Abstract: In a thermal printer for thermally printing on a wide media with a composite printhead comprising a plurality of standard thermal printheads and including a small diameter print roller for supporting the media adjacent the printhead, an improvement to improve print quality by preventing bowing of the print roller away from the printhead. In one embodiment, there is a first cylindrical support roller mounted parallel to the print roller in rolling contact therewith along the length thereof to oppose vertical movement or deformation of the print roller.

Abstract: A wireless local television transmission system with related methods, apparatus, and components. There is a source of a video signal to be viewed at a remote location such as a TV camera, cable select box, antenna, or VCR. An up converter is connected to the source for shifting the video signal to a frequency above the normal television bands. A transmitter is connected to the up converter for transmitting the video signal at the shifted frequency. A receiver is disposed at the remote location for receiving the transmitted video signal. A down converter is connected to the receiver for shifting the video signal back down to a frequency within the normal television bands and identified with a known channel. Finally, conventional television set functions are connected to the down converter for processing and displaying the video signal on the known channel.

Abstract: In a device having a driving mechanism for moving a writing medium over a platen disposed adjacent the mechanism and having a generally horizontal table portion and a curved outer portion where the writing medium is smoothly curved from a generally horizontal supported state to an unsupported vertically hanging state an improvement to the platen for eliminating static charge buildup problems. In its simplest form, it comprises a plurality of horizontal grooves in the upper surface of at least the curved outer portion of the platen at spaced intervals. Preferably, the plurality of horizontal grooves are substantially V-shaped in cross-section so as to create, in effect, a series of overlapped plates on the surface of the platen which, in turn, cause the creation of areas of air turbulence which partially support the moving medium.

Abstract: A security method and apparatus for use in providing an "invisible envelope" for facsimile transmission thereby avoiding the casual reading of documents by persons interposed between the receiver of the transmission and the ultimate designated recipient thereof. Each page of the document is pattern divided into two portions which are individually unreadable in an easy and straightforward manner. The two portions are sent in sequence (i.e. at different times) and then the original document is reconsitituted at the receiving end by the designated recipient employing a transparency overlay process with the two portions. The patterning at the transmitting end may be accomplished by an optical filtering process or may be computer generated as by modifying word processing software or by a separate program manipulating a pre-input document to produce the two portions for printing and transmission. The HideaFAX.TM. process of this invention is applicable to conventional FAX machines without modification.

Abstract: An input device for providing X and Y coordinate analog input values and an associated function selection to a computer. There is a support plate and a multiposition function selection switch having an output indicating the position thereof. There is also selector apparatus carried by the support plate and operably connected for moving the function selection switch between its positions. There are coordinate generators for generating X and Y coordinate analog values at outputs thereof and activator apparatus carried in combination with the selector apparatus and operably connected to the coordinate generators for changing the X and Y analog values being output. The selector apparatus may comprise an annular member disposed parallel to the plane of the support plate with the activator apparatus disposed within the annular member. The function selection switch is a rotatable switch and the annular member is rotatable about a perpendicular axis to move the function selection switch between its positions.

Abstract: In an automobile seat mounted for movement by an electric motor connected between a battery and ground, an improved control system for the motor. There is a power transistor connected in series with the motor. Digital logic is connected for controlling the power transistor. A switch is operably connected for inputting direction control requests for the motor to the digital logic means. Finally, there is a tachometer driven by the motor and having an output connected to the digital logic means for indicating when the motor is moving. The digital logic includes logic for applying a series of pulses of increasing duration to the power transistor when starting the motor to affect a pseudo up ramp power input to the motor and logic for applying a series of pulses of decreasing duration to the power transistor when stopping the motor to affect a pseudo down ramp power input to the motor.

Abstract: An apparatus which records an image, such as text, onto printable media, such as paper, has a removably closable lid, a paper cutting blade mounted on an pivoting arm having an equilibrium position in which the blade is withdrawn in a safe position, and a rod actuator cooperative with the lid for rotating the pivoting arm whenever the lid is closed so as to move the blade from the safe position to an operative position adjacent a cutting block suitable for severing the media. The pivoting arm is rotatable about a pivot pin, the blade being attached at one end of the arm and the other end of the arm being lighter, so that the blade tends to fall toward the safe position under a front cover of the apparatus whenever the lid is opened.

