Abstract: A telecommunication distribution frame is provided for optical fibre of an incoming cable. Primary and secondary flexibility suites include joined blown fibre tubes routed as desired within the installation. A continuous blown fibre unit may extend through the joined blown fibre tubes. A blown fibre tube flexibility module may have a patching panel which may be provided with connectors. Above the panel may be a set of bend control vanes or mandrels one for each of the connector sites in the panel. Patching tubes may pass down and out through an aperture at the back of the module.

Abstract: An installation for terminating a network cable of a public communication network at customer premises, the installation comprising termination means for terminating the network cable, and connection means allowing a connection to be made between the public communication network and the customer premises via the termination means, the termination means being enclosed within an external wall of the customer premises, the apparatus further including a first closeable access aperture to permit access to the termination means from outside the customer premises, and a second closeable access aperture to permit access to the termination means from within the customer premises.

Abstract: An interactive geospatial data provisioning application presents a graphical user interface operable to present a map of geographic regions and corresponding geospatial data sets. The user selects the area of interest from the mapped regions corresponding to the available geospatial data sets. The application identifies geospatial data sets within the area of interest. By analyzing the attributes available in the identified geospatial data sets, the geospatial data application determines the operations applicable to the data sets. A set of transformation rules computes the operations available for a particular selection of geospatial data sets. A custom plugin generator allows a user to define and insert geospatial operations into the provisioning sequence. The application presents the available predefined and user defined operations, and the user select the geospatial data operations to apply from among the available operations.

Abstract: A fibre unit coating apparatus includes a chamber into which an uncured resin coated fibre unit is passed. Microspheres mixed with air are fed into the chamber via ducts and apertures. As a result rapid and even application of the microspheres can be achieved, and the system allows controllable application of the microspheres by varying the rate of flow of the air/microsphere mixture. Positive pressure chambers are provided to prevent the microspheres from blocking the inlet and outlet points where the fibre unit enters and leaves the chamber.

Abstract: A wall plug suitable for connecting an item of telecommunications equipment to a telecommunications network, wherein the equipment and the network are separated by a wall, the wall including a bore communicating through the wall, the device comprising a hollow body in the form of a tube engageable in the bore, the tube including termination means to terminate a cable connected to the telecommunications network; and connection means to receive a connector of the item of telecommunications equipment, the termination and connection means being so arranged that with a cable terminated on the termination means, connection of the connector to the connection means provides an interconnection between the equipment and the network.

Abstract: A cable lead out device (10) suitable for use within a bore (13) through a wall (60), the device comprising a body to guide a cable, the cable having a minimum permitted bend radius, along a passageway in the bore, the passageway being defined by the body and extending in an arc from a first point within the bore via the mouth of the bore to a second point outside of the bore, wherein the first point is sited within the bore at a location so that the cable guided along the passageway arcs substantially at its minimum permitted bend radius. The device (10) consists of a tube portion (12), a neck (26) having an engaging end (24), a horn portion (14) having an arc-shaped passageway (15) and a terminating end (16). The device (10) is suitable for electrical and optical cables.

Abstract: A telecommunication distribution frames comprising a switch connected to an optical fibre of an incoming cable, terminated at a primary flexibility suite, via a secondary flexibility suite, where the primary and secondary flexibility suites include means for routing joined blown fibre tubes within the installation. A continuous blown fibre unit extending through the joined blown fibre tubes. A blown fibre tube flexibility module (14) has a patching panel (11), which may be provided with connectors. Above the panel (11) are a set of bend control vanes or mandrels (24), one for each of the connector sites in the panel. Patching tubes may pass down and out through the aperture (99) at the back of the module.

Abstract: A method and system of installing a cable into a duct, comprising increasing the cross-sectional areas of subducting provided in the duct, so as to allow the cable to be received into the subducting, and then decreasing the cross-sectional area of the subducting containing the cable so as to reduce the volume occupied by the subducting in the duct. Cables may be inserted into the subducting, for example, by forcing compressed gas through the subducting, which simultaneously inflates the subducting.

Abstract: A fibre unit coating apparatus includes a chamber (190) into which an uncured resin coated fibre unit (12) is passed. Microspheres mixed with air are fed into the chamber (190) via ducts (196) and apertures (194a). As a result rapid and even application of the microspheres can be achieved, and the system allows controllable application of the microspheres by varying the rate of flow of the air/microsphere mixture. Positive pressure chambers (72, 74) are provided to prevent the microspheres from blocking the inlet and outlet points where the fibre unit (12) enters and leaves the chamber (190).

Abstract: The invention features substantially pure NRAGE polypeptides. The invention also features substantially pure nucleic acids encoding these polypeptides. The polypeptides and nucleic acids of the invention are useful for therapeutic and diagnostic purposes, and for drug discovery.

Abstract: A blowing head for a blown fibre installation, the blowing head including a buckling detector in the transmission line being installed and decreasing the drive forces applied to the transmission line, preventing mechanical damage occurring to the transmission line.

Abstract: An optical fibre package suitable for installation using a fibre blowing process includes at least one optical fibre, an inner coating about said fibre, and an outer resin coating about said inner coating, said resin coating including a significant plurality of particulate inclusions at least 10 .mu.m across, wherein the concentration of the particulate inclusions is significantly greater at the outer surface of the resin coating than at the inner limit of the resin coating. The inclusions may be hollow glass microspheres or mica flakes. The relative absence of significant particulate inclusions at the inner limit of the resin coating improves the mechanical particulate of the fibre package relative to similar known packages. The presence of significant inclusions at the outer surface of the resin coating tends, during a blowing process, to increase viscous drag effects and to reduce friction between the package and the duct into which the package is blown, thereby enhancing blowability.

Abstract: An optical fibre package suitable for installation using a fibre blowing process includes at least one optical fibre, an inner coating about said fibre, and an outer resin coating about said inner coating, said resin coating including a significant plurality of particulate inclusions at least 10 .mu.m across, wherein the concentration of the particulate inclusions is significantly greater at the outer surface of the resin coating than at the inner limit of the resin coating. The inclusions may be hollow glass microspheres or mica flakes. The relative absence of significant particulate inclusions at the inner limit of the resin coating improves the mechanical performance of the fibre package relative to similar known packages. The presence of significant inclusions at the outer surface of the resin coating tends, during a blowing process, to increase viscous drag effects and to reduce friction between the package and the duct into which the package is blown, thereby enhancing blowability.

Abstract: A duct assembly comprises a plurality of ducts longitudinally joined by an interconnecting web. The ducts are preferably arranged in a ribbon format, a single duct in thickness, enabling greater flexibility. The ducts preferably include an inner layer having a bore therethrough and an outer fire retardant layer. A method for manufacturing such a flexible duct is also disclosed.