Abstract: An optical transmission system that employs a Raman amplifier including a Raman pump for introducing depolarized pump light into the fiber. The pump includes an optical source generating a polarized optical pump signal, an optical splitter that splits the pump signal into a first pump portion and a second pump portion, and a beam combiner that combines the first pump portion and the second pump portion into the depolarized pump light. Further, the pump includes a delay device, such as a length of fiber, that causes the first pump portion to propagate farther from the beam splitter to the beam combiner than the second pump portion. The length of fiber is longer than the coherence length of the pump signal.

Abstract: Information regarding the operating conditions of a computer system is stored in a storage which is dedicated to a failure management system. The storage is updated with the current operating conditions either periodically or upon the occurrence of predetermined events. When a first failure identification mechanism identifies a failure in the computer system, a capture mechanism interrupts the updating of the storage leaving information regarding operating conditions which contributed to the failure in the storage. This latter information can then be read out to aid in diagnosis of the failure. Since the operating condition information is stored in a dedicated storage, the information is not modified by events that take place after the failure is identified. In accordance with one embodiment, the computer system ordinarily holds state and other operating information in a set of storage devices, such as, for example, state registers.

Abstract: An activity-based collaboration system provides communication and other shared and mutual activities between individuals and small groups in shared private spaces, called “telespaces”. In the system, participants or members of a telespace interact through personal computers, Internet appliances or other network-capable devices, which can communicate with one-another over a network, e.g., the Internet. Each telespace is an instantiation of an activity operable on each of the network-capable devices of members of the telespace. Each activity includes a tool for initiating data change requests (called “deltas”) responsive to telespace member interactions, and a data-change engine, separate from the tool, for maintaining telespace data pursuant to a common data model, usually activity-specific, in memory. Each network-capable device also includes a dynamics manager, responsive to the deltas, for directing the data-change engine to make changes to the local copy of data.

Abstract: A component customization and distribution system in an object oriented environment provides a template builder utility which enables a base component to be selectively modified and the modifications to the base component stored as a template. The templates are stored in a template storage file by a template storage dynamic link library. Each template contains initialization data representing the modifications to the state of persistent data of the base component, as well as information useful in registering the template with the file system registry of another computer system, and, optionally, one or more user-defined instructions useful in utilizing the modifications or customizations to the base component. A template storage file containing one or more indexed templates serves as a database from which template distribution packs may be generated.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and article of manufacture for creating macro language files for executing SQL queries in a relational database management system via the World Wide Web of the Internet. In accordance with the present invention, Web users can request information from RDBMS software via HTML input forms, which request is then used to create an SQL statement for execution by the RDBMS software. The results output by the RDBMS software are themselves transformed into HTML format for presentation to the Web user.

Abstract: A health monitoring system which tracks the state of health of a patient and compiles a chronological health history of the patient uses a multiparametric monitor which periodically and automatically measures and records a plurality of physiological data from sensors in contact with the patient's body. The data collected is not specifically related to a particular medical condition but, instead, provides the information necessary to derive patterns which are characteristic of healthy patients as well as those who are ill. The data collected is periodically uploaded to a database in which it is stored along with similar health histories for other patients. The monitor is preferably self-contained in a chest strap which is located on the patient's torso, and makes use of a controller which controls sampling of the desired data and storage of the data to a local memory device pending uploading to the database.