Abstract: To detect a leak in a pipe carrying a fluid, an elastic membrane circumferentially surrounds the pipe. A sensing device detects an expansion state of the membrane and a signaling device indicates the presence of the leak based on the expansion state of the membrane.

Abstract: Method for managing connections on a connection-oriented network such as an ATM network, for use with devices communicating according to a connectionless communication protocol such as IP over Ethernet. Roughly described, a bridging network element (BNE) resides at the ATM point-of-presence through which a data network accesses the ATM network. When the BNE receives an internet ARP (IARP) request from the data network for forwarding onto the ATM network, it forwards it instead to an IARP server. In addition to responding to the IARP request, the IARP server also regards the IARP request as a trigger, and in response thereto, causes the ATM network to establish a connection between the BNE point-of-presence and another point-of-presence on the ATM network through which the target address can be reached.

Abstract: A multiple user access network (10) includes a master network element device (12) and multiple slave network termination devices (14a-14n). The network element device (12) couples to the multiple network termination devices (14a-14n) in a multi-user network interface (MUNI) topology by a shared media link (16). Each network termination device (14a-14n) is assigned its own unique group ID address (38) by the master network element device (12). The network element device (12) sends MUNI asynchronous transfer mode cells (30, 32) to appropriate network termination devices (14a-14n) over shared media link (16). The group ID (38) field is also defined to allow for the network element device (12) to broadcast asynchronous transfer mode cells to all the network termination devices (14a-14n).

Abstract: A split channel bridging unit includes a router that operates under the control of a control processor to route packets of information destined for a user to a modulator which is connected to the cable distribution head-end of the cable television system which serves the requesting user. The modulator encodes the digital information transmitted from the router and encodes it in an RF channel to be carded by the television cable. The cable distribution head-end combines this channel with other conventional cable television sources to broadcast these channels to its users. The customer premises equipment of the user includes an RF demodulator and packet receiver which demodulates the RF encoded signals and utilizes the packet receiver to transmit the digital information addressed to the particular user to the user's personal computer.

Abstract: A user's personal computer is coupled to a home controller which is, in turn connected to the input cable from a cable television system and to a set top box which determines the channel to be delivered to an associated television. The service provider transmits over a conventional modem communication link the alert message to the user's personal computer. If an acknowledgment by the user is not transmitted to the service provider, a command message is transmitted by the dial-up communication link to the personal computer instructing the personal computer to activate a modulator contained in the home controller to provide an RF encoded signal representing the alert message to be displayed on the television associated with the set top box.

Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a home controller receives signals from the cable television system and utilizes a cable demodulator tuned to the RF frequency of the channel which carries the data information. The cable demodulator demodulates the RF encoded signals into conventional baseband digital form which are transmitted to a packet receiver which decodes packets addressed to individual users. If a packet is addressed to the user, the packet receiver transmits the corresponding data such as by an ETHERNET transceiver to the user's personal computer. A communication controller may be utilized to provide an interface between the personal computer and the cable demodulator thereby, enabling the personal computer to select the channel to which the cable demodulator is tuned, in order to permit multiple data channels to be utilized.