Abstract: Decoupling capacitance is provided with negligible inductance in a high speed discrete wire logic panel by the use of SMT (surface mounting) capacitors that are mounted in holes in the circuit board. A hole is formed in the circuit board under each location where a dual-in-line IC (integrated circuit) is to be mounted, and an SMT capacitor is mounted in the hole, with the opposite terminals of the capacitor soldered to the conductive layers on opposite board surfaces. Each quantity of solder extends substantially in the plane of a corresponding conductive layer. Only one side of each capacitor terminal is soldered to a conductive layer, to permit flux washout. In the PGA (pin grid array) area of the circuit board, a capacitor is selectively mounted under an IC by removing a pin from a hole lying under the pin-free area in the center of the IC, and installing a capacitor in the hole.

Abstract: Memory cells in a matrix are provided by a thin film of amorphous semiconductor material overlayed by a thin film of resistive material. An array of parallel conductors on one side perpendicular to an array of parallel conductors on the other side enable the amorphous semiconductor material to be switched in addressed areas to be switched from a high resistance state to a low resistance state with a predetermined level of electrical energy applied through selected conductors, and thereafter to be read out with a lower level of electrical energy. Each cell may be fabricated in the channel of an MIS field-effect transistor with a separate common gate over each section to enable the memory matrix to be selectively blanked in sections during storing or reading out of data. This allows for time sharing of addressing circuitry for storing and reading out data in a synaptic network, which may be under control of a microprocessor.

Abstract: An amusement ride is provided, of the type that moves and tilts passengers viewing a motion picture, which is more versatile than prior rides. A plurality of passenger-holding frames is provided, that are all moved in sychronism, each by a separate set of actuators, while the passengers view a stationary screen. The passenger-holding frame is pivoted up and down on a beam which is supported by only two largely vertical actuators, while two pairs of links or arms limit movement of the beam.

Abstract: Tunable far infrared radiation is produced from two-dimensional plasmons in a heterostructure, which provides large inversion-layer electron densities at the heterointerface, without the need for a metallic grating to couple out the radiation. Instead, a light interference pattern is produced on the planar surface of the heterostructure using two coherent laser beams of a wavelength selected to be strongly absorbed by the heterostructure in order to penetrate through the inversion layer. The wavelength of the far infrared radiation coupled out can then be readily tuned by varying the angle between the coherent beams, or varying the wavelength of the two interfering coherent beams, thus varying the periodicity of the photoconductivity grating to vary the wavelength of the far infrared radiation being coupled out.

Abstract: Energy is recovered from an insulated gate semiconductor switch, such as a MOSFET, that is otherwise lost in the gate capacitance by producing a notch in the gate control voltage for an interval B following an interval A after initial application of a gate control voltage pulse for turning the switch on, and a notch for an interval C following termination of the gate control voltage pulse followed by interval D during which the switch is turned on again, where each interval is a period .DELTA.T given by ##EQU1## L.sub.s is the inductance (discrete and/or parasitic) in series with the gate electrode of the insulated gate semiconductor switch, and C.sub.in is the capacitance of that switch between its gate and source electrodes. The interval .DELTA.T may be provided directly by timing in a pulse forming circuit for the gate control voltage applied, or adaptively by sensing the gate voltage v.sub.g and comparing it with fixed progressively higher voltages v.sub.1, v.sub.2 and v.sub.3, where v.sub.

Abstract: A method is provided for forming a mold surface with microscopic upstanding pillars for molding the inside surface of a vascular prostheses (synthetic blood vessel). The mold article is formed from a quantity of Teflon (polytetrafluoroethylene) which has a polished, flat surface on which a gold film has been sputter deposited. A photoresist layer, which cannot adhere directly to Teflon, adheres to the gold. The photoresist is exposed and developed leaving a sputter resistant mask defining the desired pillar locations, and the resulting workpiece is ion etched to form the pillars in the Teflon. A synthetic blood vessel material is cast against the Teflon mold to form blind recesses on the inside of the synthetic blood vessel, with the recesses being of predetermined uniform cross section and present in a predetermined uniform pattern.

