Abstract: A device and method for magnetizing a material having a magnetic constituent. In a preferred embodiment, a ferromagnetic film and a first film are selectively deposited at first and second locations on the material. The ferromagnetic film is magnetized in a first direction. A voltage source is coupled between the ferromagnetic and first films to enable a spin-polarized current to flow through the material to magnetize the material.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for measuring the lattice parameters of single crystal material while that material is undergoing a transient shock wave. In a first embodiment, a first target is located at a preselected position in space with respect to a single crystal to be measured. A first laser beam pulse is transmitted through a beam block to the crystal to produce a transient shock wave in part of the crystal. A second laser beam pulse, synchronized to the first laser beam pulse, is transmitted to the first target to cause the first target to produce first and second sets of x-rays which are Bragg-diffracted from shocked and unshocked atomic planes of the crystal as the crystal is undergoing the shock wave. A first x-ray detector records the positions of the first and second sets of Bragg-diffracted x-rays to provide a first measurement of the lattice parameters of the crystal.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a free-standing wire mesh grid pattern having a sth, flat surface is disclosed. A thermal oxide is selectively applied to front and back sides of a silicon substrate. A central portion of the oxide on the back side is removed. A resist layer is applied onto the oxide on the front side of the substrate. A resist mesh pattern with a border encompassing that resist mesh pattern is lithographically developed on the resist layer. Chrome and gold layers are sequentially deposited onto the border and into the resist mesh pattern to create a wire mesh pattern within the resist mesh pattern. The resist layer, including the developed resist mesh pattern, is removed to expose the wire mesh pattern from the front side of the substrate. A nickel layer is deposited over the gold layer to develop a wider wire mesh pattern. A second gold layer is then deposited over the nickel layer to form a wire mesh grid pattern composed of chrome, gold, nickel and gold layers.

Abstract: A system for providing a compact, high power particle accelerator powered by a modulated intense relativistic electron beam. In a preferred embodiment a first source develops a high power intense relativistic electron beam (IREB). A modulating apparatus modulates the IREB with a low power level RF signal to produce a high power MIREB. All of the kinetic energy from the high power MIREB is then stored as a high level of electromagnetic or RF energy in an accelerating apparatus. A particle beam from a source is modulated with the RF signal to establish a phase coherency between the modulated particle beam and the stored RF energy before it is passed through the accelerating apparatus. This phase coherent particle beam is accelerated by the stored RF energy as it drains this energy from the accelerating apparatus during its passage through the accelerating apparatus.

Abstract: An improved fiber optic gyroscope with a substantial improvement in dynamic range and scale factor stability over a basic fiber optic gyroscope is disclosed. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the detected output of the gyroscope is demodulated to yield first and second voltage levels respectively proportional to preselected sine and cosine components of the detected output. These first and second voltage levels are respectively switched between a feedback network which stabilizes the drive level and a rate sensing circuit which senses the rotation rate. Such switching occurs when operational states are switched in order to stabilize the drive level from the feedback network and to provide the most sensitive one of the first and second voltage levels to the rate sensing network.

