Abstract: A method and an apparatus are disclosed for providing enhanced pay per view in a video server. Specifically, the present invention periodically schedules a group of non pre-emptible tasks corresponding to videos in a video server having a predetermined number of processors, wherein each task is defined by a computation time and a period. To schedule the group of tasks, the present invention divides the tasks into two groups according to whether they may be scheduled on less than one processor. The present invention schedules each group separately. For the group of tasks scheduleable on less than one processor, the present invention conducts a first determination of scheduleability. If the first determination of scheduleability deems the group of tasks not scheduleable, then the present invention conducts a second determination of scheduleability.

Abstract: The amount of jitter that results in a serial receiver having a parallel architecture Can is reduced by insuring that the edges specifically introduced by the code are actually received by the phase detector. In particular, the code is designed to increase the probability that the edges it introduces are actually received by the phase detector. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, all the edges introduced by the code are actually received by the phase detector. This is achieved by guaranteeing that the edges introduced by the code are evenly spaced in the data stream at a rate corresponding to the phase detector sampling rate. For example, if the receiver consists of N data samplers, e.g., N=5, and one phase detector, the edges introduced by the code are arranged to be N symbols apart. This may be done by inserting as the Nth symbol an overall symbol that has a dummy component so that an edge results between the N-1 symbol and the overall Nth symbol.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a system for, and method of, determining a non-contact, near-surface generation and recombination lifetimes and near surface doping of a semiconductor material. The system includes: (1) a radiation pulse source that biases a dielectric on top of the semiconductor material, (2) a voltage sensor to sense the surface voltage, and (3) a photon source to create carriers. For lifetime measurements both the excitation and measurement signals are time dependent and may be probed near the surface of the semiconductor to obtain various electrical properties. For high-field tunneling and leakage characteristics of a thin dielectric (<15 nm) on top of the semiconductor, a high bias charge density is used to induce tunneling, from which tunneling fields and charge-fluence to tunneling of the dielectric are determined.

Abstract: Methods for analyzing polarization mode dispersion of an optical device is provided. Various desired qualities of the device, including position dependent optical and physical qualities, can be determined. Experimental wavelength-dependent PMD data are provided that characterizes the entire optical device. The experimental data are Fourier transformed and an experimental Fourier transform is constructed. A theoretical Fourier transform is calculated and fit to the experimental transform by varying at least one parameter. Based on the fit parameters, one or more qualities, including a PMD profile of the device, can be determined. An apparatus for use with this method is also provided.

Abstract: Applicants have determined that the temperature sensitivity of long period grating devices is substantially affected by the provision of a polymeric coating over the conventional glass cladding and, in particular, that by providing a polymer overcoating with an appropriately selected index of refraction, one can minimize temperature sensitivity. In a preferred embodiment, the temperature sensitivity of a long period grating written in conventional dispersion-shifted fiber is reduced to 0.40 nm/100.degree. C.

Abstract: Systems and methods for quickly and accurately measuring the concentricity of a core with respect to a ferrule are provided. A beam splitter arrangement is utilized to separately image both the core and the ferrule outer edge using separate imagers. The two images are combined through coordinate transformation so that the offset of the core with respect to the ferrule center can be determined.

Abstract: A registration applet embedded in a registration page of a browser program allows a user to associate a user-specified group name with a plurality of UTRLs, HTTP POST or GET requests or other network service identifiers, such that the group name designates a category of information provided by corresponding network services. An access applet embedded in an access page of the browser allows a user to select one of several previously-registered group names, and an access mode for processing responses to service requests. A processor running the access applet automatically issues parallel requests to the network services associated with a selected group name in response to entry of a command by the user.

Abstract: A communication plug for terminating a cable carrying a plurality of conductors. The communication plug includes a strain relief housing for receiving the cable and a jack interface housing for communication with a jack. Confined within the two housing components are a plurality of conductive members carried by a blade carrier. In a preferred embodiment, the jack interface housing segregates the conductive members in a substantially circular array largely conforming to the arrangement of the conductors in a round cable.

Abstract: Fiber optic cable waste is avoided by measuring amplitude oscillations of four-wave mixing products in positive-dispersion and negative-dispersion fiber optic cable to determine the lengths of a first, positive-dispersion cable segment and a second, negative-dispersion cable segment that are used to provide a specified length of fiber optic cable having a specified amount of path-average chromatic dispersion. The integrated dispersion of a positive-dispersion fiber optic cable as a function of length is measured to provide a first set of data, and the integrated dispersion of a negative-dispersion fiber optic cable as a function of length is measured to provide a second set of data. A fiber-optic cable is simultaneously fed with two optical signals, a first at wavelength .lambda..sub.1 and a second at wavelength .lambda..sub.2, and the number of sinusoidal oscillations that occur in the four-wave mixing products of the Stokes (or anti-Stokes) sideband as a function of cable length are measured.

Abstract: An adaptive addressable circuit redundancy method and apparatus, e.g., an adaptive memory redundancy method and apparatus, utilizes an on-chip processor to test, analyze and reassign spare addressable circuits to replace defective or intermittent addressable circuits. The present invention is applicable both in a manufacturing environment and/or in a field environment wherein the integrated circuit is operational. An adaptive addressable circuit redundancy module intercepts a data path between the on-chip processor and the addressable circuits to reassign defective addresses as necessary to utilize a spare addressable circuit bank. In another embodiment of the present invention, a broadcast write module cuts memory test time almost in half by writing a same data pattern to a significant portion or all of the addressable circuits, e.g., memory, substantially simultaneously.

