Abstract: A location registering apparatus provides for redirecting of telephone calls intended for a mobile station to, for example, a land-line subscriber telephone number through the use of a station registering device and a suitably configured cellular recharger for charging a battery located in the mobile station. In operation, when a user places the mobile station in the cellular recharger, a signal from the cellular recharger and reflective of this action is provided to the station registering device. Upon receiving this signal, the station registering device initiates a call to a location register in the telephone network and reconfigures information for the mobile station in this network so that all calls intended for this mobile station are rerouted to the previously provided subscriber telephone number, for example, the station user's home or office number.

Abstract: Parallel connection control ("PCC") processes and switching networks are described. Various aspects of these PCC processes and networks relate to the provision of an alternative switching connection setup to achieve bandwidth savings or lower cost networks with acceptable setup delay. The new approach provides an alternative to existing switch-by-switch sequential connection setup approaches. In the new approach, segments of the connection are set up by executing operations in parallel. The algorithm and network are also extended to address complex control connection tasks, such as the complex bearer control tasks of third-party connection control, unidirectional multicast connection setup, and multiparty-to-multiparty connection control.

Abstract: A boost converter having multiple L-C branches and a method of operating the same. The boost converter includes first, second and third phase inputs and an output. In one embodiment, the boost converter includes first and second switches coupled between corresponding rails of the output. The boost converter also includes first, second and third capacitors that form first, second and third L-C series branches, respectively, with a first inductor. The first, second and third L-C series branches are coupled between the first, second and third phase inputs, respectively, and a node between the first and second switches. The first and second switches cooperate progressively to employ a voltage across the rails less a voltage across the first, second and third capacitors to discharge currents through the first inductor and thereby reduce input current total harmonic distortion (THD) on all three of the phase inputs.

Abstract: A graphic program configuration system is described that allows a user to create complete computer programs. In particular, the present invention improves on the prior art by providing a system and process that permits a subprogram to have an arbitrary number of outlets that may be defined at program configuration time by stimulating the subprogram to create new outlets that facilitate connecting the subprogram to other subprograms. In particular embodiments of the invention the names for the new outlets may either a) be obtained by virtue of the attempted connection of a subprogram to other subprograms or b) be provided direct entry of the outlet name by a user of the program configuration system, e.g., by typing the outlet names on the keyboard. Additionally, in accordance with an aspect of the invention, outlets can be augmented to have one or more constraining parameters that can be used to ensure that only appropriate relationships are established by connections.

Abstract: An integrated circuit having a memory which includes an array of data storage cells is provided with a redundant array and a signal-directing circuit. A row or column signal for a defective cell, if present, as well as each successively higher row or column signal, is directed to sequentially higher address locations in the array to thereby avoid the defective cell address location. The last row or column signal is directed to the address location of the redundant array. A fuse is preferably associated with each row or column signal which may be selectively melted to direct the row or column signals. The array can be logically divided into subarrays each having an associated redundant array so that defects in each subarray can be accommodated.

Abstract: A method for fabricating an article, comprising the steps of grasping an outer surface of a first substrate with a first holder, whereby the outer surface of the first substrate is held to an inner surface of the first holder; grasping an outer surface of a second substrate with a second holder, whereby the outer surface of the second substrate is held to an inner surface of the second holder; arranging the inner surfaces of the first and second holders to face one another in a selected angular relationship; disposing an adherent on one or more surfaces selected from an inner surface of the first substrate and an inner surface of the second substrate; moving the first and second holders toward each other such that the inner surfaces of the first and second substrates contact the adherent; and at least partially curing the adherent while the inner surfaces of the first and second holders are in the selected angular relationship to form a multilayer article, wherein after removal of the first and second holders

Abstract: An optical fiber amplifier is pumped by a pair of pump lasers which have at least partially overlapping resonators. In one embodiment, the fiber gain section of the amplifier is located external to the resonators. In another embodiment, the coupler, which couples the pump lasers to the gain section, is located at least partially within said resonators. In a preferred embodiment the resonators are provided with polarization selection properties, and the outputs of the pump lasers are coherent.

Abstract: A facility is provided for maintaining automatically the integrity of data associated with respective data applications. The facility achieves this result by providing a plurality of data modules for interfacing respective ones of the applications with their associated data bases such that, in response to receipt of a data request from one of the applications, the respective interfacing module unloads the requested data from the associated data base. The interfacing module then communicates with other ones of the modules to determine if the requested data is consistent with related data stored in their associated data bases. If the requested data is found to be so consistent, then the data is supplied to the requesting application. If not, then the interfacing module corrects the inconsistency in accord with predefined data rules, and then supplies the corrected data to the requesting data application.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing spectral control of intermodulation products in communications systems to reduce the distorting and interfering effects of system nonlinearities. The method provides a technique which controls the phases of video carriers in order to minimize second and third order intermodulation distortion products both in-band and out-of-band.

Abstract: A high density optical fiber coupling strip has two buildout members, each of which has a mating surface. Each mating surface has formed thereon a footprint that is identical for each member, so that the mating surface, when abutted together mesh with each other in proper alignment, thereby aligning the members, and can then be joined by welding or similar means. Regardless of the connector type to be received by each member, the footprints insures that the members will be properly mated, thus making possible hybrid coupling strips as well as unitary strips.

