All The Claims

1. A distributed optical fibre sensor for determining one or more parameters as functions of position along a plurality of sensing optical fibres from properties of probe light backscattered within the sensing optical fibres, the sensor comprising:
a probe light source arranged to generate probe light pulses each at one of a plurality of optical wavelengths;
a wavelength multiplexerdemultiplexer component arranged to receive the probe light pulses from the probe light source and to direct pulses of each wavelength into a different corresponding one of said sensing optical fibres, and to collect probe light backscattered within the sensing optical fibres;
a detector arranged to receive the collected backscattered light and to separately detect light of each of said different wavelengths in said collected backscattered light; and
an analyser arranged to determine said one or more parameters as functions of position along each of the sensing optical fibres from said detected backscattered light of each corresponding wavelength.
2. The sensor of claim 1 wherein the wavelength multiplexerdemultiplexer component is arranged to receive the probe light pulses of all of the plurality of optical wavelengths along a connector waveguide and to output all of the plurality of optical wavelengths of the collected backscattered light along the connector waveguide.
3. The sensor of claim 1 wherein the probe light source is arranged to generate said probe light pulses such that backscattered light of at least two of the plurality of wavelengths is detected by the detector at the same time.
4. The sensor of claim 1 wherein the probe light source is arranged to generate said probe light pulses such that backscattered light of all of the plurality of wavelengths is detected by the detector at the same time.
5. The sensor of claim 1 arranged such that the detector detects at least one of Rayleigh, Raman and Brillouin backscatter at each of said plurality of wavelengths, and the analyser determines said one or more parameters from said at least one of Rayleigh, Raman and Brillouin backscatter.
6. The sensor of claim 1 arranged such that the detector detects coherent Rayleigh noise at one or more of said plurality of wavelengths, and the analyser determines one or more of said parameters from properties of the coherent Rayleigh noise.
7. The sensor of claim 1 wherein each of the one or more parameters represents one of: vibration; temperature; pressure; and strain.
8. The sensor of claim 1 wherein the analyser is arranged to determine the same parameter in respect of each of said sensing fibres.
9. The sensor of claim 1 wherein the probe light pulses are conditioned using one or more source optical conditioning components through which the probe light pulses of all of the plurality of wavelengths are passed before being launched into the sensing optical fibre or fibres.
10. The sensor of claim 9 wherein one or more of the optical conditioning components include at least one of: an optical amplifier; and a bandpass filter.
11. The sensor of claim 1 wherein the backscattered light is conditioned using one or more detector optical conditioning components through which all of the collected backscattered light is passed before being detected.
12. The sensor of claim 1 further comprising said plurality of sensing fibres, the sensing fibre(s) being disposed in or along at least one of: a well; a plurality of branches of a well; a pipeline; a building structure; a security perimeter; and in opposite directions along an elongate pathway.
13. The sensor of claim 1 wherein probe light pulses of the plurality of wavelengths are generated using a switched wavelength laser.
14. The sensor of claim 1 wherein the probe light pulses of each of the plurality of wavelengths are generated using a separate correspondingly tuned laser.
15. A method of operating a distributed optical fibre sensor to determine one or more parameters as functions of position along a plurality of sensing optical fibres from properties of probe light backscattered within the sensing optical fibres, comprising:
operating a probe light source to generate probe light pulses each at one of a plurality of optical wavelengths;
coupling the probe light pulses of each wavelength into a different corresponding one of said sensing optical fibres;
collecting probe light backscattered within the sensing optical fibres;
separately detecting light of each of said different wavelengths in said collected backscattered light; and
determining said one or more parameters as functions of position along each of the sensing optical fibres from said detected backscattered light of each corresponding wavelength, wherein the probe light pulses are delivered to the sensing optical fibres and the backscattered probe light is collected and combined from the sensing optical fibres by a wavelength multiplexerdemultiplexer component.
16. The method of claim 15 comprising controlling the timing of the generation of probe light pulses by the probe light source such that at least some of the collected backscattered light contains light of more than one of said wavelengths.
17. The method of claim 15 comprising separately and simultaneously detecting backscattered light of all of said different wavelengths.
18. The method of claim 15 comprising determining said one or more parameters from properties of at least one of Rayleigh, Brillouin and Raman backscatter of said probe light pulses.
19. The method of claim 15 wherein the steps of operating the probe light source and detecting the backscattered light are arranged such that coherent Rayleigh noise is detected in the backscattered light, and the step of determining comprises determining said one or more parameters from properties of the coherent Rayleigh noise.
20. The method of claim 15 wherein the one or more parameters include a parameter representative of vibration in the one or more corresponding sensing optical fibres.

