Abstract: Apparatus for determining a protocol of messages traversing a signalling link in a telecommunications network includes a memory for storing one or more predetermined characteristic of a message in the protocol that can be used to distinguish that protocol from other protocols. A protocol auto-discovery module is coupled to the memory and to a module that extracts channels from signalling link timeslots. The protocol auto-discovery module determines whether the predetermined characteristic is present in the sampled message and identifies the signalling link as carrying messages in the particular protocol if the predetermined characteristic is present in the sampled message. The identification may be based on a confidence measure stored in a channel configuration table which is incremented when a message on the signalling link is identified as being in that particular protocol and decremented when a message is identified as being in another protocol.

Abstract: A carrier (1) for treating photonic devices such as laser bars (B) is provided with a recessed formation (3) with a web surface (3a) for supporting the photonic device in contact therewith as well as at least one side surface (3b) forming an abutment surface for engaging a respective end facet (S1, S2) of the photonic device. The photonic device (B) is arranged in the recessed formation (3) so that the lower surface (LB) of the photonic device is masked with respect to the treatment source, while at least one end facet (S1, S2) of the photonic device engages at least one side surface (3b) by leaving exposed a surface to be treated. A protection member (5) is placed in contact with the upper surface (UB) of the photonic device (B) and the carrier (1) with the photonic device (B) arranged therein is exposed to the treatment source (E). The treatment is thus effective substantially exclusively on the surfaces of the end facets (S1, S2) to be treated.

Abstract: In an optical communications system, it is known for system diagnosis, to label a data stream with a data tag signal comprising information such as the originating laser device of the data stream. In order to recover the data tag signal from the data stream it is known to remove the data tag signal using a sense resistor in the voltage bias path of a photodetector employed to receive the data stream. Such a method complicates accurate biasing of the photodetector. The present invention therefore provides a data tag recovery apparatus (50) comprising a photodetector (54) to receive an optical signal (120) comprising a data input signal and a data tag input signal. The photodetector (54) is coupled to an amplifier (58) having outputs (60, 62) coupled to a data output module (64) and a data tag output module (90) arranged to recover the data input signal and the data tag input signal respectively from the data path of the photodetector (54).