Abstract: A method and apparatus for prioritized load-balancing among non-communicating processes in a time-sharing system involves a Load Balancing Repository (LBR) which interfaces with each process that is actively addressed by the CPU. A scheduler within each process provides the LBR with a load distribution for that process representing the ratio of high-priority sub-task load to low-priority sub-task load. The LBR determines a target ratio in the form of an aggregate load distribution ratio. The target ratio is reported back to each active process. For processes which are occupied with a relatively low proportion of high priority sub-tasks and which therefore exhibit a load distribution that is below the target ratio, the process scheduler will give up a portion of the time slice allotted to that process by the operating system when the load distribution of that process reaches the target ratio.

Abstract: An improved flow control method for ABR service in an ATM network. In particular, a dual local/global ingress flow control method for ABR service in a distributed ingress queueing switch including a plurality of ingress buffer-pools, at least one shared buffer-pool and a plurality of egress buffer-pools. Utilization of the egress port of each shared buffer-pool is periodically measured and together with the current state of the global-ingress control forms the basis for toggling global-ingress control in an active/inactive state. Queue-length based flow control algorithms such as DMRCA are applied to each resource management cell for the egress subport queue and ingress flow queue through which the resource management cell passes to determine the egress and local-ingress congestion marking values, respectively, for the resource management cell.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for substantially reducing tonal noise and or vibration generated by a rotating machine. The power supplied to the rotating machine or motor drive signal is modulated as a function of time so that the shaft rate of the rotating machine is varied as a function of time. The motor drive signal or power signal can be modulated in an alternating current (AC) machine wherein the shaft rate is related to the power line frequency, as well as a direct current (DC) machine wherein the shaft rate is related to the DC level applied, to alter the shaft rate as a function of time. Such drive power modulation causes the drive signal energy to spread into new frequencies. As a result, the radiated tonal components are spread out such that the strength of the rotating machine's tonal radiation is substantially reduced. In addition, "beating" effects related to the operation of multiple machines can be reduced.

Abstract: A temperature compensating device for optical fiber gratings includes first and second expansion members having different coefficients of thermal expansion. The expansion members are elongated in a direction parallel to the fiber grating and levers are secured to both ends of the expansion members. Each lever has a first end flexibly secured to a respective end of the first expansion member and a middle portion flexibly secured to a respective end of the second expansion member. The other end of each lever is secured to a respective end of the fiber grating. The expansion members, the levers and the fiber grating all lie substantially in a single plane. There is also disclosed a package for holding four of the temperature compensating devices in two rows of two devices each, with their fiber gratings adjacent each other so that when viewed in a plane orthogonally to the longitudinal axes of the fiber gratings, the fiber gratings are each at a respective corner of a rectangle.

Abstract: A time-division-multiplexed fixed wireless loop system and methods therefor are disclosed. The system comprises a plurality of cells each having a base station and a plurality of terminals. The base station includes a steerable and adjustable multibeam antenna for communicating with each of the terminals, which have fixed antennas. A cell controller associated with each base station allocates communication time slots so as to minimize mutual interference between base station/terminal links sharing the same time slot. Slot assignment is based on regional, periodically updated interference measurements that are stored in data bases.

Abstract: A panoramic image is displayed as two partial images. A first partial image shows approximately 180 degrees of the panoramic image centered about a viewing direction selected by a user. A second partial image shows approximately the remaining 180 degrees of the panoramic image as a mirror image. As a result, a user more readily understands the relationship between objects in different parts of the panoramic display.

Abstract: The quantum cascade (QC) photon source according to this invention can emit simultaneously at two distinct wavelengths, typically both in the mid-infrared. This is accomplished through provision of a semiconductor layer structure in which, at the proper bias voltage, electrons are injected into an energy level E.sub.3 and then forced to cascade through an intermediate level E.sub.2 before reaching the ground state E.sub.1 of the active region. In the process, photons of energy E.sub.3 -E.sub.2 (wavelength .lambda..sub.1) and E.sub.2 -E.sub.1 (wavelength .lambda..sub.2) are emitted. Dual wavelength photon sources according to this invention can be used in a variety of ways, e.g., to determine the absorption of a gaseous sample at wavelengths .lambda..sub.1 and .lambda..sub.2, exemplarily to determine the concentration of a particular chemical compound in the sample.

