Abstract: A programmable control unit for disk memory and controller comprising a microprocessor (MPU), random access memory (RAM) used as a buffer to cache disk resident data used by a data processing system (DPS), and a configurable data path (CDP) which couples the DPS to the disk controller. The (MPU) is programmed to provide the DPS rapid access to disk resident data by so controlling the CDP as to maintain a memory cache of disk resident data in the RAM. Data is cached under either directed control via an application level task or operator console directive, or under dynamic control through which a predetermined number of successive blocks of data are read from the disk and stored in the RAM each time any one block is addressed, and once the RAM is full, by discarding from the RAM a block of data which the immediate history has shown is least useful.

Abstract: A landing display system for indicating to the pilot of an aircraft the relationship between his aircraft and a landing runway includes an aircraft symbol providing attitude information with respect to a reference horizon, a velocity vector indicative of the projected flight path of the aircraft, a descent profile vector indicative of the projected descent path of the aircraft, and a runway symbol in perspective to the aircraft. By reference to these displays the pilot can ascertain not only the present position of his aircraft with respect to the runway, but also the consequences of various corrective maneuvers accomplished with the aircraft.

Abstract: This invention relates to the field of electrical connectors, and particularly concerns electrical connectors with multiple contacts requiring keying of the mating connector parts. With prior art devices, when more than one connector pair is used in a system, different connector parts must be chosen which have a different keying configuration for the key and groove. With another prior art device, which uses a single type connector part, it is necessary to sacrifice one contact position in the connectors. The present invention overcomes the deficiencies of the prior art noted above by providing a keying device which permits manufacture and production of a single type of male or female connector part and yet does not require the sacrifice of contact positions within the connector parts to effectuate the keying.

Abstract: A hermaphroditic fiber optic connector for use in an assembly for aligning mating ends of at least one pair of optical fibers is disclosed. The connector includes a terminating member having a passage therein dimensioned for receiving one of the optical fibers. An adapter associated with a mating end of the terminating member and communicating with the passage is provided wherein the adapter has a hermaphroditic face exposed at the mating end of the terminating member. The connector also includes means associated with the adapter for securing the one optical fiber in a preselected position relative to the mating end of the terminating member. In a more specific sense, the connector is adapted for use in an assembly including a second identical connector for aligning mating ends of optical fibers in a pair of fiber optic cables in which the various elements may be formed in a manner making them interchangeable with other like elements in order to form a modular hermaphroditic connector.

Abstract: An apparatus for removing the insulation from the end of an insulated electrical wire. A common disadvantage of this type of apparatus is that by clamping the insulation of the conductor on two sides, indentations and possibly even damage to the insulation may be caused. Further, owing to cutting into the insulation only from two sides, the piece of insulation to be removed cannot be cleanly cut prior to removal from the central conductor core. The present apparatus overcomes the above-described disadvantages and shortcomings and permits various types of insulation to be rapidly, cleanly, and simply, freed from the conductor core. The removal of the insulation is initiated by inserting the end of the wire into the apparatus, without fear of folding the end of the wire even in the case of very small diameters of the conductive core of the wire, whereupon the insulation is removed fully automatically.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for addressing memory locations in a random access memory system having m address lines and 2 Exp(m+n) address locations. The random access memory system is divided into a plurality of 2 Exp(n) memory modules, each memory module having 2 Exp(m) memory locations. Each of the memory modules is divided into 2 Exp(n) groups of 2 Exp(m-n) memory locations. In a specific embodiment in which m=15 and n=4, each memory module contains 2 Exp(15) or 32,768 address locations, and the sixteen memory modules together contain 524,288 address locations. Each memory module is divided into 2 Exp(4) or sixteen groups of memory locations. The first or most significant 4 bits of a 15 bit address word are used to address one of the sixteen groups of memory locations and also to address a particular memory module containing the addressed group.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for high-speed searching of a byte stream for predetermined words or terms. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for use in combination with a data source supplying a stream of binary signals defining both the identities of alphanumeric characters occurring in an ordered sequence and the position of each such character within a character group for detecting the occurrence of a particularly ordered group of R characters. The apparatus preferably includes a search memory means comprised of multiple (N) sets of R storage locations each of which includes S bit stages, each bit stage being capable of storing a "1" or "0" state. R represents the number of characters within a character group and S represents the number of different characters that can be identified. Each of the R storage locations may store one or more "0" bits, the position of each "0" bit identifying a particular character.

