Abstract: A telecommunications network (12) includes a digital cross-connect system (10) that receives frame relay information carried in individual DS-0 signals over DS-0 links (14) and/or multiple DS-0 signals over FT-1 links (16). The digital cross-connect system (10) includes a cross-connect matrix (44) that consolidates DS-0 signals into DS-1 signals. The digital cross-connect system (10) further includes a frame groomer (40) that extracts frames from each DS-0 signal for consolidation into a frame groomed consolidated circuit. The frame groomed consolidated circuit is transferred to an edge switch (24) in DS-1 signals through the frame groomer (40) and the cross-connect matrix (44).

Abstract: An ATM network includes a set of interconnected switches and gateways. The ATM network is capable of providing both a conventional connection-oriented service or a connectionless service. Where a connectionless service is required, at the input interface, source and destination addresses are inserted into the header and fields in the header are set to values which indicate that a connectionless service is required and whether or not additional processing is also required. At each node between the input interface and the output interface, where a connectionless service is required, each ATM cell is routed in accordance with its source address and destination address and/or a routing table which is set up by routing protocol or network management.

Abstract: Given a transmission of digitized voice information (spi) compressed in originating communication systems (KS (S)) via a plurality of communication systems (KS) of a communication network (KN), the compressed voice information (spi′) is matched to the switching bit rate of the transit communication systems (KS (T)) in the systems and are switched compressed. By avoiding the decompression and repeated compression of compressed voice information (spi′), delay times and distortions of the voice information (spi) are reduced.

Abstract: A biotelemetry tracking and locating system uses a person's own physical or biological measurement as an identification code used by a tracked unit, e.g., a bracelet worn by a child, to track and/or locate the person from a tracking/locating unit, e.g., worn or carried by a parent. The tracking/locating unit includes a transmitter and optionally a receiver. The tracking/locating unit detects a combination of encoded biological measurements (e.g. body temperature, and/or heart rate) and combines the biological measurements into a substantially unique ID code. The tracking/locating unit may be carried, e.g., by a parent to track the continued presence within a reception range of, e.g., a child wearing the tracked unit. A directional antenna, e.g., a YAGI type antenna, in the tracking/locating unit allows the tracking/locating unit to determine which direction the tracked unit is in, e.g., with respect to the tracking/locating unit.

Abstract: An interfacing device (INT) which extracts M outgoing sets of bits (OS1, OS2, . . . , OSM) out of N incoming sets of bits (IS1, IS2, . . . , ISN), M being smaller than N, includes: a. an incoming register (IR) wherein the N incoming sets of bits (IS1, IS2, . . . , ISN) are temporarily stored; and b. a selector (SEL) comprising a multiplexer bank (MUX) with M multiplexers (MUX1, MUX2, . . . , MUXM) each having N−M+1 inputs and one output, and a control unit (CTRL) for the multiplexer bank (MUX). The distinct sets of N−M+1 incoming sets of bits that are applied to distinct multiplexers overlap and the control unit (CTRL) can control the multiplexers (MUX1, MUX2, . . . , MUXM) so that an appropriate order is respected by the outgoing sets of bits (OS1, OS2, . . . , OSM).

Abstract: A communication system (100) comprises a processor (150), a channel memory (160), a communication line (180), a transmit connect table (146), a transmit scheduler table (144), and a program memory (148). The channel memory (160) stores channels (161) with data cells (102). The processor (150) writes channel identifiers (e.g., 1 2) into schedule fields (110-V) of the transmit scheduler table (144) and points with a pointer R and a pointer V to the schedule fields (110-V). The pointers R and V identify fields in which the processor (150) looks up for a first channel identifier. The processor (150) forwards data cells (102) from the channel memory (160) to the communication line (180) for the channel (161) corresponding to the first channel identifiers. Then, the processor (150) moves the first channel identifier to an other field and writes a second channel identifier stored in the transmit connect table (146) to the field of the first channel identifier.

