Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed to provide electrical interconnections between a first electronic device (such as printer) having a plurality of external electrical connectors, and a second electronic device (such as an electronics PCB package) having an electrical connector (such as a mass pin connector) mounted on its housing. The apparatus has an interconnection assembly with a set of electrical connectors adapted to mate with the electrical connectors of the printer, and a mass pin connector along its bottom edge to mate with the corresponding mass pin connector on the PCB package. A predefined set of electrical connections exist between the printer connectors and the mass pin connector on the interconnection assembly.

Abstract: An omni-directional antenna for use with light or other electromagnetic radiation has a surface extending outward from a central axis. The surface can be either radially symmetrical or asymmetrical. A portion of the surface adjacent to the axis is substantially transmissive and the remainder of the surface is substantially reflective. The reflective portion of the surface curves radially outward from the transmissive portion. The shapes and sizes of the transmissive and reflective portions of the surface are fixed such that upwardly directed rays striking the surface of the device parallel to the axis will be refracted by the transmissive portion and/or reflected by the reflective portion of the surface into a substantially omni-directional output pattern, when the device is used as a transmitter.

Abstract: The vision system illumination calibration apparatus uses a pair of lamps, located one on either side of a vision element to illuminate a set of machine-readable characters imprinted in bar code format on a label affixed to a calibration target plate. The required level of illumination is set by the use of a predetermined calibration target label. The vision system is positioned opposite this calibration target label and the illumination level is varied in sequential steps. Control software identifies a range of illumination levels in which the calibration target label is accurately read by the vision element and sets the level of illumination of the lamps in this range of values.

Abstract: This method of manufacturing a multi-turn multi-track composite recording head increases the cross sectional area of the conductors used to implement the windings in the recording head. This is accomplished by etching a recess into the ferrite substrate of the first ferrite magnetic pole piece to receive the winding. This recess may be deep enough to incorporate the entirety of the winding. This configuration does not constrain the gap size but simply increases the space into which the winding is placed. The thickness of the winding deposited in this space is no longer constrained by the dimensions of the gap but can be equal to the gap dimension plus the depth of the recess etched into the ferrite substrate.

Abstract: The universal channel unit includes a channel interface circuit that uses a pair of fixed ratio transformers to terminate both two wire and four wire analog transmission facilities on a selectable basis. The universal channel unit also includes a plurality of signalling circuits, each of which is switchably connectable via the channel interface unit to provide a DC signalling interface to match the signalling format required by the associated analog transmission facility. The signalling circuits include: DX, FXO, FXS, and other DC signalling circuits. The AC component of the signals carried by the analog transmission facility is output to an adaptive impedance and balance circuit which functions to closely match the impedance of the analog transmission facility and minimize signal reflections under control of a microprocessor. This impedance and balance network is connected to a PCM interface that includes an adaptive echo canceller circuit as well as equalization and gain control circuits.

Abstract: A machine vise for holding workpieces on a milling machine or the like comprises a pair of movable jaws arranged to move in parallel and to cooperate with a fixed jaw for holding workpieces for machining. A yoke is pivotally mounted with respect to the jaws and operates to provide equal pressures for gripping with equal pressure separate workpieces or different parts of the same workpieces.

Abstract: A circuit enabling whisper conferencing between two whisper conferees in a conference call. The conference call may contain any number of parties including the two whisper conferees and is interconnected to a digitized conference bridge over PCM telephone carrier lines. The present invention includes a cross-point switch connected to the PCM telephone carrier lines for interchanging the PCM speech data occurring in the time slots for the two whisper conferees so that the PCM speech data for the first of the two whisper conferees is placed in the time slot for the second of the two whisper conferees and vice versa. A summation circuit is utilized to sum the telephone conversations of all remaining conferees and the two interchanged telephone conversations of the whisper conferees are then selectively added to the summed signals.

Abstract: The present invention provides an adjustable cinch belt for a saddle. The belt uses two straps designed to slide relative to one another to adjust the length of the belt. A three pronged locking plate secures the straps together to prevent unintentional movement of the straps to stop accidental loosening of the belt. The belt is designed for use as a girth cinch belt as well as a flank cinch belt in another embodiment.

Abstract: A method of isolating a contaminated geological formation or aquifer is disclosed in which the formation is encapsulated by impermeable barriers. A grid of wells is drilled into the formation. A horizontal barrier is formed below the contaminated formation by creating an overlapping pattern of horizontally-oriented fractures filled with polymer radiating from each of these wells. A horizontal barrier may also be formed above the top surface of the contaminated formation if necessary. A ring of boundary wells may also be drilled surrounding the contaminated formation. The strata around each boundary well are fractured, and a polymer is then injected to form a vertical barrier around the periphery of the contaminated formation. In addition, water may be injected under pressure into guard wells between the contaminated formation and the vertical and/or horizontal barriers to further reduce any migration of pollutants into neighboring formations.

Abstract: The document authentication apparatus provides document authentication and authenticity capability. Document authentication requires that the person to be charged apply an authenticating mark on the document indicating intent to authenticate the document. This requirement is analogous to a signature on a printed document and is implemented in the document authentication apparatus electronically through the use of both hardware and software. A program which immediately checks the identicalness of the document at the transmitting and receiving station through a high speed comparison, locks in the document such that no modification can occur and then awaits authentication handshakes from the two end points. Such authentication is real-time and can be both hardware and software executable, i.e., password and physical confirmation.

Abstract: An automatic gain control for an inputted multiplex PCM data stream in a conferencing bridge in a telephone system. The inputted multiplexed data stream has a predetermined number of time slots wherein each time slot carries PCM speech data corresponding to an individual party in the conference call. The control of the present invention is capable of operating in .mu.-Law or A-Law companded format at a frequency of 192-256 kilobytes per second. The automatic gain control incorporates a digital root-mean-square meter, a COUNT sequence to change GAIN at predetermined intervals, and a set of GAIN rules to selectively increase or decrease GAIN based upon the output of the digital root-mean-square meter.

