Abstract: A low inductance large area coil (LILAC) is provided as a source for generating a large area plasma. The LILAC comprises at least two windings which, when connected to an RF source via impedance matching circuitry, produce a circulating flow of electrons to cause a magnetic field in the plasma. Because the LILAC employs multiple windings, few turns of winding are required to obtain a large area coil, so that the inductance of the LILAC is low. The low inductance of the LILAC ensures that the self-resonating frequency of the LILAC is kept at a level far above the RF driving frequency, allowing a broad frequency range for impedance matching. Thus, there is no difficulty in impedance matching, and power transfer can be maximized, permitting efficient generation of a large area plasma.

Abstract: At the transmitter side, carrier waves are modulated according to an input signal for producing relevant signal points in a signal space diagram. The input signal is divided into, two, first and second, data streams. The signal points are divided into signal point groups to which data of the first data stream are assigned. Also, data of the second data stream are assigned to the signal points of each signal point group. A difference in the transmission error rate between first and second data streams is developed by shifting the signal points to other positions in the space diagram expressed at least in the polar coordinate system. At the receiver side, the first and/or second data streams can be reconstructed from a received signal. In TV broadcast service, a TV signal is divided by a transmitter into, low and high, frequency band components which are designated as a first and a second data streams respectively.

Abstract: Important quantized coefficients having absolute values which are higher than a threshold value are extracted from each of quantized coefficient streams into which a digital image signal is transformed, and an important quantized coefficient stream composed of the important quantized coefficients and zero-valued quantized coefficients is produced on condition that the number of important quantized coefficients and zero-valued quantized coefficients is equal to that of quantized coefficients in each quantized coefficient stream and positions of the important quantized coefficients in the important quantized coefficient stream are the same as those in a corresponding quantized coefficient stream. Also, a lesser-important quantized coefficient stream is produced by subtracting the important quantized coefficient stream from the corresponding quantized coefficient stream.

Abstract: An aircraft control system for controlling an aircraft, particularly a free wing aircraft in low speed or hover regimes. An air speed sensor measures air speed of the aircraft and outputs an air speed signal to a control processor which processes the air speed signal with a speed control input signal. A control actuator actuates an aircraft control surface in response to the control surface control signal. The air speed sensor may include a shaft mounted impeller located in an airstream of the aircraft. A rotational speed sensor, coupled to the impeller, measures a rotational speed of the impeller and outputs a rotational speed signal as the air speed signal. In an alternative embodiment, the air speed sensor may include a vane located in an airstream of the aircraft and deflected in response to air flow in the airstream.

Abstract: A receiving system comprises a plurality of receiving branches 1, 2, - - - n each including an adaptive antenna. A variable gain controlled amplifier 31, 32, - - - 3n is provided in each receiving branch 1,2, - - - n for setting an amplification factor of a receiving signal in each receiving branch. Automatic gain control unit 7 inputs receiving signals from the plural receiving branches 1,2, - - - and n at predetermined sampling intervals and controls the amplification factors of the variable gain controlled amplifiers 31, 32, - - - 3n. An adaptive antenna processing unit 8 performs an adaptive antenna processing based on the receiving signals sent from the plural receiving branches 1,2, - - - n. A timing control device 71, 72 or 73 allows the automatic gain control unit 7 to renew the amplification factor of each variable gain controlled amplifier 31, 32, - - - 3n in response to each elapse of a predetermined interval longer than the sampling interval of the automatic gain control unit 7.