Abstract: There is a method of retrieving information of at least one event. There is a recording of at least one time associated with at least one event from a schedule of a plurality of events. There is a monitoring of the at least one event from the schedule of the plurality of events and updating of at least one database with an unscheduled plurality of events that is combined with the schedule of the plurality of events to form a revised schedule of a plurality of events. There is a selection of at least one parameter to retrieve requested information associated with at least one event from the updated at least one database.

Abstract: A telephone call screening system screens telephone calls placed to a subscriber based upon a preferred caller database established by the subscriber from a networked caller registry database. A caller registration system allows callers to select a private identifier unique to the caller and registers the callers in a caller registry database. The subscriber establishes the preferred caller database by connecting to the caller registration system and selecting the preferred callers. The private identifiers associated with the selected preferred callers are then stored in the preferred caller database. When a caller calls the subscriber, the caller is asked to enter the caller's private identifier. A caller disposition process is initiated based on whether the private identifier is in the preferred caller database.

Abstract: Methods and circuits utilizing a two stage adaptation algorithm to determine the optimal code for an equalizer to compensate a received signal is disclosed. In the first stage, a coarse tuning algorithm is used to choose a range of codes based on the amplitude of the received signal. The chosen codes will be used as reference points in the second stage. In the second stage, a fine tuning algorithm is used to select a code in the range of reference codes determined in stage one. The fine tuning algorithm looks to the status of the data lock signal generated by the clock recovery circuit. If the data lock signal does not indicate a lock, the fine tuning algorithm cycles through the range of reference codes. If the data lock signal indicates a lock, then that particular code is continued to be used for the equalizer.

Abstract: A technique for providing high speed data service over standard wireless connections via an unique integration of protocols and existing cellular signaling, such as is available with Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) type systems through more efficient allocation of access to CDMA channels. For example, when more users exist than channels, the invention determines a set of probabilities for which users will require channel access at which times, and dynamically assigns channel resources accordingly. Channel resources are allocated according to a buffer monitoring scheme provided on forward and reverse links between a base station and multiple subscriber units. Each buffer is monitored over time for threshold levels of data to be transmitted in that buffer. For each buffer, a probability is calculated that indicates how often the specific buffer will need to transmit data and how much data will be transmitted.

Abstract: The present invention provides an optical attenuator comprising an optical attenuator module, an optical splitter, a detector and a control unit. Input radiation (Pi) is received at the attenuator module which is operable to attenuate the input radiation to generate corresponding attenuated radiation (Po). The detector is operable to receive a portion of the attenuated radiation (0.1 Po) and generate a corresponding electrical signal T1. The signal T1 is applied by the control unit via a first feedback loop to regulate the attenuator module so that radiation power of the attenuated radiation is maintained to a predetermined level. In a situation where an interruption of the input radiation (Pi) occurs, the control unit is operable to monitor temperature of the attenuator module using a thermistor sensor and to regulate the temperature of the module using a second feedback loop to a predetermined temperature during the interruption.

Abstract: To compensate for polarization mode dispersion (PMD) induced distortion in an optical signal, an optical pulse is split into two orthogonally polarized pulses. A polarization controller selectively aligns the arbitrarily oriented first and second principal states of polarization of the PMD pulses to match fixed orientations of predetermined first and second principal states of polarization of a beam splitter. The PMD pulses are then coupled to a Mach-Zender interferometer that measures the differential delay between them and selectively compensates for the measured differential delay. An optical combiner combines output the compensator PMP pulses to generate a combined output optical signal.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are described for exploiting almost the full almost 25 THz of bandwidth available in the low-loss window in optical fibers (from 1430 nm to 1620 nm) using a parallel combination of optical amplifiers. The low-loss window at about 1530 nm-1620 nm can be amplified using erbium-doped fiber amplifiers (EDFAs). However, due to the inherent absorption of the erbium at shorter wavelengths, EDFAs cannot be used below about 1525 nm without a significant degradation in performance. For the low-loss window at approximately 1430-1530 nm, amplifiers based on nonlinear polarization in optical fibers can be used effectively. A broadband nonlinear polarization amplifier (NLPA) is disclosed which combines cascaded Raman amplification with parametric amplification or four-wave mixing. In particular, one of the intermediate cascade Raman order wavelengths &lgr;r should lie in close proximity to the zero-dispersion wavelength &lgr;0 of the amplifying fiber.

Abstract: Using a group of spectral components from an audio signal, a coder produces a digital data stream (&PHgr;) including the quantification indices (QE0m) of at least some of the spectral components (E0m). The coder, or a transcoder situated downstream, selects at least one pair of components exhibiting a maximum correlation out of the group of spectral components, and includes in its digital output data stream identification information for each pair selected. At least some of the quantification indices are included in the output data stream for only one of the components for each pair selected. The decoder will use these to obtain the suppressed indices for the other component of the pair.