Abstract: Circuits having switched capacitors that are implemented with T-structures in which one of the three capacitors in the T-structure is implemented with a buffer amplifier configured to receive a control signal (e.g., a control voltage) and to apply a buffered control signal to an active device having a capacitance that is dependent on the control signal level. In one embodiment, the control signal is a control voltage, the active device is a varactor diode, and the circuit is a ladder filter having one or more switched capacitors, each of which is implemented using the T-structure of the present invention. Under the present invention, continuously tunable circuits can be implemented with discrete elements where the circuits can be tuned by changing the control signal in one or more of the switched capacitors, without having to provide a continuously tunable clock.

Abstract: A dispersion-tapered fiber for use in a soliton transmission system having lumped amplifiers to substantially reduce loss associated with pseudo phase matching and to relax the limitations on minimum allowable channel spacing caused by cross-phase modulation. The dispersion tapered fiber has a dispersion tapered either continuously or in steps, in conformity with the fiber loss curve.

Abstract: For use with a synchronous rectifier of a power converter, a self-synchronizing drive circuit and a method of driving the synchronous rectifier. In one embodiment, the circuit includes: (1) a drive winding, associated with an isolation transformer of the power converter and coupled to a rectifying switch in the synchronous rectifier, that provides a drive signal based on a voltage in the isolation transformer to a control terminal of the rectifying switch to charge the control terminal synchronously with the voltage, (2) a drive switch, interposed between the drive winding and the control terminal, that periodically resists creation of a negative potential on the control terminal and (3) a discharge device, coupled to the drive winding, that receives the drive signal and discharges the control terminal synchronously with the voltage.

Abstract: A distributed processing system (100) includes a protocol server (101) that enables a plurality of clients (103-104) to share the use of one set of Signaling System 7 (SS7) links (99), that centralizes the link-termination circuitry (110) for use by the plurality of clients, and that provides access to upper layers (215-219) of the SS7 protocol stack (200) by distributing the processing of different layers of the stack between the protocol server and the clients. The protocol server terminates the lower layers (210-213) of the SS7 protocol, while each client terminates the upper layers of the SS7 protocol. Communication between the protocol server and the clients of information expressed in the upper layers of the SS7 protocol is effected via the TCP/IP protocol over a LAN (102).

Abstract: Techniques for maintaining a random sample of a relation in a database in the presence of updates to the relation. The random sample of the relation is referred to as a "backing sample," and it is maintained in the presence of insert, modify and delete operations involving the relation. When a new tuple is inserted into the relation, a sample of the given tuple is added to the backing sample if the size of the backing sample is below an upper bound. Otherwise, a randomly-selected tuple of the backing sample is replaced with the new tuple if a sample of the new tuple must be inserted into the backing sample to maintain randomness or another characteristic. When a tuple in the relation is the subject of a modify operation, the backing sample is left unchanged if the modify operation does not affect an attribute of interest to an application which uses the backing sample. Otherwise, a value field in a sample of the tuple in the backing sample is updated.

Abstract: A method for programming and/or erasing an array of stacked gate memory devices such as EPROM and EEPROM devices in a NOR array is disclosed. In the method, either a program verify or an erase verify is performed intermittently with the programming of a device or the erasure of the array. During the program-verify, one of either a negative V.sub.CS is applied to the deselected devices in the array, a negative V.sub.BS is applied to both the selected and deselected devices in the array, or both conditions are applied. Performing the program verify or erase verify in this manner is efficient and accurate. During the programming step, it is also advantageous if one of either a negative V.sub.CS is applied to the deselected devices in the array, a negative V.sub.BS is applied to the selected devices in the array, or both. With the application of a negative V.sub.

Abstract: A U-shaped universal ground assembly with oversheath protection for use in grounding a cable, the grounding clip having a ground `block` including a framework with a generally open end and a spaced closed end. The framework includes a pair of bifurcated leg members extending from the open end of the framework toward the closed end thereof. An arcuate toothed portion is formed as a lower grip member at the closed end of the framework, and an opposed upper grip member, slidably positioned on the framework, is adapted to be moved toward the closed end of the framework. The grounding block also includes a wire retainer pivotally and slidably supported on the open end of the framework and adapted to be moved into a generally closed position across the open end of the framework. At least one ground wire opening is defined in the framework, and at least one ground wire opening is defined in the wire retainer in substantial registry therewith.

Abstract: A data base system buffers incoming records according to destination in the disk or non-volatile memory. The data is compressed and transferred to disk when sufficient data has been accumulated for a particular disk destination. Techniques for compressing the compression dictionary as well as the data stream are described.

Abstract: An assembly that assists in the winding of an optical fiber of a laser module around a spool. The assembly contains a spool support that holds the spool as the optical fiber is wound around the spool. The spool support has a top surface with opposing side edges. The top surface of the spool support has a periphery, wherein the top surface of the spool support is beveled between its peripheral edge and the groove. The presence of the bevel helps to guide the optical fiber onto the spool as the optical fiber is wound around the spool. A generally circular groove is disposed in the top surface of spool support, wherein the groove at least partially intersects the opposing side edges of the top surface. As a result, when the spool is attached to the spool supports, opposite sides of the spool protrude beyond the sides of the spool support.