Abstract: An information processing apparatus uses a triad-based state transition model which is implemented in a state machine for making rational determinations on the state of a system of interest and for controlling the same to an appropriate state. The triad-based state transition model is stored in a memory unit of the apparatus and made up of a first group of states for defining natural behavior of the system to be controlled irrespective of forced actions; a second group of states for defining forced actions for directing the behavior of the system to be controlled to a target; and a third group of state for defining target states to which the system to be controlled may proceed from the first group of states as a result of determining natural behavior of the system based on a first predetermined threshold value, and as a result of determining a change in the system behavior due to a forced action based on a second predetermined threshold value.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus carries out plasma processings such as etching, ashing and CVD on large substrates such as semiconductor device substrates and glass substrates for liquid crystal display panels, etc. The plasma processing apparatus having microwave generator 26, a microwave guide path 23, a microwave window 4 and a reaction room 2, etc., has a dielectric sheet 21 disposed to confront the microwave window 4 through a hollow area 20. The dielectric sheet is divided into multiple dielectric sheets 21a, 21b, and the microwave guide path 23a, 23b are connected to the divided dielectric sheets 21a, 21b. This simple structure enables the stable and uniform plasma processing on large substrates such as glass substrates for liquid crystal display panels.

Abstract: An openable window comprises a main frame (1) and a sash (3) top-hinged therein, in which sash is mounted a light screen, particularly a Venetian blind (4), with an adjusting mechanism (5), as well as with a screening device (7, 8) which may be an insect screen mounted in the main frame internally of the window sash. A turning handle (15) is mounted at the internal side of the screening device and is via a shaft (18) connected with the light screen adjusting mechanism in a rotationally locked manner, said shaft being articulated with the adjusting mechanism and telescopically connected with a pivotable member (14). The Venetian blind can thus be operated also with an insect screen placed internally of the window sash and with the window in an opened position for ventilation. The pivotable member can be designed as a ball joint journalled in a double conical bearing or as a ball with a through bore where the shaft is designed as a round bar being integrally with the turning handle.

Abstract: Herein disclosed are a method and an apparatus for supplying an electrical energy to a pair of discharge electrodes spaced apart from each other to cause an electric discharge in a gap between the discharge electrodes. There are firstly provided an alternating voltage generator for generating, as the electrical energy, an alternating voltage having a frequency, and a capacitor connected to the discharge electrodes in series. The alternating voltage generator has a series resonant frequency. The alternating voltage of the alternating voltage generator is applied to the discharge electrodes through the capacitor. The frequency of the alternating voltage is set approximately to the series resonant frequency of the alternating voltage generator to cause a dielectric breakdown in and allow an electric discharge current to flow through the gap between the discharge electrodes.

Abstract: The disclosed system allows determination of topological aspects of a high speed data communications network in real time without interfering with the operation of the network. The topographical information determined by the present invention includes the cable length of the network, the cable length between stations on the network, and the station addresses and relative order of stations on the network. The system determines the cable length of the network by dividing the amount of time that a token spends on the cables of the network as it travels completely around the network by the propagation speed per unit length of the cables of the network. The system determines the length of cable between any two adjacent stations on the network by determining the length of time between frames transmitted by the adjacent stations, and dividing this time by the propagation speed per unit length of the cable of the network.

Abstract: The invention relates to a double seat valve with a controlled leakage cavity according to the preamble of claim 1. It is an object of the present invention to create favorable conditions for complying, in most points, with the so-called US-American 3A standards and FDA regulations. This object is achieved inter alia by providing between the sealing places (7, 8; 70, 71) a penetration cross-section (6a) from the inside space of the valve casing parts (1, 2) to the leakage cavity which at least corresponds to the nominal cross-section of the double seat valve and by using the same dimensions for the connection via the leakage cavity (6) and between the leakage cavity and the environs of the double seat valve.