Abstract: A method for using narrowband performance features provided in broadband communications terminals, in broadband networks, includes switching respective connections to an interworking unit through the broadband network. Signaling information which is contained therein is transmitted to a logic narrowband switching unit and an item of narrowband control information is derived therefrom. In the interworking unit, that information is converted into an item of broadband control information and a physical broadband switching unit for switching the respective connection is thus set.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method/protocol (400, 800) and device (600; 700) for transmitting a synchronous stream of information, in a wireless, centrally controlled communication system. The method includes the steps of parsing the synchronous stream of information into a plurality of predetermined fixed sized blocks and transmitting/retransmitting each fixed size block in a predetermined window of time until one of: reception of each fixed size block is positively acknowledged and each corresponding predetermined window of time has elapsed.

Abstract: A system (10) utilizing a multifunction remote appliance sensor that remotely senses a status of an appliance (20) and that locks and unlocks the appliance. The system includes a selective call receiver (50) for receiving status information from the appliance, and a processor (56 or 21) for electronically applying a credit or debit value to a memory (72 or 21) coupled to the system, wherein a debit value is applied to the memory when the appliance is used. The system further includes a key mechanism (69) coupled to the selective call receiver for locking and unlocking the appliance.

Abstract: Distributed precomputation techniques for determining primary and/or restoration paths in an optical or electrical network. The invention provides a number of partially and fully asynchronous distributed precomputation algorithms which may be implemented, for example, by the nodes of an all-optical network, in which network links are constrained in terms of optical signal wavelength and failure isolation. A given distributed precomputation algorithm may include a first phase in which paths are allocated for capacity demands to the extent possible without resolving contentions, and a second phase in which contentions between demands for the same capacity are resolved.

Abstract: In an access control system (8)--which comprises a transponder communication device (9) and at least two transmission coils (11, 12) connected to the transponder communication device (9), for receiving transponder signals, of which a first transmission coil (11) is associated with a first door (2), and which comprises a first activation device (18 associated with the first transmission coil (11) and the first door (12), and which comprises a first door opener (23) for the first door (2) and a logic device (45) for activating the first door opener (23)--the two transmission coils (11, 12) have arbitrarily large receiving ranges and the first transmission coil (11) and at least one further transmission coil (12) are followed by amplitude detector (34, 36) by which the amplitudes of the transponder signals supplied by the two transmission coils (11, 12) can be detected and the logic device is arranged after the amplitude detector (34, 36) and adapted to detect a condition in which the amplitude of the transponde

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling a power level of a transmitted signal sent from a second station to a first station in a communication system maintains a desired power level of a signal received at the first station. The first station sends a power control command to the second station directing the second station to either increase or decrease the power level of the transmitted signal. The first station generates the power control command based on the power level of the received signal, the desired power level, and at least one pending power control command. Pending power control commands include those power control commands that are propagating between the first station and the second station.

Abstract: In a selective call radio receiver, having a tone dialer function that can transmit as a tone signal a call number of a recipient accompanied by a message, during the transmission of the tone signal by a tone dialer, a pause signal is automatically inserted between a call signal and the message to temporarily halt the transmission of the tone signal, so that the transmission of the message is ensured. When a message to be transmitted is edited first and then the call number of a recipient is selected, before the transmission of a tone signal the call number is moved to the head of the transmission data, and a pause signal is inserted between the call signal and the message to temporarily halt the transmission of the tone signal, so that the call number of the recipient can be positioned at the head of the transmission data without a complicated operation being required.

