Abstract: A bracket for shielding a capacitive touch screen from external noise arising from stray capacitance comprises upper and lower complementary rectangular conductive metal shield elements which are joined together inside a housing with a transparent touch screen retained therebetween. The upper shield element is provided with a large central aperture so that the touch screen is accessible to a user. The lower shield element is also provided with a large central aperture to enable a display, such as an LCD, to be viewed through the transparent touch screen. The display is secured to the lower shield element with an insulating member interposed between the display and the lower shield element. The shielding bracket provides a full shield for the upper, lower and edge surfaces of the touch screen to prevent the capacitance of a hand resting upon the housing from interfering with the touch screen.

Abstract: An improved CMOS driver circuit for driving a fast, single-ended, wired-or bus architecture. The driver circuit provides a user-selectable active deassertion assist feature which assists a passive terminator circuit in quickly pulling-up a data or control bus line. The resulting driver circuit provides greater noise immunity to negative voltage transients that result from impedance mismatches caused by poor cable design configurations.

Abstract: A method and structure for sensing data such as temperature with respect to objects such as silicon wafers undergoing fabrication or other processes involve the use of a monitor element of material and configuration similar to that of the objects being processed. A structure such as a closed loop or segment of a spiral may be formed on the surface of the monitor element, and acts as a secondary coil when brought into operative relation with a transformer structure which includes a primary coil, a current source and a sensing device. The sensing device senses variations in the electrical characteristics in the primary coil, caused by the presence of the monitor element, and can thereby determine the temperature or other desired data relating to the monitor element, which is substantially the same as comparable data for the objects being processed.

Abstract: A method of cooling a heat source, such as an integrated circuit device, includes the following steps (1) providing a base having a plurality of elongated fins on a first side thereof and a mating surface on a second side thereof, with the plurality of elongated fins defining a plurality of channels, (2) positioning the mating surface of the base in contact with the integrated circuit device, (3) advancing a first flow of fluid onto a top surface of each of the plurality of fins so as to form a quantity of spent fluid which continues to be advanced into the plurality of channels, and (4) advancing a second flow of fluid into the plurality of channels so as to exhaust the quantity of spent fluid from the plurality of channels. An apparatus for cooling a heat source is also disclosed.

Abstract: An electronic shelf label protective cover whose size is independent of the size of an electronic display module for displaying price information, and whose size is sufficient to contain a display tag containing information other than price.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing an electronic circuit which allows a device to be connected to a bus, such as a system bus in a computer. The invention accepts user specified parameters for configuring a device adapter which interfaces the device to the bus, and thereafter generates a customized device adapter based on such user specified parameters. By using a common design macro, which is programmable, a user can easily specify and generate custom device adapters for a plurality of dissimilar devices to be connected to the bus. A resulting adapter architecture allows for multiple, dissimilar devices to interface to a computer bus with a single device adapter integrated circuit or card.

Abstract: Cancellation of electrostatic noise in digitizing tablet having a shield supplying a signal proportional to the electrostatic noise which is subtracted from the information signal derived from a digitizing grid. A conductive transparent shield is interposed between a digitizing grid and image source so that the same electro-static noise on both. The shield may be grounded on zero to n-1 edges, n being the number of edges of the shield. An electrical signal is taken from an ungrounded side and supplied as an input signal to a difference amplifier, the other input signal being the information signal from the digitizing grid. The output signal from the amplifier is the information signal with the noise signal component cancelled.

Abstract: An architecture for on-line reconfiguration on a RAID level 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 disk array. This architecture allows the computer system to perform reconfiguration of the disk array transparently, with disk I/O operations being performed concurrently with reconfiguration operations. The reconfiguration process allocates computer system resources necessary to support both the old and new array configurations during the reconfiguration process. Logical areas within the array are sequentially reconfigured from the old configuration to the new configuration. Data in each logical area is read from the area undergoing reconfiguration and thereafter overwritten in accordance with the new array configuration. System I/O requests received during reconfiguration which are directed to unreconfigured areas in the disk array are executed in accordance with the old array configuration.

Abstract: Resistive ink elements are applied to the exposed surfaces of thin sections or thermal insulation provided to cooled integrated circuit devices within a computer system. The insulation is made thinner than required to prevent the formation of condensation upon the exposed surfaces of the insulation in order to accommodate space limitations within the computer system. The resistive ink elements generate heat upon the application of an electrical current thereto to warm the exposed surfaces of the insulation to a temperature above the dew point of the ambient environment within the computer system, thereby preventing the formation of condensation on the surfaces on the insulation.

