Abstract: A belt apparatus is configured to support the trousers worn by a person and to include a number of airbags that are deployable in a falling event to protect the person from bone breakages. The belt apparatus includes a flexible belt element and a fastener that appear and function in much the same way as an ordinary apparel trouser belt, i.e., fitting through belt loops in trousers and being fastenable to itself to support the pair of trousers at the waist of the person. Despite the ordinary appearance of the belt apparatus, it includes airbags internal thereto whose expansion is controlled by a control apparatus. Responsive to a falling event in a particular direction with respect to the person, the control apparatus triggers the rapid expansion of an airbag that is situated on the belt element in the particular direction with respect to the person and takes other actions.

Abstract: A belt apparatus is configured to support the trousers worn by a person and to include a number of airbags that are deployable in a falling event to protect the person from bone breakages. The belt apparatus includes a flexible belt element and a fastener that appear and function in much the same way as an ordinary apparel trouser belt, i.e., fitting through belt loops in trousers and being fastenable to itself to support the pair of trousers at the waist of the person. Despite the ordinary appearance of the belt apparatus, it includes airbags internal thereto whose expansion is controlled by a control apparatus. Responsive to a falling event in a particular direction with respect to the person, the control apparatus triggers the rapid expansion of an airbag that is situated on the belt element in the particular direction with respect to the person and takes other actions.

Abstract: A belt apparatus is configured to support the trousers worn by a person and to include a number of airbags that are deployable in a falling event to protect the person from bone breakages. The belt apparatus includes a flexible belt element and a fastener that appear and function in much the same way as an ordinary apparel trouser belt, i.e., fitting through belt loops in trousers and being fastenable to itself to support the pair of trousers at the waist of the person. Despite the ordinary appearance of the belt apparatus, it includes airbags internal thereto whose expansion is controlled by a control apparatus. Responsive to a falling event in a particular direction with respect to the person, the control apparatus triggers the rapid expansion of an airbag that is situated on the belt element in the particular direction with respect to the person and takes other actions.

Abstract: A heterogeneous mix of traffic having one or more protocol formats and supplied by one or more users or sub-networks is transported in a communication network by using digital containers that are routed and processed in network nodes interconnecting the users or sub-networks. A digital container includes a frame structure comprising a header section and a payload section, the header section including information for routing the digital container and for identifying the type of payload being carried. The payload section is capable of carrying one or more different types of traffic formatted according to one or more protocols, e.g., IP, ATM, and so on. Processing of the individual payload remains a user or sub-network responsibility while the less processor-intensive routing and processing of digital containers occurs at the network node level.

Abstract: A cross-connecting optical translator array that electronically switches opto-electronically converted signals received from optical transmission systems and that uses an optical transmitter to generate optical signals having the required wavelength for succeeding optical transmission systems. The cross-connecting optical translator array includes optical converters that are coupled to an input side of an electronic space switch fabric. Optical transmitters are coupled to an output side of the electronic space switch fabric. The optical transmitters are selectable to provide optical interface capability with the various wavelength optical fibers used in optical transmission systems. The combination of the optical converters and the optical transmitters operationally provide an optical translator that receive optical signals at a first wavelength and can transmit optical signals at a second wavelength. The operating speed of the array is compatible with that of the optical transmission systems.

Abstract: An optical line protection switching system is realized by employing a plurality of rare earth-doped fiber optical amplifiers as gain-switched optical connections, for example gain-switched optical distributors, i.e., commutators, and/or gain-switched optical selectors in a gain switched optical line protection switching system. In one embodiment, at least one or more gain switched optical distributors are employed to realize so-called head-end switching of an incoming optical signal and one or more gain switched optical selectors are employed to realize so-called tail-end switching of the optical signal to form a 1.times.1 (1.times.N) optical line protection switching system. In another embodiment, an incoming optical signal is bridged to one or more optical paths, while the tail-end switching is realized by employing one or more gain-switched optical selectors to form a 1+1 (1+N) optical line protection switching system.

