Abstract: An apparatus comprising a tuning device having at least one control electrode and a ground electrode located over a substrate and an electrically conductive fluid in contact with the control and ground electrodes. The tuning device also has at least one electrical transmission line electrically coupled to the fluid, the transmission line configured to transmit a signal. The fluid is configured to move when a voltage is applied between the ground electrode and the control electrode, the movement of the fluid changing a propagation characteristic of the signal.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a polymeric composition of matter. The composition includes at least one polymer matrix and plurality of quantum dots distributed therein. The polymer may be a perfluorocyclobutane polymer having high optical transmission at telecommunications wavelengths. The quantum dots may include cap compounds to increase the solubility of the quantum dots in the composition. Typical cap compounds include aromatic organic molecules. Optical devices including waveguides may be fabricated from the polymeric compositions of the invention.

Abstract: Determining how to prioritize cost reduction projects for replacing subcomponents composing an assembled product with new subcomponents is described. To this end, forecast sales data for subcomponents composing the assembled product is received. Utilizing the forecast sales data, a cost savings schedule for subcomponents of costs saved by introducing the new subcomponents is then determined. The total cost savings for each cost reduction project is then calculated. The cost reduction projects are then ordered according to their respective total cost savings to determine which cost reduction projects should be pursued.

Abstract: A method includes forming a semiconducting region including polyaromatic molecules on a surface of a substrate. The method also includes forming over the region a substantially oxygen impermeable dielectric layer. The act of forming a semiconducting region includes exposing the molecules to oxygen while exposing the molecules to visible or ultraviolet light.

Abstract: Techniques for determining a business case for selecting a least cost technology are described. To this end, forecast sales data of one or more configurations of an assembled product is received. Usage factors of a plurality of subcomponents composing the assembled product are also received. A usage factor may suitably correspond to a combination of subcomponents to meet a configuration of the assembled product for one of the plurality of technologies. Cost data for subcomponents composing the plurality of technologies is also received. A technology cost for each of the plurality of technologies according to the forecast sales data of one or more configurations of the assembled product is calculated to define the business case for selecting the least cost technology.

Abstract: Phase-sensitive amplification (PSA), which is produced by degenerate four-wave mixing (FWM) in a randomly-birefringent fiber, has the potential to improve the performance of optical communication systems. Scalar FWM, which is driven by parallel pumps, is impaired by the generation of pump-pump and pump-signal harmonics, which limit the level, and modify the phase sensitivity, of the signal gain. In contrast, vector FWM, which is driven by perpendicular pumps, is not impaired by the generation of harmonics. Vector FWM produces PSA with the classical properties of a one-mode squeezing transformation.

Abstract: A system and method for processing of audio and speech signals is disclosed, which provide compatibility over a range of communication devices operating at different sampling frequencies and/or bit rates. The analyzer of the system divides the input signal in different portions, at least one of which carries information sufficient to provide intelligible reconstruction of the input signal. The analyzer also encodes separate information about other portions of the signal in an embedded manner, so that a smooth transition can be achieved from low bit-rate to high bit-rate applications. Accordingly, communication devices operating at different sampling rates and/or bit-rates can extract corresponding information from the output bit stream of the analyzer. In the present invention embedded information generally relates to separate parameters of the input signal, or to additional resolution in the transmission of original signal parameters.

Abstract: An exemplary electronic apparatus monitors whether a security badge remains within an area proximate to the electronic apparatus in order to protect against loss or theft of the badge especially when the user is away from the secure environment for which the badge facilitates access. A transmitter periodically transmits a poll signal intended for reception by an RFID module attached to the badge, the poll signal having a predetermined magnitude to limit the effective reception range of the poll signal to the proximate area. A receiver can receive a reply signal generated by the RFID module in response to receipt of the poll signal where the reply signal includes identification information that is unique to the electronic device. The received identification information is compared with first identification information stored in memory of the electronic apparatus to determine if the received identification information matches the first identification information.

Abstract: A method of optical communication having improved security is described. The data content of an initially provided data signal is apportioned among two or more distinct optical wavelength channels. A transmitted signal spans these two or more channels. A respective portion of the data content of the transmitted signal is allocated to each of the optical wavelength channels. In certain embodiments of the invention, each such portion comprises data placed in the pertinent wavelength channel during assigned time windows.

Abstract: A process transmits digital data to an A/D converter via an analog channel. The process includes generating a sequence of output signals by precoding a sequence of input signal points to precompensate for ISI in the analog channel. In the precoding is matched to the ISI, at least one of the output signals would be distorted by the ISI to a signal representative of a signal point lying between quantization levels of the A/D converter. If the precoding is matched to the ISI, others of the output signals would be distorted by the ISI to signals representative of signal points that are quantization levels of the A/D converter. A majority of the input signal points are quantization levels of the A/D converter.

