Abstract: An interactive user/server system wherein a user with a computer, a display screen and an Internet connection through a browser can create in real time a composite image of graphical images and text capable of being outputted for high quality printing on an end product such as a sticker. The user will download selected graphical images and lines of text from the server and resize and reposition them from a predetermined location to any location within a predetermined canvas area of his display screen to build up the composite image. The user can add his own graphical images to the composite image being created if desired by first uploading them to the server. The complete composite image created will be stored at the server in its component parts in a computer/web protocol so that it can readily be assembled in high resolution form for outputting to a printer.

Abstract: A magnetic coupling having two opposed annular arrays of angularly spaced permanent magnets magnetized to create magnetic north poles and magnetic south poles alternately spaced about each array. The north-pole and south-pole magnets of each array are tapered in cross-section from their surfaces at the gap to an annular surface of the array spaced from the gap, and permanent magnet spacer magnets completely fill in the space between the north-pole and south-pole magnets from the annular surface of the array at the gap to the spaced annular surface with the spacer magnets being magnetized generally transversely to the direction of magnetization of the adjacent north-pole, south-pole magnets so that the magnetic field created by the permanent magnets extends across the gap and annularly through each array to cause one of the arrays to rotate in synchronism with the other array.

Abstract: An air flow measurement device includes a connector conduit with a constant inner diameter wall for the air flow, a transverse restrictor plate located within the conduit with a plurality of generally uniformly spaced apertures extending therethrough, and an annular mounting piece secured centrally about the conduit for securely mounting a pair of air pipes to the opposite ends of the conduit in air-tight engagement therewith. The restrictor plate is maintained in the connector conduit by a swaging operation which causes it to be expanded outwardly into tight engagement with the conduit wall. A pair of tank valves are mounted, by a special saddle, to the mounting piece, and passages are provided through the mounting piece and conduit wall for communication with the interior of the conduit just upstream and downstream of the restrictor plate whereby a differential pressure meter may be connected to the valves to measure the difference in pressure to thereby determine the air flow rate.

Abstract: A system for directly comparing on a service quality basis a plurality of wireless network services includes a vehicle containing a plurality of phones for different wireless networks and a fixed location for receiving calls from or transmitting calls to the vehicle. A call is initiated at the vehicle or fixed location, and a series of preselected messages are alternately transmitted between the vehicle and the fixed end through each of the networks with each message being quality graded with voice recognition software or data comparison techniques so that quality grades for each network are provided which can be combined and compared in various ways. The vehicle also includes a global positioning satellite system so that the vehicle location and speed can be tagged to each transmitted message to compare the relative quality of the networks within specific portions of the geographical area covered by the vehicle.

Abstract: An air flow measurement device includes a connector conduit for the air flow having a transverse restrictor plate located therein with a plurality of uniform and uniformly spaced apertures extending therethrough. The restrictor plate is maintained in the connector conduit by a pair of sleeves each of which includes on its interior diameter a plurality of angularly spaced passages and on its outer diameter a circumferential groove communicating with the passages. A pair of valves are mounted through the wall of the connector conduit for communication with the circumferential grooves so that a differential pressure meter may be connected to the valves to measure the difference in pressure upstream and downstream of the restrictor plate to thereby determine the flow rate. The sleeves may be made in two identical pieces to form the passages and grooves, and additional smoothing screens may be positioned upstream and downstream of the restrictor plate by further identical sleeve pieces.

Abstract: A glide head for detecting anomalies on a flat surface of a recording disk includes a slider having a sensing edge extending generally radially of the disk and a piezoelectric transducer element attached to one face of the slider and extending therefrom in cantilever fashion. The transducer element is of segmented shape and has a pair of opposed surfaces facing towards and away from the disk surface with spaced electrodes being provided thereon so as to provide stress readings only at specific locations on the body of the transducer element chosen to accentuate particular vibrational modes induced by anomalies on the disk surface.

Abstract: An optical fiber sensor for inducing a microbend in an optical fiber in the presence of the liquid phase as distinguished from the vapor phase of a fluid such as water. The sensor includes a chamber with an expansible block located therein, and a thin band is provided about the block of a dimension and tensile strength such that any increase in outward expansive force in the block due to an increase in the presence of the fluid in its vapor phase only will not cause the band to rupture; however, when any liquid enters the chamber, the band will rupture to allow the block to expand in a particular direction to move a pusher bar which, in turn, moves a puller wire to bend the fiber at a location remote from the chamber.

Abstract: A dipole magnet structure includes a pair of spaced pole pieces and a pair of permanent magnets secured in alignment with the pole pieces and connected by a magnetically conductive yoke for producing a uniform magnetic field within a predetermined spacial volume therebetween. The opposed faces of the pole pieces are dish-shaped with a flat center area surrounded by an outwardly and forwardly curved rim surface which extends from the center area and which increases in forward curvature as it extends away from the center area to insure homogeneity in the predetermined spacial volume as defined by the space between the pole piece center areas.

Abstract: A process for eliminating the Gibbs phenomenon in a train of digital signals when such signals are undergoing a discrete Fourier transform or a fast Fourier transform without using conventional windowing techniques wherein the train of digital signals is monitored and terminated when the last received or digital signal data point is equal to, or within a predetermined tolerance limit of, the first received digital signals so that the waveform of the train of digital signals reaches a complete periodicity within its length whereby no spurious frequency components will arise due to the Gibbs phenomenon. The process is shown as used in an all-purpose and multi-functioning digital filter.

