Abstract: A method of operating a wireless telecommunications network, said network comprising a plurality of User Equipment devices, UEs, a Wireless Access Point, WAP, and a Wireless Local Area Network, WLAN, provided by means of the WAP, the method comprising the steps of: allocating, to each of the plurality of UEs, an item of information; encoding, by code-division multiplexing, the allocated items of information, thereby to output a signal string; assigning to the WLAN a network identifier, wherein said network identifier is derived from the output signal string; broadcasting, by means of the WAP, the assigned network identifier; retrieving, by means of each of the UEs, the signal string from the broadcast network identifier; and subsequently performing, by each of the UEs, code-division demultiplexing upon the retrieved signal string, each given UE thereby outputting the item of information allocated to that given UE.

Abstract: A telecommunications network comprises: User Equipment (UE); a Wireless Access Point (WAP), identifiable by a network device identifier; a source Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), provided by means of the WAP and identifiable by means of a source network identifier; and a target WLAN. A method of operating the network comprises: generating a cryptographic output by performing a cryptographic function upon both the source network identifier and the network device identifier; assigning, to the target WLAN, access credentials, wherein said access credentials comprise the cryptographic output; and by means of the UE: identifying the source network identifier and the network device identifier; cryptographically processing the identified source network identifier and the identified network device identifier so as to derive the cryptographic output; and requesting a connection to, or via, the target WLAN using access credentials derived by the UE from said cryptographic output.

Abstract: A method 200 of operating a telecommunications network (100), the telecommunications network comprising: User Equipment (UE) (110); a first Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) (130), identifiable by means of a first network identifier: a hidden WLAN (130); and a target WLAN (130); and the method comprising the steps of: configuring the hidden WLAN so as to have a hidden network identifier that is cryptographically derived from the first network identifier (240)); by means of the UE: retrieving, from the first WLAN, the first network identifier (230); cryptographically processing the retrieved first network identifier thereby to derive the hidden network identifier (240); searching for a WLAN using the derived hidden network identifier (250): and requesting a connection to, or via, the target WLAN only after discovering the hidden WLAN (270).

Abstract: A passive sensor for detecting the operation of a light source includes a photosensor which, when illuminated by the light source, delivers a voltage to a field effect transistor (FET) which can switch a circuit to control a device at a remote location. The FET transitions rapidly between very low resistance (short circuit) and very high resistance (open circuit), allowing a binary indication to be given in the circuit. The circuit can be used to charge an electrical storage device to allow later download of recent status of the lamp by detecting the charge stored in the device.

Abstract: A passive sensor for detecting the operation of a light source includes a photosensor which, when illuminated by the light source, delivers a voltage to a field effect transistor (FET) which can switch a circuit to control a device at a remote location. The FET transitions rapidly between very low resistance (short circuit) and very high resistance (open circuit), allowing a binary indication to be given in the circuit. The circuit can be used to charge an electrical storage device to allow later download of recent status of the lamp by detecting the charge stored in the device.

Abstract: This invention relates to a fault analysis device that can be connected to a DSL line and home modem, and used to perform line measurements when interference may be present. The device receives status information about the DSL line from the modem via a suitable interface such as Ethernet, and when the status information indicates that the line is not synchronised, which may be due to interference causing the line to lose synchronisation, the device disconnects the line from the modem and performs spectral analysis on the line. In doing so, measurements are made at the time when interference may be occurring, rather than at some later time when interference may no longer be present.

Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed for enabling sensor data to be collected from sensor devices (1), the sensor devices being configured to sense a condition and to send sensor messages according to a wireless communication protocol to a wireless access point (6) of a local network (10), the sensor messages comprising sensor data indicative of said condition, said sensor messages also comprising a destination indication indicative of a predetermined network location outside the local network (10).

Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed for enabling sensor data to be collected from sensor devices (1), the sensor devices being configured to sense a condition and to send sensor messages according to a wireless communication protocol to a wireless access point (6) of a local network (10), the sensor messages comprising sensor data indicative of said condition, said sensor messages also comprising a destination indication indicative of a predetermined network location outside the local network (10).

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of managing a digital subscriber line, in particular for identifying the location of weather related faults. The invention continuously measures the signal to noise (SNR) margin on the DSL line as well as measurements from weather related sensors, such as moisture and wind sensors, which each have an associated geographical location. The SNR margin measures are compared to predetermined conditions based on SNR margin characteristics associated with a population of good lines. If the SNR margin measures fail to meet the predetermined conditions, the SNR measures are also compared to the weather sensor measurements over a day or number of days. If there is a correlation between the SNR margin measures and at least one of the sensors, then location of the fault is identified as the location of the sensor having the strongest correlation with the SNR measures.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of managing a digital subscriber line, in particular for identifying the location of weather related faults. The invention continuously measures the signal to noise (SNR) margin on the DSL line as well as measurements from weather related sensors, such as moisture and wind sensors, which each have an associated geographical location. The SNR margin measures are compared to predetermined conditions based on SNR margin characteristics associated with a population of good lines. If the SNR margin measures fail to meet the predetermined conditions, the SNR measures are also compared to the weather sensor measurements over a day or number of days. If there is a correlation between the SNR margin measures and at least one of the sensors, then location of the fault is identified as the location of the sensor having the strongest correlation with the SNR measures.

