Abstract: A method of managing access to a healthcare information system of a healthcare establishment communications network. The method comprises receiving data regarding a wirelessly detectable tag associated with a clinician; determining whether the clinician is positioned relative to a terminal of the healthcare establishment communications network such that a proximity condition is satisfied based at least in part on the data regarding the wirelessly detectable tag; responsive to the proximity condition being satisfied, providing an opportunity for authentication of the clinician; and responsive to successful authentication of the clinician, establishing a session for the clinician between the terminal and the healthcare information system. The ability to detect proximity of clinician facilitates the process by which the clinician may access the healthcare information system, while the requirement for authentication of the clinician minimizes the risk of data being made available to an unauthorized party.

Abstract: According to a first broad aspect, the present invention seeks to provide a method of managing a session with an HIS. The method comprises receiving data regarding a wirelessly detectable tag associated with a first terminal; determining whether the first terminal is positioned relative to a second terminal such that a terminal proximity condition is satisfied based at least in part on the data regarding the wirelessly detectable tag, wherein one of the first terminal and the second terminal supports a session with the HIS; responsive to the terminal proximity condition being satisfied, providing an opportunity for signaling of an intent to transfer at least a portion of the session from the one of the terminals to the other of the terminals; and responsive to detection of an intent to transfer at least a portion of the session, transferring the at least a portion of the session, thereby to cause the at least a portion of the session to be supported by the other terminal.

Abstract: A charger for electrically charging a plurality of mobile terminals of a healthcare establishment communications network. The charger comprises a plurality of charging stations, each charging station receiving a respective one of the mobile terminals and electrically charging the respective terminal; an input for receiving an indication of potential retrieval of one of the terminals from the charger; and a terminal suggestion unit coupled to said input, said terminal suggestion unit being operative to physically suggest a particular one of the terminals to be retrieved from the charger in response to reception at said input of an indication of potential retrieval of one of the terminals from the charger. In this way, the convenience with which a clinician may pick a terminal from the charger is enhanced. Various additional security features may be provided to prevent information from becoming displayed on the selected terminal until successful authentication by the clinician.

Abstract: A method of requesting assistance for a medical event occurring in a hospital. The method comprises receiving data regarding a location of the medical event; receiving data regarding a type of the medical event; receiving data regarding at least one wirelessly detectable tag, each one of the at least one wirelessly detectable tag being associated with a respective one of at least one clinician; determining a location of each clinician within the hospital based at least in part on the data regarding the at least one wirelessly detectable tag; identifying at least one particular clinician as being eligible to provide assistance, based at least in part on the location of the medical event, the type of the medical event, and the respective location of each clinician; and performing an action to cause requesting of assistance for the medical event from each particular clinician.

Abstract: A method of controlling RF interference in a healthcare establishment. The method comprises receiving data regarding a wirelessly detectable tag associated to a first piece of equipment within the healthcare establishment; determining whether the first piece of equipment is positioned relative to a second piece of equipment within the healthcare establishment such that an RF interference constraint is violated, based at least in part on the data regarding the wirelessly detectable tag; and responsive to the RF interference constraint being violated, causing a variation in RF power transmitted by at least one of the first piece of equipment and the second piece of equipment. In this way, wireless communication equipment can be used in the healthcare establishment without deleterious effects on sensitive medical equipment.

Abstract: A system for detecting potentially suspicious motion of a piece of equipment in a healthcare establishment. The system comprises a first functional entity adapted to determine a set of authorized clinicians associated with the piece of equipment; a second functional entity adapted to determine, based at least in part on data regarding wirelessly detectable tags associated with the authorized clinicians and the piece of equipment, when the piece of equipment is in motion and satisfies a remoteness condition with respect to a subset of the authorized clinicians; and a third functional entity adapted to signal potentially suspicious motion of the piece of equipment in response to the piece of equipment being in motion and satisfying the remoteness condition with respect to the subset of the authorized clinicians. In this way, it may be possible to thwart an attempted theft of equipment.