Abstract: A device for photocopying a document to produce two partial documents for secure transmission. A transparent sheet is placed on the cover glass and has a pattern thereon of portions which are complementary along longitudinally equal shift distances. There is a frame having the transparent sheet attached to the bottom thereof and including parallel side members. A holder is disposed within the frame and on the transparent sheet between the side members for longitudinal sliding a document over the pattern between a first position and a second position located at the equal shift distance. The holder comprises a top member and a transparent carrier member slidably disposed on the transparent sheet and attached to the top member for sliding movement in combination therewith with a document to be photocopied therebetween. The holder is moveable between the first position and the second position. A combined stop and detent prevents the holder from sliding too far and resiliently holds the holder in the positions.

Abstract: An improvement for allowing selective tuning of the emitted beam over a broad bandwidth to a diode laser having an active section for creating a light beam by spontaneous emission over a bandwidth around some center frequency and for guiding and reflecting the light beam between a pair of mirrors bounding the active on respective ends thereof to create an emitted beam of laser light. The mirrors each have narrow, spaced reflective maxima with the spacing of the reflective maxima of respective ones of the mirrors being different whereby only one the reflective maxima of each of the mirrors can be in correspondence and thereby provide a low loss window at any time. The preferred mirrors each include a plurality of discontinuities to cause the narrow, spaced reflective maxima wherein the spacing of the discontinuities of one mirror is different from the spacing of the discontinuities of the other mirror so as to cause the wavelength spacing of the maxima to be different.

Abstract: A bottle for holding, mixing, and dispensing an adjustable SPF mixture of a lotion and a liquid containing a sunscreening agent. There is a plastic bottle containing first and second compartments for containing, respectively, the lotion and the sunscreen agent-containing liquid and having a cylindrical neck at the top thereof containing a first bore therethrough communicating with the first compartment and a second bore therethrough communicating with the second compartment. The first bore is concentrically disposed in the neck and sized for passing known quantities of the lotion with the second bore being peripherally disposed with respect to the first bore and sized to add a quantity of the sunscreen agent which will impart a pre-selected maximum SPF value to dispensed quantities of mixtures of the lotion and the sunscreen agent.

Abstract: A random access memory addressing system utilizing optical links between memory and the read/write logic circuits comprises addressing circuits including a plurality of light signal sources, a plurality of optical gates including optical detectors associated with the memory cells, and a holographic optical element adapted to reflect and direct the light signals to the desired memory cell locations. More particularly, it is a multi-port, binary computer memory for interfacing with a plurality of computers. There are a plurality of storage cells for containing bits of binary information, the storage cells being disposed at the intersections of a plurality of row conductors and a plurality of column conductors. There is interfacing logic for receiving information from the computers directing access to ones of the storage cells. There are first light sources associated with the interfacing logic for transmitting a first light beam with the access information modulated thereon.

Abstract: A microphone/pickup system employing a digital signal throughout. There are a plurailty of digital microphone/pickup devices each comprising, a microphone/pickup element for sensing sound vibrations and for producing an analog electrical signal reflecting the sound vibrations at an output thereof. An analog to digital converter is directly connected to receive the analog electrical signal at an input thereof and produce a digital signal reflecting the sound vibrations at an output thereof, the output of the analog to digital converter being the output of the microphone/pickup device. Preferably, there is a support structure carrying each microphone/pickup element and its associated analog to digital converter in combination as well as a plurality of user devices disposed at a location removed from the support structure and operatively connected to receive and use the digital signal from respective ones of the digital microphone/pickup devices.

Abstract: A low-friction, low-play bearing system for use in a carriage coupling drive system for a pen plotter including a moving carriage slidably mounted on a shaft between the ends of and carrying a U-shaped pen-carrying yoke in combination therewith for sliding motion along the shaft and rotary motion about the shaft. A pair of annular ball-bearing thrust bearings are disposed over the shaft between respective ends of the U-shaped yoke and the moving carriage. An annular bias spring such as a wave spring is disposed over the shaft between the moving carriage and one of the thrust bearings to create a longitudinal expansion force resisting play between the moving carriage and the U-shaped yoke.