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 design resource system comprising:
at least one processor;
a data source comprising:
a first table defining a first linking relationship between a primary data object and at least one secondary data object;
a second table defining a second linking relationship between a different primary data object and a different at least one secondary data object, wherein the different primary data object is disparate from the primary data object, and wherein the different at least one secondary data object is disparate from the at least one secondary data object; and
a third table defining a third linking relationship between a second different primary data object and a second different at least one secondary data object, wherein the second different primary data object is disparate from the different primary object, and wherein the second different at least one secondary data object is disparate from the at least one secondary data object;

a design resource application executed by the processor to:
receive a linking request, the linking request defining at least one of the first linking relationship, the second linking relationship, and the third linking relationship for disparate data objects;
receive a query request, the query request specifying a particular data object;
query the data source in response to the query request to identify a matching primary objects comprising:
a particular primary data object matching the particular data object and,
a particular different primary data object matching the particular data object, and
a particular second different primary object matching the particular data object;

generate at least one query result without cross indexing, comprising:
the matching primary data objects and corresponding secondary data object based on the first linking relationship, corresponding different at least one secondary data object based on the second linking relationship, and corresponding second different at least one secondary data object based on the third linking relationship; and

transmit the query result via a result form for display, the result form comprising a listing of matching primary data objects and the corresponding secondary data objects, corresponding different at least one secondary data object, and corresponding second different at least one secondary data object.
2. The system of claim 1 wherein:
the primary data object comprises a scenario data object; and
the at least one secondary data object is selected from the at least one member of a group consisting of a user profile data object, an environment data object, and artifact data object, a needs and opportunities data object, and an applications or offerings data object.
3. The system of claim 1 wherein:
the different primary data object comprises a project data object; and
the different at least one secondary data object is selected from the at least one member of a group consisting of a user profile data object, an environment data object, and artifact data object, a needs and opportunities data object, and an applications or offerings data object.
4. The system of claim 1 wherein:
the second different primary data object comprises a standard data object; and
the second different at least one secondary data object comprises a specification data object.
5. The system of claim 1 wherein the result form is transmitted to a client computing device for display.
6. The system of claim 1 wherein the design resource application is further configured to:
transmit at least one of a plurality of input forms for display, each of the plurality of input forms being associated with a different data object type;
receive a storage request, the storage request specifying a particular new data object, wherein the storage request is generated in response to input received via a corresponding input form; and
store the particular new data object in at least one of the first table, the second table, and the third table based on a data object type associated with the corresponding input form.
7. The system of claim 6 wherein the plurality of input forms are selected from at least one member of another group consisting of a user profile input data form, a scenario data input form, an environment data input form, an artifact data input form, a need or opportunity data input form, an applications or offerings data input form, a project data input form, a methods data input form, a standards input form.
8. A computer-readable medium encoded with a design resource application comprising modules executable by a processing device to retrieve design data from a data source, the design resource application comprising:
a filter module to:
receive a query request, the query request specifying a particular data object;
query a data source to identify matching primary data objects in response to the query request, wherein the data source comprises:
a first table defining a first linking relationship between a primary data object and at least one secondary data object,
a second table defining a second linking relationship between a different primary data object and a different at least one secondary data object, wherein the different primary data object is disparate from the primary data object, and wherein the different at least one secondary data object is disparate from the at least one secondary data object; and
a third table defining a third linking relationship between a second different primary data object and a second different at least one secondary data object, wherein the second different primary data object is disparate from the different primary object, and wherein the second different at least one secondary data object is disparate from the at least one secondary data object and wherein the matching primary data objects comprise:
a particular primary data object matching the particular data object;
a particular different primary data object matching the particular data object, and
a particular second different primary object matching the particular data object; and
generate at least one query result without cross indexing comprising the matching primary data objects and corresponding secondary data objects based on the first linking relationship, corresponding different at least one secondary data object based on the second linking relationship, and corresponding second different at least one secondary data object based on the third linking relationship;

