Abstract: A nozzle for substantially laminar dispersion of gases at an angle to a central axis has a conically shaped portion and a stem portion. A chamfered bore allows a smooth entry of gas or vapor under pressure into a longitudinal bore within the stem portion which extends into the conical portion. A plurality of angularly oriented bores extend from the sloping face of the conical portion into the longitudinal bore forming sharp ridges at their intersection with the longitudinal bore, with the centerlines of the angular bores, all intersecting within the longitudinal bore. The conical portion is truncated and an axial bore extends from the truncated portion into the longitudinal bore. The diameters of the angular bores, the axial bore, and the longitudinal bore are chosen to insure the formation of sharp ridges to the exclusion of flat surfaces or lands.

Abstract: The present invention provides a systematic method for “engineering” hybrid inorganic/organic compounds (IOCs) to exhibit specific physico-chemical properties as may be desired for a particular materials application. Such hybrid inorganic/organic compounds comprise, in some embodiments, an organic phase in the form of a polymer matrix and an inorganic phase that is chemically linked thereto. In one embodiment of the method, given a specific application, (i) desired physico-chemical properties to be possessed by the hybrid IOC are defined; (ii) candidate inorganic and organic phases are selected; (iii) the morphology of those phases is controlled via “microstructural engineering” such that the phases collectively exhibit the physico-chemical properties required of the hybrid IOC; and (iv) the morphology of the hybrid IOC is controlled via “macrostructural engineering” such that the physico-chemical collectively possessed by the phases are exhibited by the hybrid IOC.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for detecting defects, such as air lines, in optical waveguide fibers are provided. The methods and apparatus employ scattered light interference signals produced by a fiber clad measurement system that transversely illuminates a fiber with a laser beam. Defects in the fiber produce characteristic peaks in the frequency spectrum of the scattered light signal. By filtering the scattered light signal to remove (a) the components associated with the fiber clad measurement system and (b) the fundamental component associated with the fiber, the defect-related components in the scattered light signal which represent defects in the associated fiber are determined. Once the presence of these defect-related components is determined, a defect detection output pulse is generated for each such event. The defect detection methods are also incorporated in an overall system for drawing and inspecting the optical lightguide fibers.

Abstract: Optical detection apparatus comprises a solid state laser having an intracavity optical waveguide that supports a lasing filament and operates in one of two states: (1) in a first state, the filament is fixed in one of two orientations, and (2) in a second state, the filament may be induced to switch or oscillate between the two orientations, or it may be suppressed altogether. At least one feature is located on the output facet off-center with respect to the waveguide cross-section in order to provide a preferred orientation for the filament. In one embodiment, a single feature is located off-center and optical radiation of one intensity is injected through the facet feature, thereby causing the laser to operate in one of its states, whereas injected radiation of another intensity causes the laser to operate in the other of its states. The injected radiation may be radiation emitted by the laser that is reflected by an object (e.g.

Abstract: Client's (106-1-106-N, 107-1-107-M) on local area networks (102, 103) making requests to hot sites, which are connected on a wide area network (100) such as the Internet, are redirected through one of a possible plurality of different redirectors (101, 103) to one of a possible plurality of caching servers (S1, S2, S3), which each have responsibility for mapping one or more of the hot sites. Each request is probabilistically directed by one of the redirectors to one of the caching servers that map the requested hot site in accordance with weights that are determined for that redirector-hot site pair so as to minimize the average delay that all client requests across the network will encounter in making requests to all the cached hot sites.

Abstract: A receiver, comprising an adaptive filter, performs blind equalization using a joint constant modulus algorithm—multimodulus algorithm (CMA-MMA) blind equalization algorithm. The adaptive filter is a two-filter structure. The receiver performs CMA-MMA blind equalization using asymmetric algorithms. This joint CMA-MMA blind equalization technique reduces the rate of occurrence of a diagonal solution.

Abstract: A system for enhancing signal reception comprises delay devices coupled to a combiner. The delay devices are adapted to delay respective input signals by corresponding offset delay durations to produce time-staggered delayed signals with respect to one another. The combiner is coupled to the delay devices for combining the delayed signals to form a combined signal. A recorder receives the combined signal for recording the combined signal in the time-domain. The recorder records the combined signal in successive measurement cycles. Each successive measurement cycle contains a time window corresponding to each of the delayed signals. An evaluator evaluates the recorded signal for determining average power, within each time window, over a group of the successive measurement cycles for each of the delayed signals to prepare for determining cross-correlation between pairs of the delayed signals.

Abstract: A method and system recover from a failure of an operational software program. A second software program which is known to function properly and is capable of downloading an updated copy of operational software is stored on the computer with the first software program. The second software program is a boot program which monitors resets of the first software program, determines if the number of resets which have occurred without the operational software first having reached a set operating point (such as establishing communication with a remote computer) reaches a threshold, and preempts operation of the first software program when the threshold is reached.

Abstract: An enclosure having two walls an attenuation distance apart from each other perpendicular to the plate of the enclosure. At least one of the walls is orbitally riveted or soldered to the plate of the enclosure. Having two walls an attenuation distance from each other is particularly advantageous for RF components. The two walls can be placed to surround the RF component to reduce the RF energy generated by the component that escapes in to the atmosphere, or the two walls can be placed to separate the RF component from other component in the same enclosure to reduce the interference of the RF component with the other components. Alternatively, the enclosure can have a single wall orbitally riveted to the plate of the enclosure with an RF gasket attached to the entire length of the wall to reduce the amount of RF energy that is able to pass around the wall.

