Abstract: A single bias block for a single or multiple low voltage RF circuits including one or more amplifiers and one or more single or double balanced mixers with compensation for temperature and integrated circuit process parameters. The power supply may be a lower voltage without sacrificing the dynamic range of the amplifier and/or mixer by applying full power supply voltage to the load with the bias applied to the base circuit through an operational amplifier and/or buffer circuit. For the mixer, a lower noise figure may also be realized by moving the gain control impedance from the emitter to the collector circuit. The circuits may be discrete components or part of an integrated circuit. Methods are disclosed for reducing the power supply voltage without affecting the dynamic range of an amplifier, for temperature and process parameter compensation, and for controlling the gain of a mixer without affecting input or output impedance.

Abstract: A semiconductor device which includes a polysilicon gate separated from a semiconductor substrate by a re-oxidized nitrided oxide film in which the concentration of re-oxidized nitride in the film underlying the gate is non-uniform and in which the concentration of nitrogen in the substrate and the re-oxidized nitrided oxide along their interface and underlying the gate is non-uniform.Methods are disclosed of providing the non-uniform concentrations by incomplete shielding of the oxide by the gate during the nitriding and re-oxidizing process.

Abstract: A container and a method of using the container for storing sheets of material, such as photosensitive materials, enables individual sheets to be transported from the container to an imaging unit by a feed mechanism of the imaging unit. The container fits within the imaging unit to provide a light-tight environment for the photosensitive material. The container includes a clamping component to allow for the removal of a light-tight bag which encloses the photosensitive materials.

Abstract: A fabrication process for dielectrically isolated high frequency complementary analog bipolar and CMOS transistors. Polysilicon extrinsic bases, polysilicon emitters with sidewall spacers formed after intrinsic base formation provides high current gain, large emitter-to-base breakdown voltage, large Early voltage, and high cutoff frequency.

Abstract: A digital signal processing device and method for vestigial sideband (VSB) modulation of a digital signal. A 2.sup.n -ary digital signal d.sub.i is provided to a baseband shaping filter which samples the signal to provide a baseband signal which has real and imaginary portions Re(S.sub.bb (kT)) and Im(S.sub.bb (kT)), where ##EQU1## The VSB signal is provided with perfect sideband suppression without using analog filters. The digital signal processing device and method is characterized by requiring minimal bandwidth in the shaping filter.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for reducing the bandwidth required to transmit analog information. The analog information is converted to digital data organized in time defined blocks of information called frames. The content of a frame may be modeled as a composite of superimposed objects, which are subsets of information in the frame, that are largely unchanged frame to frame. Each object in a present frame may be represented by an identification of the object and a description of the changes in object-to-frame relationship that occurred from a previous frame to the present frame. The objects in the present frame may then be reconstructed by adjusting the objects in the previous frame in accordance with the change in object-to-frame relationships.

Abstract: Disclosed are a method and an apparatus for use in the method for treating cow's mastitis by means of quite a different novel chemotherapy without relying on drugs such as existing antibiotics. In order to inject ozone through a teat orifice 17 of a breast 18 into the interior of the breast 18, an ozone injecting apparatus 1 comprises an ozone generator 5 connected to an oxygen cylinder 2 or an air compressor; an ozone guide tube 13 for guiding ozone generated by the ozone generator 1; and an ozone injection nozzle 14 fitted to the tip of the guide tube 13 and intended to be inserted into the teat orifice 17.

Abstract: A digital-to-analog conversion method and interpolating digital-to-analog converter for a data modulation system which reduces the spurious energy content of the output signal by an order of magnitude to thereby permit use of a less complex reconstruction filter to smooth the analog output. The process is a two step charge redistribution with feedback to interpolate between samples. DC offset is minimized by using double sampling techniques which permit a fully held signal between interpolation samples. A first conversion stage converts the first n bits of an N bit data signal received at an input rate to a first output value, and a second conversion stage converts the remainder of the N bits and combines signals from the two conversion stages to provide a combined output to an interpolation stage which provides an interpolated output at an interpolation output rate. A feedback circuit provides the interpolated output to an input of the second conversion stage.

