Abstract: Moisture content measurements are accomplished as a function of temperature by measuring the temperature-difference versus natural-logarithm-of-heating-time response of a sample of a predetermined material during a predetermined interval of application of a predetermined quantity of heat, determining the slope of that response at a portion thereof of substantially maximum slope, determining the mean sample temperature through the duration of that response portion, and calculating the moisture content of the sample as a function of that slope and that mean temperature. A thermal probe is used for both applying controlled heat to a material sample and sensing resulting temperature changes within the sample. The probe includes a line heat source and either a thermocouple sensing element or a thermistor sensing element. Sample holders are employed which limit diversion of heat from the heater via paths other than through the sample material.

Abstract: Vapor deposition of a thin film is accomplished by employing a pulsed laser to irradiate at least a region of a homogeneous stoichiometric complex material pellet with sufficient energy density to accomplish congruent evaporation of constituents of the material. The energy density is further at least sufficient to cause at least a predetermined portion, a central forward lobe, of the evaporant to have approximately the same stoichiometry as the irradiated material. A substrate is positioned to allow deposit thereon of that lobe portion of the evaporant as a thin film.

Abstract: A portable radiotelephone unit is provided with an internal antenna in a space between an internal, electrically conductive enclosure for electrical apparatus of the unit and an external, electrically nonconductive housing of the unit. The antenna is a microstrip, folded-slot, edge-congruent device comprising a stack of alternate, electrically conductive layers and dielectric layers. A high frequency band antenna module and a low frequency band antenna module are included in the antenna, and all layers of that antenna are dimensioned to determine, at least in part, the frequency characteristics of the antenna. Perpendicular and parallel attachments are shown for a feed cable extending, via a hole in the enclosure, between the antenna and radiotelephone unit electrical apparatus within the enclosure.

Abstract: A multiband antenna mounting and feedline coupling arrangement includes a first transmission line segment secured in a mounting device for the antenna for coupling energy to and from the antenna. A second transmission line segment, extending, e.g., to grounded high band equipment, provides high band signal coupling with the first line and includes a direct current blocking capacitor in series in the ground return path of that second line segment, the capacitor having such a low impedance to high band energy that it presents negligible impedance to such energy. A third transmission line segment provides low band signal coupling with the first line by way of a part of the ground return path of the first line. A high band quarter wave, in the high band, filter stub transmission line is connected between the signal and ground return paths of the third transmission line adjacent to the point of coupling thereof to the first line.

Abstract: An optical rotary joint has a first pair of light beam expanding graded index (GRIN) of refraction lenses coupled to ends of a first pair of lightguide fibers for coupling signals through the rotary joint interface in a first path which is coaxial with the axis of rotation in the interface. A second pair of lightguide fibers are coupled to a second pair of GRIN lenses off-axis and of much smaller diameter than the lenses of the first pair. Prisms couple signals between the off-axis lenses and a second path across the interface and which is also coaxial with the axis of rotation. Also shown is a method for compensating for lens irregularities.

Abstract: First and second transistor current sources of complementary conductivity types are connected in series with an output connection between them in the series connection. Input signals control the conduction level of one of the sources so that it diverts correspondingly variable amounts of current of the other source away from the output connection in accordance with a first linear characteristic. Additional transistor current source circuits are provided, and responsive to a predetermined level of the same input signals, for diverting substantially different amounts of current away from the output connection in accordance with a second linear characteristic of different slope from the first characteristic.

Abstract: Microwave devices are fabricated by a method wherein a block of dielectric material is conformed to the physical configuration of a required microwave device, and it is then coated with electrically conductive material. Portions of the coating material are removed from predetermined regions of the block to implement a predetermined microwave device. One microwave device fabricated in accordance with the foregoing method is shown, and comprises an interdigital bandpass filter in which the block is shaped and drilled with a line of parallel holes to define the physical configuration of an interdigital filter in which the interiorly-coated drilled holes comprise resonator rods within a microwave cavity formed by the exteriorly-coated remaining portions of the dielectric material block. Coating material is removed from end portions of the rods formed by the coated holes in order to fine-tune the filter to a desired center frequency in the band of operation.

Abstract: The power of computer-based services is made available to telephone subscribers by a telephone station set (10) including a telephone handset (17) for audio transduction, a video output display screen (13) and manual input key facilities (16,20,23) coupled for interaction by a data processing facility (43). All of those elements are included in a common station set housing for programmable interaction under control of the station set user. The input key facilities include a full ASCII key set, additional buttons (30-32) for signaling standard computer service functions, and keys (16) for user selection of predetermined different text portions of the display screen. Also shown are various electrical and mechanical features which facilitate the combining of the functional parts into the common housing and illustrative processes (FIGS. 8-12) for demonstrating the programmable facility interaction.

