Abstract: In order to extend the useful life of electrical storage battery cells under float voltage charge it is advisable to maintain the polarization of the positive plates of the cell relative to a reference electrode in the cell at a predetermined level. This invention provides a sensing and controller circuit which drains minute amounts of current from the positive cell plates when the polarization rises above the desired level and thereby prevents plate corrosion and loss of electrolyte. The present invention may be combined with a circuit for increasing cell polarization levels to provide a system for maintaining battery cells at optimum polarization levels over extended float charging periods.

Abstract: The present invention is a method of fabricating a rechargeable battery structure by extracting plasticizer from plastic battery preforms to render them insensitive to water while maintaining the homogeneous characteristics of the plastic materials to allow subsequent activation of the batteries through the introduction of an electrolyte solution. These battery preforms need not be maintained under anhydrous conditions and can be activated immediately preceding use thereof.

Abstract: Our method and system for enumerating a minimal number of test cases for systems with interacting elements operates relationships between the elements and the number of characteristics evaluated for each element. In our inventive method as executed in a computer system, the user enters values for each of the elements and then defines relationships between the elements. Our method then enumerates a table of test cases for each relationship between elements using deterministic procedures, when applicable, and random procedures when the deterministic procedures are not applicable. After a table of test cases is generated for each of the relation, our inventive method combines relationships into a single table of test cases.

Abstract: A method and system for automatically consolidating service scripts for downloading to Analog Display Services Interface compatible screen telephones. The method and system comprises specifying a general template for a set of service features, specifying line specific attributes for a feature, and then combining the two into a service module. Both the template and service modules are specified in terms script instructions grouped in blocks defined as call states, event handlers, soft keys, or macros. A customer's service is composed of multiple service modules which, when selected, would be consolidated by a network server computer into a singular service script. The method of consolidation requires first creating software objects from the blocks in the template. Then the blocks from the service modules are incorporated into each object created by the template or if an object can't be found, a new object is created.

Abstract: A diode laser (2) including multiple quantum wells (26) of AlGaInAs in either compressive or tensile strain and barrier layers (28), wherein the conduction band confines the electron preferably to at least 150 meV, or at least 135 meV, such that the diode laser is efficient and can operate for extended periods at elevated temperatures up to 85.degree. C. and above.

Abstract: A semiconductor optoelectronic device which can be used to perform the logical INVERTER or NOR operation. The device includes a surface-emitting laser 200 electrically coupled to a heterojunction phototransistor 240. When the total illumination intensity at the phototransistor is below a given threshold, the laser is in a lasing state; when the total illumination exceeds the threshold, the laser is in a non-lasing state. The phototransistor is operated at bias voltages below the threshold for avalanche effects.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods are provided for photonic contention resolution in a switch including a plurality of input modules and a plurality of output modules, wherein at least two of the plurality of input modules have cells to be transmitted to a destination output module. The photonic contention resolution device includes a plurality of coherent light sources for emitting a beam of coherent light and a plurality of tunable receivers. Each of the coherent light sources and tunable receivers are tunable by an associated input module to a plurality of distinct wavelengths. Each tunable laser preferably illuminates at least one of the plurality of tunable receivers at the particular wavelength associated with the destination output module such that one of the at least two input modules transmits its cell to the destination output module if none of the plurality of coherent light sources is illuminating its associated tunable receiver at the particular wavelength.

Abstract: A broadband intelligent network (50) an ATM switch or other fast-packet switch (51) in a fiber optic, fast-packet communication system. The ATM switch (51) is directly coupled (53) through one of its ports to a network service control point (61) for the implementation of requested services without the use of an intermediate common channel signaling system. ATM cells, identified as signaling cells, carry customer service requests and are automatically routed through the ATM switch to the network service control point (61). The service control point (61) determines the requested service and executes a corresponding programmed procedure (210). Connection service requested by a particular signaling cell is implemented by the service control point (61) sending a command cell through a port of the ATM switch (51) to instruct the switch connection management processor (64) to establish a switched virtual circuit for the requested connection.

Abstract: A distributed service management system for providing communication services comprises a plurality of individual service management systems operated by a plurality of different service providers. Each service management system includes its own local database and an Interactive Distributed Transaction Monitor (IDTM) that allows locally running applications to access the local database as well as remote databases belonging to remotely located service management systems. The interfaces serve to integrate multiple individual service management systems into a single multidatabase transaction management system. The distributed service management system can be used to provide special personal communication services involving multiple service providers, such as call forwarding to a temporarily rented mobile telephone.

Abstract: A methodology and concomitant circuitry for smoothing delay sensitive traffic utilizes short term traffic forecasts and guarantees meeting a prespecified delay constraint. The pattern of incoming traffic is used to forecast estimates of future incoming data from the present and past incoming data. Corresponding to the estimate is a data rate for propagating stored data to produce a smoothed outgoing data rate, and the interval of time over which such a rate is used so as to satisfy the delay constraint. The estimation procedure is then re-invoked at the end to the time interval, which takes into account data arriving during the time interval, so as to determine the next succeeding data rate and a new time interval for propagating stored data.

