Abstract: Techniques are described for employing a set of tags to model phenomena which are smooth and subject to constraints. Tags may be used to model, for example, muscular movement producing speech. In one advantageous application, a set of tags defining prosodic characteristics is developed, and selected tags are placed in appropriate locations of a body of text. Each tag defines a constraint on the prosodic characteristics of speech produced by processing the text. Processing of the body of speech and the tags produces a set of equations which are solved to produce a curve defining prosodic characteristics over the scope of a phrase, and a further set of equations which are solved to produce a curve defining prosodic characteristics of individual words within a phrase. The data defined by the curves is used with the text to produce speech having the prosodic characteristics defined by the tags.

Abstract: An optical comb generator includes frequency-shifting elements of a particular type that we refer to as a “frequency mirror.” A frequency mirror mixes input light at a signal frequency and a reference frequency to produce output light at a third frequency that lies in contraposition to the signal frequency relative to the reference frequency. The comb generator includes at least two frequency mirrors, having respective reference frequencies F1 and F2. At least some of the power of a light beam is shifted by the first frequency mirror from an input frequency to a frequency that lies in contraposition thereto relative to F1, and then light at the shifted frequency is shifted to yet a new frequency by the second frequency mirror. The resulting twice-shifted frequency lies in contraposition to the once-shifted frequency, relative to F2. The result is that a difference of 2(F2?F1) separates the twice-shifted frequency from the input frequency.

Abstract: The present invention is a key conversion system for deterministically and reversibly converting a first key value of a first communications system into a second key value of a second communication system. For example, the key conversion system generates a first intermediate value from at least a portion of the first key value using a first random function. At least a portion of the first intermediate value is provided to a second random function to produce a second value. An exclusive-or is performed on at least a portion of the first key value and at least a portion of the second value to generate a second intermediate value. At least a portion of the second intermediate value is provided to a third random function to produce a third value.

Abstract: A system and method for rerouting circuits on a SONET, SDH or similar ring without disrupting service. In one embodiment, the system includes: (1) a route design subsystem adapted to identify, for the circuits, alternative routes that are subject to an alignment constraint and increase an objective value associated with the ring and (2) a path migration subsystem, associated with the route design subsystem, adapted to determine a hitless migration sequence that allows the alternative routes to be employed.

Abstract: A micro-electrical-mechanical system (MEMS) device and a method of manufacture therefor. The micro-electrical-mechanical system includes a reflective element and a reflective element actuator located adjacent a perimeter of the reflective element and outside a path of motion of the reflective element.

Abstract: A system for updating a communications key(s) performs an authentication(s) of the unit and/or of the communications system using an update key. By using the update key to perform the authentication(s), the key update system can reduce communications between a home communications system and a visiting communications system by sending the update key to the visiting communications system while maintaining the communications key at the home communication system. For example, in performing a key update, the home communications system generates a communications key, such as a new authentication key SSD-A-NEW, using a sequence RANDSSD generated at the home communications system and a secret key A-KEY maintained at the home communications system and at the unit. The home communications system generates the update key SSD-KEY also using the sequence RANDSSD and the secret key A-KEY.

Abstract: Microelectronic apparatus having protection against high frequency crosstalk radiation, comprising: a planar insulating substrate; an active semiconductor electronic device located over a first region of the insulating substrate; and a doped semiconductor located in a second region of the insulating substrate substantially surrounding the first region. Apparatus further comprising a dissipative conductor overlaying and adjacent to the doped semiconductor. Apparatus additionally comprising metallic test probe contacts making electrical connections with the active semiconductor electronic device. Application of the apparatus to dissipate crosstalk radiation having a center frequency within a range between about 1 gigahertz and about 1,000 gigahertz. Methods for making the apparatus.

Abstract: Systems for, and method of, determining propagation characteristics of a photonic structure having a transverse N-fold symmetry. In one embodiment, a system includes: (1) a numerical analyzer that employs a leading order of a systematic homogenization expansion having multiple scales to develop an angularly averaged indexed profile for the photonic structure and (2) a leading order corrector, associated with the numerical analyzer, that further employs the homogenization expansion to refine an imaginary part of an effective index of refraction of the photonic structure.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling administration of Automatic Call Distributor (ACD) queues of an ACD or network of ACDs by a caller, and of communicating data to an ACD Agent. The caller receives information concerning the status of queues in one or a plurality of ACDs. If the caller wishes to communicate with a particular Agent, wait time for that Agent is provided to the caller. The caller can select a particular Agent, and will be connected when that Agent becomes available subject to other restrictions of the ACD queue. The caller can prepare information for transmission to an answering Agent while the caller waits. Advantageously, the caller can control which Agent or which sub-group of Agents should respond to his/her call, taking into account the different waiting times associated with a particular Agent or the first available Agent when the caller reaches the top of the queue.

Abstract: In the method of generating an interleaved address, each 2^i mod (p?1) value for i=0 to x?1 is stored. Here, p is a prime number dependent on a block size K of a data block being processed and x is greater than one. An inter-row sequence number is multiplied with a column index number to obtain a binary product. Both the inter-row sequence number and the column index number are for the block size K and the prime number p. Then, each binary component of the binary product is multiplied with a respective one of the stored 2^i mod (p?1) values to obtain a plurality of intermediate mod value. An intra-row permutation address is generated based on the plurality of intermediate mod values, and an interleaved address is generated based on the intra-row permutation address.

