Abstract: For the purpose of providing sector-address information on optical disks, a robust header is realized by utilizing a very simple encoding method that allows asynchronous reading. In order to provide robustness and reliability, the header uses a biphase data format to encode addressing information. The embossed header is further configured with redundant address-fields in a checkerboard pattern between adjacent tracks, in order to provide robustness for media-contamination. Each address-field starts with a unique address-mark and ends with parity-check information to provide reliable error-detection. The entire header can be decoded without the need for a slice-level, thus making it very tolerant to amplitude-variations and DC-offset variations. By combining these characteristics, a header is achieved which is reliable and inherently resistant to failures in providing sector-address information on optical disks.

Abstract: In a compunctions network of low power devices, power consumption of the devices is reduced by periodically receiving a timing signal in each device from a transmitter external to the network. A real-time clock in each of the devices is synchronized to the periodically received timing signal to determine a synchronized timing interval. Transmitting and receiving of data between the devices is initiated during an awake period of the synchronized timing interval. Power consumption is reduced in each of the devices during a sleep period of the synchronized timing interval, the sleep period being significantly longer than the awake period.

Abstract: A filling device for connecting a dispensing instrument having multiple fluid reservoirs to multiple containers is disclosed. More particularly, the present invention discloses a connecting device capable of coupling the individual reservoirs of a dispensing instrument to multiple fluid containers. The apparatus includes a body, a collar extending from the body, a plurality of tubes in fluid communication with a plurality of inlet ports formed in the body, and a hood adapted to simultaneously receive a plurality of containers therein. The containers are positioned within the hood to allow the plurality of tubes to simultaneously and separately draw fluid from the fluid containers and transferring the material into the individual reservoirs of the dispensing instrument.