Abstract: A high-speed optical network includes according to the invention a housing having a plurality of slots for accommodating a number of line cards and an optional backplane facilitating communication between the line cards. The line cards include a client communication interface and a DWDM communication interface, for example, gigabit Ethernet interface, SONET interface or DWDM interface. Advantages of the invention include a high-speed network and network components that are capable of performing at a level consistent with optical network systems and which efficiently supports DWDM in a space-effective and cost-effective manner.

Abstract: A data management system propagates changes in product information. The product information is stored in a central data base for transfer to remote systems having disparate formats and protocols. The system includes an administration module to validate product data stored in the data base. This ensures that the data is accessible by the system. The system also includes a product change module configured to determine whether a change has been made to data related to a product. When changes are discovered, a data management server is alerted to the change. In response to the alert, the data server extracts, formats and transmits the changes in product data from the central data base to an appropriate user system. An application adapter communicating with the user system then receives the changed data from the data server and formats the data according to the user system platform.

Abstract: A network switch includes an input layer to receive a data stream with a set of cells. Each cell includes data and a header to designate a destination device. The input layer includes a set of input layer circuits. A selected input layer circuit of the set of input layer circuits receives the data stream. The selected input layer circuit includes a set of queues corresponding to a set of destination devices. The selected input layer circuit is configured to assign a selected cell from the data stream to a selected queue of the set of queues. The selected queue corresponds to a selected destination device specified by the header of the selected cell. An intermediate layer includes a set of intermediate layer circuits, each intermediate layer circuit has a set of buffers corresponding to the set of destination devices.

Abstract: A device for use in a modem configuration that enables the transfer of data from a host signal processor (HSP) to an A/D-D/A converter or CODEC with less data loss, with low noise and that can send data at varying carrier frequencies without changing the size of the buffers. The device further allows for data transfer that is flexible with any given modulation scheme, carrier frequency or baud frequency to conform with the V.34, V90, as well as prior and subsequent recommendations. The device further includes a counter for counting the number of data samples transferred between the CODEC and the HSP and for alerting the HSP to avoid an overflow condition. The counter is further configured to count beyond the physical size of the buffer in order to simplify operation in an overflow condition. A transmit buffer is included for transferring data from the HSP to the CODEC.

Abstract: An electronic filter operates as a correlator that provides a discrete approximation of an analog signal. The analog to digital conversion is integrated directly approximation calculation. An array of sample and hold circuits or single bit comparators provide outputs to a series of multipliers, the other input of which is a coefficient value of a Fourier series approximation of the desired frequency response. Each of the sample and hold circuits samples sequentially in time and holds its sample until the next cycle. Thus the sample point rotates in time through the array and each new sample is multiplied by a different coefficient. The output of the multipliers is summed for evaluation.

Abstract: A method and device are provided that allow computation of multiple modulus conversion (MMC) outputs using little or no division operations. Instead of division operations, multiplication and logical shift operations are used to produce pseudo-quotients and pseudo-remainders, which may be corrected in a final step to produce correct MMC outputs. This allows for more efficient implementation, since division is typically less efficient than multiplication and logical shift. The method and device operate on MMC inputs that may be partitioned into sub-quotients of varying numbers of digits in any numbering system. The multiplication and logical shift operations are performed on each of the sub-quotients according to a procedure derived from long-division techniques.

Abstract: A high quality DAC is provided for a lower cost (including the layout size of the circuit on an audio chip) of high end DACs. The DAC includes a first circuit configured to remove even harmonics from a sigma delta circuit, and a second circuit configured to remove odd harmonics.

Abstract: The invention provides a method and apparatus for performing a voltage to current conversion. In particular, the invention provides a voltage to current converter configured to vary its transconductance (Gm). Such a converter is configured to receive a voltage input signal combined with a reference voltage signal to be converted to a current output. Optionally, the reference voltage signal may be provided by a parabolic impedance network that includes a bank of resistors and a plurality of corresponding current sources. Each current source corresponds to each node between two resistors, and may be varied in order to program changes in the comparator's Gm. Each resistor and corresponding current source is configured to create an individual reference voltage reference having a value that occurs in a parabolic manner in relation to other voltage references occurring across the impedance network. The converter further includes a plurality of comparators corresponding to the plurality of voltage reference signals.

Abstract: The invention provides a communication interface that is configured to exchange digital data packets configured with a simplified header format with a PDA, and is further configured to exchange digital data configured with a conventional header format with a device such as a computer server communicating with a network, such as the Internet. When directed to exchange data between a PDA and a computer, the interface is capable of converting the header of a data packet from one header format to another header format. This allows seamless communication between the computer and the PDA.

