Abstract: A range of digital values is assigned to represent a digitized composite signal, while a selected digital value of the range is assigned as a unique dropout sample to represent only a dropout in the signal to the exclusion of signal data. In the event of a dropout, the unique dropout sample is loaded into memory in place of the corresponding incorrect signal data. The unique dropout sample is detected upon read out of data from memory and used to initiate the process of dropout compensation.

Abstract: A control system for a motor which drives a tape capstan includes a capacitor (91) which holds a sample of a ramp signal which is sampled and restarted in response to tachometer pulses. The output of an amplifier (90, 100) which amplifies the difference between the stored voltage and a reference is integrated by a passive integrator (106, 92) coupled to the capacitor (91). The arrangement provides prediction of change of a discontinuous speed signal and is useful for slow running motors of low inertia.

Abstract: A tape transport of the U-coiling type having a takeup reel that rewinds in a clockwise direction is provided with a switch reversing this direction to anti-clockwise for rewinding a Z-coiled reel, and the switch is provided with a coordinating portion that clears the tape path only for the coiling direction that corresponds with the switch setting.

Abstract: In a system for comparing the ratio of two numbers to a threshold, the bits of each number are compared in groups comprising less than the total number of bits. The most significant group of bits are first compared, and if they contain sufficient information to make the comparison, the result thereof is indicated. If the most significant group of bits does not contain sufficient information, the comparison is made based upon the next higher order group of bits that does contain sufficient information. In some situations, it is desirable to obtain information about the next lower order group of bits in order to verify whether a determination is correct. Each of these situations has a unique address in a memory unit dedicated to the next lower order group of bits.

Abstract: An electroless plating bath tank with air sparging and bath heating attachments is provided with a workpiece rack on which multiple horizontal spindles bearing workpieces are rotated about their own axes while also being rotated eccentrically about a horizontal axis, so as to expose the workpiece more uniformly to the action of the bath.

Abstract: A YIQ computer graphics system includes a data processing system having a data tablet for receiving inputs from an artist and a video processing system connected to the data processing system. The video processing system includes a two component expandable frame store with the first component storing video intensity information for each pixel of a visual image and with the second component storing two video color components each for one-half of the visual image.

Abstract: A magnetic tape transport has an improved capstan-tachometer construction and reel mounting arrangement.

Abstract: The changing diameters of the respective tape packs wound on the supply and take-up reel are continually measured. The measured diameters of each reel are compared to a stored minimum diameter value corresponding to an end of tape on that particular reel. When the apparatus is in a learning mode, the stored minimum diameter values for each reel are updated every time when a new measured value is smaller than the previously stored value. The last stored value is utilized for comparison in an end of tape detection mode, to allow stopping the tape transport mechanism before the end of tape would run off that reel to prevent damaging the transducers or the tape.

Abstract: An improved voltage controlled amplifier employing an operational transconductance amplifier which is temperature independent and offering an improved dynamic range for the input signal is disclosed. An operational amplifier configured in the inverting mode is used as an input device having a first operational transconductance amplifier in the feedback path as a gain control element. The output of the operational amplifier provides a control voltage to effectively drive a second operational transconductance amplifier.

Abstract: A general device for the input of information in a binary format through rotational motion is disclosed, having independent means for the simultaneous output of information in a form perceivable to the human tactile sense. In particular, a knob is coupled to a shaft, a tachometer and a particle brake. An associated control means receives information from the tachometer, controls the operation of the particle brake, and interfaces the corresponding operations with the apparatus which is desired to be controlled thereby.

Abstract: The tension arm position of a tape recorder is sensed and any change in position is added as a correction factor to the capstan tach or tape timer tach count generated during a reel tach period. To this end, the tension arm position signal is clamped to ground at the start of the capstan count. At the end of the capstan count, the tension arm position is sensed to provides a value that is proportional to the change in the position that has occurred during the capstan count. The value is then added to the capstan count to provide a corrected capstan count that no longer contains a tension arm error and constitutes a precise tape remaining output signal.

