Abstract: An optomechanical platform that provides both precise alignment and ready manufacture of optical and optomechanical components. A simplified embodiment of the invention includes a substantially symmetric cylindrical tube with an optical device at one end of the tube, a grating at another, opposite end of the tube and optics disposed between. optomechanical/optoelectronic device that is particularly well suited to WDM and imaging applications. Included is an integrated optomechanical/optoelctronic device particularly well suited to imaging and Wavelength-Division-Multiplexed (WDM) applications.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an integrated circuit having a current supply circuit for supplying a reference current and a signal current; at least one current copier circuit for creating a copy of the reference current and a copy of the signal current; an amplifying circuit connected to the reference supply circuit, the signal supply circuit, and the current copier circuit. The amplifying circuit is configured with the current copier circuit to compare the copy of the reference current to the signal current and to compare the copy of the signal current to the reference current and to generate a comparison signal based upon the comparisons. The present invention may also include an output circuit connected to the amplifying circuit for receiving the comparison signal and generating an output signal and a current mode circuit for receiving the output signal.

Abstract: This invention relates to a footwear grounding device to reduce static charge buildup on personnel handling electronic components and products that are sensitive to electrostatic discharge (ESD) events. The device incorporates a conductive strap having reusable adhesive elements near one end which permit proper positioning of the strap in the user's shoe and prevent the strap from shifting out of said position during the course of the day.

Abstract: A high speed optical communication system (≧10 Gbit/s) is compensated for temperature variation by providing it with one or more automatic dispersion compensation modules. Each module has an adjustable dispersion element, a data integrity monitor and a feedback network whereby the monitor adjusts the dispersion element to compensate for temperature variation. In a preferred embodiment the dispersion compensating modules comprise chirped fiber Bragg gratings in which the chirp is induced in the grating by passing a current along distributed thin film heaters deposited along the length of the fiber. The magnitude of the applied current determines the dispersion of the grating. A data integrity monitor is configured to sense the integrity of transmitted data and to provide electrical feedback for controlling the current applied to the grating.

Abstract: A system for flipping a semiconductor workpiece on its thin edge for microscope inspection of a workpiece facet is disclosed. The system has a holding device attached to a handling block. The holding device picks a workpiece by one of its thin edges. The edge of the workpiece may be attached to the holding device by vacuum. Then an operator rotates the handling block ninety degrees, which in turn rotates the holding device and workpiece ninety degrees. After rotation, one of the workpiece facets faces upward and perpendicular to the microscope for proper inspection of the facet.

Abstract: An apparatus, method and system provide for conditional answering in multiple leg telecommunication sessions, such as in a flexible alerting service. The preferred system includes a home location register (HLR) coupled to a mobile switching center (MSC). The HLR has, stored in a memory, a plurality of secondary directory numbers associated with a primary directory number, such as an ANSI compatible pilot directory number. The MSC has an interface for receiving an incoming call leg designating the primary directory number and for processing and routing each outgoing call leg associated with each secondary directory number. Following reception of a directive from the HLR, the MSC obtains information from a calling party to create called party information. When an outgoing call leg has been conditionally answered, the MSC provides the called party information on the conditionally answered outgoing call leg.

Abstract: A system and method is provided for generating a sequence of phase signals. One of the sequence of phase signals that is most closely aligned with a data packet is selected. The data packet is phase aligned with the selected one of the sequence of phase signals. The phase alignment of the data packet includes the generation of a clock signal in alignment with one of the sequence of phase signals.

Abstract: A method for extending a cell radius or access range of a base station without incurring ASIC correlator re-design. This is accomplished using a modified timing protocol that will cause signals transmitted by mobile-telephones positioned beyond the limitations of the ASIC correlator bit limitation to be received within a search window so the signals may be detected and demodulated. In one embodiment, the modified timing protocol incorporates a timing advance technique in which the base station transmits its signals at an advanced time before frame boundaries such that signals transmitted by out-of-range mobile-telephones can be received within a search window beginning at a frame boundary and spanning a time interval corresponding to the ASIC correlator bit limitation. In another embodiment, the modified timing protocol incorporates a shifted search window that begins at an advanced time after a frame boundary and spans a time interval corresponding to the ASIC correlator bit limitation.

Abstract: This is a method for dynamic and distributed management of Virtual Path Connections (VPCs) in a hierarchical ATM network. VPC parameters, including VPC type (heterogeneous or homogeneous), source node characteristics, end-to-end VPC constraints (GoS and QoS), and the number of on-demand connections to be supported, are determined or specified. Network resources, such as bandwidth and buffer size availability, are also determined. The parameters and information relating to the network resources are sent to a connection server that computes an optimal physical route for the VPC, allocates resources along the computed route, and notifies switches along the route of the new allocation of resources. The switches then change their respective configurations to accommodate the new allocation.

Abstract: A telecommunication system for establishing a conference call between various participants to the call communicating via multimedia communication devices. A call participant identification system detects the presence of voice signals made from a speaking call participant during the conference call. Call participant identification information is associated with the voice signals generated by the speaking call participant. A visual indication identifying the call participant is established at other multimedia communication devices connected with the call to identify the speaking call participant to the other participants of the conference call upon the detection of the voice signals from the speaking call participant.

