1. A bicycle, comprising:
an on-board control system;
a first communication interface electrically linked to the control system;
at least one functional element, wherein said control system is configured to control the state of the functional element and communicate to a fixed infrastructure, via the first communication interface, status information concerning the state of said functional element; and
at least one brake and a dynamo, and in which the control system comprises a memory and is configured to:
detect an actuation of the brake,
measure an electrical intensity of a current generated by the dynamo,
write to the memory status information characteristic of a failure of the brake when the control system detects the actuation of said brake without detecting a reduction in said electrical intensity,
transmit said status information characteristic of a failure of the brake to the first communication interface.
2. A bicycle, comprising:
an on-board control system,
a first communication interface electrically linked to the control system;
at least one functional element, wherein said control system is configured to control the state of the functional element and communicate to a fixed infrastructure, via the first communication interface, status information concerning the state of said functional element; and
two independent front lighting circuits, each comprising at least one front lamp, and in which the control system is configured to:
supply current, at mid-power, to each front lighting circuit,
detect a failure in any one of the front lighting circuits, and
supply one of the front lighting circuits with current, at full power, when a failure has been detected in the other circuit.
3. The bicycle as claimed in claim 2, comprising a main rear lighting circuit comprising a first rear lamp, the control system being configured to:
control said main rear lighting circuit, and
detect a failure in said main rear lighting circuit.
4. The bicycle as claimed in claim 3, in which the main rear lighting circuit comprises, in series, a current amplifier, a light-emitting diode, and a current detector.
5. The bicycle as claimed in claim 3, comprising a secondary rear lighting circuit independent of the main rear lighting circuit, said secondary rear lighting circuit comprising a second rear lamp, and in which the control system is configured to control the secondary rear lighting circuit by making it operate when a failure has been detected in the main rear lighting circuit.
6. The bicycle as claimed in claim 5, in which the secondary rear lighting circuit comprises, in series, a current amplifier, a light-emitting diode, and a current detector.
7. The bicycle as claimed in claim 3, comprising at least one brake and a secondary rear lighting circuit independent of the main rear lighting circuit, said secondary rear lighting circuit comprising a second rear lamp, the control system being configured to:
detect the actuation of the brake, and
control the secondary rear lighting circuit by making it operate when the actuation of the brake has been detected.
8. The bicycle as claimed in claim 2, in which each front lighting circuit comprises, in series, a current amplifier, at least one light-emitting diode, and a current detector.
9. A bicycle, comprising:
an on-board control system;
a first communication interface electrically linked to the control system;
at least one functional element, wherein said control system is configured to control the state of the functional element and communicate to a fixed infrastructure, via the first communication interface, status information concerning the state of said functional element and
at least one front lighting circuit comprising at least one front lamp,
at least one rear lighting circuit comprising a first rear lamp,
a dynamo,
a battery electrically linked to the dynamo to be recharged by said dynamo and at least partly supplying the front and rear lighting circuits,
in which the control system is configured to:
control the front and rear lighting circuits,
measure the battery charge,
reduce an electrical intensity supplying the front lighting circuits when the measured charge is less than a predetermined minimum value.
10. A bicycle, comprising:
an on-board control system;
a first communication interface electrically linked to the control system;
at least one functional element, wherein said control system is configured to control the state of the functional element and communicate to a fixed infrastructure, via the first communication interface, status information concerning the state of said functional element, and wherein the control system further includes a memory and is configured to:
receive an identification code via the first communication interface,
write said identification code into the memory,
detect an operation of the bicycle,
if the bicycle is operating, compare the value of the identification code with at least one predetermined value, and
depending on this comparison, initiate or not initiate an alarm reaction, in which the control system is configured to initiate the alarm reaction when the value of the identification code corresponds to said predetermined value.
11. The bicycle as claimed in claim 10, in which said first communication interface comprises a transceiver.
12. The bicycle as claimed in claim 11, in which said first communication interface is a short-range, contactless communication interface.
13. The bicycle as claimed in claim 10, in which the control system is configured to:
detect a fault in the operation of said functional element, and
generate status information characteristic of said fault and communicate this status information to the first communication interface for transmission to said infrastructure.
14. The bicycle as claimed in claim 10, comprising:
at least one front lighting circuit comprising at least one front lamp,
at least one rear lighting circuit comprising a first rear lamp,
a dynamo,
a battery electrically linked to the dynamo to be recharged by said dynamo and at least partly supplying the front and rear lighting circuits,
in which the control system comprises a clock and is configured to:
control the front and rear lighting circuits,
detect the operation of the dynamo,
cut said front and rear lighting circuits when a time interval of predetermined duration has elapsed after the dynamo has stopped operating.
15. The bicycle as claimed in claim 10, in which the control system comprises a clock and is configured to:
detect an operation of the bicycle,
after a predetermined period of operation of the bicycle, initiate an alarm reaction.
