Abstract: In a peripheral component interconnect (PCI) bus system in which both intelligent and non-intelligent devices are connected to the PCI bus, each non-intelligent device is owned and managed by an intelligent device. The intelligent device owning a non-intelligent device provides access to the service functions of the non-intelligent device, making these service functions available even to other devices not possessing device drivers for the non-intelligent device. Accordingly, the PCI bus master does not have to access all devices connected to the PCI bus.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a pipeline microprocessor (MP1, MP2) comprising a program counter (PC), means (MUX, ADD) for the incrementation of the program counter (PC), instruction decoding means (PREDEC, DEC1, DEC2, DEC3) comprising means (PREDEC) to decode a conditional jump instruction (JMPc) of the program counter, a bank of registers (REGBANK), a computation unit (ALU) comprising a first output (S1) to deliver a result and a second output (S2) to deliver status bits (C, N, P, Z) of the result. According to the invention, the computation unit (ALU) and the means (PREDEC, DEC3) for decoding the conditional jump instruction (JMPc) are laid out in two neighboring pipeline stages (ST1, ST2), and the means (PREDEC) for decoding the conditional jump instruction (JMPc) are connected to the second output (S2) of the computation unit (ALU).

Abstract: A composite blade assembly comprises a root portion and blade portion that is connected to the root portion. The root portion comprises inner and outer rings and the blade portion comprises at least one layer of composite material that is folded to form a loop. The inner ring is disposed in the loop and the outer ring is disposed outside the loop such that a portion of the loop is positioned between the inner and outer rings. In this manner, the loop portion is held in compression between the inner and outer rings at least when the composite blade assembly is subject to centrifugal force to thereby prevent separation of the root portion and blade portion.

Abstract: A vehicle for applying chemical compounds to wood comprises the following components in the indicated approximate percentages by weight of the total: toluene (40-70%), xylene (6-40%), benzophenone (3-18%), butyl glycol (2-9%), cetyl acetate (1-7%) and methanol (0.3-4%). The vehicle has a high wood penetration index and can be used for preparing compositions containing one or more chemical compounds useful for treating wood, for example insecticides and/or fungicides, for the purpose of treating or preventing damage caused by the attack of biological agents harmful for wood.

Abstract: On an optical disk medium according to the present invention, address information is recorded along a wobbling track groove 2. The track groove 2 is made up of a plurality of unit sections 22, 23. Each of these unit sections 22, 23 has side faces that are displaced periodically in a disk radial direction. This displacement oscillates at a single period in a tracking direction. However, the displacement pattern differs depending on “each bit of address information (subdivided information)” allocated to each of the unit sections 22, 23.

Abstract: Mechanism for cutting and distributing portions of sheet, particularly paper towels, comprising at least one cylinder (9) which can rotate around its axis in a supporting structure (1, 2, 3) and drag an end portion (8) of at least one sheet, inside said cylinder (9) being arranged one or more movable blades (28) which can protrude outside the cylinder (9) for cutting said end portion (8) of the sheet and are fixed to a shaft (26) suitable for rotating around an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cylinder (9), wherein said shaft (26) is provided with at least a first member (30) which protrudes from one side of the cylinder (9) and can be rotated for an arc of a circumference by at least a second member (25) which shifts in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the shaft (26) of the movable blades (28) and rotates around this axis, the rotational-translational motion of this second member (25) being synchronized with the rotatory motion of the cylinder (9).

Abstract: Two methods are provided for monitoring the catalytic activity of a catalytic converter arranged in the exhaust gas conduit of a motor vehicle. According to one method, proceeding from a cold start, a temperature progression is determined by a temperature sensor arranged downstream of the catalytic converter and a temperature plateau is thereby determined; the length of the temperature plateau is compared with the length of a temperature plateau determined in advance on a new catalytic converter; a shortening of the length of the measured temperature plateau is interpreted as an aging of the catalytic converter; and the catalytic converter is judged as defective if the shortening exceeds an established limiting value.

Abstract: In a magnetron apparatus in accordance with the present invention, a first notch 17, a second notch 19 and a third notch 20 are formed in each of anode segments 15 disposed radially inside an anode cylinder 6, whereby the passage of high-frequency current flowing through the resonator comprising the two anode segments 15 adjacent to each other, the anode cylinder 6 and strap rings 9 and 10 is made narrow and long.

Abstract: An optical device which monolithically integrates a variety of structures to route or demultiplex data. One or more ring resonators are used to couple a control signal into and out of a waveguide loop residing within the optical device. The device includes a waveguide loop interferometer, such as a Sagnac loop, and a nonlinear element, such as a semiconductor optical amplifier, inserted in the loop. A ring resonator removes the control signal from the waveguide loop after it passes through the nonlinear element. The control signal is removed via a path that is independent of paths used for managing the flow of data through the optical device. Data is selectively outputted from one of two output ports, depending upon the state of the nonlinear device, as determined by the control signal.

Abstract: A vacuum toilet comprises a toilet bowl (1) and a vacuum pipeline (3) which opens out into said toilet bowl. In the region of the opening (2), the vacuum line (3) has a cross-sectional narrowing in the form of a foreign-body barrier (5) which projects radially into the line interior. Alternatively provided is an insert pipe part (6) which can be inserted into the vacuum pipeline (3) in the region of the opening (2) and has an above-described foreign-body barrier (5).

Abstract: A housing (3) has an upper end wall (3a) and a lower end wall (3b) which support an upper slide portion (11) and a lower slide portion (12) of a clamp rod (5) vertically movably, respectively. The rod (5) is moved downwards for clamping through a clamp spring (20). The lower slide portion (12) has an outer periphery provided with guide grooves (26), each of which comprises a helical rotary groove (27) and a straight groove (28), peripherally in plural number. Engaging balls (29) which are fitted into the respective guide grooves (26) are rotatably supported by through holes (31) provided in an upper portion of the lower end wall (3b). A sleeve (35) is externally fitted over the engaging balls (29) rotatably around an axis.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a chewable, palatable oral contraceptive tablet, comprising an oral contraceptive agent, a chewable carrier suitable for human consumption, and not comprising a ferrocene compound, as well as use of these tablets in a method of human female oral contraception, and in a method of enhancing compliance with a human female oral contraceptive regimen.

Abstract: Aqueous based cleaning compositions simultaneously featuring low residue deposition, sanitization and/or disinfecting of treated hard surfaces, and good cleaning characteristics are provided. The compositions include the following ingredients: (a) a quaternary ammonium surfactant compound having germicidal properties; (b) a surfactant system which includes at least one amine oxide surfactant and at least one further surfactant selected from carboxylates and N-acyl amino acid surfactants; (c) a solvent system containing an alkylene glycol ether solvent further with a C1-C6 alcohol; (d) an alkalizing agent; and (e) water.

Abstract: A ribbon protector is attached to a ribbon cartridge to prevent an ink ribbon from being soiled. The ribbon protector includes mounting portions, a protecting portion, and a paper guide. The ribbon protector is mounted to the ribbon cartridge by means of the mounting portions. The protecting section opposes an ink ribbon such that the ink ribbon is between the protecting section and the ribbon cartridge when the mounting portions have been mounted to the ribbon cartridge. The paper guide projects from the protecting section to incline toward the ribbon cartridge. The mounting portion may have a first base portion continuous to the protector and the paper guide has a second base portion continuous to the protecting section. The first base portion is thicker than other portions of the first projecting portion and the second base portion is thicker than other portions of the mounting portion.