Abstract: A highly fault-tolerant processor is comprised of first and second central processing units (CPU) executing the same instruction sequence. Each CPU provides a state vector representing the current state thereof. The current state of each CPU is defined by the contents of a set of appropriate registers of the CPU after the CPU has completed execution of an instruction. The bits comprising the state vectors are compared by EXCLUSIVE OR gates, the outputs of which being ORed to provide a fail flag indicative of whether or not the state vectors agree with respect to each other. The state previous to the current state is stored external to the CPUs in a state image storage. The external image of the previous state is stored by pushing the existing contents of each of the registers in the set from one of the CPUs into the external image storage prior to the contents of the register being changed pursuant to the execution of the current instruction.

Abstract: Message Segments comprising Messages are stored in a flat file on disk. A unique Message Number is assigned to each Message and each Message Segment is stored at a flat file address (Segment Descriptor) in a record containing the Message Segment data and recovery information. the Recovery Information includes fields for an Available Marker, Message Number, Segment Sequence Number, Final Flag and Last Address. The Available Marker denotes whether the Message Segment is in-use or available. The Message Number field contains the Message Number identifying the Message which contains the Segment. The Segment Sequence Number donotes the order in a Message occupied by the Segment. The Final Flag field contains a flag if the Messge Segment is the Last Segment of the Message. The Last Address field contains the Segment Descriptor of the Last Message Segment of the Message containing the Segment. A data base for accessing the Message Segments is maintained on disk.

Abstract: The coupler includes a waist region formed by merging and fusing a plurality of optical fibers with the waist region encapsulated in photorefractive encapsulating material. The index of refraction of the encapsulating material is modulated by applying illumination thereto, so as to vary the coupler output ratio. The applied illumination can direct the coupler output from one output fiber to another output fiber thereby providing an optically actuated switch. The illumination applied to the encapsulating material can direct a large optical power signal applied to an input fiber from one output fiber to another output fiber thereby providing an optical amplifier analogous to a transistor. One of the output fibers of the element can be utilized to provide the encapsulating material illumination thereby providing an optical feedback oscillator.

Abstract: A voice message system for a pay phone telephone network interposes an Intercept Processing Subsystem (IPS) in the line connections between the pay telephones and the central office. A Voice Processing Subsystem (VPS) is connected to the central office switch by a trunk. A caller at a pay station enters a called telephone number which is stored in the "IPS". The Intercept Processing Subsystem monitors the line connection to determine if the called telephone remains on-hook for a predetermined number of ring tones or is busy for a predetermined number of busy tones. If the ring no answer or busy condition maintains, the "IPS" reduces the volume of the ring or busy tones on the line connection and superimposes a voice announcement thereon offering the voice message service to the caller. If the caller enters an acceptance key sequence or coin deposit, the "IPS" splits the line connection, sends a Thank You message to the calling telephone and speed dials the "VPS".

Abstract: A platform for supporting telephone netrwork applications includes Network Interface Units (NIU) for interfacing between the telephone network and the platform. A disk storage system stores voice messages to be sent over the network and voice messages received from the network. Voice messages are conveyed between the NIUs and the disk storage system by Voice Interface Modules (VIM). The platform is installed on a general purpose digital computer and includes an Application Interface Module (AIM) responsive to an AIM command set including: SEND VOICE MESSAGE, CONNECT CALL, COLLECT DIGITS, INITIATE CALL, TERMINATE CALL, GET MESSAGE NUMBERS and PIVOT CALL. In response to SEND VOICE MESSAGE, a designed message stored on the disk system is sent to the network via the VIM. SEND VOICE MESSAGE has a RECEIVE VOICE MESSAGE option whereby a message is received from the network after the SEND data is transmitted and stored on disk.

Abstract: A submarine radar antenna mast extension, retraction and rotation mechanism comprises a ball drive screw attached to the mast with a ball drive nut threaded to the screw. A rotary tube surrounds the mast with the mast keyed for translation within the rotary tube and prevented from rotation with respect to the rotary tube. An outer tube surrounds the rotary tube and effects a static hull penetration seal with respect to the submarine. The rotary tube rotates within the outer tube, but is prevented from translation with respect thereto. A brake/indexing assembly geared to the rotary tube selectively releases the rotary tube for rotation or locks the rotary tube to an indexed position for extension and retraction. A single bi-directional hydraulic drive motor geared to the ball drive nut effects mast extension and retraction by applying the brake to prevent rotary tube rotation. The drive motor effects mast rotation by releasing the brake.

