Abstract: The invention relates to a wave form shaping circuit, which outputs signals after shaping the input signal to a duty 50% wave form regardless of whether or not input signals are of duty 50%, wherein a duty determination circuit is provided, which determines and instructs the timing position of duty 50% of clock signals to be outputted, upon receiving a timing signal prepared by a timing generation circuit 2.

Abstract: An infra-red secure remote controller having a xenon gas discharge tube which is ignited and pulse modulated with a code impressed on the resultant xenon plasma arc. Each pulse modulated code represents a channel formed of a short pulse burst train of a plurality of high-energy optical pulses. The optical pulses are repeated about 10 to 15 times in a pulse burst train, so that the actual pulse burst train duration will comprise the pulses plus the dark interval time between pulses. Both the pulse length, the dark interval time, and the pulse burst train length are used by circuitry in a receiver for the controller to identify and distinguish an actual transmission from other interfering transmissions. The infra-red remote controller utilizes pulse burst length factors to enhance the reliability of the transmission and increase the possible number of separate codes available.

Abstract: The present invention includes a Voltage Controlled Oscillator (VCO) having a resonant circuit capable of being quickly switched between two resonant frequencies in order to generate two different LO frequencies. In a preferred embodiment, the present invention includes a VCO having a dual-frequency resonant circuit attached to the VCO's resonant circuit input leads. The dual-frequency resonant circuit is constructed in a differential architecture in order to create a number "virtual ground" points within the circuit that nearly eliminate any ground currents, and thus minimize the time required to switch the resonant circuit between the two LO frequencies. The switching between two resonant frequencies is achieved by creating a short circuit across certain components within the circuit to eliminate them from the resonant circuit.

Abstract: A two-part fastening mechanism employing (1) a continuous metal strip having attachment slots whose axes are oriented parallel to the length of the strip, and (2) a single preformed metal connector piece having a longitudinally-oriented hook for gripping one end of a tile and a stem portion insertable into one of the slots in the metal fastening strip and bendable over the slot and back upon itself for retaining the connector piece attached to the continuous metal strip. When installed, the fastening mechanism holds each tile in two places: at a first end via the hook, and at an opening in the tile where the connector piece passes through.

Abstract: A universal data access arrangement (DAA) for interfacing a modem with a telephone line which may variably control its parameter settings to meet the interface requirements for telephone networks in various countries. The parameter settings are programmed into the universal DAA by multiple parallel command signals received from a connected modem. Each of the command signals is concurrently transmitted to a plurality of parameter-controlled circuits in the DAA, where each parameter-controlled circuit may interpret the received command signal to correspond to a different parameter setting. This allows different circuits of varying functionality to be separately programmed with different parameter settings using the same command signals received by each of the circuits.

Abstract: A scanning optical system is used to re-form an original image on a CCD line sensor. The optical system has an object side lens unit, a mirror and an image side lens unit. The object side lens unit condenses light from the object. The mirror is arranged between the object side lens to deflect the light having passed through the object side lens unit for scanning. An exit pupil of the object side lens unit coincide with an entrance pupil of the image side lens unit.

Abstract: A casino money cart having a number of storage bays, a pair of bicycle wheels center-mounted on axles located between internal bulkhead panels and outer side panels, and four slightly recessed corner casters. The bulkhead panels form part of an internal frame structure which mounts the outer side panels, as well as front and back outer panels. Corner trim elements and rivets tie the outer panels together and to the internal frame structure. A crowned or arched sliding top cover serves to prevent objects from being placed on top of the money cart and gives the cart a "treasure chest" look. An angle-mounted roller drawer slide mechanism is additionally provided which biases a rear access cash drawer in the "in" position.

Abstract: A travel bag for a motorcycle is disclosed that can be easily attached and removed from a variety of different size motorcycle seat backs or sissy bars and ensures that the bag is secure during motorcycle operation. The bag carries a series of vertically aligned straps on the exterior surface of the bag that faces the front of the motorcycle. Each strap is adjustable in length to fit a variety of seat back widths. The height of the seat back or sissy bar determines how many straps are used. The straps are located on the bag so that the bottom of the bag may rest on the luggage rack when the bag is appropriately affixed to the seat back. Additional straps fasten the bag down to the luggage rack or the seat back itself, to prevent the bag from being lifted off at high speeds.

Abstract: A front end circuit for an RF dual band GSM/DCS phone includes a first channel including an elliptical high-pass filter, a first SAW filter, and a low noise amplifier and a second channel including a second SAW filter and a second low noise amplifier. The output of each channel is alternately switchable to a single-side band mixer circuit. This front end circuit arrangement provides significantly reduced cost and part count over other approaches.

Abstract: The switching properties of the disclosed device, low off current and high on current, also allows the device to be employed to replace EEPROM, fuses, anti-fuses or other electrically-alterable non volatile switching devices in programmable logic devices. The disclosed device can be fabricated with low cost methods. The manufacturing methods are compatible with current tools and procedures which allows the device to be added to CMOS circuits to replace masked ROM with more flexible flash memory at a modest increase in cost. The cell operational method and manufacturing methods allows the size of the memory element to be scaled smaller to maintain a low cost and high performance as the minimum feature size of microelectronic circuits is reduced in the future. The disclosed cell approach also offers simpler programming methods to simplify memory array design, supports higher cell currents for high speed applications, and uses lower cost manufacturing methods than an "ETOX" cell approach.