a storage module to receive a linking request, the linking request defining at least one of the first linking relationship, the second linking relationship, and the third linking relationship for disparate data objects; and
a user interface module to transmit the query result via a result form for display, the result form comprising a listing of matching primary data objects the corresponding secondary data objects, corresponding different at least one secondary data object, and corresponding second different at least one secondary data object.
9. The computer-readable medium of claim 8 wherein:
the primary data object comprises a scenario data object; and
the at least one secondary data object is selected from the at least one member of a group consisting of a user profile data object, an environment data object, and artifact data object, a needs and opportunities data object, and an applications or offerings data object.
10. The computer-readable medium of claim 8 wherein:
the different primary data object comprises a project data object; and
the different at least one secondary data object is selected from the at least one member of a group consisting of a user profile data object, an environment data object, and artifact data object, a needs and opportunities data object, and an applications or offerings data object.
11. The computer-readable medium of claim 8 wherein:
the second different primary data object comprises a standard data object; and
the second different at least one secondary data object comprises a specification data object.
12. The computer-readable medium of claim 8 wherein the user interface module transmits the result form to a client computing device for display.
13. The computer-readable medium of claim 8 wherein:
the user interface module further transmits at least one of a plurality of input forms for display, each of the plurality of input forms being associated with a different data object type; and
the storage module to:
receive a storage request, the storage request specifying a particular new data object, wherein the storage request is generated in response to input received via a corresponding input form; and
store the particular new data object in at least one of the first table, the second table, and the third table based on a data object type associated the at least one input form.
14. The computer-readable medium of claim 13 wherein the plurality of input forms are selected from at least one member of another group consisting of a user profile input data form, a scenario data input form, an environment data input form, an artifact data input form, a need or opportunity data input form, an applications or offerings data input form, a project data input form, a methods data input form, a standards input form.
15. A method for retrieving design data from a data source comprising:
receiving a linking request at a processor, the linking request defining o at least one of a first linking relationship, a second linking relationship, and a third linking relationship for disparate data objects;
receiving a query request at the processor, the query request specifying a particular data object;
querying a data source to identify a matching primary data objects in response to the query request, wherein the data source comprises:
a first table defining the first linking relationship between a primary data object and at least one secondary data object,
a second table defining the second linking relationship between a different primary data object and a different at least one secondary data object, wherein the different primary data object is disparate from the primary data object, and wherein the different at least one secondary data object is disparate from the at least one secondary data object; and

a third table defining the third linking relationship between a second different primary data object and a second different at least one secondary data object, wherein the second different primary data object is disparate from the different primary object, and wherein the second different at least one secondary data object is disparate from the at least one secondary data object, and wherein the matching primary data objects comprise:
a particular primary data object matching the particular data object;
a particular different primary data object matching the particular data object; and
a particular second different primary object matching the particular data object;

generating at least one query result without cross indexing at the processor, the query result comprising the matching primary data objects based on the first linking relationship, corresponding different at least one secondary data object based on the second linking relationship, and corresponding second different at least one secondary data object based on the third linking relationship secondary data objects; and
transmit the query result via a result form for display, the result form comprising a listing of matching primary data objects and the corresponding secondary data objects, corresponding different at least one secondary data object, and corresponding second different at least one secondary data object.
16. The method of claim 15 further comprising:
transmitting at least one of a plurality of input forms for display, each of the plurality of input forms being associated with a different data object type;
receiving a storage request at the processor, the storage request specifying a particular new data object, wherein the storage request is generated in response to input received via a corresponding input form; and
storing the particular new data object in at least one of the first table, the second table, and the third table based on a data object type associated with the corresponding input form.
17. The method of claim 16 wherein the plurality of input forms are selected from at least one member of another group consisting of a user profile input data form, a scenario data input form, an environment data input form, an artifact data input form, a need or opportunity data input form, an applications or offerings data input form, a project data input form, a methods data input form, a standards input form.

1. An apparatus comprising:
a time and work tracking function to track one or more activities being performed and the time it takes to perform the one or more activities, the activity being one of a start, a continue and a switch activities;
an analyzer to determine the amount of time and type of work performed from one of the activities;
a synchronization mechanism configured to transfer information relating to the activities; and
one or more rules configured to be obtained.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a printing module configured to use the rules to output one or more pre-defined activities of interest and to exclude the activities that do not constitute the pre-defined activities of interest.
3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the one or more activities is performed on a device, the device compdsing a streaming audiovideo device, a portable messaging and database device, a general purpose computing device, or a non-computing appliance.
4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the streaming audiovideo device comprises a phone or a wireless phone.
5. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the portable messaging and database device comprises a Personal Data Assistant (PDA) or a laptop computer.
6. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the general purpose computing device comprises a computer with network connectivity.
7. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the non-computing appliance comprises a dedicated purpose computing device, the dedicated purpose computing device being a refrigerator, an automobile, or a microwave.
8. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the information is organized in a log file.
9. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the information is associated with a wireless related activity, an internal activity, or a desktop related activity.
10. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the information is configured to be classified as either the start, the continue, or the switch activity.
11. The time and work tracker of claim 2 wherein the information is included in a memory location.
12. A method comprising:
initiating a time and work tracking function;
performing one or more activities;
determining the time it takes to perform one or more activities, the activity being one of a start, a continue and a switch activities by an analyzer;
determining the amnont of time and type of work being performed from one of the activities;
transferring information relating to the activities; and
obtaining one or more rules.
13. The method of claim 12 further comprising using the rules in a printing module to output one or more pre-defined activities of interest and to exclude the activities that do not constitute the pre-defined activities of interest.
14. The method of claim 13 wherein the device comprises a streaming audiovideo device, a portable messaging and database device, a general purpose computing device, or a non-computing appliance.
15. The method of claim 14 wherein the streaming audiovideo device comprises a phone or a wireless phone.
16. The method of claim 14 wherein the portable messaging and database device comprises a Personal Data Assistant (PDA) or a laptop computer.
17. The method of claim 14 wherein the general purpose computing device comprises a computer with network connectivity.
18. The method of claim 14 wherein the non-computing appliance comprises a dedicated purpose computing device, the dedicated purpose computing device being a refrigerator, an automobile, or a microwave.
19. The method of claim 13 wherein the information is organized in a log file.
20. The method of claim 13 wherein the information is associated with a wireless related activity, an internal activity, or a desktop related activity.
21. The method of claim 13 wherein the information is configured to be classified as either the start, the continue, or the switch activity.
22. The method of claim 13 wherein the information is included in a memory location.

