Abstract: An approach is provided for supporting multi-media conferencing. Textual information (e.g., text associated with a presentation) is received for display during a conference session to multiple participants. For a particular participant, configuration information corresponding to the participant specifies language assistance for the textual information. Language assistance involves augmenting the textual information according to the configuration information for comprehension of the textual information by the particular participant. In one embodiment, the augmented textual information includes language translation of the textual information. Additionally, the augmented textual information can encompass definitions of terms, including acronyms. The augmented textual information is forwarded for display to the participant during the conference session.

Abstract: To prevent fraud perpetrators from using a public pay telephone to illicitly collect account numbers, authorization codes or personal identification numbers from an unsuspecting user of the telephone, the instant invention disables the keypad of the telephone if an incoming call is being received at the time that the handset is lifted from the phone by the user. In one method, the ringing signal and the off-hook condition are detected and a control output is provided which disengages the dialing tone generating circuits of the telephone until the handset is placed back on-hook. According to an alternative method, after the handset is lifted, a dial tone is sensed and evaluated by a dial tone discriminator to determine whether the dial tone is likely to be a valid dial tone from a legitimate service provider. If the dial tone is determined to be invalid, then the keypad of the telephone is disabled until the handset is placed back on-hook.

Abstract: An optical communication system and method of use thereof which uses dispersion compensators to intentionally create a dispersive condition at the output of subsequent inline optical amplifiers. The present invention reduces four-wave mixing and increases the allowable spacing between optical amplifiers, thus reducing the required number of amplifiers and dispersion compensators for a given length of optical fiber. In one embodiment, dispersion compensators and optical amplifiers are alternately spaced from one another along a length of an optical fiber such that the dispersion compensators render a dispersive condition at the amplifiers allowing each amplifier to be run at a higher power level. In another embodiment, the dispersion compensator is collocated with the amplifier, but is positioned between a pre-amp stage and a high power output stage to overcompensate both the slope and absolute dispersion of the fiber up to that point.

Abstract: A method and apparatus performing fault management in an optical communications system including a polarization mode dispersion (PMD) compensator. The method and apparatus utilizes a controller receiving notifications indicative of PMD in the system, as well as at least one indicator from a system device providing an indication of an attribute of the communication system. Such system devices include a receiver providing a Q factor and a bit error rate (BER) of an optical signal, and a signal-to-noise ratio meter providing an SNR of the optical signal. The method intelligently provides fault management by correlating the PMD notifications and system indicators to distinguish between fiber failure, PMD-related degradations, and failure of monitoring equipment itself.

Abstract: An optical communications link including a low-level subcarrier to identify the optical carriers that are contributing to an unwanted mixing product. The subcarrier is added to each of the optical carriers, and then the presence or absence of the subcarrier is detected in the mixing product to identify which optical carriers are contributing towards the generation of the mixing product. The subcarrier will appear in the mixing product if its associated optical carrier is participating in the mixing product. The identified optical carriers that contribute to the mixing product can then diminished in amplitude or shifted in wavelength to reduce the impact of the undesirable signals. Several embodiments are described.

Abstract: A method and apparatus performing fault management in an optical communications system including a polarization mode dispersion (PMD) compensator. The method and apparatus utilizes a controller receiving notifications indicative of PMD in the system, as well as at least one indicator from a system device providing an indication of an attribute of the communication system. Such system devices include a receiver providing a Q factor and a bit error rate (BER) of an optical signal, and a signal-to-noise ratio meter providing an SNR of the optical signal. The method intelligently provides fault management by correlating the PMD notifications and system indicators to distinguish between fiber failure, PMD-related degradations, and failure of monitoring equipment itself.

Abstract: An optical communications link including a low-level subcarrier to identify the optical carriers that are contributing to an unwanted mixing product. The subcarrier is added to each of the optical carriers, and then the presence or absence of the subcarrier is detected in the mixing product to identify which optical carriers are contributing towards the generation of the mixing product. The subcarrier will appear in the mixing product if its associated optical carrier is participating in the mixing product. The identified optical carriers that contribute to the mixing product can then diminished in amplitude or shifted in wavelength to reduce the impact of the undesirable signals. Several embodiments are described.

Abstract: A method and apparatus performing fault management in an optical communications system including a polarization mode dispersion (PMD) compensator. The method and apparatus utilizes a controller receiving notifications indicative of PMD in the system, as well as at least one indicator from a system device providing an indication of an attribute of the communication system. Such system devices include a receiver providing a Q factor and a bit error rate (BER) of an optical signal, and a signal-to-noise ratio meter providing an SNR of the optical signal. The method intelligently provides fault management by correlating the PMD notifications and system indicators to distinguish between fiber failure, PMD-related degradations, and failure of monitoring equipment itself.

Abstract: A system, method and apparatus are described that allow for the updating and transmittal of a low data rate signal providing ancillary network data as a rider on a high data rate optical signal. This subcarrier modulated signal can be processed and updated by using a drop/insert facility without having to alter the high data rate signal component of the data signal. Since the subcarrier signal can be detected by inexpensive equipment without having to detect and demultiplex the high data rate signal, the approach described offers a cost effective solution to the problem of network monitoring. Ancillary network management information can be communicated regardless of the quality or loss of the high data rate signal. In addition, by updating the subcarrier signal rider in a cumulative manner, a complete history of the fiber link the modulated optical signal travels on is provided to network management.

