Abstract: A reciprocating compressor that includes a cylinder block with a plurality of cylinder bores. A piston is positioned in each bore. Each piston is mounted to move in response to the a crankshaft, causing each piston to reciprocate within the cylinder bore. The compressor further includes a cylinder head which includes bores corresponding to the bores in the cylinder block. The cylinder head includes a suction port in fluid communication with a source of compressible gas and a plurality of suction plenum in the cylinder head. Protrusions or ribs extend into the suction plenum. The cylinder head also includes a discharge plenum in communication with the outlet ports of the valve plate Interposed between the cylinder head and the cylinder block is a valve plate assembly having a discharge valve, and a discharge valve retainer having a pair of radii assembled to the valve plate by snap fitting a cylinder head gasket over the discharge valve and retainer.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus is presented for configuring a system bus topology dynamically. In a preferred embodiment, the system bus is a Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) bus that connects a “daisy” chain of disk drives. Two types of disk drives are used: single ended (SE) “Ultra” drives capable of 20 MHz operation and LVD (low voltage differential) “Ultra Plus” drives capable of 40 MHz operation. LVD disk drives can also function in the slower SE mode. The first drive in the chain of drives may need to be connected by a cable over three feet long. This introduces signal degradation that is often overcome by introducing redrive circuitry to boost signal quality. This is an expensive solution and a much easier solution is presented: install a jumper between the last drive in the chain and the first drive. However, if LVD bus mode is used, then this jumper solution does not work and the jumper must be removed.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention are directed toward a novel pressurized vapor cycle for distilling liquids. In some embodiments of the invention, a liquid purification system is revealed, including the elements of an input for receiving untreated liquid, a vaporizer coupled to the input for transforming the liquid to vapor, a head chamber for collecting the vapor, a vapor pump with an internal drive shaft and an eccentric rotor with a rotatable housing for compressing vapor, and a condenser in communication with the vapor pump for transforming the compressed vapor into a distilled product. Other embodiments of the invention are directed toward heat management, and other process enhancements for making the system especially efficient.

Abstract: A data processing system and method included within an oscilloscope for independently analyzing a signal input into the oscilloscope. The oscilloscope includes a plurality of triggering modes. A plurality of trigger parameters are specified for each of the triggering modes. Thereafter, the oscilloscope automatically analyzes the input signal, independently from any user input, utilizing each of the triggering modes and the trigger parameters specified for each of the triggering modes. The input signal includes a desired waveform and a plurality of undesired waveforms. While the oscilloscope is automatically analyzing the input signal, a determination is made regarding whether the oscilloscope triggered on one of the undesired waveforms. When it is determined that the oscilloscope triggered on one of the undesired waveforms, the undesired waveform upon which the oscilloscope triggered is stored.

Abstract: A reciprocating compressor that includes a cylinder block with a plurality of cylinder bores. A piston is positioned in each bore. Each piston is mounted to move in response to the a crankshaft, causing each piston to reciprocate within the cylinder bore. The compressor further includes a cylinder head which includes bores corresponding to the bores in the cylinder block. The cylinder head includes a suction port in fluid communication with a source of compressible gas and a plurality of suction plenum in the cylinder head. Protrusions or ribs extend into the suction plenum. The cylinder head also includes a discharge plenum in communication with the outlet ports of the valve plate Interposed between the cylinder head and the cylinder block is a valve plate assembly having a discharge valve, and a discharge valve retainer having a pair of radii assembled to the valve plate by snap fitting a cylinder head gasket over the discharge valve and retainer.

Abstract: A base station signal is applied to antenna elements. One signal from a first element is electrically modified and evaluated in conjunction with a second, unmodified signal from a second element. The modified signal is further modified and again evaluated with the unmodified signal. The results of the two evaluations are compared to determine a relative phase and/or amplitude at the respective elements.

Abstract: A system calibrates the gain of a repeater by determining a value based on the difference between respective amplitude measurements made while the repeater is transmitting and while it is not. The value is compared to threshold data in order to determine whether repeater attenuation should be incrementally adjusted.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention are directed toward a novel pressurized vapor cycle for distilling liquids. In an embodiment of the invention, a liquid purification system is revealed, including the elements of an input for receiving untreated liquid, a vaporizer coupled to the input for transforming the liquid to vapor, a head chamber for collecting the vapor, a vapor pump with an internal drive shaft and an eccentric rotor with a rotatable housing for compressing vapor, a condenser in communication with the vapor pump for transforming the compressed vapor into a distilled product, and an electric motor with motor rotor and magnets hermetically sealed within the fluid pressure boundary of the distillation system.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system and method for providing financial instrument trading information and for trading a financial instrument which includes receiving an identifier related to the financial instrument, simultaneously providing values related to the identifier and to a user's account information, receiving trade data related to the identifier, and simultaneously providing at least one complete trade scenario based on the identifier, a portion of the values, the user's account information, the received trade data, and a portion of the at least one trade scenario.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for preventing unauthorized access to data stored in memory utilizing two programmable logic devices as front end interfaces for the memory device and the data processing device which is to utilize the memory device, respectively. The two programmable logic devices are complementary programmed such that the signal lines between the data processing device and the memory core and/or their timing are scrambled at the interface between the two programmable logic devices, but are properly ordered with the proper timing at the interface between the memory core and the first programmable logic device and the interface between the data processing device and the second programmable logic device.

