Abstract: A vehicle memory key is configured for storing user preferences in a memory such as an encoded magnetic strip. The vehicle memory key is inserted into a key receptacle associated with operating the vehicle and one or more vehicle systems. A first insertion orientation of the key relative to the key receptacle is associated with a first set of user preferences and a second insertion orientation is associated with a second set of user preferences.

Abstract: A novel device and method of beam steering for semiconductor lasers or optical amplifiers is disclosed. The method of the present invention achieves high signal extinction ratios, high speed, low chirp modulation by biasing a multi-lateral mode beam steering section. The device of the present invention comprises an active single vertical and lateral mode optical waveguide, a multi-lateral mode waveguide, and a mode converter. The mode converter efficiently couples output from an active single mode waveguide to two or more modes of a multi-lateral mode waveguide. Two guided modes arrive at a device facet with a particular intermodal phase difference based on initial mode phasing, multi-lateral mode waveguide length and modal dispersion properties, and facet angle. Beam steering is achieved through carrier antiguiding effect by injecting current into the multi-lateral mode waveguide from the mode converter thus changing the intermodal dispersion.