Abstract: The invention relates to a control apparatus for controlling one or more lamps or illuminating means, so then the control apparatus comprises a microprocessor circuit which is adapted to output an output signal for controlling or driving the one or more lamps or illumination means, whereas the controlling signal is either completely non-periodic or has a period duration which is so long that the signal cannot be perceived by the human viewer as periodic.

Abstract: An improved segmented digital to analog converter is provided, configured with a novel method of compensating current flow in secondary or successive segmented elements. In operation, dual current devices initially load, then subsequently unload a cascade of resistor networks connected to the secondary or successive voltage segmenting elements, preventing the perturbation of precise operation of the primary or preceding elements. In contrast to conventional approaches, the improved converter obviates the need for a buffer or amplifier to isolate the secondary and successive voltage segmenting elements from the primary or preceding elements.

Abstract: A sigma delta circuit is provided having a sigma delta modulator configured to operate according to a first clock signal and a quantizer connected to the sigma delta modulator, where the quantizer is configured to operate according to a second clock signal. In operation, if a small amplitude signal is received by the sigma delta circuit, the circuit is configured to operate at a fixed output frequency. When a large amplitude signal is received, the circuit is configured to adjust to a different frequency to accommodate the larger signal. The second clock signal may be a variable clock signal, where the quantizer operates according to a variable clock signal in order to adjust to different input signals.

Abstract: The invention provides a frequency locked loop and related method that enables the conversion of a signal frequency with improved stability. A frequency locked loop embodying the invention includes an input for receiving an input signal and an output for outputting an output signal having a different frequency than the input. A frequency detector is configured to receive the first factored input from the primary channel and the second factored input from the secondary channel, to calculate the difference between the first factored input and the second factored input and to produce an output based on the difference between the two factored inputs. A voltage controlled oscillator is configured to receive the output from the frequency detector, and to produce an output signal. The voltage controlled oscillator ultimately sets the output frequency based on the output of frequency detector.

Abstract: A circuit is provided having a secondary semi-analog FIR filter connected to a primary filter via a coefficient to reduce the size of the sizes of the resistors used in the primary filter. The coefficient may be one or more intermediate resistors connected between separate resistor/voltage driver banks that make up the FIR filter. The result is a circuit that takes up less chip space required to accommodate the required resistance for a digital to analog converter (DAC). The invention configures the resistor structure to produce the same output result as a conventional circuit, but with smaller resistor values that take up less surface area on the chip.

Abstract: An electronic device is provided such as an amplifier, for example, having improved gain and transconductance and low output impedance. The device includes a primary amplifier configured to carry an operating load. The primary amplifier includes an input for receiving an input signal, and an output for outputting an output signal, and operates having a variable output, as it carries an operational load. The device further includes a secondary amplifier configured to operate at a fixed operating condition, not burdened by carrying an operational load, and includes a secondary input configured to receive the input signal, wherein the secondary amplifier is configured to define the input voltage. The device is configured to detect a difference in operating current between the primary and secondary amplifiers, and to compensate for any operational load that may be applied to the primary amplifier during operation.

Abstract: A differential input flash analog-to-digital converter in which an array of comparators is connected to compare reference signals within a parabolic distribution of such signals generated by the application of a differential input signal across an impedance network. Preferably, the comparator array comprises at least two pluralities of comparators, the first plurality of comparators comparing pairs of reference nodes separated by a first step size, and the second plurality of comparators comparing pairs of reference nodes separated by a second step size. Even more preferably, the comparator array further comprises a third plurality of comparators comparing pairs of reference nodes separated by a third step size, but only where necessary to maximize the available comparison range of the converter. The flash converter according to the invention provides increased gain from input without accumulation of comparator input currents and without sacrificing the number of actual comparisons of reference signals.

Abstract: The invention provides a method and apparatus for performing a voltage to current conversion. In particular, the invention provides a voltage to current converter configured to vary its transconductance (Gm). Such a converter is configured to receive a voltage input signal combined with a reference voltage signal to be converted to a current output. Optionally, the reference voltage signal may be provided by a parabolic impedance network that includes a bank of resistors and a plurality of corresponding current sources. Each current source corresponds to each node between two resistors, and may be varied in order to program changes in the comparator's Gm. Each resistor and corresponding current source is configured to create an individual reference voltage reference having a value that occurs in a parabolic manner in relation to other voltage references occurring across the impedance network.

Abstract: A method and device are provided that allow computation of multiple modulus conversion (MMC) outputs using little or no division operations. Instead of division operations, multiplication and logical shift operations are used to produce pseudo-quotients and pseudo-remainders, which may be corrected in a final step to produce correct MMC outputs. This allows for more efficient implementation, since division is typically less efficient than multiplication and logical shift. The method and device operate on MMC inputs that may be partitioned into sub-quotients of varying numbers of digits in any numbering system. The multiplication and logical shift operations are performed on each of the sub-quotients according to a procedure derived from long-division techniques.