16. The bicycle as claimed in claim 10, comprising at least one lighting circuit which comprises at least one lamp, in which the control system is configured to intermittently control the lighting circuit as an alarm reaction.
17. The bicycle as claimed in claim 10, comprising a speaker controlled by the control system, and in which the control system is configured to have a sound signal sent to this speaker as an alarm reaction.
18. The bicycle as claimed in claim 10, in which the control system is configured to detect a movement of the bicycle and to determine that the bicycle is operating when a movement is detected.
19. The bicycle as claimed in claim 10, which can be locked on a fixed terminal, in which the control system is configured to:
detect locking of the bicycle on the fixed terminal,
have an acknowledgement signal sent when the locking of the bicycle on the terminal has been detected.
20. The bicycle as claimed in claim 19, comprising at least one lighting circuit controlled by the control system, and said control system is configured to have said lighting circuit operate intermittently for a limited period as an acknowledgement signal.
21. An automatic bicycle rental system comprising at least one bicycle as recited by claim 10, comprising
the infrastructure configured to receive said status information.
22. The automatic system as claimed in claim 21, comprising a plurality of bicycles and in which said infrastructure comprises:
a plurality of storage stations configured to receive on each at least one bicycle for storage purposes,
and a plurality of short-range second communication interfaces configured to communicate with said first communication interfaces of the bicycles, each second communication interface of the infrastructure being associated with at least one storage station and disposed in the immediate vicinity of said storage station.
23. The automatic system as claimed in claim 22, in which each storage station comprises a fixed terminal.
24. The automatic system as claimed in claim 23, in which the fixed terminal comprises one of said second communication interfaces.
25. The automatic system as claimed in claim 22, in which said second communication interface is a contactless communication interface comprising a transceiver.
26. The automatic system as claimed in claim 22, in which the infrastructure also comprises at least one central station, centralizing said status information received by all the second communication interfaces.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
What is claimed is:
1. An architectural arrangement for launching an optical system signal into an optical transport network, the optical system signal being constituted in a layered membership relationship that defines at least two optical layers, comprising:
an optical transport line residing in the optical transport network and operable to carry the optical system signal therein;
a multiplexing component connected to the optical transport line, the multiplexing component operable to receive a plurality of optical data signals therein, combine the plurality of optical data signals to form the optical system signal, and launch the optical system signal into the optical transport line; and
a plurality of signal impairment compensation mechanisms associated with the multiplexing component, the plurality of signal impairment compensation mechanisms operable across each of the optical layers of the optical system signal to perform a signal impairment compensation operation on optical signals therein.
2. The architectural arrangement of claim 1 wherein the signal impairment compensation operation is selected from the group comprising fixed gain flattening, dynamic gain flattening, optical transient suppression, dispersion compensation and polarization mode dispersion.
3. The architectural arrangement of claim 1 wherein the multiplexing component further comprises a set of multiplexers operable to receive the plurality of optical data signals and combine the plurality of optical data signals to form a plurality of intermediate optical signals, and a system level multiplexer operable to receive the plurality of intermediate optical signals and combine the plurality of intermediate optical signals to form the optical system signal.
4. The architectural arrangement of claim 3 wherein at least one signal impairment compensation mechanism is positioned at one or more inputs associated with the set of multiplexers, at one or more inputs to the system level multiplexer, and at an output of the system level multiplexer.
5. A method for transporting optical signals in an optical transport network, comprising:
receiving a plurality of optical data signals;
performing signal impairment compensation on each of the plurality of optical data signals;
selectively combining the plurality of optical data signals to form a plurality of intermediate optical signals;
performing signal impairment compensation on the plurality of intermediate optical signals;
combining the plurality of intermediate optical signals to form an optical system signal; and
launching the optical system signal into the optical transport network.
6. The method of claim 5 further comprising the steps of:
separating the optical system signal into the plurality of intermediate optical signals at a network switching site associated with the optical transport network, the network switching site interconnecting a plurality of optical transport lines; and
routing at least one of the plurality of intermediate optical signals to one of the plurality of optical transport lines.
7. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of routing at least one of the plurality of intermediate optical signals further comprises using an optical switch residing at the network switching site.
8. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of routing at least one of the plurality of intermediate optical signals further comprises manually routing the at least one intermediate optical signal without the use of a switch to a multiplexer residing at the network switching site.
9. The method of claim 6 further comprising the steps of:
separating remaining intermediate optical signals into a plurality of remaining optical data signals;
routing the plurality of remaining optical data signals to a plurality of optical switches residing at the network switching site.
10. The method of claim 5 wherein the step of performing signal impairment compensation further comprises at least one of fixed gain flattening, dynamic gain flattening, optical transient suppression, dispersion compensation, and polarization mode dispersion.
11. The method of claim 5 wherein the step of launching the optical system signal further comprises performing signal impairment compensation on the optical system signal.
