Abstract: The amount of extraneous gas within a hermetic sealed package, such as water vapor, is measured by measuring the total gas pressure within the package. This gas pressure is compared to a correlation made of expected total pressure within a package to deviations to that total pressure to determine the amount of extraneous gas. The correlation itself is derived statistically by comparing samples of actual total pressure to expected total pressure. These samples are then used to statistically produce the above correlation which is then used in actual testing.

Abstract: An improved integrating type A/D converter has a set of analog switches and a control logic unit for selectively connecting a pair of input terminals for an unknown analog input voltage signal with a pair of input leads across a buffer and integrator in order to apply, first in an integrate phase, the analog input signal in a polarity direction that causes the integrator to ramp up in the same direction regardless of the polarity of the analog input signal, and then in a deintegrate phase, reference voltages are applied across the input leads in a fixed direction opposite to the applied input voltage such that a zero crossing signal is output by the comparator. The ramping-up and ramping-down of the integrator in the same direction eliminates rollover error in the A/D reading of inputs of different polarities but of the same magnitude. The invention is particularly useful for monolithic A/D converters using BiMOS technology.

Abstract: A sigma-delta analog-to-digital converter employs multiplexed single-loop modulators in parallel and respectively phased time-divided clocks. The parallel modulators have the effect of producing digital output at a high sampling frequency that is a multiple of the phased switching frequencies applied to the modulator circuits. In one preferred embodiment, four second-order sigma-delta modulators are driven in clocked phased sequence and combined by a multiplexor circuit. Another embodiment employs second-order modulators using RC integrators. A further embodiment replaces the multiplexor with an adder when in-phase modulator clocks are used, and the adder also acts as a simple low pass filter.

Abstract: In a telephone automatic call distribution system (ACD), incoming telephone calls are assigned to a queue. Additionally, announcements are peridically provided to the incoming callers usually notifying the caller the system is processing the call and the manner of such processing. The number of agents available to handle calls is controlled by a load factor expressed as a ratio of incoming calls in the queue to number of agents available. This load factor is used as a threshold level, which when exceeded, causes the system to add an additional agent or additional groups of agents, increasing the probability the calls longest in the queue will be answered. The oldest call or the call that was first in and not yet answered is passed along to the next available agent group added to the system.

Abstract: A method and application for a cellular divider. The dividend is separated into P separate groups of b bits each. Division at the cellular level is accomplished on the groups in the respective order of place significance. Accordingly, the group representing the most significant bits of the dividend are used in the first cell and after division by the divisor, the remainder is transmitted to the next lower cell in the order of place significance, where the division process is repeated using the next lower group in the dividend order of place significance. The process is repeated successively for each lower cell using the remainder out of the next higher cell as a remainder in. Division is according to a set logic function for a given number of dividend group bits and divisor bits.

Abstract: A high density resistor array mounted on a substrate is used in a balanced array. Each circuit element in the array is terminated with a resistor and with each terminating resistor being located at a uniform electrical and physical distance from its respective circuit, resulting in uniform impedances.

Abstract: A central processor scans a plurality of ports for the purpose of receiving data or signaling information from a peripheral acting as an information source or for transmitting information to a peripheral addressed to receive that information. The processor selectively stores that information as an image of selected conditions at each port peripheral. The transmission of information between peripherals is accomplished on a timed schedule from the centrally located processor which uses the stored image to monitor local conditions at each peripheral without the need to specifically address each peripheral. Additionally, peripherals are arranged in modules to permit simultaneous exchange of information between ports.

Abstract: A cabinet has drawers mounted for movement in and out of the cabinet to prevent the cabinet from tipping when one or more of those drawers are displaced outside the cabinet while still attached to the cabinet, a stabilizer leg is provided with an interlock. The interlock prevents the drawer from being removed and tipping the cabinet until the stabilizer leg is in place.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is shown for leading an imaging surface relative to an imaging beam under two controls where first and second leading spaces are produced. The second leading space being a different width than the first leading space, is distributed among the first leading space separating a plurality of line pairs. The second leading space is interspersed within first leading spaces and is visually less perceptible to the human eye. A pattern describing a matrix of row and column positions control the spacial movement of an imaging beam and after each leading step the imaging beam reproduces the original graphic within each of the elemental image positions or image areas of the matrix.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for locating a discontinuity in a data transmission ring which has a plurality of stations which randomly receive and transmit data along the ring, in which the occurrence of valid and invalid data is sensed and compared and an indication given of the invalid data exceeds valid data by a predetermined amount, transmitting valid data responsive to the indication so that the indication can be removed from stations which receive valid data and transmitting data including station identification from any station showing the identification, which data is received at a separate station located between the discontinuity and the transmitter whereby the locality of the discontinuity can be identified.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for synchronizing a station connected in a data ring to the date rate in the ring in which the state of the data is detected as being in a first or second state and masking or unmasking first and second logic elements responsive to the data states and periodically generating at the unmasked element a timing signal which is responsive to the ring data rate.

