Abstract: Method for building a sub-network for a distributed Voice Messaging System that can be initiated from any of the nodes in the sub-network. For the distributed application to work, all the nodes in the network being created must be identified, numbered, and a map of the network distributed to all Voice Messaging System nodes. Advantageously, the inventive method enables logically independent sub-networks of Voice Messaging Systems to co-exist in the same physical LAN. An embodiment of the present invention is a method for building a sub-network of nodes in a communication network, the method including the steps of: (a) identifying nodes to be included in the sub-network; (b) gathering node configuration information from the nodes identified; (c) resolving node configuration information conflicts among the nodes in the sub-network; (d) create a subnetwork map; (e) distributing the sub-network map to the nodes in the sub-network; and (f) synchronizing the nodes in the sub-network.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for detecting make-break clicks on a telephone line, i.e., clicks produced by going on-hook or off-hook. A click is detected by analyzing time slices of a telephone signal to detect a sharp positive transition in signal energy followed by a diminishing envelope of short duration. Three signal measures are utilized to determine whether a click has occurred: (a) a magnitude transition, i.e., a change of the magnitude of the amplitude of the signal over a short period of time; (b) a peak magnitude, i.e., a magnitude of the amplitude of the signal corresponding to the first acceptably large magnitude transition (the beginning of the click); and (c) a duration of the signal envelope. In accordance with the present invention: (a) the minimum allowable peak magnitude of a valid click is scaled to the maximum magnitude encountered as the telephone signal is analyzed, i.e.

Abstract: A lightpipe which outputs light in a wide angle output pattern. An embodiment of the inventive lightpipe has a longitudinal cross section which has at least one section with a varying width. In addition, a preferred embodiment of the inventive lightpipe has a section with increasing width of the cross section near an input end of the lightpipe and a section with decreasing width of the cross section near an output end of the lightpipe.

Abstract: Apparatus for adaptive phase aberration correction of wave distortions caused by tissue inhomogeneities in ultrasound images. In accordance with the present invention, auto-correlation apparatus in multiple, parallel, color flow processors compute a cross-correlation which is used to correct distortions in real time.

Abstract: An improved slab-waveguide CO.sub.2 laser which includes two parallel, rectangular, flat, spaced-apart, slab electrodes whose surfaces excite a laser gas and guide laser light in a plane perpendicular to the surfaces of the slab electrodes. The component of the light propagating parallel to the electrode surfaces is not guided and is acted on only by resonator mirrors which form an unstable resonator. The improved slab-waveguide CO.sub.2 laser operates on a single vibrational transition of the CO.sub.2 molecule by employing wavelength selective optics.

Abstract: A signal computing bus (SCbus) includes two bus structures: (a) a synchronous TDM data transport referred to as a data bus and (b) a serial message passing bus referred to as a message bus. The following three groups of functions are performed using the SCbus: (a) data transport over the data bus, (b) message passing over the message bus, and (c) data and message bus control. In a preferred embodiment, the data bus utilizes: 2 clocks, 1 frame pulse, 16 data busses, and 1 clock control (the clock control signal enables access to the bus and automatic switching from one clock master to another when an error is detected) and the message bus is fabricated using a master HDLC protocol with contention resolution.

Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention is an apparatus for placing a telephone call over a telephone line and for detecting whether the telephone call was answered by a live person, an answering machine, a facsimile machine, or a data apparatus such as a modem and, depending on the manner in which the telephone call was answered, for connecting: (a) either a human agent or a telephone dialogue application to the telephone line to speak to a live person; (b) a voice message delivery system to the telephone line to send a voice message to an answering machine; (c) a facsimile message delivery system to the telephone line to send a facsimile message to the facsimile machine; and (d) a data message delivery system to the telephone line to send a data message to the data machine.

