Abstract: A method and apparatus for performing frequency synthesis in a communication system. A fiber optic repeater connected between a copper bus and a fiber optic cable includes a voltage controlled oscillator and associated circuitry to adjust the frequency at which the repeater operates to match the frequency of the device that generated the incoming data stream. This adjustment is performed on-both data received from the copper bus or the fiber optic cable on a message by message basis.

Abstract: An appliance is rendered self-cleaning of accumulated organic contaminants on one or more surfaces of the appliance, by coating such surfaces of the appliance with a photocatalytically-activated self-cleaning coating. Upon exposing such coated surfaces to radiation of the appropriate wavelength, for a sufficient interval of time, at least a portion of the organic contaminants present on the photocatalytically-activated self-cleaning coating are removed. The coated surface is thereby cleaned without the need of manual effort or high temperatures. The radiation is generally actinic radiation, and more particularly includes ultraviolet radiation.

Abstract: Light beams directed toward each surface of a sheet are reflected therefrom as first reflected light beams and second reflected light beams. The intensity and/or density of the reflected light beams are acted on to compare the reflectivity of the sheet surfaces, e.g. to determine which surface of the sheet has a more reflective surface.