Abstract: A pump is used to exhaust oxygen rich waste gas to ambient pressure in an inert gas generating system in order to improve the performance of the permeable membrane air separator component and to insure sufficient generation of inert gas when available source air pressure is low.

Abstract: A parity and/or syndrome generator generates a block parity check for the detection and/or correction of errors in a multi-channel digital data communication system using a linear code or a coset of such code in which data and parity bytes are intended to be digitally encoded in n by m bit data blocks to form a respective codeword in n parallel bytes of m bits in serial order of significance in the form of a codeword having n elements represented by respective bytes in the Galois field GF(2.sup.m), such Galois field being defined by an m-order field generator polynomial in integral powers of z between z.sup.0 and z.sup.m, where z is the inverse of the delay operator z.sup.-1 of such Galois field. A first circuit produces a first partial parity check for the bit of such significance in each of the n elements of the respective codeword. A second circuit sums in the Galois field over all elements of the codeword the first partial parity checks to form a second partial parity check.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for recording and reproducing television or other broad band signals with an altered time base effect so as to provide, for example, in the case of television signals, slow motion, faster than normal motion, stop motion or reverse motion. To provide slow motion replay of television signals, successive fields of the signal are recorded separately on a plurality of magnetic mediums, and at predetermined head-to-medium writing speeds, and are played back at substantially the same head-to-medium writing speeds. On playback, each field is repeated a number of times depending upon the time base effect desired. Reverse motion is provided by reversing the order of replay of the fields.

Abstract: An improved automatic scan tracking servo for use in a magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus is disclosed. The automatic scan tracking servo operates generally in the digital domain. The apparatus has a movable element which is transversely moved relative to the longitudinal direction of a recorded track so that the transducing head can be made to accurately follow the track during special motion reproducing modes. The RF video signal is sampled a predetermined number of times during each rotation of the scanning drum carrying the transducing head. The phase of the oscillatory motion or dither that is applied to the movable element carrying the head, the operation of a synchronous detector and the sampling are all totally synchronized to obtain an accurate error signal so that an accurate error correcting signal can be generated to have the transducing head accurately follow a track during such reproducing.

Abstract: A self-contained reel hub assembly for a tape transport. The hub assembly comprises a housing including a base and a side wall which upstands from and extends around the periphery of the base. Within the housing defined by the side wall is the rotor and the stator winding of a motor. The rotor drives a sun wheel which engages a plurality of planet wheels each of which protrudes laterally from the side wall of the housing. A rotatable hub is mounted on a central post extending upwardly from a frame member forming a top cover for the housing. The hub member includes a peripheral part which extends around the side wall of the housing and carries a ring of inwardly directed gear teeth engaged by the planets. The planets are linked by a carrier which permits limited movement of the planets relative to the carrier.

Abstract: During the horizontal retrace scan period of a scanning beam in a television pickup tube, the beam current is increased to the maximum possible value to recharge the target layer, and the cathode voltage is raised by a few volts to prevent readout of normal video. Also, the scanning beam path may be modified to insure that every area of the image is scanned by the retrace scan prior to being scanned by the active picture scan.

Abstract: A monlinear speed control for special motion reproducing of a video recording and reproducing apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus is of the type which has an automatic scan tracking servo which controls the position of the reproduced heads carried by the scanning drum which are of the type which can be transversely moved relative to the longitudinal direction of recorded tracks so as to accurately follow the tracks during variable speed special effect reproducing modes. The nonlinear control controls the longitudinal tape speed through the capstan servo and provides vernier control where it should be desirably located so that the operator can accurately control the special effect speeds. The nonlinear control also automatically compensates for changes in the speed and introduces a delay in the response to rapid changes that may occur at high speed special motion reproducing so that visually disturbing rapid changes in the video image will not be experienced by a viewer.