Abstract: Apparatus comprising a surface site layer having a distal site end, wherein the distal site end includes a substantially inorganic surface having a chemical composition selected from a group consisting of metals, semiconductors, insulators, and mixtures thereof, the surface positioned within a polypeptide bonding region and having a selective bonding affinity for a polypeptide; a plurality of interlayers between which the surface site layer is interposed, wherein the distal site end is distanced from the interlayers, first and second supports, wherein the surface site layer and the interlayers are interposed between the first and second supports; and first and second conductors provided on the first and second supports and having respective first and second distal conductor ends positioned within the polypeptide bonding region; wherein the conductors are capable of applying an external voltage potential across the polypeptide bonding region.

Abstract: Traffic demands are routed between network elements so as to provide improved protection against network failures. A given traffic demand is routed from a first network element to a second network element, where the second network element is preferably either one of a set of dual-homed elements, or coupled to a dual-homed element, and may also be an element of a ring-type transport or a mesh-type transport. The second network element processes the traffic demand such that a copy of a signal associated with the demand is (i) retained at the second network element, while the signal is routed to at least one additional network element, or (ii) routed to at least one additional network element, while the signal is routed to at least one network element other than the additional network element. For example, in a multidrop connection implemented in accordance with the invention, a copy of the signal is “dropped” at the second network element and one or more additional network elements.

Abstract: An optical differential phase shift key (DPSK) receiver, a method of demodulating an optical DPSK modulated signal and an optical processor capable of operating as either a DPSK receiver or DPSK transmitter. In one embodiment, the DPSK receiver includes: (1) an optical waveguide and a delay line associated therewith configured to receive simultaneously an optical DPSK modulated signal, (2) a coupler having at least two inputs and at least four outputs, the at least two inputs configured to terminate the optical waveguide and the delay line, the delay line having a path length difference that delays the optical DPSK modulated signal by at least one timeslot relative to the optical waveguide and (3) photodetectors associated with the at least four outputs and configured to provide signals indicative of digital data contained in components of the optical DPSK modulated signal.

Abstract: An apparatus in one example has: a network service provider; a mobile terminal operatively coupled to the network service provider; a credit card company system operatively coupled to the network service provider; and the network service provider structured such that, when the credit card company system notifies the network service provider of charges to credit cards associated with the mobile terminal, the network service provider notifies the mobile terminal of such charges.

Abstract: Raman amplification is used in optical transmission systems, devices and/or components way of for applying Raman amplification avoiding or suppressing detrimental and hence undesirable non-linear effects is provided. Raman amplification in an optical device is provided by firstly determining a pump power (3) necessary for providing Raman amplification and then by providing a low spectral power density by pumping the optical device with pump power (3) at a relatively broad pump power spectrum and preferably a low spectral pump power amplitude such that the total output pump power (3) remains sufficiently high. The pump power (3) is optically attenuated prior to being coupled to the optical device.

Abstract: Methods, software and devices, for use in a network environment having a server and a terminal with a web browser running on it, where the browser is remote from the server, are disclosed. In such a method, the server provides a first web page to the web browser on the remote terminal. The server receives the text from the web browser at the remote terminal, and the server executes the text. The server provides or updates a second web page to the remote terminal that includes real time results generated by the execution of the text such that the executable file represented by the text seems to a user of the web browser to have been executed at the remote terminal.

Abstract: A method includes generating a received signal vector from a signal received over a channel. The received signal vector includes a plurality of symbols encoded in accordance with a block code having a structure. A channel matrix estimated for the channel is transformed based on the structure of the block code to generate an aggregate channel matrix. The symbols are processed using the aggregate channel matrix. A system includes a front end unit configured to generate the received signal vector, a channel estimation unit configured to estimate the channel matrix, and a processing unit configured to generate the aggregate channel matrix and process the symbols using the aggregate channel matrix.

Abstract: Content on the World Wide Web is made available for downloading by distributing it to cache providers. The content provider is a distinct entity from the cache providers and enters into contractual arrangements in order to benefit from the services provided by the cache providers. The contractual arrangements specify certain rights in cache resources that are bought and sold as commodities, exemplarily through a broker or exchange. An exemplary such right is the right to a stated amount of bandwidth, in a stated time interval, for servicing download requests. Responsive to such contractual arrangements, a redirective element such as a DNS server is programmed to redirect, to one or more cache providers, download requests initially addressed to the content provider.

Abstract: A reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexer (ROADM) includes a first optical dynamic gain equalization filter (DGEF) having a first input for receiving an initial wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) signal, a first output for sending a phase shifted WDM signal, and a second output connected to a demultiplexer for demultiplexing a WDM drop signal thereby producing a plurality of drop channels. A second DGEF having a first input for receiving the phase shifted WDM signal, a second input connected to a multiplexer, for multiplexing a plurality of add channels to produce thereby a wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) add signal, and an output for sending a second adjusted WDM signal. The ROADM allows for the channels from the initial WDM signal to be dropped, added and equalized.