Abstract: A data ring circulates a serial stream of data bits between ring stations. The data stream is made of packets and each station may add data to and extract data from the packets. As the number of data bits in the data stream and its length becomes longer than the electrical length of the data transmission line, it is necesssary to store the excess data bits which cannot be accommodated on the transmission line. Accordingly, a store is provided to store the excess data. When the transmission line is initially filled, the first data bit in the data stream will appear at the store. Any data phase transition is sensed and data is clocked into the store responsively. In this way, the insertion of data into the store is made responsive to the phase of the data and to the changing electrical length of the line, and the phase of the data at the store input.

Abstract: A drum is mounted rotationally in a cassette. A series of roller shafts are arranged around the drum and move radially. A web inserted into the cassette is forced against the drum by the roller shafts and causes the drum to move in frictional engagement with the web. As additional web material is forced into the cassette, convolutional layers of the web built on the drum forcing the roller shafts outwardly and permitting the drum to wind the web without any rotational motion imparted to the drum except for that of the web.

Abstract: A method of encoding information from a scanned original, for example in the production of halftone pictures by producing a video signal indicative of the original information, comparing it with a screen dot pattern to produce a series of signals which may have weighted values for separate sub areas within the screen dot area to form values representing the information for each of the original sub areas and combining the weighted values according to a predetermined function so that an encoded signal is produced indicative of the modulated distribution of the information of the sub areas of the pattern.

Abstract: A method and system for communicating digital data particularly adapted for transferring large amounts of bulk data from a first station to a second station over a long propagation delay path, as for example, between first and second earth stations via a satellite repeater. The system implements a procedure or protocol which is characterized by causing the source station to continuously transmit data frames at fixed intervals, each such data frame including an identification number and an information field, generally containing a portion of a user data record. Error checking means at the destination station determines whether the data frames received thereat are error free. The destination station also continuously transmits data frames at fixed intervals substantially synchronized with the source station data frame intervals.

Abstract: A system for controlling the timing of an internal combustion engine having a rotatable power shaft including a timing mechanism coupled to an advance mechanism which produces a recurring ignition pulse. The timing mechanism produces a timing signal that recurs at a timing rate proportional to the rotational speed of the power shaft. The ignition pulse, which is initiated by the timing signal to establish the degree of spark advancement, is varied in response to an engine operating parameter, such as engine temperature to control spark advancement, and thereby reduce exhaust emissions.

Abstract: A phase-lock loop ties a reference input frequency such as for the rotational speed of an engine with an engine timing signal. The engine timing signal is a sawtooth with a peak to peak amplitude and with the phase of the timing signal corresponding to the instantaneous amplitude of the timing signal between its peak to peak extremes.The phase-lock loop comparison, produces a drive or speed signal which is also indicative of the reference signal frequency. The level of the drive or speed signal, is that necessary to maintain the period of the timing signal in correspondence with the reference input signal.A third signal may be generated, proportional to the engine rotational speed signal, or to any other engine parameter which is compared to the timing signal to produce a trigger signal at the appropriate phase angle of the engine rotational cycle.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for displaying reduced and expanded size characters in a photocomposition device encodes each of a set of normalized characters in a series of overlapping strokes each stroke being encoded by start point coordinates and a first and second dimension of said shape, encodes a set of instructions describing the display placement and size of the characters, determines the display locations coextensive with each stroke and storing the locations, and accesses the stored locations for display of the strokes and the characters.

Abstract: A method for displaying characters on a raster display including the steps of storing a digitized font of normalized encoded characters in a first store, storing the identity size, and display location of the characters in a second store, generating a succession of raster lines, 1 through N, said first raster line being 1 and said last raster line being N in a predetermined order of raster lines, arranging successive characters in said second store into segments, each segment referenced to a respective raster line 1 through N, reordering the sequence of said segments by the value of each segment's respective raster line 1 through N, sequentially identifying respective segments for successively generated raster lines, identifying the boundaries of the characters within the said segments intersecting the raster lines and displaying the said characters responsive to said identified intersections.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed whereby a sudden perceptible resistance is applied to the accelerator pedal of an automobile vehicle when the intake manifold vacuum pressure level decreases below a preselected pressure. A pneumatic motor is operated by a throttle valve that mixes the ambient and manifold vacuum. The motor controls the relative position of a helical spring relative to the throttle control and allows the throttle control and spring to engage abruptly when the manifold vacuum pressure is below the preselected level and withdraws the spring from contact with the throttle control when the manifold vacuum pressure exceeds that pressure level.