Abstract: A tube joint for annular corrugated tubing includes a body having a sleeve for receiving the end of an annular corrugated tube; at least one circumferential raised lobe on the sleeve for engaging an annular corrugation of the tube; and a collar for engaging the body and including a swaging section having a first camming surface for compressing the lobe radially inwardly to engage a corrugation of the tube.

Abstract: A video imaging plant management system that determines plant photosynthetic activity and productivity which provides a light source to a plant being analyzed, detects infrared fluorescence emissions from the plant under the light, resolves the plant fluorescence emission over time, and calculates the fluorescence emission decay time from peak to steady state values to provide data indicative of the plant health. Physiological parameters such as plant area and volume are measured over time to monitor productivity. Ambient monitoring of water vapor and carbon dioxide may also be used for an overall plant growth management system.

Abstract: An improved address generator for generating address values for refresh, read and write functions in a dynamic random access memory (RAM). Whether a refresh, write column, write row, read column or read row RAM addressing operation is to be performed is first determined. A shift register for storing and shifting at least one of the address values for each of the RAM addressing operations has its output connected to the address port of the RAM. A bit is selectively added, in response to the determination of which RAM addressing operation is to be performed, to the output of the shift register and the added value is submitted to the input of the shift register. A controller causes a data shift in the shift register at least once each time a bit is added to the value of the output of the shift register.

Abstract: A heart-synchronized vacuum-assisted pulsed laser technique generates a valve control signal in response to the ECG of a beating heart which is to be synchronized with the laser; the valve control signal is applied to a valve to open it and permit laser gas to be delivered to the gas inlet of the laser assisted by the draw from a vacuum source at the gas outlet of the laser, to produce a predetermined range of laser gas pressure in the laser; the valve control signal is ceased after the predetermined range of laser gas pressure has been reached to end the gas flow through the laser and enable the rebuilding of the vacuum in the vacuum source; and a laser firing signal is generated to fire the laser when the laser gas pressure is in the predetermined range.

Abstract: A heart-synchronized pulsed laser system includes a laser; a device for sensing the contraction and expansion of a beating heart to be synchronized with the laser; a device, responsive to the device for sensing, for generating a trigger pulse; a control for positioning the leading edge of the trigger pulse during the contraction and expansion cycle of the heartbeat; a control for defining the width of the trigger pulse to occur during the heartbeat cycle; and a circuit responsive to the trigger pulse for firing the laser to strike the beating heart at the time indicated by the trigger pulse position and for the period indicated by the width of the trigger pulse.

Abstract: A raster scanning print engine driver accomplished by establishing a pixel scan time period representing a pixel print area, generating a number of pixel signals independently representative of the position and of the length of each line segments to be printed in the pixel print area, and producing from the pixel signals a pulse width and position modulated print engine drive signal representative of the position and length of the line segments to be printed in the pixel print area.

Abstract: An automated interactive record system for automatically indexing a set of data obtained from a number of internal and external input sources. A set of data is organized along at least one indexing dimension. Specific data events are identified from the set of data according to predetermined methods. An index of data objects associated with the specific data events is then established. The index of data objects is then displayed along the indexing dimension and actuators are defined for manipulating the data objects that are associated with specific data events.

Abstract: An optical fiber includes a multimode primary core having an index or refraction N.sub.1 and doped with a material providing optical gain; the cladding surrounding the core having an index of refraction N.sub.2 ; and a secondary core doped with an absorbent material for providing optical loss in unwanted modes.

Abstract: A frequency division, energy comparison processing system which decomposes a wide-band signal into a plurality of narrow frequency band components, generates the energy envelope of each of those narrow band components, and compares a function of each energy envelope with the same function of each of the other energy envelopes to obtain a pattern of the function comparisons indicative of at least one of the sources contributing to the wide-band signal.

Abstract: A free-standing structure having n sides defining n origins where n is greater than two, including a frame having n arch members, two paired arch members fixed at each of n origins; each arch member extending from its origin, across its paired arch member to a different origin across from its initial origin, the arch members forming an n-sided polygon at the top center of the structure; the paired arch members crossing each other on the far side of the polygon relative to the initial origin, the crossing occurring on an axis of symmetry extending through the initial origin and the top center of the structure; and means for securing together the paired arch members at the origins.