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 method comprising:
by a computing device, receiving a request from a client computing device of a user to access a communication network;
by the computing device, identifying a particular tier for the client computing device from among a plurality of tiers of service based at least in part on social-graph information of the user, each tier of service comprising one or more session settings of the communication network;
by the computing device, configuring a session of the communication network for the client computing device based at least in part on one or more of the session settings of the identified tier of service; and
by the computing device, establishing the configured session between the client computing device and the communication network.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more of the session settings comprise an amount of access time, bandwidth, quality of service (QoS), amount of data, or any combination thereof.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the social graph comprises:
a plurality of nodes and edges connecting the nodes;
at least one node in the social graph corresponds to the user;
at least one node in the social graph corresponds to an entity associated with the communication network; and
at least one of the nodes corresponding to the user being connected to at least one of the nodes corresponding to the entity by one or more edges.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein one or more of the edges connecting the user to the entity corresponds to a check-in at a geolocation of the communication network or liking a page of an entity associated with the communication network.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the computing device is a server of a social-networking system administering the communication network.
6. The method of claim 5, further comprising associating the user with an account on the social-networking system based on the user logging on to the social-networking system.
7. The method of claim 6, further comprising associating the account on the social-networking system with a particular session of the communication network, wherein the request for access comprises a random session token.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication network comprises a public WI-FI network.
9. One or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media embodying software configured when executed to:
receive a request from a client computing device of a user to access a communication network;
identify a particular tier for the client computing device from among a plurality of tiers of service based at least in part on social-graph information of the user, each tier of service comprising one or more session settings of the communication network;
configure a session of the communication network for the client computing device based at least in part on one or more of the session settings of the identified tier of service; and
establish the configured session between the client computing device and the communication network.
10. The media of claim 9, wherein one or more of the session settings comprise an amount of access time, bandwidth, quality of service (QoS), amount of data, or any combination thereof.
11. The media of claim 9, wherein the social graph comprises:
a plurality of nodes and edges connecting the nodes;
at least one node in the social graph corresponds to the user;
at least one node in the social graph corresponds to an entity associated with the communication network; and
at least one of the nodes corresponding to the user being connected to at least one of the nodes corresponding to the entity by one or more edges.
12. The media of claim 11, wherein one or more of the edges connecting the user to the entity corresponds to a check-in at a geolocation of the communication network or liking a page of an entity associated with the communication network.
13. The media of claim 9, wherein the computing device is a server of a social-networking system administering the communication network.
14. The media of claim 13, wherein the software is further configured to associate the user with an account on the social-networking system based on the user logging on to the social-networking system.
15. The media of claim 14, wherein the software is further configured to associate the account on the social-networking system with a particular session of the communication network, wherein the request for access comprises a random session token.
16. The media of claim 9, wherein the communication network comprises a public WI-FI network.
17. A device comprising:
a processor; and
one or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media coupled to the processor and embodying software that:
receive a request from a client computing device of a user to access a communication network;
identify a particular tier for the client computing device from among a plurality of tiers of service based at least in part on social-graph information of the user, each tier of service comprising one or more session settings of the communication network;
configure a session of the communication network for the client computing device based at least in part on one or more of the session settings of the identified tier of service; and
establish the configured session between the client computing device and the communication network
18. The device of claim 17, wherein one or more of the session settings comprise an amount of access time, bandwidth, quality of service (QoS), amount of data, or any combination thereof.
19. The device of claim 17, wherein the social graph comprises:
a plurality of nodes and edges connecting the nodes;
at least one node in the social graph corresponds to the user;
at least one node in the social graph corresponds to an entity associated with the communication network; and
at least one of the nodes corresponding to the user being connected to at least one of the nodes corresponding to the entity by one or more edges.
20. The device of claim 19, wherein one or more of the edges connecting the user to the entity corresponds to a check-in at a geolocation of the communication network or liking a page of an entity associated with the communication network.