Abstract: An electronically controlled locking apparatus uses a latch, a latch locking clip and a solenoid to lock a circuit pack face plate to an equipment chassis based on activity in the circuit pack. The latch is pivoted so that one end engages the chassis while the other end is locked by the latch locking clip. The solenoid and plunger are deployed so that the plunger can selectively prevent the latch locking clip from disengaging the latch, thereby preventing the latch from being opened. Circuitry for indicating activity on the circuit pack controls the solenoid and plunger, thereby preventing the removal of an active circuit pack. Additional override circuitry permits an operator to override the solenoid should the circuit pack need to be removed in emergencies.

Abstract: A method and system for locating a precise physical location of a distressed enhanced mobile unit comprises use of a distress notification signal. In one embodiment, a distressed mobile unit emanates a predefined distress notification signal upon completion of an emergency services (e.g. 911) call. The distress notification signal is received by a rescue squad enhanced mobile unit in nearest proximity to the distressed enhanced mobile unit. The rescue squad enhanced mobile unit uses the distress notification signal to identify the location of the distressed mobile unit. In some embodiments, an audible distress signal is also issued by the distressed enhanced mobile unit so that rescue personnel can follow the audible signal to a user in distress.

Abstract: Each of a series of optical amplifiers is arranged such that, in response to detecting particular stimuli occurring at an input or receipt of an adjustment start message from an upstream amplifier, adjusts certain amplifier parameters using small steps and completes the adjustment using large steps if it does not receive the adjustment start message within a predetermined period of time of starting the adjustment in response to detecting the stimuli. If the optical amplifier receives the adjustment start message, then it continues to perform the adjustment and completes the adjustment using large steps when it receives an adjustment done message from the upstream optical amplifier. At that point, the optical amplifier sends an adjustment done message to the next downstream amplifier if it is not the tail-end amplifier.

Abstract: In a video camera the effects of global motion of a subject being photographed are accommodated by varying the pixel definition or focus of a digitally transmitted video image in response to frame-to-frame changes falling outside of a predetermined range. Specifically this is accomplished by sensing changes in the image content between successive images, determining whether the extent of that change lies within the predetermined range, and adjusting the pixel definition when the extent of change lies outside the range, and maintaining a given pixel definition when the extent of change remains within a predetermined range.

Abstract: A multiple agent system providing each of a plurality of agents, i.e., processors, access to a shared synchronous memory. A super agent may be an agent from among a plurality of agents which accesses a shared synchronous memory most frequently. The super agent has direct access to the shared synchronous memory, without negotiation and/or arbitration, while the non-super agents access the shared synchronous memory under the control of an arbiter-and-switch. Open windows are generated when the super agent is not accessing the shared synchronous memory. The non-super agents can be allowed interim access to the shared synchronous memory even before the super agent terminates ownership of the shared synchronous memory.

Abstract: A method of producing an amplified signal decomposes a signal into at least a first part and second part using at least one amplitude threshold. The first part includes a portion of the signal with a lower peak-to-average power ratio than the signal based on the amplitude threshold. The second part includes a portion of the signal beyond the amplitude threshold. At least the first part and the second part are amplified to produce an amplified first part and amplified second part, which are combined to produce an amplified signal.

Abstract: A polishing fluid comprising a distributed organic phase and a continuous aqueous phase, each phase comprising at least one complexing agent. The aqueous phase also having abrasive particles dispersed therein. Reaction products generated during polishing interact with the aqueous phase complexing agent to form water soluble metallic complexes, the water soluble metallic complexes diffuse to an organic/water interface where they release complexing agent molecules in the aqueous phase and generate metal ions which interact with the organic phase complexing agent to form organometallic complexes. Further disclosed is a polishing method, a semiconductor device and semiconductor device fabrication method utilizing the polishing fluid.

Abstract: A polishing fluid comprising a distributed organic phase and a continuous aqueous phase. The distributed phase has at least one complexing agent and the aqueous phase has abrasive particles dispersed therein. Reaction products generated during polishing interact with the complexing agent(s) to form organometallic complexes. Further disclosed is a polishing method, a semiconductor device and semiconductor device fabrication method utilizing the polishing fluid.

Abstract: A system for setting a wireless handset to an offhook condition when the handset is moved during the presence of a specified condition, such as an incoming call. A signal is sent to the handset to indicate an incoming call. If the handset is moved during the pendency of the incoming call, a sensor sends a signal to a controller indicating movement of the handset. A dedicated circuit may be employed to send an offhlook signal only when a movement threshold has been detected. If the signal reaches a predetermined threshold, the controller sets the handset to an offhook condition.

Abstract: Coupling together two or more communication systems that use different signaling protocols requires a protocol converter. A protocol converter is provided that includes interfaces to communications systems to be coupled together mimics the operation of the communications systems each interface is coupled to providing a seamless coupling between the systems.

Abstract: A sampling device for sampling an input signal in response to a pulse train of a sample signal. The sampling device includes a sampling transistor for creating samples in response to the sample signal. The sampling transistor has an impedance corresponding with the difference between the gate to source voltage and the threshold voltage of the sampling transistor. The sampling device also includes a control device for generating a control signal. The control device includes a bootstrap reference voltage source for providing a reference voltage in response to the sample signal, and a control circuit for generating the control circuit voltage in response to the sample signal. By this design, the control signal comprises the sum of the input signal and the sampling threshold voltage, the control signal comprises the sum of control circuit voltage and the reference voltage, and the gate to source voltage comprises the difference between the control signal and the input signal.