Abstract: A tag for attachment to the ear of an animal, said tag comprising in combination a male component having a headed stem and a female component having a base portion 11 with an upper surface and a lower surface, a panel 10 projecting upwardly from the upper surface. An opening 12 is formed in the base portion 11 and the headed portion of the stem of the male component is able to pass through the opening 12 to effect coupling of the male and female components. The lower surface of the base 11 includes an engagement surface 16 which in use of the tag engages with the upper outer surface of an animal's ear. The engagement surface 16 has a profile which relative to the panel is transverse to the plane of the panel and follows the contour of the upper outer surface of the animal's ear to which the tag is to be applied to resist swivelling movement of the tag about the axis of coupling between the male and female components.

Abstract: A light shielding plate rotated by the shaft of an object to be measured is provided with a slit. The distance between the slit and the axis of the shaft varies continuously. A light source and a linear light receiving element are disposed on opposite sides of the light shielding plate.

Abstract: Electroplating apparatus and methods for plating high aspect ratio thru-holes in printed circuit boards and the like. For copper plating thru-holes in printed circuit boards, the printed circuit board is immersed in a tank of electrolyte. Surrounding both sides of the printed circuit board are a plurality of cell-like structures which contain mechanical electrolyte agitating members, filters and electrolyte ion replenishment anode baskets. In addition, a pump is provided to encourage exhausting of the electrolyte from local regions of each side of the printed circuit board to encourage a general but definite flow of electrolyte through any thru-holes in the printed circuit board.

Abstract: A process for delineating a vertical resistor on a semiconductor device is disclosed. Resistive and diffusion barrier layers are deposited and then etched, first by dry plasma and then by wet bath. The two step etching allows complete removal of the deposited layers with minimal damage to exposed dielectric, silicide, polysilicon or doped regions on the semiconductor.

Abstract: An improved method and means for bio-feedback training of living organisms, utilizing one or more electro-neuro signals to produce tactile sensations on the skin of the organism. One or more electrical characteristics of such electro-neuro signals are responsive to a particular condition of the organism which is detectable in a physiological signal produced by the organism at a selected location on its body. The tactile sensation experienced by the organism is, thus, a function of the detected condition, and the organism can learn to alter such condition by concentrating on increasing or inhibiting the tactile sensation.

Abstract: An apparatus for adjusting the amplitude of an electronic signal to a predetermined level in a MOS integrated circuit device. A variable amplifier comprising a plurality of operational amplifier stages whose gain is controlled by capacitor ratios is utilized to amplify an input signal. The output of the variable amplifier is coupled to a comparator comprising a single operational amplifier to compare the output with a reference signal level corresponding to the desired output level of the circuit. The comparator generates an instruction signal to a flip-flop circuit and an up/down counter to provide digital control to the amplifier gain stages. The digital bits of the counter, depending on whether high or low, selectively switch the appropriate capacitors into operation to vary the gain of each operational amplifier stage.

Abstract: A local area network is disclosed including apparatus and methods for transferring data between a plurality of data processing resources ("agents") coupled to a cable. In the preferred embodiment, a plurality of agents are coupled to a common cable for data transmission and reception. An agent newly coupled to the cable dynamically assigns itself a unique address on the cable to which other agents may send data. Once an agent has been assigned a final address, it may then transmit to, and receive data from, other agents on the cable. An agent desiring to send data to a receiving agent follows a three step handshake, wherein the sending agent transmits an "RTS" signal and within a predetermined time must receive a "CTS" signal from the receiving agent. The sending agent then transmits a data frame within a predetermined time after the CTS signal is received. The failure to detect a return CTS signal within the predetermined time denotes a collision condition.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for determining the extinction of laser light through a fluid is disclosed. The fluid is passed in a conduit having a light transmissive window. A laser beam having intensity I.sub.1 is passed through the window into the fluid. A prong shaped probe having first and second probe sections is disposed in the fluid flow. The first probe section includes a beamsplitter at a distance d.sub.1 from the window for redirecting a portion of the beam onto a first photodiode array, to determine the beam intensity I.sub.2. The remaining portion of the beam tranverses a distance d.sub.2 and is directed through a prism onto a second photodiode array to determine its intensity I.sub.3. Based on the intensities I.sub.1, I.sub.2 and I.sub.3 and given d.sub.1 and d.sub.2, the extinction values E.sub.1 and E.sub.2 may be calculated. Fluid optical density may then be determined as a function of the extinction.

Abstract: In a fluorescent display device, a light-emitting display section and a drive section for controlling the light-emitting display section are formed on a single semiconductor substrate to constitute an integrated semiconductor substrate, and the integrated semiconductor substrate and a cathode opposing a surface of the integrated semiconductor substrate which has the light-emitting display section thereon are hermetically sealed in a vacuum chamber having at least one light-transmitting surface. The light-emitting display section has a plurality of light-emitting elements in a matrix form. Each of the light-emitting elements is constituted by a static random access memory of a flip-flop and a drive transistor, a first terminal of which is connected to one of Q and Q output terminals of the flip-flop, a second terminal of which is connected to a phosphor screen electrode, and a third terminal of which is connected to a power source line.

