Abstract: A bypassable latch circuit consumes less power in the bypass mode than it does in the latched mode. The circuit includes a flip-flop whose output is routed to an input of a multiplexer. The other input of the multiplexer is the input of the flip-flop as well. The multiplexer is used to select as the latch output either the registered or latched flip-flop output, or the flip-flop input. The flip-flop is modified by replacing the inverter at the flip-flop clock input with a logic gate that accepts as inputs both the clock input and a control input. The control input can cause the flip-flop to ignore the clock, preventing switching that consumes power by charging and discharging capacitive elements in the flip-flop.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for recording on DVD-like recording media in which audio content is stored in a high-capacity multi-channel (e.g., six-channel) format are provided. Various channels may use various resolutions. A two-channel audio output may be derived from the multi-channel audio data stream during playback. To facilitate an accurate derivation, the mixing coefficients to be used in generating the derivation can be supplied along with the six-channel audio data.

Abstract: Interactive wagering systems and methods with multiple television feeds are provided. A plurality of television feeds may be related to a race and race-related characteristics. A television feed may carry television feed information, which may provide sufficient information to allow a user to select an appropriate television feed for a wager or to allow the system to automatically select an appropriate feed for a wager. The interactive wagering application may also record a television feed so that the user may interact with the television feeds at any time. Wagering services may be also provided to a user through more than one wagering interface.

Abstract: Apparatus for displaying still images that appear animated to viewers in motion relative to those images includes a backboard, a plurality of images mounted on a backboard, and a slitboard mounted between the backboard and the viewer. As viewers pass by, the slitboard acts like a shutter creating an animation effect. Various backboard and slitboard side profiles, such as, for example, parallel and vertical, parallel and non-vertical, parallel and nonplanar, and nonparallel and nonplanar, can be used to facilitate installation of the apparatus in spatially-constrained environments.

Abstract: Voltage level shifting circuits are provided in which circuit devices are placed across sourcing output transistors to improve the switching speed of the low voltage to high voltage output transition. These circuit devices permit sourcing and sinking output transistors to be sized for optimal switching speed of the high voltage to low voltage output transition.

Abstract: A mask-programmable logic device includes a “dedicated” device-wide distribution network for device-wide signals such as clocks. Distribution networks for secondary clocks and similar signals, as well as for other high-fanout signals, are designed on a custom basis for each user configuration to be implemented by mask programming, using design techniques that are well known in application-specific integrated circuit design. This accomplishes, at the same time, elimination of the need to custom design the device-wide distribution network for each user configuration, preservation of the timing characteristics of a comparable conventional programmable logic device on which the user configuration may be based, reduction of die-size and power requirements as compared to the comparable conventional programmable logic device, and reduction of the average design time necessary to implement a given user configuration.

Abstract: A computer-implemented, transaction-making, municipal bond trading system having a capability to conduct a private electronic auction of bid wanteds between a central brokers' broker and multiple prospective remote bidders and to maintain a reference database of accurate individual bond lot descriptions and identifications, including CUSIP (trademark) numbers.

Abstract: Interactive wagering systems and methods with multiple television feeds are provided. A plurality of television feeds may be related to a race and race-related characteristics. A television feed may carry television feed information, which may provide sufficient information to allow a user to select an appropriate television feed for a wager or to allow the system to automatically select an appropriate feed for a wager. The interactive wagering application may also record a television feed so that the user may interact with the television feeds at any time. Wagering services may be also provided to a user through more than one wagering interface.

Abstract: An image and audio degradation simulator simulates in real time selected degradation effects on images and audio of a film or television production. The degradation effects, which can include those incurred after the electronic capture of the production to its display at a final destination, are performed on electrical signals representing pictures and sound. Simulations can be displayed in real time either substantially immediately upon completion of a portion of the production or at any stage thereafter. Such real-time degradation simulations give a producer an opportunity to see and hear what an end-user (e.g., a television viewer or moviegoer) would see and hear, thus allowing the producer to make typically cost-effective production changes (e.g., to lighting, audio, wardrobe, background, etc.) while that production is still in progress.

