Abstract: A surface emitting semiconductor laser includes a body of a semiconductor material having a pair of opposed surfaces and a plurality of active regions stacked one on the other between the surfaces. Each of the active regions includes a p-type conductivity layer, an n-type conductivity layer and an active layer therebetween. The active layer can either be intrinsic or a quantum well. The p-type and n-type layers are doped to provide a tunneling junction between the layers of adjacent active regions. The active layers of the active regions are spaced apart a multiple of one-half a wavelength to provide distributed feedback. Contacts are on the surfaces of the body with one of the contacts having an opening therethrough through which a generated light beam can emerge.

Abstract: Tape cartridges are stored in guides within a plurality of open slots arrayed in a carousel which is mounted for rotation around a tape drive assembly. The cartridges are retrieved and returned with respect to their storage positions by a slider arm extendable from the drive. Cartridges are loadable and removable from the carousel via an access door. The controlling computer or controller detects presence of a jam because of a cartridge not fully nested in its storage position by actuating selected operations of the carousel so as to nudge the cartridge into its fully nested storage position. An air flow pattern is created so as to isolate the data exchanging elements of the tape drive and carousel while cooling all elements not sensitive to contamination from air flow. Light source and photocell detectors are maintained in a relatively rigid relationship so as to reliably detect tape cartridge presence in each storage slot.

Abstract: An improved transponder for transmitting an identification of an animal or the like is described which is sufficiently miniaturized to be syringe-implantable, thus avoiding the necessity of surgical procedures. The transponder comprises a coil which receives an interrogation signal and transmits an identification signal in response thereto. The transponder receives the energy required for transmission by inductive coupling to an interrogator. A single integrated circuit chip is provided which detects the interrogation signal, rectifies it to generate power needed for transmission, stores an identification of the transponder and hence of the animal in which it is implanted, and generates a frequency-shift-keyed, Manchester encoded identification signal in response to the interrogation signal. The device transmits the identification signal in real time, that is, immediately upon commencement of the interrogation signal, such that no discrete elements for energy storage are required.

Abstract: Communication among processors having differing operating speeds by providing wake queues in which slower processors can queue entries, access to which by multiple concurrent producers and multiple concurrent consumers is synchronized or controlled using global registers. When a faster processor executes a kernel process for handling a wake queue, an entry is fetched from the wake queue and information stored in the entry is used to process the entry.

Abstract: A parser for parsing computer programs in a compiler has parsing tables arranged as linear vectors. In a reduction portion of the parser, a production table and a lookahead set table have paired entries at identical address offsets such that a one-to-one relationship exists between each lookahead set in the lookahead set table and the representation of the lookahead set in the lookahead set table. In a read transition portion of the parser, an entrance symbol table has entries paired with transition state representations and each pair being at an identical address offset in the respective tables. For a reduction or read transition operation, the lookahead set table or the entrance symbol table is scanned to find the appropriate entry. Once the appropriate entry is found, the production table or the transition state table is addressed using the offset of the appropriate entry found during the scanning process.

Abstract: An erasable video cassette labeling kit is disclosed having an elongated paper board base member on which an elongated, transparent, plastic bubble is laminated, the bubble being located to one side of the base member and extending parallel to the major axis of the base member. A stack of individual, elongated, erasable video cassette labels are loosely housed in the bottom of the plastic bubble, adjacent to the base member, and a marking pen is loosely housed in the bubble, on top of the stack of labels. A hanging notch is formed in one end of the base member, in alignment with the center of gravity of the kit, so that the kit can be hung from the notch with the major axis of the base member extending vertically. The labels are formed of four layers comprising a top layer or film of clear polypropylene that is adapted for marking by use of the marking pen, a white, tear resistant, vinyl polymer layer or film, a pressure sensitive adhesive layer or film, and a split, peelable, paper support layer or liner.

Abstract: The graphical display of compiler intermediate database representation is produced to function as an aid in the development of highly optimizing compilers, the inspection of the compiler-generated intermediate representation, and the analysis of the effects of a highly optimizing compiler upon original source code. This method extracts the intermediate representation and transforms it into simultaneous displays of the program statements, expressions, basic blocks, machine instructions, and original source code for a particular source position, statement, expression, basic block, or machine instruction.

Abstract: A compound or multi-function tool facilitates manually moving of the brake rod of a motorized land vehicle, and provides a dimensional scale integrally therewith by which the distance of travel of the brake rod between its brake-off and brake-on positions is visually observed and measured.

Abstract: A self-powered liquid crystal spatial light modulator is disclosed having a pair of spaced transparent glass plates, on each plate of which a transparent electrically conductive film is coated so as to be in confronting relation. A voltage/current generating, photovoltaic/photodiode, light sensitive layer is coated onto one of the conductive films. A liquid crystal layer is confined between the other conductive film and the light sensitive layer. A shorting circuit element connects the two conductive films. This shorting circuit element may be internal or external to the spatial light modulator. A pixel area of the spatial light modulator is addressed by a beam of light that illuminates the pixel area and operates to activate a corresponding area of the light sensitive layer. The voltage/current that is generated in this area of the light sensitive film causes a current to flow through the shorting circuit element, to thereby activate, switch or charge the corresponding area of the liquid crystal layer.

