Abstract: An X-Y plotter is provided having an automatic pen changer comprising a pen repository, a memory for storing data identifying a pen selected by a user, a plot head for automatically fetching pens from and depositing pens into the repository, a processing means having a routine stored in a read-only-memory for providing head-movement coordinates, and a control means for moving the head to said coordinates, the pen-changing action (fetching and depositing) being performed solely by movement of the head to said coordinates. Deposited pens are automatically capped to prevent drying-out, fetched pens are automatically uncapped prior to use.

Abstract: The drawings illustrate a cassette only, to fit into any machine that uses a paper roll supply and requires accurate alignment of that roll supply with the processing machine. The cassette is bodily urged against one wall of the host machine in order to establish that wall as a reference. In the housing is a roll support core which is compound in that it has two members which are telescoped and spring-urged to expand. This will gauge the core against the wall of the housing that's engaged with the wall of the host machine. Then, the spring-urged slidable component of the core carries a positionable slide plate which, if the roll were not inserted, would come to rest at a position short of the roll length, and therefore constantly urges the roll against the cassette wall as a gauge of the roll by mesne gauge means with the host machine.

Abstract: A character generating system is provided for a photocomposition machine to display alpha/numeric symbols on a CRT for any language selected from a group of languages. The system includes a character generator memory for each symbol and control means which selects a predetermined set of memories for each language in a manner that symbols common to two or more languages are provided from the same character generator memory, whereby the total memory required for all symbols of the group of languages is minimized.

Abstract: A controller minimizes periodic torque or force perturbations in an inductor-type synchronous motor drive by supplying current waveforms to each motor phase that contain a fundamental frequency component and selected harmonic components. The harmonic components in the phase currents heterodyne with the periodic permanent magnet flux fundamental frequency to create periodic torques or forces which subtract from the unwanted torques or forces perturbing the moving portion of the motor. The controller, which includes an interpolator, a memory, and a converter, provides for smooth incremental movement of a member such as a plot head, at substantially constant velocity, by applying selected continuous periodic waveform signals as phase currents to the windings of inductor-type synchronous motors.

Abstract: A printing system of the type wherein magnetic images are recorded on a tape, the images are toned, the tape is positioned to extend adjacent to a web of paper, and the toner is then transferred from the tape to the paper. In the present system, the tape portion which passes by the image recording head and toner is moved continuously, while the tape portion which passes adjacent to the paper is moved intermittently by frictional engagement with a transport belt, a pair of vacuum column buffers being provided between the continuously and intermittently driven tape portions and supplying tape tension that holds the tape to the transport belt.

Abstract: An X-ray intensifying screen pair comprising a thin screen and a fiber optic thick screen is disclosed, together with a method for producing the fiber optic thick screen, which method includes the steps of evaporation and vacuum deposition. The thin screen comprises a gadolinium oxysulphide rare earth scintillator capable of providing good image resolution, and the fiber optic thick screen comprises a thallium doped cesium iodide scintillator that is capable of high speed (i.e., good X-ray photon-stopping and photon-conversion) operation, that is stable under ambient conditions, and that requires low patient dosage.

Abstract: A broad-band cavity-tuned transistor oscillator includes a field effect device having capacitive feedback from source to drain and having a gate capacitively coupled to a cavity for producing an output signal that is frequency selectable according to cavity resonance, which resonance is determined by translation position of a mechanical tuning plunger coupled to the cavity and the degree of capacitive feedback.

Abstract: A diamond marker generator circuit generates a diamond-shaped marker making a spot or point on a curve of an input signal being measured.Despite changes in the display or sweep rate of the input signal, the marker's size is kept constant, and its intensity or contrast is maintained at a constant level relative to the intensity of the curve.One marker is generated above the curve to mark a current point of interest to a user. One or more markers are generated below the curve to mark previous points of interest.

Abstract: A keyless electronic calculator includes an optical bar-code reader for entering bar-coded program information, in the form of data and individual commands or complete programs, into the calculator. The calculator also includes a read-write memory unit (RWM) for storing the entered information, a central processing unit (CPU) having a read-only-memory unit (ROM) with pre-stored routines for processing data by executing the entered commands or program under control of the ROM routines, and a display unit for displaying entered data and execution results. An alternative embodiment of the calculator includes both an optical input means and a keyboard.