Abstract: A two wire, brushless, d.c. motor power control system employs a rechargeable d.c. power source (e.g. a battery or a capacitor) to provide power to the commutation position sensing electronics, and commutation logic during dynamic braking and also if desired, during motor start-up after stopping or reversing direction. Current limiting is provided by sensing the two-wire motor current and using the communicating logic to modulate the turn-off/turn-on time of the communicating switches.

Abstract: In a pixel based display system, zoom logic is added to the data stream of a RAMDAC. In the zoom logic, horizontal lines of image data are stored in locations spaced apart in an intermediate frame buffer. The horizontal scan lines are read into a single line buffer and then the data is read from the single line buffer to generate an enlarged display image. Digital filtering may be employed to generate interpolated values for pixels between the original values in the zoomed image.

Abstract: In an automated prescription dispensing and packing system, empty prescription bottles are labeled and loaded in assigned locations in carriers. Pills are automatically dispensed into the prescription bottles in the carriers. Ranks of carriers containing filled prescription bottles are assembled at stations where the bottles are unloaded and packed into shipping containers with literature printed by the system. Multiple bottles of an order are automatically packed in the same shipping container.

Abstract: A sterile packaging system for a pipetter sheath is disclosed. The packaging system comprises two inner thermoplastic strips sandwiched between two outer paper covers. The inner strips and outer covers are connected along a tear seal formed by an electromagnetic heat sealer. The tear seal is generally in the shape of a pipetter. To remove the sheath from the package and place it onto a pipetter, one of the outer covers is removed, the pipetter placed into the partially exposed sheath, and the remaining cover removed thereby leaving the sheath on the pipetter.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a system for processing data from scanned documents. The output from a scanner serves as input to a digital filter referred to as an event driven interface. The event driven interface is user-configured with bit patterns to identify and filter out user-designated information from a scanned document. Since only the designated information is extracted from the document, and not extraneous matter of the document, the subsequent storage of only the designated information saves computer memory. Furthermore, the designated information can be transmitted over a data communications network. Such a transmission will occupy less bandwidth than if the entire document was transmitted.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for solution of a quantity of gas in a flowing quantity of liquid, in particular for solution of CO2 gas in beer, a flow of liquid and a flow of gas being combined and the gas in the liquid being dispersed, mixed with, and a part of it being mixed in the liquid. The object of the invention is to increase the amount of gas actually soluble in a liquid under certain conditions in comparison to prior art processes. In addition, the device for application of the process is to be simple in structure, cleanable in continuous flow (CIP-compatible), and its adaptation to specific practical requirements and its control are to be as simple as possible. From the process engineering viewpoint this is accomplished by guiding the gas/liquid mixture into curved paths, as a result of which separation into a bubblefree liquid flow (L1*) and a gas/liquid flow (G*/L2) to be recirculated.

Abstract: The present invention provides a connecting structure of concrete blocks and a method for connecting the concrete blocks in which a special structure for use in connecting the concrete blocks is not required, a rigid connection can be carried out with a simple connecting structure, a removal of the connector is eliminated, a workability is remarkably improved, a productivity of buildings is improved and at the same time it has a superior anti-disaster effect. The connecting structure is comprised of either a hollow rod-like connection member, a plurality of concrete blocks, a pair of connecting holes bored at abutting surfaces between concrete blocks, and adhesive agent poured at one end of the connector flowed out the opposite end and thus filled between the exterior surface of said connector and circumferential walls of said connecting holes.

Abstract: In a coaxial cable comprising a cylindrical conductor tube structure, a cylindrical core conductor arranged within the conductor tube structure, and a dielectric member provide between the conductor tube structure and the core conductor, the conductor tube structure is constituted by a cylindrical outer conductor and a cylindrical inner conductor provided within the outer conductor in coaxial and radially spaced relationship with the outer conductor to be capacitively coupled with the outer conductor. The inner conductor has a first axial end portion protruded axially outwardly from one end of the outer conductor and a second axial end portion received in the outer conductor retracted axially inwardly from the other end of the outer conductor. The outer and inner conductors of the conductor tube structure are thermally insulated from each other thereby reducing heat transmission between the outer and inner conductors without lessening conductivity for high frequency signals.

