Abstract: A centrifuge apparatus is used for collecting white blood cells (WBC), primarily mononuclear cells, from whole blood stratified into layers. A thin mononuclear (MNC) layer is formed at the interface of red blood cells and plasma. A barrier is positioned in the separation vessel of the centrifuge at a location to intercept the thin layer. MNC fluid is allowed to pool behind the barrier before collection is started. To collect the MNC pool, the stratified red blood cell layer is raised from below the interface level by slowing or reversing flow in the RBC exit line thereby causing the MNC pool to spill over the barrier into a well in which a collect line is positioned. Collection ceases when a desired percentage of the pool is removed and the normal position of the interface is re-established; thereafter the pool builds again. By raising the MNC pool from below, improvements in purity and collect volume are achieved.

Abstract: A continuous forms printer utilizing paper without pinholes along each edge is provided with a first paper transfer device on the input side of the printing station and a second paper transfer device on the output side of the printing station. The two paper transfer devices are operated at slightly different speeds in order to place tension in the continuous forms at the printing station in order to control registration and magnification problems. For example, a vacuum transport belt is placed on the output side and operated at a slightly greater speed than the printer. The belt is provided with friction characteristics and operated at a vacuum pressure to allow slippage of the belt and paper at the desired tension. By placing positive paper control on the output side, the directional stability of the continuous forms is improved thus avoiding skew control problems.

Abstract: A Graphical User Interface (GUI) is provided for workstations on a network in which a complex operation is controlled. At least one node on the network has a Desktop Management Interface (DMI) with an object oriented database for storing data objects for the complex operation. Objects are organized according to the DMI into components, groups and attributes. The GUI is generic to any complex operation but requires the DMI for access to data. The GUI enables the user to manage information in the database in whatever manner the user has interest through the provision of report definitions through which specific component, group, and attribute data are obtained in accordance with row and column definitions for table display. The DMI interface is probed with appropriate commands generated by the GUI to obtain and display the requested data. Provision is made for displaying data in chart format and a chain feature is provided to move from one report to another. Various other features are provided.

Abstract: A method of sensing and controlling an arc welding process employs a high equency rate of sampling of electrical signals from the welding circuit. The sampled signals are operated upon by predetermined processes to determine electrical resistance, shielding gas quality, and short circuit frequency. The process measurements are compared to a predetermined set of tolerance levels and evaluated using a window technique that updates the evaluation of the data samples at the sampling rate.

Abstract: A system for enabling the use of the Desktop Management Interface (DMI) in a network where the particular computing system containing the DMI and its database reside on one node and where management applications and devices (instrumented components) reside at other nodes. A client interface is established at each of the required client platforms by supporting all of the functions of the management interface (MI) and/or component interface (CI) at the platforms. In that manner, the management application can address the client management interface at its own node as though it were on the DMI node. The client MI issues a "Remote Procedure Call" (RPC) using network protocol to address the DMI node. A server agent at the DMI node receives the call and acts as a proxy management application to address the DMI and its database. Similarly, instrumented components can address the client component interface at its own node as though it were on the DMI node. The client CI issues an RPC to address the DMI node.

Abstract: A centrifuge apparatus is used for collecting white blood cells (WBC), primarily mononuclear cells, from whole blood stratified into layers. A thin mononuclear (MNC) layer is formed at the interface of red blood cells and plasma. A barrier is positioned in the separation vessel of the centrifuge at a location to intercept the thin layer. MNC fluid is allowed to pool behind the barrier before collection is started. To collect the MNC pool, the stratified red blood cell layer is raised from below the interface level by slowing or reversing flow in the RBC exit line thereby causing the MNC pool to spill over the barrier into a well in which a collect line is positioned. Collection ceases when a desired percentage of the pool is removed and the normal position of the interface is re-established; thereafter the pool builds again. By raising the MNC pool from below, improvements in purity and collect volume are achieved.

