Abstract: An apparatus for producing a vacuum arc plasma source device using a low mass, compact inductive energy storage circuit powered by a low voltage DC supply acts as a vacuum arc plasma thruster. An inductor is charged through a switch, subsequently the switch is opened and a voltage spike of Ldi/dt is produced initiating plasma across a resistive path separating anode and cathode. The plasma is subsequently maintained by energy stored in the inductor. Plasma is produced from cathode material, which allows for any electrically conductive material to be used. A planar structure, a tubular structure, and a coaxial structure allow for consumption of cathode material feed and thereby long lifetime of the thruster for long durations of time.

Abstract: A fiber optic sensor comprises two independent fibers having Bragg gratings which are coupled to commutating broadband optical sources through splitters and wavelength discriminators. The ratio of detected optical energy in each of two detectors examining the wave intensity returned to a wavelength discriminator coupled with the characteristic of the wavelength discriminator determines the wavelength returned by the grating. In another embodiment, tunable filters are utilized to detect minimum returned wave energy to extract a sensor wavelength Reference to the original grating wavelength indicates the application of either temperature or strain to the grating. In another embodiment, a plurality of Bragg grating sensor elements is coupled to sources and controllers wherein a dimensional change in a fiber having a Bragg grating is detected using a measurement system comprising broad-band sources, optical power splitters, a high-sensitivity wavelength discriminator, optical detectors, and a controller.

Abstract: An RF device comprising a plurality of drift tubes, each drift tube having a plurality of gaps defining resonant cavities, is immersed in an axial magnetic field. RF energy is introduced at an input RF port at one of these resonant cavities and collected at an output RF port at a different RF cavity. A plurality of electron beams passes through these drift tubes, and each electron beam has an individual magnetic shaping applied which enables confined beam transport through the drift tubes.

Abstract: A system for the generation and distribution a plurality of coherently phased system clocks comprises a local clock generator and a plurality of remote clock generators. Each clock generator has a local input and a plurality of remote inputs coupled to a plurality of phase detectors, a cost function coupled to each phase detector and producing a control output, and the control output coupled to a voltage controlled oscillator and producing a local clock output, which is distributed to each local and remote clock generator. The cost function comprises a linear or non-linear combination of phase error and offset. A clock selection circuit comprises a control input which changes a propagation time away from the coherently phased edges of the system clock, thereby selecting a system clock in a glitch-free manner.

Abstract: A fiber optic sensor comprises two independent fibers having Bragg gratings which are coupled to commutating broadband optical sources through splitters and wavelength discriminators. The ratio of detected optical energy in each of two detectors examining the wave intensity returned to a wavelength discriminator coupled with the characteristic of the wavelength discriminator determines the wavelength returned by the grating. In another embodiment, tunable filters are utilized to detect minimum returned wave energy to extract a sensor wavelength Reference to the original grating wavelength indicates the application of either temperature or strain to the grating. In another embodiment, a plurality of Bragg grating sensor elements is coupled to sources and controllers wherein a dimensional change in a fiber having a Bragg grating is detected using a measurement system comprising broad-band sources, optical power splitters, a high-sensitivity wavelength discriminator, optical detectors, and a controller.

Abstract: A blood pump intended to be carried by a freely moving patient uses perpendicular magnetic and electrical fields to propel blood. A rod mounted coaxially inside a tube has electrodes in blood contact for establishing a radial electric field, and an inductor having windings parallel to the axis of the tube is used to establish a circumferential magnetic field. To avoid the evolution of gas at the electrode surfaces the magnetic and electric fields are periodically reversed, and the electrodes are made to have very high surface areas. The blood pump is powered by batteries or fuel cells (or a combination of both) to provide long service between recharging and to reduce the weight carried by the patient.

Abstract: An uninterruptable power supply for use with an Internet Telephone or Internet Telephone Cable Modem comprises a power supply and a load. The power supply has an AC/DC converter for producing converter DC, and also a rechargeable battery. A DC output multiplexer selects one of such DC sources and furnishes it to the load. The multiplexer has an input control signal for switching the DC source to a battery, and an output indicator indicating when the battery is acting as the DC source. The load includes a controller which generates this test signal at times when it is useful to test the battery, and accepts the indicator signal to know when the battery is providing this current. The controller includes a test function for measuring the reserve charge of the battery by measuring the temporal voltage drop and time of this temporal voltage drop with the use of an A/D converter. Additionally, the controller measures the charge and discharge intervals of the battery.

Abstract: A fiber optic sensor comprises two independent fibers having Bragg gratings which are coupled to commutating broadband optical sources through splitters and wavelength discriminators. The ratio of detected optical energy in each of two detectors examining the wave intensity returned to a wavelength discriminator coupled with the characteristic of the wavelength discriminator determines the wavelength returned by the grating. In another embodiment, tunable filters are utilized to detect minimum returned wave energy to extract a sensor wavelength. Reference to the original grating wavelength indicates the application of either temperature or strain to the grating. In another embodiment, a plurality of Bragg grating sensor elements is coupled to sources and controllers wherein a dimensional change in a fiber having a Bragg grating is detected using a measurement system comprising broad-band sources, optical power splitters, a high-sensitivity wavelength discriminator, optical detectors, and a controller.

Abstract: A power supply consumes mains power and has first outputs which produce an operational voltage for controlling a CPU and a primary link interface. The primary link interface is capable of sending a mains fail message through the primary link using only power from one of the first outputs. The power supply also produces second outputs for powering circuitry not related to the transmission of this power fail message. The power supply detects loss of mains power and signals this by pulling the second outputs to a signal voltage which may be near ground. The equipment powered by this supply detects the second output changing from an operational voltage to a signaling voltage, and sends this information to the CPU, which sends a power fail message across the primary link interface.

