Abstract: An apparatus and a method for accurately detecting Loss of Optical Power (LOS) by noise power cancellation effect and optical power is measured at two output ports of an athermal periodic filter, wherein one output port in the optical frequency domain, is aligned with the signal channels of an input WDM signal (on-grid port), whereas the second output port is aligned complementary to the first output port (off-grid port). In a preferred embodiment, the apparatus computes the ratio of the measured optical powers at the two output ports of the periodic filter, and comparing them to a threshold value that is determined from the overall common-mode rejection ratio (CMRR) of the detection apparatus. In an alternative embodiment, the apparatus additionally compares the optical power measured at the on-grid port to a threshold power that is determined from system design parameters.

Abstract: The present invention provides a bi-directional microelectromechanical element, a microelectromechanical switch including the bi-directional element, and a method to reduce mechanical creep in the bi-directional element. In one embodiment, the bi-directional microelectromechanical element includes a cold beam having a free end and a first end connected to a cold beam anchor. The cold beam anchor is attached to a substrate. A first beam pair is coupled to the cold beam by a free end tether and is configured to elongate when heated thereby to a greater temperature than a temperature of the cold beam. A second beam pair is located on an opposing side of the cold beam from the first beam pair and is coupled to the first beam pair and the cold beam by the free end tether. The second beam pair is configured to elongate when heated thereby to the greater temperature.

Abstract: A representative embodiment of the invention provides a sound-direction detector having a miniature sensor coupled to a signal-processing block. The sensor has (i) a microphone responsive to a sound wave and (ii) a differential pressure sensor (DPS) responsive to a pressure difference induced by the sound wave between two inlet ports located in proximity to the microphone. The signal-processing block applies phase-sensitive detection to the output signal generated by the DPS, while using the output signal generated by the microphone as a reference for the phase-sensitive detection, to measure the pressure difference. The signal-processing block then determines direction to the sound-wave source based on the amplitude of the sound wave at the microphone and the measured pressure difference.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an apparatus having an electromagnetic interference (EMI) shield for an electronic component. The EMI shield and the electronic component are adapted to be assembled onto a circuit board. The EMI shield provides EMI shielding for the electronic component. The EMI shield includes a thermally conductive material, such as a metal. The EMI shield is deformed, e.g., with a dimple or a tab, to form a contacting portion to contact the electronic component. After the assembly of the EMI shield and the electronic component onto the circuit board, the contacting portion of the EMI shield contacts the electronic component, thereby allowing conductive transfer of thermal energy between the electronic component and the EMI shield and enhanced heat dissipation for the electronic component.

Abstract: A novel 100+ Gbit/s opto-electronic receiver uses hybrid integration of a photodiode and a demultiplexer. The photodiode converts a high speed optical data stream to an electrical data stream that is input to an electronic demultiplexer. The photodiode and the demultiplexer are connected together by a novel planar microwave transmission structure.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device. The MEMS device includes a substrate having an anchoring pad thereon and a structural element. The structural element has a beam that includes a first part and a second part. The first part is attached to both the anchoring pad and to the second part. The second part is movable with respect to the substrate and made of an electrically conductive material. Additionally, at least one of the following conditions hold: the first part is made of a material having: a first yield stress that is greater than a second yield stress of the electrically conductive material of the second part; a fatigue resistance that is greater than a second fatigue resistance of the electrically conductive material of the second part; or, a creep rate that is less than a second creep rate of the electrically conductive material of the second part.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus. The apparatus, may include an actuator located over a substrate, a movable feature located over and coupled to the actuator, and a layer of material located above the actuator and movable feature and not constituting part of a beam/spring associated with the movable feature, the layer of material configured as a reservoir having an interior capable of holding a liquid, the movable feature being exposed to the interior.

Abstract: A representative embodiment of the invention provides an infrared (IR) detector having a movable plate supported at an offset distance from a substrate by a suspension arm. In response to a temperature difference between the plate and the substrate generated by the incident IR radiation, the suspension arm deforms and changes the offset distance for the plate. In one embodiment, the suspension arm has three rod-shaped bimorph transducers that lie within a plane that is parallel to the substrate. The transducers are also parallel to one another, with the transducer that is attached to an anchor of the suspension arm being located between the two transducers that are attached to the plate.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an apparatus for electronic equipment has a bristle pad having an anchor end and a free end, wherein the bristle pad has a plurality of flexible bristles each having an anchor end corresponding to the anchor end of the bristle pad and a free end corresponding to the free end of the bristle pad. The bristle pad is adapted to be placed between an electronic component and an electromagnetic interference (EMI) shield for the electronic component, wherein the EMI shield provides EMI shielding for the electronic component. The plurality of flexible bristles are adapted to provide a conductive thermal path between the electronic component and the EMI shield, and one or more of the flexible bristles are adapted to flex when the RF shield is attached to a circuit pack.

Abstract: A passive optical system substantially simultaneously separates light received at an optical input into three or more output light beams on optical outputs. The output light beams may have intensities that are proportional to intensities of optical projections of the received light onto three or more basis vectors of a tetrahedral basis set of a Stokes space. The system includes either multiple partial polarization splitters or multiple optical interferometers.