Abstract: A loss-less optical cross-connect advantageously employs a plurality of optical rare earth-doped fiber optical amplifiers as gain-switched optical connections, for example, gain-switched optical distributors and gain-switched optical selectors. Each of the optical rare earth-doped fiber optical amplifiers acts as an ON/OFF switch. Also, both the gain-switched optical distributors and selectors employed in the optical cross-connect arrangement of this invention are a natural fit into today's optically amplified optical communication systems. In one embodiment, this is realized by employing a pump select circuit in conjunction with a plurality of pumps and the plurality of corresponding rare earth-doped fiber optical amplifiers. The particular pump and corresponding optical amplifier are selected by use of a control circuit arrangement to determine which output port or ports is (are) connected to the input port.

Abstract: A gain-switched optical selector is realized by employing an optical rare earth-doped fiber optical amplifier as the switching element per se. Each of the optical rare earth-doped optical amplifiers acts as an ON/OFF switch. Also, the gain-switched optical selector of this invention is a natural fit into today's optically amplified optical communication systems. In one embodiment, this is realized by employing a pump select circuit in conjunction with a plurality of pumps and a plurality of corresponding rare earth-doped fiber optical amplifiers. The particular pump and corresponding optical amplifier are selected by use of a monitor arrangement to determine which signal is to be selected and routed to an output. In another embodiment, a so-called tuned pump arrangement is employed in conjunction with a plurality of filters and a corresponding plurality of rare earth-doped fiber optical amplifiers.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for adding a dither signal to an optical carrier modulated with an information signal. The apparatus includes a dithering element having an input and an output in series with an optical carrier modulated with an information signal. A differential element having an inverting input, a non-inverting input, and an output is coupled to the input of the dithering element. A signal generator, which is provided for producing a desired dither signal to be added to the modulated optical carrier, is coupled to the non-inverting input of the differential element. A feedback element produces a signal related to the output of the dithering element and couples the signal related to the output of the dithering element to the inverting input of the differential element.

Abstract: An optical line protection switching system is realized by employing a plurality of rare earth-doped fiber optical amplifiers as gain-switched optical connections, for example gain-switched optical distributors, i.e., commutators, and/or gain-switched optical selectors in a gain switched optical line protection switching system. In one embodiment, at least one or more gain switched optical distributors are employed to realize so-called head-end switching of an incoming optical signal and one or more gain switched optical selectors are employed to realize so-called tail-end switching of the optical signal to form a 1.times.1 (1.times.N) optical line protection switching system. In another embodiment, an incoming optical signal is bridged to one or more optical paths, while the tail-end switching is realized by employing one or more gain-switched optical selectors to form a 1+1 (1+N) optical line protection switching system.

Abstract: A gain-switched optical distributor, i.e., commutator, is realized by employing an optical rare earth-doped fiber optical amplifier as the switching element per se. Each of the optical rare earth-doped fiber optical amplifiers acts as an ON/OFF switch. Also, the gain-switched optical distributor of this invention is a natural fit into today's optically amplified optical communication systems. In one embodiment, this is realized by employing a pump select circuit in conjunction with a plurality of pumps and a plurality of corresponding rare earth-doped fiber optical amplifiers. The particular pump and corresponding amplifier is selected by use of a monitor arrangement to determine which signal is to be selected and routed to an output. In another embodiment, a so-called tuned pump arrangement is employed in conjunction with a plurality of filters and a corresponding plurality of rare earth-doped fiber optical amplifiers.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for adding a dither signal to an optical carrier modulated with an information signal. The apparatus includes a dithering element having an input and an output in series with an optical carrier modulated with an information signal. A differential element having an inverting input, a non-inverting input, and an output is coupled to the input of the dithering element. A signal generator, which is provided for producing a desired dither signal to be added to the modulated optical carrier, is coupled to the non-inverting input of the differential element. A feedback element produces a signal related to the output of the dithering element and couples the signal related to the output of the dithering element to the inverting input of the differential element.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for adding a dither signal to an optical carrier modulated with an information signal. The apparatus includes a dithering element having an input and an output in series with an optical carrier modulated with an information signal. A differential element having an inverting input, a non-inverting input, and an output is coupled to the input of the dithering element. A signal generator, which is provided for producing a desired dither signal to be added to the modulated optical carrier, is coupled to the non-inverting input of the differential element. A feedback element produces a signal related to the output of the dithering element and couples the signal related to the output of the dithering element to the inverting input of the differential element.