Abstract: A calculator system having a transparent keyboard includes an apparatus for electronically labeling the keyboard by displaying alphanumeric symbols through the keyboard. The apparatus comprises a keyboard selection device and a liquid crystal keyboard display device having a predetermined number of display planes each containing preselected symbols. The keyboard selection device operates both as a selection device and as an annunciator-feedback device, for selecting the symbols or legends of a given plane to label or configure the keyboard, and for feeding back to a user of the system the status of the selection device when it is activated. An alternative embodiment of the invention utilizes light-emitting diodes (LED's) for labeling the keyboard.

Abstract: A printer-plotter system is provided having a single horizontally movable, print-plot head comprising geometrically arranged thermal resistor elements which are processor-controlled for plotting continuous multi-directional line segments and for printing, while plotting, upper and lower case alphanumeric characters and punctuation characters in four orthogonal directions. Characters are printed in 5-columns-by-7-rows dot matrix form, with neighboring dots partly overlapping each other in order to impart a continuous or drawn appearance rather than a discontinuous dot appearance to the printed characters. The geometric arrangement of the head elements also provides for varying the width of line segments plotted along selected orthogonal directions.

Abstract: A plotter system is provided having an adaptive velocity means for improving plotted line quality by selectively varying the velocity of the plot head to produce smooth, substantially continuous motions of the plot head between data points, in accordance with changes in the data input rate or changes in the distance between data points. This reduces the time that the plot head remains stationary during plotting, thereby reducing excess deposits such as ink pools that may be applied to a portion of a surface when the plot head becomes stationary waiting for data. The system includes a motor unit, a plot head with a pen, and an adaptive velocity means comprising a random access memory (RAM) unit for storing data values to be plotted, a processor unit, and a read only memory (ROM) unit having a stored routine. The plot head is driven by the motor unit under control of the processor operating in accordance with the stored routine and control and data values stored in the RAM.

Abstract: A programmable electronic calculator is provided having a manually operable annuity switch with begin- and end-position settings, enabling a user to specify the type of annuity calculation to be performed. When the switch is set to the begin position, the annuity calculation is performed with payments due at the beginning of each payment period; when the switch is set to the end position, the annuity calculation is performed with payments due at the end of each payment period. The annuity calculation is performed under control of a routine stored in a read-only-memory (ROM) of a data processing unit.

Abstract: A gain cell circuit is disclosed having an outer pair of common base transistors and an inner pair of common emitter transistors. External base resistors and emitter resistors are added to the common base transistors for controlling the zero formed by the internal capacitance of the common base transistors, thereby cancelling the dominant pole formed by the common emitter transistors and providing compensation and improvement in gain cell bandwidth.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for measuring, by cross-correlation, the period and frequency of a substantially periodic signal having random components, such as fetal heart beat signals and other biological signals.

Abstract: A spinner chuck having a recessed portion for receiving non-circular substrates is used to alleviate uneven build-up of photoresist coatings applied on the substrate. Openings are disposed in the base of the recess about the periphery thereof whereby to drain off coating material spun off into the volume between the substrate and chuck sidewall defining said recess.

Abstract: A circuit having a variable voltage source and a comparator with feedback capability detects high-speed input pulses of positive and negative polarities relative to selected voltage thresholds. The circuit also stretches and displays the detected pulses utilizing pulse stretching and LED circuitry.

Abstract: An ultrasonic echo system for detecting moving targets by processing the doppler shifted reflected signals. Signals indicative of stationary objects are suppressed by a feedback arrangement which subtracts signal components derived from stationary objects from the incoming echo signals.

Abstract: A printer-plotter system includes a vacuum-buffered bidirectional paper drive system for moving paper uniformly forward and backward over a sprocketed platen and sprocketed drum. The platen comprises a stationary portion with a flat region and a rotatable sprocketed portion. The platen and drum are connected by a drive belt for synchronous rotation of the drum with the sprocketed portion of the platen to assure proper contact of a print head with the flat region of the stationary portion and proper movement of paper by the sprocketed portion after printing.

Abstract: In a photocomposition machine environment the apparatus and method show the concept of advancing the photosensitive material into position normally occupied for composition of text. The known apparatus and method are then modified by providing reverse leading for the paper and re-advance to the starting point followed by composition of a second column lateral to and aligned with the first column. A particular advance in the art is the ability to compose a complex mathematical formula with greatly simplified software using the improved hardware.The point of reference is established by a sensor which is activated upon advance of the paper to the sensor and therefore reversal and re-advancement of the paper will cause an exact repositioning of the paper for each column.