Abstract: The performance of a very large scale integrated READ ONLY MEMORY circuit is improved by improvements in various circuits and methodologies utilized in the memory. Appropriate bias levels are generated by a bias circuit for use in the output buffer according to whether a process temperature and voltage variations within the memory circuit are such that variation sensitive components will be slowed upon the occurrence of such variations. The bias circuit otherwise generates a bias signal appropriate for fast speed operations within the output buffer circuit when process temperature and voltage variations are such that they do not effect circuit speed of sensitive circuit portions. The back bias generator which operates asynchronously from the memory cycle is improved by disabling the charge pumping action during a memory cycle.

Abstract: A multiple strand pot hanger, and in particular, a three-strand pot hanger is comprised of a multiple strand or wire harness coupled to a ring having a plurality of radially extending ears or connection segments coupled to the harness. The ring has an inner diameter which provides an interference fit with the body of the flower pot placed into the pot hanger. The ring may have a permanent nonadjustable inner diameter or may be temporarily and adjustably joined at its opposing ends to accommodate a wide range of pot diameters. In the case of the nonadjustable ring, the opposing ends may be flash welded or connected together by means of a wire wrap. The connection points spaced along the ring and radially extending from it for connection to the wire harness may be comprised of either U-shaped extensions integrally formed as part of the ring, overhand loops, or dihedral radially extending loops in the case where the ring is made from a flat resilient band.

Abstract: The periodic array of photodiodes are disposed in a passive optical waveguide electrically coupled in series with each other by microwave transmission line. The collective array of photodiodes coupled to the optical waveguide and microwave transmission line results in an increased bandwidth-efficiency product for the photodetector array as compared to any single photodetector within the array. High optical-to-electrical conversion efficiencies near unity are achieved at frequencies as high as several hundred GHz. High efficiencies are achieved by matching the group velocity of the optical waves within the optical waveguide with the group velocity of electrical signals being transmitted in the microwave transmission line by appropriate selection of the capacitance of each of the photodiodes. Power saturation is improved by decreasing the optical density within the active layer of the photodiodes.

Abstract: An apparatus to clean teeth. The apparatus has a reservoir for cleaning liquid and a pump to force cleaning liquid from the reservoir. There is an outlet from the reservoir formed with an attachment. A wand can be attached to the outlet. The wand has an inlet to communicate with the outlet. There is a wand outlet at the distal end of the wand. The wand outlet is dimensioned to ensure that a moderate pressure jet of liquid can be ejected from the outlet. The limb is shaped to allow the jet of liquid to be directed upwardly to the teeth being cleaned and against the gums. In a preferred embodiment, the wand has bifurcated limbs at its distal end and each limb has a wand outlet on an inner surface. The limbs can receive dental floss.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for electrocoagulating blood and tissue at an occlusion site by means of application of an alternating signal or current through a detachable coil on the end of a microcatheter. A Guglielmi Detachable Coil (GDC) is preferably used in the combination with radio frequency energy to cause local heating at the coil. Once carbonization of blood at the detachment zone of the GDC coil occurs, the impedance of the entire system increases. The impedance increase is detected to automatically turn off the alternating current and then to apply a direct current to electrolytically detach the GDC coil from the microcatheter.

Abstract: A digital pulse-width modulated method and apparatus is described which is characterized by noise and ripple shaping for purposes of high-fidelity digital power amplification. A sampled power source amplitude signal is used to shape an interpolated input digital signal in a divider, which is then fed to a noise shaper to produce a lower bit digital signal to represent the original input signal. The output power signal is not affected by the requantization error or the power source ripple. Therefore, DC power regulators normally employed in digital pulse-width modulated audio power amplifiers can be entirely eliminated without sacrificing the signal-to-noise ratio.

Abstract: A telephone communication system for communicating between a plurality of exterior telephone lines and a single common in-house two wire line is comprised of a control unit for coupling to the plurality of exterior telephone lines and for controlling communication between the plurality of telephone lines and the common two wire line. A plurality of station units are coupled remotely throughout the building to the common two wire line. The control unit communicates on the digital channel with the plurality of station units in a time frame subdivided into a plurality of time slots. A specified portion of each time slot is reserved for control communication between the control unit and each one of the plurality of station units. A synchronization signal is transmitted for phase locking all the station units to the control unit clock and a common frame synchronization signal is used to align all units in time.

