Abstract: In one embodiment, an inertial switch of the invention includes a MEMS device manufactured using a layered wafer. The MEMS device has a movable electrode supported on a substrate layer of the wafer and a stationary electrode attached to that substrate layer. The movable electrode is adapted to move with respect to the substrate layer in response to an inertial force such that, when the inertial force per unit mass reaches or exceeds a contact threshold value, the movable electrode is brought into contact with the stationary electrode, thereby changing the state of the inertial switch from open to closed. In one embodiment, the MEMS device is a substantially planar device, designed such that, when the inertial force is parallel to the device plane, the displacement amplitude of the movable electrode from an initial position is substantially the same for all force directions. Advantageously, inertial switches of the invention can be designed to have a relatively small size, e.g.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating a pronunciation score by receiving a user phrase intended to conform to a reference phrase and processing the user phrase in accordance with at least one of an articulation-scoring engine, a duration scoring engine and an intonation-scoring engine to derive thereby the pronunciation score.

Abstract: A micro-miniature ion trap device comprises a wafer (or substrate) having a major surface, a multiplicity of electrodes forming a micro-miniature ion trap in a region adjacent the major surface when voltage is applied to the electrodes, characterized in that the multiplicity includes a first, planar annular electrode located over and rigidly affixed to the major surface, and at least one second, planar annular electrode located over and rigidly affixed to the major surface, the at least one second electrode being concentric with the first electrode. The at least one second electrode may be completely annular, in that the annulus forms a closed geometric shape, or it may be partially annular, in that the annulus has a slot or opening allowing access to the first electrode. In accordance with a preferred embodiment of our invention, the at least one second electrode is C-shaped, and the angle subtended by the C-shape is greater than 180 degrees.

Abstract: A high-sensitivity signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) determining apparatus measures the in-band SNR of an optical data signal by detecting and demodulating the optical signal and analyzing a narrow bandwidth of the resulting electrical data spectrum at half the data clock frequency, or more generally, a predetermined frequency equal to a multiple M of one-half the clock frequency, fclk/2, where M is an integer equal to or greater than one, may be used. When the optical signal is a WDM signal, a tunable filter isolates a single channel for detection. The detected electrical signal is subjected to both an in-phase and quadrature narrowband RF demodulation using a local oscillator at precisely half the clock frequency. Using this technique, the magnitude of the data portion of the optical signal becomes the in-phase component and the magnitude of the noise present in the optical signal becomes the quadrature component.

Abstract: Techniques and systems for monitoring of optical signals are described. Each of a plurality of optical signals is supplied to an optical port. A port signal is generated based on each of the optical signals and each of the port signals is subjected to a time delay to create a time delayed signal, with a different time delay being present in each of the time delayed signals. The time delayed signals are multiplexed to create a multiplexed signal comprising a plurality of multiplexed signal components, each component corresponding to one of the time delayed signals and exhibiting a time delay characterizing the corresponding time delayed signal. A desired one or ones of the multiplexed signal components are selected by analysis or display by specifying a time delay present in the time delayed signal represented by the desired component, and selecting a signal component exhibiting the specified time delay.

Abstract: A plurality of local network groups of computers (102) are coupled together by a network (104). Independent processing systems that execute a single operating system are coupled together by a network (220) to form the local network groups. The independent processing systems may have more than one CPU (202). One or more of the independent processing systems may share power, cooling and a housing, thereby forming a common fault processor group (200). An application is written to execute across multiple independent processing systems and common fault processor groups. That is, the application runs in many instances that each run on independent processing systems. The multiple instances of the application provide some measure of high availability by using N+K sparing or the like. The application is for example, call processing or radio control. A processor notification list (304) keeps track of the independent processing systems that cooperatively provide an application.

Abstract: A transceiver system for RF communications in a wireless network includes a transceiver having first and second receivers and a transmitter. The first receiver and transmitter are connected to first antenna section. The second receiver is switchable between connection to a second antenna section and connection to the first antenna section. In a dual diversity mode, the second receiver is connected to the second antenna section, and the two receivers are tuned to the same RF channel set. Thus, multi-path faded signals in the RF channel set are received at the two antenna sections. In a cross-connected mode, two of the transceivers are used together, with the second receiver in each being connected to the first antenna section. Each transceiver supports one antenna, and the receivers in each transceiver (as well as the transmitters) are respectively tuned to different RF channel sets. Thus, system capacity is doubled in conjunction with diversity reception.

Abstract: The present Inter-System Message Delivery System increases the SMS text message delivery success rate. When a mobile subscriber station roams outside of the confines of the cell in which it is presently registered, the delivery of SMS messages to mobile subscriber stations fails, since the mobile subscriber station is not present in the Serving Mobile Switching Center to receive the SMS message. This is particularly common when the mobile subscriber station is moving within the confines of a border cell or multiple cells of a Border Mobile Switching Center and is not yet registered at this Border Mobile Switching Center. The SMS message delivery process initiates a page to the mobile subscriber station via inter-system or inter-Mobile Switching Center paging.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus comprising a passive optical transmission fiber. The passive optical transmission fiber comprises a passive glass fiber core, a glass optical inner cladding surrounding the core and a glass optical outer cladding surrounding the inner cladding. The inner cladding has a lower index of refraction than the passive glass fiber core and the outer cladding has a lower index of refraction than the inner cladding. The passive optical transmission fiber also comprises a second optical segment coupled to the optical fiber. The second optical segment is configured to dissipate light in the inner cladding.