Abstract: A computer memory architecture is most advantageously used in conjunction with a digital computer, to provide an improved high speed graphics display capability. Data representative of digital images to be displayed is generated and/or manipulated by a display processor and stored within a selected portion of the display processor's main memory. Subsequent modifications to the stored image are effectuated by the display processor reading the data from its main memory, performing appropriate operations on the data, and writing the data back into the main memory. Updated images are transferred to an buffer memory which sequentially stores the images in the order in which they were updated by the display processor. Data representative of an updated image is then transferred to the display frame buffer of the particular display system for subsequent display. Data is transferred from the buffer memory to the frame buffer during periods when the frame buffer is not refreshing the display.

Abstract: Flexible printed circuits and methods of fabricating and forming plated thru-holes therein are disclosed. The flexible printed circuits have one or more substantially rigid regions where plated thru-holes are to be formed, the regions being made rigid by the substitution of epoxy glass or other conventional rigid printed circuit board materials in place of the flexible material used for the flexible portions of the circuit. In this manner the thru-holes are formed through conventional printed circuit board layers, allowing plating of the thru-holes using conventional well developed techniques. This process avoids the necessity of plating thru-holes in flexible printed circuit materials currently requiring special equipment and techniques, and further avoids stress concentration at the junction between the rigid plated thru-holes and the adjacent flexible printed circuit. Various methods for forming such circuits and circuits so formed are disclosed.

Abstract: Electroplating apparatus and methods for rapid and efficient plating of printed circuit board and the like are disclosed. In accordance with the method, a printed circuit board is disclosed within a tank of electrolyte and caused to oscillate in the plane of the printed circuit board. On each side of the printed circuit board are a plurality of paddle assemblies which are rotated to maintain a high degree of turbulence in the electrolyte adjacent the printed circuit board. Ion replenishment for the electrolyte is provided by baskets filled with pieces of the material to be plated, in the embodiment disclosed the baskets themselves being rotatable and having the paddle assemblies integral therewith. Electrolyte circulation is maintained by pumps with the electrolyte being withdrawn from the tank for filtering and replenishment through manifolds in the walls separating the cells within which the paddle assemblies operate. Various alternate embodiments are described.

Abstract: Motorcycle safety apparel is disclosed which may be made in stylish and unencumbering designs to encourage regular use by motorcycle riders, and the like, which in the event of an impending or actual accident will inflate to provide a protective enclosure for the parts of the body most susceptible to critical or fatal injury. In the motorcycle application, the apparel is coupled through an umbilical cord to a container of compressed or liquified gas, with a much shorter pull cord being coupled between the rider and the valve of the container to rapidly inflate the apparel on separation of the rider from the motorcycle prior to separation of the umbilical cord.

Abstract: An electric power steering apparatus causes a bridge circuit and a driver circuit to control normal and reverse rotation operations of a motor. The bridge circuit is constituted by transistors. The driver circuit is connected to a power source and also is connected to the bridge circuit so as to drive the bridge circuit. A diode is inserted between the power source and the bridge circuit, and the polarities of the diode are set such that a voltage at the bridge circuit is lower than that at the driver circuit.

Abstract: A positioning device for a surface coil used in NMR scanning is described. A non-metallic container allows a MRI surface oil to reside therein. An elongated rod extending through an opening on a side of the container is attached to the coil. A clear cover is placed over the container which is then placed under the patient. As the NMR scanning is performed for medical diagnosis, the coil is adjusted to the desired position by movement of the rod.

Abstract: An EPROM which includes on-chip circuitry for selecting alternate addressing. An EPROM cell, separate from the memory's array, is programmed to convert the memory to the alternate page mode addressing. The selection of the pages is done through the data lines. This frees address lines when the alternate mode is selected.

Abstract: A drain plug for sealing the waste and overflow drain assemblies during construction and system testing. A threaded bolt extends through a rubber washer. The bolt is screwed into a tapped hole in the shoe assembly of the drain, providing a secure plug that will not blow out during system testing. A sleeve may be employed on the bolt to allow ease of access to the bolt when deep drains are plugged.

Abstract: A television signal which has a motion vector code signal and a prediction error code signal, is separated by a demultiplexer into a prediction error code signal and a motion vector code signal. These signals are decoded. A variable delay circuit receives an immediately preceding television signal from a frame memory and produces a prediction signal in response to the decoded motion vector signal. An adder receives the decoded prediction error signal and the prediction signal and produces a decoded television signal. A noise reducer reduces a small interframe variation component of the decoded television signal. This signal is converted by a D/A converter to an analog signal.

Abstract: A method for centering a semiconductor wafer on a vacuum chuck having a centered shaft. A shaft centering tool which is contained in pre-existing openings in a housing surrounding the shaft is used to define the desired location of the shaft. A second device having the same circumference as the wafer, is employed on the chuck in order that teflon guides can be set into position around the chuck. Once the guides are set, wafers introduced into the guides will be centered on the chuck.