Abstract: A method of controlling multiplexers and cross-connects on a telecommunications network to interconnect DS0 and/or wideband circuits is developed for a test range where a large number of circuits, perhaps several hundred. have to be reassigned every fifteen minutes. However, the method is sufficiently general to work for a variety of telecommunications networks. The method of the invention controls the OC-3 multiplexers and the cross-connects to connect a DS0 or DS1 from any feeder site on the range to a DS0 or DS1 at any other feeder site. In addition to the interconnection of DS0 and DS1 signals, the method includes the control needed to set up conference circuits, where many full duplex circuits (such as two-way voice circuits) are connected together; other one-to-many connections, and simplex circuits where a connection is one-way.

Abstract: A customer bridge has a base which can accommodate modular network interface components, and allows the customer output connector to be installed in a selected one of two different positions. The base has a jack which is connectable to an external telephone network. The jack is adapted to receive a plug. The base has a connector mount for mounting a connector. The connector is connectable to the plug by a cable. The connector mount is configured so that the connector is mountable in either a first position or a second position. The second position is upside-down relative to the first position. The base is part of a telephone interface. The telephone interface includes a connector for attaching lead wires. The connector is connected to one end of a cable. The base has first and second jacks positioned in the base so that an electrical connection is formed between a first plug and a second plug when the first plug is inserted in the first jack and the second plug is inserted in the second jack.

Abstract: A circuit and a scheme for register renaming responsive to a thread ID register, comprises: a plurality of physical registers; a plurality of architectual registers; a rename logic circuit where every write to an architectual register of the plurality of architectural registers is assigned a new physical register of the plurality of physical registers; a register map circuit containing a corresponding entry for each of the plurality of architectual registers. The register map circuit is responsive to the thread ID register such that a different physical map is selected for architectual registers of each thread, whereby the plurality of architectual registers can be greater than the plurality of physical registers.

Abstract: A low-noise amplifier capable of operation in two or more frequency bands of a personal communication services (PCS) receiver or other wireless communication system terminal. An exemplary embodiment of the amplifier includes a single bipolar junction transistor amplification stage. Input and output matching networks for the transistor each include a first series capacitor, a shunt inductor coupled to ground potential, a second series capacitor and a second inductor coupled to a supply voltage. These four elements are used to provide narrowband input or output matches in two distinct frequency bands, such as 900 MHz and 1.8 GHz. The first series capacitors in the input and output matching networks may also be used to provide DC input and output isolation, respectively, and the second inductors of the input and output matching networks may be used to supply DC bias to the base and collector, respectively, of the amplifier transistor.

Abstract: The present invention is an Electro-Absorption-Isolated-Laser-Module (EMILM) especially adapted for use in optical communication systems, and more particularly a wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) system. The EMILM device is packaged in an industry standard housing which consists of a metal package with dielectric feedthrus which couple internal areas of the device to external pins. The device includes passive reactive elements coupled between the electrical feedthrus and the metal package which help to minimize distortion on the drive signal of the EMILM and dampen oscillations which are induced or already present.

Abstract: An antenna design for a tag operating in an radio frequency identification system minimizes the influence of reflecting surfaces upon the antenna radiation pattern. The antenna advantageously provides near uniform performance when the tag is in varying proximity to different metal reflecting surfaces. The antenna operates as a quarter wave patch antenna and is constructed from a rectangular metal patch separated from a larger metallic plane. This metallic plane serves as the reference ground plane for a circuit attached to the antenna, with a direct short between the patch and the ground plane along one edge of the patch. The dimensions of the metal patch are selected such that one quarter of a wavelength of incident radiation forms a standing wave on the antenna. A careful choice of dielectric material and lateral dimensions determine the bandwidth of the antenna.

Abstract: A tunable blade structure for use in a communication plug terminating a cable carrying a plurality of conductors. One end of the blades is designed as an insulation displacement connector (IDC) for electrical communication with the conductors from the cable. The other end of the blades is designed as a jack contact region for electrical communication with jack springs. Between these two ends are three regions for manipulating the electrical characteristics of the blades: a capacitive coupling region, an inductive coupling region and an isolation region. By appropriately designing these three regions, electrical interference (i.e., crosstalk) between the conductors can be optimized.

Abstract: In a power converter having an input coupled to a power switch and a rectifier for conducting currents from the input to an output of the power converter, a snubber circuit for, a method of, moderating reverse recovery currents associated with the rectifier and a power converter employing the circuit or the method. In one embodiment, the circuit includes a snubber inductor and snubber capacitor coupled to the rectifier. The circuit further includes a first auxiliary switch that conducts to divert a portion of the currents away from the rectifier through the snubber inductor and snubber capacitor. The circuit still further includes a second auxiliary switch, interposed between the power switch and the first auxiliary switch, that conducts to create a path to discharge the capacitor to the output of the power converter.

Abstract: An apparatus and process for retaining laser bars during a facet coating operation and releasing the bars after the conclusion of the facet coating operation. A multitude of spacers are positioned with laser bars therebetween. Each spacer includes an upper and lower fixture blade. The spacers are compressed together, thus sandwiching the laser bars, during the facet coating operation. After release of the compressive force, adhered laser bars are removed by moving one of the fixture blades relative to the other fixture blade. Movement can be along the longitudinal axis of the blades, perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, or rotation about a pivot axis. Further, movement can include elevation of one blade, or an end of one blade, relative to the other blade.

Abstract: The specification describes an interconnect strategy for memory chip packages to reduce or eliminate alpha particle contamination from the use of high lead solder interconnections in the vicinity of semiconductor memory cells. In the primary embodiment a high tin solder is recommended. A multi-layer under bump metallization is described that is compatible with high tin solders and flip-chip solder bump technology.

