Abstract: Portable visitor stations that are easy to set up are disclosed. Portable visitor stations, including a visitor application stored on a portable computer may be set up for a facility by sending a location at which the portable computer is to be located at to a visitor processing service and sending a list of contacts associated with the facility to the visitor processing service. In some embodiments, the portable visitor station may be set up exclusively by sending only the received location and the received list to the visitor processing service.

Abstract: A semiconductor distributed Bragg reflector laser configured for single longitudinal mode operation, having an optical waveguide comprising an optical gain section, a first reflector being a first distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) section comprising a grating configured to produce a reflection spectrum having one or more first reflective peaks, and a second reflector, wherein the first DBR section is configured to compensate for thermal chirp that is induced inhomogeneously along the length of the DBR section, in use.

Abstract: A monolithically integrated, tunable semiconductor laser with an optical waveguide, comprising a laser chip having epitaxial layers on a substrate and having first and second reflectors bounding an optical gain section and a passive section, wherein at least one of the reflectors is a distributed Bragg reflector section comprising a grating and configured to have a tunable reflection spectrum, wherein the laser is provided with a common earth electrode, wherein control electrodes are provided on the optical waveguide in at least the optical gain section and the at least one distributed Bragg reflector section, wherein the passive section is provided with an electrode or electrical tracking on the optical waveguide, the passive section is configured not to be drivable by an electrical control signal, and no grating is present within the passive section.

Abstract: A monolithically integrated, tunable semiconductor laser with an optical waveguide, comprising epitaxial layers on a substrate and having first and second reflectors bounding an optical gain section and a non-driven region, wherein at least one of the reflectors is a distributed Bragg reflector section configured to have a tunable reflection spectrum, wherein control electrodes are provided to at least the optical gain section, and the distributed Bragg reflector section, and wherein the non-driven region has a length of at least 100 ?m, is without an electrical contact directly contacting onto the epitaxially grown side of the non-driven region, and the non-driven region is without a reflective Bragg grating within the epitaxial layers of the non-driven region.

Abstract: A semiconductor distributed Bragg reflector laser configured for single longitudinal mode operation, having an optical waveguide comprising an optical gain section, a first reflector being a first distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) section comprising a grating configured to produce a reflection spectrum having one or more first reflective peaks, and a second reflector, wherein the first DBR section is configured to compensate for thermal chirp that is induced inhomogeneously along the length of the DBR section, in use.

Abstract: A monolithically integrated, tunable semiconductor laser with an optical waveguide, comprising a laser chip having epitaxial layers on a substrate and having first and second reflectors bounding an optical gain section and a passive section, wherein at least one of the reflectors is a distributed Bragg reflector section comprising a grating and configured to have a tunable reflection spectrum, wherein the laser is provided with a common earth electrode, wherein control electrodes are provided on the optical waveguide in at least the optical gain section and the at least one distributed Bragg reflector section, wherein the passive section is provided with an electrode or electrical tracking on the optical waveguide, the passive section is configured not to be drivable by an electrical control signal, and no grating is present within the passive section.

Abstract: A monolithically integrated, tunable semiconductor laser with an optical waveguide, comprising epitaxial layers on a substrate and having first and second reflectors bounding an optical gain section and a non-driven region, wherein at least one of the reflectors is a distributed Bragg reflector section configured to have a tunable reflection spectrum, wherein control electrodes are provided to at least the optical gain section, and the distributed Bragg reflector section, and wherein the non-driven region has a length of at least 100 ?m, is without an electrical contact directly contacting onto the epitaxially grown side of the non-driven region, and the non-driven region is without a reflective Bragg grating within the epitaxial layers of the non-driven region.

Abstract: Portable visitor stations that are easy to set up are disclosed. Portable visitor stations, including a visitor application stored on a portable computer may be set up for a facility by sending a location at which the portable computer is to be located at to a visitor processing service and sending a list of contacts associated with the facility to the visitor processing service. In some embodiments, the portable visitor station may be set up exclusively by sending only the received location and the received list to the visitor processing service.

Abstract: A system for processing audio-video data to produce metadata, has an input for receiving audio video data. A characteristic extraction unit is arranged to extract n multiple distinct characteristics from the received audio-video data. A data comparison unit is arranged to compare the n multiple distinct characteristics with data extracted from example audio-video data by comparing in n dimensional space to produce a value for each of f features of the audio-video data where f<n. A multi-dimensional metadata unit is arranged to receive the values for each feature and to produce a complex continuous metadata value of M dimensions for the audio-video data where M<f.

Abstract: A display frame for supporting an image insert for display is provided. The display frame comprises i) an abutment structure for supporting the image insert for display; ii) an upright member including a first connection member and a second connection member; and iii) an interlocking mechanism for interlocking the first connection member and the second connection member. The upright member has a first substantially planar state and a second non-planar display state, and is operable to support the abutment structure. The interlocking mechanism is operable to interlock the first connection member and the second connection member such that the upright member is in the second non-planar display state.