Abstract: A dock for a handheld product comprising a docking unit and a base, the docking unit and the base being separable, wherein in a first configuration the docking unit is connected directly to the base unit, and in a second configuration the docking unit is connected to a body and the body is connected to the base.

Abstract: Disclosed is an analysis component and associated systems and methods. The analysis component can be used with an electronic device equipped with a detector for detecting light. The component comprises: a sample holder for holding the sample; a detector site at which a detector, or a detector portion of the electronic device, is to be positioned to detect light reflecting off the sample; and a structural component spacing the sample holder from the detector site by a predetermined distance; wherein the lysis component is configured to allow light from a light source to illuminate the sample such that light reflected by the sample can be received by the detector for analyzing the sample. An associated system comprises the analysis component and a detector for detecting light reflected off the sample.

Abstract: Disclosed is an analysis component and associated systems and methods. The analysis component can be used with an electronic device equipped with a detector for detecting light. The component comprises: a sample holder for holding the sample; a detector site at which a detector, or a detector portion of the electronic device, is to be positioned to detect light reflecting off the sample; and a structural component spacing the sample holder from the detector site by a predetermined distance; wherein the lysis component is configured to allow light from a light source to illuminate the sample such that light reflected by the sample can be received by the detector for analysing the sample. An associated system comprises the analysis component and a detector for detecting light reflected off the sample.

Abstract: Various technologies and techniques are disclosed that relate to providing interactive television by synchronizing content to live and/or recorded television shows. Content is synchronized without the use of in-band triggers. A broadcast stream is received, and search/action pairs are received from a transmission path, such as from the Internet or user. When the search criteria are found in the broadcast stream, the associated action is performed and the content is synchronized with the show. An application programming interface is used to facilitate synchronization, and includes a set search method, a search function template method, and a clear search method. The set search method initiates searching of the broadcast stream and registers one or more callback methods for performing the associated action when the match is found. The search function template serves as the template for registering the callback methods. The clear search method clears the system resources from the search.

Abstract: An optical fiber being optically transmissive at a predetermined wavelength of light ? and comprising a plurality of coaxial layers. Each layer having an optical path length that varies radially, the coaxial layers being arranged to give the fiber a refractive index profile which, in use, causes sufficient Fresnel diffraction of the light such that it is guided in the fiber. The refractive index of a cladding region (60) is intermittently suppressed by controlling heating of the preform tube, thus forming a chirped saw-tooth profile (70). The optical fiber may include a lens. In this case, each of the layers has an optical path length that increases gradually outwardly by substantially n×?/2 (n: integer).

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of producing a preform for a holey optical fiber, and more particularly, to a method of producing polymer holey optical fiber using novel capillary and cane designs that allow a construction of complex holey structures. The capillaries may have a complex internal structure including multiple holes, holes of non-circular shape, off-center holes, holes of different sizes, or any combination of these. The canes may have a complex external shape to define interstitial holes when the canes arc combined in a stack (see FIG. 1). The capillaries and canes may be made of different materials and combined within the same structure.

Abstract: Various technologies and techniques are disclosed that relate to providing interactive television by synchronizing content to live and/or recorded television shows. Content is synchronized without the use of in-band triggers. A broadcast stream is received, and search/action pairs are received from a transmission path, such as from the Internet or user. When the search criteria are found in the broadcast stream, the associated action is performed and the content is synchronized with the show. An application programming interface is used to facilitate synchronization, and includes a set search method, a search function template method, and a clear search method. The set search method initiates searching of the broadcast stream and registers one or more callback methods for performing the associated action when the match is found. The search function template serves as the template for registering the callback methods. The clear search method clears the system resources from the search.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of producing a preform for a holey optical fibre, and more particularly, to a method of producing polymer holey optical fibre using novel capillary and cane designs that allow a construction of complex holey structures. The capillaries may have a complex internal structure including multiple holes, holes of non-circular shape, off-centre holes, holes of different sizes, or any combination of these. The canes may have a complex external shape to define interstitial holes when the canes arc combined in a stack (see FIG. 1). The capillaries and canes may be made of different materials and combined within the same structure.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method of preparing a preform for an optical fibre, and more particularly to a method of preparing a preform for a polymer holey optical fibre. The invention provides a method of preparing a preform for manufacture of a polymer holey optical fibre comprising casting a preform body in a mould from a suitable material, said mould including at least one protrusion adapted to form a corresponding hole within the preform, and subsequently separating the preform body and mould. The invention also provides a method of preparing a preform for manufacture of a polymeric holey optical fibre comprising separately casting one or more elements of a preform in respective mould(s) from a suitable material, and separating said elements from said respective mould(s) and combining said elements to construct a preform having a plurality of holes therein, each hole being formed in an element or formed by the combination of two or more elements.