12. A layered network architecture for use in an optical transport network, comprising:
a first optical transport line operable to carry an optical system signal therein, the optical system signal being constituted in a layered membership relationship from a plurality of optical data signals;
a second optical transport line operable to carry the optical system signal therein;
a third optical transport line operable to carry the optical system signal therein; and
a network switching site interconnecting the first optical transport line, the second optical transport line and the third optical transport line, where the network switching site includes
a demultiplexing component connected to the first optical transport line, the demultiplexing component operable to receive the optical system signal and to separate the optical system signal into a plurality of optical band signals; and
an optical switch operable to route at least one of the optical band signals amongst the second and third optical transport lines.
13. The layered network architecture of claim 12 further comprising a multiplexing component associated with at least one of the second optical transport line and the third optical transport line, where at least one of the plurality of optical band signals is manually routed without the use of a switch from the demultiplexing component to the multiplexing component.
14. The layered network architecture of claim 12 further comprising
a sub-band level demultiplexing component connected to the demultiplexing component, the sub-band level demultiplexing component operable to receive the plurality of optical band signals and to separate the optical band signals into a plurality of optical sub-band signals; and
a sub-band level optical switch operable to route at least one of the optical sub-band signals amongst the second and third optical transport lines.
15. The layered network architecture of claim 14 further comprising a sub-band level multiplexing component associated with at least one of the second optical transport line and the third optical transport line, where at least one of the plurality of optical sub-band signals is manually routed without the use of a switch from the sub-band level demultiplexing component to the sub-band level multiplexing component.
16. The layered network architecture of claim 14 further comprising
a wavelength level demultiplexing component connected to the sub-band level demultiplexing component, the wavelength level demultiplexing component operable to receive the plurality of optical sub-band signals and to separate the optical sub-band signals into a plurality of optical wavelength signals; and
a wavelength level optical switch operable to route at least one of the optical wavelength signals amongst the second and third optical transport lines.
17. An architectural arrangement that enables routing of an optical system signal at different optical layers of an optical transport network, the optical system signal being constituted in a layered membership relationship that defines at least two optical layers, comprising:
at least two optical transport lines residing in the optical transport network;
a network switching site interconnecting the optical transport lines, the network switching site having at least one network switch and operable to route optical signals amongst the optical transport lines; and
a plurality of signal impairment compensation mechanisms distributed across each of the optical layers of the optical system signal at locations other than at the network switch, and operable across each of the optical layers of the optical system signal to perform a signal impairment compensation operation on optical signals therein.
18. The architectural arrangement of claim 17 wherein the signal impairment compensation operation is at least one of fixed gain flattening, dynamic gain flattening, optical transient suppression, dispersion compensation and polarization mode dispersion.
19. A method for routing optical signals in an optical transport network, comprising:
receiving an optical system signal at a network switching site residing in the optical transport network, the optical system signal having a plurality of optical sub-band signals embodied therein;
separating the optical system signal into the plurality of optical sub-band signals embodied therein; and
routing at least one of the plurality of optical sub-band signals to a first optical transport line terminating at the network switching site, such that the at least one optical sub-band signal does not enter an electrical domain.
20. The method of claim 19 further comprising the step of routing a second optical sub-band signal of the plurality of optical sub-band signals to a second optical transport line terminating at the network switching site, such that the second optical sub-band signal does not enter an electrical domain.
21. The method of claim 19 further comprising the step of terminating a second optical sub-band signal of the plurality of optical sub-band signals at the network switching site.
22. The method of claim 19 the step of separating the optical system signal into the plurality of optical sub-band signals further comprises separating the optical system signal into a plurality of optical band signals and separating the plurality of optical band signals into the plurality of optical sub-band signals.
23. A network switching node residing in an optical transport network, comprising:
a first termination point operable to receive a first optical system signal, the first optical system signal having a plurality of optical sub-band signals embodied therein;
a demultiplexing component connected to the first termination point and operable separate the first optical system signal into the plurality of optical sub-band signals embodied therein; and
a multiplexing component operable to receive at least one of the plurality of optical sub-band signals from the demultiplexing component, whereby the at least one optical sub-band signal does not enter the electrical domain in transit from the demultiplexing component to the multiplexing component.
24. The network switching node of claim 23 further comprising a second optical termination point connected to the multiplexing component and operable to transmit a second optical system signal over the optical transport network, the second optical system signal having the at least one optical sub-band signal embodied therein.
25. The network switching node of claim 23 further comprising a second multiplexing component operable to receive a second optical sub-band signal from the demultiplexing component, whereby the second optical sub-band signal does not enter the electrical domain in transit from the demultiplexing component to the second multiplexing component; and a third optical termination point connected to the second multiplexing component and operable to transmit a third optical system signal over the optical transport network, the third optical system signal having at least the second optical sub-band signal embodied therein.
26. The network switching node of claim 23 wherein the demultiplexing component further comprises a system level demultiplexer operable to receive the first optical system signal and separate the first optical system signal into a plurality of optical band signals, and a set of multiplexers operable to receive the plurality of optical band signals and separate the plurality of optical band signals into the plurality of optical sub-band signals.