Abstract: A method for evaluating an expression comprises issuing parallel requests to acquire a plurality of operands. If, upon receipt of a first subset of the operands, it is determined that a second subset of the operands is no longer required in respect of a particular time span, the request for the second subset cancelled for that particular time span. If one operand contains an error indication for a particular time span, the method continues with the request for the other operand for that particular time span, and returns an “error” for that particular time span only if the request for the other operand is not cancelled.

Abstract: To facilitate the use of relatively high frequency data transmission services over a wireline communication resource originally deployed to support low frequency voice band services, an assessment of the wireline communication resource (50-52) is based on attenuation of high frequency test signals, of known original level, that are generated (18) injected into the wireline communication resource from a test point (12). A detector (60) at a potential point of service, e.g. at a customers' premises (14), detects an attenuated level of the test signals and generates a control signal (70, 82), such as a drive current, indicative of the attenuation caused by the wireline communication resource (50-52). The control signal (70, 82) is then indirectly communicated back to the test point (12) in a coded form, and preferably within a voice band transmission.

Abstract: E1 A CIJ printhead includes a droplet deflector electrode having one or more windows formed therein, and a phase or velocity detector electrode disposed within the window. A method of forming the electrodes by plating multiple conductive and dielectric layers is also disclosed.

Abstract: A multiple ply freight shipping bag having multiple side gussets. The bag being of the type having pinch closeable upper and lower ends. The side gussets and the bag plies all being stepped in incremental distances to form an elongated sealable stepping pattern for efficient closure of the bag to prevent outward sifting or channeling of products filling the bag. The upper and lower corners of the gusset walls are spot bonded together to maintain a locked position, hold ply alignment, and achieve increased bag strength during and after filling, and wherein the gussets are freely expandable therebetween from the bottom of the bag to the top.

Abstract: A drill string section for use in making up a drill string for oil and gas drilling carries instrumentation for measurement and logging while drilling. The instrumentation includes a dynamic pressure device for measuring drill string bore pressure of incoming pressurized fluid and drill string annular pressure of returned pressurized fluid. The drill string section comprises a length of drill string pipe having a bore defined by an inner surface of a wall which has an outer surface. The instrumentation is provided in an elongate cylindrical tool shell. The outer surface of the tool shell has spaced apart seals which engage the inside surface of a cylindrical landing sleeve in the pipe bore. The seals are located in the sleeve on either side of communicating port(s) in the drill pipe wall, forming a leak tight annular region that eventually communicates through appropriate ports to a pressure transducer.

Abstract: The present invention provides a mobile radio telephone system (10, 15) and a method of operating it in which the beacon frequency is at least temporarily transmitted in a discontinuous manner. This allows a base transceiver station (2, 4, 6, 16, 20, 22) to make use of the gained time for either transmitting on another frequency or monitoring neighboring radio frequency sources for potential interference. In a particular embodiment of the present invention, the beacon frequency is interrupted by connecting the transmission path to the receiver path within the base transceiver station (2, 4, 6, 16, 20, 22). This may be done by single pole double throw high frequency switches. The interruption may be temporary or may applied permanently. Further, in a system in which all transmissions by the base transceiver stations (2, 4, 6, 16, 20, 22) are synchronized, mobile stations (12) are described which are adapted to measure signal strength depending upon the duty cycle of the beacon frequency.

Abstract: This invention is directed to a pump bracket that is adapted to allow for the inboard or outboard mounting of a mechanical seal or packing material to accommodate different pump configurations and applications. The universal pump bracket includes a first flange that is adapted to be connected to a pump housing and a second flange, which is laterally displaced from the first flange and adapted to be connected to a bearing carrier. If an inboard mechanical seal or inboard packing arrangement is desired, the bracket can be installed so the seal is facing the inboard direction. Alternatively, if an outboard seal arrangement is desired, the bracket can be installed on the rotor so the seal or packing faces the outboard direction.

Abstract: Product data from a manufacturing process is analysed using techniques adapted from the study of chaos. Future values of a series of product data are predicted and an attractor structure is determined from the product data. This enables the manufacturing process to be monitored, controlled and analysed. Action can be taken to modify the manufacturing process using the results from the prediction and attractor structure to reduce costs and improve performance and efficiency.

Abstract: An optical amplifier comprises a pumped doped fiber with a power measurement circuit for measuring the input and output power of the amplifier. Automatic gain control is implemented, and the calculation of output power for the AGC loop takes into consideration the temperature provided by a temperature measurement device. This enables a flatter gain response to be achieved over varying input power, which enables an increase in the dynamic range of the amplifier and thereby a possible increase in system capacity of a WDM system using the amplifier.

