Abstract: A method and system for optimizing a configuration of mediation devices in a telecommunications central office. Specifications associated with mediation devices are provided. A configuration of mediation devices and legacy devices in a central office is generated. A specification is compared to an attribute of a mediation device in the configuration. The attribute is one of: (1) a distance between the mediation device and a legacy device to be connected to the mediation device, (2) an amount of data to be received by the mediation device from one or more legacy devices to be connected to the mediation device, and (3) a count of one or more legacy devices to be connected to the mediation device. The configuration is updated in response to the comparing of the specification to the attribute. The updating of the configuration provides an optimized number of mediation devices.

Abstract: A network usage optimization method for minimizing the total network usage fee. The method includes the steps of (a) providing a network and a data processing apparatus, wherein the data processing apparatus communicates via a PVC of the network; (b) obtaining past network traffic data for traffic over the PVC; (c) predicting future network traffic data for traffic over the PVC for a future time period based on the past network traffic data; and (d) based on the predicted future network traffic data, specifying a CIR for the PVC for the future time period that will result in a minimum predicted total network usage fee for the future time period.

Abstract: A level of liquid of pulverent solids in a container (or volume of a liquid in the absence of gravity) is detected by using radio frequency identification (RFID) tags or similar transponders located inside or outside the container. The interrogation signal and/or the return signal is attenuated by the material and the signal strength of the return signal, if any, is evaluated either directed or in a binary fashion by imposing a threshold to determine whether or not material in contained in a portion of the container corresponding to the location of a particular RFID tag or transponder. Volume, pressure and container orientation can also be derived in accordance with one or more return signals.

Abstract: A system, apparatus and method are provided which permit gigabit Ethernet communications over an IBM cabling system. An adapter is used to provide a connectivity solution for 1000 BaseTX, i.e. Gigabit Ethernet communications, in a facility that is wired with Type 2/2A STP IBM Cabling System cable. The adapter uses one of each of the current shielded data wires and one of each of the voice communications wires to provide the 8 wires needed for IEEE 802.3ab, i.e. Gigabit Ethernet, communications. Thus, the system, apparatus and method mate one of the wires from the shielded side with one of the wires from the unshielded side of a Type 2/2A STP IBM Cabling System cable at a RJ-45 Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) adapter. This pairing of an unshielded wire with a shielded wire helps to reduce cross-talk and other negative influences to the circuit. An additional RJ-11 adapter may be provided for the additional voice grade wires.