Abstract: A data processing system and method included within an oscilloscope for independently analyzing a signal input into the oscilloscope. The oscilloscope includes a plurality of triggering modes. A plurality of trigger parameters are specified for each of the triggering modes. Thereafter, the oscilloscope automatically analyzes the input signal, independently from any user input, utilizing each of the triggering modes and the trigger parameters specified for each of the triggering modes. The input signal includes a desired waveform and a plurality of undesired waveforms. While the oscilloscope is automatically analyzing the input signal, a determination is made regarding whether the oscilloscope triggered on one of the undesired waveforms. When it is determined that the oscilloscope triggered on one of the undesired waveforms, the undesired waveform upon which the oscilloscope triggered is stored.

Abstract: A power-supply filter that is built into an integrated circuit package is disclosed. An LC, RC, or RLC filter is built into the integrated circuit's chip carrier module and connected so as to filter the power supply entering the integrated circuit. By manufacturing the filter as part of the integrated circuit package, a chip manufacturer can eliminate the need for application-level developers to provide an external filtering network in the deployment of the integrated circuit in an application circuit.

Abstract: A power-supply filter that is built into an integrated circuit package is disclosed. An LC, RC, or RLC filter is built into the integrated circuit's chip carrier module and connected so as to filter the power supply entering the integrated circuit. By manufacturing the filter as part of the integrated circuit package, a chip manufacturer can eliminate the need for application-level developers to provide an external filtering network in the deployment of the integrated circuit in an application circuit.

Abstract: A method and system for performing direct memory access (DMA) transfers using operating system allocated I/O buffers provides a mechanism for device to device transfers without utilizing global system memory. Memory is allocated on a local bus to which both devices have a requested degree of affinity and transfers are performed to and from this memory. Operating system routines provide for selection of global system memory or local memory based on whether there is local memory available to which both devices have a requested degree of affinity. The memory can be deallocated after each transfer and reallocated for each subsequent transfer.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for preventing unauthorized access to data stored in memory utilizing two programmable logic devices as front end interfaces for the memory device and the data processing device which is to utilize the memory device, respectively. The two programmable logic devices are complementary programmed such that the signal lines between the data processing device and the memory core and/or their timing are scrambled at the interface between the two programmable logic devices, but are properly ordered with the proper timing at the interface between the memory core and the first programmable logic device and the interface between the data processing device and the second programmable logic device.

Abstract: A method and system for enhancing performance of a bus in a data processing system is described. The method includes monitoring priority of processes in an operating system queue along with data flow through adapters coupled to the bus in a data processing system, determining if increased bus performance is desirable, and adjusting bus parameters to enhance the performance of the bus if increased bus performance is desirable.

Abstract: A data processing system and method included within an oscilloscope for independently analyzing a signal input into the oscilloscope. The oscilloscope includes a plurality of triggering modes. A plurality of trigger parameters are specified for each of the triggering modes. Thereafter, the oscilloscope automatically analyzes the input signal, independently from any user input, utilizing each of the triggering modes and the trigger parameters specified for each of the triggering modes. The input signal includes a desired waveform and a plurality of undesired waveforms. While the oscilloscope is automatically analyzing the input signal, a determination is made regarding whether the oscilloscope triggered on one of the undesired waveforms. When it is determined that the oscilloscope triggered on one of the undesired waveforms, the undesired waveform upon which the oscilloscope triggered is stored.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and system for protecting electronic files from unauthorized access. The drive on which the file is stored is provided with a hardware identification code, which is unique to the drive and known only by a user to whom access to the files stored on the drive is authorized. An Operating System (OS) extension is created. The OS extension allows a user to provide a security code required to access a requested drive. OS device driver, working in conjunction with the extension of the OS checks the requested drive to determine if an access code is required, and the drive responds with the security code or a default code. The default code indicates that no user-provided access code is required, and the drive is globally accessible to users on the system. Thus, when the default code is returned by the drive, automatic access to the drive is provided.

Abstract: The present invention generally includes three principal components; namely, (1) a hand held transceiver for transmitting a voice pattern while moving (e.g., driving) past an (2) infra-red receiver array which receives the transmitted voice pattern, and a (3) speech enhancement and voice verification algorithm for conducting a comparison between the transmitted voice pattern and the registered voice patterns stored in the computer's memory. The hand held transceiver includes a conventional telephone handset in which a microphone subassembly, a transceiver circuit card, and LED indicators are housed. The transceiver element, also housed in the handset, includes a 16-bit analog to digital converter for converting the analog voice pattern to a corresponding digital signal, a microprocessor, a memory unit for storing the digitized voice sample for a predetermined period of time, and an IR transceiver for transmitting the digitized voice sample.

Abstract: An error injection tool, connected to a bus to be tested in such a manner as not to interfere with normal operation, is employed for error detection and recovery design verification. The error injection tool is connected to the bus to be tested within a data processing system, the system is powered on, and applications simulating normal system loading are run. A desired error is then selected, and the error injection tool is actuated. The error injection tool monitors bus cycles and transactions through selected signals and, upon detecting an appropriate cycle or transaction, overdrives a selected conductor within the bus being tested to inject an error. The selected bus conductor is overdriven (forced) to a logic high or a logic low for a single clock cycle, simulating the intermittent nature of errors likely to occur during normal operation. Bus error signals are then monitored to ascertain whether the error was successfully injected.