Abstract: There is provided an uninterruptible power supply system capable of preventing life shortening of a lithium-ion secondary battery attributable to its overcharge over the whole period of its use. At the start of use of the lithium-ion secondary battery 22, a charging voltage is set comparatively low. On the other hand, as the lithium-ion secondary battery 22 comes closer to an end of its life, its charging voltage becomes higher. A charging control means 37 variably sets the charging voltage applied to the lithium-ion secondary battery 22 so as to realize a discharge duration thereof may become slightly longer than a backup time required for the system and hence life shortening of the lithium-ion secondary battery 22 attributable to overcharge can be prevented.

Abstract: A battery charger for an electronic device receives current limited power from an external power source, such as a Universal Serial Bus power interface. The battery charger can linearly regulate a charging current to an internal battery and limit the charging current so as not to demand current in excess of what the external power source can provide. A bi-directional pass element coupled between a system power terminal and the internal battery controls the charging current and effectively isolates the internal battery from a system load during charging of the battery while providing a low impedance path from the internal battery to the system load during discharging of the battery.

Abstract: A new charger wherein a reference voltage can be set therein. The charger charges a secondary battery via a DC/DC converter that has an arrangement in which a fuel cell, a solar cell or the like having a relatively large output impedance during power supply is used as an input source (Vfc) and an input power is kept constant. The secondary battery (B) is connected to a control circuit (10), and a constant power reference voltage control circuit (20) is connected between the current control circuit and an input of the charger. When the output of the charger is drooping, the constant power reference voltage control circuit reduces the reference voltage to increase the power to be supplied, thereby providing a constant power at the voltage as defined by the output voltage stabilization control of the charger. When the input power of the charger is excessive, the constant power reference voltage control circuit increases the reference voltage to set a reference value corresponding to the power to be supplied.

Abstract: A charging apparatus includes a DC-DC converter for stepping down a charging input voltage, and a charging current controller having two input terminals and one output terminal. The input terminals receive a voltage based on a charging current drawn from a voltage stepped down by the DC-DC converter. The voltage at the output terminal serves as a control voltage for controlling the charging current drawn from the stepped-down voltage.

Abstract: Described is a system and method for authenticating a power source. The system comprises a battery including a first encryption engine storing a first key, and a battery charger including a microcontroller and a second encryption engine storing a second key. When the microcontroller detects a coupling of the battery to the charger, the microcontroller issues a challenge to the first encryption engine and the second encryption engine. The first encryption engine generates a first response as a function of the challenge, the first key and a predefined algorithm, and the second encryption engine generates a second response as a function of the challenge, the second key and the predefined algorithm. The microcontroller compares the first and second responses to authenticate the battery.

Abstract: Circuits and methods to provide an LDO output stage implemented with low-voltage devices and still allowing higher voltage levels have been achieved. The output stage has been built using two low voltage MOS devices in series. During the time the regulator is in active mode the second MOS device acts as a small resistor in series to the pass device. During power down this second device actively protects the MOS pass device and itself from high voltage stress levels. This is achieved by a robust regulating mechanism that compensates leakage currents. These leakage currents normally determine the different potentials of the output stage during power down. Although the second transistor presents a resistive obstacle during active mode the total chip area required is smaller compared to a single pass device tolerating e.g. 5 Volts.

Abstract: This invention relates to a cost effective and long-awaited apparatus and method for making a battery charging unit wherein the apparatus and method solution used induction to eliminate the requirement to constantly remove rechargeable batteries from their particular units in order to recharge them. This invention further relates to a cost-effective and long-awaited apparatus and method wherein the apparatus and method solution uses induction to eliminate the requirement to electrically or mechanically connect the charged device to a battery charging unit in order to recharge the battery.

Abstract: A reprojection/backprojection technique and apparatus for carrying out such a technique provides a hierarchical solution to speeding-up reprojection and backprojection of tomographic images. In the context of reprojection, a tomographic image is divided into a series of subimages. Each subimage is shifted to the origin, projected at a reduced number of views, and then up-sampled and shifted back (in the sinogram space). The resulting sinograms are then combined to provide a single sinogram. This process is applied one or more times recursively. In the context of backprojection, the above steps are transposed such that a sinogram is divided into a series of subsinograms. The subsinograms are then shifted and decimated by a given decimation factor. The decimated subsinograms are then backprojected onto hexagonal tiles whereupon the tiles are composited into a final image.

Abstract: The invention concerns an optical connector system for data busses, in which optical elements are integrated in the connector and in the connector socket for redirecting the light. With this connector system the light guided along the bus line is decoupled to the optical receiver of a supplemental bus participant and the light transmitted from the supplemental participant is coupled into the bus line. The connector socket is either integrated in the bus line or a bus bridge is subsequently added to the bus line.

Abstract: A virtual distributed optical crossbar local area network configuration where the central switch or network controller has been eliminated. A virtual distributed optical crossbar allows a network to be fully scalable as the number of users increases. The virtual distributed optical crossbar is fully non-blocking and is reconfigurable. In addition the virtual distributed optical crossbar has zero latency across the network, employs vertical cavity surface emitting laser technology and smart pixel technology in conjunction with a resonant cavity enhanced (RCE) waveguide grating coupler (WGC). Optical signals are transmitted through fiber optic and/or waveguide or freespace interconnects implementing the switching functions. The waveguide technology provides the enabling mechanism to achieve a zero latency, fully non-blocking, performance. Address decoding functions between processors is divided, leaving only the true distance interconnect implemented by optical means.