Abstract: An apparatus, and method therefor, for removing a single atomic layer from he surface of a crystalline diamond. In a preferred embodiment, the apparatus comprises: a first delivery system for flooding the surface of the diamond with a pulse of nitrogen dioxide during a first phase of operation to cause a monolayer of nitrogen oxide to be adsorbed to the surface of the diamond; and a second delivery system for impacting the surface of the diamond with a pulse of ions of mixed noble and hydrogen gasses during a second phase of operation in order to remove a single atomic layer from the surface of the diamond.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for selectively controlling the insertion, retention and extraction of card cassettes into, in and from associated channels of a card cage. A pair of first and second levers are pivotally mounted at the top and bottom of each channel. Each of the card cassettes includes upper and lower glides, with each glide including a pin at the front of the glide. Each card cassette if freely slideable in its associated channel of the card cage until the pins in its upper and lower glides become seated into detents in the first and second levers in that channel just before a first set of connectors on that card cassette engage a mating second set of connectors in that channel of the card cage. Rotation of the first and second levers in that channel in a first set of directions pushes the pins in the glides of that card cassette horizontally, forcing the first set of connectors on the card cassette to engage the second set of connectors in that channel.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for automatically detecting any defective elements in a linear array of thermal printhead elements of a thermal printer and for automatically correcting for at least one defective thermal printhead element. In a preferred embodiment of the invention an ON/OFF line from a microprocessor is turned OFF to turn off a voltage regulator, thereby preventing the thermal printhead elements from printing. With the voltage regulator OFF, a diode is forward biased to enable a voltage divider to be formed between a sensing resistor and any one of the thermal printhead elements that is activated at any given time. When a subsequent sense voltage (or resistance measurement) of an element exceeds the value of the initial reference sense voltage for that by a predetermined amount, that element is detected as a defective element.

Abstract: Digital Data receiving apparatus includes means for adjusting the timing of the sampling instants. A phase controlled oscillator (PCO 19) provides timing signals for sampling the received signal and is controlled, at the commencement of a received signal, by a timing initialization circuit (17) responsive to repetitive phase alterations in a training sequence. The timing initialization circuit (17) includes a plurality of Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT) circuits (23) responsive to frequencies dependent on the power spectral densities of the received signal, which received signal may be modulated at a normal rate or a fall-back rate. The DFT circuits (23) measure the correlation of locally-generated frequencies with the incoming samples for a predetermined number of such samples to produce a plurality of complex signals. A selector circuit (24) selects a pair of the complex signals dependent on the modulation rate.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for automatically detecting any change in average printhead resistance due to continued usage of the printhead and for automatically correcting for such resistance change in order to maintain constant printing energy. In a preferred embodiment of the invention a voltage regulator is turned off during a test mode of operation to test or measure each of the thermal elements in a thermal printhead. When the voltage regulator is turned off a constant current is sequentially allowed to flow through each of the thermal elements. The flow of constant current through an element develops a sense voltage which has an amplitude proportional to the resistance of the element being measured. The sense voltages for the elements are sequentially converted into digital signals by an analog-to-digital converter, summed together and averaged in order to develop an average printhead resistance.

Abstract: In a data receiver, a complex data signal after demodulation and sampling is applied to an equalizer which provides an improved signal which is applied to a phase and amplitude correction circuit for correction utilizing a complex reference vector. The corrected signal is applied to a decision circuit the input and output of which are applied to a difference determinator circuit, the output of which is a complex residual error signal utilized in conjunction with a plurality of gain factors generated in a gain factors generator to determine the reference vector. The gain factors vary in time from transmission initialization such that optimal compensation for transmission disturbances is achieved both at initialization and after stabilization.

Abstract: An automatic gain control circuit suitable for use in a modem receiver for receiving a modulated carrier representing data, includes a variable gain amplifier adapted to receive an input signal and coupled to an output amplifier providing the gain controlled output and also coupled to a level detector which provides a high level output signal whenever the input thereto exceeds a reference level, such output signal causing an attack operation wherein a control current generator provides an exponentially decreasing control current for an operational transconductance amplifier included in the variable gain amplifier. When the level detector output is high for more than a predetermined time a noise hit protection circuit is effective to inhibit the attack operation for a further predetermined period of time, thereby alleviating the adverse effect of a noise pulse.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for detecting picture element failures in a multielement array. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the illumination of a reference background by a lamp is controlled by a controlled power supply to be off in a first mode of operation and on in a second mode. During a diagnostic operation, the reference background is scanned by a N element CCD array t provide N reference pixels for each scan during each of the first and second modes of operation. During the first mode, a first error signal is developed for each of the N reference pixels in a first mode scan that is greater than a first reference signal level. During the second mode, a second error signal is developed for each of N reference pixels in a second mode scan that is less than a second reference level.