Abstract: A method and system for enhanced fraud detection in electronic purchase transactions from a remote site. A user at a remote terminal attempting to conduct an electronic purchase is prompted to input the user's billing address and social security number, where this information is used to verify the billing address of the user. Initially, the input social security number is communicated to a local account database containing information about customers as identified by their social security number. If the local account database contains the input social security number, then a determination is made whether the account associated with that social security number has been authorized for use. If authorization for the purchase transaction is not initially approved or refused according to the information provided in the local account database, then the social security number input by the user is next checked to determine if it corresponds to the user.

Abstract: The lever operating mechanism for air-pressure utilizing hot pots referred to in the present invention that have a simple construction of lever operating mechanism, is able to raise and collapse the lever and maintain the lever raised and collapsed condition extremely easily and smoothly, and achieves superb operability and satisfactory discharge because all the operations can be carried out simply by moving the free end of the operating lever up and down with only one finger.

Abstract: Measuring equipment, such as a portable pH meter system, can include a plurality of probes for measuring different properties of a sample with each of the probes contacting the sample simultaneously. A reference source line connected to an appropriate reference source can be connected to each probe, while a signal line connected to each probe can provide a measurement signal. A switch assembly is provided for each of the probes in order to isolate the respective probes from each other to prevent any interference when measuring the sample.

Abstract: A system and method to improve the quality of coded speech coexisting with background noise. For instance, the present invention receives a coded speech signal via a communication network and then decodes and synthesizes the different parameters contained within it to produce a synthesized speech signal. The present invention determines the non-speech periods that are represented within the synthesized speech signal. The determined non-speech periods are then utilized to determine and code LPC parameters needed for background noise synthesis. Because medium or low bit rate LPC-coded speech during voice activity periods has the coexisting background noise attenuated, the decoded signal has audible abrupt changes in the level of the background noise. To improve decoded speech quality, the present invention adds simulated background noise to decoded noisy speech when synthesizing the noisy speech signal during voice activity periods.

Abstract: A belt-like screen carrying a row of printing patterns is held between two roller screen holders. The printing patterns are advanced one by one to a printing position by the rotation of the roller screen holders. This allows the printing patterns to be changed from one to another. Frames are provided for locking and unlocking the printing patterns at the printing position. The completion of a run of printed circuit boards can be monitored to automatically change the printing patterns.

Abstract: A sprinkler head for scattering diluted medical fluid, such as fluid fertilizer and nutritive agents, on cultivated vegetables comprising a main body connected at one end to a sprinkler head and at another end to a faucet supplying water. The main body includes a plurality of water flowing passages, an open passage connected to a medical fluid bottle, and a mixing passage. The open passage includes a passage narrowing portion for sucking medical fluid from the medical fluid bottle by increasing water flow speed relative to the rest of the open passage. The medical fluid sucked into the open passage is stirred and diluted by water flowing down the open passage. The diluted medical fluid in the open passage then flows into the mixing passage, where it can be further diluted by water flowing down the plurality of water flowing passages. The dilution ratio of the medical fluid is controlled by individually opening and closing the plurality of water flowing passages with valves.

Abstract: The display unit displays an "Author" window and other windows that form a CUI according to control by the display control unit. The input operation unit receives inputs from the editor who views the "Author" and other windows. The window information storage unit stores the attributes of windows displayed by the display unit. The script information storage unit stores a template of scripts, including parameter strings, which conforms to the standards for multimedia optical discs and which is to be used for generating the outputted strings. The control unit interprets the operations received by the input operation unit 1501 and instructs the display control unit to display windows as required, in addition to storing variables that correspond to the parameters in the input data storage unit.

Abstract: A compression system and process include adaptive quantization for selection of one quantizer, for each video frame or frame portion, from a group of quantizers, where each quantizer is a set of predefined quantizer values, and coding of the quantized values using a common entropy coding table for all quantizers, or a separate entropy coding table for each quantizer. The entropy coding tables are obtained during a training procedure. The selection of the quantizer is based on a formula which takes into account the distortion and bit rate characteristics of each quantizer. A similar formula, based on the distortion and bit rate characteristics, is used to select the particular quantizer value within the chosen quantizer for each video signal value being coded.

Abstract: A program receiver for displaying a graphical interactive picture by receiving a program transmitted from a program transmitter, the program receiver comprising: a storage unit for storing a plurality of basic picture elements in advance, the plurality of basic picture elements being figures composing the graphical interactive picture manipulated by a user; a signal receipt unit for receiving a signal transmitted from the program transmitter, the signal being a multiplex signal including a program and data specifying a structure of the graphical interactive picture; a signal separation unit for separating the signal received by the signal receipt unit into a program signal and a graphical-interactive-picture-structure specification data signal; a first graphical interactive picture generation unit for generating the graphical interactive picture by combining the basic picture elements stored in the storage unit based on the graphical-interactive-picture-structure specification data signal from the signal sepa