Abstract: A camera arrangement (100) comprises first and second sets of one or more cameras (102, 104, 202, 204, 204') and a half-silvered mirror (130). The one or more cameras of the first set look through the half-silvered mirror--i.e., receive light that passes through the half-silvered mirror. The one or more cameras of the second set look off the half-silvered mirror (130)--i.e., receive light reflected off the half-silvered mirror. The cameras of the first and second sets are positioned so that individual fields of view (103, 105, 203, 205, 205') of the cameras of the first and second sets alternate to form a wide angle aggregate field of view (110, 210). The field of view of each individual camera merges contiguously along a boundary with the field of view of a camera from the other set.

Abstract: A method of processing a phone call from a caller in a telephone network, the telephone network including a plurality of switches and an intelligent peripheral (IP) for interfacing the plurality of switches to a service control point (SCP). When a phone call is received at one of the plurality of switches, the call is sent to the IP. The IP then requests that the SCP perform a call processing request. Service logic within the SCP is accessed in order to process the phone call according to the call processing request. The service logic then requests and receives account information from one or more external systems. The phone call is routed to a selected telephone based on the account information received from the one or more external systems. The received account information is routed to the selected telephone.

Abstract: A bandwidth management system manages a plurality of virtual data connections within a communications network. The system includes an input for receiving data cells, wherein each cell is associated with a particular one of the virtual connections. The system also includes a cell pool, coupled to the input for storing the cells, first and second queues for ordering the virtual connections, and an output for transmitting cells from the cell pool. The relative position of a virtual connection in the first queue is determined by an eligibility variable that varies according to an anticipated data rate associated with the particular virtual connection and according to an amount of time that the particular virtual connection has been in the first queue. The relative position of a virtual connection in the second queue varies according to a predetermined quality of service that is assigned to each of the virtual connections.

Abstract: A ring is routed through a subset of nodes of a communication network by first providing a branch-decomposition having a pattern relating to separations of the network. The branch-decomposition can be performed using internal two-separations, internal three-separations, eigenvector separations and pushing. If the branch-decomposition has a branch-width less than or equal to a predetermined constant value, then the branch-decomposition is used to determine costs associated with portions of the ring passing through separations of the network by examining matchings corresponding to edges of the branch-decomposition and selecting a lowest cost ring by examining the matchings and choosing a lowest cost set of matchings containing the subset of nodes. The branch-decomposition can be provided once for a fixed network and then costs can be determined and the ring route selected repeatedly for different subsets of ring nodes and different edge costs. The edge costs can be negative.

Abstract: A broadcast database system module (300) is disclosed having a processor (310) and a memory subsystem (320). The processor (310) and memory subsystem (320) of the broadcast database system module (300) can cooperate to provide all functions of a broadcast database system (200, 400) such as the pump function, data filter function, database mirror function, snapshot function, etc. The memory subsystem (320) can transfer attribute information of broadcasted tuples to the processor (310) and the processor (310) can execute queries against the attribute information of tuples. Alternatively or additionally, the memory subsystem (320) stores all or part of a database and broadcasts all or part of this database information stored therein. Likewise, the processor (310) can maintain a database stored in the memory subsystem (320) according to instructions to add information to, delete information from, or modify information in, the database.

Abstract: A new class of error detection codes has powerful error detection properties, as well as significant implementation advantages. The inventive error detection codes are used in communication protocols to protect transmitted data from corruption.

Abstract: A system and method for accessing directory information over a telephony network employing the ADSI protocol and for presenting the directory information at the user's conventional TV monitor are described. The system includes a directory service unit, a telephony network, such as the public switched telephony network, and multiple user interface units. The directory service unit receives, processes, and stores in memory directory information from directory information providers which information is transmitted to the user interface unit of requesting users on demand. The directory service unit is connected to user interface units via the telephony network and uses the ADSI protocol to communicate data and voice signals containing directory information to users.

Abstract: A method and system for providing interactive capabilities in a network-based telephone system 100 a service control point (SCP) 102 for accessing a call processing record (CPR) and having an intelligent peripheral (IP) 104 for providing an intelligent interface between a caller 112 and the SCP 102. The IP 104 communicates with the SCP 102 through a peripheral interface (PI) 128. External systems 106 are accessed by SCP 102 through a generic data interface (GDI) 124 to obtain customer data. The GDI 124 keeps track of the data stored in the various external systems 106. Upon receiving a request for data, GDI 124 forms sub-requests, routes the sub-requests to the appropriate external systems 106, and returns a message containing the requested data.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for detecting a dual tone alerting signal in the presence of speech for the purpose of initiating transfer of special service information on a telephone line is described. The apparatus includes two channels for separately detecting each tone. Each channel includes means for comparing the signaling energy around one of the tones with the energy in a selected weighted guard band portion of the voiceband. Based on this comparison, a determination is made whether a tone is or is not present. A pulse signal formed from the coincidences of tone detection in each channel is used by timing circuitry to determine whether the dual tone alerting signal is actually present or whether speech energy caused both tones to be erroneously detected (talkoff). Characteristics of this pulse signal are analyzed to determine whether an alerting signal is present.

Abstract: Ferroelectric capacitor heterostructures exhibiting exceptional reliability and resistance to fatigue and imprinting comprise hybrid electrodes of highly conductive platinum with polycrystalline metallic oxide and ferroelectric materials deposited on Si-CMOS-compatible substrates without the requirement for interposed crystallographic orientation templates.