Abstract: A rigid cylinder is provided with small perforations to permit the entry of hydrocarbon containing liquids, gases or vapors, and the interior of the cylinder is lined with a sensor material which expands in the presence of hydrocarbons. The interior chamber enclosed by the sensor material is completely filled with an incompressible liquid, and one end of the chamber is sealed by a conventional pressure sensor so that the presence of hydrocarbons causes the sensor material to exert a pressure upon the incompressible liquid to create an output signal in the pressure sensor. A double-chambered device, with only one chamber being perforated and thereby exposed to the hydrocarbons, can be used to compensate the pressure sensor signal for ambient pressure or temperature changes.

Abstract: An optical fiber sensor for inducing a microbend in an optical fiber in the presence of a detectable fluid such as water includes a chamber with an expansible block located therein. When water enters the chamber, the block expands in a particular direction to move a pusher bar which, in turn, moves a puller wire to bend the fiber at a location remote from the chamber. A gap may initially be provided between the expansible block and the pusher bar so that the presence of water vapor within the chamber will not move the pusher bar but the presence of liquid water will.

Abstract: A thin film magnetic head assembly having a gap area upon which is deposited an electrically conductive by non-magnetically conductive material such as copper. This material, which may be placed directly adjacent to all faces of the gap except for the writing face thereof adjacent the recording media, acts to block the high frequency electromagnetic radiation from the sides and top of the gap by confining the electrical field within a very narrow layer of material. A layer of hard material may also be placed at or near the gap to protect the head core material from track-edge rolloff and pole tip recession.

Abstract: A process for manufacturing magnetic heads whereby a pair of separate coils are placed about the opposed legs of the magnetic loop core element with one coil comprising the read/write coil and the other coil being placed adjacent the gap in the core. During the removal of material from the core element to set the throat height at the gap thereof, a variable current signal is provided to the read/write coil while the other coil generates voltage pulses due to flux changes in the magnetic core element with the magnitude of such voltage pulses being used to monitor the removal process so that the correct throat height is set according to predetermined magnetic characteristics of the core element.

Abstract: A process for suppressing the Gibbs phenomenon in a train of digital signals when such signals are undergoing a discrete Fourier transform or a fast Fourier transform without using the conventional windowing techniques wherein the original function defined by the initial set of digital signals is changed into a new function so that the first and last data points thereof are made equal to make the waveform of the new function each a complete cycle within its DFT period while the interrelationship of the remaining data points remain as in the original function, so that no spurious frequency components are introduced in the digital signal output. The process is shown as used in an all-purpose digital filter.

Abstract: A circuit for generating a linear current proportional to the displacement of the movable member of a transducer receives an undetermined supply voltage from a monitoring circuit which has a relatively high internal resistance. The circuit is provided with two parallel current paths with one path including a resistive potentiometer strip and other path including a transistor and resistor connected in series. The movable member of the transducer has an electrical contact member attached thereto with the contact member having one end making contact with the resistive potentiometer strip and with the other end thereof making contact with a conductive strip which is connected to the gate of the transistor so that the current drawn by the circuit will be linearly related to the movement of the movable member.

Abstract: A hard disk drive for providing memory storage for a computer includes a rotatable stack of disks and a plurality of rotary actuator arms mounting magnetic heads for movement radially of the disks to read/write magnetically encoded data on each surface thereof. The actuator arms which extend between adjacent spaced disks are pivotally mounted in a scissor-like arrangement so that the radial tracking movement of the heads thereon occurs in angularly spaced locations in the disk stack. The rotary actuators are driven by a pair of drive arms extending in opposed relationship from the actuator pivot axis.

Abstract: A hard disk drive module for providing memory storage for a computer includes a centrally positioned rotatable stack of disks and a plurality of rotary actuator arms mounting magnetic heads for movement radially of the disks to read/write magnetically encoded data on each surface thereof. The actuator arms which extend between adjacent spaced disks are provided by plural-arm assemblies individually pivotally mounted at each of the four corners of the module so that the radial tracking movement of the heads thereon occurs in angularly spaced locations in the disk stack. Each actuator assembly is driven by a drive arm extending at an acute angle with the longitudinal axes of the associated actuator arms so as to minimize the required space on the module for the drive elements.

Abstract: A gas flow meter includes a cylinder closed at its upper end and slidably supported within a bearing ring. The cylinder side wall is provided with openings. A gas flow is directed into the interior of the cylinder which causes it to rise with respect to the bearing ring and permitting the gas to flow out of the area of the openings exposed above the bearing. During a constant flow of gas through the cylinder the flow rate can be measured by the distance which the cylinder has moved upwardly as indicated on a fixed marker positioned adjacent to the cylinder. An electrical signal is also provided by means of an electrical sensor positioned axially within the cylinder.

Abstract: A system for inspecting and measuring the dimensions of patterned features on lithographic photomasks includes a confocal scanning microscope beneath which is mounted the photomask to be inspected. The photomask is moved to permit the imaging beam from the microscope to record reflectivity information at closely spaced points along a scan line at the metal-substrate interface within the photomask, and the unpatterned side of the mask is positioned facing the microscope so that the imaging beam passes through the transparent substrate material of the mask to the desired measurement plane. An objective lens specially corrected for imaging through transparent materials is used in the optical system, and compensating glass plates may be selectively placed between the objective lens and the photomask when the substrate of the mask is thinner than the thickness of transparent material for which the objective lens was corrected.

Abstract: A scanning confocal optical imaging system is utilized to read or measure data magnetically recorded on a magneto-optic disk. The system includes a laser for producing a linearly polarized beam and a beam splitter for directing the transmitted beam to the disk and for deflecting a portion of the reflected return beam from the disk to a photodetector. A pinhole plate is placed between the beam splitter and the disk for restricting the size of the transmitted and reflected beams, and a polarizer is positioned between the beam splitter and the photodetector to receive the deflected return beam and provide an output that discriminates between the differing directions of rotation of the polarization plane of the transmitted beam by the magnetized area on the disk so that the direction of magnetization of the magnetized area can be read by the photodetector.