Abstract: A broadband system includes a broadband switch network, a broadband session controller, and a broadband service control point. The broadband network provides connections between information sender/receivers in response to instructions from a broadband service control point or in response to requests originated by an information sender/receiver. The broadband service control point provides processing instructions and/or data to the broadband controller and information sender/receiver. Applications supported by the broadband network include video-on-demand and videoconferencing services for system users. In addition, an integrated service control point integrates broadband and telephone networks to provide efficient and effective integrated broadband and telephone services. Both broadband and telephone services can be provisioned via a video interface at a user's remote location. Also, the integrated network provides unique caller identification delivery services.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for use in an optical system. An in-line optical wavelength reference and control module (WRCM) is inserted in series with an optical fiber signal path between an input fiber and an output fiber. The WRCM includes an input lens, a multi-element grating and an output lens. The input lens couples an input optical signal from the input fiber into the multi-element grating. The multi-element grating includes low-efficiency gratings which reflect portions of the input optical signal having different predetermined characteristics to different detectors of a detector array, while transmitting the remaining portions of the input optical signal to the output lens. The output lens couples the transmitted portions of the optical signal back onto the optical signal path. The WRCM may thus be placed directly in series with an optical signal path.

Abstract: A method of managing the overloading of calls directed to a single telephone number. The method enables Service Control Point to service calls a small percentage of the time during measurement intervals in order to receive Termination Notification messages. The Service Control Point then determines, from the contents of the Termination Notification messages for each measurement interval, the rate of attempted calls and the fraction of the total calls that were incomplete, (i.e., erroneous or received a busy signal) for a telephone number n, and invokes Automatic Code Gapping for the number n where both the attempted call rate and the incomplete calls exceed a predetermined threshold. If the threshold continues to be exceeded in subsequent measurement intervals, a larger gap interval for the Automatic Code Gapping can be set, and the process repeated until the proper gap is found.

Abstract: In a telecommunications network, a method is provided for reading a desired telephone data record associated with a given telephone number from a line record database. Initially, a data processor reads data from an accessing data record stored in an index database. The accessing data record contains at least an accessing number designating a series of telephone numbers including the given telephone number, a pointer pointing to a data cluster in the line record database, and a blocking factor associated with the data cluster. The data cluster comprises a plurality of data nodes and includes all of the telephone data records associated with the series of telephone numbers designated by the accessing number. Each data node contains a number of individual telephone data records up to the blocking factor and a number of pointers each pointing to one of the number of individual telephone data records. The data processor accesses a data cluster based on the data read from the index database.

Abstract: A horizontally asymmetrically dilated optical switch comprising multiple stages of 2.times.2 optical switching units, especially electro-optic switching units such as acousto-optical tunable filters (AOTFs), which are electrically switchable between a bar state and a cross state to route and switch an optical signal through the switch. The switch is dilated that is, the switching units have an unused input or output so as to dump crosstalk terms into unused outputs. According to the invention, the interconnections between the switching units and their control are such that any optical signal and any crosstalk path passes through equal numbers of bar-state switches and of cross-state switches. Thereby, two advantages are gained. First, no switching path is transparent to a wide bandwidth so that noise cannot recirculate in an amplifying path and go into oscillation. Also, if one state or the other produces greater crosstalk, along no switching path is the larger term accumulated more than the smaller term.

Abstract: A novel process for making Li.sub.x Mn.sub.y O.sub.4 intercalation compounds, wherein 0<x.ltoreq.2 and 1.7.ltoreq.y.ltoreq.2, comprises the steps of: (1) synthesizing a lithiated manganese oxide precursor by reacting lithium hydroxide, manganese dioxide, and one or more polyhydric alcohols; and (2) heat-treating the lithiated manganese oxide precursor. The intercalation compounds are effectively employed as active components of positive electrodes in rechargeable lithiated intercalation battery cells.

Abstract: The present invention relates particularly to novel imidazole based nitrogen-sulfur ligands that are suitable for complexing with a radionuclide, and are useful as general imaging agents for diagnostic purposes.

Abstract: The present invention relates particularly to novel preorganized hexadentate ligands that are suitable for complexing with a radionuclide, and are useful as general imaging agents for diagnostic purposes.