Abstract: Disclosed are refractive index profiles for total dispersion compensating optical waveguide fibers for use in high data rate, long length telecommunications systems. The optical waveguide fibers in accord with the invention provide substantially equal compensation of total dispersion over a range of wavelengths, thus facilitating wavelength division multiplexed systems. Also disclosed are spans of optical waveguide fiber that include a length of transmission fiber together with a length of the compensating fiber. The spans are joined end to end in series arrangement to form the optical waveguide fiber part of a telecommunication system.

Abstract: An interferometer includes at least one optical waveguide, a first passive optical waveguide segment, and a second passive optical waveguide segment. The optical waveguide includes at least one gate oxide layer deposited on a semiconductor layer of a wafer and a polysilicon layer deposited on the gate oxide layer. The first passive optical waveguide segment includes a first portion of the polysilicon layer that projects a first region of static effective mode index within the optical waveguide. The second passive optical waveguide segment includes a second portion of the polysilicon layer that projects a second region of static effective mode index within the optical waveguide. A length of the first passive optical waveguide segment equals a length of the second passive optical waveguide segment. The first and second passive optical waveguide segments are coupled to each other and together form at least in part the optical waveguide.

Abstract: A method for accurately mounting an optical element in an optical assembly including precisely positioning the optical element in a desired position with respect to a reference surface and spaced from the reference surface and employing an adhesive for fixing the optical element in the desired position including employing at least one side mounting element separate from the reference surface including at least one first surface which engages an edge of the optical element and at least one second surface which engages the reference surface.

Abstract: Thin films of transition metal compositions formed with magnesium that are metals, alloys, hydrides or mixtures of alloys, metals and/or hydrides exhibit reversible color changes on application of electric current or hydrogen. Thin films of these materials are suitable for optical switching elements, thin film displays, sun roofs, rear-view mirrors and architectural glass.

Abstract: A system and method of providing a transmission span that compensates for signal attenuation, dispersion, and nonlinearity of an optical signal communicated between two line units of a transmission link includes dividing the transmission span into a plurality of fiber segments and selecting a particular fiber for each of the segments. The fiber selection and arrangement of fibers within the span can be selected in accordance with the nonlinearity, dispersion conditions, and distributed gain conditions of the constituent fibers. In a three segment map, the first segment can provide low non linearity, the third segment can provide distributed gain, and the second segment can compensate for the dispersion of the first and third segments. The span can be used, e.g., for distributed Raman amplification. The span can alternatively include a two segment map, a four segment map, or a map with additional segments.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an in-cable monomode optical fiber comprising an optical core surrounded by optical cladding, said optical core presenting an index profile constituted by a stepped central part, surrounded by an intermediate zone of refractive index less than that of said central part, itself surrounded by an annular zone having refractive index less than that of said central part and greater than that of said intermediate zone, said fiber having, for a wavelength of 1550 nm, a chromatic dispersion slope in the range 0 to 0.1 ps/nm2·km, said fiber being characterized in that it further presents the following features for a wavelength of 1550 nm: an effective surface area greater than or equal to 60 &mgr;m2, a chromatic dispersion in the range 3 ps/(nm·km) to 14 ps/(nm·km), and a ratio between the effective surface area and the chromatic dispersion slope greater than 900 &mgr;m2·nm2·km/ps.

Abstract: A waveguide for guiding electromagnetic radiation of a given range of wavelengths includes a transparent substrate made from non-polymer material, preferably glass, into which at least one elongated channel is etched. A polymer material with a higher refractive index than that of the substrate is deposited within, and extends along, the channel, so as to define a waveguide. The regions of the substrate adjacent to the ends of the channel are preferably treated, such as by ion-exchange, to form secondary waveguide portions, optically coupled to the polymer waveguide, for input and output optical coupling with the waveguide. Also disclosed is a production method for such waveguides.

Abstract: A protective system for optical components, including a container, at least one optical component fixed inside said container, a length of optical fiber which has a plastic coating and is connected to said at least one optical component, and, an optical feedthrough for said length of fiber, placed in a feedthrough hole in a wall of said container and hermetically fixed therein, said optical feed through comprising an elongated body which has a longitudinal feedthrough hole into which said optical fiber can be placed, and, a portion of said length of fiber being stripped of said coating, wherein said portion of fiber which is stripped of the coating is soldered to one end of said elongated body by means of a metallic solder, such soldering in a surface portion around said portion of fiber being coated with a layer of a polymeric sealant. The polymeric sealant can be an epoxy resin, an acrylic resin, or a silicon resin.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for executing narrow channel spaced dense wavelength division multiplexing (“DWDM”) includes an optical multiplexor/demultiplexor with channel add/drop having a first circulator and a second circulator. A first fiber Bragg grating couples with the first circulator and the second circulator. A second fiber Bragg grating couples with the second circulator. The fiber Bragg gratings separate optical signals in an interleaved manner. The optical multiplexor/demultiplexor with channel add/drop further includes at least one optical filter in communication with the first circulator. The system can further include at least one optical filter in communication with the second circulator as well. The optical filters are spaced apart a greater distance with respect to channel spacing than the channels passing through the system. However, the unique combination of the circulators and fiber Bragg gratings allow the filters to function at the wider spacing to add/drop channel signals.

Abstract: A multi-battery charging system for reduced fuel consumption and emissions for an automotive vehicle. The system starts the vehicle with a start battery in a fuel savings manner, removing electrical torque from the alternator shaft, and allows a second (run) battery to provide all or some of the current required by the vehicle loads as a fuel savings measure. The system also utilizes an electrically heated catalytic converter (EHC) and a third (EHC or storage) battery to provide a 3 to 15 second preheat and/or a 20 second current, during vehicle start, to the EHC heater coil, e.g., of a small EHC located in series with a standard catalytic converter for emissions reduction to reduce emissions during start. The start battery is recharged after start and switched out of the system fully charged for future vehicle starts.