Abstract: A repeatable finite anti infinite impulse response integrated circuit structure has a plurality of filter units programmably interconnected, with each filter unit having a pair of repeatable cells. Each cell has a coefficient stage for receiving a filter coefficient, a mixer stage for multiplying a selected one of a plurality of input signals by the filter coefficient, an accumulator stage for selectively delaying an input accumulation signal, and a summation stage for adding the input accumulation signal to the weighted signal to produce an output accumulation signal. With appropriate programming many desired finite/infinite impulse response filter configurations may be achieved.

Abstract: Crosstalk is reduced in any type of active matrix electro-optical display system (10) by applying a compensating signal, the value of which is dependent upon multiple data drive signals. In a preferred embodiment, a single compensating signal, equal to the inverse weighted average of all of the data drive signals applied during a row address period, can be applied to all data electrodes (20) after the data drive signals are stored in display elements (16). Such a compensating signal simultaneously reduces side-to-side crosstalk and front-to-back crosstalk to levels previously achievable for only one type of crosstalk at a time.

Abstract: A plasma addressing structure having data storage elements (16) uses an ionizable gas to store data in and read data out of the storage elements. The storage elements are defined by the overlapping areas of multiple column electrodes (18) extending in a common direction on a first substrate (22) and multiple channels (20) extending in a common direction on a second substrate (24). A layer of pliant dielectric material (26) separates the first and the second substrates, which are positioned face to face and spaced apart with the direction of the channels transverse to that of the column electrodes. Each of the channels is filled with an ionizable gas and includes two electrodes (46 and 48) electrically isolated from each other. The ionizable gas functions as an electrical switch. The storage element includes a layer (32) of liquid crystal material and receives incident image-carrying light.

Abstract: An electrode structure (100) for an addressing structure using an ionizable gaseous medium has a substrate (102) and a cover (126). A plurality of channel-defining portions (116, 118, 120, 122, 124) each extend from the substrate to the cover; each pair of adjacent channel-defining portions defines a plasma discharge channel (129, 131, 133, 135, 137) for the ionizable gaseous medium. An electrode (104, 106, 108, 110, 112) extends through each channel-defining portion so that the electrode has a surface exposed to each of the channels defined in part by the channel-defining portion. Each of the channel defining portions or walls separates each electrode from the cover. An addressing structure using the electrode structure of the invention ionizes the gas in each channel by driving the electrodes of the pair of adjacent channel-defining portions that define the channel.

Abstract: A system and method for printing a predetermined image onto a substrate includes steps or structure for obtaining pixel data which renders a portion of the predetermined image and relates to whether a colorant is to be deposited in a predetermined area comprising at least one subject pixel and at least one adjacent pixel; determining whether a colorant is specified for any of the predetermined area; and depositing an image-enhancing coating over the subject pixel on the substrate if the above determining step determines that a colorant is so specified, whereby a portion of the image-enhancing coating receiving area is successively determined "on-the-fly" using a minimal physical memory space without sacrificing the system performance. A second aspect of the disclosure involves an efficient method and structure for converting a pixel data relating to the deposition of the image-enhancing coating material format into a compact data format which is acceptable by a printer.

Abstract: A plasma addressing structure (52) having an ionizable gas captured within each of multiple parallel channels (62a) extending across a display screen (54) includes an arrangement (132a) of anodes (112a) and cathodes (114a) for selectively ionizing the gas to address data elements. The anode in each channel has an extended width (130a) in a direction transverse to the length of the channel, thereby to provide the channel with a relatively large conductive surface area that facilitates the ionization of the gas contained in the channel. The large conductive surface provided by the extended width of the anode allows each channel to be formed with a shallow depth (118a) that enhances the viewing angle characteristics of the display screen and simplifies the manufacture of the addressing structure.

Abstract: Time warping for video viewing is achieved by providing a random access dynamic buffer for a video signal from a selected video channel. The video signal is continuously written into the dynamic buffer in a recirculating fashion, and may be read out on a random access basis so that the viewer may control the realtime video viewing in the same manner as controlling a video cassette recorder up to the duration of the video signal stored in the dynamic buffer. In addition the viewer may view the video at various speeds and skip to any point in the stored information. Portions of the video signal in the dynamic buffer may be stored in a static buffer or transferred permanently to a video cassette recorder for subsequent manipulation by the viewer. To expand the capacity of the dynamic buffer a compression circuit may be provided for compressing the video signal before being written into the dynamic buffer.

