Abstract: An interrogation system for enabling transmission and/or reception of RF signals by a communication system. In accordance with the present invention, an interrogation is performed between a transceiver and an antenna prior to the transceiver transmitting or receiving RF signals via the antenna. The interrogation is used to determine whether the antenna transmits and/or receives RF signals having the power and/or frequency band required by the transceiver. The interrogation is performed by an interrogating device transmitting an interrogation signal to the other, responding device. The responding device transmits a response signal to the interrogating device in response to receiving the interrogation signal. The interrogating device determines if the response signal has a predetermined characteristic. If the response signal has the predetermined characteristic, transmission and/or reception of RF signals is enabled.

Abstract: The MVS device backup system functions to enable the data processor to manage the device backup function of a disk data storage subsystem in a manner that minimizes the expenditure of data processor resources. This is accomplished by the MVS device backup system determining the source device volume on the data storage subsystem, the target device volume on the data storage subsystem and identifying the extent of both. The MVS device backup system then transmits data to the data storage subsystem, representative of the assignment of DASD full tracks from the source device location on the data storage subsystem as well as DASD full tracks from the target (backup) device location on the data storage subsystem. The data processor based MVS device backup system then uses ECAM channel programs to instruct the data storage subsystem to perform the device backup operation using snapshot track pointer copy operations.

Abstract: The system for automated determination of handoff neighbor list uses the data collected from mobile subscriber units to automatically update the handoff neighbor list. The mobile subscriber unit produces Pilot Strength Measurement (PSM) data that is indicative of the relative signal strength measured at the mobile subscriber unit from a plurality of pilot channels. The mobile subscriber unit transmits this data, along with a list of viable pilot channel candidates as determined by the mobile subscriber unit, to the base station serving the existing call. The system for automated determination of handoff neighbor list maintains a data structure that stores data indicative of the number of instances that a pilot channel is recommended, the sum of power levels that were measured by the various mobile subscriber units for these instances.

Abstract: A mass flow controller controls the delivery of a precursor to a mist generator. The precursor is misted utilizing a venturi in which a combination of oxygen and nitrogen gas is charged by a corona wire and passes over a precursor-filled throat. The mist is refined using a particle inertial separator, electrically filtered so that it comprises predominately negative ions, passes into a velocity reduction chamber, and then flows into a deposition chamber through inlet ports in an inlet plate that is both a partition between the chambers and a grounded electrode. The inlet plate is located above and substantially parallel to the plane of the substrate on which the mist is to be deposited. The substrate is positively charged to a voltage of about 5000 volts. There are 440 inlet ports per square inch in an 39 square inch inlet port area of the inlet plate directly above the substrate. The inlet port area is approximately equal to the substrate area.

Abstract: In coding of an audio signal, coded signals with low quality and bit rate on the one hand and coded signals with high quality and bit rate on the other hand are transmitted to a decoder. At first, the audio signal is coded with low bit rate and is transmitted to the decoder before an additional coded signal is transmitted to the decoder, which either alone or together with the first coded signal upon decoding thereof provides a decoded signal with high quality within the decoder. In this manner, a low-quality decoded signal is generated first in the decoder before decoding of the high-quality signal is possible.

Abstract: A consumption recording system affixed to a wall comprises a consumption ording device and a radio module, which is connected to the consumption recording device. A microstrip antenna is connected to the radio module. The microstrip antenna is placed within a non-metallic casing cover of the consumption recording device in such a way that the main radiation direction of the microstrip antenna is directed perpendicularly away from the wall.

Abstract: A mist is generated by a venturi from liquid precursors containing compounds used in chemical vapor deposition, transported in carrier gas through tubing at ambient temperature, passed into a heated zone where the mist droplets are gasified at a temperature of between 100.degree. C. and 200.degree. C., which is lower than the decomposition temperature of the precursor compounds. The gasified liquid is injected through an inlet assembly into a deposition reactor in which there is a substrate heated to from 400.degree. C. to 600.degree. C., on which the gasified compounds decompose and form a thin film of layered superlattice compound.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for deterministically communicating data between multiple nodes in a fashion that is consistent with the Controller Area Network ("CAN") communications protocol. The system applies to multiple nodes that functional blocks within an operating system environment and to multiple nodes that are each connected to a serial bus. The system utilizes standard CAN error checking, bus arbitration and message formatting and therefore uses standard CAN controllers and transceivers. One node on the bus is selected as the master node. The master node issues a periodic synchronization signal which defines time divisions within which the operations of each node and communications over the CAN bus are organized. Data, particularly real-time data, is transmitted between nodes on the CAN bus during a known time division. Standard CAN bus arbitration is used to ensure that real-time data is transmitted over the CAN bus prior to the transmission of non-real-time data.

Abstract: The present multi-function packing insert functions as a packing insert for the shipment of components or subassemblies from a vendor to a manufacturer, as a tray and holding fixture during processing of the components or subassemblies on the manufacturer's assembly line, and as the packing inserts for shipping the final assembled product from the manufacturer to the customer. This multi-function packing insert thereby reduces the overall cost of packing materials and reduces material handling and floor space requirements throughout the manufacturing process, since the packing materials received from the vendor(s) are used for that purpose. The coordination of packing insert design between the component and subassembly vendors and the manufacturer enables the manufacturer to reuse the received packing inserts to assemble, package and ship the final assembled product.

Abstract: An apparatus for providing a connection between circuits inside an explosion proof compartment and circuits outside of the explosion proof compartment. A feedthrough connector of the present invention is made of explosion proof material and is fabricated to fit securely in an opening of the explosion proof compartment. A terminal housing on the exterior surface of the feedthrough connector has partitions separating the terminals to prevent a spark from being created due to adjacent ones of said terminal contacting each other.

