Abstract: Data on a document is recognized using at least two machine recognition processes. Data from one machine recognition process is used as reference data; data formed using the other recognition process is used as verification data. If the verification data matches the reference data, machine recognition may be verified. If the verification data does not exactly match the reference data, an assessment is made of the likelihood that the verification data is sufficiently close to the reference data to suggest an error in the verification data. This may be done by applying a fitness function to the verification data, to assess the likelihood that the verification data represents a mis-recognized version of the reference data. In one embodiment, the verification data is OCR data, and the reference data is MICR data.

Abstract: An end effector for use with a moving device has a frame and a plurality of operational members mounted for movement on the frame. The effector also has an actuation mechanism directly connected to a first operational member and is operable to move the first operational member from a first position to a second position, and from the second position to the first position. A linking apparatus is provided for linking the first operational member to a second operational member. The actuation mechanism moves the first operational member from the first position to the second position, and results in the second operational member being moved by the linking apparatus from a third position to a fourth position. The operational members can be pick up members for picking up items at one pitch and releasing them at a second pitch.

Abstract: An alarm system includes one or more audio stations, and an audio station network interface. The audio stations communicate wirelessly with the audio station network interface. The audio station network interface communicates with a monitoring center over a cellular network, to allow audio monitoring of the premises at the audio stations. The audio station network interface may be called by the monitoring center. Calls may optionally be placed by it in response to user interaction with one of the audio stations.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods to control the spread of recombinant DNA molecules between sexually compatible plants of differing genetic composition. The invention describes the production of transgenic plants that comprise recombinant traits of interest or concern linked to repressible lethal genes. The lethal genes are blocked by the action of repressor molecules produced by the expression of repressor genes located at a different genetic locus. The lethal phenotype is only expressed after the segregation of the repressible lethal gene construct and the repressor gene following meiosis. The present invention may be employed for both open-pollinated and hybrid seed production systems and may be used to maintain genetic purity by blocking unintended introgression of genes from plants devoid of the specific repressor gene.

Abstract: In an alarm system, outgoing calls representing a sensed alarm condition are routed to one of several communications networks. The calls are routed by first initiating a telephone call to a defined number, in response to sensing the alarm condition, and then selecting one of plurality a plurality of available networks based on called number information. A communication over the chosen network is placed to signal the alarm condition. Routing may be performed at an interface module in communication with a conventional alarm panel.

Abstract: An alarm system validates values of configuration variables, such as a programmed account code. If the variable(s) is/are not programmed upon exiting system programming, an audible and/or visual indication of such is provided. This may result in a decrease of the number of events signaled to a central station by alarm systems that are not programmed with the correct account code.

Abstract: Network service performance monitoring apparatus and methods are disclosed. Performance information associated with a network service is collected from multiple service monitoring points. The service monitoring points include at least a service monitoring point in a first communication network and a service monitoring second communication network that is controlled independently of the first communication network. The first communication network could be a network in which a service provider system that provides the network service is located, and the second communication network could be a communication network through which the network service is accessible by a network service consumer. In this case, the collected performance information may be integrated to create an inter-network view of performance of the service. Historical performance information associated with a network service may be used to establish a performance baseline for the service.

Abstract: An alarm system comprises: an audio interface comprising: a microphone; a state sensor for sensing a state at the audio interface; a signal generator for generating an inaudible state signal indicative of the state; a multiplexer for combining an audio signal from the microphone and the state signal; a control panel for monitoring sensed conditions at the audio interface; a conductor interconnecting the audio interface to the control panel carrying audio signal and the state signal as combined from the audio interface to the control panel.

Abstract: A bypass server is placed in an outgoing link between a mobile device server and a relay used to distribute data from the mobile device server to remote mobile devices to which the data is addressed. Where a direct connection is established between a suitably configured network node (such as a personal computer) and a given mobile device, the bypass server may form a local connection with the network node and divert along the local connection those packets that are addressed to the given mobile device. As such, a lower cost/higher bandwidth local communication path between the given mobile device and the mobile device server may be established, when compared to the conventional remote communication path. The local communication path may be especially useful for bulk data transfers.

Abstract: Communication system bandwidth reservation management techniques are disclosed. If actual usage of a reserved amount of bandwidth in a communication system reflects a reduced usage state, a determination is made as to whether the reserved amount of bandwidth is to be adjusted. A portion of the bandwidth that has been reserved for a Video-on-Demand session, for example, may be released when playback of a video is paused. A time-based series of reduced usage states may be defined such that reserved bandwidth is gradually released if the reserved bandwidth is not actually used for a period of time. Embodiments of the invention may be implemented in various forms of apparatus, methods, data structures, and Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs).