Abstract: A system for use in installation of blown fiber for detecting a signal indicative of presence of at least one of a gas flow or an optical fiber at a remote location, comprising a gas vibration detector configured to acoustically couple with an installation duct through which the signal can travel after its generation at the remote location, and a processor arranged to receive an input from the vibration detector and to process the input to identify the signal present within the input; and a sensor for generating the signal upon sensing the presence of at least one of the gas flow or the optical fiber at the remote location. The signal can be provided by a whistle mounted on the remote end of the installation duct. The vibration sensor is typically a microphone.

Abstract: A device for use with a conduit having a first conduit end and a conduit second end, into which conduit a cable can be installed using a flow of air into the first conduit end, the device being suitable for confirming that the flow of air is exiting the second conduit end, the device including a housing, means to enable connection of the device to the second conduit end, a light source, a detector arranged to detect a presence or absence of a light signal, and a light shield, wherein in use, the flow of air entering the device causes the light shield and at least one of the light source or the detector, to move to and to stay at a position relative to the other, permitting the detector to detect detections including one or more of a presence or absence of the light signal, an intensity level of the light signal, a change in the presence or absence of the light signal, or a change in the intensity level of the light signal.

Abstract: A device for use with a conduit having a first conduit end and a conduit second end, into which conduit a cable can be installed using a flow of air into the first conduit end, the device being suitable for confirming that the air is flowing out from the second conduit end. In an embodiment, the device includes a housing, means to enable connection of the device to the second conduit end, a detector arranged to detect an electrical property change, and an actuator for causing an electrical property change detectable by the detector, wherein in use, the air flowing into the device causes the detector and the actuator to move relative to each other, causing an electrical property change detectable by the detector.

Abstract: A method, for use in connection with installing a cable into a conduit (4) having a first end and a second end (12), of detecting whether air is flowing from the first end to the second end, the method including the steps of: —providing a movement sensor (10) within or proximate to the conduit; —providing an air flow (14) into the conduit from the first end; and —detecting that the air is flowing to the second end when the air flow disrupt the movement sensor.

Abstract: A method for use in connection with installing a fiber unit into a conduit having a first end and a second end, the method being suitable to detect when the fiber unit introduced into the first end arrives at the second end. The fiber unit is introduced into the conduit from the first end and installed towards the second end; introducing a light with a light source into the fiber unit at the first end; detecting reflected light in the fiber unit with a light detector at the first end, and detecting changes in the reflected light, whereby an operator may determine that the fiber unit has arrived at the second end.

Abstract: A system for use in installation of blown fiber for detecting a signal indicative of presence of at least one of a gas flow or an optical fiber at a remote location, comprising a gas vibration detector configured to acoustically couple with an installation duct through which the signal can travel after its generation at the remote location, and a processor arranged to receive an input from the vibration detector and to process the input to identify the signal present within the input; and a sensor for generating the signal upon sensing the presence of at least one of the gas flow or the optical fiber at the remote location. The signal can be provided by a whistle mounted on the remote end of the installation duct. The vibration sensor is typically a microphone.

Abstract: A device for use with a conduit having a first conduit end and a conduit second end, into which conduit a cable can be installed using a flow of air into the first conduit end, the device being suitable for confirming that the flow of air is exiting the second conduit end, the device including a housing, means to enable connection of the device to the second conduit end, a light source, a detector arranged to detect a presence or absence of a light signal, and a light shield, wherein in use, the flow of air entering the device causes the light shield and at least one of the light source or the detector, to move to and to stay at a position relative to the other, permitting the detector to detect detections including one or more of a presence or absence of the light signal, an intensity level of the light signal, a change in the presence or absence of the light signal, or a change in the intensity level of the light signal.

Abstract: A device for use with a conduit having a first conduit end and a conduit second end, into which conduit a cable can be installed using a flow of air into the first conduit end, the device being suitable for confirming that the air is flowing out from the second conduit end. In an embodiment, the device includes a housing, means to enable connection of the device to the second conduit end, a detector arranged to detect an electrical property change, and an actuator for causing an electrical property change detectable by the detector, wherein in use, the air flowing into the device causes the detector and the actuator to move relative to each other, causing an electrical property change detectable by the detector.

Abstract: A method, for use in connection with installing a cable into a conduit (4) having a first end and a second end (12), of detecting whether air is flowing from the first end to the second end, the method including the steps of:—providing a movement sensor (10) within or proximate to the conduit;—providing an air flow (14) into the conduit from the first end; and—detecting that the air is flowing to the second end when the air flow disrupt the movement sensor.

Abstract: A method for use in connection with installing a fibre unit (10) into a conduit (8) having a first end (6) and a second end, the method being suitable to detect when the fibre unit introduced into the first end arrives at the second end, and comprising the steps of: introducing the fibre unit into the conduit from the first end and installing it towards the second end; introducing light with a light source (30) into the fibre unit at the first end; detecting reflected light in the fibre unit with a light detector (32) at the first end; and detecting changes in the reflected light, whereby an operator may determine that the fibre unit has arrived at the second end.