Abstract: Computer users may utilize different web browsers to access a server system on the World Wide Web (WWW) to create or join a collaborative browsing session. The users or collaborators in a session are connected by one or more controllers in the server system. When a collaborator creates or joins a session, mobile code is transmitted from the system to the collaborator's computer to create a surrogate thereon, which monitors the collaborator's interaction with a web browser on the computer. The controllers communicate with all the surrogates of the collaborators to coordinate the collaborative browsing effort. When one of the surrogates detects a change by a collaborator of a uniform resource locator (URL), the new URL is communicated through the controllers to the surrogates of all other collaborators in the session. As such, the collaborators are able to move from one URL to another to browse information in a synchronous manner.

Abstract: The invention is directed to an optical transmission system employing an electro-absorption modulator operative that absorbs energy from light received from a source of light and modulates the received light with information signals received from a source of information and outputs the modulated light signal to an optical transmission line, and employing apparatus that controls the level of light signals provided by the source as a function of a control signal having a level proportional to the level of the absorbed energy.

Abstract: A telephone answering machine (TAS) is preprogrammed to place calls automatically to a service bureau (SB) over a telephone or other suitable communications network. In response to the calls, the SB generates and transmits messages (e.g., compressed digital audio messages) to the TAS for recording and subsequent playback by a user. In this way, users can routinely receive information useful to their daily lives.

Abstract: A mechanically sealed insulation displacement connector includes a contact and a wire holder. The wire holder has a channel for receiving an insulated wire and a slot for receiving the contact. One end of the channel has a conical shaped region which provides a positive stop for an inserted wire. The positive stop causes the insulation of the inserted wire to press against the inside surface of the conical region when the wire is inserted into the channel. The insulation is slightly deformed providing an inexpensive and effective seal for the wire's conductor without the use of gelled oils and greases. As the insulation is pressed against the conical shaped region, the wire holder is rotated enabling the contact to move into the slot where it pierces the insulation and grips the conductor of the wire, thereby making an electrical connection and holding the insulation against the conical shaped region.

Abstract: A phase shifter circuit shifts the phase of a voltage varying RF signal at high RF power levels by using a diode arrangement of back to back diode sets connected in series to reduce the change in capacitive reactance of the diode arrangement. The diode arrangement is connected to a phase adjustment port of a phase shifting device which shifts the phase of the RF signal according to the capacitive reactance level at the phase adjustment port. A control circuit for each back to back diode set can be used to provide independent adjustment of each diode set to balance capacitive reactance responses between the diode sets to further reduce the change in capacitive reactance. In certain embodiments, the phase shifter circuit uses a ninely (90) degree hybrid coupler with two phase adjustment ports, a zero (0) degree port and a -90 degree port.

Abstract: A method for recovering spin locks in a system having one or more processes capable of accessing a shared resource, the system providing a lock indicating exclusive access to the shared resource by a single process and enabling one or more processes to repeatedly attempt to gain access to the lock when ownership of the shared resource is desired. The method includes generating a linked list queue structure containing a first process currently having exclusive access to the lock and one or more processes added to the queue structure to spin on the lock, each process capable of modifying the queue structure by obtaining exclusive access of the lock from a process having exclusive access of the lock and releasing the lock to another process in the linked list queue structure; detecting when one or more processes having exclusive access to the lock terminates, and upon detection, removing the terminated process from the queue structure, and restoring consistency to said linked list queue structure.

Abstract: A reversible receptacle for housing single ended or double ended connectors where said receptacle can be attached to a structure frontwards or backwards and can be manipulated without any interference from heavy gauge ground cables. The receptacle includes a reversible frame that has both a front and back opening. The openings permit selective access to the mounted connectors.

Abstract: In a system for simulcasting a digitally modulated signal and an analog FM signal over the same FM frequency band, the composite signal is received and applied to a conventional FM receiver, and a digital receiver in accordance with the invention. An extended Kalman filter is employed in the digital receiver to estimate the analog FM signal based on a version of the recovered FM signal from the FM receiver, and a discrete version of the composite signal whose spectrum has been translated and is at an intermediate carrier frequency. The estimated FM signal, which is in a discrete form, is subtracted from the discrete version of the composite signal. The resulting signal, which is an estimated version of the digitally modulated signal, is demodulated to recover the digital data as transmitted.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention include an amplifier such as a differential amplifier having an improved common mode voltage range (CMVR). The amplifier includes a translator coupled to a second stage amplifying circuitry wherein the translator uses feedback and a parallel connection of input devices to improve the common mode voltage range of the amplifier while providing for enablement of the circuit functionality. The translator uses parallel connections of N-channel and P-channel devices such as transistors to extract alternating current (ac) signals riding on a common mode voltage and to translate the extracted ac signals to ride on a constant reference voltage (V.sub.ref). The translated signals are then amplified in a conventional manner, such as by a gate thresholding or a self-biasing technique. An input sensing circuit within the translator provides an offset detection signal to a correction circuit, also within the translator.

Abstract: A verifying non-user outcall unit within a voice messaging system attempts to deliver a subscriber's message to a non-subscriber. During the delivery attempt, the verifying non-user outcall unit directs the recording of a signal returned after dialing a recipient's telephone number. The verifying non-user outcall unit analyzes the signal returned, and determines whether the delivery attempt is successful. If the delivery attempt is unsuccessful, the verifying non-user outcall unit stores the recorded signal and a nondelivery notification in the originating subscriber's mailbox. If the delivery attempt is successful, the verifying non-user outcall unit stores a voice signal recorded after the recipient telephone is answered and a delivery notification in the originating subscriber's mailbox.