Abstract: The invention refers to a telecommunications system comprising a module rack that defines a core bay, a service plane and a rack interface plane where the service plane is transverse to the rack interface plane. The core bay is in part bounded by the service plane and the rack interface plane. The telecommunications system also comprises a series of electronics modules each defining an electronics orientation plane where each of the modules includes two opposed cooling surfaces oriented substantially parallel to the electronics orientation plane. Each of the electronics modules is removably secured within the core bay. The series of the electronics modules forms an array such that their electronics orientation planes are substantially perpendicular to both the rack interface plane and the service plane. The array also defines at least one coolant stream passage across each cooling surface.

Abstract: A method of identifying direct sequence CDMA pulse shapes which optimize a cost function subject to various constraints. The cost function may either be an acquisition SNR or an interference power. The method may be applied to both full-response pulse shapes and partial-response pulse shapes. The constraints include a quasi-constant envelope constraint, a continuous phase constraint, a spectral nulls constraint, and an ISI-free constraint. The Fourier transform of a desired pulse shape is expressed in terms of a finite sum of prolate spheroidal wave functions. The cost function and the constraints are also expressed in terms of this finite sum. Numerical methods software determines the optimal solution. This may be used to produce finite impulse response filters which generate the desired pulse shape.

Abstract: A satellite communication system having a spatial segment comprising at least one satellite, preferably in a geostationary orbit, carrying a multi-beam telecommunication payload and a terrestrial segment comprising access gateways to terrestrial networks each arranged to communicate with the satellite via a forward link uplink beam and a return link downlink beam and user terminals each arranged to communicate with a satellite via a forward link downlink beam and a return link uplink beam, wherein the forward link carries signals multiplexed in time and the return link carries signals multiplexed in frequency and time, the payload comprising; a forward link router for routing signals multiplexed in time from a forward link uplink beam on a frame basis to a forward downlink beam, a return link router for routing signals multiplexed in frequency and time from a return uplink beam on a frequency bank basis to a return link downlink beam, and a mesh communication router for receiving signals multiplexed in freque

Abstract: Narrowband subscriber terminals (40,52,58) of different narrowband networks are interconnected via a broadband network (48) that supports dissimilar signalling protocols to those maintained on the respective narrowband networks (40,52,58). A call server in a first narrowband network (40), in response to a call (100) from a first subscriber terminal (12) to a second subscriber terminal (68) in a second but different narrowband network (52), selects a phantom trunk (202) between the two networks. The phantom trunk has a unique circuit identity, which circuit identify is used in a first instance to relay to the second network an address of the second subscriber terminal (68). Then, in a second instance, the unique circuit identify is used to relay to the second network an address of the first subscriber terminal (68).

Abstract: The invention provides a new cost-effective and efficient framework for network management of telecommunications networks by monitoring the network-level concepts of routes and paths. The invention is embodied in a route and path management (RPM) system which includes a data collector for collecting data from the individual network elements, a management server for processing the routing data collected into manageable route and path objects and a graphical unit interface (GUI) for allowing a user to manage and monitor routes and paths in the IP network. By monitoring routes and paths, the RPM provides network managers with the added capability of troubleshooting, performance monitoring, service level planning and provisioning packet forwarding paths between any source-destination endpoints in a network.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for transferring information between first and second devices, where the first device includes a tape drive having a tape drive head. A tape head interface is removably positionable adjacent the tape drive head to communicate with the tape drive head, and a communications interface communicates signals between the tape head interface and the second device. A tape emulator in communication with the tape head interface emulates a tape in the tape drive.

Abstract: A self-configuring distributed switch is disclosed. The switch comprises a channel switch core connected by a plurality of channels to a plurality of high-capacity data switch modules. A global controller selects paths through the channel switch core and reconfigures the paths in response to dynamic changes in data traffic loads. Propagation delays between the data switch modules and the channel switch core are coordinated to keep reconfiguration guard time minimized. The advantage is a very high-capacity, load-adaptive, self-configuring switch that can be geographically distributed to serve a large geographical area.

Abstract: An intermixing data and voice device and method that includes a screen phone. The screen phone has a screen display, a microphone, a speaker, a muter, a detector, a generator, a sender and a receiver. The detector is configured and arranged to detect a CAS tone and the generator generates an acknowledgement message in response to detection of the CAS tone in the case of the screen phone of the consumer. The detector detects the acknowledgement messages and the generator generates queries for graphics and textual support in the case of the screen phone of the business. The muter mutes the microphone and the speaker in accordance with instructions from a controller. In the case of the screen phone of the consumer, muting may arise in response to detection of the CAS tone. In the case of the screen phone of the business, muting may arise in response to answering a phone call.

Abstract: A method and system for managing traffic in multi-carrier wireless communications systems is disclosed in which a paging channel of an overlay carrier frequency cell in the multi-carrier wireless communication system is eliminated. A sync channel of the overlay frequency cell is modified to direct idle mobile units served by the overlay carrier frequency cell to monitor a paging channel of an underlying carrier frequency cell. A traffic allocation algorithm is used to assign a traffic channel carrier frequency to the mobile units.