Abstract: A method for controlling the permeability of a petroleum-bearing subterranean formation including the steps of producing from biomass, a water-insoluble viscous biomass oil, and injecting the biomass oil into the petroleum bearing formation to decrease the permeability of at least some of the formation for altering flow paths through the formation to increase petroleum yield.

Abstract: A raster print engine driver for generating from incoming data representative of a continuous tone or text image, a transition-modulated engine drive signal for causing the engine to reproduce the image as a series of modulated print lines, in which the driver establishes a cell scan time period representing the horizontal length along a print line of an elemental cell print area, and generates from the incoming data in the cell at least zero or two independently located drive signal transitions which cause the print engine to change state at selected points along the print lines to closely reproduce the image.

Abstract: A long pulse, fast flow laser system and method in which a laser having a gas inlet and a gas outlet and electrical discharge electrodes has its inlet connected through a valve to a source of laser gas and its outlet connected to a vacuum. A control circuit opens the valve upon a request for laser firing. The valve permits the laser gas to flow through the laser to the vacuum at high speed. A high-voltage power supply is triggered, creating an electrical discharge across the electrodes. After the end of the laser pulse, the valve is shut to cut off the flow of laser gas and the vacuum is reconstituted.

Abstract: An automatic film changing system for a camera-back which uses a film cassette, including a film magazine for storing a plurality of new cassettes of fresh film and presenting a fresh film cassette to replace a spent film cassette in the camera-back; a detector for detecting when the film cassette in the camera-back is spent; an accessing device, responsive to the detector, for enabling access to the film cassette in the camera-back when the cassette is spent; a cassette reloader, responsive to the detector, for ejecting a spent cassette from the camera-back and for loading a fresh cassette in the camera back from the film magazine; and a bifurcated dispensing path for normally directing finished photographs in one direction and periodically, selectively directing a spent cassette ejected from the camera-back in a second direction.

Abstract: A water generating device for obtaining potable water from ambient air inside or outside a structure or dwelling, having ducts for bringing this supply of ambient air to the device and for releasing the air back outside the device after it has been processed. There is an air filter for filtering the air prior to processing of the air. The air filter includes a one-time sensing element which renders it unusable when removed from the generator. A condenser is provided for extracting water vapor in the air brought thereto by the ducts. Within the ducts there is a fan or blower to move air from outside the device through the condenser and for returning the air back outside the device after it has traversed the condenser.

Abstract: Apparatus for controlled ablation of material from a predetermined working point, comprising a first laser, in particular excimer laser, for generating laser radiation pulses having a wavelength in a wavelength range suitable for the ablation, in particular in the ultraviolet spectral range, further comprising a radiation analyzer such as a spectrometer for analysis of material-specific radiation from the ablation plume forming at the working point, and a second laser, in particular a tunable dye laser, for generating a further laser radiation in a wavelength range which is different from said first wavelength range and which is better suited for the resonant stimulation of the radiation serving for the analysis than the ablation radiation wavelength range.

Abstract: An omnidirectional speed sensing system includes a rotatable member; a channel supported by the rotatable member and having an inlet and an outlet; a single pressure sensing port in the system disposed the channel between the inlet and the outlet for sensing the dynamic pressure of the fluid flow through the channel which pressure is a function of the rotational speed of the rotatable member and the velocity of the rotatable member through the fluid; transducer means responsive to the pressure at the sensing port for producing a pressure signal; means responsive to the pressure signal for extracting the first harmonic of the pressure signal; and means responsive to the magnitude and phase of the first harmonic of the pressure signal for indicating the velocity and direction of the sensed speed.

Abstract: Collapsible container apparatus (2) for the storage and transportation of fluid material, which collapsible container apparatus (2) comprises a collapsible outer bag (4), a rigid top portion (15) which is attached to sides (12) of the outer bag (4), a rigid base (16), horizontally extending constraint members (20) and elongate support members (22), the outer bag (4) having a discharge aperture (72), and the collapsible container apparatus (2) further including an auxiliary discharge member (108) for raising a part of the outer bag (4) opposite the discharge aperture (72) in order to cause the discharge aperture (70) to be at the lowest part of the outer bag (4) for complete discharging of the fluid material.

Abstract: A "Y" connected three port circulator is disclosed having three transmission mediums interconnected at a bias terminal to form a reciprocal "Y" connection having three distal terminals; a capacitor connecting the bias terminal to ground; and three non-reciprocal coupling circuits, one connected between each pair of distal terminals.