Abstract: Apparatus for arbitrating the selection of an interrupt for servicing from a plurality of interrupts in which a priority level for each of the plurality of interrupts is programmed in a first register and each of the interrupts which is to be evaluated for selection for servicing is set as pending in a second register. Only a pending interrupt having a priority level above a pre-set current interrupt priority level is selected for servicing and where multiple pending interrupts of the same priority level occur, the one with the highest order bit position in the second register is used.

Abstract: A system and method for two-way wireless messaging is disclosed. A plurality of messages are stored within a user agent of the two-way messaging network. The messages correspond to those selected by a subscriber of a two-way messaging service. The messages are encoded and include control information. An originating message transfer code is transmitted from the two-way messaging device of the subscriber to the two-way messaging network. The originating message transfer code includes, among other things a message number and a modifier that specifies customizations that are to be applied to a message. The originating message code is then expanded within the user agent, and the expanded message is forwarded to desired destinations based on the content of the originating message transfer code.

Abstract: A method and system are disclosed for determining load on a microcell in a telecommunications network. The network comprises a base station, at least one microcell controlled by the base station, at least one terminal served by the microcell, and feedback between the base station and the terminal. The feedback enables the terminal to provide an up-link signal indicative of a particular down-link signal from the microcell. The method embodiment of the invention involves transmitting a particular down-link signal from the microcell, and receiving an up-link signal from a terminal. Next, a determination is made whether the up-link signal is indicative of the particular down-link signal. If it is, then the load on the microcell includes the terminal. The method and system are particularly useful in CATV networks having a plurality of microcells operating in a simulcast mode.

Abstract: The invention is a circuit which permits spare circuit packs to replace operational circuit packs while keeping peripheral circuitry apprised of the status of the packs. The circuit receives signals from a first conductor and returns the signals to the conductor so that a spare circuit pack can be removed without affecting the signals to the peripheral circuits. The circuit also detects the signals on a second conductor and applies the same signals when a circuit pack including the circuit is reconnected. The circuit also includes elements which prevent loading down the conductors while power from the circuit is cut off or during power up.

Abstract: The present invention is a process for protecting articles from electrostatic discharge (ESD) in which a coating is applied directly onto the article in liquid form and the resulting coating provides a surface resistivity that protects the underlying article from ESD. The composition contains a carrier material, carbon black, and a transition metal. The composition forms a coating on an article when applied as a liquid and dried thereon. The ratio of carrier solids to carbon black is about 100 parts by weight polymer to about 0.5 to about 3 parts by weight carbon black. The ratio of carrier solids to transition metal is about 100 parts by weight about 6 to about 15 parts by weight transition metal.

Abstract: A Built-In Self Test (BIST) method and apparatus for Booth multipliers, wherein a fixed-size (8-bit) binary counter is used along with accumulator-based output data compaction. The fault model adopted enables a BIST algorithm which is independent of specific gate level implementations of the multiplier cells. The generated 256 test vectors guarantee more than 99% single stuck-at fault coverage. A new accumulator-based compaction scheme is introduced to provide less aliasing and thus higher compaction quality than existing accumulator-based approaches. No design for testability modifications to the multiplier are required and method is totally applied on the periphery of the multiplier structure therefor causing no internal performance degradation. The BIST scheme of the present invention is generic and can be applied to any Booth multiplier derived by any module generator.

Abstract: The invention is an assembly and method for bonding an optical component to a base member. The component is mounted to a block which includes a centerline extending between two opposing surfaces. A pair of stop members are included on the surface of the base member, and these members serve to pin the centerline during heating and cooling of the assembly so that the position of the component is controlled.

Abstract: An enclosure for telecommunications equipment has a base and a lid pivotally connected to the base. The enclosure has an aperture defined by aperture edges through which one or more wires can be fed. A first elastically deformable insert is attached to a mounting surface on the base and a second elastically deformable insert is attached to a mounting surface on the lid, both adjacent to the aperture, such that when the lid is closed, the first and second inserts deform under contact with each other and with any wires fed through the aperture to reduce the size of gaps between the wires and the aperture edges. In one embodiment, the inserts have slots that enable non-continuous deformations to provide better sealing characteristics.

Abstract: An arrangement for inhibiting the completion on defrauding calls. Calls to certain area codes are sometimes not subject to the kinds of regulations characteristic of U.S. based area codes. The result is that callers are charged an exorbitant fee (frequently several dollars per minute) without realizing that they are incurring such charges. In accordance with applicant's invention, a data base maintains a record of suspected telephone numbers and calls to the suspected area codes are checked to see if the call is to one of the suspected numbers. If so, the caller is warned and can disconnect before the call is completed. Advantageously, possibly for the payment of the fee, callers are saved from making calls with exorbitant charges.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for speech recognition in which a single criterion or set of criteria is selected manually by the user, from plural classes of recognition criteria. The stored classes of recognition criteria include a default class optimized for an average user in normal conditions, at least one class having a probability of recognition greater than said default class, and at least one class having a probability of recognition less than said default class. Accordingly, the user may select that class of criteria which provides the best results for him or her, as measured by greater accuracy (fewer false positive detections) or fewer instances of non-rejection. An utterance is compared to one or more models of speech to determine a similarity metric for each such comparison. The model of speech which most closely matches the utterance is determined based on the one or more similarity metrics.