Abstract: The effect of polarization mode dispersion that an optical signal experiences as it propagates through an optical transmission fiber is compensated for at a receiver using a birefringent compensator, in which the compensator automatically and adaptively generates a level of differential time delay that substantially equals the differential time delay that the optical signal experiences, but of different sign, and, therefore, essentially cancels out the undesired delay.

Abstract: In a process of signature verification, an off-line test signature is compared to one or more on-line reference signatures. Dynamic data obtained from the reference signature or signatures may be used to improve the thinning of the test signature. Such data may also be used for segmenting the test signature and sequencing the resulting strokes. In some embodiments, the invention includes evaluating a dynamic error, based at least in part on such sequencing of the test signature. In some further embodiments, the invention includes producing a rendering of at least one on-line reference signature as a two-dimensional image, and evaluating a static error based, at least in part, on shape-matching between the rendered image and the test signature.

Abstract: A computer system and method provide a CAD tool by which application specific optical integrated circuits may be easily and quickly designed. The computer system has a graphical user interface which provides the designer with an empty canvas upon which the user may place selected icons of any one of a plurality of optical devices. The designer can select from any one of a number of interconnects to place an icon of the selected interconnect between two of the optical devices. The characteristics of each optical device or interconnect may be varied from default settings to a desired group of settings. To verify the operation of a designed circuit, the user simply clicks each icon along an optical path and the computer system provides a spectral analysis of optical power versus wavelength for the defied optical path. The user can also design optical chips by selecting and placing end ports into an optical circuit and can then clump or group the entire optical circuit into a single icon representing the chip.

Abstract: A fixture for use in the bonding of a plurality of chips each to a respective one of a plurality of substrates includes a lower vacuum chuck and a frame member supported on the chuck for reciprocatory motion toward and away from the chuck surface. The chuck surface is arranged to hold substrates with predeposited solder in pockets at predetermined locations thereon. The frame member has openings aligned with those pockets and weights which extend through the openings. After substrates are placed on the chuck surface, the substrates are heated so that the predeposited solder reaches eutectic status, and then chips are placed on the substrates. The frame member is then mounted on the chuck and gradually lowered until the weights press against respective chips, thereby holding the chips in position on the substrates. The entire assembly is then transported to a solder reflow bonding station.

Abstract: A method for transmission of a digital information packet. A synch word of a packet header of the packet is transmitted from a transmitter to a receiver over a distorting channel. During transmission of the synch word, transmission is interrupted by at least one bit time of quiescence of the transmitter. The synch word is received at the receiver. Based on a channel distortion characteristic determined for the received synch word, a preferred sampling point is determined for succeeding bits of the packet.

Abstract: Fiber bow makes mass fusion splicing of optical fiber difficult and this is undesirable. We have found that fiber bow can be significantly reduced if the fiber that is being drawn from a heated optical fiber preform is caused to run through a tubular cooling chamber that extends from the draw furnace, the cooling chamber comprising a tube of inner diameter d.sub.1 <35 mm, preferably <20 mm. In a preferred embodiment the cooling chamber includes an upper cooling chamber of inner diameter d.sub.2 >d.sub.1, with a transition element providing a smooth transition between the two chambers. The cooling chamber desirably is free of turbulence-causing air leaks and/or geometrical features.

Abstract: A method for automatically confirming verbal commands issued by a user and received by an automatic speech recognition system. Each verbal command is associated with a command operator set in which one or more command operators are stored. After the user vocalizes a recognized verbal command, the automatic speech recognition system awaits vocalization of a valid command operator from an associated stored command operator set for a pre-determined period of time. During this waiting period a non-intrusive indicator such as a light or a low volume tone notifies the user that the automatic speech recognition system is awaiting or ready to receive an appropriate command operator. If the user vocalizes a valid and recognized command operator during the waiting period, then the automatic speech recognition system executes the verbal command using the command operator and issues a confirmation to the user that the verbal command has been executed.

Abstract: A method for accurately and objectively evaluating stress migration effects on long term reliability of integrated circuits. A sample containing a conductive runner is fabricated according to a given fabrication process. The fabricated sample undergoes a heating step at a first temperature for a first time period to induce material interactions at an accelerated rate, followed by cooling the sample to a second temperature and maintaining the second temperature for a time of sufficient duration such that relaxation occurs. Then the sample undergoes a heating process at a third temperature for a time sufficient to nucleate a predetermined number of voids, followed by heating the sample runner at a fourth temperature, less than than the third temperature, to propagate the voids such that a maximum void size is determined. Void distribution is preferably monitored by optical and scanning electron microscopy.

Abstract: A messaging system (100) automatically correctly resizes users' mailboxes (160-161) based on information gathered through periodic activity audits (206). The gathered information includes frequency of login to the messaging system and time of last login for each login ID and the fill level and fill-level frequency for each mailbox. Periodicity of audits, time-to-login-ID-expiration period, upper and lower fill-level thresholds, time-to-storage-allotment-change period, and allotment-change size and mailbox size limits are administratively set (202-204). If audit reports indicate that a login ID has not been used for the time-to-login-ID-expiration period, the user is warned and if the user does not respond, the login is expired (208-224).

Abstract: This invention relates to arrangements for leaving messages from a held telephone. A recording device or system attached to the held telephone station, to a PBX or to a central office switch records the message in response to a request from the held party. Advantageously, this permits a party who has been put on hold by another party a third alternative between the presently allowed alternatives of hanging on or hanging up; a message may be all that is needed and the held party can be saved from frustration.