Abstract: An optical monitor tap in fiber optical amplifiers is achieved in a configuration with internal input signal monitoring taps, in accordance with the principles of the invention, by placing the tap some distance into the actual optical amplifier active fiber. This allows the system to minor the integrity of the amplifier without impairing the quality of the associated signal. In an illustrative embodiment of the present invention, the amplifier is generally comprised of a long piece of rare-earth material doped fiber to which a fiber optic pump source is coupled via a wavelength divisional multiplexer (WDM) coupler. The tap is placed at some distance from the input of the fiber amplifier. The distance should be small enough such that there has been amplification of the signal but not so much as to have the signal saturated or compressed.

Abstract: An all-optical flip-flop device is achieved by employing two optical amplifiers arranged so that they together operate in only one of two stable states at a given time. In a first stable state of operation, the first optical amplifier behaves as a laser having a first predetermined characteristic wavelength. The arrangement is switched to a second stable state of operation in which the second optical amplifier behaves as a laser having a second characteristic wavelength, where the first and second characteristic wavelengths are at least nominally different, when an optical signal pulse is received at the input of the first optical amplifier. The arrangement is switched back to the first stable state when an optical signal pulse is received at the input of the second optical amplifier.

Abstract: An all-optical inverter device is achieved by employing an optical amplifier having a optical filter positioned in a feedback loop arranged so that an output signal of the optical amplifier having a first characteristic wavelength is inversely related to an input signal to the optical amplifier having a second characteristic wavelength.

Abstract: An on-line technique which allows the monitoring and adjustment of switching node control parameters within an optical network. More specifically, a technique wherein a low-frequency modulation is induced upon an optical signal as it passes through a node within a switch or sub-system by varying the control voltage applied to that node about what is assumed to be the optimum control voltage level, the optical signal at position downstream from the node is analyzed to ascertain the amplitude, frequency, and phase characteristics of the induced low-frequency modulation, and a determination is made, on the basis of the amplitude, frequency, and phase information, as to the whether the control voltage which was assumed to be optimal is indeed at the correct level to insure proper operation of the node. The amplitude of the induced low-frequency modulation may be maintained at low level so as not to interfere with the transmission of the primary information and data carried by the optical signal.

Abstract: A performance monitoring technique which allows faults within an optical communication system to be detected and located. More specifically, a technique employing a signal generator to controllably insert maintenance signals at the input and output of each module within an optical communication system, and a single monitor to receive the inserted maintenance signals at a fixed point within the system, and, in response, determine the location of faulty modules. The monitor analyzes the received inserted maintenance signals, and locates faults by pinpointing modules from which a maintenance signal inserted at the module output is received uncorrupted by the monitor, but which return a corrupted maintenance signal when the insertion is made at the module input. A particular embodiment of the invention enables the maintenance signals to be inserted via pre-existing control drivers within system modules.

Abstract: This invention relates to an optical cross-connect switch which is substantially loss-less and is transparent to signal bit rate, format and modulation scheme. The optical cross-connect switch can be comprised of at least two stages of chips coupled in tandem via optical fibers. Each chip can be of lithium niobate having a plurality of digital switch elements or directional couplers which, by means of an electric field, can selectively switch optical energy from one waveguide to another. The chips are coupled together via optical fiber amplifiers and the optical fiber amplifiers are pumped by optical pumps, e.g., 1.48 .mu.m CW, laser pumps, coupled to appropriate nodes within either one or both of the chips. In operation, the pump energy is switched through the chips along with the optical data signals to pump only those optical fiber amplifiers which are in the optical data signal path.

Abstract: To prevent an interruption of service due to a break in an optical fiber, the information being transmitted is normally sent along two diversely routed lightwave paths using two complete transmitter sections, one for each path. Briefly, in this invention a single optical transmitter which can be an optical modulator such as a lithium niolate switch is used to impress a digital signal on a CW optical beam to obtain two digital optical outputs. One output is normally used as the modulated line signal for one of two diversely routed paths. The other output, which is the complement of the modulated signal, is used as the modulated line signal for the other of the two diversely routed paths. When the complement of the signal is detected, complementation can be performed to retrieve the original bit pattern. The advantages over the prior art are significant. For example, only one tansmitter is required. The laser is on continuously and, therefore, there is no chirp.