Abstract: An airborne Icing Hazard Detector for aircraft uses dual frequency radar beams which are transmitted into a cloud ahead of the aircraft. The reflected signals at each of the two frequencies are compared and processed to determine the presence, amount and location of regions of liquid water in the cloud. The presence of liquid water is determined as a result of liquid water attenuating the power of one of the signals a greater amount than the other signal, due to different attenuation characteristics of the two signals at the two frequencies. A temperature sensor provides ambient temperature information to determine if the detected liquid water is super-cooled. Upon detection of a predetermined amount of liquid water and the determination that it is super-cooled, an advance warning indication is provided to allow the pilot to avoid flying through the volumetric region of supercooled liquid water and risking ice formation on the aircraft.

Abstract: The loader for magnetic tape cartridges uses a receiver that holds a single magnetic tape cartridge or a companion cartridge magazine that holds a plurality of preloaded magnetic tape cartridges to individually access any one of the plurality of magnetic tape cartridges held by the magazine. The loader of the present invention is able to move a magnetic tape cartridge from the receiver or a magazine into the associate tape drive without the use of a friction feed drive. The loader contains only one motor for loading a magnetic tape cartridge from the magazine into the associated tape drive. The width of the loader is equal to or less than the width of the associated tape drive so that two loader-tape drive units can be mounted side by side.

Abstract: Lignin, or a lignin derived material, which has been significantly demethylated (e.g., the demethylated lignin found in the raffinate produced as a by-product of dimethyl sulfide production which can be carried out using the spent liquor from wood pulping operations) can be isolated by a process wherein an organic solvent is added to a lignin-containing aqueous solution. The organic solvent is typically a polar, and at least a partially water-immiscible substance such as, for example, ethyl acetate. The resulting lignin-containing aqueous solution/organic solvent mixture is acidified to produce a water layer which is discarded and an organic solvent layer which contains the demethylated lignin. Upon its recovery, the demethylated lignin is dissolved in an alkaline solution to which an aldehyde source is added to produce a resol-type resin. The aldehyde source may be formaldehyde in solution, paraformaldehyde, hexamethylenetetramine, or other aldehydes including acetaldehyde, furfural, and their derivatives.

Abstract: The above described problems are solved and a technical advance achieved in the field by the data stream independent printer of the present invention. This printer is a nonimpact printer that is compatible with host processors that are programmed to operate line printers and host processors that are programmed to operate nonimpact printers. This compatibility is achieved by the use of conversion apparatus that emulates the operation of a line printer, such as a high speed band printer, when the associated host processor is programmed to operate high speed line printers. The conversion apparatus responds to the line printer control signals produced by the host processor to control the operation of the nonimpact printer. This conversion apparatus stores a plurality of character set definitions, overlays, copy modifications and setups on a disk drive memory located in the printer system so that the band definition information provided by the host can be translated into print character generation control signals.

Abstract: Lignin, or a lignin derived material, which has been significantly demethylated (e.g., the demethylated lignin found in the raffinate produced as a by-product of dimethyl sulfide production which can be carried out using the spent liquor from wood pulping operations) can be isolated by a process wherein an organic solvent is added to a lignin-containing aqueous solution. The organic solvent is typically a polar, and at least a partially water-immiscible substance such as, for example, ethyl acetate. The resulting lignin-containing aqueous solution/organic solvent mixture is acidified to produce a water layer which is discarded and an organic solvent layer which contains the demethylated lignin. Upon its recovery, the demethylated lignin is preferably dried and stored until it is used (along with an alkali, an aldehyde and an adhesive filler) in compounding an adhesive of the type generally used in the manufacture of plywood.

Abstract: An integrated down converter and interdigital filter apparatus having a down converter and a number of interdigital filters mounted on the same printed circuit board and installed in the watertight housing. The housing of each interdigital filter is cut from sheet metal, with a conductive surface on the printed circuit board as one side. A method for construction of the interdigital filter is also set forth.

Abstract: A portable x-ray fluorescence spectrometer has a portable sensor unit containing a battery, a high voltage power supply, an x-ray tube which produces a beam x-ray radiation directed toward a target sample, and a detector for fluorescent x-rays produced by the sample. If a silicon-lithium detector is used, the sensor unit also contains either a thermoelectric or thermochemical cooler, or a small dewar flask containing liquid nitrogen to cool the detector. A pulse height analyzer ("PHA") generates a spectrum of data for each sample consisting of the number of fluorescent x-rays detected as a function of their energy level. The PHA can also store spectrum data for a number of samples in the field. A processing unit can be attached to the pulse height analyzer to upload and analyze the stored spectrum data for each sample.

Abstract: In a data processing system which includes a host computer connected by a channel interface unit through an input/output interface and control unit to an input/output device, commands and data associated with the commands are received in a buffer and first checked to determine whether the command has any pertinent data. If such check reveals that there is no pertinent data associated with a given command, that command is changed to an immediate command. Otherwise, the command is given a pointer in the buffer which prioritizes the order in which it will be carried out. Where a command is determined to have no pertinent data associated with such command, and a previously buffered command still in the buffer has pertinent data associated therewith, consolidation of the command immediate with the previously buffered command is carried out in order to improve efficiency of the input/output device.

Abstract: An integrated local oscillator interdigital filter apparatus in a down converter is mounted on the same printed circuit board. The housing of the interdigital filter is cut from sheet metal, with a conductive surface on the printed circuit board as one side. A method for construction of the interdigital filter is also set forth.