Abstract: The invention relates to a method for charging for the use of a telecommunication service, as well as to a switching system, a service control point and a network management facility. A service request is transmitted from a subscriber (A) via a telecommunication network (KN) of a network operator to a service-providing unit (SAPP1) of the service provider. A charge unit (BILL) of the network operator administers the charge collection for the use of the telecommunication service. The service-providing unit (SAPP1) provides the requested telecommunication service only after receipt of a confirmation message from a authorization unit (AUT) of the network operator. The charge message (M6) with data relating to a charge for using the telecommunication service is transferred from the service-providing unit (SAPP1) to the charge unit (BILL) and the charge unit (BILL) collects the charge after the confirmation message has been received.

Abstract: ASIC (Application-Specific Integrated Circuit) testability, troubleshooting access and visibility of internal circuitry are the primary targets of test engineering analysis. The widely applied boundary-scan technique is a useful interface but does not solve all problems connected with the PBA (Printed Board Assembly) manufacturing process. The invention provides an extension of the boundary-scan technique currently implemented to provide improved ASIC testability. The Collateral ASIC Test (method and logic) implemented in a boundary-scan device according to the invention makes possible a test process standardization to ASIC design and testing.

Abstract: A spirally wound storage cell having an alkaline electrolyte, the storage cell being in particular of the nickel-cadmium type or of the nickel metal hydride type, and including at least one positive electrode and at least one negative electrode on either side of a non-woven separator made up of fibers made exclusively of polypropylene, said storage cell being characterized by the fact that said separator (5) comprises first and second superposed layers, said first layer (6) being obtained by the "spun-bond" method and serving as a support, and said second layer (7) being obtained by needling fibers on said first layer, the needling tangling the fibers of the second layer together, and bonding them to the fibers of the first layer.

Abstract: It is known to expose a photosensitive waveguide core to an optical interference pattern which is produced using a phase mask. Precise positioning of the phase mask above the optical waveguide is difficult if several Bragg gratings are to be produced in a confined space. The invention solves the problem of how to produce virtually arbitrarily defined refractive-index gratings in a core of an optical waveguide with high precision without the use of phase masks. To accomplish this, a buffer layer of the optical waveguide, preferably the cladding layer (CLA), is patterned in such a way that UV laser light directed to the waveguide forms an optical interference pattern in the core (COR), thereby imprinting a Bragg grating. The pattern (GST) in the buffer layer is preferably formed by etching.

Abstract: A shielded patch cable has a series of wires and a first foil of an electrical conductive material, the first foil surrounding the series of wires over their length. The patch cable also has a capacitor for preventing the formation of a grounding loop upon connection of the cable. The capacitor is formed by the first foil surrounded by an intermediate layer of an electrical insulating material, which insulating material is surrounded by a second foil of an electrical conductive material.

Abstract: For use in digital optical telecommunication systems, optical semiconductor components are shown having a transition region for the expansion of the mode field of a light wave in order to reduce losses when coupling to an optical fiber or an optical waveguide of a supporting plate. An optical semiconductor component contains a deep ridged waveguide (RIDGE) with a cover layer (DS) disposed on a substrate (SUB.) The ridged waveguide (RIDGE) has a first (MQW) and second (BULK) waveguide cores, these being separated by a separating layer (SEP). The thickness of this separating layer increases in a transition region (UB1) along a longitudinal direction (L) of the ridged waveguide (RIDGE), thus increasing the vertical distance between the two waveguide centers (MQW, BULK).

Abstract: A radio receiver for receiving radio frequency (RF) signals includes an analog down-converting and filtering section for down-converting and selecting the RF signals to an intermediate passband and a stopband which substantially determine the widest bandwidth of operation of the radio receiver. An analog-to-digital converter converts the intermediate frequency signal to a sampled digital signal. A digital filtering section, responsive to the sampled digital signal, includes wideband and narrowband digital filters for providing wide bandwidth and narrow bandwidth baseband quadrature output signals for the widest bandwidth of operation and a narrow bandwidth of operation at a frequency within a passband. The wideband digital filtering is designed to only provide a modest amount of additional stopband attenuation with a significantly sharper transition band rolloff from passband to stopband.

Abstract: A method of isolating a memory location containing an obsolete value of a variable, in a shared memory of a computer, said location being referenced via a pointer for access in the context of a first transaction, a lock called a "hold" being placed on said location and being assigned to a single task, said hold preventing any other task from accessing said location. The method of the invention does not free the location containing the obsolete value, but it isolates it from transactions other than that transaction which possesses the first pointer. This allows the task owning the first pointer to continue to access said obsolete value. However, any transaction can access another value of the variable, without waiting, because the descriptor of said variable directs said transactions to a location which is freely accessible and contains said other value.

Abstract: A requesting terminal signals a call request (CALL) to a control unit of a first communications network. The control unit then determines whether sufficient capacity is available in the first communications network to establish the connection requested by the call request. In the event of insufficient capacity, the control unit transmits an overload message (DAT) to the requesting terminal. It only initiates an alternative establishment of the requested connection via another, second communications network after it receives an acknowledge message (ACK) issued by the requesting terminal.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for tying additional function modules into a control facility of a switching system and to a switching system. A switching system comprises a control facility (CONTR) provided with a plurality of basic function modules (APP1 to APP3, BP1 to BP4) which are mutually coupled to each other, for controlling the switching functions of the switching system. The basic function modules (APP1 to APP3, BP1 to BP4) are coupled to one or more access modules (ACC). The additional function modules (APP11 to APP23, KONVERT1, KONVERT2) access the basic function modules (APP1 to APP3, BP1 to BP4) only via the access modules (ACC), such that at any given time each of the access modules (ACC), depending on the accessing additional function module (APP11 to APP23, KONVERT1 , KONVERT2), provides the additional function modules (APP11 to APP23, KONVERT1, KONVERT2) with only one individual logical access interface (INT1 to INT4) to the basic function modules (APP1 to APP3, BP1 to BP4).