Abstract: A passive integrated transponder (PIT) is attached to or embedded in an item to be identified. It is excited via an inductive coupling from an interrogator. The PIT responds to the interrogator via the inductive coupling with a signal constituting a stream of data unique to the identified item. The signal is in the form of two different frequencies, a shift from one frequency to the second during a bit cell representing a data "one", and a shift from the second frequency to the first frequency representing a data "zero". The responsive signal is then detected and processed for utilization in a data storage or display device.

Abstract: In a semiconductor device, a thin, synthetic diamond film (i.e. a man made film) enhances the transfer of heat from a semiconductor circuit chip to a cooling medium. The heat generating semiconductor circuit chip is located in efficient thermal transfer engagement with one surface of a synthetically deposited diamond film. The opposite surface of the diamond film forms the bottom wall of a cavity that contains a cooling medium. In one embodiment of the invention, the cavity is formed by depositing the diamond film on the surface of a silicon substrate, and then etching the silicon substrate to form an open-top cavity having side walls that comprise the silicon substrate, and having a bottom wall that comprises the diamond film. In a second embodiment of the invention, the open-top cavity is formed by an apertured silicon preform that is bonded to the diamond film. A capping member closes the top of the cavity. A cooling medium is placed within the cavity a fluid cooling medium may be circulated.

Abstract: A body garment is disclosed having utility as a handwarmer, fanny pack or carrier of elongated articles such as skis. The garment includes a centrally located, tubular, synthetic fleece member of relatively long axial length having a handwarmer chamber with a synthetic moisture wicking cloth lining. A first zipper in the top of the tubular member provides access to the handwarmer chamber and to an open-mesh heat source bag that is located within the handwarmer chamber. A pair fleece cuffs are stitched with on each open end of the tubular member. A pair of cords are attached to each cuff to compliantly control the size of the cuff open ends. An adjustable length belt is attached to the top of the tubular member. A manually releasable coupler enables the belt for encirclement of an individual's waist, for positioning to the front or to the rear, or for shoulder support by the individual.

Abstract: A semiconductor optoelectronic device provides full duplex data communication over a single optical fiber. The semiconductor device comprises a unitary P-N light emitting portion and an N-I-P photodiode portion. The light emitting portion and the photodiode portion share a common electrode for connection to operating voltage sources. The second electrode of the light emitting portion contains a window that is associated with one end of the optical fiber. A source of operating voltage for the light emitting portion is connected to the common electrode, and through data controlled switch means and a first resistance means to the second electrode of the light emitting portion. A source of operating voltage for the photodiode portion is connected to the common electrode, and through a second resistance means to a second electrode of the light emitting portion. Differential amplifier means is connected to receive the voltage developed across the first and second resistance means.

Abstract: In a fiber optic communication system, an acoustooptic modulator operates to provide a coherent light beam that is data encoded in the beam's time domain, for example by intensity modulation of the beam. A spatial light modulator then operates to address encode the beam by modulating the beam in the space domain. The resulting data and address modulated beam possesses the property of orthogonality. This beam is now transmitted to the input of a multimode optical fiber. The speckle pattern that exits the output of the optical fiber also exhibits orthogonality. This output beam is presented to a beam splitter in order to produce two spatially modulated speckle light patterns therefrom. These two beams are then focused onto photorefractive means whereat a hologram is produced. This hologram operates to address decode the beam output of the optical fiber. Detector means now operates to detect the data by receiving the beam as it is diffracted by the hologram. Ring and star interconnect networks are described.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an optical switch which will generate and emit a beam of light when an optical signal is directed therein, but includes means to inhibit the generation of the beam of light when a second optical signal is directed therein. The switch includes a light emitter formed of a plurality of layers of alternating opposite conductivity type which is adapted to generate the beam of light when an optical signal is directed therein. A photovoltaic inhibitor is connected to the emitter so that any current generated by the inhibitor is applied across the emitter in a manner to prevent the generation of the light in the emitter. The photovoltaic inhibitor generates the current when a second optical signal is directed therein. Depending on the external circuit, the device can be operated in either a digital (bistable) or analog mode.

Abstract: An improved process and apparatus for the extraction of espresso coffee from ground coffee beans in which the pressure of extraction is precisely regulated by a pressure valve and is not dependent on coffee grind size, degree of compaction of the coffee grind, or operator skill. A feature of the invention is in an assembly of the brewing chamber and regulator valve for convenient removal and attachment to an espresso machine as a unit without otherwise modifying the machine. The assembly is configurable with the regulator valve within a common housing which also defines the brewing chamber, or with a regulator valve separate from the brewing chamber assembly but attached to an outlet of the brewing chamber.

Abstract: A series array architecture using multiple photonic stages perform universal permutation of time-slots on a time-multiplexed photonic signal using far fewer switches than the currently known architectures. The array architectures include Serial switch arrays with feed-forward delay, Serial switch arrays with feedback delay using shift-base of 2, and Serial switch arrays with feedback delay using shift-base of 3. The array has multiple stages where each can be described as the temporal equivalent of spatial interconnection networks.

Abstract: The carriage optics system for an optical data storage system includes a read/write head that consists of fixed and moving optics. The moving optics includes a carriage actuator that is equipped with a beam relaying telescope lens system that minimizes the defocusing effects of the movement of the carriage actuator.