Abstract: A system and method for automatically setting an advantageous reference threshold in a burst mode receiver to reduce the burst mode penalty associated with prior art burst mode optical data transmissions, and to reduce duty cycle distortion at the receiver output. In a preferred embodiment, the maximum excursion of a received data signal is compared to an offset threshold equal to approximately twice the offset voltage supplied by an offset generator. If the data signal amplitude is less than the offset threshold, then the reference threshold voltage is set approximately equal to the offset voltage. If, on the other hand, the data signal amplitude is greater than or approximately equal to the offset threshold, then the reference threshold is set to one-half of the difference between the maximum and minimum excursions of the data signal (i.e. the difference amplitude).

Abstract: A software visualization technique allows a software application or portfolio to be visually analyzed to determine the extent and depth of problems raised when converting an existing software application or portfolio to make application- or portfolio-wide revisions, such as those needed to respond to the year 2000 problem or the conversion to Euro currency. The software visualization technique first generates or inputs statistical data on a number of different software metrics and statistics about the conversion process, such as the data or currency dependent lines of program code, the types of affected code lines, and the sizes and complexities of the systems, subsystems and programs of a software application and of the applications forming a portfolio. These metrics and statistics are then used to alter the appearance of various views of the software application, systems, subsystems, programs individual lines of the programs generated by various visualization tools of the software visualization technique.

Abstract: A resistor fuse for use in a semiconductor device having an operating voltage. In one embodiment, the resistor fuse includes a silicon layer located over a semiconductor wafer and a metal silicide layer located over the silicon layer. The resistor fuse has a predetermined current threshold and is configured to open if a current through the resistor fuse at the operating voltage exceeds the current threshold.

Abstract: An apparatus for connecting a plurality of electrical circuits borne upon a plurality of substrates is disclosed. A first substrate of the plurality of substrates has a first aperture having a first diametral displacement and a first inner wall. A portion of the first inner wall is electrically connected with a first circuit borne upon the first substrate. The apparatus comprises a sheet of electrically conductive material arranged to a displacement from an axis in a substantially helical orientation about the axis. The material has a spring characteristic when the helical orientation establishes the displacement at a spring displacement. The spring characteristic urges the conductive material to a greater displacement from the axis than the spring displacement and permits insertion of the apparatus in the first aperture. The spring characteristic and the first diametral dimension cooperate to seat the apparatus in the first aperture to establish electrical connection with the first circuit.

Abstract: An article comprising an optical cavity includes two mirrors, at least one of which is advantageously movable, that are spaced from and parallel to one another. In some embodiments, both mirrors are formed from unstressed single crystal silicon. The single crystal silicon used in some embodiments is advantageously sourced from single crystal silicon-on-insulator (“SOI”) wafers. In a method in accordance with the present invention, a first mirror is patterned in the thin silicon layer of a first SOI wafer. A standoff is disposed on the thin silicon layer near the first mirror. The thin silicon layer of a second SOI wafer is attached to the standoff such that there is a gap between the two, spaced, thin silicon layers. The thin silicon layer of the second SOI wafer is released forming a movable mirror by removing the thick layer of silicon and the buried oxide from that wafer.

Abstract: A lossless encoding methodology is described based on residual coding techniques and using a modified Least Mean Squares methodology to develop a predictor for a signal to be encoded, and a residual as the difference between the signal and its predicted value. After the residual for an input signal segment is obtained according to the method of the invention, that method is again applied to the residual value process to develop a second predictor, from which a second residual value is obtained. The method is then applied for at least one further iteration to the most recently obtained residual value process to develop a third predictor for the signal to be encoded. A single prediction value is then selected as a statistical representative of those multiple predictor values. The residual value to be used for encoding the input signal increment is determined as the difference between the signal value and the selected predictor value.

Abstract: In a system for charging a rechargeable battery, an electrical device powered by a rechargeable battery has a body that fits into a receiving cavity in a charging base for recharging the battery. The electrical device is provided with a retractable charging terminal mechanism that causes a terminal leading to the rechargeable battery to protrude from the body of the electrical device to make contact with a recessed electrical contact in the base when the electrical device is seated in the base cavity and retracted back into the body of the electrical device when it is removed from the base cavity.

Abstract: A multi-port programmable analog tester for testing an analog device having more than two test ports includes a two-port network analyzer having two network analyzer ports and an interface device coupled to the network analyzer. The interface device has at least two levels of switches, and is adapted to be coupled to the test ports of the analog device.

Abstract: The sharing of trunk groups is accomplished by performing incoming call routing analysis on the incoming call to determine if the call is intended for wireless applications on the network or for wireline applications on the network. The results of the incoming call routing analysis form the basis for determining those actions necessary to process the call. If the incoming call is wireless, executing the wireless related application code, notify the mobile switching center of the incoming call, and wait for directions. If the incoming call in wireline, attempting to deliver the call to a particular wireline, fire an advanced intelligent network (AIN) terminating trigger, and tandem the call through to another switch. Outgoing calls are simply allowed to hunt across shared trunk groups rather than being limited to trunk groups specified for the application.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are described for controlling response to power transients in an optically amplified wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) network when WDM optical channels are added and dropped, during network reconfigurations, during failure events, and so on. In one embodiment, a variable bandwidth filter circuit operates at a first prescribed bandwidth during a first time period &tgr;0 to detect a change in signal power (i.e., power transient) caused by a transient event, and operates at a second prescribed bandwidth that is less than the first prescribed bandwidth after the first period of time elapses, e.g., &tgr;0+&Dgr;&tgr;, to substantially suppress low level signal variations, such as remnants of the power transient. In this way, the power transient related to the actual transient event will be preserved to trigger control circuitry, e.g.