Abstract: Two pipeline (255,233) RS decoders, one a time domain decoder and the other a transform domain decoder, use the same first part to develop an errata locator polynomial .tau.(x), and an errata evaluator polynominal A(x). Both the time domain decoder and transform domain decoder have a modified GCD that uses an input multiplexer and an output demultiplexer to reduce the number of GCD cells required. The time domain decoder uses a Chien search and polynomial evaluator on the GCD outputs .tau.(x) and A(x), for the final decoding steps, while the transform domain decoder uses a transform error pattern algorithm operating on .tau.(x) and the initial syndrome computation S(x), followed by an inverse transform algorithm in sequence for the final decoding steps prior to adding the received RS coded message to produce a decoded output message.

Abstract: A bed stiffener is provided which is of simple and rugged construction and which can be stowed in a relatively compact configuration. The bed stiffener includes three boards that are all of about the same width, including a middle board whose opposite sides are pivotally connected to end boards. In a stowed configuration, a first of the end boards lies facewise against the rear face of the middle board, while the second end board lies facewise against the first end board. In one bed stiffener, the first and middle boards are connected at a pivot axis that lies about even with the rear face of the middle board, while the second and middle boards are connected at a second pivot axis that lies below the lower face of the middle board by a distance about equal to half the thickness of the boards.

Abstract: A connector is described, of the type which is attached to the outer end of a cable and used at an airport to supply power to aircraft on the ground, which facilitates installation and repair of the connector in the field. The connector includes a rubber housing 20 with contact-passing holes 24-29 at the front end and an opening 34 at the rear. The connector also includes a plastic tray 36 which holds the contacts 51-56 and the end portion of the cable where the wires 71-76 of the cable connect to the contacts. After connections are made at the tray, the tray is slid forwardly through the rear end of the housing deep into the housing, with the front of the contacts aligned with the holes at the front of the housing, and a grommet 86 is emplaced to seal the rear of the housing.

Abstract: A reliable moisture-indicating capactive sensor is provided with wire electrodes at least one of which includes a coating of moisture-absorbing dielectric material by spirally twisting the wire electrodes about each other, thereby establishing a pair of electrodes in contact with opposite surfaces of a layer of dielectric material, and assuring consistent contact of each electrode with the dielectric material despite changes in environmental conditions.

Abstract: A temperature sensitive shower diverter valve and method for diverting shower water used between a source of shower water and a shower head to control the flow of water to the shower head. The diverter valve is positioned between the wall outlet pipe and the shower head. The valve has an inlet port connected to the outlet pipe, a first outlet port connected to the shower head, and a second outlet port for diverting the water to a wall or a corner of the shower. A temperature sensitive directing means directs the water entering the inlet port to the first outlet port when the temperature of the water is within a range between first and second temperatures for use by the bather and diverts the water to the second outlet port when the temperature of the water is outside of the range. The diverting valve automatically resets when water having a satisfactory temperature returns. An electrical embodiment uses a temperature sensor and a microprocessor to control a rotary valve.

Abstract: A system for hearing impaired persons for nonaudibly signalling the occurrence of monitored events such as an audible event (e.g. a baby crying), a telephone line signal, a switch closure, or a transducer output. The system includes a receiver module for producing a nonaudible signal responsive to an RF signal command, modulated by both a common and an identification frequency tone, received from one or more transmitter modules, each monitoring a predetermined set of events. The receiver and transmitter modules are configured to consume sufficiently low electric power to enable them to be battery energized. Battery energization permits the receiver module to be packaged in a pocket sized portable unit which the hearing impaired person can carry with him in his normal daytime activities.

Abstract: A disposable single use package comprised of a short length of dental floss integrated in a sanitary packet. The packet is formed by first and second members releasably attached to one another to form a sanitary interior compartment for accommodating the length of dental floss.