Abstract: A coaxial connector for a coaxial cable of the type having an inner conductor encircled by an annular insulating layer, an outer conductor, and an insulating jacket has a metal body with a rear opening for receiving the cable. A rear clamp nut threadingly engageable with the rear opening moves axially within the opening upon rotation to provide an axial force. A clamping ring and a stationary ring securely hold the outer conductor therebetween upon application of the axial force to the clamping ring. A cylindrical rigid member which has compressive material covering its inner surface, outer surface and one end surface and which is coaxial with the cable is disposed between the rear clamp nut and the clamp ring. As a result, when the rear clamp nut is rotated relative to the body, the cylindrical end surface cuts through the compressible material which is compressed by the axial force provided by the rear clamp nut to provide a seal between the rear opening and the cable.

Abstract: An improved modular interface connector and connector assembly incorporating such connectors for interconnecting telephones and telephone signal equipment, and particularly for electrically connecting multi-conductor cables to a plurality of conductors electrically coupled to telephone signal equipment. The modular connector assemblies of the invention include improved mounting structures which permit each connector to be slidably mounted on a removable support member within an enclosure. The connectors can be mounted on the support member in at least two alternate orientations and retained in any one of a plurality of positions between spaced shoulders of the support member.

Abstract: A system for synchronizing a clock signal generated by a lower stability clock generator to a received incoming signal whereby a higher stability clock generator is synchronized to the lower stability clock generator when the clock signal is synchronized to the incoming signal, and the lower stability clock generator is synchronized to the higher stability clock generator when the incoming signal is lost. More specifically, in a spread spectrum receiver for receiving a signal phase modulated by a pseudo-random code, a means for synchronizing a receiver pseudo-random code generator to the incoming code modulation is provided. The code generator is clocked by a relatively low stability voltage controlled crystal oscillator (VCXO) whose output frequency is controlled by an error signal created by a phase difference between the received code modulation and the output of the pseudo-random code generator.

Abstract: A square root processing apparatus wherein an unknown number is sequentially squared and compared to a number whose square root is to be determined. The result of each comparison determines the state of a bit in the square root being determined. More specifically, the square root processor includes a Y register containing a number whose square root is to be determined, and an X register which is used to develop the square root of the contents of the Y register. The apparatus provides a means for initially setting the most significant bit stage of the X register to one, the remaining bit stages containing zeros. The contents of the X register are then squared by a high speed digital multiplier and compared with the contents of the Y register. If the squared number is greater than the contents of the Y register, the most significant bit stage of the X register is reset to zero. The apparatus then sets the next most significant bit stage of the X register to one and repeats the above-described sequence.

Abstract: The invention is a connector assembly consisting of an elastomeric insert member held within a rigid shell by a retaining ring which engages both the shell and the insert. The assembly includes a passageway between the insert member and the shell permitting access to the retaining ring to allow ready disengagement of the ring and insert from the shell. The retaining ring is composed of two half sections which close about the insert member. The ring includes first retention means for engaging and maintaining the insert member in fixed position within the ring. The first retention means may consist of protuberances extending radially inward from the retaining ring to engage the insert member or it may comprise keying means configured to prevent both axial and rotational movement of the insert member relative to the retaining ring. The retaining ring also includes radially movable second retention means for engaging the shell to maintain the ring and insert member in fixed axial position within the shell.