Abstract: An autocoupler flange is coupled to a rigid waveguide through a flexible waveguide. The autocoupler flange is supported in a stationary housing by support pins projecting through shaped apertures in the housing and a system of springs to maintain the autocoupler flange in a position skewed to the vertical. The autocoupler flange includes a stop member with a horizontal alignment slot therein. A movable waveguide flange has an alignment bracket secured thereto, the alignment bracket including a horizontal alignment pin. Vertical motion of the movable waveguide flange and alignment bracket engages the autocoupler flange, lifting the autocoupler flange from its support on the stationary housing. The horizontal alignment pin engages the horizontal alignment slot to provide horizontal alignment between the flanges. In the coupled position, the autocoupler flange is supported on the waveguide flange with the system of springs locking the flanges together.

Abstract: A digital underwater communication system includes a transmitter and a receiver. An oscillator bank in the transmitter generates a plurality of signals, each having a unique frequency. A timed switching matrix selects predetermined combinations of signals from this plurality and a gate passes only those signals within a selected combination that corresponds to the binary value of a bit to be transmitted. A timer commands the switching matrix to select different combinations at each bit time. The receiver contains a filter bank feeding a plurality of channels, each responsive to a different one of a plurality of signals generated in the oscillator bank. A receiver timer, synchronized with the transmitter timer, enables combinations of receiving channels corresponding to the combinations of signals selected by the transmitter switching matrix during that bit time.

Abstract: A monitor is transformed into a predetermined type of digital computer system by attaching a personality module to the rear thereof. The module contains one or more circuit cards for imparting the desired personality to the system. The monitor includes an internal power supply for providing power to the module. Mating video and power connectors are included at the interface surfaces of the monitor and personality module for conveying video signals from the module to the monitor and conveying power from the monitor to the module. Apertures at the top of the rear mounting surface of the monitor engage hooks at the top of the mounting surface of the module to form a disengagable hinged interface therebetween. Apertures are included at the bottom of the mating surface of the monitor for engaging rotary latches disposed at the bottom of the module. Each rotary latch comprises a triple-cut lead screw engaged in a nut captured in the module.

Abstract: Short-data records are compressed and decompressed by Lempel-Ziv compression and decompression utilizing a fixed searchtree database, an encoder and a decoder. The searchtree database is incrementally grown by a file preprocessor from a sample of the input data. The searchtree is fixed either when the data sample or the storage space for the searchtree is exhausted. The encoder maintains an encoded-record directory for locating the compressed records. A record located by the directory is decompressed by the decoder, and may be modified and recompressed by the encoder. Lempel-Ziv compresssion and decompression of the type of U.S. Pat. No. 4,464,650 is utilized. The preprocessor also constructs, as part of the searchtree database, a last-descendant list for use by the decoder to extend internal nodes received as leaf pointers by the appropriate number of repetitions of the first encountered symbol of the alphabet.

Abstract: Touchscreen control panel apparatus that highlights a control key to which the operator slides touch and actuates the associated control function upon touch release from the highlighted key. Highlighting is deleted from a key when operator slides touch therefrom without releasing touch. Parameter values are adjusted by touching a control key associated therewith and thereafter sliding touch anywhere on the touchscreen to effect parameter value change.

Abstract: A Fabry-Perot etalon is utilized as an optical switch for controllably switching an input optical signal on an input optical conduit between first and second output optical conduits. The etalon is comprised of a cavity formed by plane parallel periodic multilayer reflective surfaces with a variable index of refraction semiconductor medium sandwiched therebetween. The medium and periodic multilayer structures comprise, for example, Aluminum Gallium Arsenide. An optical pump injects an optical control beam into the medium to vary the index of refraction of the medium so as to cause the input optical signal to either be reflected from the cavity into the first output conduit or transmitted through the cavity to the second output conduit. Alternatively, electric fields, thermal fields, or injected carriers can be applied to the medium to vary the index of refraction thereof, thereby effecting the optical switching action.