Abstract: Apparatus is provided for retrieving an elongated flexible cable-type member such as a thick electrical cable used at airports to supply power to airliners, which stores the cable in a bin in a manner that avoids repeated twisting of the cable and the consequent possibility of jamming. A horizontally-extending roller lies behind a front opening in the bin to support the cable. The roller is able to freely shift from side to side, to encourage the cable to store in repeated figure-8 loops that have no net twist.

Abstract: An ejection station for a conveyor sorter having a carrousel ejector wheel with reciprocating fingers. The ejector wheel has a front side mounted adjacent the edge of the supply conveyor belt. The bottom of the wheel moves at substantially the same speed as the belt and in the same direction. The ejector fingers are mounted around the outer surface of the wheel and move axially out of the front side over the conveyor belt to eject items from the belt. Operation of a finger is initiated when the nib of the finger enters a V-shaped guide groove. As the wheel rotates, the nib moves along one leg of the "V" pushing the finger out. At the middle of the groove, the direction of the finger reverses and the nib moves along the other leg of the "V" retracting the finger into the wheel.

Abstract: An adjustable focus flashlight comprising three units: a head, a replaceable switch unit, and a battery unit. The replaceable switch unit includes a switch assembly having two holes in one end for bulb leads, and a holder near that end for storing a spare bulb. The replaceable switch unit also includes a cylindrical member around the switch assembly, which is externally threaded, at the end near the holes, to engage the internal threads of the head, and adjust the focus. A flexible sleeve fits around the outer surface of the cylindrical member, the sleeve having a circular protrusion formed in the end thereof, to frictionally engage part of the head, and maintain a selected focus adjustment.

Abstract: A shoelace is described for use by young children or the handicapped, which facilitates tying of a bow. The shoelace has opposite end portions which are just stiff enough to substantially retain the shape to which they are bent while permitting children to easily bend them during the tying of a bow. This enables a child or handicapped person to bend the end portion to the shape required for one step of tying, and to "freeze" the shoelace in that position while he manipulates the other end portion or decides what is the next step to be done.

Abstract: Higher efficiency in cavity dumping and frequency doubling in a laser used to produce modulated output beam pulses is achieved by deflecting light out of the resonant cavity to a third mirror through a frequency doubler using an electro-optic modulator and a polarizing beamsplitter in the resonant cavity, or using just an acousto-optic modulator to deflect light out of the laser cavity in response to a control signal (electric or acoustic). The frequency doubler in front of the third mirror rotates the frequency doubled light so that it will pass out of the laser cavity through the polarizing beamsplitter, while undoubled frequency light is reflected by the polarizing beamsplitter back into the gain medium of the laser. In the case of using a type-II frequency doubler, a dichroic beamsplitter deflects out the frequency doubled light and passes the undoubled frequency light to the polarizing beamsplitter for return to the laser gain medium.

Abstract: An instruction sequencer for programming parallel operations of functional units in response to an instruction stream is shown. The instruction sequencer includes a random access memory for storing instruction segments which program the operations of the functional units. An instruction address register contains instruction addresses for selected locations in the memory having instruction segments stored therein. A memory address circuit reads out an instruction stream comprising instruction segments from the memory in response to the stored instruction address and stores the same in an instruction buffer register. A rotating network, which is operatively coupled to the instruction buffer register, rotates the instruction stream so as to position a selected instruction segment at a predetermined location in a rotating network.

Abstract: A bus arbitration system for use in a data processing system which operates on clocked cycles for determining priorities in accessing a system memory and one or more local memories associated with processor units is shown. Each of the processor units are operatively coupled through a local bus to its associated local memory. A system bus interconnects the processor units and local memories in parallel to the local bus and the system is connected to an input/output device and the system memory. The bus arbitration system monitors requests made by processor units or the input/output device for access to the system memory or a local memory during the clock cycle. A determination section of a bus arbitration module determines whether access is available over the system data bus or a local data bus.