In this paper we present new optical local area networks for fiber-to-the-desk application. Presented networks are expected to bring a solution for having optical fibers all the way to computers. To bring the overall implementation costs down we have based our networks on short-wavelength optical components, multimode optical fibers, multimode polymer-based integrated-optic devices and widely used fast Ethernet protocol. A new physical layer device that can be attached to the existing network interface card has been developed and implemented such that computers can exchange data using our new networks.

The demonstration of an all-optical shift register is introduced by using a master-slave integrated configuration of self electro-optic effect devices. The system structure, system performance and some possible improvements are presented. The dependence of the switching performance is discussed by analyzing the device's transmission coefficients and absorption coefficients. Based on these performance analyses, an improved scheme is discussed, which can provide a 2 Gbps throughput. Considering its advantage of application in optical storing, optical computing, optical wavelength converting and optical modulating, we presented the application of this all-optical shift register in optical fast packet switches.

We present new adaptive importance sampling techniques based on stochastic Newton recursions. Their applicability to the performance evaluation of communication systems is studied. Besides bit-error rate (BER) estimation, the techniques are used for system parameter optimization. Two system models that are analytically tractable are employed to demonstrate the validity of the techniques. As an application to situations that are analytically intractable and numerically intensive, the influence of crosstalk in a wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) crossconnect is assessed. In order to consider a realistic system model, optimal setting of thresholds in the detector is carried out while estimating error rate performances. Resulting BER estimates indicate that the tolerable crosstalk levels are significantly higher than predicted in the literature. This finding has a strong impact on the design of WDM networks. Power penalties induced by the addition of channels can also be accurately predicted in short run-times.

Based on a unified analysis of both pure and slotted ALOHA systems, a new control algorithm for ALOHA systems is proposed. A feature of great practical importance is the algorithm's automatic adjustment to changes in average traffic intensity or the (finite or infinite) number of active stations in the system. In addition, the algorithm has a low-complexity implementation. Computer simulations, concentrating on the use for two-way data communication in a cable television network, have demonstrated that the practical performance of the algorithm closely approximates the theoretical optimum, even under extremely heavy traffic load conditions. Furthermore, dynamic performance simulations have shown that the algorithm assures swift recovery from overload situations.>

A maximum likelihood (ML) estimator for digital sequences disturbed by Gaussian noise, intersymbol interference (ISI) and interchannel interference (ICI) is derived. It is shown that the sampled outputs of the multiple matched filter (MMF) form a set of sufficient statistics for estimating the input vector sequence. Two ML vector sequence estimation algorithms are presented. One makes use of the sampled output data of the multiple whitened matched filter and is called the vector Viterbi algorithm. The other one is a modification of the vector Viterbi algorithm and uses directly the sampled output of the MMF. It appears that, under a certain condition, the error performance is asymptotically as good as if both ISI and ICI were absent.

An optimum linear receiver for multiple channel digital transmission systems is developed for the minimum Peand for the zero-forcing criterion. A multidimensional Nyquist criterion is defined together with a theorem on the optimality of a finite lenght multiple tapped delay line. Furthermore an algorithm is given to calculate the tap settings of this multiple tapped delay line. This algorithm simplifies in those cases where the noise is so small that it can be neglected. Finally as an example the transmission of binary data over a cable, consisting of four identical wires, symmetrically situated inside a cylindrical shield, is considered.