Abstract: An improved exercise treadmill device having a continuous belt upon which an exercise user walks or runs, which belt is supported by cushioned deck. The deck is disposed within the chassis of the treadmill underneath the belt and in turn is supported by a recessed shelf provided by the chassis on a peripheral shock absorber or resilient foam pad. An antifriction panel is disposed between the underside of the belt and the upper side of the deck between the belt and the deck. The resilient panel is removable so that when worn or ineffective it can be easily and quickly replaced without requiring replacement of the deck. An upper belt recess provided by the chassis fully encloses the end of the deck and belt. A shock absorber is provided on the chassis above the belt and deck so that any rebound contact caused by heavy foot falls on the belt are cushioned by the upper shock absorber.

Abstract: An artery, vein, aneurysm, vascular malformation or arterial fistula is occluded through endovascular occlusion by the endovascular insertion of a platinum wire and/or tip into the vascular cavity. The vascular cavity is packed with the tip to obstruct blood flow or access of blood in the cavity such that the blood clots in the cavity and an occlusion if formed. The tip may be elongate and flexible so that it packs the cavity by being folded upon itself a multiple number of times, or may pack the cavity by virtue of a filamentary or fuzzy structure of the tip. The tip is then separated from the wire mechanically or by electrolytic separation of the tip from the wire. The wire and the microcatheter are thereafter removed leaving the tip embedded in the thrombus formed within the vascular cavity. Movement of wire in the microcatheter is more easily tracked by providing a radioopaque proximal marker on the microcatheter and a corresponding indicator marker on the wire.

Abstract: A credit-card sized microwave transponder for "wireless key" and surveillance applications uses a subharmonically-pumped quasi-optical mixer. The transponder is activated by a C-band interrogation beam to upconvert and radiate a digitally modulated identification tone at X-band frequencies nonharmonically related to the interrogation signal.

Abstract: Conventional control modules, such as vehicle control modules, VCM, powertrain control modules, PCM, or engine control modules, ECM, provided with diagnostic and/or emulation ports, or simply with portions of the wiring harnesses which are devoted to diagnostic or emulation functions, are retrofitted with an adapter module which allows the originally manufactured control module to be reconfigured to operate in a dramatically different protocol without any system redesign. The memory within the originally manufactured control module can be disabled, bypassed or rewritten to store a new program contained in one of a plurality of programs in an adapter memory or contained in one of a plurality of memories in the adapter module. One application includes retrofitting conventionally manufactured gasoline or diesel vehicles to run on alternative fuel, such as propane, compressed natural gas or liquefied natural gas and the like.

Abstract: A gear combination is disclosed in which a spherical body has a plurality of grooves defined therein into which a pin gear enmeshes. Substantially all the pins on the pin gear engage the grooves in the spherical body at all times. The spherical body rotates about a first axis and the pin gear rotates about a second axis. The grooves are cut into the spherical body by a computer-controlled milling machine. The groove is endless or eventually returns to its beginning position. The axis of the milling tool may be oriented at any angle with respect to the axis of the lathe head, since the resulting motion of the milling tool necessarily cuts whatever lissajous shape is dictated by the relative periodic motions of the lathe head and milling table. The pins in the pin gear thus follow the grooves defined in the spherical body so that the rotation of the pin gear relative to the spherical body mimics the relative motions of the lathe head and milling table when the spherical body was cut.

Abstract: Articles, such as a bag, may be more comfortably and securely carried by a hand grip which hooks a strand of the article, such as a strap of a bag. The hand grip is comprised of a body in which a hand hole is defined. The lower portion of the body forms a hook for grasping or hooking the strap of the article. The hand hole is contoured to provide a comfortable, noncutting surface for the user's hand, fingers or palm. The hook is formed with a wider mouth than throat so that the strap is easily placed in the hook and only somewhat less easily dislodged from the hook thereby increasing the degree of security by which the article is carried. The hand grip may be formed as a planar piece in which the hook extends to the side in the same plane as the hand hole or may be provided with one or more hooks which extend in directions out of the plane defined by the hand hole.