Abstract: This invention relates to electrical and optical fibre connectors. In the past, the terminal ends of electrical conductors or optical fibres retained in a connector have not reliably maintained a desired separation of the ends of optical fibres or a secure conducting connection formed between electrical conductors. According to the present invention, there is provided an improved optical fibre or electrical connector, comprising a termination member suitable for terminating an electrical conductor or an optical fibre, the termination member being slidably mounted through an aperture in a connector body-member, and a biasing element resiliently biasing the termination member against sliding movement in a first direction relative to the connector body-member.

Abstract: A system is provided for disconnecting a retained electrical connector on a missile launcher, from a launched connector on the missile, as the missile begins moving during launch, which is simple, reliable, and reusable. The retained connector, which is supported by a parallogram linkage to cause automatic retraction during launch, is initially fastened to the launched connector by a bolt. The bolt is automatically released during launch by the initial retraction of a sleeve on the retained connector which releases a split threaded collet on the mating connector to allow the collet to open and release from the bolt.

Abstract: A connector assembly is disclosed which includes first and second mating connector members, and a coupling ring carried by one of the connector members for moving the other connector member axially into mating relation therewith. A visual and tactile indicating assembly is operatively associated with the connector members and the coupling ring and includes a radially inwardly self-biased split indicating ring carried by the coupling ring. The indicating ring is movable radially relative to the coupling ring from a retracted position to an outwardly projecting indicating position in response to a predetermined positioning of the other connector member in relation to the one connector member and the coupling ring. The ring provides an omni-directional visual and tactile indication of the relative positioning of the mating connector members. The connector assembly also includes an audible indicating mechanism which provides a self-locking feature for the connector assembly.

Abstract: Apparatus is shown for use in loading contacts in contact receiving bores of a resilient insert body. The insert body is provided with internal shoulders and bores forming restrictive passages for holding the contacts and for holding wires attached to the contacts. The apparatus includes an adapter associated with a breech loading assembly for accepting and holding the insert body. An assembly including a bullet within a barrel is pushed into the insert body to gently enlarge the shoulders and the bores. The bullet is then retracted to a stop position, leaving the barrel in place in the bore. The breech lock is then opened and contacts are loaded by hand, or other means, into the bore to the stop position. The barrel is then retracted from the bore permitting the internal shoulders of the resilient insert body to expand and grip the contacts. Thereafter, the resilient insert body, with its contacts and appropriate leads in place, is removed from the apparatus.

Abstract: A novel mass termination assembly for flat cable is disclosed for use with cable having very closely spaced conductors. The assembly includes connector means to terminate selected conductors, isolation means to inactivate certain other selected conductors at the locus of the termination and bridging means to electrically couple the inactivated conductors to the connector means. The assembly allows the use of insulation-piercing termination devices without the danger of shorting between the closely spaced adjacent conductors.

Abstract: A low power digital memory comprised of a matrix of memory cells suitable for fabrication by large scale integrated circuit techniques. Each memory cell is comprised of field effect transistors, preferably metal oxide semiconductors. A plurality of cells are fabricated on a single monolithic chip and are interconnected for coincident signal addressing. Power is conserved by periodically pulsing load transistors rather than biasing them continuously on.

Abstract: An electrical connector comprising two dielectric contact mounts, one a plug and the other a receptacle, fitting together to engage a plurality of conductive contact members carried by one contact mount with similar contact members mounted in the other. Each contact member is formed from a single piece of thin, conductive sheet metal, with a contact element at one end and a terminal element at the other; the terminal element is channel-shaped with two terminal flanges each struck from a channel wall and bent across the channel, preferably into interlocking relation with another channel wall. Each terminal flange has a notch with thin converging walls affording a cutting section to cut the insulation on a conductor inserted into the notch, a transition section with tapered walls to spread the insulation, and a terminal section with thick, smooth walls to engage the conductor in wiping electrical contact.

Abstract: An electrical contact is disclosed which is formed from a single, integral piece of sheet metal and includes an active contact element, a terminal element and a hood. The hood covers at least the active contact element to protect the pin-engaging tines formed integrally therewith from inadvertant distortion or breakage.