Abstract: A method is provided for determining whether the immediate state of a telecommunications switch (110) is adequate for a software upgrade or retrofit. A report stream of text messages relating to the state of, and events occurring on, the telecommunications switch is received (200) by a server (102). Predetermined messages are detected in the report stream, including messages indicating hardware errors, alarms and other errors (202). The predetermined messages have a numerical value associated therewith (204). The numerical value reflects a probability of failure of a retrofit if the message is detected. As the predetermined messages are detected, their numerical values are accumulated into an accumulated value (206). If the accumulated value exceeds a threshold, the switch is not fit for the retrofit (210, 211). The time spent receiving the report stream is determined and compared against an expected time (216).

Abstract: Service provider flexibility in wireless network configuration is enhanced by first and second interconnection protocols which enable flexibility in mobile switching center/base station communications. This communication flexibility allows service providers to control, on a call-by-call basis, the operation of the wireless telecommunications network.

Abstract: This invention is predicated upon applicants' discovery that UV-induced gratings can be formed through polymer coatings that include conjugated double bonds and aromatic moieties. Coatings with low concentrations of aromatic-containing free-radical photoinitiators provide both reasonable curing speeds and sufficient transparency that gratings can be written through them. Moreover some of these aromatic-containing free-radical photoinitiators act synergistically with non-aromatic ketone photoinitiators. Advantageous aromatic-containing free-radical photoinitiator concentrations are in the range 0.01%-0.1% and preferably in the range 0.02% to 0.05%. Advantageous polymer coatings are acrylate-based coatings.

Abstract: The present communications channel synchronous micro-cell system for integrating circuit and packet data transmissions functions to blend both circuit and packet technology together to carry both constant bit rate and variable bit rate traffic with no added packet or jitter delay for constant bit rate traffic and no added circuit setup delay for variable bit rate traffic. This is accomplished by the use of a micro-cell structure for all information that is transmitted over a communication channel. The data stream comprises a series of frames, each of which consists of a predetermined number of micro-cells. The micro-cells are fixed in size, with a header, like Asynchronous Transfer Mode, but their similarity stops there. The header is a flag which indicates the type of payload that is placed in the micro-cell associated with that header. When the header indicates a payload that is synchronous with the communication medium, that micro-cell is being used as a time slot in a circuit switched sense.

Abstract: An e-mail message or other communication received over a computer network is processed so as to be directed to a user-designated host server. An Internet service provider or other organization assigns host names to a particular user for each network service provided to that user. Each of the host names specifies a user, a service, e.g., e-mail, homepage and network telephony, and a domain name of the assigning organization. A mapping stored for each host name correlates the host name with an Internet Protocol (IP) address of the user-designated host server for the corresponding service. When an address request for an incoming communication directed to a particular user arrives in a Domain Name System (DNS) server associated with the organization domain, the stored mapping for the corresponding user and service is processed to obtain the appropriate IP address.

Abstract: A switch, of the crossbar type, in which no clock recovery is undertaken. Multiple optical fibers deliver input signals to a single semiconductor die. The die contains circuitry which selectively connects each input fiber to a respective output fiber, which carries the signals off the die, to their destinations. The communication is asynchronous: no continuous clock signal accompanies the incoming data. However, periodic sequences of clock signals accompany the incoming data, and are used by circuitry on the die in “clock recovery” routines, to generate local clock signals. The invention eliminates the need for local clock recovery: the incoming signals are routed through the die to outgoing fibers, without generation of a local clock signal on the die.

Abstract: The passband of an optical wavelength router is widened by using a combination of two grating apparatuses with opposite angular dispersions. The passband width approaches the channel spacing, with minimal loss penalty. This technique is particularly attractive for applications requiring a large number of ports with maximum passband width and relatively small loss. The optical wavelength router may be formed using either reflective or transmissive elements formed using grating apparatuses that are free space optical elements or waveguide gratings.

Abstract: The present invention provides an integrated cooling device employing heat pipes for cooling an electronic component and a method of manufacturing the same. In one embodiment, the integrated cooling device includes a plate couplable to and supportable by the electronic component. The plate has at least one channel therein that presents an enhanced surface area. The cooling device further includes a sealed heat pipe having a heat-receiving portion fitted within the channel such that the enhanced surface area in contact with the heat pipe experiences an increased thermal communication between the plate and the heat pipe. The heat pipe also has a heat-removing portion that is distal from the heat receiving portion. Inside the heat pipe, a fluid, initially located in the heat-receiving portion of the heat pipe as a liquid, receives heat and evaporates to form a vapor that travels to the heat-removing portion.

Abstract: The specification describes interconnection strategies for micro-electronic machined mechanical systems (MEMS). Typical MEMS device array comprise a large number of individual mechanical devices each electrically driven by multi-chip modules (MCMs). High density interconnection is achieved by mounting the MCMs mounted on both sides of a system interconnection substrate. Overall interconnection length is reduced by locating the MCMs in a common circuit driving a given mechanical element on opposite sides of the system interconnection substrate and interconnecting them using vias through the substrate. Rapid replacement/repair is facilitated by mounted all active elements in sockets using contact pin arrays for electrical connections. In service reliability is obtained by providing spare sockets for redundant MCMs.

Abstract: A bipolar transistor includes an oxide layer having graded portions with greatly reduced stress on a silicon substrate. The method of making the oxide preferably includes growing a first oxide portion by upwardly ramping the silicon substrate to a first temperature lower than a glass transition temperature, and exposing the silicon substrate to an oxidizing ambient at the first temperature and for a first time period. Also, the method includes growing a second oxide portion between the first oxide portion and the silicon substrate by exposing the silicon substrate to an oxidizing ambient at a second temperature higher than the glass transition temperature for a second time period. The second oxide portion may have a thickness in a range of about 2 to 75% of a total thickness of the graded, grown, oxide layer. The step of upwardly ramping preferably includes upwardly ramping the temperature at a relatively high ramping rate to reduce any oxide formed during the upward ramping.

