve an accurate control over an absolute wavelength of the tunable devices.

Abstract: Improved designs of optical multiplexing/demultiplexing module are disclosed for use in multiplexing a composite optical signal into respective individual channels or wavelengths or demultiplexing individual channels or wavelengths into a composite optical signal. According to one embodiment, the optical multiplexing/demultiplexing module comprises an array of collimators, an array of optical filters and an array of mirrors. The collimators are boned to a common substrate after being aligned with a respect optical filter. Different from the prior art devices, the aligned positions of the collimators are secured or held up by preformed wedges. A bonding agent is then applied only to respective contacts between the collimators and the wedges. The wedges are further bonded to a common substrate to secure the collimators.

Abstract: A system for displaying statuses for multiple signal paths or ports on LEDs is disclosed. The system comprising a plurality of shift circuits receives a data signal comprising groups of status signals. The data signal is serially shifted from one shift circuit to another so as to parse the status signals to be displayed on appropriate LEDs designated for each of the signal paths or ports. As a result, multiple statuses can be effectively displayed in real time using a minimum number of LEDs.

Abstract: A health diagnostic system capable for monitoring the health condition of computing device on a network is disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, a computing device is installed a module that can provoke the monitoring process that periodically samples values representing the health condition of the computing device. The sampled values are then sent back to the monitoring server for analysis. Meanwhile a monitoring server receives the sampled values and performs data analysis to determine if the computing device is in a good/poor condition based on historic data that are further used to predicate what the remaining time is for the computing device to actually break down so that necessary measures may be taken to prevent an actual breakdown.

Abstract: A method and system for providing telephony services over a data network is disclosed. According to one embodiment, a service provider enters a service plan with a user. The service plan ensures the user a fixed cost for a substantial long period regardless how long the telephony service is used by the user. Further the service plan requires no purchase of any equipment nor regulates the use of the services in terms of time or distance. The service plan is incorporated in a gatekeeper that is coupled to the data network and administrates all connections over the data network.

Abstract: A method for bonding two or more optical parts and an optical apparatus of using the method are disclosed. According to one embodiment, two optical fiber segments are used as a spacer between two optical parts. The optical fiber segments may be cut off from a commonly used optical fiber according to the size of the parts. In general, the diameter of the optical fiber segments is small, the capillary effect for commonly used adhesives can be eliminated when the two optical parts are bonded with the optical fiber segments in between.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for wavelength control and measurement are disclosed. An optical signal to be measured is tapped off a portion thereof referring to as a source signal. Together with a reference signal, the source signal is coupled to a tunable filter. The frequency response or passing band of the tunable filter is so controlled that one wavelength &lgr;x from the source signal and one wavelength &lgr;rx from the reference signal transmit through. Relying on a band separation filter, the wavelength &lgr;rx is separated from the reference signal and coupled to a gas cell of a known spectrum, a filtered signal of the wavelength &lgr;rx is then coupled to a photo-detector for subsequent electrical measurement. In accordance with the known spectrum, the wavelength &lgr;x can be precisely derived.

Abstract: A technique for enhancing audio signals generated from compressed digital audio files is described. The technique uses a Bass Maximizer module, a Harmonic Exciter module and a Quasi Stereo module. The Bass Exciter module enhances the intensity, depth and punch of the bass audio content by creating harmonic sequences from low frequency components contained in the original input signal. The Harmonic Exciter module adds to the treble audio content of the original input signal by generating harmonic series from the high frequency components contained in the input signal. The Quasi Stereo Module creates a stereo image of the enhanced input signal by adding and subtracting delayed and filtered versions of the enhanced input signal with itself to create left and right channeled stereo-like outputs. The technique provides a useful tool to regenerate from an audio signal more pleasant and joyful sounds.

Abstract: A system for facilitating packet data flow among stations on a data network and the associated method are disclosed. The system comprises queue managers that further comprise a free queue manager, an enqueue controller, a multicast queue manager, and a port queue manager. The free queue manager provides a mechanism to monitor the number of free buffers remaining in an external memory. The enqueue controller arbitrates between requests for enqueuing from the ports. The multicast queue manager maintains a multicast queue linked list and manages multicast queue entries to the list. The port queue manager manages output queues of each of the output ports and ensures that a packet is correctly routed to the appropriate ports for subsequent delivery. With the queue manages working in synchronization, an inbound packet can be routed to ports designated by the packet for delivery within a minimum time.

Abstract: The present invention, generally speaking, provides compact design of optical couplers for combining two differently polarized light beams onto a collimator or splitting a composed light beam into two differently polarized light beams. According to another embodiment, the size of the polarization beam combiner is minimized by using a pair of specially designed fiber collimators that use an asymmetrical sleeve. As a result, a coupler, according to the present invention, uses less components, is of small in size and provides an easy-aligning structure. Further the coupler offers lower optical insertion loss with minimized physical size.

Abstract: A method of designing an electronic circuit system with multiple Field Effect Transistors (FETs) made by a variety of nonstandard industrial processes is presented. With this method, the circuit parameters of the various components of the individual functional building blocks of the circuit system are systematically adjusted to minimize the many deteriorating effects resulting from system-level interactions among these functional building blocks. In one embodiment, the method is applied to a Silicon On Insulator (SOI) CMOS IC that is a Divide-by-16 divider where the functional building blocks are four Divide-by-2 dividers. The resulting drastic improvement of output signal ripple from each divider stage is graphically presented. In another embodiment, the method is applied to another SOI CMOS IC that is a Bang Bang Phase Detector where the functional building blocks are three Master Slave D-Type Flip Flops. The resulting drastic improvement of output signal ripple is also graphically presented.

Abstract: An optical fiber structure for demultiplexing/multiplexing includes a coupler which splits an incoming signal with multiple channels into two substantially identical signals that are respectively processed to separate the closely located successive channel groups for further demultiplexing or multiplexing. The spectrum characteristics to process the two identical signals are so chosen that the channel distortion and/or transmission loss are minimized. In particular, multiple stages of splitter filters are used to shorten the transmission path a channel signal has to pass through. As a result, signal distortion and/or transmission loss are minimized and the channel groups are interleaved by a single channel group.

Abstract: Improved designs of fiber collimators that include an asymmetric sleeve are disclosed. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the asymmetric sleeve is so shaped that, when arranged next to each other, two collimators with the asymmetric sleeve achieves a lateral distance shorter than the outer diameter of the collimators, which makes it possible to design smaller optical components without effecting the performance and characteristics thereof.

Abstract: A network interface for home networking implemented upon an existing 4-wire (two-pair) phone line system is disclosed. The interface comprises two transmitters, two line isolators and a receiver. The two transmitters transmit data simultaneously to both of the pairs of wires in the phone line system so that all devices coupled to the phone line system, regardless which pair of wires being coupled onto, can receive the data. Because all the pairs carry the data, there is therefore needed one on receiver in the interface to receive the data transmitting over the phone line system. The disclosed interface provides a solution to the home networking which no longer requires the knowledge of the underlying wiring structure in the phone line system.