Abstract: A high efficiency switching power transistor uses the energy in a snubber circuit to drive the gate driver and the pulse-width-modulator (PWM). The snubber consists of a resistor and a capacitor connected in series between the drain and source of a field-effect-transistor (FET). A steering diode is connected from the junction between the capacitor and the resistor to the power supply of the gate driver and PWM. This diode steers current from the snubber and makes it flow into the power supply thereby lowering the power requirements of the power supply. This energy would have been dissipated in the snubber as heat if it were not used this way. Efficiency of the switcher is increased both by lowering heat loss in the snubber and by using recovered snubber energy to lower the power requirements of the power supply of the gate driver and PWM.

Abstract: Packets or cells received from different input ports of a switch and destined for a common output port of that switch, are analyzed to determine their priority level. Lower-priority packets or cells are buffered in recirculation delay lines of appropriately-selected lengths, and thereafter scheduled for transmission to the output port based on their level of priority.

Abstract: An apparatus enables an optical fiber mounted through a hole in one side of a substrate to couple optical signals to and from an optoelectronic component mounted on the other side of the substrate. A connector is formed using the above apparatus by adding electrical terminals which connect to wiring paths on the substrate and to the optoelectronic component mounted thereon. In one connector arrangement, the electrical terminals are mounted orthogonal to the optical fiber. In another connector arrangement, the electrical terminals are mounted essentially in-line with the optical fiber. Both connector arrangements can accommodate one or more optical fibers and connect to one or more electrical terminals.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of operating a display system for displaying data items stored in an associated database. The database stores a display function for each data item class to be also stored in the database therein. When the user selects a data item class, a data item of and a display function associated with the selected data item class are retrieved from the database. The data item is used as an argument of a display function call. The system displays an object using the display data and the data format returned as the result of the display function call. The system may store multiple representations of each data item such as, pictorial, textual and audio representations which may be selected under user control.

Abstract: A diffractive and a refractive microlens component are combined into a doublet lens to obtain imaging properties that are improvements over those achievable using separate components. In one application, diffractive/refractive microlens arrays are arranged to provide a free-space optical permutation interconnect arrangement.

Abstract: A file system of a computer operating system includes files which may have one or more data streams associated with them. The files are accessed using a base name and the associated data stream(s) are accessed using a prefix and/or a suffix of the base name. For example, the base name is used to select a data file while the prefix and/or suffix is used to access data streams which, illustratively, include information used by the file system in the processing of the data file. Using this file naming structure enables the file system to handle the base name file and its associated data streams together as one file using the standard file commands.

Abstract: An optical communication system includes an optical transmitter which transmits data symbols as pairs of optical pulses having 1) a first predetermined time separation representing a first inputted signal and 2) a second predetermined time separation representing a second inputted signal. The first optical pulse of each pair of pulses may be synchronized to a clock signal of the transmitter. The clock signal operates at a rate which insures that the inter-data symbol spacing is greater than the spacing between the pulses of a symbol pulse pair. The receiver generates a first output signal in response to a pair of pulses having a first predetermined time separation and generates a second output signal in response to a pair of pulses having a second predetermined time separation. The receiver combines the first and second output signal to recover a clock or strobe signal. Sagnac switches are used to implement optical AND circuits utilized in the transmitter and receiver.

Abstract: A communication system detects special service information (e.g., calling party identification) during a silent interval between ringing signals on an incoming call and stores the information in a call record created for the call. In response to predetermined call conditions, this information is included as part of a control signal sent over an extension loop to a station terminal. Call features such as delayed ringing, hold, call transfers, line preselect and switch hook status are utilized to control where, when and if this information should be displayed at various station terminals.

Abstract: A computer-based file system accesses files with search requests evoked by file identifiers that are embedded in standard operating system calls. The file identifiers can be different from the standard operating system hierarchical pathname of the file, and it can include criterion type/value pairs, multiple syntax structures, substrings of the files, database calls, and phonetic spellings.

Abstract: A dc-coupled packet mode digital data receiver, for use with an optical bus, uses a peak detector(s) to adaptively establish an instantaneous logic threshold at the beginning of a data burst. A reset circuit resets the peak detector(s) and other circuits of the receiver in response to an end-of-packet reset signal, thereby enabling the reception of closely-spaced burst date packets which have greatly differing power levels.