Abstract: In order to operate at high frequencies and at high optical powers without reducing the possible depth of modulation, a quantum well electro-optical modulator has a semiconductor structure of III-V elements including, in succession, an n doped layer, an undoped layer, a quantum well active layer and a p doped layer. Applications include optical transmission systems.

Abstract: During data transmissions between a mobile radio network and a telecommunications network, in order to adapt the data signals to the protocols and modulation rates used by said networks, adaptation processors which perform so-called interworking functions are used which are either implemented in each mobile station of the mobile radio network, or which are implemented in a centralized interworking function that is connected to several mobile switching centers. A centralized interworking function (CIWF) is described for the simple construction of a mobile radio network, which contains different interworking functions (IWF1, . . . , IWFn) for adapting data transmissions between several mobile switching centers (MSC) and different data transmission nodes (MOD, PH, PAD, ISDN) of a telecommunications network (PSTN), and contains a controlled switching network (SWT) which selectively connects the different interworking functions to the mobile switching centers.

Abstract: Optical fiber cable components such as buffer tubes, filler rods, or jackets are produced using a thermoplastic polyolefin characterized by a high melt flow index. The use of material with a high melt flow index versus conventional "extrusion grade" materials which are characterized by a low melt flow index results in substantial improvements in buffer tube crystallinity and crystallization rates, improved buffer tube crush resistance, reduced post extrusion shrinkage, improved gel compatibility, and improved excess fiber length control. The advantages of using materials with a high melt flow index are most evident when processing thermoplastic materials such as nucleated copolymers of ethylene and propylene at high line speeds (shear rates) of over 50M/min.

Abstract: When telecommunications systems with analog and digital circuit technology are interconnected, the two-wire/four-wire transitions are achieved with hybrid circuits in which mismatches cannot be avoided. They result in signal reflections in the form of interfering echoes which can considerably reduce speech intelligibility. The known methods of echo compensation for hands-free facilities are not suitable for compensating line echoes, since the signal level and the delay times of lines can be very different. A compander (3.7) is used to suppress the effect of line echoes, whose transmission characteristic, in addition to being controlled by a coupling factor between the transmit path and the receive path, and by a control signal determined by the noise level, is also controlled in the invention with the speech level that is received from the distant subscriber.

Abstract: In a method of regulating a rotating machine with n phases fed with alternating current by a voltage inverter including n SPmLL defining m.sup.n states V.sub.i (i.epsilon.{1, . . , m.sup.n }) of the stator phase voltage vector V.sub.s, the machine having an electromagnetic torque T.sub.em and a stator flux .phi..sub.S slaved to a commanded electromagnetic torque T.sub.emref and stator flux .phi..sub.Sref, for transient conditions in which the electromagnetic torque T.sub.em and/or the stator flux .phi..sub.S are respectively far away from the commanded electromagnetic torque T.sub.emref and/or stator flux .phi..sub.Sref, from all possible states V.sub.i of the stator phase voltage vector V.sub.s, the one is chosen which is optimal for causing the torque T.sub.em and the stator flux .phi..sub.S to converge towards the commanded torque T.sub.emref and stator flux .phi..sub.Sref ; and switching of the SPmLL corresponding to the chosen state of the phase voltage vector V.sub.s is commanded.

Abstract: A method for automatically changing software version in a computer system comprising a plurality of stations that are to execute in parallel a plurality of replicas of the same software. A series of successively messages, communication protocol, between a master station and each slave station required for initializing and making necessary preparations at each of the slave stations prior to the version-change actual issued. In this way, without human intervention, all of the stations ensure that do restart after receiving the version-change order do indeed all restart actually executing the new version.

Abstract: Creation of a digital ISDN server for distribution and interactive services in video telephony, which can be used for a great number of video telephones including video telephones of different designs. Provision of video and audio signals with different formats and different transmission rates for different video telephones. Signalling of a terminal (TN1, . . . , TNp) is provided by the server for each requesting video telephone, where coded video and audio signals of different transmission rates and different formats are provided according to the design of the video telephone. These are available either in real time or are downloaded from corresponding storage media. In addition, an interactive control can be implemented.

Abstract: The composition is constituted by a mixture comprising a thermoplastic material, a hydrolysable silane compound, an elastomer, and a peroxide, said thermoplastic material and said silane compound carrying respective groups that react with each other. The composition including a filler containing superficial hydroxyl groups. The composition is suitable for sheathing electric cables and wires.

Abstract: An assembly of electronic modules comprises electronic modules supported by a support structure. Each electronic module is in the form of electronic components stacked on at least two levels which are separated by an intermediate layer. Each electronic module comprises at least one hole formed in the intermediate layer. The support structure comprises at least one rod element that is introduced into respective holes of successive modules.

Abstract: Optical pulses carrying information to be conveyed are routed, for each pulse, by the intensity of the pulse. The pulses may be solitons. The invention is particularly applicable to long distance communications.