Abstract: A telephone handset interface reduces or eliminates feedback induced singing in a telephone handset/hybrid loop. The interface provides for user selectable volume control settings, each setting representing an amount of gain or loss to be applied to the transmit and receive signals within the telephone set. The gain settings are selected to limit overall loop gain so as to reduce or eliminate any tendency of the handset to sing at high receive gain levels. Loss inserted into the transmit circuit is removed when user speech is detected in the transmit circuit.

Abstract: A method for testing the reliability of fiber-optic laser modules by determining the change in position over time of the focal point of the fiber tip relative to the laser, wherein the coupling efficiency and influence coefficients of the laser module are used to determine whether the focal point of the fiber tip is moving relative to the laser at an unacceptable rate of displacement such that the laser module is likely to malfunction and is therefore unacceptable for use.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention include an optical energy transmission system, method and apparatus having improved mode coupling. According to embodiments of the invention, an optical energy transmission medium such as an optical fiber includes bubbles formed therein for inducing microbending of the optical energy transmission medium, thus promoting advantageous mode coupling, which improves bandwidth potential by reducing dispersion. The bubbles are formed, e.g., in one or more buffer region layers and/or at the interface between the coating and buffer regions. The method for manufacturing the inventive optical energy transmission medium includes controllably forming one or more buffer region layers around the coated optical fiber or other transmission medium in such a way that that a desired amount of bubbles is created and maintained within one or more of the buffer region layers and/or at the interface between the coating and buffer regions.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an optical communication system and optical signal amplifier for amplifying said optical signal having at least a first and a second wavelength as it propagates therethrough. The optical signal amplifier includes an input port; an output port; an optical medium, wherein a portion of the optical medium comprises a plurality of optical paths corresponding to the first and second wavelengths of the optical signal; a light radiation generator capable of coupling light radiation of a plurality of light radiation wavelengths related to the first and second wavelengths of the optical signal into each of the optical paths, whereby the first and said second wavelengths are amplified by Raman amplification; and an optical combiner for recombining the first and second wavelengths of the optical signal to generate the amplified optical signal.

Abstract: A communications system multiplexes voice communications signals onto one or more transport level connections established through a packetized network, such as the Internet. The invention supports the use of variable-length packets and accommodates variable jitter. The system conforms to real time protocol (RTP) and employs internet telephone gateways (ITGs) to bind users to channel identifiers, to indicate payload type and length, to provide channel identification and time stamps, and to indicate cessation and resumption of voice traffic from a particular user through use of, for example, marker bits.

Abstract: Temperature compensation of a wavelength-division-multiplexed (WDM) passive optical network (PON) communication system uses power measurements from each of it remote nodes (RNs) to adjust the frequency of an associated multifrequency laser (MFL). Changes in the power level at each RN caused by frequency drift of its waveguide grating router (WGR), due to changes in the WGR temperature, is determined by monitoring the power level received at each RN and corrected by appropriate changes in the temperature of the associated MFL. The WGR uses one output port (e.g., channel 1) which is looped-back through the WGR a second time to increase the temperature sensitivity of the power measurements. A temperature-control algorithm controls the temperature of the MFL as a function of changes in the received power at the WGR.

Abstract: A precision grating period measurement system uses a pair of properly positioned photodetectors to provide sub-Angstrom resolution. That is, the absolute position of a first detector with respect to a zero point in the measurement system is assured by including a second photodetector that measures a retroreflected signal. The system is then “zeroed” on the retroreflected signal such that the subsequent measurements recorded by the first photodetector are a precise measurement of the grating period.

Abstract: An arrangement for cooling an electronic assembly includes a circuit board and an enclosure member. The circuit board has a first surface, a second surface, and at least a first electronic component or other heat-generating element secured to the first surface. The enclosure member is secured to said circuit board so as to form a fluid tight barrier of a compartment defined at least in part by said enclosure member. Such compartment includes a first subcompartment defined at least in part by said first surface and said enclosure member and a second subcompartment defined at least in part by said second surface and said enclosure member. The circuit board further includes at least one aperture extending between the first surface and the second surface such that the first subcompartment is in fluid communication with the second subcompartment.

Abstract: Methods for provisioning optical communications networks employing wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) technology provide for routing and wave-length assignment of a set of connection requests. Avoiding many of the pitfalls of exactly optimum solutions, the present heuristic methods provide much shorter execution times while providing near-optimum performance. Adaptations of the basic solutions provide design of restorable networks capable of handling a specified set of failures. This approach advantageously is based on considering all failures simultaneously, and performs better than solutions in which independent designs are developed for each failure. Networks designed using these methods store configuration information for primary network configurations and for one or more restoration networks.

Abstract: Polarization dependencies exhibited by components of optical apparatus, such as equalizers having chromatically variable transmissivity, are reduced by splitting the incoming light stream to be equalized into two orthogonally polarized streams which are applied to opposite ends of the apparatus through polarization maintaining fibers oriented such that the light polarization is the same for both directions of transmission through the apparatus and is aligned with one of the eigenpolarizations of the chip on which the apparatus is implemented. In an illustrative embodiment of an equalizer, the incoming light stream entering one port of a circulator and emerging from a second port is applied to the splitter on its way to the equalizer while the light streams emerging from the equalizer, after being spectrally recombined, re-enter the second port of the circulator and emerge from its third port to the output thereby eliminating any polarization dependencies of the equalizer.