Abstract: A portable or other electronic device has two or more display devices or screens that can be used to display different subsets of image signals. The effect is that the device simulates the display capabilities of devices having much larger screens. The device has an open or active configuration, in which the multiple screens are available for displaying image signals, and a closed or inactive configuration, in which some or all of the multiple screens are folded together or otherwise stowed away to reduce the size of the device for storage and/or carrying. By simulating large-display operations, electronic devices according to the present invention are capable of presenting more useable information to the user than is otherwise possible using prior art devices having a single small screen.

Abstract: A system for providing a wireless connection from a cell site to its own operations and maintenance panel (OMP). A unit is built into a cell site on the radio shelf that includes features of a cellular telephone. Such unit includes a modem so that a laptop or other type of computer may be plugged in. This system operates in a plurality of mobile modes--so that it can communicate with any or all of the wireless telecommunication system types (such as AMPS, TDMA, CDMA), and frequency ranges (i.e., 850 MHZ and microwave)--and a diagnostic mode. While the system is installed, the wireless telephone unit is in the mobile mode and can communicate with another type of wireless system. However, once the system comes on line, the unit can communicate with other cell sites in the area from its own system, thus reducing the cost of maintenance. Furthermore, such a system can be used for informing the OMP of alarms such as an intruder alarm, etc.

Abstract: An electronics case, a method of manufacturing the same and a power module incorporating the case. In one embodiment, the case includes: (1) an enclosure including a metal substrate and a dielectric material located on inner surfaces of the enclosure that insulate the substrate from electronics components located within the enclosure, the enclosure having an aperture on a major surface thereof and (2) an electrically conductive pin, passing through the aperture and an interior of the enclosure to emerge from the enclosure at a point opposite the major surface, the pin functioning both as a heat sink mount for the case and a case ground pin for the substrate.

Abstract: The passive optical network system and method for providing a predetermined wavelength of data to remote users according to the present invention includes a multiple wavelength transmitter for transmitting a multiwavelength signal. The multiwavelength signal is provided by an access provider and has a plurality of signal components each of predetermined wavelength. A power-splitting passive optical network receives and power-splits the multiwavelength signal into a plurality of distributed multiwavelength signals each associated with a respective remote user. A filter selectively filters out, for each remote user, ones of the signal components of the associated distributed multiwavelength signal to provide the remote user with a selected one signal component of predetermined wavelength.

Abstract: A mix of computer graphics and video is employed to display images, and more particularly, the ratio of computer graphics to video is adjusted as a function of the available processing and transport capacity. The function for adjusting the ratio of computer graphics to video may also be dependent on the motion of the viewer's viewpoint.

Abstract: A tunable perceptual weighting filter is used in tandem codecs (coder/decoders). Specific filter parameters are advantageously tuned to provide improved performance in tandeming contexts. The parameters used are 10th order LPC (Linear Predictive Coding) predictor coefficients. The system employed uses Low-Delay Code Excited Linear Predictive codecs (LD-CELP).

