Abstract: A method is provided for allocating bandwidth to a subscriber in a service provider domain that is part of a packet switched network such as the Internet, for example. In accordance with the method, a number of shares of bandwidth are assigned to the subscriber based on an agreement between the subscriber and a service provider. A subscriber identifier and the number of shares assigned thereto are distributed to the routers in the domain of the service provider. The routers will in turn allocate bandwidth to packets they receive based on the number of shares assigned to the subscriber transmitting or receiving the packet. The subscriber may include one or more different user terminals that aggregate traffic onto a single datastream. The shares assigned to the user may denote absolute amount of bandwidth, or alternatively, may denote a relative bandwidth allocation.

Abstract: A reset-free polarization controller is presented for maintaining the polarization of an incident optical signal at a fixed and known value. At least 3 controllable quarter-wavelength plates are connected in cascade to an incident optical source having a variable polarization. Each quarter-wavelength plates varies the orientation of phase retardation along the optical wavepath. The dynamic realignment of the cascaded quarter-wavelength plates with respect to the varying input polarization maintains the polarization of the output optical signal at a fixed and known value.

Abstract: A fiber optic interconnection combination closure is provided for fashioning optical fiber connections in an enclosed chamber protected from environmental conditions and fiber stress. Fiber splices are fashioned in splice organizers within a closure base assembly. Fiber terminations are fashioned at termination adapters arrayed in a closure chassis. Bend limits for optical fiber are maintained as the fiber is directed on paths in the closure to/from splice organizers, termination adapters, and closure exit portals. Fiber is organized, strain relieved and collected by fiber clips, rings, retainers, and looms positioned such that directed fiber is maintain at a minimum bend radius on such fiber paths. Provided slack storage facilities allow fiber connections to be handled individually without disturbing other connections and/or fibers. Fibers are retained, organized and guided in a path on the closure exterior by attached wire brackets.

Abstract: The invention relates to poly(phenylene vinylene) polymers substituted with dendritic sidechains to enhance main-chain separation in the solid state. The polymers are synthesized by the Heck polymerization and have a weight-average molecular weight of 20,000 to 60,000 Daltons. The polymers are self-ordering in the solid state and have thermotropic liquid crystalline phases. The polymers show enhanced photoconductivity, better charge transport capability and improved polarized light emission.

Abstract: Hardware reconfiguration is accomplished through the use of low-level, self-terminating software processes that allows a high degree of parallelism in the reconfiguration operation, even in systems utilizing a mixture of recently developed hardware and software in combination with legacy components. In a system including a centralized processor resource and a plurality of interconnected hardware elements, a method is provided for performing hardware reconfiguration, the method comprising the steps of receiving a request for reconfiguration of one or more predetermined hardware elements, and, in response thereto, initiating at least one master terminal process to determine family relationships among the predetermined hardware elements and other hardware elements to which the predetermined hardware elements are connected. Based upon these family relationships, terminal slave processes are initiated to accomplish hardware element reconfiguration.

Abstract: A method and system of vocoding comprising filtering an input signal resulting in an excitation signal having at least one signal pulse translating the location of the signal pulse into one of a plurality of valid track locations in a plurality of signal pulse location references. Data is placed into an invalid track location in the signal pulse location references. The excitation signal having the signal pulse location references is transmitted for receipt by a receiving vocoder.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention include an optical system apparatus and method for modulating the strength of a grating such as a long period grating (LPG) within optical systems and devices by varying the light transmission and loss characteristics of the cladding mode, rather than varying the effective refractive index of the fiber layers. According to embodiments of the invention, the use of a light-scattering or light absorptive material in the cladding of the optical fiber or other optical energy transmission medium causes the cladding to switch between a first state that effectively allows coherent coupling of cladding modes and a second state that effectively prevents coherent coupling of cladding modes.

Abstract: A telecommunication system configured for use with a network for handling special number calls is described. The network includes a plurality of switching junctions connected by a plurality of channels, a plurality of service providing stations connected into the network at at least one of the switching junctions and the plurality of channels for effecting various telecommunication milieux. Selected of the service providing stations serve customer-operated communication devices using selected of the telecommunication milieux. The system comprises: (a) an action station configured for selective connection with action agencies; (b) an answering station connected with an action station; (c) a call processing center connected with an answering station and configured for connection with the network; and (d) an on-demand answering station connected in a virtual private network with a call processing center and with an action station.

Abstract: Coherent channels estimates are generated for received uplink mobile-to-base signals in a wireless CDMA system, or for other types of orthogonally-modulated signals in other multiaccess systems. The coherent channel estimates are used to implement signal detection functions such as maximal ratio combining (MRC), coherent detection and interference cancellation. In one embodiment, a matched filter bank provides a set of matched filter outputs for different combinations of data symbols, multipath components of a received signal, and base station receive antennas. The matched filter outputs are processed in a coherent channel estimator to generate a set of coherent channel estimates. The channel estimates may be generated directly from the matched filter outputs, or may be generated by processing the matched filter outputs using a decorrelating detector approach. The invention also provides improved interference cancellation techniques which can be implemented using any type of coherent channel estimates.

Abstract: An optical attenuator and method, the optical attenuator having a core which is covered by a cladding material with a section of polymer cladding of an identifiable length. The polymer cladding has an index of refraction that varies with temperature. A thermal device such as a thermoelectric heater or cooler is placed adjacent to the polymer cladding to control the temperature of the cladding. The index of refraction of the polymer cladding is manipulated by changing its temperature by supplying power to the thermal device. The index of refraction of the polymer cladding will range from values below and above the index of refraction of the core material. A light wave transmitted through the core will experience a degree of attenuation due to leakage into the polymer cladding material when the index of refraction of the polymer cladding is equal to or greater than the index of refraction of the core. The light wave may be either attenuated or blocked entirely.