Abstract: A centrifuge apparatus is used for collecting white blood cells, primarily mononuclear cells, from whole blood stratified into layers. A thin mononuclear (MNC) layer is formed at the interface of red blood cells and plasma. A barrier is positioned in the separation vessel of the centrifuge at a location to intercept the thin layer. An MNC collect port is positioned in front of the barrier to collect the thin layer. MNC fluid is allowed to pool behind the barrier to surround the collect port before collection is started. Collection ceases when the pool is removed and allowed to build again. By operating the collect in an intermittent fashion, improvements in purity and collect volume are achieved. The intermittent collection procedure can be useful for harvesting granulocytes and, in general, any sparse stratified component of a centrifuged solution where the sparse component is layered between more dense and less dense strata.

Abstract: A communication medium and method enabling the identification of manageable data produced on mainframe equipment, so that the data can be established in a Desktop Management Interface (DMI) database. In that manner, management applications residing on desktop equipment connected to the DMI nodes can manage a complex process which includes mainframe equipment. The medium is a "tag" comprising a structured field which is sent from the mainframe to a desktop machine containing a server agent for generating DMI commands from the tag to address the database. In one embodiment, an exit agent is provided to split tags out of a mainframe generated datastream and send them to the server agent. The technique is extended to include desktop nodes so that tags can be produced and sent to the server agent for the generation of DMI commands.

Abstract: A system for enabling expanded instruction sets, applications, data and parameters to be downloaded from one processor to another so that processors ordinarily intended for specific tasks can run other tasks without having an expanded instruction set and application code specifically developed or always resident. In an exemplary embodiment, four types of extended commands are issued by the system processor to the peripheral processor in which a command table is built to point to interpretable images resident therein. The interpretable image is downloaded by a first command and contains the executable code and parameters needed to perform the downloaded task. A second command is issued to execute the interpretable image and may include additional data. A third command is provided to delete previously downloaded interpretable images, and a fourth command is provided to enable the system processor to query other processors for resident interpretable images.

Abstract: A library of disk media units for use in a data processing environment wherein receptacle columns hold multiple cartridges which in turn hold multiple media units comprised of caddies and recording disks. A picker system moves media into and from the drive units and receptacle columns. Drive units are also located within the receptacle columns. The caddies and cartridges are supplied with hole patterns to coact with optical sensors within the receptacle columns and thereby provide information to the library controller indicating the proper/improper operation of the picker system in positioning media units. Also, the hole pattern on the media unit enables the sensors to provide informational content about the media unit to the processor.

Abstract: Library apparatus for holding a plurality of disk cartridges wherein the library housing contains a slot for alignment with the entry slot of a disk drive. The cartridges are stacked upon an inner case within the housing and the case is driven vertically to align individual disk cartridges with the slot. A push/pull mechanism within the housing pushes the selected cartridge through the slot into the disk drive and pulls it back into the library when finished. A specially designed cartridge has a handle for interaction with the push/pull mechanism. A pseudo-spindle device is attached to the drive to enable the use of minimal-dimension cartridges in order to increase the number of disks that can be stacked within a given space in the library.

Abstract: This invention provides an optical disk device with a switchable filter for reducing the light intensity from a write level to a read level or an erase level. The filter can further be used to modulate the light intensity between a write level and a gap level for the process of recording data. For semiconductor laser sources, this filter reduces laser feedback noise by allowing the laser to operate at a higher, more stable power level during data sensing, and by reducing the amount of light reflected from the storage disk back to the laser cavity. Because the filter transmission can be high during the write process, the power requirements of the semiconductor laser are not increased in the device of this invention. In one embodiment, the switchable filter of this invention includes a variable retarder with means to select light on the basis of its phase or polarization, for example, with polarizers.

Abstract: A superconducting integrated circuit that uses a digital input to rapidly select any one of several thousand quantized output voltages. The voltages are generated directly by microwave synchronized Josephson junctions and are as accurate as the externally generated microwave frequency. The circuit makes possible fast voltage comparisons and the digital synthesis of ultra-accurate ac waveforms whose amplitude derives directly from the internationally accepted definition of the volt.

