Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an electrical connector including a plurality of contact springs having contact regions aligned generally along a single line of contact. The contact springs include rearwardly and forwardly facing contact springs that are positioned next to one another. The rearwardly facing contact spring includes a distal portion positioned behind the contact line and a proximal portion positioned in front of the contact line. The forwardly facing contact spring includes a distal portion positioned in front of the line of contact and a proximal portion positioned behind the line of contact.

Abstract: A tunable connector and method for assembling a tunable connector. The connector includes a ferrule that is retainably engaged within a hub. The connector further includes a rear housing and a front housing. The rear housing is sized to receive and rotationally retain the hub. The front housing has a bore that receives and engages the exterior surface of the rear housing. The front and rear housing include engagement members that allow the rear housing to be retained within the front housing and rotated relative to the front housing between discrete positions.

Abstract: A method for initializing a service unit in a communication system is provided. The method comprises receiving a synchronization signal from a head end at the remote unit, receiving an identifier specifying the remote unit and receiving an upstream frequency band and control channel designation at the remote unit. The frequency band includes a number of subbands with at least one control channel in each subband. The method further comprises tuning to the designated frequency band, transmitting a reference signal on a selected channel to the head end, receiving adjustment signals based on the reference signal transmitted to the head end to allow signals transmitted from the remote unit to be orthogonal at the head end to signals from at least one other remote unit and adjusting parameters at the remote unit based on the adjustment signals.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are presented for aligning a diffractive WDM device that includes i) a multi-channel, light handling device having a selected channel spacing and ii) a multi-channel signal input unit. The method includes adjusting a direction of incidence of an optical signal from the input unit on at least a first diffracting element of the WDM device so as to set an actual optical channel spacing at an output region of the WDM device to be approximately equal to the selected channel spacing of the multi-channel, light handling device. In the apparatus, the orientation of the light input unit is adjustable in a direction parallel to a diffraction plane of the diffractive WDM device so as to select an actual channel spacing at the multi-channel, light handling device that is approximately equal to the selected channel spacing.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a fiber optic device for the optically connecting optical fiber. The device consists of fiber optic connectors holding the terminal ends of optical fiber in ferrules and an adapter for receiving fiber optic connectors. The adapter includes a sleeve within a longitudinal opening which aligns the ferrules and the terminal end of the optical fiber held by the ferrules. Within the sleeve is placed an attenuator which extends across the longitudinal opening in the sleeve and is held at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the opening by slots in the sidewall of the sleeve. The angle at which the attenuator is held may be perpendicular or non-perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the sleeve. The sleeve is further prevented from rotating within the adapter by pockets formed in the inner wall of the longitudinal opening engaging extensions of the attenuator beyond the sidewall of the sleeve.

Abstract: A protective panel for use in a splitter chassis is described in this disclosure. The protective panel is configured to at least partially cover a splitter card that would otherwise be exposed but for the presence of the panel.

Abstract: A heat sink is provided that has a leg and a member coupled substantially perpendicular to the leg at a first end of the leg. The leg is surface mountable to a first surface of a printed circuit board at a second end of the leg to receive heat from an electronic device on a second surface of the printed circuit board by a thermally conductive via through the printed circuit board.

Abstract: A receptacle for confining circuit cards to different locations within a housing and that has a frame is provided. The frame has an array of slots, each containing one of the circuit cards. In one embodiment, the receptacle has a cam that is selectively engageable with the frame for clamping the circuit cards within the frame. In another embodiment, a shaft is rotatably attached to the receptacle. The shaft has a head at one end and a nut opposite the head. A resilient element is disposed on the shaft between the head and the nut. The resilient element is axially compressible between the head and nut to bulge generally perpendicularly to the axial direction into engagement with the frame for clamping the circuit cards within the frame.

Abstract: A tunable resonator is provided. The resonator includes a housing having a cavity. A resonator body is disposed adjacent to a first surface within the cavity. A gap is formed between the resonator body and the first surface. The resonator is tuned by controlling the size of the gap.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a case for confining at least one circuit card to a location within a housing is provided. The case has at least one slot that contains the circuit card. The case also has at least one actuator adapted to clamp the circuit card within the slot.

Abstract: A “generic” switch messaging protocol is disclosed for message handling and switch supervision in conjunction with a number of switching engines, each of which is conversant with the generic messaging protocol, each switching engine also being conversant with a specific switch messaging protocol. An object oriented development system is also disclosed utilizing a “generic” switch messaging protocol and a plurality of switching engines, each of which is conversant with the generic messaging protocol and each of which is conversant with a specific switch messaging protocol. Certain switch messages are not “genericized” because their functionality is different from the functionality of other switches. These messages generally include initialization and maintenance messages which are hardware specific and have no counterpart in another switch from a different vendor.

