Abstract: An exemplary fishing lure includes a blade having on its rear-facing or inner surface one or more detail elements, such as an eye-shaped marking or dot, behind which is a background surface finish. Desirably, the detail element contrasts in underwater shade with the background lighting afforded by the surrounding water and the background surface finish likewise contrasts with the detail element thereby increasing that element's visual prominence per the optical principle of figure and ground to a fish just behind the lure moments prior to strike. Also, an inner surface finish behind and contrasting with the background surface finish increases the lure's visibility to a fish initially moving into alignment behind the lure while an outer surface finish contrasting with the background lighting increases the lure's visibility to a fish first noticing the lure while swimming a distance off to one side.

Abstract: A light emitting phosphor having improved luminance is incorporated into an ACTFEL device having front and rear electrode sets, a pair of insulators sandwiched between the front and rear electrode sets, and a thin film electroluminescent laminar stack which includes a phosphor layer having the formula M.sup.II S:D,H where M.sup.II is taken from the group calcium, strontium, barium, and magnesium, S=sulfur, D is taken from the group copper, lead, gold, silver, magnesium, antimony, bismuth and arsenic, and H is taken from the group fluorine, chlorine, bromine, and iodine. Deep blue and green chromaticity phosphors may be obtained through selection of multiple co-dopants and adjusting their relative concentrations.

Abstract: A system which operates a digitally controlled model railroad transmitting a first command from a first client program to a resident external controlling interface through a first communications transport. A second command is transmitted from a second client program to the resident external controlling interface through a second communications transport. The first command and the second command are received by the resident external controlling interface which queues the first and second commands. The resident external controlling interface sends third and fourth commands representative of the first and second commands, respectively, to a digital command station for execution on the digitally controlled model railroad.

Abstract: A power measurement system calculates the power flow within a wire to a customer and transmits an indication of the power flow to a remotely located operator. The measurement system includes both a current transformer that senses current within the wire and generates a first output signal and a voltage input that senses voltage within the wire and generates a second output signal. A measurement device receives both the first and second output signals and in response generates a third signal representative of the power flow within the wire. The measurement device includes both a speech encoding circuit that receives the third signal and in response generates a voice signal, and a transmitter that receives the voice signal and transmits the voice signal to the remotely located operator.

Abstract: A light emitting phosphor having improved luminance is incorporated into an ACTFEL device having front and rear electrode sets, a pair of insulators sandwiched between the front and rear electrode sets, and a thin film electroluminescent laminar stack which includes a phosphor layer having the formula M.sup.II S:D,H,F where M.sup.II is taken from the group calcium, strontium, barium, and magnesium, S=sulfur, D is taken from the group copper, lead, gold, silver, magnesium, antimony, bismuth and arsenic, H is taken from the group fluorine, chlorine, bromine, and iodine, and F is taken from the group gallium, indium, aluminum, germanium, silicon, lanthanum, scandium, and yttrium. Deep blue and green chromaticity phosphors may be obtained through selection of multiple co-dopants and adjusting their relative concentrations.

Abstract: A low-current pogo probe card for measuring currents down to the femtoamp region includes a laminate board having a layer of conductive traces interposed between two dielectric layers. A plurality of probing devices, such as ceramic blades, are edge-mounted about a central opening so that the probing needles or needles included therein terminate below the opening in a pattern suitable for probing a test subject workpiece. A plurality of pogo pin receiving pad sets, each including a guard pad, occupy the periphery of the board. Each guard pad is electrically connected to a trace from the layer of conductive traces. The pad sets may be connected to the probing devices by low noise cables or traces. Air trenches separate the pad sets for reducing cross talk and signal settling times.

Abstract: The system illuminates an active matrix EL device (AMEL) to provide a gray scale display. The device includes a first electrode layer comprising an active matrix of individually addressable pixel electrodes, a second electrode layer, and a thin film EL laminate stack including at least an EL phosphor layer and a dielectric layer. The stack is disposed between the first and second electrode layers. A first group of selected pixel electrodes are addressed with data signals during a first subframe time period where the first group includes fewer than all of the pixels electrodes of the display. The second electrode layer is driven during the first subframe time period with a first illumination signal. A second group of selected pixel electrodes are addressed with data signals during a second subframe time period where the second group includes only pixel electrodes not included within the first group. The second electrode layer is driven during the second subframe time period with a second illumination signal.