Abstract: Parallel Decision-Feedback Decoding (PDFD) techniques which provide joint Decision Feedback Equalization (DFE) and decoding of a sequence of transmitted symbols. In an illustrative embodiment, branch metrics associated with transitions between states of a multi-stage trellis are computed. For a given stage t of the trellis, the branch metrics are computed for each of the states, using a different input value yt(s) for each state. The input values yt(s) correspond to extended survivor paths computed for each state using a DFE process. The branch metrics are utilized to determine a global most-likely path through the trellis, and the path is used to generate a decoded output signal representative of the transmitted symbol sequence. The PDFD techniques of the invention provide significant performance gains relative to conventional techniques, and are suitable for use with both PSK and QAM modulation constellations.

Abstract: Quantization noise, introduced into data transmission when analog signals are translated into PCM code using the logarithmic conversion of &mgr;-law or A-law rules necessary to accommodate the transmission of voice signals, limits the maximum attainable speed of data transmission. However, when the PCM code signals represent data (rather than voice signals), linear conversion of analog data signals into the PCM code would avoid such logarithmic quantization noise. To signal the translating codec that a digital modem call is being made, the digital modem allocates one or more of the least significant bit positions of the code representing the 2100 Hz answer-tone-with-phase-reversal (specified in ITU-T Recommendation G. 165) to send a repetitive pattern “P1” to signal to the associated codec that a digital modem connection has been made.

Abstract: An optoelectronic module that can be coupled to a multimode optical fiber to achieve offset launch of optical signals into a multimode optical fiber without the use of specialized components or equipment is disclosed. An optoelectronic module in accordance with the present invention achieves this by offsetting the center of the core of the optical fiber pigtail that is coupled to the optoelectronic transmitter device. Thus, the optical fiber pigtail comprises a predetermined offset of the center of the core with respect to the center of the optical fiber. Such an offset can be readily manufactured in an optical fiber using rod-in-tube technology. The precise offset can be designed to correspond to the offset launch zone of the multimode optical fiber to which the optoelectronic module may be coupled.

Abstract: A method of detecting the occurrence of neuronal events in a brain with high temporal accuracy and of distinguishing between contemporaneous neuronal events is disclosed. In accordance with the illustrative embodiment of the present invention, two or more stimuli are chosen and administered to a subject at a temporal interval apart. Each stimulus causes a neuronal event in the brain of the subject, and if the two neuronal events occur at the same time and at the same place, they interfere, which interference is manifested by different physiological effects than are caused by either neuronal event alone. When the interference is detected, the time interval between the first stimulus and the second stimulus can be compared to a nominal range. If the time interval is outside of the nominal range, then it suggests that a pathological condition exists.

Abstract: A method and device for limiting peaks of an input signal. The device and method isolate peaks of an input signal based on a clipping threshold voltage, generate an extrema signal representing the local extrema of the peak isolated signal, filter the extrema signal based on an appropriate impulse filter response to generate a filter signal, and combine the filter signal with the input signal delayed by a predetermined time period to generate an impulse clipped signal. The impulse clipped signal has a reduced P/A ratio and is without significant out-of-band spectrum artifacts.

Abstract: A composition useful for making a coated optical fiber wherein the composition comprises a photocurable or E-beam curable composition having an alkoxysilane functionality attached through a long backbone.

Abstract: A variable depth stackable separator for separating cable into predetermined distinct groups includes a hub having a bottom member with a first surface and a second surface with an upwardly projecting sidewall forming a central area defining a predetermined radius. A connector is provided that projects from the first surface of the bottom member of the hub. A receiver is provided that projects from the second surface of the bottom member. The connector of the hub is adapted to be inserted into a receiver of a second hub to form a variable depth stackable separator for separating cable into predetermined distinct groups. Tabs are provided that project from the sidewall of the hub for retaining a cable relative to the hub. The variable depth stackable separator is designed for optical fiber cable to maintain a minimum bend radius for the optical fiber cable.

Abstract: A variable optical delay line using MEMS devices. A reflector on a micro machine linear rack is positioned and spaced from an input source and/or an output to receive and reflect input light waves toward the output. The distance between the reflector and the input and output is variable and thereby enables selective path delay compensation of the input light wave signals. Other disclosed embodiments utilize pivoting MEMS mirrors and selective adjustment of the mirror pivot angles to provide the selective path delay compensation required in a light wave system.

Abstract: A telephone calling card (prepaid or postpaid) service system with an intelligent network (IN) for automated call processing novelly associates a Virtual Destination Number (VDN) with each calling card account to significantly broaden service options to calling card account subscribers. As a result, a calling card customer can combine calling card service with voice mail service and call forwarding service, which was heretofore not possible. More particularly, the additional services include: the ability of a calling card customer to check a voice mailbox associated with the calling card VDN; the ability of a calling card customer to create and change voice mail greeting options; the ability of a calling card customer to establishing a call forwarding number; and the ability of third parties dialing the VDN to either be connected to a call forwarding number if established, or access the calling card account subscriber's voice mailbox.

Abstract: Inter-frequency handoffs in a CDMA or other wireless communication system are controlled using a noise-limited coverage trigger metric which is able to distinguish between same-frequency cell boundaries and other-frequency cell boundaries in the system. The trigger metric may be generated as a function of an average signal-to-noise measure for pilot signals received at a mobile station of the system and a linear sum of the signal-to-noise measures. The signal-to-noise measures may be generated in the mobile station and included in messages transmitted from the mobile station to one or more base stations of the system. The trigger metric is used to control a handoff from a current frequency to a new frequency in an ongoing call. The trigger metric may alternatively be based on a measure of mobile receive power alone.