Abstract: Instrumentation logic is provided to map object oriented protocols to efficient data management protocols to provide direct, keyed access to multiple data entries. An object oriented database is utilized to model a complex process since it is easily extended to include tables of transactions for each of the many process steps in a complex operation. The database is accessed through the Desktop Management Interface (DMI) with individual DMI commands issued to get or set each individual entry. An application requiring access to many entries would require detailed knowledge of the database and would need to generate many DMI commands. For such an application, instrumentation logic is provided and is accessed by the application through a normal DMI command. The instrumentation then generates all of the successive DMI commands needed to access multiple entries.

Abstract: A sustaining device for prolonging the vibration of a string of a stringed musical instrument having a magnetic pickup means responsive to vibration of a string, and an electromagnetic string driver means to provide a magnetic drive force to the string. A cancellation circuit is provided for reducing electromagnetic feedback between the pickup and driver by adjusting the relative phase and amplitude between a first and second pickup signal and combining the signals so that the responses to electromagnetic interference cancel. One embodiment of the cancellation circuit includes a second electromagnetic driver that generates an amplitude-adjusted and phase-adjusted electromagnetic field to cancel electromagnetic interference. The driver may be a section of toroidal solenoid that is shaped so that its endpoles are in close proximity to the string for concentrating magnetic flux along the string.

Abstract: A computer system with read-only memory and permanent read/write memory provides the user with the capability of loading an alternate operating system at the conclusion of a session without turning the computer off and then on. A customization word with a system request (SR) bit is located in read/write memory and is set by routines located in ROM upon user request. A reinitialization is then forced which resets the SR bit and brings up the machine in the alternate operating system located in external memory on a diskette or fixed disk. A flexible initialization system is also disclosed providing customized initialization in a variety of operating systems and applications. The preferred customized initialization is maintained for future system start-ups due to the resetting of the SR bit.

Abstract: Control over the placement of image edge location on the photoconductor of an electrophotographic machine providing for a range of discharge levels for edge picture elements (PELS) which vary from greater than, to less than, that level used for fully discharged PELS. Such control is achieved independently of machine parameter control by altering edge PEL illumination intensity in accordance with data representing desired edge PEL intensity as the photoconductor sensitivity changes. A system for measuring and controlling the fully discharged PEL level establishes a measurre of photoconductor sensitivity and is used for enabling the selection of current edge PEL intensity.

Abstract: A printer control system which enables the using application program to automatically selectively alter printer default parameters, to automatically selectively delete previously downloaded fonts and macros, and to enable the printer to operate from one of several datastream formats. The system allows the printer to initialize default parameters for a succeeding job during the printing of a current job as long as the datastream format is unchanged, and allows the deletion of downloaded fonts as long as they are not needed for the current or future pages being printed for the current job.

Abstract: A paper bin assembly including a movable bottom tray for holding a stack of print receiving material, such as paper. The assembly is designed for insertion into a machine using sheets of paper, such as a copier or printer. A leaf spring is used to move the tray upwardly to keep the top sheet of the stack in position for being fed from the stack by a paper feeding mechanism. As sheets are fed from the stack, the spring continues to provide the top sheet in position, and continues to provide a correct normal force between the paper feeding mechanism and the top sheet. This is accomplished over a wide range of paper size and density by affording an adjustment mechanism to vary the spring rate. The adjustment mechanism involves a movable spring support member which moves in one direction relative to a fixed spring support member, and by providing an offset in a second dimension between the two spring support members.

Abstract: An asynchronous serial data receiver for receiving a stream of data bits, characterized by a plurality of shift registers (54) into which samples corresponding to points within said data bit stream are read, different shift registers (54) holding a different set of said samples, said points being separated by most one half of a data bit period, and a decoder (60-90) responsive to said samples held in said shift registers (54) for recognizing points of known phase within said data assessed relative to which samples which corresponding to points within said data bits may be identified for reading. The invention provides a high speed serial receiver which is particularly suitable for use within disc drives and data storage and retrieval systems in general. The serial data receiver of the present invention does not require a clock synchronized with the incoming data.