Abstract: An antenna which includes a monoconical antenna feed assembly, where the feed assembly has a base and an apex, a ground plane adjacent to the monoconical antenna feed assembly near the apex, and an antenna reflector coupled to the ground plane, where the antenna reflector at least partially surrounds the monoconical antenna feed assembly. The monoconical feed point is used to drive a reflector antenna. The broadband characteristics of the monoconical image vertical antenna (typical ground plane geometry) are used as the feed point for the reflector to give modest amount of gain while maintaining larger than previously developed bandwidths.

Abstract: Spot-size conversion for interfacing a first optical element having a higher refractive index to a second optical element having a lower refractive index is achieved through the use of two optical star couplers coupled to each other through a plurality of optical paths embedded in a planar waveguide. The beam from the high refractive index element is introduced into a high numerical aperture (NA) star coupler, which directs the beam through a plurality of optical paths to a second star coupler with a lower numerical aperture than the first star coupler so that its output spot-size is larger. The output port of the second star coupler is interfaced to the lower refractive index element. Wavelength selection can be provided by making non-zero path-length differences between adjacent optical paths between the two star couplers.

Abstract: A technique that relates to use of a known messaging sequence, e.g., ISANSWER messaging in the IS-41 protocol, in a heretofore unknown manner to improve hand-off procedures that may be established between a serving (anchor or intermediate) mobile switching center and a target (or border) mobile switching center is provided. Specifically, the ISANSWER message is selectively sent from the serving mobile switching center to the target mobile switching center during the hand-off process. The transmission of the ISANSWER message in this manner allows the target mobile switching center to terminate ring back to a caller when the mobile station answers the call after the handoff has been started, but while the mobile station is still within a cell area of the serving mobile switching center.

Abstract: A method for collecting data to identify an RF dead zone in a cell of a wireless network using a mobile station is provided. The method includes: a) receiving position data from the mobile station at a base station when the mobile station is powered up and located within the cell, b) communicating the position data from the base station to a mobile switching center, and c) storing the position data in an RF dead zone network. In another embodiment, a method for collecting data to identify an RF dead zone in a wireless network using a mobile station is provided. The wireless network provides wireless service to a plurality of cells and includes a plurality of base stations corresponding to the cells. In still another embodiment, a method for collecting data to identify an RF dead zone in a wireless network using a plurality of mobile stations is provided.

Abstract: A method for gracefully degrading packet data voice quality in a wireless network includes monitoring and evaluating data transfer conditions on the network. This may be done on a network-wide level, or for access terminals individually. For the evaluation, data transfer conditions are compared to criteria that indicate a relative quality level. Based on the evaluation, a variable number of the voice data packets addressed to the access terminals are eliminated prior to transmission over the airlink. If conditions are optimal, no data packets are eliminated. If not, one or more packets may be eliminated periodically (e.g., 1 data packet out of every five) until conditions change. The access terminals compensate for any eliminated packets. In this manner, packet data voice quality is gracefully degraded for temporarily reducing voice traffic on the network when conditions are poor, avoiding the need for dropped calls or the like.

Abstract: Short haul optical communication networks using multi longitudinal mode lasers are susceptible to significant degradation from mode partition noise. Losses from such noise in short haul networks are substantially reducible by employing an additional fiber with specific properties. This additional fiber is chosen to have a slope for its wavelength versus dispersion behavior that is the negative of that for the transmission fiber.

Abstract: A policy management system implements a programmable policy-based approach for managing network elements in a telecommunication network. The policy management system includes one or more policy proxies associated with the network elements and a central policy processing point in communication with the policy proxies. The policy proxies are configured to notify the policy processing point of events occurring in the network. The policy processing point is run-time programmable with one or more policies to process such events and to notify one or more of the policy proxies of actions to be taken in response thereto. The policy proxies implement these actions at the network elements they represent.

Abstract: In accordance with the invention, a variable optical delay line with a large continuous tuning range comprises an incremental variable delay line to provide delay selected from a sequence of incrementally differing delays and a continuous variable delay line to provide a continuously variable delay over a range encompassing a delay increment in the first variable delay line. In a preferred embodiment, the first variable delay line comprises an array of delay paths where each path is curved differently from the others to provide an incrementally different delay. The second variable delay line is a tunable delay path continuously tunable over the delay increment of the first.

Abstract: The invention comprises a system and method for correcting jitter and frame erasure in packet voice communication systems with out severely affecting the voice quality of the signal to be easily noticed by a listener. A packet is retrieved from a buffer, a pitch of the packet is determined, and the pitch of the packet is processed in a manner determinative of whether a next packet has arrived.

Abstract: A portable waveguide sensor having one or more gratings. In one embodiment, the sensor has a waveguide, wherein a plurality of grooves imprinted onto the waveguide form a Bragg grating. The surface of the grooves has a functional layer adapted to bind a substance of interest, e.g., a biological pathogen. When the pathogen binds to the functional layer, the binding shifts the spectral reflection band corresponding to the Bragg grating such that a probe light previously reflected by the grating now passes through the grating, thereby indicating the presence of the pathogen. In another embodiment, the sensor has a Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI), one arm of which has a resonator formed by two Bragg gratings. The surface of the resonator between the gratings has a functional layer whereas the Bragg gratings themselves do not have such a layer.

Abstract: A radio telecommunications receiver operates to receive digital data symbols or bits by iterative determination of soft estimates of symbols or bits followed by a hard decision as to what symbol or bit was intended. The receiver comprises a first processor operative to provide first soft estimates of symbols or bits of the received signal and a second processor operative to decode the first soft estimates and to provide second soft estimates of the symbols or bits. The receiver also comprises a combiner operative to provide third soft estimates back to the first processor for subsequent further decoding, the third soft estimates of each symbol or bit being dependent upon the respective second soft estimate and a respective previous second soft estimate.