Abstract: The present invention comprises a novel Virtual Facilities Manager architecture that optimizes home health by combining multiple prediction engines, fed by continuously monitored and processed sensor-based and environmental data (historical as well as current), with an integrated Homecare Network of homeowners and service and other providers. This enables a continuous feedback process in which abnormal conditions (symptoms of an underlying problem, including suboptimal performance, as well as systemic scores exceeding predefined thresholds) are detected and addressed by issuing contextual alerts with associated actions (related alert-action pairs) in an iterative manner over time. By maintaining a Home Health Record including Scores (e.g., reliability and energy efficiency) representing the systemic state of one or more homes, the present invention enables connected providers to offer personalized provider services to targeted subsets of existing and prospective customers.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a novel Virtual Facilities Manager architecture that optimizes home health by combining multiple prediction engines, fed by continuously monitored and processed sensor-based and environmental data (historical as well as current), with an integrated Homecare Network of homeowners and service and other providers. This enables a continuous feedback process in which abnormal conditions (symptoms of an underlying problem, including suboptimal performance) are detected and addressed by issuing contextual alerts with associated actions (related alert-action pairs) in an iterative manner over time. By maintaining a Home Health Record including Scores (e.g., reliability and energy efficiency) representing the systemic state of one or more homes, the present invention detects not only maintenance issues, but also suboptimal performance “problems,” and addresses them with the same iterative troubleshooting approach until such scores return to an acceptable level.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a novel Virtual Facilities Manager architecture that optimizes home health by combining multiple prediction engines, fed by continuously monitored and processed sensor-based and environmental data (historical as well as current), with an integrated Homecare Network of homeowners and service and other providers. This enables a continuous feedback process in which abnormal conditions (symptoms of an underlying problem, including suboptimal performance) are detected and addressed by issuing contextual alerts with associated actions (related alert-action pairs) in an iterative manner over time. By maintaining a Home Health Record including Scores (e.g., reliability and energy efficiency) representing the systemic state of one or more homes, the present invention detects not only maintenance issues, but also suboptimal performance “problems,” and addresses them with the same iterative troubleshooting approach until such scores return to an acceptable level.

Abstract: Methods and kits for performing a two-phase optical assay for one or more than one analyte without intrinsic optical contrast in a sample are disclosed. The method requires use of a functionalized microparticle immobilized with two or more than functional components and an additional set of one or more than one functional component. The assay can be performed in one single container and does not need a wash step.

Abstract: Techniques, apparatus and systems for detecting particles such as muons for imaging applications. Subtraction techniques are described to enhance the processing of the muon tomography data.

Abstract: Techniques, apparatus and systems to provide adjustable bit rate optical transmission using programmable signal modulation in optical communication systems.

Abstract: A portal monitoring system has a cosmic ray charged particle tracker with a plurality of drift cells. The drift cells, which can be for example aluminum drift tubes, can be arranged at least above and below a volume to be scanned to thereby track incoming and outgoing charged particles, such as cosmic ray muons, whilst also detecting gamma rays. The system can selectively detect devices or materials, such as iron, lead, gold and/or tungsten, occupying the volume from multiple scattering of the charged particles passing through the volume and can also detect any radioactive sources occupying the volume from gamma rays emitted therefrom. If necessary, the drift tubes can be sealed to eliminate the need for a gas handling system. The system can be employed to inspect occupied vehicles at border crossings for nuclear threat objects.

Abstract: Techniques, apparatus and systems for detecting particles such as muons for imaging applications. Subtraction techniques are described to enhance the processing of the muon tomography data.

Abstract: A portal monitoring system has a cosmic ray charged particle tracker with a plurality of drift cells. The drift cells, which can be for example aluminum drift tubes, can be arranged at least above and below a volume to be scanned to thereby track incoming and outgoing charged particles, such as cosmic ray muons, whilst also detecting gamma rays. The system can selectively detect devices or materials, such as iron, lead, gold and/or tungsten, occupying the volume from multiple scattering of the charged particles passing through the volume and can also detect any radioactive sources occupying the volume from gamma rays emitted therefrom. If necessary, the drift tubes can be sealed to eliminate the need for a gas handling system. The system can be employed to inspect occupied vehicles at border crossings for nuclear threat objects.

Abstract: An optical duobinary transmitter. The transmitter uses a half-rate precoder, half-rate non-linear modulation drive circuits and a multiplex modulator for generating duobinary modulation on an optical signal from which full-rate data can be detected without decoding. The intensity of the optical signal is modulated to be zero between data symbols.

Abstract: Associated with an optical transport system, a packet oriented supervisory network provides differentiated classes of service (CoS) for a plurality of WDM layer applications on diverse nodes such that as soon as a higher priority application or packet arrives, the lower priority application is affected in favor of the higher one. One or more optical control channels (OSC) are used as the physical medium for implementing the packet oriented supervisory network of the invention. This new functionality of the optical control channel (OSC) enables multiple services by allowing each application to use up to 100% of the OSC bandwidth, if no other application is using it.