Abstract: A memory metal hot plug connector apparatus and method which provide a physical lock that prevents removal of a circuit card from a system board until power and system functional signals have been electrically disconnected. The memory metal in the connector releases the physical lock when heated. A power supply interface controller issues commands to connect and disconnect power to the circuit card and to heaters associated with the memory metal connectors. A test signal circuit provides JTAG standard signals for connecting and disconnecting system functional signals. Methods for connecting and disconnecting the circuit card are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for partitioning a disk array into logical storage units distinct from the physical storage units within the array. A set of individual drives within the array are partitioned into multiple partitions. Corresponding partitions from the individual drives are grouped together to form a logical unit which is addressed as, and functions as, an independent disk array. The partitions within the logical unit are addressed as, and function as, disk drives within the logical array. Thus, a single set of disk drives may be divided into two or more logical storage units, each functioning as an independent disk array, and each employing a different RAID level scheme for storing data. Alternatively, multiple sets of disk drives within the array can combined together into a logical storage unit which functions as a single set of drives. Corresponding drives from each set of drives are addressed as a single disk drive within the logical unit.

Abstract: Thermal transfer printing ribbon for printing security bar code symbols wherein the thermal transfer printing ribbon has been overprinted or overcoated in specific predetermined locations with a coating which has magnetic recognition characteristics. The difference in printed bar code symbols is invisible to the human eye and bar-code scanning equipment, but can be readily detected using a device capable of recognizing a magnetic signal.

Abstract: An optical receiver for modulated light includes an optical antenna (12) having fluorescent material (18) dispersed therein, and an optoelectrical demodulator (14) for demodulating the modulated light. The optical antenna (12) is formed of a filter material which is transparent to wavelengths equal to or longer than a predetermined wavelength and absorptive to wavelengths shorter than the predetermined wavelength. Also, the optical antenna (12) has a coating (20) of a filter material which is transparent to wavelengths equal to or shorter than the predetermined wavelength, and reflective to wavelengths longer than the predetermined wavelength. Thus, the optical antenna (12) acts on a narrow-pass band filter. Since the fluorescent material emits light at a longer wavelength than the received light, the emitted light is reflected internally to impact on the optoelectrical demodulator (14).

Abstract: A system for vertically mounting 3.5-inch disk drives includes a main disk support bracket, first and second disk retainers, and a center disk support bracket. The system allows independent suspension mounting in any orientation of one, two, three or four disk drives which are isolated from mechanical stresses, vibration and shock.

Abstract: The invention concerns a system for managing resources, which can take the form of (a) computer-compatible information, such as data files and programs, and (b) non-computer-compatible information, such as data contained on microfiche, and (c) physical objects. The resources are located at geographically diverse sites. The invention contains a descriptive profiles, profile for each resource, and allows any user to search all profiles, and to search the profiles according to "fields" (a database term), such as by location of the resources, or by category of the resources. The user can order delivery of a selected resource, and the system causes delivery of the resource to be executed, irrespective of the form (e.g., physical object) of the resource. The invention allows a provider of a new resource to limit access to the resource, by identifying users who are authorized to obtain access to the resource. Non-authorized users cannot obtain access to the profiles of these resources.

Abstract: A method of cooling a heat source includes the steps of (1) positioning a thermally conductive base in contact with the heat source, the base having a plurality of fins which define a plurality of channels, (2) generating an initial flow of fluid, (3) positioning a baffle in the path of the initial flow of fluid so as to create a primary flow of fluid and a secondary flow of fluid, (4) directing the primary flow of fluid against the plurality of fins so as to form a quantity of spent fluid which is advanced into the channels, (5) directing the secondary flow of fluid into the plurality of channels so as to force the quantity of spent fluid out of the plurality of channels, and (6) repositioning the baffle from a first position to a second position to change the magnitude of the primary flow of fluid. An apparatus for cooling a heat source which splits an initial flow of fluid into a primary flow of fluid and a secondary flow of fluid is also disclosed.

Abstract: An AC-DC voltage conversion integrate circuit that integrates all the control and protection circuits, as well as the power transistors, into a single module. Passive components, such as the transformer and capacitors, are very small, as the switching frequency is in the KHz or MHz range. Including one or more integrated switched mode power supply ICs in every wall outlet allows for providing a plurality of DC voltages from such outlets.

Abstract: A business system including at least one transaction terminal such as an automated teller machine ATM (10) and an interface device (12) for use by an operator in carrying out maintenance of the ATM (10) or replenishing consumable items used during its operation. The interface device (12) is separate from the ATM (10) and two-way communication between the interface device (12) and the ATM (10) is arranged to take place in a contactless manner. Preferably communication is enabled by the use of a radio frequency technique. The interface device (12) provides the operator with a sequence of instructions and is arranged to await the receipt of a confirmation signal from the ATM (10) prior to displaying the next instruction in the sequence. The ATM (10) provides the confirmation signal only when a sensor (22-44) within the ATM (10) detects that the previously displayed instruction has been carried out by the operator.