Abstract: According to the invention, oscillating signals are generated from analog signals by providing an analog signal having a variable slope or amplitude to a circuit with a variable operating point and having a transfer function characterized by an unstable operating region bounded by a first and a second stable operating region. The unstable operating region contains a first and a second reference point. The circuit is capable of producing an oscillating signal having a variable duty cycle, the duty cycle increasing as the variable operating point is positioned closer to the first reference point, the duty cycle decreasing as the variable operating point is positioned closer to the second reference point. The variable operating point is positioned substantially within the unstable region to produce the oscillating signal. The positioning of the operating point relative to the first and the second reference points is a function of the variable slope or amplitude of the analog signal.

Abstract: A decoder for generating output pulses or oscillations in response to input analog waveforms includes a circuit having a variable operating point and having a transfer function characterized by an unstable operating region bounded by a first stable operating region and a second stable operating region. In one embodiment, the circuit is characterized by having a resistive input impedance. The analog waveform forces the operating point of the circuit into its unstable and stable regions to produce oscillatory and non-oscillatory behavior at the circuit's output.

Abstract: A method and apparatus that allows an analog waveform to carry multilevel of information is disclosed. This allows information capacity enhancement in pulse decoding communication system by concatenating several information regions in one cycle of analog waveform.

Abstract: In an analysis of a set of discrete multidimensional data which can be represented in an array with a topology, where the array that can be mapped to an image space of discrete elements, such as digitized image data, seismic data and audio data, genotype/phenotype classifications are imposed on the topology, and then molecular biological-like processes (annealing, fragmentation, chromatographic separation, fingerprinting, footprinting and filtering) are imposed upon that topology to perceive classifiable regions such as edges. More specifically, an image feature probe constructed of strings of contiguous image fragments of the class of N-grams called linear N-grams, anneals genotypes of topological features by complementary biological-like techniques in the same manner that complex biological systems are analyzed by genetic mapping, sequencing and cloning techniques. For example, molecular biological probes anneal with molecular biological genotypes and then are used to classify those genotypes.

Abstract: In a packet telecommunications environment, a method is provided for end to end explicit rate control through a plurality of heterogeneous internetworked networking topologies comprising networks without explicit rate signaling, such as TCP/IP based LAN subnets, and networks with explicit network layer rate signaling, such as Frame Relay permanent or switched virtual circuits (PVC/SVC) or ATM available bit rate (ABR) services by reallocating bandwidth in a partition using a Committed Information Rate of the portion comprising the virtual circuits for a partition size. In specific embodiments, the invention may exist as an integrated device, such as an enhanced FRAD, or a bandwidth management device, which detects congested network conditions from information obtained indirectly from a FRAD or network edge device using techniques such as reading the network edge device's MIB.

Abstract: In a packet communication environment, a method is provided for automatically classifying packet flows for use in allocating bandwidth resources by a rule of assignment of a service level. The method comprises applying individual instances of traffic classification paradigms to packet network flows based on selectable information obtained from a plurality of layers of a multi-layered communication protocol in order to define a characteristic class, then mapping the flow to the defined traffic class. It is useful to note that the automatic classification is sufficiently robust to classify a complete enumeration of the possible traffic.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for detecting ultra wide-band signals using circuitry having nonlinear dynamics characteristics are disclosed. The receiver circuit can be implemented using a simple tunnel diode or using an op-amp to provide dynamic characteristics. The detector can be used in a variety of modulation schemes, including but not limited to an ON-OFF keying scheme, an M-ary pulse position modulation scheme, and a pulse width modulation scheme. The approach requires only a single frame to detect the signal.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for generating output pulses or oscillations in response to input analog waveforms which involves exciting, with a known but arbitrary analog waveform, a circuit with a variable operating point and having a transfer function characterized by an unstable operating region bounded by a first stable operating region and a second stable operating region. The analog waveform is characterized by having a first information region and a second information region. In response to sensing the first and second information regions, the operating point of the circuit is forced into its unstable and stable regions. This produces a sequence of oscillatory and non-oscillatory behavior at the circuit's output.

Abstract: A multiple receiver approach is disclosed for a pulse decoding communication system, which can enhance system robustness and increase information carrying capacity. Two or more receivers are used to produce groups of pulses from a received signal. In one embodiment, system robustness is enhanced by redundancy. In another embodiment, information capacity is increased by producing independent groups of pulses from one cycle of an analog waveform.

Abstract: Methods and devices useful in high-speed scalable switching systems include a memoryless switch fabric, per virtual channel queuing, digital phase aligners, randomized and complement connection modes, a mid-point negative acknowledge and output negative acknowledge scheme among other elements. A particular implementation of a routing table and switch element is described in part to illustrate the various techniques and devices of the invention.

