1-20. (canceled)
21. A method of assigning privacy levels to data elements, comprising:
automatically assigning, via a device, a predetermined privacy level to a data element when at least one of the following occurs: the data element arrives at the device, the data element is created by the device, and the data element is modified by the device, and wherein the predetermined privacy level is selected by the device from a plurality of privacy levels, each privacy level corresponding to a respective different degree of privacy;
storing the data element with the assigned privacy level comprising attaching metadata to the data element;
at predetermined time intervals, automatically determining, via the device, if the assigned privacy level for the data element is proper, comprising analyzing the data element via the device to determine what type of data the data element is and determining what degree of privacy the data element should have;
wherein analyzing the data element via the device to determine what type of data the data element is comprises determining via the device whether the data element is personal location information; and
automatically assigning, via the device, a different privacy level to the data element in response to determining that a currently assigned privacy level for the data element is not proper.
22. The method of claim 21, wherein the data element is selected from group consisting of text files, web page files, image files, audio files, video files, and portions thereof.
23. The method of claim 21, wherein analyzing the data element via the device to determine what type of data the data element is comprises searching a network for a definition of a term used in the data element.
24. The method of claim 21, further comprising allowing a user to change a privacy level assigned to a data element.
25. A data processing system that assigns privacy levels to data elements, comprising a device configured to:
automatically assign a predetermined privacy level to a data element when at least one of the following occurs: the data element arrives at the device, the data element is created by the device, and the data element is modified by the device, and wherein the predetermined privacy level is selected from a plurality of privacy levels, each privacy level corresponding to a respective different degree of privacy;
store the data element comprising attaching metadata to the data element;
at predetermined time intervals, automatically determine if the assigned privacy level for the data element is proper, comprising analyzing the data element to determine what type of data the data element is and determining what degree of privacy the data element should have;
wherein analyzing the data element to determine what type of data the data element is comprises determining whether the data element is personal location information; and
automatically assign a different privacy level to the data element in response to determining that a currently assigned privacy level for the data element is not proper.
26. The data processing system of claim 25, wherein the data element is selected from group consisting of text files, web page files, image files, audio files, video files, and portions thereof.
27. The data processing system of claim 25, wherein analyzing the data element to determine what type of data the data element is comprises searching a network for a definition of a term used in the data element.
28. The data processing system of claim 25, further comprising means for allowing a user to change a privacy level assigned to a data element.
29. The data processing system of claim 25, wherein the data processing system is hosted by a device in communication with a communications network.
30. A computer program product for assigning privacy levels to data elements, comprising:
a computer readable storage medium tangibly embodying a program executable with computer instructions, wherein the computer instructions comprise means for enabling a processor to:
automatically assign a predetermined privacy level to a data element when at least one of the following occurs: the data element arrives at a device, the data element is created by the device, and the data element is modified by the device, and wherein the predetermined privacy level is selected from a plurality of privacy levels, each privacy level corresponding to a respective different degree of privacy;
store the data element comprising attaching metadata to the data element;
at predetermined time intervals, automatically determine if the assigned privacy level for the data element is proper, comprising analyzing the data element to determine what type of data the data element is and determining what degree of privacy the data element should have;
wherein analyzing the data element via the device to determine what type of data the data element is comprises determining via the device whether the data element is personal location information; and
automatically assign a different privacy level to the data element in response to determining that a currently assigned privacy level for the data element is not proper.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A system comprising:
a device configured to receive a compressive force and to hold a plurality of fiber optic cables;
a loading device configured to apply a load on the device;
a polarization controller configured to control the applied load on the device in order to scramble polarization to each of the plurality of fiber optic cables simultaneously.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the loading device is a piezoelectric device.
3. The system of claim 2, the applied load is a compressive load.
4. The system of claim 1, wherein the device includes a first section and second section, wherein each of the first section and the second section are configured to form a plurality of ports to receive the plurality of fiber optic cables at an intersection between the first section and the second section.
5. The system of claim 4, wherein the first section and the second section are in a stepped arrangement.
6. The system of claim 1, wherein the loading mechanism is applied at a common angle for each of the plurality of fiber optic cables.
7. A method for polarizing a plurality of fiber optic cables simultaneously, the device comprising:
providing a plurality of fiber optic cables between a first member and a second member, wherein a plurality of intersections are formed between the first member and the second member and each of the plurality of intersections are configured to receive one of the plurality of fiber optic cables;
outputting light from a laser into a first end of each of the plurality of fiber optic cables;
detecting light output by the laser at a detector and generating at least one output signal;
processing the at least one output signal and controlling a loading device to apply a load to at least one of the first member or the second member in order to scramble polarization to each of the plurality of fiber optic cables simultaneously.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein a plurality of output signals are generated for each of the plurality of fiber optic cables.
9. The method of claim 7, wherein the first member and the second member intersect at a prescribed angle.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein the prescribed angle is common for each of the plurality of fiber optic cables.
11. The method of claim 7, wherein the loading device is a piezoelectric device.
12. The method of claim 7, wherein the loading device includes a first loading member configured to apply a load to the plurality of fiber optic cables in a first direction and a second loading member configured to apply a load to the plurality of fiber optic cables in a second direction, wherein the first direction and the second direction are non-parallel.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein the first direction is normal to the second direction.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein the load applied to the plurality of fiber optic cables causes linear birefringence in each of the plurality of fiber optic cables.
15. The method of claim 7, wherein by controlling an amount of force applied by the loading device, the polarization of the light propagating in each of the plurality of fiber optic cables may be rotated along a Poincare sphere.
16. The method of claim 7, wherein a device under test is inserted between the laser and the detector, wherein the loading device is controlled to adjust polarization to maximize optical power reaching at least one of the detectors.
17. The method of claim 7, wherein a device under test is inserted between the laser and the detector, wherein the loading device is controlled to adjust polarization to minimize optical power reaching at least one of the detectors.
16. A polarization dependent loss measurement system, the system comprising:
a laser source,
a detector to detect light output from the laser source;
a polarization controller including a plurality of structures configured to receive a compressive andor a tensile force and the polarization controller further configured to hold a plurality of fiber optic cables and a loading device configured to apply a load on at least a portion of the plurality of structures to adjust polarization of the plurality of fiber optic cables; and
a processor coupled to the detector and the polarization controller, wherein the processor is configured to receive one or signals output by the detector and provide a feedback control signal to the polarization controller.