Abstract: An upgrade method in which Raman amplification is added to an existing transmission system to provide an increase in power budget and permit a substantial increase in transmission capacity either by time division multiplexing (TDM), wavelength division multiplexing (WDM), or a combination thereof. The power budget improvement permits higher transmission capacity by increasing either a single channel data rate and/or the number of wavelength division multiplexed data channels that can be accommodated by existing fiber links.

Abstract: A composite 3-layer gate dielectric is disclosed. The upper and lower layers have a concentration of nitrogen atoms, while the middle layer has very few nitrogen atoms. The presence of the nitrogen atoms in the top sublayers provides resistance to boron diffusion from the top conductive layer and plasma damage during polysilicon gate stack formation and the presence of nitrogen in the bottom sublayer near the silicon-dielectric interface improves wearout, endurance, resistance to current stress and electron traps.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for encoding digital information to be recorded on a magnetic medium is disclosed. The invention provides for receiving a sequence of (2.sup.m n+d) user bits, mapping the sequence of user bits to 2.sup.m dc-free codewords, and recording the 2.sup.m dc-free codewords on a magnetic medium. A modulation coder, which includes a memory containing multiple non-intersecting subconstellations of dc-free codewords, performs the mapping in a non-equiprobable manner such that a particular codeword from a larger subconstellation is more likely to be used than a particular codeword from a smaller constellation. Less desirable codewords, such as those containing relatively long strings of bits having the same value, are assigned to the smaller subconstellations, thereby lessening the likelihood of loss of timing and gain parameters in the system, as well as maximizing the transmission rate and efficient use of the set of possible dc-free sequences of a given length.

Abstract: A process for device fabrication is disclosed. In the process, an energy sensitive material is formed on a substrate. The energy sensitive resist material contains a polymer or a polymer blend in combination with an energy-sensitive material such as a photoacid generator. At least three substituents are distributed on the polymer blend. The first of these substituents is a hydroxyl (OH) group. The second of these substituents is an acid-sensitive or acid labile group which is cleaved in the presence of acid and replaced by an OH group. The third of these substituents forms hydrogen bonds with the first group. The ratio of the number of OH substituents relative to the number of substituents that hydrogen bond to the OH substituents (mole percent) is about 40:1 to at least about 1:1. The relative amounts of the first and third substituents is selected to provide a resist material with a glass transition temperature of at least about 60.degree..

Abstract: A method of testing the quality of a splice at a remote location made between said optical cable and a subsequent optical cable. The method includes the step of connecting a first optical switch to the optical fibers contained within said cable. The first optical switch is connected to the optical fibers at a central office from where the optical cable originates. The first optical switch is connected to test equipment at the central office, wherein the first optical switch is capable of selectively connecting the test equipment to each of the optical fibers. A second optical switch is connected to the optical fibers in the subsequent optical cable on the opposite side of the splice. Portable test equipment is optionally connected to the second optical switch at the remote location. A portable controller is also taken to the remote location. The portable controller is used to control the first optical switch at the central office, via a telecommunications link.

Abstract: A loss-less optical cross-connect advantageously employs a plurality of optical rare earth-doped fiber optical amplifiers as gain-switched optical connections, for example, gain-switched optical distributors and gain-switched optical selectors. Each of the optical rare earth-doped fiber optical amplifiers acts as an ON/OFF switch. Also, both the gain-switched optical distributors and selectors employed in the optical cross-connect arrangement of this invention are a natural fit into today's optically amplified optical communication systems. In one embodiment, this is realized by employing a pump select circuit in conjunction with a plurality of pumps and the plurality of corresponding rare earth-doped fiber optical amplifiers. The particular pump and corresponding optical amplifier are selected by use of a control circuit arrangement to determine which output port or ports is (are) connected to the input port.

Abstract: A wireless services data network supporting the mobility of an Internet Protocol (IP) over ATM networks is implemented such that a joint ATM-layer hand-off and MAC-layer hand-off are respectively used to handle in-session and inter-session mobility. In this way the effect of mobility is localized and transparent to higher-layer protocols. Also, different functions, including the so-called Address Resolution protocol, location of a mobile, and ATM connection, are combined to reduce front-end delay for connectionless packet transmissions in connection-oriented ATM networks.

Abstract: A system for providing low cost data connections directly to a long distance switch in order to connect a plurality of ISDN-based data connections to a data network such as the Internet. A line card of this invention connects directly to a time slot interchange unit of a digital switch and receives ISDN data and control information, extracts the control information and sets up channels through to the data network, and provides ATM segmentation reassembly and header routing information in both directions. This system also provides policing and traffic shaping control for each ISDN connection and traffic control so that a particular ISDN connection does not overload the resources of the line card. The line card of this invention also provides ATM physical layer processing SONET encapsulation, and SONET optical interfaces to a router on the Internet. In this manner, numerous ISDN connections may be made inexpensively by using fewer ISDN modems and channel banks, and lessen the load on local switching systems.

Abstract: A surface mount package for containing a board-mounted power supply, a method of manufacturing the same and a board-mounted power supply employing the package. In one embodiment, the package includes: (1) a plurality of leads having first ends and second, surface mount ends, (2) a dielectric lead frame that retains the plurality of leads in predetermined positions relative to one another such that at least some of the second, surface mount ends are co-planar, the first ends couplable to the board-mounted power supply, (3) a shell, coupled to the lead frame, that forms a portion of a periphery of the surface mount package and (4) potting material located between the lead frame and the shell.