Abstract: An impact hammer assembly, suitable for high speed MICR printing, is disclosed. The impact hammer assembly comprises an impact hammer having first and second flanged portions respectively positioned at first and second ends along a first longitudinal surface of the impact hammer and a hammer face positioned at the second end of the hammer on a second longitudinal surface opposite from the first longitudinal surface. The hammer is pivotally mounted at a pivot between the first and second flanged portions for movement between a rest position and a print position. A first electromagnetic coil positioned adjacent to the first flanged portion is energized by a first pulse from a control circuit to impel the hammer face toward the print position. A second electromagnetic coil positioned adjacent to the second flanged portion is energized by a second pulse from the control circuit to cause a fast return of the hammer to the rest position.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for automatically and mutually sharing the currency dispensers in adjacent automatic teller machines when one dispenser is either out of service because of a malfunction or out of currency. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the system is comprised of first and second article dispensers, first and second output stations, a transport mechanism operationally coupled to both dispensers and to both stations, first and second diverters respectively positioned in first and second paths through the transport mechanism and a control circuit for selectively controlling the operations of the dispensers and diverters during a dispensing operation.

Abstract: An item dispensing system is disclosed wherein in a preferred sheet dispensing embodiment, primary and secondary sets of vacuum cups are mounted to one end of a pick arm which is rotated between a stack of sheets and a dispensing path. Initially, a two-way valve is controlled to pass a vacuum from a vacuum source only to one of the primary and secondary sets of vacuum cups. The selected set of suction cups then attempts to vacuum lift and pass a sheet to and along the dispensing path. The failure of a sensor to sense that sheet in the dispensing path within a preselected period of time indicates that the selected set of vacuum cups may have been unsuccessful in vacuum lifting that sheet from the stack due to a poor vacuum seal between the selected set of vacuum cups and that sheet. Such a failure causes a processor to generate a signal to cause the two way valve to apply the vacuum from the vacuum source only to the other one of the primary and secondary sets of vacuum cups.

Abstract: An electro-optical imaging system is disclosed which automatically self-diagnoses the operations of its photosensor and its video processing circuitry during each of first and second modes of operation of a processor, when no object is being imaged. In a preferred embodiment, a power supply is controlled by the processor to prevent a light source from illuminating a reference background during the first mode of operation and to enable the light source to illuminate the reference background during the second mode of operation. The photosensor sequentially develops first and second signals respectively proportional to the intensity of reflected light received from the reference background during the first and second modes of operation. The video processing circuitry is responsive to the first and second signals for sequentially developing respective first and second data signals.

Abstract: A system for improving the processing of financial transactions using direct customer entry of the transaction data and automatic verification of this data during proof operations. Each customer prepares his own transaction slip via a remote terminal, which slip is delivered to a teller for verification. During proof and encoding operations, the amount field of each document is read and composed with the data entered by the customer for correspondence; any errors may be corrected at this stage for reconciliation, saving time and labor costs.

Abstract: An apparatus for monitoring the performance of a currency dispenser by detecting the displacement of a roller caused by the thickness of a record member. This displacement is measured by the movement of a graded density translucent member between the photodiode and sensor of a detector. Electronic circuitry associated with the detector indicates the presence of a record member between the rollers, and also the presence of multiple record members. The fabrication of the member allows the circuitry to detect only the displacement from the static position of the rollers, eliminating the necessity for adjustment due to wear, temperature, and other mechanical factors.

Abstract: A frequency-selective stabilization system for a gyrotron traveling wave tube amplifier using a dielectrically loaded lossy auxiliary waveguide coupled to the interaction waveguide of the gyrotron traveling wave tube. The auxiliary waveguide has its cutoff frequency in the range of that of the interaction waveguide where instability is likely to occur, but has a significantly different dielectric constant, which lets it absorb stray oscillations in the range of the interaction waveguide cutoff frequency without significant interaction loss in the range of the operating frequency.