Abstract: An optical regenerator includes a clock recovery circuit which recovers an optical clock signal from a received deteriorated optical data signal. The recovered optical clock signal is used to generate a new optical clock signal. The new optical clock signal and the received deteriorated optical data signal are applied as an input signal and control signal, respectively, to a Sagnac switch which encodes the new optical clock signal with the encoded information of the deteriorated optical data signal thereby regenerating a clean optical data signal.

Abstract: A local communication apparatus (e.g., a modem) is arranged to detect when a remote communication apparatus desires to switch from the data mode and enter a command/control mode. To accomplish mode switching, the remote apparatus sends a scrambled escape pattern, scrambled using a proprietary polynomial, over the data channel. After detecting the escape pattern the local apparatus switches to the command/control mode. In this mode, the remote and local apparatuses communicate using the proprietary scrambler/descrambler polynomial.

Abstract: A facsimile machine includes a help feature for providing the user with a hard copy of "help" information, outputted via the facsimile printer, relevant to the existing operating mode of facsimile machine at the time the help feature was activated. If the help feature is activated when the facsimile machine is in a standby mode, the user is prompted to request a menu or to select the type of help information to be outputted in facsimile form. If the help feature is activated when the facsimile machine is in an active operating mode, (e.g., programming, service or error modes), the outputted help information is selected by the facsimile machine based on machine sensor status and/or the present software state. The help feature is activated by a predesignated push button or access code.

Abstract: An input clock signal associated with an input data signal is divided by a predetermined integer N, to form a sub-rate clock signal. The sub-rate clock signal is sampled and transmitted along with the input data over an asynchronous data channel. At the receiver, the resulting sub-rate clock signal is received and coupled to a phase lock loop which generates a recovered clock signal of the same frequency and substantially in phase with the input clock signal.

Abstract: An optical fiber connective device enables one or more optical fiber(s) to be precisely mounted, essentially perpendicular, to a substrate. The connective device includes a support plate having holes with optical fiber(s) precisely mounted there through. The support plate, with mounted optical fiber(s), is then inserted into aligned holes in the substrate and attached to the substrate. The precise mounting of the connective device to the substrate enables optional coupling of optical signals from the optical fiber(s) to optoelectronic chips mounted over holes of the substrate.

Abstract: A sponsored-call service feature enables callers to obtain network-provided telecommunication services toil-free or at a subsidized rate. The sponsored-call service permits a third party sponsor to convey commercial messages to and interact with a caller prior to the caller's access to the network-provided services. After the caller's interaction with the sponsor, the network gives the caller a sponsored-specified restricted access to the network-provided services.

Abstract: A Call Message Delivery System (CDS) in response to a request from a caller to deliver an international voice call message, uses the country code digits of the called station number to select the language to be used in the system announcement which precedes the delivery of the caller's message to the called station. Another feature enables the caller to select a system announcement to be delivered with the call message. An additional feature enables the caller to record his or her own announcement as the system announcement.

Abstract: A network monitor system uses status programs to recurrently monitor the operational status of subsystems of a communication network. When a nonnormal response is received from a status program a user-specified associated repair program is enabled to repair the malfunction. An internal table recurrently derived from a user-defined table specifies when the various status programs should be executed. The system enables the user or administrator to update the user-defined table at any time.

Abstract: An optical multiplexer cyclically samples a plurality (N) of optical input signals, each derived from an electrical input signal, at a frequency rate which equals or exceeds the Nyquist rate of each electrical input signal. A demultiplexer demultiplexes a received multiplexed optical signal into N optical signal sample streams which are then converted into the original N electrical input signals using the low-pass electrical frequency filter characteristics of the optical detectors and electrical circuits which connect to the N demultiplexer outputs.

Abstract: A facsimile (fax) machine is arranged to automatically answer a call and to transmit a fax message if a document or stored message is awaiting transmission, otherwise the fax machine goes into a fax receive mode. In another arrangement, the fax machine is connected to a station port of a customer switching system such that an existing call at a system station set can be transferred to the fax machine when a fax message is to be transmitted or received as part of that call. In one embodiment a station set and fax machine are packaged together in one housing.