Abstract: An optical power control system includes a laser source to provide an optical beam, a variable beam characteristics (VBC) fiber, and a controller operatively coupled to the VBC fiber and configured to control, in response to information indicating change in optical power of the optical beam, different states of perturbation so as to control optical power density.

Abstract: An optical beam delivery system, includes: an optical beam source; a fiber assembly situated to receive and modify one or more beam characteristics of an optical beam; and a nonlinear frequency-conversion stage in optical communication with the fiber assembly and situated to receive and frequency-convert an optical beam from a first wavelength to one or more second wavelengths. The fiber assembly includes: a first length of fiber comprising a first RIP formed to enable modification of the one or more beam characteristics of the optical beam by a perturbation device, and a second length of fiber having a second RIP coupled to the first length of fiber, the second RIP formed to confine at least a portion of modified beam characteristics of the optical beam within one or more confinement regions. The first RIP and the second RIP are different.

Abstract: An optical power control system includes a laser source to provide an optical beam, a variable beam characteristics (VBC) fiber, and a controller operatively coupled to the VBC fiber and configured to control, in response to information indicating change in optical power of the optical beam, different states of perturbation so as to control optical power density.

Abstract: An optical beam delivery system, includes: an optical beam source; a fiber assembly situated to receive and modify one or more beam characteristics of an optical beam; and a nonlinear frequency-conversion stage in optical communication with the fiber assembly and situated to receive and frequency-convert an optical beam from a first wavelength to one or more second wavelengths. The fiber assembly includes: a first length of fiber comprising a first RIP formed to enable modification of the one or more beam characteristics of the optical beam by a perturbation device, and a second length of fiber having a second RIP coupled to the first length of fiber, the second RIP formed to confine at least a portion of modified beam characteristics of the optical beam within one or more confinement regions. The first RIP and the second RIP are different.

Abstract: A test system includes a circuit assembly having an IC and an external circuit. The IC includes test circuitry used to observe data indicative of target resistances in the external circuit. The test system evaluates the data to determine target resistance values. A first embodiment measures two output voltages responsive to a time varying reference voltage. The two output voltages can be used to determine resistance values in the external circuit. A second embodiment enables logic contention on the IC, controllably fixes a pull-down element on the IC, and controllably sweeps a pull-up element on the IC until the voltage at a node between the pull-down and pull-up elements and coupled to an external circuit exceeds a reference voltage.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for testing continuity of electrical paths through a circuit assembly includes: 1) mating a test-facilitating circuit package to a connector of the circuit assembly; the circuit package having a plurality of contacts for mating to a plurality of contacts of the connector; the circuit package containing incomplete or no mission circuitry for the circuit assembly, but containing a plurality of passive circuit components coupled in parallel between the package's plurality of contacts and a test sensor port of the circuit package; 2) stimulating one or more nodes of the circuit assembly; 3) measuring an electrical characteristic of the circuit package; and 4) comparing the measured electrical characteristic to at least one threshold to assess continuities of at least two electrical paths through the circuit assembly. Other embodiments are also disclosed.

Abstract: A device for testing continuity of electrical paths through a connector of a circuit assembly has a package containing incomplete or no mission circuitry for the circuit assembly. The package is provided with a plurality of contacts for mating to a plurality of contacts of the connector. A test sensor port is integrated with the package. A plurality of passive circuit components are integrated with the package, ones of which are coupled in parallel between ones of the contacts on the package and the test sensor port.

Abstract: A magnetic strip interface reads data from a first track and a second track of a magnetic strip. The magnetic strip interface transmits the data read from the first track to a first data handler, which converts this data into a first data word, and the magnetic strip interface also transmits the data read from the second track to a second data handler, which converts this data into a second data word. The first and second data handlers transmit the first and second data words, respectively, to a multiplexer in response to command signals transmitted from a control mechanism. The multiplexer transmits the first and second data words received from the first and second data handlers, respectively, in response to control signals transmitted from the control mechanism. The control mechanism analyzes a priority scheme to determine the timing of transmissions from the data handlers.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system and method for generating a data sequence from a two frequency coherent phase signal. The system comprises an integrated magnetic read channel that includes a magnetic reader circuit configured to generate an analog two frequency coherent phase (F2F) signal from a magnetic strip, the analog F2F signal having a number of alternating positive and negative peaks having a respective positive and negative transitions therebetween. The output of the magnetic reader circuit is applied to an analog-to-digital converter configured to convert the analog F2F signal into a digital F2F signal. Thereafter, the digital F2F signal is applied to a peak detector configured to identify the alternating negative and positive peaks.