Abstract: A method for obtaining excitation errors of elements in an array antenna increases the element unit cell area in the aperture plane by reducing the size of the fundamental period in spectrum space. An element unit cell in the aperture plane is increased by appropriately selecting rows of elements to establish row sets. A polarity of near field measurements are made with the phase shift applied to the elements of one row set for each measurement and the spectrum for each row set is determined from the data of the plurality of measurements. This spectra is then utilized to determine the element excitation coefficients.

Abstract: A DRAM controller wherein the outputs of a 74F538 integrated circuit provides RAS signals to the banks of a DRAM array, respectively, where the 74F538 is located at the array. A microprocessor utilizing the array provides appropriate memory address signals, a refresh request signal and a RAS timing signal. A PAL16L8B responsive to the memory address, refresh request signal and RAS timing signal encodes the memory address into a digital RAS signal having fewer bits than the number of memory banks. The digital RAS signal represents the selected bank for a memory access cycle. The digital RAS signal is conveyed in parallel on a bus coupling the PAL to the 538. The PAL generates an enable signal in response to the RAS timing signal to enable the 538 during memory access cycles. During memory access cycles, the 538 decodes the digital RAS signal to enable one of the outputs thereof in accordance therewith.

Abstract: A simulator of bottom return signals for a sonar system on a moving ship generates pulsed frequency modulated signals to simulate ocean bottom returns. Signals from the sonar transmitter are stretched in accordance with a postulated bottom configuration and applied to the frequency modulators to provide frequency modulated signals for the duration of the stretched pulses. Noise is simulated with the addition of an appropriate sinusoidal signal to each pulsed frequency modulated signal.

Abstract: A personal computer (PC) running on MS/DOS interactively and graphically creates or modifies definitions for print fonts, electronic forms, page compositions and sketches and includes a function for converting the definitions for transfer to a mainframe computer facility for use by the mainframe printer control function and printer. The PC further includes functions for creating or modifying character arrangements, EFORM arrangements, page composition arrangements and sketch arrangements where the arrangements include all of the components required to print the entity. The mainframe computer comprises an OS1100 system with PERCON for controlling a laser printer. The invention includes a function at the mainframe facility for converting the definitions transferred thereto from the PC into omnibus elements containing the data required by PERCON to print the entities. The omnibus elements are stored in a user library.

Abstract: A frame building procedure for use in time division multiplexer systems for building a frame with N slots numbered #1, #2, #3, . . . #N in increasing time order. A slot assignment sequence is generated in successive iterations I by initially assigning slot #1 as the first assignment in the sequence. N/2.sup.I is added to the slot numbers of all previously assigned slots during each iteration. Additionally, during each iteration, I is incremented by unity. The iterations are performed until all N slots are assigned when N/2.sup.I =1.

Abstract: A gyroscopic rate sensor has a motor driven shaft on which is mounted a flexible disc rotor enclosed in a gas-filled housing with a rotating rigid plate, also mounted on the shaft, to provide viscous gaseous restraint. A rotating capacitive plate assembly referenced to the drive motor spin axis provides a stable electrical output signal proportional to periodic deflections of the disc rotor. By perforating the disc rotor near the spin axis, spring restraint is minimized while the squeeze film damping provides improved dynamic response.

Abstract: A target for use in ion beam sputtering is arranged for varying the chemical composition of the deposited film without requiring substantial fabrication of a new target. The target is comprised of a disc having therein a plurality of openings which extend only part way through the disc. The target is fabricated from a predetermined chemical composition similar to that desired to be deposited. The openings within the target are filled with plugs of a varied chemical composition. By choice of the number of plugs and their composition, as well as the size of the plug, the structure of the film may readily be varied to a small degree or a large degree. The invention is applicable to all methods of deposition that use a target as a source of material for the film.

Abstract: Manchester level coded data is converted to NRZ by two gated delay line oscillators responsive to differential Manchester signals for providing a single gated pulse in response to consecutive data cells conveying the same data and for providing two pulses in response to a data change. A decoder circuit responds to the two pulse condition by toggling a data flip-flop that provides the NRZ data. The flip-flop also controls gates responsive to the two oscillators for selecting between the two oscillator signals to provide the NRZ clock. When the system bus ceases data transmission, three or more oscillator pulses are generated, the detection of which is utilized to preset the data flip-flop.