Abstract: An improved tapered fiber bundle (TFB), or assembly including a TFB, mitigates undesirable reflections from optical discontinuities at the input ends of the multimode fibers of the TFB by suppressing the coupling of signal light into modes that can produce undesired reflections. Means are provided for managing the mode field of injected signal light so that it remains substantially confined to the core of the central TFB fiber until it is past the region where it can interact with the multimode fibers of the TFB.

Abstract: The present invention provides improved work schedulers for computer systems and communication processors. A preferred embodiment of the present invention includes systems with buffer memory for storing one or more communication packets or work requests arranged on a plurality of scheduling queues and information for controlling the scheduling of the queues, with output processors for outputting packets from the buffer memory; and with control processors for performing the scheduling methods of this invention. The scheduling methods repetitively initialize each queue's service credits, repetitively process each queue in a round-robin order by granting each queue with remaining service credits no more than one quantum of service and updating that queue's service credits to reflect the service actually used and the service available for use but not actually used.

Abstract: Apparatus including a waveguide segment having a cladding that surrounds an optically-transmissive core extending along a path; a heater in thermal communication with the waveguide segment along at least a part of the path; a thermally-conductive substrate; a thermally-conductive base in fixed alignment with the waveguide segment and the thermally-conductive substrate, the thermally-conductive base being discontinuously on the waveguide segment along the path; and a rib in fixed alignment with the waveguide segment and the thermally-conductive substrate, the rib transversely extending in a direction away from the waveguide segment at a point along the path. Process utilizing apparatus for generating a phase shift in light.

Abstract: In a packet-based data network, packets are duplicated and a sequence number is inserted into each duplicate packet, where the duplicate packets are transmitted along two different paths from a source node to a destination node in the network. Depending on the implementation, the source node inserts different types of sequence numbers into the duplicate packets, and the destination node processes those sequence numbers accordingly to determine whether to accept or reject each received packet. In certain implementations, the number of sequence bits allocated to each packet is smaller than the size of the effective sequence number for the packet as interpreted by the destination node.

Abstract: Multiple requests to set up and/or tear down connections in a node of a communication network (or multiple failure notifications) are bundled together for transmission within the network. In an “inter-nodal” embodiment, multiple connection requests/failure notifications are bundled together as a single message for transmission between pairs of nodes in the network. In an “intra-nodal” embodiment, multiple connection requests/failure notifications received at one component of a node in the network are bundled together as a single group for forwarding to another component within the same node for implementation. In either case, the bundling of multiple connection requests/failure notifications can reduce the total amount of time required to communicate and implement the desired connection requests/restoration processing. This reduction in time can be critical to the ability of a network to satisfy requirements associated with restoration processing following a network fault.

Abstract: A wireless communication system includes at least one repeater antenna assembly for providing adequate RF coverage within a building, such as a home. An example repeater antenna assembly has an automatically adjustable gain that is controlled responsive to a pathloss associated with a received signal to avoid base station transceiver desensitization and positive feedback. A disclosed assembly avoids base station desensitization and positive feedback. Another disclosed technique maintains a selected minimum link budget within the building.

Abstract: A distributed software application comprises a plurality of software components within a plurality of executables. A manager component for the distributed software application handles: an addition of one or more first resources to the distributed software application on behalf of the distributed software application and/or a removal of one or more second resources from the distributed software application on behalf of the distributed software application.

Abstract: A wireless data communication system simultaneously transmits data signals from more than one antenna with a deterministic, time-dependent phase difference between the signals. In one example, more than one antenna transmits the same data signal with a phase difference between the transmitted signals. In another example multiple users' data signals are simultaneously transmitted using a corresponding plurality of beams that each use at least two transmitting antennas. Transmissions to multiple users on a shared packet data channel can be scheduled at the same time. In one example, the phase difference is periodic and the beams are orthogonal to maximize system throughput even when one or more users is stationary or slowly moving.

Abstract: Transferring data segments and virtual circuit (VC) information related to the data segments across an Ethernet switch from a first connection terminating at an input port of the switch to a second connection originating at an output port of the switch involves utilizing the VC information at the input port to determine the output port of the data segment, generating tunnel frames that include the identified output port and the VC information as overhead and the data segments as payload, transferring the tunnel frames across the switch from the input port to the output port, generating new headers for the data segments using the VC information that was transferred across the switch in the tunnel frames, and transmitting the data segment, including the new header, on the second connection.

