Abstract: The disclosure is directed to a circuit for producing electrical discharges in response to trigger signals, and a form of the disclosure is directed to an apparatus, which includes such a circuit, for determining the transit time of acoustic energy travel between a transmitter location and a receiver location.

Abstract: A method of bonding an electrical conductor to a contact of an integrated circuit (IC) device comprises bonding the conductor to a support member and to a contact of the IC device. The conductor is then severed to release the IC device and conductor from the support. This allows the IC device to be tested while connected to the support member and provides it with a conductor lead for connection to a carrier for use.

Abstract: The disclosure is directed to a method and apparatus for more accurately determining the transit time of acoustic energy travel between a transmitter location and a receiver location. An electrode pair spark gap is provided at the transmitter location, and an acoustic receiver is provided at the receiver location. The spark-gap is energized to produce a spark by coupling an electrical potential across the electrode pair. The generation of a spark at the spark gap is sensed, and an initializing signal is generated in response thereto. A timer is initialized in response to the initializing signal. The receipt of acoustic energy from the spark is detected at the receiver location and a terminating signal is generated in response thereto. The timer is terminated in response to the terminating signal, and the time measured by the timer is indicative of the transit time of acoustic energy travel between the transmitter and receiver locations.

Abstract: The disclosure is directed to an apparatus and method for measuring the presence of a volatile constituent of a sample of ground water or soil mixed with water. In an embodiment of the apparatus, a valve system is provided, and has a plurality of branches. A reclosable and collapsible bag, preferably of the polyethylene freezer bag type, is provided for receiving the sample. The bag has a hole in a wall thereof, preferably near the top of the bag. A gasketed fitting is provided for air-tight coupling a first of the branches of the valve system to the bag via the hole. A detector of the volatile constituent is coupleable to a second of the branches of the valve system. The valve system is operative, in one position thereof, to close off the first branch so as to isolate the bag, and in another position thereof, to couple the first and second branches so that the detector can communicate with the bag.

Abstract: The disclosure is directed to an apparatus and method for determining the travel time of acoustic energy over an unknown travel distance between an acoustic transmitter and an acoustic receiver. This information can be used, for example, to determine the position of a moveable element in a data space. A timer is initiated at the time of acoustic transmission from the transmitter. A control signal generator is provided, and is initiated at the time of acoustic transmission from the transmitter, the control signal being a function of the time which elapses after the time of acoustic transmission. The gain of the signal received at the receiver is controlled in accordance with the control signal. The timer is terminated when the gain-controlled received signal exceeds a predetermined threshold. In a preferred embodiment, the terminating means includes a comparator for comparing the gain-controlled received signal to the predetermined threshold.

Abstract: A method for generating electronic representations of animated images from stored image data elements with reduced computational requirements. The image data elements may be made available from one or more data base sources, and may be of any suitable form from which images can be computed. A first sequence of relatively low resolution frames are computed from the stored image data elements, this first sequence of frames representing animated images over a given time period. A second sequence of relatively high resolution frames are computed from the stored image data elements, this second sequence of frames representing the animated images over the given time period. The number of frames in the second sequence is less than the number of frames in the first sequence. Corresponding frames of the first and second sequences are combined to obtain output high resolution frames representative of the animated images over the given time period.

Abstract: The disclosed invention utilizes a homojunction tunneling mechanism of injection into the channel of a modulation doped field effect transistor. The onset of negative differential resistance can be controlled via the gate of the field effect transistor. In one embodiment there is homojunction tunneling within a bipolar field effect structure.

Abstract: A form of the disclosed invention employs data validation and screening based on the proximity of sequentially measured data points. Another form of the invention detects noisy conditions manifested in a pilot signal measurement, and discards data taken just after (and/or, if desired, just before) detection of the condition.

Abstract: A semiconductor heterostructure device is disclosed which includes a first semiconductor layer having a barrier layer disposed thereon, the barrier layer being formed of a semiconductor material having a wider bandgap than the material of the first semiconductor layer. A carrier transport layer is disposed on the barrier layer, the carrier transport layer being formed of a semiconductor material having a narrower bandgap than the material of the barrier layer. A contact layer is disposed on the carrier transport layer. A negative potential is applied to the contact layer with respect to the first semiconductor layer. In operation, for small voltages, under the indicated bias configuration, electrons supplied to the carrier transport layer by the source of negative potential supply will be blocked at the barrier presented by the larger bandgap barrier layer, and little current will flow.