Abstract: The invention provides apparatus and methods for performing time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometry. A TOF mass spectrometer of the present invention comprises one or more ion focusing electric sectors. At least one of the electric sectors is associated with an ion optical element. The ion optical elements comprise at least one adjustable electrode, such that the adjustable electrode is able to modify the potential experienced by an ion entering or exiting the electric sector with which it is associated.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a loading device for automating transfer of a plurality of probes between a cassette within which the plurality of probes are initially constrained and an analytical instrument, e.g., mass spectrometer. The loading device may be configured to accept a single or a plurality of cassettes each removably constraining a plurality of probes to be analyzed. The loading device may permit each of the plurality of cassettes to be independently interchanged with a separate cassette removably constraining a separate plurality of probes during mass spectrometric analysis, or for additional cassettes to be loaded into the device during analysis. In a useful embodiment, the loading device comprises a cassette transport assembly and a probe insertion assembly. The cassette transport assembly linearly translates one or more cassettes to align the cassette(s) with respect to the mass spectrometer so that a probe may be translated therebetween by the probe insertion assembly.

Abstract: Linear luminaires that asymmetrically distribute emitted and reflected light are presented. These luminaires have single or twin unit fluorescent lighting and optional uplighting. Each includes an elliptical baffle assembly and at least one independently adjustable reflector enclosed within the housing of the luminaire. The adjustable reflector is adjustable through at least about 15° of rotation and is at least partially hidden from view by the housing and baffle assembly. The luminaires can be surface mounted, suspended, or cantilever mounted, and include wireways to permit wiring to be run discreetly inside and through adjacent asymmetric distribution luminaires.

Abstract: Insertion devices may be used to insert portions of pre-wound coils into the slots of dynamoelectric machine components. Some machine components may have poles that have pole tips that extend away from the pole in a peripheral direction. Such pole tips may obstruct access to the slots from the axial region of the bore. The coil insertion devices may have a ram that has a longitudinal axis and may be configured to insert a portion of a stretch of pre-wound coil into a bore of the machine component. The coil insertion devices may have pushing members that move in a direction having a circumferential component with respect to the axis. The pushing members may insert portions of stretches of pre-wound coils into machine component slots that are difficult to access from the axial region of the bore.

Abstract: A chronotherapy exercise technique for treating a patient whose abnormal condition, regardless of its nature or origin, is reflected by a heart rate variability (HRV) that is reduced and deviates from an HRV reflecting a normal condition. In this treatment, the patient in an exercise session undergoes a series of exercise-relaxation cycles in which during each cycle the pulse rate of the patient rises and then falls to generate a heart wave. To enhance the efficacy of the treatment, the heart waves generated in the course of an exercise session are synchronized in time with an internal wave produced by a biological clock, this activity functioning to expand the range of the biological wave and inducing the HRV to approach an HRV, which for the patient being treated reflects a normal condition.

Abstract: In the method of protecting cultivated plants from the harmful effects of agrochemicals, quinoline derivatives of the formula ##STR1## in which R.sub.1, R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 independently of one another are hydrogen, halogen, nitro, cyano, alkyl or alkoxy, R.sub.4, R.sub.5 and R.sub.6 independently of one another are hydrogen, halogen or alkyl, X is an aliphatic, acyclic, saturated hydrocarbon radical having 1 to 3 carbon atoms and Y is a carboxyl group, or a salt thereof, a mercaptocarbonyl group or a salt thereof, a carboxylic acid ester group, a carboxylic acid thiolester group, an unsubstituted or substituted carboxylic acid amide group, a cyclised, unsubstituted or substituted derivative of a carboxylic acid amide group or a carboxylic acid hydrazide group, or X and Y together are an unsubstituted or substituted tetrahydrufuran-2-one ring, including acid addition salts and metal complexes thereof, a compositions containing such derivatives, are used.