Abstract: The present low cost pin retention socket comprises a set of holes that are machined into a printed wiring board and selective surfaces thereof plated to thereby form an inexpensive socket that is integral to the printed wiring board yet absent the need for springs, sockets and the associated manufacturing and assembly costs of existing socket apparatus. The present low cost pin retention socket comprises a center hole into which the printed wiring board connector pin is inserted. Surrounding the center hole and intersecting the center hole are a plurality of other holes formed in the printed wiring board to thereby enable a certain amount of plastic deformation of the center hole in response to the insertion therein of a printed wiring board connector pin. The electrical connection between the printed wiring board connector pin and the wiring on the printed wiring board is effected be plating the sides of the center hole to thereby contact the printed wiring board connector pin.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for simultaneously taking measurements that are used for determining PMD vectors. This reduces the time interval over which all measurements are taken and reduces inaccuracy caused by PMD variation during the time measurement interval. The apparatus and method may be used in conjunction with any technique for calculating PMD, such as the Poincare Sphere Technique or Jones Matrix Eigenanalysis. The apparatus simultaneously produces multiple light beams. To distinguish each light beam from the others, each beam is given a distinct modulation. All the beams are then combined and passed through the optical device under test. A polarization measuring device then measures the output polarization of the combined beam and outputs one or more composite electrical signals that describe the Stokes components of the output polarization of the combined beam and that have the same modulations present in the original combined beam.

Abstract: In an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) communications system, all ATM switches in a multicast connection perform virtual path (VP) switching except those merge points which perform virtual channel (VC) switching to avoid VCI collisions. The merge points are ATM switches which can merge ATM traffic from at least two incoming links into an outgoing link. In a second approach, each merge point in a multicast connection performs VP switching, and dynamically dispenses VC switching when a VCI collision is detected. Specifically, to prevent further VCI collision, incoming ATM cells indicated by an odd VPI value are VC switched by the merge point while those indicated by an even VPI value are VP switched thereby.

Abstract: A processor is connected to one or more controlled devices (e.g., ASICS) using an interface that has a plurality of bandwidth distribution devices (i.e., a controller device and one or more adjunct devices) configured in an architecture having two or more levels. Each bandwidth distribution device receives an allocation of address bandwidth from a device in the next higher level and distributes that allocation of address bandwidth to one or more devices in the next lower level, each of which is either another bandwidth distribution device or a controlled device. Each bandwidth distribution device can be configured independently in different configuration modes that determine how its available address bandwidth is distributed to devices in the next lower level. The different configuration modes allow the number of devices in the next lower level to be traded off with the amount of bandwidth available to a particular device in the next lower level.

Abstract: A grounding device for interfacing telecommunications equipment connected through tip and ring conductors and an electronic module with a grounding path for discharging current surges and voltage spikes. The grounding mechanism includes a voltage discharge member mounted between the electronic module and a mounting base for discharging voltage spikes from the electronic module through a grounding path in the mounting base. A biasing member is provided for applying restorative displacement force to the electronic module in a direction opposite to the direction of a force applied to the electronic module by a voltage spike, to thereby ensure and maintain electrical contact between the electronic module and the discharge member.

Abstract: A method and apparatus utilizing a thermal release mounting material to adhere a laser wafer to a wafer support during a semiconductor fabrication process is provided. A first surface of the mounting material contains an adhesive and is adhered to a wafer support. The wafer support contains apertures for allowing air bubbles to escape while the mounting material is being applied to the wafer support, thus, ensuring that the film is planar to the support. The laser wafer is adhered to a second surface of the mounting material. The second surface of the mounting material comprises a thermal release material. After undergoing the fabrication process, the thermal release material of the mounting material is heated to a release temperature allowing the laser wafer to be readily removed from the wafer support.

Abstract: A method of transmitting a voice communications signal includes the steps of sampling the signal and creating digital representations of the samples. The digital representations are speech-coded to create speech-coded data which is converted to analog symbols. A carrier in the 46-49 MHz band is modulated by the analog symbols and transmitted. A method of receiving a voice communications signal includes the steps of receiving a modulated carrier in the 46-49 MHz band and demodulating the modulated carrier to recover analog symbols. The analog symbols are converted to digital samples, which are then converted to speech-coded data. The speech-coded data are decoded to produce digitized samples, which are converted to analog samples and filtered to produce the voice communications signal. A cordless telephone system according to the invention includes a handset and a base unit.