Abstract: A method and apparatus in a communications system for handling overload conditions in a cell. Mobile assisted channel allocation information is used to identify an adjacent channel for use in directing a mobile station. The communications system monitors for attempts by the mobile station to access a first cell in an overloaded state. When such an access is detected, information is obtained for cells adjacent to the first cell. A second cell is identified from the cells adjacent to the first cell using the mobile assisted channel allocation information and a message is sent to the mobile station to access the second cell.

Abstract: A line driver combining active impedance and filter in one stage for connection to a transmission line having a characteristic impedance. The line driver comprises an amplifier, a transformer with a primary to secondary winding ratio of 1:n, a reference impedance, an input impedance and two feedback impedances. The primary winding of the transformer has a first end connected to the output of the amplifier and the secondary winding is connectable to the transmission line. The reference resistor has an end connected to the second end of the first winding at a junction node and the feedback circuit is connected to the input and output of the amplifier and also to the junction node. The reference impedance has a value equal to n 2 K times the characteristic impedance of the transmission line.

Abstract: A system, method and apparatus for storing data using an optical medium. The medium is initialized and data is inserted into the medium, read from the medium and reinserted into the medium. Queues, random access storage devices and other similar structures are formed according to this technique.

Abstract: A system for hybrid electronic/photonic switching of traffic in a node of a communications network includes a plurality of interfaces; an electronic cross-connect (EXC); and a photonic cross-connect (PXC). Each interface is designed to translate a respective traffic stream between corresponding electronic and optical signals. The EXC selectively maps an electronic signal through a selected one of the interfaces, and the PXC selectively couples an optical signal between the selected interface and a selected one of at least two optical channels of the communications network.

Abstract: A technique for testing a static random access memory comprising at least the first port and a second port is disclosed. In one embodiment, the technique may be realized by testing the memory with values through the first port while applying one of a shadow write and a shadow read from the second port and testing the memory through the second port while applying one of the shadow write and the shadow read from the first port. The shadow write may be designed to write specified values into cells of the memory not being tested where the specified values are opposite to values used in testing the memory. The shadow read may be designed to read values from memory that are opposite to the values used in testing the memory.

Abstract: A telecommunications network such as an ATM, Frame Relay or packet based network will be better managed by identifying nodes through which a virtual connection is routed between two end nodes. A new method of tracing the nodes on the route includes sending trace cells downstream of a monitoring node toward one or both end nodes. Each downstream node either loops back a trace cell identifying itself to the monitoring node or forwards the trace cell further. A plurality of trace cells sent along the route identify nodes located thereon. In one embodiment, the trace cell is an extension of the ATM FMOAM cell (ATM Fault Management OAM cell) specified for loopback functions.

Abstract: A method, system and apparatus enables carrier-grade network fault monitoring in an unreliable network transport environment. An element manager of the system is adapted for formulating and sending notifications through the unreliable network transport environment, each notification having an unique transmitted notification serial number (TxNSN). A network manager is operatively connected for bi-directional communication with the element manager. The network manager includes a detection mechanism responsive to notifications received from the element manager to detect a missing notification on the basis of the respective TxNSNs of received notifications; and a polling mechanism responsive to detection of a missing notification to send a polling request to the element manager for transmission of a response containing data related to the missing notification. The advantage is simple, easily managed, carrier-grade network fault monitoring without overloading the unreliable network transport environment.

Abstract: A gateway cluster has a number of gateways for different types of communication protocols. The respective gateways convert network messages to normalized messages by querying the categories, data, and network types of the normalized data for the mobile systems from which the network messages were generated. A database system stores normalized data in categories. The normalized data include data relating to the mobile systems and network types for the data. A unified mobility manager is coupled to and in communications with the gateway cluster and the database system. The unified mobility manager receives and processes the normalized messages, performs operations based on the normalized messages and on the categories, the data, and the network types of the normalized data, and formulates normalized responses responsive to the normalized messages. The normalized responses are converted to network responses at the gateways, and the network responses are sent to the respective mobile systems.

Abstract: A communications network has a plurality of nodes interconnected by an optical transmission medium. The transmission medium is capable of a carrying a plurality of wavelengths organized into bands. A filter at each node for drops a band associated therewith and passively forwards other bands through the transmission medium. A device is provided at each node for adding a band to the transmission medium. Communication can be established directly between a pair of nodes in the network sharing a common band without the active intervention of any intervening node. This allows the network to be protocol independent. Also, the low losses incurred by the passive filters permit relatively long path lengths without optical amplification.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method and apparatus for detection of client trails which may become unsupported due to reconfiguration of node elements within a network at a server layer, and a rerouting apparatus and method for proposing a set of alternative routes to support client trails during reconfiguration of a network at a physical layer. Data describing each trail, connection, node, link and other physical resource is maintained in a managed object database on a network controller. A trail detection algorithm investigates trail termination points corresponding to proposed deleted or created trails to see if those termination points support client trails at higher layers. If supported client trails are detected at higher layers, a routing algorithm is applied to find a set of alternative routes over which the client layer trails may be rerouted during network configuration at the physical or server layer.