Abstract: A flexible disc is provided for the recording and playback of information on a recording surface thereof. The disc is contained within a cartridge housing which protects the recording surface. At least one opening is provided in the disc which is in permanent engagement with at least one pin member of a drive hub, the drive hub providing rotation to the disc when the drive hub is rotated. The outer perimeter of the opening in the disc is larger than the outer perimeter of the pin member so that the disc is free to move laterally along the pin. At least one surface of the cartridge housing acts as a smoothing plane; rotation of the disc causes the disc to rise above such surface creating an air cushion between the flexible disc and surface, with the disc seeking its own level above the smoothing plane surface.

Abstract: A module containing an integrated circuit is disclosed. The module may be repetitively installed in a receptacle located in some electronic apparatus, such as an electronic calculator or video game, with low risk of damage to the integrated circuit or to the receptacle. The module is essentially "box" shaped and is provided with keys and slots for assuring proper orientation within the receptacle. The integrated circuit device is preferably attached via its leads to a substrate located in a chamber located within the module. Contacts are affixed to the substrate and coupled to the leads. These contacts are accessible from the exterior of the module through at least one aperture provided from the exterior to the chamber.

Abstract: A switch assembly with reduced number of mechanical parts in conjunction with an improved Hall Effect generator provides a more reliable, longer life switch. In one embodiment, the rocking motion of a rocker member is translated into linear motion to move a magnet relative to the Hall Effect generator. As the rocker member is rotated by pressure applied to the higher of its actuation surfaces, rotation is set up about a pivot point, causing the rocker member to shift the magnet to the opposite side of the base of the rocker assembly. This shift of the magnet changes the magnetic field to which the Hall Effect generator is exposed from one magnetic polarity to an opposite magnetic polarity which causes a respective change in output voltage of the Hall Effect generator from a first predetermined voltage to a second predetermined voltage. An audible "snap" is generated by the magnet when it contacts the side of the base.

Abstract: Improved timekeeping apparatus, such as a watch or clock with an electro-optic display simulating a conventional mechanical analog timepiece. Electro-optical material, e.g., liquid crystal material, is activated in selected areas to change its appearance to simulate movement of the hands.

Abstract: A digital-to-analog driver capable of driving a speaker or other voice coil means and implementable using field effect semiconductor devices is disclosed. A plurality of switching field effect semiconductive constant current sources each having a control electrode and two current carrying electrodes are coupled in parallel at the current carrying electrodes thereof. Each switching field effect constant current sources preferably includes a field effect load device and a field effect switching device, the aforementioned control electrode preferably being the gate of the switching device. The respective width to length ratios of the active areas under the gates of the devices differ by a factor of two from each other. Therefore, the width to length ratio of the gates of a third one of the souces is twice the width to length ratio of the gates of a second one of the sources and four times the width to length ratio of the gates of a first one of the sources, and so forth.

Abstract: An improved arrangement for providing cathode heating current in a visual display wherein pulses of heating current are sequentially applied at brief intervals, the magnitude of the current and the intervals being coordinated with the cathode thermal inertia so as to maintain cathode temperature within an operative range during the off periods, and wherein potentials for activating the display are applied during such off periods.

Abstract: Disclosed is an integrated circuit device or chip which digitally synthesizes human speech using a linear predictive filter. This device may be implemented using conventional processing techniques. For instance, when implemented in conventional P-channel MOS technology, the disclosed device or chip has an active area of approximately 45,000 square mils.

Abstract: A triggerable bipolar flip-flop, such as an I.sup.2 L flip-flop, is comprised of a master stage, a slave stage, two logically-controlled current sources, and a clock-controlled current sink. The current source and current sink are coupled to the set and reset inputs of the master stage. When the clock signal is at one level, the current sink draws current from the set and reset inputs of the master stage, thereby disabling the master stage. When the clock signal is at a second level, the current sink turns off permitting the current source to enable the master stage. Logic signals control the current sources to selectively transmit current to the set or reset input of the master stage. Toggle, J-K, D, and pseudo D embodiments of the flip-flop may be provided.

Abstract: A simplified power semiconductor device comprising a single-piece impact-extruded aluminum heat sink/support having a recess in one surface surrounded by an upstanding annular collar. The semiconductor chip is soldered to the floor of the recess and has contact zones at its opposite surface. Nail head leads are bonded to the contact zones. Encapsulation is completed by a mass of plastic or glass within the collar or by a sealing disc closing the collar through which the leads project.

Abstract: A high frequency amplifier circuit comprising a gated field effect transistor operated in common gate configuration with one of the two gate electrodes connected to the substrate of the field effect transistor. Transistors using two insulated gates or having one insulated gate and either a Schottky barrier junction or a pn junction gate may be used. AGC amplifier and mixer circuit configurations are described. By use of the basic configuration described, high frequency stability of the amplifier is significantly improved.

Abstract: An automatic TV tuner circuit responsive to a tuning voltage for tuning over a desired frequency reception range. The tuning voltage is generated by a staircase voltage generator. A discriminator produces an output signal having a nominal value when the receiver is tuned to a transmitted broadcast frequency and at a discriminator output having a predetermined difference from the nominal value, a sequence control circuit halts the operation of the staircase generator and regulates the tuning voltage in a continuous manner under control of the discriminator output signal to complete the tuning process.

Abstract: An electronic horologic instrument, such as an electronic watch or clock, utilizes randomly-generated energy to produce electrical pulses in synchronism with the generated energy. The electrical pulses are counted until a predetermined count is reached. When this occurs, the timekeeping circuitry is stepped by a unit of time such as one second or some other convenient fraction thereof. The electrical pulses produced, although random over a short time period, have an average rate over a long time period that follows well-established statistics, to provide a horologic instrument with an acceptable degree of accuracy.