Abstract: A method of thermally poling a silica based waveguide (12) comprises exposing a region of the waveguide (12) to an electric field (for example, via capillary electrodes (22, 24) inserted into holes in the waveguide); directing a laser beam (18) into the region exposed to the electric field to effect localized heating of the region via direct absorption; and scanning the laser beam (18) over the region at a rate selected to avoid heating of the region above the glass transition temperature. Reversing the electric field while scanning the laser beam (18) allows the formation of periodic poled gratings. The waveguide (12) can comprise an optical fiber.

Abstract: An optical fibre (20) is disclosed, the fibre is adapted in a manner such that it guides an optical signal substantially only in one non-degenerate mode, wherein an electro-magnetic field carrying the optical signal is symmetric with respect to rotation about the fibre axis. Preferably, the non-degenerate mode is the TE01 mode. In one embodiment, the optical fibre (20) includes a central hole region (22) surrounded by a concentric guiding region (24), which is in turn surrounded by a concentric cladding region 826). The guiding region (24) may comprise a Bragg reflector region. Through appropriate selection of design parameters of the fibre (20), the effective refractive index for the TM01 mode can be reduced relative to the TE01 mode to make it below a refractive index of the cladding region (269, resulting in leaking of the TM01 mode into the cladding region (26).

Abstract: An optical waveguide (1) has a grating structure (2) in which gratings of different orders are superimposed. When first and second order gratings are superimposed, input light is partially reflected by the first order component and partially coupled out of the waveguide by the second order component. The second order component can also be used to couple external light into the waveguide (1). The grating structure (2) has applications to free space couplers, optical sensors, and suppression of ripples in dispersion compensators.

Abstract: An optical fibre being optically transmissive at a predetermined wavelength of light &lgr; and comprising a plurality of coaxial layers. Each layer having an optical path length that varies radially, the coaxial layers being arranged to give the fibre a refractive index profile which, in use, causes sufficient Fresnel diffraction of the light such that it is guided in the fibre. The refractive index of a cladding region (60) is intermittently suppressed by controlling heating of the preform tube, thus forming a chirped saw-tooth profile (70). The optical fibre may include a lens. In this case, each of the layers has an optical path length that increases gradually outwardly by substantially n×&lgr;/2 (n: integer).

Abstract: A material such as an optical fibre is subjected to hydrogen loading. Substantially all the unreacted hydrogen is then allowed to diffuse out of the material. This procedure enhances the photosensitivity of the material, and the hydrogen loading is performed at a temperature and duration which avoids formation of hydroxyl species in the material (eg, 80 degrees Celsius for 14 days for a phosphosilicate fibre). An optical structure such as a Bragg grating (14) may subsequently be written in the material, via UV irradiation.

Abstract: A method of creating an optical structure within a photosensitive light transmissive material comprising the steps of: (a) exposing a selected region of the material to radiation at a wavelength selected to effect a refractive index change in the material; (b) terminating the exposure to the radiation at a selected fluence; and afterwards (c) exposing at least one portion of the selected region to UV radiation at a level sufficient to vary the refractive index of the material within the selected region to form the optical structure; wherein the fluence is selected such that the optical structure is substantially thermally stable without a requirement for post-processing annealing.

Abstract: A method of modifying birefringence properties of a waveguide formed within a carrier, the method comprising the steps of inducing a stress anisotropy in the waveguide and effecting a differential decrease in a first refractive index of one mode in the waveguide with respect to a second refractive index of another mode of the waveguide.

Abstract: A waveguide having photosensitive properties is disclosed comprising: a waveguide substrate; a first cladding layer formed on the waveguide substrate; a UV absorbing layer formed on the first cladding layer; a UV sensitive layer having optical transmission properties adapted to be changed with UV irradiation, the layer formed on or closely adjacent the UV absorbing layer; and a second cladding layer, being substantially UV transparent, on the UV sensitive layer. Preferably, there is further provided a third cladding layer intermediate of the UV absorbing layer and the UV sensitive layer. The UV absorbing layer comprises a germanosilicate material. The absorbing layer can be adapted to change a physical property upon UV absorption. The UV absorbing layer can be variable thickness, the thickness being in accordance with predetermined requirements.

Abstract: An optical fibre adapted in a manner such that it guides an optical signal substantially only in one non-degenerate mode.

Abstract: A method of creating an optical filter for selectively filtering an optical signal transmitted through the filter, the method comprising: constructing a Bragg grating in an optical element coupled to an optical path way for the transmission of the optical signal to suppress background radiation; and adjusting the coupling so as to produce a selective transmission spectrum in according with predetermined requirements.