Abstract: A light source for an interferometric fiber optic gyroscope ("IFOG") includes a thulium (Tm.sup.+++) doped optical fiber which exhibits superluminescence in a wavelength region substantially centered at about 1.8 microns.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention are sulfur rich glass compositions comprising germanium, gallium and sulfur, which glass compositions have a low energy phonon spectrum and which glass compositions serve as a host for active materials in fabricating light sources such as fiber laser oscillators, light amplifiers, and superluminescent sources. In particular, such a laser oscillator, light amplifier or superluminescent source is comprised of an inventive glass composition which is doped with rare earth ions such as Pr.sup.3+ or Dy.sup.3+ for producing light output at wavelengths, among others, substantially at 1.3 um. Further embodiments of the present invention are light sources such as laser oscillators, light amplifiers and superluminescent sources which have emissions substantially at 1.3 um and which are comprised of an inventive glass composition which is doped with Dy.sup.3+ and Yb3+ ions, wherein Dy.sup.3+ ions are pumped by energy transfer from Yb3+ ions.

Abstract: A detector to indicate if a telephone call was answered by an answering machine or a live person includes (to analyze frames): a click detector; a ring detector; a voice detector; an energy detector; and a controller. The controller routes to: a voice analyzer if voice occurred; a ring analyzer if ring started, continues, or ended; a noise detector if there is neither ring nor voice; a click analyzer if a click occurred; an answer analyzer if ring did not start in the frame; and a silence analyzer. The noise detector detects noise; the ring analyzer detects start time, end time, and length of ring; the click analyzer detects click time; the answer analyzer detects call answer time; the silence analyzer detects silence and the time of predetermined lengths of silence; and the voice analyzer detects the first frame of voice and routes to an on-first voice analyzer or to an after-first voice analyzer.

Abstract: Apparatus for producing laser radiation substantially at 1,444 .mu.m. Embodiments of the present invention are improved structures for neodymium lasers wherein an active laser material is formed in the shape of a rod, a tube, and a slab, including embodiments of a slab laser wherein the slab is pumped by diode arrays. In particular, the improved designs relate to the reflectivities assigned to reflectors which form the laser resonator; the structure of the pumping apparatus (including the shape and composition of the pumping cavity); the concentration of Nd; the dimensions of the active material; the structure of the laser resonator; and the pumping parameters such as pulse duration, pulse rate, and pump energy.

Abstract: Method for centralized monitoring of activity in a distributed processing system which permits a monitor to decipher the relative time sequence of events which occur in the distributed processing system. The method includes the step of generating information which can be used to decipher the relative time sequence of events, which information is appended to activity status messages, and the step of transmitting this information, along with the activity status messages, to the monitor.

Abstract: Apparatus for providing beams of laser radiation at wavelengths of 1.44 .mu.m and 1.064 .mu.m on demand. Two Nd:YAG lasers are arranged in a side-by-side configuration and operated to provide laser output at wavelengths of 1.44 .mu.m and 1.064 .mu.m, respectively. In the preferred embodiment, a reflective spectral filter comprised of two reflectors reduces the amount of 1.064 .mu.m radiation in the output beam from the 1.44 .mu.m laser by a factor of 100 to 1000, but only reduces the amount of 1.44 .mu.m radiation in the output beam from the laser by less than 2%. The apparatus also provides collinear addition of the output from the 1.064 .mu.m laser. This collinear addition enables output radiation from both lasers to be coupled together into a single optical fiber. In fact, a user can choose to operate either laser separately or to operate both lasers simultaneously.

Abstract: Two-wire, electronic switch which performs sensing functions, measurement functions, and output-control functions for an electrical load without receiving power from a power source, external or internal, other than the power source for the electrical load that is controlled by the switch. Electronic components of a two-wire, electronic switch which is fabricated in accordance with the present invention obtain power: (a) when the switch is off, from a power source which drives a load which is controlled by the switch and (b) when the switch is on, from an output of devices which convert current to voltage and which receive at least a portion of a current through the load as input.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for providing a universal addressing plan for a network of voice store-and-forward messaging system sites wherein a telephone numbering plan for a telephone network can be mirrored among the sites in the network, notwithstanding whether the sites utilize the public switched network or on a private network.