Abstract: An optical power conversion circuit converts an optical energy signal from an optical source, such as a laser diode, to a regulated D.C. electrical voltage using a single photodetector. A buck-boost circuit uses electrical current from the photodetector in response to the optical energy signal to store energy in an inductor during one polarity of a control signal, and transfers the energy from the inductor to an output capacitor during the other polarity of the control signal. The duty cycle of the control signal determines the regulated D.C. electrical voltage. A switch drive circuit generates the control signal as a pulse width modulated signal from the regulated D.C. electrical voltage and a reference voltage. The control signal is A.C. coupled to a pair of FET switches in the buck-boost circuit to alternately energize and charge the inductor and capacitor respectively.

Abstract: A plasma addressed liquid crystal display (10) uses a liquid crystal material (18) having a low .DELTA..epsilon., .epsilon..sub..perp., and .DELTA.n, resulting in reduced sensitivity to cross talk, reduced operating voltage, and improved resistance to the deleterious electrochemical effects of direct current biases. Liquid crystal layers of low .DELTA..epsilon., .epsilon..sub..perp., and .DELTA.n materials exhibit lower capacitance, which increases the threshold voltage and reduces the saturation voltage to achieve reduced sensitivity to crosstalk and a lower operating voltage.

Abstract: An optical module for an optically based measurement system, such as an electro-optic system (10) for measuring electrical characteristics of a device under test (14), has a probe arm (26), a layer of electro-optic material (27), and a first optical system for delivering a measurement beam (44) to the layer and for producing therefrom an information-carrying beam having optical characteristics indicative of the electric characteristics. The first optical system includes a first lens (128), and (optional) polarization bias adjustment (130), a dichroic beamsplitter (112), and a second lens (114). The module also has a second optical system for delivering an observation beam (66) through the layer and onto a portion (68) of the device and for forming from rays (69) stemming from the observation beam a light pattern (70) indicative of the portion. The information-carrying beam is analyzed in a polarization analysis module into component beams (136, 138) in respective linearly independent polarization states.

Abstract: A gray scale LCD cell device (116) combines a liquid crystal cell (80) having a symmetrical director field (82, 82') with a negative birefringence compensator plate (110) and interposes them between a pair of linear polarizers (112, 114). The symmetrical director field produces a symmetrical but nonuniform gray scale or color viewing circle curve (100) from the liquid crystal cell. The negative birefringence plate restores the gray scale or color viewing angle uniformity. When graphed on a polar plot, the measured light transmission percentage curves (120, 122, 124) characterizing the LCD are substantially concentric circles surrounding the optical axis (18) for all azimuthal angles (28) and viewing angles (24) up to 30 degrees. Adding colored filters (152) to a color cell triad (150) provides a basis for a multi-color display having uniformly perceived colors over a wide range of azimuthal and viewing angles.

Abstract: A temperature control system for acoustic wave chemical sensors monitors the frequency output from a reference sensor packaged within a heat conductive case with a test sensor. Since the frequency output fluctuates as a function of temperature, variations in frequency from a nominal value representing a desired steady state temperature for the sensors are detected and used as a control signal for a heating element attached to the heat conductive case.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for reducing cross-talk across the width of a pixel, cross-talk along the length of a channel, flicker, and/or image sticking in a display system by providing (a) an electrical circuit (resistor 102, switch 108) for bringing a reference electrode (30') and a row electrode (62') in a channel (20') to the same potential before the gaseous medium in the channel loses an ability to redistribute charge and (b) an electrical circuit (driver 104 and/or driver 26) operable to bring or to clamp one or both of those electrodes to a predetermined electrical potential. Corresponding methods are also provided.