Abstract: A high power combiner arrangement with improved isolation between input ports for high power applications. In particular, in accordance with high power combiner arrangement, power combining logic is combined with a series of isolators such that at least one isolator is inserted between each power source, i.e., a signal source, and a corresponding input port to the power combining logic. The number of isolators inserted is determined as a function of the isolation requirements of the overall application. Advantageously, the degree of isolation achieved by the high power combiner is directly proportional to the number of inserted isolators placed between each power source. Furthermore, the insertion of a number of high power circulators between each power source and the power combing logic facilitates the achievement of higher isolation between the power sources with minimal degradation in signal characteristics.

Abstract: A reflective element, such as a mirror, includes a substrate and a reflective layer formed thereon. The substrate comprises at least one thixotropic metal alloy, which is injected into a mold to form the shape desired for the reflective element. The reflective element may also include an interface layer comprising a thermoset material, such as an epoxy resin, formed between the substrate and the reflective layer to increase the smoothness of the substrate.

Abstract: When two star couplers are cascaded so as to perform two Fourier transformations without phase distortions, an imaging arrangement results which accurately reproduces at the output the input distribution. In order to achieve high efficiency of power transfer between a relatively large number of input ports and a relatively large number of output ports and a small star-coupler physical size, the input and output waveguides connected to the star coupler must be relatively narrow and be closely spaced at the star coupler. However close spacing gives rise to significant mutual coupling between adjacent waveguides, leading to undesirable crosstalk between the channels of the device. We have discovered that the phase distortion is approximately periodic and may be compensated for by adding or subtracting length to the waveguides between the star couplers.

Abstract: A distortion analyzer for generating a distortion signal based on an input signal. For example, the distortion signal may be generated by adding a first signal corresponding to the entire spectrum of the input signal to a second signal corresponding to a low-frequency component of the input signal and then subtracting from the result of addition a third signal corresponding to a specific frequency band of the input signal. The effect of polarization mode dispersion that an optical signal experiences as it propagates through an optical transmission fiber may be compensated for at a receiver using a birefringent compensator, in which the distortion analyzer continuously examines the signal outputted by the compensator and supplies the distortion signal to the compensator, which causes the compensator to reduce the effect of such polarization mode dispersion based on the level of the distortion signal.

Abstract: The present invention, in one embodiment, provides a method for eliminating agglomerate particles in a polishing slurry. In this particular embodiment, the method is directed to reducing agglomeration of slurry particles within a waste slurry passing through a slurry system drain. The method comprises conveying the waste slurry to the drain, wherein the waste slurry may form an agglomerate having an agglomerate particle size. The method further comprises subjecting the waste slurry to energy emanating from an energy source. The energy source thereby transfers energy to the waste slurry to substantially reduce the agglomerate particle size. Substantially reduce means that the agglomerate is size is reduced such that the waste slurry is free to flow through the drain.

Abstract: A finite state machine that implements the ETSI Intelligent Network Capability Set 1 for INAP protocol using a first finite state machine connected to a second finite state machine. To accomplish this implementation, the first finite state machine receives inputs and makes initial state transition choices. Once the first finite state machine has made an initial choice, the second finite state machine checks to see if the first finite state machine has transitioned to the appropriate state and, if it has not, give feedback to the finite state machine to the appropriate state. Once the appropriate state is reached, the outputs of the first finite state machine are valid and available. The finite state machines may be realized as physical logical devices or virtually using VFSM technology.

Abstract: A copying logic block for, and a method of, programming an FPGA and a modular music synthesis processor incorporating the copying logic block or the method. In one embodiment, the copying logic block includes: (1) a block receiver that receives an instantiable logic block via a programming port of the FPGA and (2) a block instantiator, coupled to the block receiver, that creates multiple instantiations of the instantiable logic block within the FPGA in response to a command received via the programming port without requiring each of the multiple instantiations to enter the FPGA via the programming port.

Abstract: A test system for a evaluating a digital signal link includes a data signal generator, a data signal receiver, a digital signal link to be tested and a test interference signal injection (TISI) network connected as part of the digital signal link. The TISI network includes a data signal input port for receiving digital data signals generated by the data signal generator, a data signal output port for providing the digital data signals to the data signal receiver, and a controlled impedance data signal path carrying the digital data signals between the data signal input port and the data signal output port. An interference signal input port receives interference signals over a range of frequencies from an interference signal generator. One or more directional couplers directionally couple the interference signals into the data signal path toward either the data signal output port or the data signal input port at an impedance that substantially matches the impedance of the digital signal link.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for providing a warning of, and greater immunity from, an impending call drop in a digital wireless telecommunications system. During normal operations, data is transmitted at an initial information frame rate and a corresponding initial physical frame rate. Upon the data transmission producing errors in excess of a threshold, which indicates an impending call drop, the initial information frame rate is reduced while error correction codes are introduced into the data transmission to maintain the initial physical frame rate. The reduction in the information frame rate produces a subtle yet noticeable change in acoustic voice quality, which serves as a warning of the impending call drop. The introduction of error correction codes into the transmission provides greater immunity to the impending call drop by improving data integrity.

Abstract: The wireless CDMA system includes a base station which generates a configuration channel as one of the forward control channels. The message slots in the configuration channel only include overhead messages. The base station also generates at least one other forward control channel, but these other forward control channels do not need to include overhead messages in any of their message slots. The mobiles in the system determine the location of the configuration channel from information in a sync channel generated by the base station. By camping onto the configuration channel, a mobile can quickly obtain the overhead parameters in the overhead messages. Because obtaining overhead parameters and keeping an updated version of the overhead parameters is an important factor in overall performance, the significant decrease in overhead message access time provided by the provision of the configuration channel greatly improves performance.