Abstract: Reversibly adaptive rough structures, comprising: a substrate; a plurality of raised elements on the substrate, the raised elements mutually spaced apart by channel regions on the substrate, each of the raised elements having a lateral surface and a distal end; the lateral surface, the distal end and the channel regions having hydrophobic molecules thereon; and the distal end having reversibly adaptive bristles thereon, the reversibly adaptive bristles being convertible between relatively hydrophilic and hydrophobic states by the application of an external stimulus. Techniques for making reversibly adaptive rough structures.

Abstract: A method of the communication includes communicating at least one physical layer frame. The physical layer frame is formed by dynamically varying an aggregate packet size in response to a condition of a channel used for communicating voice and/or data. Here, the step of dynamically varying aggregate packet size may involve modifying a number of content frames to form the physical layer frame. The physical layer frame may correspond with a payload having at least two content frames and at least one IP header. Each content frame may include a voice frame and/or a data frame.

Abstract: A method of estimating per-flow traffic in a network of nodes interconnected by links splits the incoming traffic stream to a node into a number of parallel sub-streams by flow assignment using a hash function. Since each flow in the incoming traffic stream constitutes a larger fraction of the traffic in its sub-stream, the probability of obtaining two-runs increases. The number of two-runs per flow is then employed to generate an estimate of the traffic of the flow.

Abstract: In order to reduce the traffic on the paging channel, the system for reducing paging channel occupancy for message waiting indication in mobile switching centers allows the Message Waiting Notification process to determine a last zone in which the Mobile Subscriber was located and only transmit the Message Waiting Indication to the cells within that zone. This eliminates message transmission on the paging channel of cells which are not likely to have the Mobile Subscriber Station residing in their service area. Multiple retries can be attempted and if the last retry is being activated, the paging can be extended to cover all zones in the Mobile Switching Center. The sharing of information about when a mobile has responded to a message waiting count between the Serving MSC and the Home MSC also reduces the paging channel occupancy.

Abstract: An optical performance monitor (OPM), e.g., for use in an optical network. The OPM may be configured to characterize one or more impairments in an optical signal modulated with data. The OPM has an optical autocorrelator configured to sample the autocorrelation function of the optical signal, e.g., using two-photon absorption. Autocorrelation points at various bit delays independently or in combination with average optical power may be used to detect and/or quantify one or more of the following: loss of data modulation, signal contrast, pulse broadening, peak power fluctuations, timing jitter, and deviations from the pseudo-random character of data. In addition, the OPM may be configured to perform Fourier transformation based on the autocorrelation points to obtain corresponding spectral components. The spectral components may be used to detect and/or quantify one or more of chromatic dispersion, polarization mode dispersion, and misalignment of a pulse carver and data modulator.

Abstract: An automated authentication handling system for use by clients on a network including a plurality of application servers connected to the network, each requiring authentication for access and an authentication server adapted to authenticate at least one of the clients and establish a trusted communication link for access by an authenticated user to at least one of the application servers.

Abstract: The present invention provides a test vector manager for use with a unit under test (UUT). In one embodiment, the test vector manager includes a gateway device, coupled to the UUT, configured to provide a testing pathway for the UUT to coordinate test requests and responses for a backplane multi-drop test bus. The test vector manager also includes a test memory, coupled to the gateway device, configured to retrieve version-specific test vectors, which are resident on the UUT and correspond to the test requests. The test vector manager further includes a chain configuration logic unit, coupled to the test memory, configured to return the version-specific test vectors to the backplane multi-drop test bus employing the testing pathway. Alternatively, the test vector manager is further configured to connect the backplane multi-drop test bus to local UUT test bus and scan chain interfaces for tests using the version-specific test vectors.

Abstract: Methods and systems for controlled provision of communications services to shared plan subscribers, in which a shared plan defines individual restrictions for a plurality of subscribers, wherein services are selectively provided services to the shared plan subscribers based on subscriber usage and the corresponding individual restrictions defined for the shared plan.

Abstract: An apparatus in one example has: at least a first network of a first predetermined type and at least a second network of a predetermined type; at least one mobile terminal movable between the first and second networks; at least one gateway operatively coupled to each of the first and second networks; and at least one message that communicates via the gateway at least feature data of the mobile terminal from one of the first and second networks to the other of the first and second networks.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed wherein nanostructures or microstructures are disposed on a surface of a body (such as a submersible vehicle) that is adapted to move through a fluid, such as water. The nanostructures or microstructures are disposed on the surface in a way such that the contact between the surface and the fluid is reduced and, correspondingly, the friction between the surface and the fluid is reduced. In an illustrative embodiment, the surface is a surface on a submarine or other submersible vehicle (such as a torpedo). Illustratively, electrowetting principles are used to cause the fluid to at least partially penetrate the nanostructures or microstructures on the surface of the body in order to selectively create greater friction in a desired location of the surface. Such penetration may be used, for example, to create drag that alters the direction or speed of travel of the body.