Abstract: A system and method of printing an image on a substrate based on an input of detailed image intensity information for each of discrete pixel areas of the substrate, includes or performs steps of processing the detailed image intensity information into less detailed image intensity information; dithering the less detailed image intensity information to approximate the intensity resolution of the detailed image intensity information; and printing the dithered, less detailed, image intensity information onto the substrate. The system will use less memory space than a comparable system which prints directly from the detailed image intensity information, will minimize patterning effects, and will correct for artifacts which might otherwise be printed.

Abstract: A switchable color filter (11) includes three polarizing filters (12, 14, and 16) and two zero to substantially half-wave optical retarders (36 and 38) and is incorporated in a field sequential display system (10) to provide output states of light of three different colors to form an image in full color. Each one of four preferred embodiments (11, 11a, 11b, and 11c) of the switchable color filter provides the output states of three colors. The third and fourth preferred embodiments (11b and 11c) provide a fourth additional output state of, respectively, white light and light of a color which is a combination of two of the other output state colors. The optical retarders comprise nematic liquid crystal cells (100) having fast relaxation times to operate the display system at video rates.

Abstract: A discrete ink level sensing system according to the present invention includes a level sensing probe (130) with at least first and second level sensing pads (178, 180) that is placed in an ink reservoir (28). The level sensing system uses electrical conductivity of the ink to detect when the upper surface level of the ink is lower than the lowest points of the level sensing pads. The upper and lower level sensing pads are electrically connected by a sense resistor (182). A voltage sensor (174) detects across the sense resistor a voltage that depends on the ink conductivity and the position of an upper surface level of the ink with respect to the lowest points of the first and second level pads. The value of the voltage is sent to a CPU (154) that signals a user that a predetermined amount of ink should be added to the reservoir.

Abstract: An optical time domain reflectometry method and apparatus that employs Hadamard transforms to increase the signal-to-noise ratio. A sequence of N pulses of light corresponding to a Hadamard derived code are launched down a fiber optic cable for each of N such codes. Selected combinations of pulses of reflected light are transformed by a Hadamard derived matrix to a set of equations that are solved simultaneously to determine the power reflected from each of N points. Where a Hadamard code is used the average mean square error is reduced by a factor of 1/N. Where a simplex code is employed the average mean square error is reduced by a factor of 4N/(1+N).sup.2. In addition, N measurements of the power reflected at each point are computed and averaged.

Abstract: An interface system allows a user to select and control colors used in graphic images generated by a computer system. The interface system employs graphical representations of the hue, chroma, and lightness combinations capable of being rendered by a computer graphics system. In a preferred embodiment, the graphical representation includes a one-dimensional graph (40) depicting the range of hues and a two-dimensional graph (42) depicting the range of chroma and value combinations available for a selected hue. The graphical representations are preferably rendered in accordance with a Hue-Value-Chroma ("HVC") color space (90) having a high degree of perceptual uniformity.

Abstract: A stereoscopic imaging system (10) includes a display (14) and stereoscopic glasses (18) having right-and left-eye pieces (20 and 22). A photodetector (28) in the glasses receives electromagnetic radiation including IR pulses, having fast rise times, from a transmitter (26), and noise from ambient light and other electromagnetic radiation. An ambient light filter (34) filters out low frequency and low amplitude noise created by ambient light and other electromagnetic signals. The ambient light filter employs a high pass filter cancellation loop (42) that cancels low frequency components, a high frequency amplifier (50) that provides unity gain to low frequency components, and a high pass filter (C3 and R9). The ambient light filter also employs a threshold adjusting circuit (64) that temporarily adjusts the threshold voltage of a comparator (60) in response to reception of the IR pulses.

Abstract: A plasma addressing structure functioning as a display panel (52) includes an ionizable gas captured within a network (110) of intersecting channels formed by multiple spaced-apart islands (60) arranged in substantially parallel rows (62) projecting from the major surface (104) of an underlying substrate (64). The network of channels includes elongated channels (112) that are positioned between adjacent rows of islands, and spur channels (114) that extend between individual islands in each row and couple adjacent elongated channels. The gas in the network of channels is selectively ionized to address display elements (54), which are aligned with the islands positioned along each of the island rows. Each island has a top surface or plateau (128) that is spaced-apart from and substantially parallel to the major surface from which the island projects.