Abstract: Call rating systems and methods using a mobile to mobile database with operator prefixes and a rating key table in which network operators subscribed to by mobile to mobile calling and called parties are identified by database queries and a rating key is obtained according to the prefixes to rate the call according to the rating key value representing agreed discounts for calls between subscribers of mobile network operators and mobile virtual network operators.

Abstract: In one embodiment of the method, a channel quality metric for a first subframe is estimated based at least in part on a channel quality metric for a previous subframe, and a channel quality metric for a second subframe is estimated based at least in part on the channel quality metric for the previous subframe. Here, the second subframe is later in time than the first subframe. Then, a channel quality metric for a time slot located between the first and second subframes is estimated based on the channel quality metrics for the first and second subframes.

Abstract: Methods for signaling information to a group of users in a communication network supporting a broadcast-multicast service are described, in which one or more indicator bits of a sequence may be assigned to indicate transmission of signaling information that is related to the group. The sequence may be transmitted to the group on a first channel, with the signaling information related to the group being transmitted on a second channel.

Abstract: A dispersion compensation apparatus employing an arrayed-waveguide-grating (AWG) which exhibits a dispersion slope.

Abstract: A method for determining an optimal configuration and redundancy allocation for a system containing a plurality of units grouped into a plurality of elements and one or more modules. The method conducts random statistical sampling of a combinatorial space reflecting the possible combinations, redundancies and integrations of the units and elements in a given system. For each sample combination, the method calculates an optimization metric that reflects the reliability and/or the cost of that combination. The optimization metric may incorporate relative weighting of constraints used to evaluate whether the combination is optimal. The optimum configuration will be the configuration having the lowest optimization metric out of all the samples.

Abstract: Private certificates designed to counteract problems associated with certificate lending are configured such that disclosure of a secret key associated with one certificate automatically results in disclosure of a secret key associated with another certificate, while the corresponding public keys are unlinkable with one another. In an illustrative private certificate generation protocol, a user generates verification information associated with a first public key. The verification information is generated at least in part using a corresponding first secret key. The verification information is supplied to a certification authority, which generates based at least in part on the first public key and the verification information a second public key having a corresponding second secret key, and generates a certificate based at least in part on the second public key. The private certificate generation protocol may be asymmetric or symmetric.

Abstract: An optical digital-to-analog (D/A) converter and a method of optically converting digital data into analog form. In one embodiment, the optical D/A converter includes: (1) a splitter configured to receive and split an input coherent optical carrier into a plurality of mutually coherent optical carriers, (2) a switching stage coupled to the splitter and including a corresponding plurality of selector switches configured to pass or interrupt selected ones of the plurality of coherent optical carriers responsive to pattern bits, (3) an amplitude and phase offset stage coupled to the switching stage and including a corresponding plurality of amplitude and phase offset units configured to offset amplitudes or phases of passed ones of the plurality of mutually coherent optical carriers responsive to offset signals and (4) a combiner coupled to the amplitude and phase offset stage and configured to recombine the mutually coherent optical carriers to yield an optical output signal.

Abstract: A method of data communication. The method includes transmitting a control message identifying missing data as lost by the transmitter prior to the expiration of a timer. The missing data may include at least one data packet such that the control message identifies the at least one missing data packet. The control message may include a field and/or an acknowledge sequence number for identifying the missing data packet. The control message also may include a packet data unit having a dummy payload and/or a zero payload. The control message communicates to the receiver that the transmitter has aborted the transmission and/or retransmission of the one or more missing data packets. The control message may be communicated to the receiver over the same data channel used for transmitting the data packets, or alternatively, a wholly different channel than the data channel.

Abstract: Disclosed is a technique for compensating for optical passband shift of an optical component (for example an optical demultiplexer). A broadband source coupled to a dispersive element generates a chirped pulsed optical signal. Data is modulated onto particular wavelengths of the chirped pulsed optical signal by appropriately synchronizing a data modulator. The modulated signal is transmitted to the downstream optical demultiplexer, which may be subject to passband shift due to, for example, changes in environmental conditions. A feedback signal from an output port of the demultiplexer is provided to the transmitter and is used to phase shift the modulator. The phase shift results in effectively adjusting the wavelength onto which the data is modulated to substantially correspond to the passband centers of the demultiplexer.

Abstract: A novel design for an optical differential quadrature phase shift keying (DQPSK) modulator comprises two intensity modulators in a three-arm interferometer.

Abstract: A cellular-type wireless communications system, comprising: an airborne platform that reflects wireless communication signals; and a centralized base station associated with at least one cell, each cell corresponding to a geographic area, the centralized base station configured to send wireless communication signals to the airborne platform and receive wireless subscriber signals which have reflected down off of the airborne platform.