Abstract: An apparatus that comprises a liquid mirror. The liquid mirror includes a liquid that forms an interface with a fluid adjacent to the liquid. The liquid mirror also includes a layer of reflective particles located at the interface, wherein the layer forms a reflective surface.

Abstract: The invention provides a system and method for translating XPATH queries into SQL queries with a simple least fixpoint (LFP) operator, which is already supported by most commercial RDBMS. The method comprises the steps of (a) rewriting an input query into a regular query, which is capable of capturing both DTD recursion and XPATH queries in a uniform framework; and (b) translating the regular query to an SQL query with LFP. The invention further provides optimization techniques for reducing the use of the LFP operator. As a result, the invention is capable of answering a large class of XPATH queries by means of only low-end RDBMS features already available in most RDBMS.

Abstract: An apparatus, comprising a plurality of closed cells disposed on a surface of a substrate. Each of the closed cells has at least one dimension that is less than about 1 millimeter and are configured to hold a medium therein. The apparatus also comprises a foam that contacts the closed cells. The foam has fluid walls that include a surfactant, and bubbles of the foam layer are filled with the medium.

Abstract: Cryptography-based methods and apparatus for secure information processing are disclosed that are particularly efficient in terms of the computational resources required, and thus implementable in mobile telephones, personal digital assistants (PDAs) or other lightweight processing devices. A setup procedure is performed to permit interactions of a designated type, e.g., secure mobile gaming interactions, to be carried out between participants, e.g., one or more players and a casino. A given participant initiates a particular interaction with another participant by sending to that participant initiation information based at least in part on one or more results of the setup procedure. The other participant in turn sends response information back to the given participant, and the interaction then continues with one or more rounds each involving one or more decisions committed to by each participant.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for deinterlacing video images with improved slope detection is described. In one exemplary implementation, the apparatus includes an input buffer, a processor, and an output buffer. The input buffer is configured to receive a video stream in an interlaced format. The processor is configured to convert the video stream from the interlaced format to a progressive format. This conversion process includes calculating the slope for a diagonal line of an image at a pixel to-be-interpolated (i.e., at a missing pixel) using a slope protection operation to increase the accuracy of the slope calculation. The output buffer is then configured to transmit the video stream in the progressive format.

Abstract: The present invention provides apparatus and a method of fabricating the apparatus. The apparatus includes a substrate having a surface and an organic field-effect transistor (OFET) located adjacent the surface of the substrate. The OFET comprising a gate, a channel, a source electrode, and a drain electrode. The channel comprises a densified layer of organic molecules with conjugated multiple bonds, axes of the organic molecules being oriented substantially normal to the surface.

Abstract: A wireless telephony network provides satellite radio program information and content, in addition to conventional wireless telephony services, to eligible mobile stations of the wireless telephony network. The wireless telephony network receives satellite radio programming from a satellite radio service network, establishes one or more bearer channels (e.g., conventional voice channels or higher-bandwidth data links) and sends the programming to the one or more mobile stations via the one or more bearer channels. The wireless telephony network monitors and obtains billing information associated with integrated service delivery and coordinates the billing information with a satellite radio service provider. A controlling provider may be selected to control billing for the integrated services such that the customer receives a single statement.

Abstract: In a system having a base station transmitter for transmitting data blocks to one or more mobile stations over a radio link, there is a method for determining an uplink transmit power level at which to transmit a current data block over a radio link from the mobile to the base transmitter station. The method evaluates airlink quality measurements in the radio link over a measurement interval, wherein each time a message is sent to the mobile station, it is evaluated whether a specified number of uplink blocks have been transmitted by the mobile station since the start of the measurement interval. Based on the evaluated airlink quality measurement, the method determines the uplink transmit power level that the mobile should be using for the current block, and adjusts the transmit power level, if necessary, for the current block.

Abstract: An apparatus in one example comprises one or more intelligent network platforms that serve to provide feedback to be played to a calling communication device during a call from the calling communication device for a called communication device. One or more of the one or more intelligent network platforms allow a user of the called communication device to preselect one or more portions of the feedback. One or more of the one or more intelligent network platforms employ signaling to connect the call from the calling communication device to an intelligent network platform of the one or more intelligent network platforms.

Abstract: A system and method for transmitting optically labeled packets using DPSK/ASK modulation. The system comprises a transmitter including at least two modulators adapted to provide DPSK modulation of a payload portion of optically labeled packets and ASK modulation for a label portion of the optically labeled packets. A receiver is also provided which includes a balanced detector for detection of the payload portion of the optically labeled packets.

Abstract: An optical WDM-TDM network includes a plurality of devices, each of the devices including at least one optical add/drop device adapted to drop optical signals of at least one channel of a plurality of received channels and pass through the remaining channels, at least one receiver, for receiving the at least one dropped channel from the at least one optical add/drop device, an aggregation device for assembling optical signals from the at least one receiver into original data formats, at least one transmitter for transmitting wavelength division multiplexed optical signals on the plurality of channels, a de-aggregation device for disassembling input data into blocks of data to be transmitted as optical signals by the at least one transmitter, and a controller for processing a global timing schedule.