Abstract: An efficient and inexpensive system and method for reducing crosstalk between adjacent channels in a high density WDM transmission. The technique provided herein cancels out the effects of crosstalk by processing signals in the electrical domain after the optical WDM transmission has been demultiplexed. Specifically, a WDM transmission is received and demultiplexed into its constituent channels via a plurality of optical filters. Each channel is then transduced into an electrical signal using a photodetector or the like. Each electrical signal is then inverted, attenuated and added to one or two adjacent channels to cancel crosstalk therein.

Abstract: A method and system for efficiently creating connections between a new graphic object and at least one of a plurality of existing graphic objects displayed within a graphic editor. In response to a placement of a new graphic object in a location within the graphic editor, each existing graphic object within the plurality of graphic objects located within a predetermined distance from the new graphic object is identified. A connection is automatically created between the new object and each identified existing graphic object. A position for each identified existing graphic object is determined, wherein the position for each identified existing graphic object is determined with respect to the location of the new graphic object.

Abstract: A method and system for creating a compressed data representation of a human speech utterance which may be utilized to accurately regenerate the human speech utterance. First, the location and occurrence of each period of silence, voiced sound and unvoiced sound within the speech utterance is detected. Next, a single representative data frame which may be repetitively utilized to approximate each voiced sound is iteratively determined, along with the duration of each voiced sound. The spectral content of each unvoiced sound, along with variations in the amplitude thereof is also determined. A compressed data presentation is then created which includes encoded representations of a duration of each period of silence, a duration and single representative data frame for each voiced sound and a spectral content and amplitude variations for each unvoiced sound. The compressed data representation may then be utilized to regenerate the speech utterance without substantial loss in intelligibility.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for building a help function in the form of a tutorial that physically demonstrates to an end user the function that the end user wants to understand. The invention includes a script language that includes tags or commands that the information developer can use in demonstrating the application program and providing tutorial information to the user. The system includes an interpreter that interprets the script language.

Abstract: Disclosed is a computer audio interface having stereo and filtered sound effects to enable blind users to operate a graphical user interface. Stereo balance and incremental filtering are used along separate axes to guide a blind or visually impaired user within an area of a graphical user interface, particularly the client area of a window. As the pointer approaches the left boundary of the client area, the sounds representing the client area come more and more exclusively from the left audio channel. Likewise, when approaching the right boundary, the sound shifts to the right channel. Additionally, as the pointer is moved toward the top of the window client area, the pitch of the sound increases in stepwise fashion.

Abstract: Disclosed is a computer audio interface adapted to enable blind or visually impaired users to locate icons positioned in rows in the background of a graphical user interface. Whenever the pointer of the interface is positioned on the background, the system produces a distinctive tone. Whenever the pointer is positioned in an icon row that is occupied by one or more icons, the system produces a distinctive chord. Whenever the pointer is positioned in the background and not in an occupied row, the system produces stereo effects that give the user information as to the relative left/right position of the pointer. Whenever the pointer is positioned in an occupied row, the amplitude of the left and right stereo channels is controlled such that whenever the pointer is to the left of the leftmost icon, substantially all of the volume is produced by the left speaker and whenever the pointer is to the right of the rightmost icon, substantially all of the the volume is produced by the right speaker.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system and method that enables blind or visually impaired computer users to handle message boxes in a graphical user interface. When a message box first appears, the textual content of the box is announced audibly and an audible homing signal is produced. In the preferred embodiment, the homing signal is a tone whose pitch increases as the distance between the pointer and the message box decreases.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for linear vocal control of cursor position within a computer display system. A microphone is utilized in conjunction with a computer system to detect vocal utterances and each vocal utterance is then coupled to an analysis circuit to detect voiced and unvoiced vocal utterances. Variations in the pitch of each voiced vocal utterance and the virtual frequency of each unvoiced vocal utterance are then utilized to linearly vary the position of a cursor in the computer display system in two axes independently. In a depicted embodiment of the present invention the analysis circuit includes a short delay to ensure that a valid control signal has occurred. Thereafter, increases or decreases in pitch or virtual frequency from an initial value are utilized to initiate movement by the cursor in a positive or negative direction in the two axes. Cursor motion will persist until pitch or virtual frequency return to an initial value or until the utterance ceases.

Abstract: A process is illustrated to provide plated through holes for connecting between opposite sides of a circuit board such as an insulating ceramic substrate while maintaining a smooth surface on the circuit side to facilitate the process of defining the circuit pattern. The plated-through hole process is designed to uniformly cap or plug all of the plated-through holes to prevent solder from the backside from flowing through the holes to the circuit side and damaging (short-circuitry adjacent paths) the finished product.

Abstract: Circuitry for measuring the time between commencement of a flame-off arc and either the contact of the ball with the capillary tip during the flame-off process or the arc flame-off time as determined by a timer. Such information as to the length of time to contact is usable in troubleshooting quality control problems in the wire bonding process. By comparing the information presently obtained with past time checks, an alarm can be provided for significant deviations.

Abstract: It has been ascertained that there is a momentary drop in the flame-off arc voltage used to produce a ball in a ball bonder when the ball contacts the tool tip. A part of the present invention comprises a circuit for detecting this voltage drop and terminating the arc voltage immediately after such contact is made.