Abstract: Apparatus for measuring the contents of foreign matters in a flowing liquid, in particular a buoyant apparatus, which has a housing (1) of which at least one wall section (2) is intended to be brought into contact with the liquid, and has a preferably spherical arched outer side and in a hole (4) a sensor (9) for the foreign matter. The sensor (9) has on its outer side in the area of the hole (4) a diaphragm (10) which is permeable to the foreign matters that are to be measured and which is arched and flush with the outer side of the wall section (2). In order to increase the flow velocity in the area of the diaphragm so that no contaminations remain adhered to the outer side of the diaphragm (10) thus influencing its permeability and thereby the measuring ability of the apparatus, the arched outer side of the wall section (2) is equipped with guiding surfaces (11) for the liquid, which project from it and extend transversely to the hole.

Abstract: A pulse interleaver splits an input pulse train into at least two optical branches (20,22). A first one of the branches (20) carries a first signal, and is terminated with a mirror (24) and a device (26) for manipulating the state of polarization. The reflected signal is re-combined at a combiner (18) with a second signal on a second one of the branches (22). The effective path lengths for the first and second signals between the input and the combiner are selected such that the input pulse train is interleaved with itself thereby providing an output with increased frequency. The mirror (24) and the device for manipulating the state of polarization (26) provide a predetermined relationship between the polarization of pulses in the output pulse train derived from an individual pulse of the input pulse train.

Abstract: A scanning electron microscope has means for generating a beam of electrons which is scanned over a specimen held within a holder in a chamber which contains a gaseous medium. A negative potential is applied to the holder so as to generate an electric field which accelerates secondary electrons, formed by the interaction or the primary beam with the specimen, in a direction away from the specimen surface and into a collision zone in the chamber. In that zone, the accelerated secondary electrons collide with gas molecules of the gaseous medium, thereby initiating a cascade of collisions which, in effect, amplifies the secondary electron signal. That signal (which may take the form of photons generated as a result of the collisions) is detected by detecting means, such as a photo-multiplier.

Abstract: There is described a card charging system comprising: (a) one or more smart card reading devices; (b) a transaction recording-payment facility; and (c) one or more security modules located between the one or more reading devices and the transaction recording-payment facility. The transaction facility is operable to receive signals from the one or more security modules to enable a purchase to be made in return for an amount of credit debited from a card; the one or more security modules record individual use of the card in respect of time and amount debited.

Abstract: To accommodate for a release of uncleared spectrum in a wideband communication system (10) while improving isolation in a receiver (FIG. 4) between wideband carriers, a common intermediate frequency converter down-converts differing but relatively high frequency carriers, incident to the receiver, to corresponding differing but relatively low frequency carriers. Receiver chains (174-176) response to the plurality of relatively low frequency carriers each have a filter (140-144) arranged to isolate selected ones of the relatively low frequency carriers. In a radio frequency communication system having three or more frequency sequential carriers, the receiver chains (174-176) may include branches that have filters that further isolate carriers within the receiver by applying non-sequential carriers to the branches in each receiver chain.

Abstract: An optical waveguide provided with a linearly chirped Bragg reflective grating can be employed as a device that provides linear dispersion compensation. The amount of the linear dispersion thereby provided can be rendered adjustable by adjustment of the magnitude of axial strain imposed upon the grating. If the chirp is purely linear, and if also, the strain is at all times uniform along the length of the grating, adjustment of the strain magnitude will have no such effect. This requires the presence of a quadratic chirp term, but such a term introduces its own transmission penalty. This penalty is compensated at least in part by causing the light to make a reflection in a further Bragg reflection grating whose quadratic component of chirp has the opposite sign to that of the other Bragg reflection grating, but a substantially matched modulus. The effect of the strain is to scale the effective pitch of the Bragg reflection grating by scaling its physical pitch.

Abstract: An optical amplifier comprises an erbium doped optical fiber (2) and a plurality of optical filtration elements (12) provided at respective positions along the fiber. The wavelength response of each of the optical filtration elements (12) is selected in dependence on the gain response of the optical fiber at the respective position along the fiber, thereby flattening the gain of the amplifier with respect to wavelength over a predetermined bandwidth. This bandwidth may include both the C and L bands.

Abstract: A flashlight having a power source and a light source having a high intensity positioned in a power source frame. The flashlight further includes a power source frame housing that encloses the power source frame. The frame and the housing cooperate to secure and protect the internal components of the flashlight. The flashlight is further provided with side covers that have flat surfaces to receive markings or engravings. A switch is provided to activate the light source, the switch preferably providing tactile feedback to the user.