Abstract: A data communication apparatus includes a calling section that performs a communication by sequentially transmitting a calling signal to a destination, and transmitting a shift notification signal that indicates a shift to a short previous-procedure. A memory stores destination information and modem control information in association with each other. When the destination to which the communication is performed corresponds to the destination information stored in the memory, the calling section transmits the shift notification signal, and controls a modem based on the stored modem control information so as to shorten a previous-procedure.

Abstract: An antenna array having a central active element and a plurality of passive elements surrounding the active element is disclosed. A dielectric substrate or other slow wave structure is disposed radially outwardly from the passive elements for slowing the radio frequency waves so as to increase the antenna directivity by reducing the amount of energy radiated in the elevation direction.

Abstract: A method for handling multiple accesses to a messaging mailbox prompts the user for action when the status indicates an active session in the mailbox. The method includes receiving a request from a user to access the mailbox to retrieve messages, and determining the session status in the mailbox. If the session status indicates an active session in the mailbox, the user is prompted for action, otherwise, the user is granted access to the mailbox.

Abstract: An etalon includes a tuning plate in the air-gap between the etalon mirrors. The method of tuning includes selecting a tuning plate that makes the optical length of the etalon slightly less than required for ITU and then rotating the tuning plate through a small angle until tuning is complete. The tuning plate material is selected to provide dispersion compensation and to compensate for thermal expansion of the mirror spacers.

Abstract: A method and system allows two or more different coordinates for a geographic location to be expressed as a single string of characters. The single string of characters may include numerical digits or numbers, alphabetic characters or letters, punctuation or other typographical marks, other symbols, or a combination of two or more of these. A geographic location may refer to a physical place, the location of an object, or some other location.

Abstract: An information system is provided for transmitting data into a local area surrounding the transmitter. The transmitter may be used to provide information to pedestrians, or to passing road traffic. Data is stored in a local memory 64 associated with the transmitter such that data stored in the memory can be repeatedly and frequently transmitted to users 70 having suitable reception apparatus 18 in the vicinity of the transmitter.

Abstract: A wireless communication apparatus, which is designed to control the output power without using the power control signal sent from the base station, comprises a high-frequency power amplifier for transmission, a detection means which measures the output power of the power amplifier, and an automatic power control circuit which controls the output power of the power amplifier based on information provided by the detection means. The power amplifier includes an amplifying system which has multiple amplifying stages and is connected between the input and output terminals, and bias circuits which supply bias voltages to transistors of the respective amplifying stages. The bias circuits, which supply the bias voltages to the multiple amplifying stages excluding the last amplifying stage, are each made up of multiple resistors.

Abstract: A method and circuitry for detecting a pattern in received data such as the A1A2 boundary in a SONET frame after deserialization. Two consecutive pluralities of bytes of incoming data are stored and compared with the A1 and A2 values (or bit shifted versions of the A1 and A2 values) until the boundary is detected. The data are then bit shifted so that every byte on the bus is either A2 or A1. A new aligned data bus is then formed such that the last A1 bit occurs on the data bus for a given clock cycle and the first A2 bit occurs on the data bus during the next clock cycle.

Abstract: A system and method provide enhanced services for a call that is transported from a communication device through an asynchronous transfer mode system. The call has user communications in asynchronous transfer mode cells and call signaling. A signaling processor receives the call signaling and processes the call signaling to determine a connection to a service platform. The signaling processor transports a processor control message designating the selected connection. An asynchronous transfer mode interworking unit receives the user communications from the communication device and the processor control message from the signaling processor. The asynchronous transfer mode interworking unit converts the user communications from the asynchronous transfer mode cells to a format compatible with the service platform and dynamically transports the user communications to the service platform in real time. The service platform processes the user communications.

Abstract: Telecommunication equipment includes a TDM interface operable to receive STS-n data, and a packet interface operable to receive packet/cell data and filling a STS-MC payload with the packet/cell data. An n×n cross-connect is coupled to the TDM interface and operable to switch and assign the STS-n data to any one of n STS-1 time slots. A multiplexer is coupled to the cross-connect and the packet interface and operable to combine the switched STS-n data and the STS-MC packet/cell data into an STS-N payload for transport, where N is the sum of n and M.

Abstract: A directive antenna having plural antenna elements is arranged in a parasitic antenna array. Frequency selective components are connected to a first subset of the antenna elements. Weighting structures are connected to a second subset of the antenna elements. The first and second subsets of antenna elements may be connected by a space-fed power distribution system to produce independently steerable beams having spectrally separated signals.

Abstract: A method for routing traffic in a network includes determining topology information for the network and determining traffic demands for multiple service classes. The method further includes determining an objective function for an optimization problem using the topology information and demands, and determining a solution to that specifies a network path for each demand.