A fast optical switch can be fabricated/constructed, when a vanadium dioxide (VO.sub.2) and a two-dimensional (2-D) material is activated by either an electrical pulse (a voltage pulse or a current pulse) or a light pulse just to induce an insulator-to-metal phase transition (IMT) in vanadium dioxide. The applications of such a fast optical switch for an on-demand optical add-drop subsystem, integrating with (a) a light slowing/light stopping component (based on metamaterials and/or nanoplasmonic structures) and (b) with or without a wavelength converter are also described.

A fast optical switch can be fabricated/constructed, when a vanadium dioxide (VO.sub.2) and a two-dimensional (2-D) material is activated by either an electrical pulse (a voltage pulse or a current pulse) or a light pulse just to induce an insulator-to-metal phase transition (IMT) in vanadium dioxide. The applications of such a fast optical switch for an on-demand optical add-drop subsystem, integrating with (a) a light slowing/light stopping component (based on metamaterials and/or nanoplasmonic structures) and (b) with or without a wavelength converter are also described.

High-performance ultra-wideband Receive Phased Array Sensors (Rx-PAS) are disclosed, which have unique capabilities, enabled through photonic integrated circuits and novel optical architectures. Unique capabilities for a Rx-PAS are provided by wafer scale photonic integration including heterogeneous integration of III-V materials and ultra-low-loss silicon nitride waveguides. Novel aspects include optical multiplexing combining wavelength division multiplexing and/or a novel extension to array photodetectors providing the capability to combine many RF photonic signals with very low loss. The architecture includes tunable optical down-conversion, moving a chosen frequency band to baseband with high dynamic range; creating also a single frequency band channelizer, which is also expanded to create a multiple tunable frequency band channelizer. Simultaneous multi-channel beamforming is achieved through optical power splitting of optical signals to create multiple exact replicas of the signals that are then processed independently.

A near-field identification system having an object that is or contains electrically conductive material and an ultra-high radio-frequency microstrip transponder. The microstrip transponder having a microstrip line and an identification microchip connected to the microstrip line. The microstrip transponder being on the object at a location where the object has an electrically conductive region, the line following at least one edge of the object. When the identification system is being interrogated by an interrogator from below the system an identification signal from the identification microchip is transmittable from the microstrip line via magnetic near field induced by electric current on the edge of the object to below the object. Also discussed is a method for identifying an object or the kind of an object that is or contains electrically conductive material using near-field identification.

An electronic device includes a reader and a plurality of first coil units. The reader is configured to read at least one wireless signal. The reader is connected to a first coil unit of the first coil units to read the wireless signal in an original reading distance. Other first coil unit(s) of the first coil units is separately arranged in an order started from the first coil unit. Spacing between any two of the first coil units is lower than or equal to the original reading distance. The first coil units are configured to generate magnetic coupling with an adjacent first coil unit started from the first coil unit to extend the original reading distance as a first extended reading distance and adjust a direction of the first extended reading distance.

The invention provides a security system for preventing unauthorised dispensing of cash from a cash dispenser (5), the cash dispenser (5) being located inside a physically protected area (10) of a cash handling machine (1), the cash handling machine having a host controller (2) outside the physically protected area (10) configured to issue dispensing instructions to the cash dispenser (5) over a dispensing instruction data link (3), the security system comprising: an access permission device (11) located inside the physically protected area (10) configured and connected to receive verification signals over a verification data link (2, 3, 22) and to block transmission of dispensing instructions over the dispensing instruction data link (3) to the cash dispenser if the verification signals are not received or are received but are incorrect; and access permission software operatively associated with the host controller (2) configured to send the verification signals to the access permission device (11).

A test instrument can be coupled to a test point and measure signals in the network. The test instrument may determine whether the test instrument is connected to a cable of the network and provide notification if the test instrument is not connected to a cable. The test instrument may also detect when it is connected to a customer premises that has been previously been tested through reflected signal signatures.

A test instrument can be coupled to a test point and measure signals in the network. The test instrument may determine whether the test instrument is connected to a cable of the network and provide notification if the test instrument is not connected to a cable. The test instrument may also detect when it is connected to a customer premises that has been previously been tested through reflected signal signatures.

Methods, systems, and devices are described for wired communication. A first distribution point uses sets of modems to communicate with a second distribution point over a crosstalk link to exchange information and coordinate the use of multiple sets of frequency bands. In some cases, the first distribution point may share a cable binder with the second distribution point and detect crosstalk on the subscriber lines in the cable binder. Based at least in part on the crosstalk detected by the first distribution point, the first and second distribution points may communicate over a crosstalk link between sets of lines in the binder. The distribution points may use one or more sets of predefined tones within the multiple sets of frequency bands to exchange messages, where the messages may include synchronization information, operating parameters, or control and data information.

Methods, systems, and devices are described for wired communication. A first distribution point uses sets of modems to communicate with a second distribution point over a crosstalk link to exchange information and coordinate the use of multiple sets of frequency bands. In some cases, the first distribution point may share a cable binder with the second distribution point and detect crosstalk on the subscriber lines in the cable binder. Based at least in part on the crosstalk detected by the first distribution point, the first and second distribution points may communicate over a crosstalk link between sets of lines in the binder. The distribution points may use one or more sets of predefined tones within the multiple sets of frequency bands to exchange messages, where the messages may include synchronization information, operating parameters, or control and data information.