Abstract: The invention is a dynamic ROM design for read cycle interrupts. The clock scheme of the improved memory generates a primary start clock. The relatively long pulse time of START when high is provided for setting the latches. This pulse duration is controlled by PCOK or OWDN one shot circuit.When an address interrupt occurs early in the read cycle, while PCOK or OWDN clock is low, and START is high, these one shot circuits provide a simple means of restarting the cycle by continuing the precharge phase of the cycle with no effect on most of the secondary clocks in the memory. Only those clocks relating to the new address inputs are effected by the early interrupt. This results in less power dissipation and less bus noise.

Abstract: An improved device for delivery of photoenergy from a light source, such as a laser, into a uterine cavity for photodynamic therapy is comprised of a plurality of optic fibers, which are bundled together and inserted into the uterine cavity by means of a uterine cannula. The cannula is positioned within the uterine cavity at a preferred location and then withdrawn thereby allowing the plurality of optic fibers to splay or diverge one from the other within the cavity. Different portions of the distal tip of the optic fiber is provided with a light diffusing tip, the remainder being provided with a nondiffusing tip portion. The fiber optic shape, as well as the segment which is permitted to actively diffuse light through the tip, is selected in order to provide a more uniform exposure intensity of the photo energy or at least sufficient radiation directed to each segment of the uterine walls.

Abstract: A machine methodology for designing asynchronous circuits utilizes a modular approach for the synthesis of asynchronous circuits from signal transition graphs, partitions the signal transition graph into a number of simpler and more manageable modules. Each modular graph is then individually solved. The results of the small graphs are then integrated together to provide a solution to the asynchronous circuit design problem as defined by a given asynchronous behavioral specification. A satisfiability solver for Boolean output function utilizing a binary decision diagram is incorporated in one embodiment which is comprised of a structural SAT formula preprocessor and a complete, incremental SAT processor which is specifically designed to find an optimal solution. The preprocessor compresses a large size SAT formula representing a circuit into a number of smaller SAT formulas. Each small size SAT formula is then solved by the BDD SAT processor.

Abstract: The invention is an improved bank select read only memory in which the bit lines and virtual ground lines are all precharged to ground instead of being precharged to an internal low supply voltage. Both of the two virtual ground lines are selected for the selected bit and both selected virtual ground lines are driven to ground during the precharge phase. At the top of the memory array, all virtual ground lines in the memory array are precharged to ground during the precharge phase.Next during the sensing phase, the operation of the two virtual ground lines for the selected bit is changed to selectively hold one virtual ground line at ground and switch the second virtual ground line to a positive voltage. All bit lines are precharged to ground during the precharge phase.In the following sensing phase, the selected bit line is driven positive by the selected memory core FET if it is programmed with a low threshold voltage.

Abstract: An improved vaginal speculum for photodynamic therapy of intraepithelial tissue and in particular vaginal, cervical and vulvar neoplasia utilizes a precisely and accurately positionable optic fiber through which a predetermined dose of light in the range of 620 to 700 nanometers is delivered over a controlled area which has been previously treated with photodynamic therapeutic substances. In particular, the neoplastic area has been treated with hematoporphyrin derivatives and other photosensitizers which are selectively taken into the cancerous tissue. Exposure to the appropriate wavelength laser light photoactivates the absorbed hematoporphyrins causing the release of singlet oxygen which internally oxidizes and ultimately causes cell death.

Abstract: In a read-only memory core improved generation of a trigger signal, TRIG, is achieved through the use of a pair of cascaded CMOS differential amplifiers which are directly interconnected and directly coupled to a CMOS inverter from which the trigger signal, TRIG, is derived. The cascaded differential amplifiers have trigger points set by varying the channel widths of the input FETs to the CMOS differential amplifiers, or by adjusting the gains of the CMOS differential amplifiers to match the trigger point of the CMOS inverter coupled to its output. The trigger circuit is powered down to zero power dissipation whenever it is inactive.

Abstract: Accurate mapping of electrophysiologic activation within the human heart is achieved for discrete areas within the myocardium by utilizing a catheter having at least one pair of orthogonal sensors disposed on the catheter. Orthogonal sensors, which are comprised of two or more electrodes generally disposed circumferentially on the catheter at given longitudinal point along the catheter, receive signals which are differenced within a differential amplifier to produce a signal indicative only of the localized biopotential heart activity at a predetermined point in the myocardium. The orthogonal sensors are disposed adjacent to the stimulating tip of the catheter to allow sensing of the localized cardiac activity which is adjacent to or in contact with the stimulating tip during pacing procedure or during the delivery of radio frequency energy during ablation.