Abstract: An iterative process is used to set the phase prechirp of a WDM optical transport system to a system's optimal level that maximizes the signal quality. A signal degradation factor takes into account linear and non-linear effects along the optical path and is used as a receive end feedback signal to control the phase prechirp level at the transmitter site. By using the FEC corrected errors rate as the feedback signal, optimization of signal quality is performed even when the system is running error free. By using an adaptive phase prechirp transmitter, signal degradation compensation can be also performed on a per wavelength basis to compensate for the residual dispersion slope and to allow optimization of individual channels independently of the net link dispersion value.

Abstract: An integrated OTDR/OSC mechanism for monitoring an optical transport system without disrupting the normal service. The invention combines two essential network components in an integrated mechanism. These components are the mandatory OSC function as part of any DWDM network, and the in-skin, in-service attributes of the OTDR engine. One pair of control wavelengtbs is sufficient to perform both OSC and OTDR functionalities. In this way, distributed control function, OTDR procedures, and fiber monitoring is achieved, while trace acquisition from anywhere in the network becomes possible. By bringing these two essential network components together, the invention allows for superior network management and reduction in maintenance costs. This is primarily due to the fact that the invention allows to use and control the OTDR engine remotely, while the combination with the OSC function allows rapid implementation of the OTDR procedures on operating channels within each fiber of a cable.

Abstract: An embodiment includes an admission control program of a router in a transmission system. A router includes a dither signal (a periodic timing signal) at a frequency causing the IP flow to organize into a periodic and deterministic pattern. The frequency is selected to maximize IP flow rate. Multiple, independent input paths may be combined into a single output path using the dither signal to regulate when the paths are alternately combined into the single output path.

Abstract: An embodiment includes an optical source, an optical receiver, and an interconnecting optical fiber. A data sequence is received and encoded or formatted as an IP packet using an encoding format capable of returning a signal representing the IP packet to a predetermined value at the beginning of each bit period of the IP packet at a physical layer of the network. The encoded IP packet is then transmitted directly over an optical layer of the network without adapting the IP packet to another encoding format or using an adaptation layer in the network (e.g., at a data link layer or higher). The optical receiver receives the IP packet and then a clock signal is extracted without the overhead and costs associated with additional adaptation or encoding of the IP packet.

Abstract: An integrated OTDR/OSC mechanism for monitoring an optical transport system without disrupting the normal service. The invention combines two essential network components in an integrated mechanism. These components are the mandatory OSC function as part of any DWDM network, and the in-skin, in-service attributes of the OTDR engine. One pair of control wavelengths is sufficient to perform both OSC and OTDR functionalities. In this way, a distributed control function, OTDR procedures, and fiber monitoring is achieved, while trace acquisition from anywhere in the network becomes possible.

Abstract: An embodiment includes a polarization beam splitter and a feedback unit, preferably having an autocorrelator, a processing unit and a polarization controller. Polarized splitter separates the lower-speed tributary signals out of the higher-speed optical signal based upon a polarization relationship (e.g., orthogonal) between the tributary signals. The feedback unit, typically an autocorrelator and a polarization adjustment device, adjusts the higher-speed signal's state of polarization based upon an autocorrelation value of one of the lower-speed tributary signals. The autocorrelation value of one of the lower-speed tributary signals is provided to the polarization adjustment device, which typically includes a processing unit and a polarization controller. The polarization adjustment device adjusts the higher-speed signal's polarization state based upon the autocorrelation extinction ratio value.

Abstract: Associated with an optical transport system, a packet oriented supervisory network provides differentiated classes of service (CoS) for a plurality of WDM layer applications on diverse nodes such that as soon as a higher priority application or packet arrives, the lower priority application is affected in favor of the higher one. One or more optical control channels (OSC) are used as the physical medium for implementing the packet oriented supervisory network of the invention. This new functionality of the optical control channel (OSC) enables multiple services by allowing each application to use up to 100% of the OSC bandwidth, if no other application is using it.

Abstract: A multiplexer demultiplexer for conversion of optical data between a serial bit stream having a bit rate in excess of that of conventional photodetection devices and multiple bit streams at a bit rate that may be serviced using conventional photodetection devices. A wavelength conversion element uses four-wave mixing to produce from a single high rate data stream multiple intermodulation products that together represent the input serial data stream in wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) form. A related device multiplexes multiple WDM data streams provided at conventional bit rates to a serial bit stream having a bit rate in excess of that of conventional photodetection devices.

Abstract: An iterative process is used to set the phase prechirp of a WDM optical transport system to a system's optimal level that maximizes the signal quality. A signal degradation factor takes into account linear and non-linear effects along the optical path and is used as a receive end feedback signal to control the phase prechirp level at the transmitter site. By using the FEC corrected errors rate as the feedback signal, optimization of signal quality is performed even when the system is running error free. By using an adaptive phase prechirp transmitter, signal degradation compensation can be also performed on a per wavelength basis to compensate for the residual dispersion slope and to allow optimization of individual channels independently of the net link dispersion value.