Abstract: An electronic module (200) having a configuration (212) for promoting efficient heat dissipation and a circuit board assembly (202, 205, 206) are provided such that when said electronic module (200) is inserted within said circuit board assembly (202, 205, 206) a portion of said electronic module (200) overlaps an EMI shield (205), with said portion of said electronic module (200) having a configuration (212) for promoting efficient heat dissipation and being external of said EMI shield (205).

Abstract: In an optical communications system employing a Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM) scheme, a laser device can be used to transmit electromagnetic radiation at different wavelengths, each different wavelength being known as a channel. In addition, a demultiplexer such as an Arrayed Waveguide Grating (AWG) can be used to separate out a multiplexed signal into its component channels. It is known that laser devices and AWGs are susceptible to wavelength drift as their temperatures change or aging occurs, in the case of the AWGs causing channels to overlap which results in cross-talk between adjacent channels. Consequently, the present invention provides an apparatus for detecting cross-talk and method therefor. To this end, a first and a second output signal from a wavelength selective device (9) are directed to be coincident upon a photodetector (11). A homodyne beat signal results from the coincidence of the first and the second output signal and the homodyne beat signal is used to measure wavelength drift.

Abstract: In an optical communications network employing a wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) system, different wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation are used to transmit different signals. Because the wavelength of electromagnetic radiation that a laser device emits can drift as the temperature of the laser device changes, channels can overlap causing cross-talk. Consequently, the present invention provides a laser wavelength locking control loop apparatus (5) comprising a wavelength selective device (9) and a photodector (11), coupled to a feedback controller circuit (13). Electromagnetic radiation emitted by the laser device (7) is provided to the wavelength selective device (9) which provides a first output signal at a first wavelength and a second output signal at a second wavelength. The first and second output signals are directed to the photodetector (11) so as to coincide when incident thereupon.

Abstract: In a communications network, it is necessary for client software applications to monitor detail records constructed from messages transmitted in a signalling network (100) associated with the communications network. Prior techniques for delivery of the detail records to the client software applications included separate generation of the detail records for each client software application resulting in duplication of effort in the collection and dissemination of the detail records as well as the prolific number of detail record generation tasks required. The present invention overcomes these disadvantages by having a single generator (200, 410) of detail records per site in the signalling network (100), the delivery of the detail records to the client software applications (400, 402, 710, 712, 718) involving a point-to-multipoint communication.