Abstract: Well logging techniques and apparatus are disclosed for determining formation resistivity at different radial depths of investigation and with greater accuracy than prior techniques, for determining the existence, locations and properties of beds and caves, and for determining changes in the size of a borehole.

Abstract: A method of providing a material, typically a metal, surface on a substrate (1), comprises applying a consumable member (4) to the substrate (1) under pressure. The member (4) and substrate (1) are moved relative to one another along an arcuate path. Heat is generated at the interface between the member and the substrate so that material is laid down on the substrate along the path. The movement of the metal member (4) typically includes one or more cyclic components.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for determining the position of a moveable element in a three-dimensional workspace near a mounting surface. A sound source is provided in the moveable element. A plurality of at least three housing units are adapted to be secured to said mounting surface in spaced relationship to one another. A sound sensor is mounted on each of the units, and a sound source is mounted on at least some of the units. The positions of the sound sensor and the sound source of said at least some of the units can be adjusted. Means are provided which are responsive to the sound from the sound source of at least one of the units and received at the sound sensor of another of the units, for computing the distance between the sound source of said one of the units and the sound sensor of said another of said units.

Abstract: A well logging apparatus is disclosed including a cylindrical housing with a transmitting antenna and first and second receiving antennas. The antennas are formed on insulating material in recesses in the housing and have a waterproof rubber covering. The receiving antennas have adjacent compartments containing signal conditioning circuits.

Abstract: A method and apparatus monitors well logging information obtained from a logging apparatus moveable in an earth borehole. In a disclosed embodiment, observers are established for determining the presence of specified characteristics of the logging information and generating observation-representative signals in response thereto. A knowledge base is provided, and contains a number of stored observations and stored situations which are linked by specified relationships, for responding to the observation-representative signals by computing and outputting an inference of a stored situation which is inferred from a stored observation corresponding to the observation-representative signals. In a disclosed embodiment, the knowledge base is responsive to observation-representative signals for establishing at least one confirming observer.

Abstract: A light scanning system is disclosed which reduces the effects of wobble without the need for complex, cumbersome, or expensive optical equipment. A light source is provided for generating an input light beam. A reflector subsystem receives the input light beam, the subsystem including first and second light-reflective plane surfaces, the planes of which intersect at an obtuse angle. The first light-reflective surface is oriented to receive the input light beam and reflect it toward the second light-reflective surface, and the second light-reflective surface is oriented to further reflect the light beam to be approximately orthogonal the direction of the input light beam. Means are provided for rotating the reflector subsystem on an axis which substantially corresponds to the direction of the input light beam. In a preferred embodiment, the planes of said first and second light-reflective surfaces intersect to include an angle of about 135.degree..

Abstract: A method of bonding a thermoplastic layer (22), such as APC-2, to a substrate (21) in which the thermoplastic layer (22) comprises electrical conductors such as carbon fibres, embedded in thermoplastic material such as PEEK. The method comprises placing the thermoplastic layer (22) in contact with the substrate (21); and inducing electric currents in the conductors whereby heat generated by the currents passing through the conductors causes thermoplastic material to bond the layer to the substrate.

Abstract: A method is disclosed of epitaxially depositing a semiconductor material on a substrate of different material while accommodating lattice mismatch in a manner that results in improved epitaxially deposited material. In a disclosed embodiment GaAs is epitaxially deposited by molecular beam epitaxy on a silicon substrate having a {100} crystallographic surface tilted in the <001> direction. Improved semiconductor devices, made using the disclosed technique, are also set forth.

Abstract: A method and apparatus creates a display of a scene having a plurality of object elements. One or more frame buffers are utilized in creating the display.

Abstract: A well logging apparatus is disclosed which employs slot antennas having a plurality of conductive probes traversing the slot. Also disclosed are a logging apparatus having electrically isolated antenna probes and a logging apparatus with an improved means for generating and applying a reference signal used in phase detection.