Abstract: An apparatus in one example comprises a gateway component that provides an identifier of a service provider to a sender of a message through employment of a user address associated with the recipient of the message.

Abstract: The present invention provides a test vector manager for use with a unit under test (UUT). In one embodiment, the test vector manager includes a gateway device, coupled to the UUT, configured to provide a testing pathway for the UUT to coordinate test requests and responses for a backplane multi-drop test bus. The test vector manager also includes a test memory, coupled to the gateway device, configured to retrieve version-specific test vectors, which are resident on the UUT and correspond to the test requests. The test vector manager further includes a chain configuration logic unit, coupled to the test memory, configured to return the version-specific test vectors to the backplane multi-drop test bus employing the testing pathway. Alternatively, the test vector manager is further configured to connect the backplane multi-drop test bus to local UUT test bus and scan chain interfaces for tests using the version-specific test vectors.

Abstract: In the method of rate-matching, software is used to calculate at least one rate-matching parameter for data, and dedicated hardware is used to perform at least one of a puncturing and repetition process on data based on the calculated rate-matching parameter. In rate de-matching, software is again used to calculate at least one rate de-matching parameter for received data, and dedicated hardware is used to compensate for puncturing and repetition based on the calculated rate de-matching parameter.

Abstract: A signal is predistorted by producing a set of sample values, each of at least a subset of which is dependent on (i) at least one of a plurality of past time spaced input samples and (ii) a current time spaced input sample, and independent of any other time spaced input sample, and combining the sample values to produce the predistorted signal. Predistortion circuitry for generating the predistorted signal may be implemented using multiple predistortion core circuits, with each of the predistortion core circuits receiving a data input and an index input associated with a particular input sample and generating a corresponding data output. The data outputs of the predistortion core circuits correspond generally to sample values. The predistortion circuitry may also include at least one memory finite impulse response (FIR) filter which processes one or more input samples in conjunction with the production of the sample values.

Abstract: In accordance with the invention, a field emission device is made by providing the device electrodes, forming a plurality of corrugated insulating rods with discontinuous coatings of conductive or semiconductive material with low secondary electron emission coefficient, adhering the rods to an electrode, cutting the rods to define corrugated pillars, and finishing the device. The result is low cost production of a field emission device having superior resistance to breakdown in high field operation.

Abstract: A method for connecting a call between virtual media gateways within a media gateway, the media gateway including switching facilities and at least two virtual media gateways, wherein each of the virtual media gateways has a corresponding media gateway controller, the method including the steps of receiving a call set-up request in an originating virtual media gateway from its corresponding media gateway controller, creating a shortcut token in the originating virtual media gateway to identify a shortcut in the media gateway, transporting the shortcut token and the call set-up request from the originating virtual media gateway to the terminating virtual media gateway, determining in the terminating virtual media gateway whether the shortcut can be supported, and where the shortcut can be supported by the media gateway, appending call identification information to the shortcut token, returning the shortcut token and the call set-up request to the originating virtual media gateway, and setting up the call using

Abstract: A logical star architecture imposed on an underlying non-star network, for example a Virtual Path Ring (VPR), enhances a mesh protocol with an automatic method for Virtual Path ID (VPI) generation. The VPIs are used by the mesh protocol's inherent routing function to effect automatic configuration at installation, automatic reconfiguration at node updates, and automatic reconfiguration for protection switching. The imposition of the logical star architecture on a VPR reduces node-to-node switching costs (e.g., delay, as well as memory and processing costs) since all nodes in a logical star topology are at most two logical hops away. The logical star also conserves virtual path address space relative to a fully configured ring. Additionally, the imposition of the logical star architecture allows existing star functions to be deployed on the underlying network. Finally, when the underlying architecture is a ring, the protection advantages of ring networks can be preserved.

Abstract: An add-side laser in an optical device, such as an add/drop multiplexer OADM, provides not only a source for an add-side wavelength to be added to an output of the device, but also a reference for a receive-side coherent receiver that is included in the optical device.

Abstract: A method and system for controlling power consumption within a network node is disclosed. The method and system include dynamically controlling the power consumption of network processing engines based on predetermined thresholds. By dynamically controlling the power consumption of network processing engines based on predetermined thresholds, energy consumption of the overall network processing system is minimized, thereby reducing the operational costs of the system as well as increasing the overall efficiency of network operations. The method and system comprise allowing a queue to receive a plurality of data packets and dynamically controlling the power consumption of at least one of a plurality of processing engines based on a threshold.

Abstract: One or more video server components of an apparatus that play one or more videos at one or more mobile phones while one or more phone calls associated with the one or more mobile phones are on hold.