Abstract: Anisotropic chemically enhanced etching apparatus producing extremely low surface damage during the etching process. There is an evacuated main chamber in which an etching process takes place. A temperature-controlled, tiltable stage receives and holds the substrate to be etched within the main chamber. There is a nozzle directing a flow against a substrate mounted on the stage. There is a microwave cracker connected to a supply of molecular chlorine on an input side and connected to the nozzle on an output side for exciting and disassociating the molecular chlorine to be discharged through the nozzle as chlorine radicals. A first controller is operably connected to the cracker for controlling the flow of chlorine radicals being emitted from the nozzle. There is an ion gun for controlling the beam of ions. The second controller includes a feedback signal.

Abstract: A digitizer tablet and associated method of construction employing ink-on-glass technology. The method comprises first obtaining substrate having top and bottom surfaces. A plurality of parallel, spaced conductive ink first conductors are applied on the top surface of the substrate with the first conductors terminating in conductive ink pads adajcent a side edge of the substrate. A plurality of parallel, spaced conductive ink second conductors are then applied on the bottom surface of the substrate perpendicular to the first conductors with the second conductors terminating in conductive ink pads adjacent another side edge of the substrate. A flexible connector strip containing a plurality of flexible conductors terminating in conductive pad ends is then placed with the pad ends over respective ones of the conductive ink pads and an electrically conductive adhesive tape is placed between respective ones of the conductive pad ends and the conductive pad end's associated the conductive ink pad.

Abstract: A surface-normal cavity, AlGaAs, Distributed-Bragg Reflector laser. The laser is constructed on a GaAs substrate. There is a nipinipi . . . gain-producing active section comprised of a plurality of gain-producing i-segments disposed at periodic intervals with respect to the wavelength of an intended operating frequency of the laser is stacked vertically with respect to the surface of the substrate. A pair of Distributed-Bragg-Reflector stacks are disposed at the respective ends of the nipinipi . . . active section. A pair of electrodes are formed on either side of and operably connected to the nipinipi . . . active section in electrical contact therewith for applying a driving current to the nipinipi . . . active section in parallel. In one embodiment, the nipinipi . . . active section has interfaces between p+ and n+ sections thereof positioned at standing wave maxima of the intended operating frequency of the laser. In another, the nipinipi . . .

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing platen mapping for known clearance pen movement in a graphics plotter system having a platen over which paper is moved longitudinally to create one axis, penholding apparatus moved transversely across the platen and the paper to create the other axis, and a controlled raising and lowering mechanism connected to the penholding apparatus for lowering a pen being held therein into contact with, for raising it from contact with the paper, and for providing a relative vertical position value signal. Vertical sensing apparatus is connected to the penholding apparatus for sensing the top surface of the platen. First logic is operably connected to the vertical sensing appartus and to receive the vertical position value signal from the controlled raising and lowering mechanism for calculating and saving a plurality of deviation values indicating the distance deviation of the platen top surface from parallel at a plurality of spaced points across the platen.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing and using a plastic bottle for dispensing thick, viscous liquids while preventing the drying and thickening thereof. The bottle is manufactured by attaching a top edge of a thin-walled, plastic, liquid-containing bag to a cylindrical collar; rolling the bag on the collar to form the bag into a long, thin roll extending from the collar; inserting the rolled bag through the neck portion of a closed hollow bottle body having sidewalls of a squeezable, self-restoring plastic and a cylindrical neck portion extending therefrom; attaching the collar to the top of the neck portion of the bottle body; and, providing a one way valve in the bottle to allow air into the space between the inside of the bottle body and the bag but not allow it out.

Abstract: An asynchronous, high-speed, fiber optic local area network originally developed for tactical environments with additional benefits for other environments such as spacecraft, and the like. The network supports ordinary data packet traffic simultaneously with synchronous T1 voice traffic over a common token ring channel; however, the techniques and apparatus of this invention can be applied to any deterministic class of packet data networks, including multitier backbones, that must transport stream data (e.g., video, SAR, sensors) as well as data. A voice interface module parses, buffers, and resynchronizes the voice data to the packet network employing elastic buffers on both the sending and receiving ends. Voice call setup and switching functions are performed external to the network with ordinary PABX equipment.