Abstract: A power distribution panel having circuit elements such as KTK and GMT fuses removably mounted to a unit housing by means of module members, thereby allowing for ease of customization of the circuit elements of the power distribution panel.

Abstract: A switching coax jack module and jack component provide for a removable DSX jack which can be slid into and out of the front of a jack module housing without disconnecting other components of the jack module and without disconnecting the module from a chassis. The jack includes a projecting post, and two rear ports. The post and rear ports cooperate with a rear interface unit including two projecting plugs, and a port for the post. The rear interface unit may include a switch activated by the post for disconnecting two of the rear connectors of the module when the jack is mounted to the module and engaged with the rear interface unit.

Abstract: A circuit for extending the dynamic range of an electronic circuit is provided. The circuit includes a first adjustable attenuation circuit having an input and an output and a control input. The control input is adapted to receive a control signal that adjusts the relative gain of the attenuation circuit. The circuit also includes at least one additional attenuation circuit coupled in parallel with the first adjustable attenuation circuit. The at least one additional attenuation circuit has a control input that is adapted to receive a control signal that adjusts the relative gain of the at least one additional attenuation circuit. The first and the at least one additional attenuation circuits are selectively controlled to adjust the level of signals in different frequency bands so as to extend the dynamic range of signals to be processed by the electronic circuit.

Abstract: Fiberoptic connector and adapter assembly includes a fiberoptic connector received within an adapter. The connector has a cover on the connector housing. The cover pivots between open and closed positions to expose or cover, respectively, a optical fiber contained within the connector. Longitudinal guides of the connector are received cooperating with longitudinal guides of the adapter to direct the connector into the adapter in a prescribed alignment. A cam pin is carried on the adapter to engage a cam pin receiving slot on the cover to urge the cover to the open position as the connector is inserted into the adapter.

Abstract: A mount apparatus includes a separate spring contact and wire wrap pin assembly as well as having a sandwich construction to prevent the spring contact and wire wrap pin from being pushed out of their retention positions. In one embodiment, a mount apparatus includes a front cover having a plurality of receptacles, a back cover having a plurality of through holes, and a circuit board assembly sandwiched between the front cover and the back cover. The circuit board assembly includes a board having a plurality of through holes aligned with the receptacles of the front cover and the through holes of the back cover, a plurality of contacts retained in a first set of the through holes of the board of the circuit board assembly, and a plurality of pins retained in a second set of the through holes of the board of the circuit board assembly.

Abstract: An element management system (“EMS”) interfaces between a telephone company computer or a terminal for use by a telephone company system administrator or customer service representative, and a telephone network element such as a central office or a group of central offices. In order to store and process subscriber data during the time periods when a telephone computer system is busy controlling telephone switching functions and therefore giving low priority to such data, the EMS contains a proxy database and maintains it between the periods when access to the telephone computer system is desired and available, without detrimentally involving the telephone computer system, the telephone switching network or any elements thereof. The EMS is capable of operating as the sole repository of subscriber data in a telephone computer system configured to operate in such an environment.

Abstract: A coupling and assembly for a cable routing system, the system having trough members with flanged ends. The coupling includes a U-shaped rib having a rail on an exterior surface of the rib. The coupling also includes a pivoting clamp pivotally coupled to the rib near a first end of the clamp so that the clamp may be pivoted between an open and a closed position. The clamp has a contoured clamping surface which is contoured to retain the flanged ends of adjacent troughs against the rail and the external surface of the rib when the pivoting clamp is in the closed position. The clamp also includes retention means which cooperate with retention means on the rib to releasably retain the clamp in its closed position.

Abstract: A retainer for retaining a mating connector in conductive contact with its corresponding mating connector. The retainer includes a base which defines a hole therethrough. A post extends from the base in a direction away from the base. Disposed on the post is a tapered ledge. The ledge is tapered in a direction away from the base so that the ledge has a first surface at an angle relative to the base. The base may also include a cleat to prevent rotation of the retainer relative to the mating connectors. The cleat is preferably a linear strip extending from and along an edge of the base. The retainer may be used in an assembly including a connector, a mounting bracket and a mating connector.

Abstract: A communication system for transferring digital data over a distribution network is described. The communication system includes an interface for receiving successive strings of digital data from a source, each string representing a certain number of bits. The system also includes a symbol mapper for converting the strings into a sequence of symbols representing a constellation of discrete values of the amplitude and phase of a carrier for a predetermined period. The constellation is rotationally asymmetric for valid ones of the data strings. The system further includes a modulator for synthesizing a plurality of orthogonal carriers from said symbols a transmitter for sending the modulated carriers over a distribution network.