Abstract: Methods and devices useful in high-speed scalable switching systems include a memoryless switch fabric, per virtual channel queuing, digital phase aligners, randomized and complement connection modes, a mid-point negative acknowledge and output negative acknowledge scheme among other elements. A particular implementation of a routing table and switch element is described in part to illustrate the various techniques and devices of the invention.

Abstract: A user customizable integrated circuit architecture having separate regions for different types of core cells. In an embodiment of the present invention, all asynchronous core cells are placed in a first region and all synchronous core cells are placed in a second region thus allowing clock circuitry to be shared and clock traces to be efficiently routed. Clock buffers may also be placed in the second region. In a second embodiment, high-drive buffers are placed in the second region to enable efficient routing of high-drive power traces to the synchronous cells. Each region also may include metal programmable core cells that may be customized by the user for each design.

Abstract: A segmentation and reassembly processor (10) is disclosed for use in interfacing a group of time-division multiplexed lines (25) to a cell-based communication environment (20). The SAR uses a bit-table calendar (100) to schedule cells to be sent to the cell-based network. A cell service decision circuit (50) reads frame events from a frame advanced FIFO (40) and signals a cell builder (60) to assemble cells of data from a frame buffer (70) for transmission to a cell based output (50).

Abstract: An interference measurement technique in for example a wireless receiver uses a received, unprocessed signal and correlates it with a signal reconstructed from detected information, then compares a square of the correlated signal with a square of the received signal to produce a signal-to-interference metric useful for evaluating a channel quality, such as in a wireless telecommunication environment.

Abstract: A mechanically compliant probe for electrically connecting to contact pads on microelectronic devices. The probe is used for burn-in of integrated circuits at the wafer level. Additional applications include probe cards for testing integrated circuits and sockets for flip-chips. One embodiment of the probe includes a probe tip (81) which is held on an extension arm (82) projecting laterally from an elongated flat spring (83). The spring is supported above a substrate (89) by posts (85) such that the probe tip moves vertically in response to a contact force on the probe tip. Deflection of the probe tip is compliantly limited by bending and torsional flexure of the sheet spring. Mechanical compliance of the tip allows arrays of the probe to contact pads on integrated circuits where the pads are not precisely planar.

Abstract: In a packet communication environment, a method is provided for automatically classifying packet flows for use in allocating bandwidth resources by a rule of assignment of a service level. The method comprises applying individual instances of traffic classification paradigms to packet network flows based on selectable information obtained from a plurality of layers of a multi-layered communication protocol in order to define a characteristic class, then mapping the flow to the defined traffic class. It is useful to note that the automatic classification is sufficiently robust to classify a complete enumeration of the possible traffic.

Abstract: Methods and devices useful in high-speed scalable switching systems include a memoryless switch fabric, per virtual channel queuing, digital phase aligners, randomized and complement connection modes, a mid-point negative acknowledge and output negative acknowledge scheme among other elements. A particular implementation of a routing table and switch element is described in part to illustrate the various techniques and devices of the invention.

Abstract: Method for optical energy transfer and energy guidance uses an electric field to control energy propagation using a class of poled structures in solid material. The poled structures, which may form gratings in thin film or bulk configurations, may be combined with waveguide structures. Electric fields are applied to the poled structures to control routing of optical energy. Techniques include frequency-selective switchable- and adjustable-tunable reflection, splitting, directional coupling, frequency-tunable switching and efficient beam combining, as well as polarized beam combining. Adjustable tunability is obtained by a poled structure which produces a spatial gradient in a variable index of refraction along an axis in the presence of a variable electric field. In one embodiment, the present invention is a method of switching a grating which consists of a poled material with an alternating domain structure of specific period.

Abstract: A clock multiplication technique includes driving two oscillatory circuits by an input signal. One of the circuits has an inverted input. The oscillatory circuits are characterized by a transfer function having an unstable region bounded by two stable region. Oscillations produced during operation of each of the circuits in the unstable regions are combined to produce a signal whose frequency is a multiple of the input frequency.

Abstract: One or more lasers are combined with optical energy transfer devices and energy guiding devices which use an electric field for control. The optical energy transfer devices may form gratings, mirrors, lenses and the like using a class of poled structures in solid material. The poled structures may be combined with waveguide structures. Electric fields applied to the poled structures control routing, reflection and refraction of optical energy. Adjustable tunability is obtained by a poled structure which produces a spatial gradient in a variable index of refraction along an axis in the presence of a variable electric field.