Abstract: The non-terrestrial cellular mobile telecommunication station uses a number of non-interference techniques to extend the usage of existing cellular mobile telecommunication radio frequencies allocated for ground-based communications to the non-terrestrial realm. For example, the polarization of the signals produced by the antenna elements of the non-terrestrial cellular mobile telecommunication station is different than and preferably substantially orthogonal to the polarization of the cellular radio signals produced by the ground-based antennas to thereby minimize the possibility of interference with the ground-based radio signals. Furthermore, the control signals exchanged between the non-terrestrial mobile subscriber stations and the non-terrestrial cell site controller are architected to avoid the possibility of interference with ground-based cell site transmitter-receiver pairs.

Abstract: The DASD file system copy system functions to enable the data processor to manage the data file copy function of a disk data storage subsystem in a manner that minimizes the expenditure of data processor resources. This is accomplished by the DASD file system copy system determining the source location on the data storage subsystem, the target location on the data storage subsystem and identifying the extents of both. The DASD file system copy system then transmits data to the data storage subsystem, representative of the assignment of DASD full tracks from the source location on the data storage subsystem as well as DASD full tracks from the target location on the data storage subsystem. The data processor based DASD file system copy system then uses ECAM channel programs to instruct the data storage subsystem to perform the data file copy operation using snapshot track pointer copy operations.

Abstract: A hardware accelerated memory system in a hardware accelerated I/O data processing engine that gathers and maintains pointers to a set of widely distributed source and/or destination data locations. The locations of the source and/or destination data locations operated on by the I/O data processing engine can include a memory local to the command interpreter and a memory remote from but accessible to the command interpreter by way of an I/O bus. Each source and/or destination scatter/gather list contains pointers to actual data locations that are either in a memory local to the command interpreter or a memory remote from the command interpreter but accessible by way of an interconnecting I/O bus. Each data location entry in a scatter/gather list is also accompanied by a byte count indicative of the total number of bytes at a given data location.

Abstract: A coating of liquid precursor containing a metal is applied to a first electrode, baked on a hot plate in oxygen ambient at a temperature not exceeding 300.degree. C. for five minutes, then RTP annealed at 675.degree. C. for 30 seconds. The coating is then annealed in oxygen or nitrogen ambient at 700.degree. C. for one hour to form a thin film of layered superlattice material with a thickness not exceeding 90 nm. A second electrode is applied to form a capacitor, and a post-anneal is performed in oxygen or nitrogen ambient at a temperature not exceeding 700.degree. C. If the material is strontium bismuth tantalate, the precursor contains u mole-equivalents of strontium, v mole-equivalents of bismuth, and w mole-equivalents of tantalum, where 0.8.ltoreq.u.ltoreq.1.0, 2.0.ltoreq.v.ltoreq.2.3, and 1.9.ltoreq.w.ltoreq.2.1.

Abstract: The dual purpose data cartridge storage pack serves to accommodate both individual data cartridges as well as data cartridge magazines that serve to store a plurality of data cartridges. This architecture enables the user to use the data cartridge storage pack interchangeably to thereby accommodate varying quantities of data cartridges and data cartridge magazines without loss of cartridge storage space occasioned by the dedication of data cartridge storage racks for a single type of media element. The data cartridges are the industry standard IBM Magstar data cartridges that can be individually stored in a data cartridge storage pack or placed in the IBM Magstar data cartridge magazine. The present dual purpose data cartridge storage pack is equipped with a plurality of data cartridge storage locations, each of which is adapted to receive a single IBM Magstar data cartridge.

Abstract: The invention is a bus bridge for connecting a computer to peripheral devices over plurality of different bus interface configurations. The bus bridge comprises a motherboard and daughterboards. The daughterboards can be connected to the motherboard or to other daughterboards to create a new bus interface configuration. The bus bridge detects the new bus interface configuration and retrieves operating parameters to implement the new bus interface configuration. In some embodiments of the invention, the bus interface configuration is a fiber channel to the computer, a first small computer system interface to a first group of the peripheral devices, and a second small computer system interface to a second group of the peripheral devices.

Abstract: The loudspeaker system having back pressure equalization apparatus functions to minimize the mismatch between the forward sound wave and the reverse sound wave that is generated by the loudspeaker by rotating the apertures that are formed in the basket to be in alignment with the corners of the enclosure. This rotation causes sound wave reflections within the loudspeaker enclosure at angles at other than 90 degrees to thereby redirect the acoustic reflections within the enclosure away from the back side of the loudspeaker cone. These reflections are also more likely to be absorbed by the sound absorbing material that is mounted on the inside of the enclosure rather than causing perturbations in the cone. In addition, the back edge of the baffle is releaved using a bevel, radius or other contour or apertures formed in the baffle to prevent the blocking of the basket apertures by the baffle.

Abstract: A process parameter measurement device, and in particular a Coriolis mass flowmeter or vibrating tube densimeter, having a driver or drivers for inducing oscillation of at least one conduit. The drivers are attached at locations along the vibrating conduit selected to influence certain modes of interest. A driver is located near an area of maximum amplitude of a desired vibration mode and near an area of minimum amplitude of an undesired vibration mode. Various known experimental modal analysis or modeling techniques are used to determine the appropriate locations for one or more drivers. Multiple drivers located according to the present invention are used to influence, i.e., excite or suppress, multiple modes. In addition, multiple, separate drive circuits produce multiple, electronically isolated drive signals for delivering greater total power to the vibrating conduit.