Abstract: A protection arrangement for an optical switching system includes protection switching for switch planes in the optical core and for ports in the tributary cards. For a multiple layer switch core protection is also provided between layers. A first layer is for switching optical channels. The protection switches used may be 1×N, 2×N or 3×N MEMS optical switches. The 1×N MEMS provides for protection switching. The 2×N MEMS provides protection switching and testing capability. The 3×N MEMS provides for protection switching, testing and backup of the protection switching. Application of these protection switches is shown in lambda plane switch cores, multiple layer switch cores and combined switch cores.

Abstract: An apparatus for switching optical signals, comprising a first group of port cards adapted to receive input optical signals to be switched by the apparatus and a second group of port cards adapted to provide switched optical signals to an entity external to the apparatus. Each of the port cards in the first group includes a plurality of optical transmitter elements operative to produce respective optical beams from the input optical signals, as well as a transmit beam steering element array operative to orient the optical beams into respective transmit directions. Each of the port cards in the second group includes a plurality of optical receive elements operative to detect the presence of respective optical beams received from the port cards in the first group and produce respective ones of the switched optical signals therefrom. Application of beam steering at the port cards in the first group permits the apparatus to be more compact and allows for greater manufacturing tolerances.

Abstract: A method of controlling deflection of an optical beam at a beam steering element. The method comprises receiving switching instructions indicative of a target one of a plurality of potential transmit or receive elements; determining a control signal associated with the target transmit or receive element; and applying the control signal to the beam steering element, thereby to cause deflection of the optical beam. Deflection of optical beams on the basis of the determined control signal allows greater pointing accuracy. Also, a port card, comprising a plurality of optical transmitter elements operative to produce respective optical beams from the input optical signals; and an array of beam steering elements operative to controllably orient the optical beams into respective transmit directions. The port card also comprises a controller for controlling the beam steering elements of the array using, for example, the above method.

Abstract: Apparatus for redirecting a plurality of optical beams emanating from a respective plurality of optical transmitters arranged in a pattern along a first dimension and a second dimension. The apparatus comprises a plurality of refractive regions. Each refractive region intercepts the optical beams emanating from an associated group of optical transmitters occupying a common position in the first dimension. In addition, each particular refractive region imparts to the intercepted optical beams an angular deflection in the first dimension, the angular deflection in the first dimension being a function of the common position in the first dimension occupied by the optical transmitters from which emanate the optical beams intercepted by the particular refractive region. Use of the refractive regions reduces the amount of available deflection area left unused when a parallel set of port cards is employed for switching optical signals.

Abstract: An apparatus for switching optical signals, comprising a first group of port cards adapted to receive input optical signals to be switched by the apparatus and a second group of port cards adapted to provide switched optical signals to an entity external to the apparatus. Each of the port cards in the first group includes a plurality of optical transmitter elements operative to produce respective optical beams from the input optical signals, as well as a transmit beam steering element array operative to orient the optical beams into respective transmit directions. Each of the port cards in the second group includes a plurality of optical receive elements operative to detect the presence of respective optical beams received from the port cards in the first group and produce respective ones of the switched optical signals therefrom. Application of beam steering at the port cards in the first group permits the apparatus to be more compact and allows for greater manufacturing tolerances.

Abstract: An overlay for a wall jack adapted to receive a telephony plug of a specific type. The overlay comprises a housing, as well as a telephony plug and a telephony socket on opposite faces of the housing. The telephony socket is adapted to receive a telephony plug of the specific type, and is equipped with a first physical lock mechanism for keeping the telephony plug of the specific type connected to the telephony socket. Also provided is a high-speed connector integrated to the housing, for connection to a mating connector leading to a digital apparatus, the high-speed connector being equipped with a second physical lock mechanism for keeping the mating connector connected to the high-speed connector. The second lock mechanism is designed to be more resistant to tension-induced disconnect than the first lock mechanism.

