Abstract: Apparatus for protecting users of surfboards, kayaks and other personal water activity apparatus against sharks and other water-borne predators is provided. A plurality of lights is provided on the bottom and side surfaces of the personal water activity apparatus. The lights are actuated to mask and distort the shadow, shape or outline of the user together with the personal water activity apparatus, in effect camouflaging the user and his or her personal water activity apparatus. The lights may be actuated either manually or automatically. Sensors are provided to detect the stage of ambient light in order to automatically actuate the light sources.

Abstract: Apparatus for protecting users of surfboards, kayaks and other personal water activity apparatus against sharks and other water-borne predators is provided. A plurality of lights is provided on the bottom and side surfaces of the personal water activity apparatus. The lights are actuated to mask and distort the shadow, shape or outline of the user together with the personal water activity apparatus, in effect camouflaging the user and his or her personal water activity apparatus. The lights may be actuated either manually or automatically. Sensors are provided to detect the stage of ambient light in order to automatically actuate the light sources.

Abstract: Laser beam or pulsed output is provided for enhancing the bonding strength between surfaces that are secured together, such as by lamination process or an adhesive, by texturing with a plurality of indentations formed in at least one of the surfaces to be bonded. As an example of this texturing, a fiber gain medium texturing system having a modulated pump or seed semiconductor laser source may be employed for forming a plurality of indentations in the surface of a die attachment pad of a semiconductor die or IC chip carrier. The indentations may be in the form of dimples or grooves. The indentations enhance the bonding strength formed between the chip and the die attachment pad using a die attaching adhesive. Also, the indentations in the die attachment pad provide a way for containment of rapidly expanding gases that formed in the chip carrier package when the package is subjected to high temperatures such as during a solder reflow operation.

Abstract: A laser marking system includes a high power fiber laser with a double clad fiber having a doped core surrounded by an inner pump cladding and providing an optical output for marking; a high power laser diode source for pumping the double clad fiber laser via an input into the inner pump cladding; an optical scanner coupled to receive the marking output from the double clad fiber laser to scan the output over a surface of an article to be marked by sweeping the marking output in one, two or three dimensions to form strokes, the completion of which comprises indicia to be marked on the article surface; and a controller to control the operation of the scanner synchronized with the modulation of the laser diode pump source to initiate the marking output and sweep and modulate the marking optical output in one, two or three dimensions to form strokes comprising the indicia.

Abstract: A laser marking system comprises a high power fiber laser consisting of a double clad fiber having a doped core surrounded by an inner pump cladding and providing an optical output for marking; a high power laser diode source for pumping the double clad fiber laser via an input into the inner pump cladding; an optical scanner coupled to receive the marking output from the double clad fiber laser to scan the output over a surface of an article to be marked by sweeping the marking output in one, two or three dimensions to form strokes, the completion of which comprises indicia to be marked the article surface; and a controller to control the operation of the scanner in synchronism with the modulation of the laser diode pump source to initiate the marking output and sweep and modulate the marking optical output in one, two or three dimensions to form strokes comprising the indicia. A main advantage of the fiber laser marking system over CO.sub.

Abstract: The invention includes systems and methods for debugging an application program running under an operating system such as Windows.RTM. 3.0 or 3.1. Such an operating system allows registration of callback functions with an operating system exception handler. The operating system exception handler calls the registered callback functions in response to an exception generated by the application program until one of the callback functions indicates that the exception has been resolved. The invention includes a monitor program which is installed in program memory concurrently with the application program. The monitor program registers itself with the operating system exception handler to be called in response to an exception generated by the application program. When called, the monitor callback function finds the startup parameters of the application program which generated the exception and starts a debugging program, using the startup parameters.

Abstract: A thermally balanced leadless microelectronic circuit chip carrier in which the chip is mounted directly on a heat sinking member by means of a conductive stress relieving polyimide. The heat sinking member, which has a support surface for the chip and an extending threaded shaft, is held by a carrier member thermally compatible with the surface on which the package is to be used. The shaft passes through the carrier member and receiving surface to a heat sinking nut which holds the package to the receiving surface. Leads on the carrier member surface are used to connect the receiving surface to the wires bonded to the chip contacts.