Abstract: In cellular mobile radiotelephone systems employing reuse of a predetermined set of channels in adjacent iterations of a pattern of cells (FIG. 1), average signal-to-interference ratio in at least one cell region of interest is improved by tilting the antenna (11,12) gain pattern center-beam line of an antenna serving that region below the horizontal (FIG. 3). In one embodiment the tilt (.theta.) is sufficient to create a reduced-gain notch (FIG. 8) in the center-beam portion of the pattern.

Abstract: Some cellular mobile radiotelephone systems use tones for certain call connection supervisory functions on radio links. The presence of the correct tone in a received radio channel call signal is determined by using the received signal for producing (32) a lower frequency tone that is readily selectable (36) from similar tones produced in response to incorrect supervisory tones. The same received call signal is also separately processed to produce (41, 53) supervisory tone phase information that is indicative of range between communicating stations. Several circuits (72; 40 and 46; 59-62) are shown for enhancing the accuracy of the produced phase information of the correct tone.

Abstract: To stabilize the phase of bit rate clock signals recovered from a self-clocking data signal, e.g., a Manchester coded signal, extra signal level transition pulses (58) occurring during intervals of successive bits of the same info bit type are inverted (59) to reinforce the desired phase of the bit-rate frequency component.

Abstract: A peripheral processor (13) and associated memory (21) cooperate with a main processor (10) in a data processing system to provide for the main processor multiple parallel timing channels (7) for timing functions of various durations in an extensive range of duration magnitudes. The main processor initiates the timing of an event by interrupting the peripheral processor to specify a device and the duration of its function to be timed for each such function as the need for each timing operation arises. The peripheral processor administers all of the timing channels are queues (8) time-outs as they occur and pending notification of the main processor of the time-out by an interrupt request. Such interrupt requests are generated in a predetermined order with respect to factors such as the order of occurrence of the time-out and the relative interrupt priority of the timed function.

Abstract: Characteristic signal state patterns in a self-clocking digital code such as delay modulation (DM), or Miller, coding are used to control a data transmission system. A DM signal is examined (16, 17) for a double-bit-rate information state pattern that is characteristic of a nonreturn-to-zero (NRZ) ONE-ZERO-ONE bit-rate sequence. Detection of the pattern produces a synchronizing pulse that is used to set (20) a clock pulse train to a predetermined signal state. That train is used for sampling (26) time-adjacent, double-bit-rate, input signal, information states in the DM signal to indicate corresponding NRZ states. An NRZ-to-DM encoder (FIG. 7) is also shown, as is one embodiment of each of the encoder (FIG. 10) and decoder (FIG. 11) using read only memory and register logic. Further shown are a detection (46-49) of other double-bit-rate patterns as error indications and a combined use (FIG. 11) of the error and synchronizing indications for end-to-end signaling.

Abstract: A microphone (11) is secured to one end of a unidirectionally flexible tape (12) which is removably storable in a housing (10) after passage through a tracking mechanism (13). That mechanism is part of a further mechanism (26, 37, 41) for holding an exiting portion of the tape in the angular orientation assumed by the tape at the end of a removal operation.

Abstract: A character applying device which is controlled by a separate signal processor can be manually moved across a writing surface while the characters are being applied. A single-tipped marking instrument is moved with a prescribed motion parallel to the surface as the device is moved across the surface to create a relatively dense array of line patterns. Simultaneously, received control signals cause the tip to move in and out of contact with the surface for, in effect, masking the array to produce characters represented by those signals.

Abstract: At least one movable device is mechanically coupled to a coupling device which moves in response to the motion of the movable device. The coupling device moves in a path which closely parallels the path of a time-varying, propagating electric field. Upon interception of the electric field with the coupling device, a signal is transferred through the coupling device by capacitive coupling with the field to an input of a detector. The signal is detected by circuitry which generates a pulse width modulated (PWM) signal corresponding to the period of time between the initiation of the propagation of the electric field and the moment of interception. Circuitry is provided to generate pulse code modulated (PCM) signals responsive to the position location of up to 2.sup.n movable devices.

Abstract: Multibit digital signals, being telephone call signal samples from different simultaneous call connections and coded in an ordered coding system, are stored in different locations of a first buffer store. The respective signals are coupled through a stored program controlled switching processor to randomly selectable locations of a second buffer store for transmission to corresponding respective different call destinations. A register is provided in the switching processor for temporarily storing each signal as it is coupled through the processor. Also included in the processor is the capability for additional selectable processing of those coupled signals en route.

Abstract: Units peripheral to a data processor and individually selectable by unique address signals to perform functions are arranged in sets providing functions of hard wired apparatus such as data modems, units in each set providing functions identical to corresponding units in other sets. The performance of the functions is controlled by a memory unit which designates which modem set is to be selected and by a common program routine which instructs the processor to apply, to an address bus, address codes defining corresponding units without specifying the individual unit. A logic circuit converts the address codes to the unique address signals of the corresponding unit in the designated modem set. At the end of the routine the processor changes the designation in the memory unit to another modem set.