Abstract: Fault tolerance is provided in a cross-connect system having only duplicated switch fabrics, instead of the triplicated switch fabrics of the prior art. In addition to the two information switch fabrics, the cross-connect system has a relatively small code switch fabric which switches check-code signals generated at each input interface for each input signal sent to an information switch fabric. Fault-detection and error-recovery components in each output interface (1) generate local check-code signals for each outgoing signals received from an information switch fabric and (2) compare those local check-code signals to the corresponding check-code signal received from the code switch fabric to detect a failure and to select a healthy signal as the output signal for that output interface. In one embodiment, input and output interfaces are clustered, and the corresponding input and output check-code signals are multiplexed, for even greater savings in overhead (e.g.

Abstract: A MEMS device for an optical switch may be fabricated using a single wafer, which alleviates the alignment problem associated with a two-piece prior art design. The device has a movable plate, which may act as a mirror, supported on a stationary substrate. The plate rotates with respect to the substrate in response to a voltage applied to a stationary electrode rigidly connected to the substrate. Additional movable and/or stationary electrodes may be implemented to enable bidirectional rotation of the plate. Electrodes may be arranged with respect to each other and/or the plate to form a fringe-field (FF) actuator, which may alleviate the snap-down problem associated with the prior art design. Multiple MEMS devices of the invention may be arrayed in a single integrated structure to form a linear, radial, or two-dimensional array of mirrors.

Abstract: Integrated circuit fabrication techniques are provided which allow non-horizontal/non-vertical wires to traverse the entire chip surface, rather than just the corners as in the conventional Manhattan geometry, while interconnecting circuit points. This is achieved by employing a variable rotational assignment methodology with respect to the interconnect layers or levels during the IC fabrication operation. These techniques thus eliminate the litho step problem, reduce interconnect distances and lessen the influence of capacitance interaction between interconnect wires.

Abstract: A technique for suppressing stimulated Brillouin scattering SBS along an optical fiber signal path utilizes polarization modulation at the transmitter to split the launched power into orthogonal polarization states. By reducing the power along each polarization, SBS will be reduced. Linewidth broadening of the optical source is achieved by introducing: (1) a incoherence between the polarization states (using a time delay along the signal path of one polarization state); and (2) a frequency shift between the polarization states (using an acousto-optic modulator along the signal path of the remaining polarization state).

Abstract: A system and methods for allowing wireless users to make and send calls using a second wireless billing number or “line” assigned to a single wireless telephone advantageously requires no changes to the air interface or messaging protocol between a Mobile Switching Center and the wireless telephone. The second line is provisioned in the HLR. When the wireless telephone registers with a VLR, the HLR inserts the second billing number. When making a call, the user flags that the second line or number is to be billed by adding a predefined set of digits or characters to the called telephone number. The system recognizes the digits and creates appropriate billing records for the second number. When a call is received on the second billing number or line, the system recognizes that the call is destined for the second billing number, and adds the predefined flag digits to the Calling Party Number to be displayed.

Abstract: In a code division multiple access (CDMA) wireless system, a wireless terminal transmits information packets to a communications systems controller. Each information packet comprises a piggy back field which indicates to the communication systems controller resources requested by the wireless terminal for transmission of subsequent information packets.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and communication system for sending a data message from a called phone to a calling phone while maintaining an active communication between the called phone and a first phone. The calling phone sends a call request to the called phone while the called phone is involved in an active communication with the first phone. The called phone sends a data message to the calling phone in response to the call request. The data message is sent while maintaining an active call with the first phone, so that the first phone is not placed “on hold”.

Abstract: The invention relates to devices and methods for detecting a ligand in a liquid, based on deflection of one or more microscopic cantilevers. Each cantilever has an optical waveguide fixed thereto or integral therewith. Deflection of the cantilever is detected by assessing coupling of light between the optical waveguide on the cantilever and an optical waveguide fixed distally thereto.

Abstract: A tunable optical beamsplitter is disclosed that uses electrowetting techniques to vary the propagation characteristics of one or more light beams. Specifically, electrowetting principles are applied to a region of fluid enclosed within an enclosure to form a plurality of liquid lenses. When a light beam is incident upon the plurality of lenses, the plurality of lenses transforms portions of the light beam in corresponding plurality of output split beams. The region of fluid is controllably moved within the enclosure to modify at least a first optical characteristic of at least a first lens in said plurality of lenses in order to change the propagation characteristics of at least one of the split beams.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method and apparatus for permitting a telecommunications switch to interact with a plurality of feature servers. All feature request messages from the switch are directed to a service integration node. A Policy Manager software and database system in the service integration node analyzes received request messages from the telecommunications switch, and generates one or more request messages to one or more of the feature servers. The Policy Manager controls the sequencing of feature request messages in cases where a plurality of feature servers, or a plurality of different application programs on one feature server, are required in order to supply the telecommunications switch with the response information necessary for executing the feature. Advantageously, using this type of arrangement, a telecommunications switch can communicate with a plurality of feature servers while controlling interaction among different features triggered by a common event, such as an incoming call.