Abstract: Software inverse multiplexing within an Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) communication network is provided by a first ATM switch receiving a stream of ATM cells over a high bandwidth communication link. A Segmentation and Re-assembly (SAR) module associated with the first ATM switch thereafter reassembles the received ATM cells into corresponding user packets. Control data identifying the sequence of assembled user packets are added to each user packet and de-assembled into corresponding ATM cells. The de-assembled ATM cells are then communicated over a plurality of low bandwidth communication links to a second ATM switch. The second ATM switch receives the transmitted ATM cells over said low bandwidth communications links. A SAR module associated with the second ATM switch thereafter reassembles the received ATM cells into corresponding user packets. Utilizing the enclosed control data, received user packets are re-synchronized into their original sequence.

Abstract: A system which distributes requests among a plurality of network servers receives a request from a remote source at a first one of the network servers, and determines whether to process the request in the first network server. The request is processed in the first network server in a case that it is determined that the request should be processed in the first network server. On the other hand, the request is routed to another network server in a case that it is determined that the request should not be processed in the first network server.

Abstract: A method for synchronizing a cycle master node to a cycle slave node, including the steps of utilizing logic circuitry in the cycle slave node to determine a timer offset value, in response to the cycle slave node receiving synchronization information, transmitting the timer offset value to the cycle master node, and, utilizing logic circuitry in the cycle master node to adjust a value of a cycle master node cycle timer on the basis of the timer offset value. The synchronization information is preferably a cycle reset signal that is asserted at a prescribed rate which is a multiple of one cycle of the cycle slave node cycle timer. The cycle master node and the cycle slave node can advantageously be included in a first network or sub-network and the cycle reset signal can be supplied by a second network or sub-network which is external to the first network or sub-network.

Abstract: A communications network includes a primary node and one or more secondary nodes, each node having first and second ports. The primary node periodically polls the network in opposite directions to determine if the network is operating as a loop, or as open chains. The secondary nodes memorize at which port a message is received, and use this information to determine the port at which to output the message, or to output a response message, depending on the type of message received. First and second timers are used depending on whether a successfully received message is a command or a response. If a subsequently received message is garbled, it is stopped from further propagation and an error message sent. The timers are checked and a determination can be made whether the garbled message was a command or a response.

Abstract: A multi-point communications system is set forth herein. The communications system comprises a transmitter for transmitting OFDM/DMT symbols over a predetermined number of bins across a transmission medium. The OFDM/DMT symbols are generated using at least one timing signal. At least one of the predetermined number of bins includes a pilot tone sub-symbol having a frequency corresponding to the clock signal. The communications system also includes a receiver for receiving the OFDM/DMT symbols from the transmission medium. The receiver demodulates the received symbols using at least one timing signal. The receiver has a first pilot tone search mode of operation in which the receiver adjusts its timing signal to scan the frequency range of the predetermined number of bins looking for the pilot tone sub-symbol and identifies the bin including the pilot tone sub-symbol.

Abstract: Adaptive bandwidth allocation for Non-Reserved traffic over high speed transmission links of a digital network is operated through regulation of data packet transfers over network nodes/ports including input/output adapters connected through a switching device. A network node is assigned with a Control Point computing devise (CP) storing a Topology Data Base containing an image of the network. This Data Base is periodically and at call set up updated by Topology Data Base Update messages (TDUs) including an Explicit Rate parameter for link l indicating the current available bandwidth on link l, and a parameter NNRl indicating the number of Non-Reserved connections on link l. This information are used within each Adapter to periodically regulate the transmission bandwidth assigned to each Non-Reserved traffic connection within the network.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for Fiber Channel interconnection is provided between a plurality of private loop devices through a Fiber Channel private loop device interconnect system. In the preferred embodiments, the Fiber Channel private loop device interconnect system is a fabric or an intelligent bridging hub. In one aspect of this invention, a Fiber Channel private loop device is connected to two or more Arbitrated Loops containing, or adapted to contain, one or more private loop devices. Preferably, the interconnect system includes a routing filter to filter incoming Arbitrated Loop physical addresses (ALPAs) to determine which Fiber Channel frames must attempt to be routed through the fabric. Numerous topologies of interconnect systems may be achieved.