Abstract: A common mode termination includes a shielded connector, a receive section and a transmit section, each section comprising an isolation transformer, a common mode transformer, a reference autotransformer, and an AC shield return. Each transmit section reference autotransformer and receive section reference autotransformer has a center tap for the application of a bias voltage and a bias voltage return. The bias voltage is fed through a common mode transformer, and the resultant common mode termination reduces the conduction of EMI from the serdes coupled to the common mode termination to cables connected to the connector. This common mode termination also provides a reference termination for the copper twisted pair cable and reduces resonances on the cable. Finally, this termination also provides filtering on the DC power source wires and improves noise immunity from transients coupled onto the twisted pair cable into the system.

Abstract: A horn has an input aperture and an output aperture, and comprises a conductive inner surface formed by rotating a curve about a central axis. The curve comprises a first arc having an input aperture end and a transition end, and a second arc having a transition end and an output aperture end. When rotated about the central axis, the first arc input aperture end forms an input aperture, and the second arc output aperture end forms an output aperture. The curve is then optimized to provide a mode conversion which maximizes the power transfer of input energy to the Gaussian mode at the output aperture.

Abstract: A transceiver for the transmission and reception of high speed optical signals contains a detuning structure which reduces the gain for quarter wave radiation of Electro Magnetic Radiation (EMI). A conductive housing couples light energy from a source or a detector to an external fiber having a metallic ferrule. The conductive housing also is referenced to the chassis enclosure of the transceiver thereby attenuating the quarter wave radiator.

Abstract: A blood pump intended to be carried by a freely moving patient uses perpendicular magnetic and electrical fields to propel blood. A rod mounted coaxially inside a tube has electrodes in blood contact for establishing a radial electric field, and an inductor having windings parallel to the axis of the tube is used to establish a circumferential magnetic field. To avoid the evolution of gas at the electrode surfaces the magnetic and electric fields are periodically reversed, and the electrodes are made to have very high surface areas. The blood pump is powered by batteries or fuel cells (or a combination of both) to provide long service between recharging and to reduce the weight carried by the patient.

Abstract: The apparatus and method described herein provides for creating multiple spatial patterns, such as magnetic patterns on credit cards. The invention includes storage of information from which patterns may be created, a pattern creation device for creating the spatial patterns, and control whereby the information which is stored is selectively utilized to cause the pattern creation. This allows multiple desired patterns to be simulated, allowing convenient replacement of a number of separate pattern carrying devices.

Abstract: A pair of synchronized clock sources provides phase and frequency synchronous first and second clocks accompanied by first and second control signals to a clock selection circuit having a data selector comprising a first synchronizer and a second synchronizer which re-times the first and second control signals, and these re-timed outputs that are coupled to an asynchronous state machine. The asynchronous state machine changes state by logically operating on the re-timed control signals in conjunction with a state bit. This state bit is used to control the multiplexer, which achieves glitch-free switching between the first clock source and the second clock source.

Abstract: A generator of high frequency signals comprises a delay element and a switching element, whereby the delay element causes a delay of &pgr;/4 radians, and the switching element is switching to produce an output at the fundamental frequency, but with enriched even harmonic content. A filter selects the desired harmonic, and passes this on as an output. Additionally, a maximizing circuit may vary the phase of the delay element to maximize the output level of the generator.

Abstract: The Spanning Tree Protocol converges to a new configuration after the loss of a link. A new frame, known as a root link query request BPDU is transmitted to the root bridge in the spanning tree when a bridge detects an indirect link failure through the reception of an inferior BPDU on a blocked port. Each bridge forwards this root link query until the root link query reaches the last reachable upstream bridge or a bridge which has a different Tx_Root_Id than the one identified in the RLQ-REQ-BPDU. If the last reachable bridge is the root bridge identified in the RLQ-REQ-BPDU, then a second new frame known as an RLQ-ACK-BPDU is sent, and the bridge port receiving this acknowledgment BPDU is changed from a blocked port to a designated port. If the RLQ-REQ-BPDU reaches a bridge with a different Tx_Root_Id than the one in RLQ-REQ-BPDU, a third new frame known as RLQ-NAK-BPDU is sent.

Abstract: The Spanning Tree Protocol converges to a new configuration after the loss of a link. A new frame, known as a root link query request BPDU is transmitted to the root bridge in the spanning tree when a bridge detects an indirect link failure through the reception of an inferior BPDU on a blocked port. Each bridge forwards this root link query until the root link query reaches the last reachable upstream bridge or a bridge which has a different Tx_Root_Id than the one identified in the RLQ-REQ-BPDU. If the last reachable bridge is the root bridge identified in the RLQ-REQ-BPDU, then a second new frame known as an RLQ-ACK-BPDU is sent, and the bridge port receiving this acknowledgment BPDU is changed from a blocked port to a designated port. If the RLQ-REQ-BPDU reaches a bridge with a different Tx_Root_Id than the one in RLQ-REQ-BPDU, a third new frame known as RLQ-NAK-BPDU is sent.

Abstract: A power supply distribution comprises equipment having a shared power bus. Supply isolators isolate the supply from the shared power bus in the event of a power supply output short circuit. Load isolators isolate the supply from other loads that may short circuit, or consume excess output current. Memory and isolators are used to detect and store the occurrence of load or supply failures, and memory may be of revertive or non-revertive type.

Abstract: A precision voltage regulator comprises a three terminal regulator coupled to a voltage divider. The voltage divider has two composite resistors, each of which comprises a plurality of matched value resistors fabricated on a common substrate, mixed in series and parallel configurations. The resultant voltage divider produces a wide range of divider ratios, while preserving a divider ratio which is independent of temperature and tolerance effects.