Abstract: The present invention employs “polarization markers” deployed immediately after the branching portion of a passive optical network (PON) for measuring and monitoring transmission losses and faults. Each polarization marker is configured to produce a unique polarization dependent loss (PDL) within the corresponding branch of the PON. Since each polarization marker uniquely attenuates optical test pulse(s) launched into the PON, the back-scattering uniquely varies with the launched state of polarization. Losses within each branch of the PON are then monitored by measuring the back-scattered portion of the launched optical pulse(s) as a function of time for different known states of polarization, wherein the unique PDL associated with each polarization marker is used as the basis for distinguishing the branches from one another.

Abstract: A common Modular Carrier (MC) unit shares power and control among a plurality of Optical Network Units (ONU) which are plugged into it, thereby increasing the ONU density in an existing equipment shelf. In one embodiment, the MC unit together with its four ONU units is arranged to slide into an existing card slot of the existing equipment shelf and occupy the space of the adjacent slot. The result is a doubling of the capacity over the conventional technique of using a separate slot for each ONU unit.

Abstract: An optical circulator is connected to each end of an integrated circuit chip containing a pair of multiplexer/demuliplexers driving respective arrays of 2×2 MZIs separated by a striped mirror interface and a plate having a thickness of ¼ the central wavelength on each side of the mirror. Light passes through the device twice making it polarization insensitive in power and in wavelength. Phase errors due to inserting these plates will not cause power disturbances because no interference exists. Because the same router is used for multiplexing/demultiplexing, there are no loss/crosstalk penalties for through-channels due to mismatch in wavelength response. Back reflections for the switch-conditions are suppressed by aligning the waveguide, which passes the striped mirror, under a slight angle so that reflected light at the interface will penetrate the substrate. Lateral offset applied between the ends of two waveguides at the mirror interface ensures that crosstalk performance is not limited.

Abstract: A gain and phase control system performs a gain (or phase) adjustment based on the results of a previous gain (or phase) adjustment after an intervening phase (or gain) adjustment. A gain adjustment is based on the results of a previous gain adjustment rather than on the results of an intervening phase adjustment. A phase adjustment is based on the results of a previous phase adjustment rather than the results of an intervening gain adjustment. As such, the above-mentioned increase in error signal does not occur because a gain adjustment is based on the results of the previous gain adjustment, and a phase adjustment is based on the results of the previous phase adjustments.

Abstract: A micro-electro-mechanical optical device is disclosed. The micro-electro-mechanical optical device includes a micro-electro-mechanical structure coupled with an optical device. Both the micro-electro-mechanical structure and the optical device are disposed on a substrate surface. The micro-electro-mechanical structure lifts the optical device a predetermined distance above the plane of the substrate surface. Thereafter, the lifted optical device is moveable relative to the plane of the substrate surface in response to an electrostatic field generated between the optical device and the substrate.

Abstract: An impedance selector includes an input port receiving input signals. An outer conductor electrically communicates with the input port. A dielectric material is encircled by the outer conductor. An inner conductive core is encircled by the outer conductor and electrically communicates with the input port. An output port electrically communicates with the input port via the outer conductor and the inner core. A characteristic impedance of the outer conductor and the inner core is selectively set as a function of a minimum distance between the inner core and the outer conductor.

Abstract: A fiber optic system comprises an optical transmitter, an optical receiver, and an optical fiber transmission path that optically couples the transmitter and the receiver to one another. The transmission path includes a first section that has negative dispersion at an operating wavelength &lgr;0 greater than about 1300 nm and a second section that includes a MOF. The MOF has relatively large anomalous dispersion at &lgr;0 and is sufficiently long to compensate the accumulated negative dispersion in the first section. In one embodiment the MOF comprises a core, a lower index cladding that includes one or more layers of air holes surrounding the core, characterized in that the diameter of the core is less than about 8 &mgr;m and the difference in effective refractive index between the core and cladding is greater than about 0.1 (10%). Preferably, the cladding contains no more than 2 layers of air holes and the distance between the nearest edges of adjacent air holes is less than about 1 &mgr;m.

Abstract: A method of accessing a text file comprised of individual messages from a cellular telephone comprises the steps of: accessing the text file; selecting one of the individual messages from the text file; formatting the selected message with a network resident user agent; sending the formatted message to the cellular telephone.

Abstract: In accordance with the invention, an optical fiber array comprises a substrate providing a planar array of optical fibers. The optical fibers are parallel to an array axis, but the fiber ends present smooth, polished surfaces angled from the array axis to minimize return loss of light directed along the axis. Three embodiments are described. The first is a series of 1×n strip arrays each mounted at an angle to the array axis to form a saw tooth configuration faceplate. The holes in each strip are also angled to compensate for the angled mount. A second embodiment uses an angled planar faceplate having tapered holes. A third embodiment uses an angled faceplate planar with double-tapered holes to obtain the angled end surfaces. In each embodiment, the fiber ends are substantially coplanar with the faceplate surface but the ends are angled with respect to the array axis.

Abstract: A sender (101) creates a voicemail message that includes a plurality of messaging elements that include embedded instructions that define a structure of the message. Other messaging elements may include textual fragments, audio fragments that refer to audio data files that are associated with the message, and/or references to textual fragments and/or audio fragments that are stored at specified locations. The instructions may define a hierarchical menu structure which, when the message is presented to the recipient (106) by a messaging system (104), offers the recipient different navigational choices from which the recipient may select and thus effect the information content of what is presented.