Abstract: Station apparatus used at a Local Serving Office (LSO) and at one or more stations reduces contention for communication access over time slots and/or wavelengths and/or fibers of an optical facility. The station apparatus enables Space-Wavelength-Time Division Multiple Access (SWT-DMA) communications using a combination of two or more different communication modes selected from a group including (1) a space division multiplexed access (SDMA) mode which selects a fiber(s) of the optical facility, (2) a wavelength division multiplexed access (WDMA) mode which selects a wavelength(s) on a fibers, and (3) a time division multiplexed access (TDMA) mode which selects time slot(s) of a wavelength. Communication mode selection may utilize (1) out-of-band signaling, (2) optical tag signaling, or (3) time marker signaling over a wavelength of one or more of the optical fibers.

Abstract: A method is provided for verifying that optical signals are properly routed between inputs and outputs of an optical cross-connect according to the prescribed routing paths defined in the cross-connect map. More specifically, optical signals are independently tagged at the cross-connect input ports with connection verification messages containing identification information. Connection verification messages can include, among other information, a message identification, incoming and outgoing wavelength information, incoming and outgoing port information, a time stamp, user verification data, and so on. At the cross-connect output ports, the messages are retrieved (and optionally removed) from the optical signals so that the identification information from the retrieved messages can be compared to the routing defined in the cross-connect map.

Abstract: A hospital-based integrated medical computer system for processing medical and patient information and for evolving medical knowledge, diagnoses and prognoses is disclosed. The system includes a medical processor including a memory and a plurality of medical data banks connected thereto. The medical processor and the medical data banks are designed to work in tandem for executing a plurality of instructions and/or obtaining information. A plurality of separate processor hardware modules are operatively connected to the medical processor. The modules include a communication module, at least one switching module, an administrative module and a knowledge module.

Abstract: The polling features of a resident hybrid fiber/coax (HFC) network platform are used to poll between a link a hybrid digital terminal (HDT) and a network interface unit (NIU). In the absence of a polling response from the NIU to a polling query from the HDT, the polling is regarded as unsuccessful. Hence, every polling query with no response from the NIU means the polling is unsuccessful and counted as a failed polling. The unsuccessful polling will be the result of an outage causing fault such as a physical break anywhere between the NIU and the HDT. Using an exception report format, only the unsuccessful pollings are reported and the counted. To calculate the unavailability of the link during any period of time, the number of counts within the period is acquired and used in the measurement process. The result is a statistical measure of the link unavailability during a specified time period, which may be one day, one year, or any suitable unit of time.

Abstract: Multiprocessor architecture having advantages of both synchronous and asynchronous architectures. The multiprocessor (FIG. 10) comprises processors (300) operating in parallel and synchronously. Each processor operates at a different rate (a), so that each processor processes a data unit (316) in a different amount of time. An input distribution function (317) receives an input stream of data and distributes it to individual processors for processing, in amounts directly proportional to the operating rates of the individual processors, so that each processor processes all of the data distributed to it in the same amount of time as the other processors. Input data buffers (301) connected to processors operate synchronously with the connected processors, receiving and storing the distributed data and inputting it to the connected processors at rates synchronized with the processors' operating rates.

Abstract: A knowledge processing system includes a memory for storing knowledge in a plurality of knowledge modules in a knowledge bank, in which the knowledge includes data associated with pre-existing solutions to previous problems; and a processing unit, operating knowledge-based software, and including a knowledge processing unit for generating a plurality of artificial intelligence based modules, and for executing the plurality of artificial intelligence base modules to process input data, including problem related data, for generating a plurality of solution-related modules from the data representing the pre-existing solutions, with the solution-related modules corresponding to solutions to the current problem; a numerical processing unit for generating a confidence level associated with a respective solution to the current problem; and a database processing unit for controlling the storing of the solution-related modules in the memory.

Abstract: In U.S. Pat. No. 3,906,199, issued to R. B. Kieburtz and K. V. Mina on Sept. 16, 1975, limit cycle noise is reduced in a second order recursive digital filter by a circuit which randomly inhibits the rounding signal in one of the digital multipliers disposed in the filter. It has been found, however, that in certain instances, this approach results in even longer transients.In accordance with the present invention, random inhibiting is constrained to instances in which limit cycle noise is reduced, by monitoring, with suitable logic circuitry, the signals present in the various feedback loops of the filter. Generally, it has been found that the inhibiting circuit should be allowed to operate only if D.sub.1 and D.sub.2 satisfy predetermined magnitude and polarity relationships, where D.sub.1 .ident. a version of the filter output signal Y(n) that is removed in time by one sample interval, and D.sub.2 .ident. a version of the filter output signal Y(n) that is removed in time by two sample intervals.