Abstract: A fast optical switch is needed to realize an economical and scaleable optical-core network. In the disclosed optical switch, switching is effected by rapid wavelength conversion. Either channel switching, Time Division Multiplex (TDM) switching or both may be provided by the fast optical switch. The operation of the fast optical switch is enabled by a fast scheduler. The throughput of the optical switch may be increased through a process of bimodal pipelined connection-packing. An in-band exchange of control signals with external nodes may serve to minimize the control overhead. Such control signals may include time-locking signals and connection-requests. A modular structure may be configured to comprise several fast optical switches to yield a high-speed, high-capacity, fully-connected optical switch.

Abstract: A fast optical switch is needed to realize an economical and scaleable optical-core network. In the disclosed optical switch, switching is effected by rapid wavelength conversion. Either channel switching, Time Division Multiplex (TDM) switching or both may be provided by the fast optical switch. The operation of the fast optical switch is enabled by a fast scheduler. The throughput of the optical switch may be increased through a process of bimodal pipelined connection-packing. An in-band exchange of control signals with external nodes may serve to minimize the control overhead. Such control signals may include time-locking signals and connection-requests. A modular structure may be configured to comprise several fast optical switches to yield a high-speed, high-capacity, fully-connected optical switch.

Abstract: A data processing apparatus comprises a memory store; a data bus connected to the memory store, the data bus being adapted for transporting data to and from the memory store; a processing entity operative to release read and write commands towards the memory store, the write command being accompanied by first data intended to be written to the memory store; and an encryption module communicatively coupled to the processing entity and to the data bus. Upon the processing entity releasing a write command accompanied by said first data, the encryption module encrypts, in accordance with an encryption key, said first data and send an encrypted version of said first data onto the data bus for writing into the memory store. The reverse operation is performed upon the processing entity releasing a read command.

Abstract: Service delivery architecture for delivering communications services within a hospital, comprising healthcare and non-healthcare data processing resources, a router and an access infrastructure leading from the router to a plurality of delivery points. The data routing entity controls access by the users at the plurality of delivery points to the healthcare and non-healthcare data processing resources. Healthcare and non-healthcare communications services are delivered over the same access infrastructure. For added security, the host comprises a plurality of authentication entities for authenticating users belonging to respective user classes. An access controller receives an authentication request message comprising user credentials and a user class regarding a user at an end user device. The access controller determines, based on the user class, a destination authentication entity and, releases the credentials towards the destination authentication entity.

Abstract: A system comprising a switching entity disposed between healthcare data processing resources and non-healthcare data processing resources. The switching entity is capable of operation in a first state in which an end user device is communicatively coupled to the healthcare data processing resources to support a healthcare session and a second state in which the end user device is communicatively coupled to the non-healthcare data processing resources to support a non-healthcare session. If the authentication request message is received while the switching entity is operating in the second state and a particular non-healthcare session is in progress, and the selected authentication entity is the healthcare authentication entity, initiating a memory purge at the end user device. Attacks on the healthcare data processing resources, both from the non-healthcare resources directly and via the end user device, are thus prevented.

Abstract: A communications system, in which a plurality of remote modems communicate over a twisted-pair telephony infrastructure, each remote modem being communicatively coupled to a corresponding subset of user devices. The system also comprises a healthcare information system (HIS) server capable of supporting healthcare information sessions established with individual user devices from the overall set of user devices, the HIS server being connectable to a core hospital network. Finally, the system comprises a head-end unit connected between the HIS server and the telephony infrastructure. The head-end unit comprises a bank of centralized modems operative to exchange out-of-telephony-band signals with respective ones of the remote modems over the telephony infrastructure to permit establishment of healthcare information sessions between the overall set of user devices and the HIS server.

Abstract: A combustor/transition piece for a gas turbine including a double walled structure having a plurality of cooling channels, both axially and, in some cases, circumferential cross-flow passages positioned between the structure's inner member and the outer member to provide cooling air thereto, are formed in the area between the inner member of the combustor and the outer member thereof. The passages preferably extend both axially and circumferentially with respect to the direction of flow through the combustor/transition piece. The axial passages extend completely from one end to the other and the circumferential passages extend around the circumference of the combustor/transition piece. The addition of a circumferential cross-flow passage connecting axial flow coolant passages in double wall turbine components can prevent combustor/transition piece part failure due to axial passage inlet blockage without affecting normal, unblocked cooling.