Abstract: A telephone line interface and side-tone attenuation circuit includes two opto-electric converters. The first has an input interconnected to receive a signal proportional to a near-end signal, and an output interconnected to modulate a current proportional to the near-end signal onto the subscriber loop. The second has its input interconnected to provide a signal proportional to a current on the subscriber loop, including the current proportional to the near-end signal, at its output. A summing amplifier receives signals proportional to the output voltage of the second opto-electric converter and a signal proportional to the near-end signal. The output voltage of the second opto-electric amplifier includes a component that is substantially 180° out of phase with the near-end signal, allowing the near-end signal to be cancelled at the summing amplifier.

Abstract: Automatic Protection Switching (APS) and error signal processing coordination apparatus and methods are disclosed. If a communication module that enables communication signals and error signals to be exchanged with a remote communication module is configured in an APS protection group, error signal processing by the communication module is restricted. This prevents Time Division Multiplexing (TDM) T1/E1 Remote Defect Indication (RDI) signal processing, for example, from interfering with Synchronous Optical Network/Synchronous Digital Hierarchy (SONET/SDH) unidirectional One-plus-One APS. Under certain conditions, however, a restricted communication module may be allowed to perform a restricted error processing operation or revert to normal unrestricted error signal processing.

Abstract: Apparatus, methods, and related data structures for validating a routing configuration in a communication system are disclosed. Routing information in a communication system is passively collected, illustratively from routing protocol advertisement messages. A routing configuration of the communication system is validated based on the collected routing information. Validation may involve comparing information associated with electronic addresses in an address space of the communication system with the collected routing information, and also or instead comparing an intended routing configuration with an explicit routing configuration, for example. A data structure may include information indicating an electronic address and information indicating a result of validating a routing configuration associated with the electronic address.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises a controller for controlling operation of the apparatus and a switch for switchably coupling electrical power to the controller to enable the controller and apparatus to operate. The controller includes a module for controlling the switch to decouple electrical power from the apparatus, including the controller, and the apparatus further comprises a switch controller for controlling the switch to restore electrical power to the apparatus and controller a predetermined period of time after the switch decouples electrical power therefrom. The apparatus may be embodied in a line card of a communication system and the controller may comprise a control processor for controlling local operations of the line card.

Abstract: Methods and systems of logging detected protection system related events affecting a protection system are disclosed. A determination is made as to whether a detected event itself or in combination with a previous detected event provides information relating to both a protection switching operation and a cause of the protection switching operation, and if so, a further determination is made as to whether the information relating to a protection switching operation indicates that the protection switching operation has occurred. If both of these conditions are satisfied, a log entry associated with the protection switching operation, or possibly an alarm for the protection switching operation, is recorded in an event log. In one embodiment, an event log entry is created for a detected protection switching operation and then updated to include information related to a subsequently detected event associated with the protection switching operation.

Abstract: Communication traffic management systems and methods are disclosed. One or more traffic managers may be provided for managing communication traffic to be sent toward respective groups of one or more destinations. A determination is made as to whether one traffic manager or more than one traffic manager is provided. If one traffic manager is provided, then communication traffic is transferred to the traffic manager. In the case where more than one traffic manager is provided, received communication traffic is transferred to a traffic manager for a destination toward which the communication traffic is to be sent. Traffic managers may be added to or removed from communication equipment to provide varying levels of traffic management.

Abstract: Communication traffic policing apparatus and methods are disclosed. Communication traffic restrictions for each communication link in a group of communication links are enforced by allowing transfer of communication traffic associated with respective communication links of the group at transfer rates up to respective per-link transfer rates. In a group enforcement stage, transfer of additional communication traffic associated with a communication link of the group, above the per-link transfer rate for the communication link, is allowed where a combined transfer rate of communication traffic associated with another communication link of the group and the additional communication traffic would not exceed the per-link transfer rate for the other communication link. Thus, one or more individual communication links of a group may be allowed to effectively exceed their per-link transfer rates if one or more other communication links of the group have sufficient spare capacity.

Abstract: Communication traffic type determination devices and methods are disclosed. A received block of communication traffic is concurrently analyzed relative to multiple traffic type definitions, and indications of whether the received block of communication traffic conforms to the traffic type definitions are provided. Concurrent analysis of the same traffic block relative to different traffic type definitions can reduce the amount of time that might otherwise be involved in determining a type of the traffic block. Evaluation of traffic against multiple definitions may also allow traffic to be classified or verified more specifically than would be possible based solely on explicit type indications provided in traffic overhead.

Abstract: To derive a Hamming code to manage data errors a set of at least four parity bit positions is selected for parity bits which will protect a set of data bits (where each data bit has a data bit position in the data bit set). A syndrome is determined for each data bit position. This involves selecting a unique sub-set of at least three parity bit positions. The unique sub-set shares at least one parity bit position with at least one other unique sub-set of at least three parity bit positions. A parity bit value may then be calculated for each parity bit position based on the determined syndromes. The header of a packet may be provided with a word which defines the length of the packet and an error management code generated utilizing this word so that errors in the word may be detected and, possibly, corrected.