Abstract: In an instrument for making an NIR spectrographic transmission measurement of a pharmaceutical tablet, masking structure is provided to prevent or reduce leakage of radiation around the edge of the tablet. The masking structure (30, 44) constricts the boundary of the light beam so that it is within the boundary of the top surface of the tablet where it impinges upon the top surface. The tablet is received in a well slightly larger than the tablet formed in a tablet locator (20). An aperture (39) is formed in the bottom of the well.

Abstract: A new single-stage, single-switch, input-current-shaping technique which combines the boost-like input-current shaper with a continuous-conduction-mode dc/dc output stage is described. Due to the ability to keep a relatively low voltage (<450 Vdc) on the energy-storage capacitor, this technique is suitable for the universal line-voltage applications. The voltage on the energy-storage capacitor is kept within the desirable range by the addition of two transformer windings. One winding appears in series with the boost inductor during the on time, whereas the other winding appears in series with the same inductor during the off time. By connecting the windings so that the voltages across them when they conduct the inductor current are in opposition to the input voltage, the volt-second balance of the boost-inductor core is achieved at a substantially lower voltage of the energy-storage capacitor compared to the other known approaches.

Abstract: A voice interactive agent training system has a series of discrete voice messages stored in a digital memory. These messages are keyed to screens used in live call center operations. The call center logic used in live call center operations determines the sequence in which the screens are displayed on the agent's monitor. When transferred to an agent's terminal, the screen is identified, based upon a characteristic of the actual screen (e.g. character count in a field) so that there is no need for access to the call center operating system in order to identify which screen is displayed. A voice energy transducer responsive to the trainee's voice, causes a reproduction of appropriate discrete voice messages to respond to passages in the script which have been read by the trainee from the monitor. In one embodiment, agent inputs are compared to "appropriate" inputs and inappropriate inputs are fed back to the trainee concurrently with the appropriate input.

Abstract: A transducer/transmitter captures not only the acoustic signal in the voice band, as in the prior art, but also an acoustic signal that includes audio signals outside the voice band; preferably above the voice band, up to approximately 20k Hertz. A band pass filter separates the transducer signal into two components; a voice signal with overlapping noise in the range of the human voice (e.g. from about 40 Hertz to 8k Hertz) and a component that provides a no voice signal, for example a signal in a no voice band extending from above approximately 8k Hertz to about 20k Hertz.

Abstract: Herein disclosed are a method and an apparatus for transmitting information converted to a spread spectrum signal, the information being coded to form an information signal before being converted to the spread spectrum signal. The spread spectrum signal is produced on the basis of the information signal and a spreading modulation code which is a pattern of frequency hopping or a pseudo-random noise code well known as PN code. The spread spectrum signal is provided with a signal propagation character when the spread spectrum signal is transmitted. The signal propagation character of the spread spectrum signal is varied while the spread spectrum signal is transmitted, thereby making it possible to reduce the influence of fading effects without applying a diversity system to a spread spectrum receiver and accordingly have the spread spectrum receiver decreased in size, weight and cost.

Abstract: A special Program Status Word (PSW) millicode routine, tests the validity of the PSW with three simple millicode instructions. Testing for access exceptions is executed by a special millicode instruction "Load With Access Test", which explicitly detects access exceptions for storage operands while retaining control in the current millicode routine. A Translate and Test (TRT) routine uses a table of 256 bytes to translate a string of bytes. Each string is used as an index into the table, and the selected table byte is fetched. For Translate and Test, the selected bytes are tested, and the first non-zero table byte selected is returned to the program in a general register along with the address of the string byte which selected it; translate and test also sets the condition code, and does not update storage.