Abstract: A system and method for identifying and adapting a control system for a dynamic system includes in one embodiment massively parallel, decentralized signal processing equipment which can (1) identify a dynamic system; (2) adapt an on-line control system for the dynamic system; and/or, (3) solve off-line complex, nonlinear problems related to either static or dynamic systems. The disclosed system may include a neural network in which the neurons are two-way devices (forward and backward signal paths), each of which has a synaptic weight which is independently adjusted using only the forward and backward signals.

Abstract: A scheduling system and method for moving plural objects through a multipath system described as a freight railway scheduling system. The achievable movement plan can be used to assist in the control of, or to automatically control, the movement of trains through the system.

Abstract: Circuits and methods to minimize total harmonic distortion in an integrated circuit feedback amplifier. Complementary transistors in the signal path are selected so that their base-to-collector capacitances are matched. Additionally, the DC operating currents of such transistors are matched, thereby cancelling non-linearities due to base-to-collector capacitances.

Abstract: A transconductance amplifier suitable for the input stage of a comparator with the capability of amplifying input signals with common mode voltage components in a range including the entirety of its operating voltage. Operation at one voltage extreme is accomplished by use of a long tailed pair connection of a pair of bulk modulated FETs with gates at the input terminals of the amplifier. Operation at the other voltage extreme is accomplished by the use of a pair of FETs in a source follower mode to drive common gate transistors of opposite polarity, the gates of the FETs also being connected to the input terminals of the amplifier. A common high impedance load for the comparator is connected to current mirrors of the drains of both pairs of FETs in the amplifier. The circuit may be implemented with bipolar transistors and additional amplification provided. Methods of comparing voltages are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method of enhancing communication among a plurality of communicating devices in which an interface comprising a list of features for enhancing the ability of devices to communicate is copied from a device controlling communication to the controlled communication devices. The interface may be a variable portion of a communication protocol that, together with a static portion of the protocol provided separately, defines the communication capability of the devices. The method finds application in telephone systems where the controlling device is a public or private telephone exchange and the controlled devices are computer operated telephones. The display screen of the computer at each telephone may be used to select features of the interface that are to be used.

Abstract: A system for controlling vehicles in which stored information, information obtained from the surroundings, and information relating to the condition of components such as the position of the observation device on the vehicle are provided and communication means, means for initiating functions, and a digital command computer including a processor (21) and a main memory (22) are provided, said system being characterized in that the command computer comprises a graphics processor (23), video electronics (24), a bulk storage interface (25) with a bulk storage (26), and an interactive video screen (30) through which all of the sensed, stored outputted information in the form of digital data relating to the control, the condition and the operational situation of the vehicle is visualized.

Abstract: A method of communicating among nodes connected in a loop in which information packets are initially transmitted in both directions around the loop to assure reception at a destination node. Each of the transmitted packets is provided with its respective source node address, and upon receiving one of the transmitted packets at one of the nodes, a block-out period is started. During the block-out period other transmitted packets which have the same source node address as the received packet and which arrive at other ports of the receiving node are discarded to reduce packet congestion in the loop, thereby increasing the efficiency of use of loop bandwidth.

Abstract: A slope detector and method of detecting a slope of the passband signal spectrum in a quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) digital radio system. The detector operates in baseband for comparing signal output powers of upper and lower sidebands of a received passband signal. The slope detector includes transversal filters for filtering I and Q channel inputs and multipliers and combiners for processing the filter outputs to provide an output that is indicative of the slope of the passband signal spectrum. The output may be a value that is translated to an instantaneous slope, or may be tri-state and indicate whether the slope is positive, zero, or negative.

Abstract: A method of allocating radio channels among tactical networks of radio transceivers which uses fuzzy logic to evaluate quality of communication and which uses a genetic algorithm to find an optimal channel allocation plan. The method generates plural plans which each have a random allocation of the radio channels to the networks, and evaluates each plan to provide a goodness vector for each of the plans. The goodness vector is a vector of goodness values which are continuous from best to worst. The process iteratively ranks the evaluated plans based on their goodness vectors, uses higher ranked plans to generate further plans which are also ranked, and deletes lower ranked plans until the top ranked plan or the goodness vector does not change for a predetermined period. The channels are allocated in accordance with the top ranked plan.

Abstract: A data transmission system in which an on/off keyed (OOK) AM/DPSK modulated data signal with an on/off ratio exceeding about 80 dB which has been modulated on a carrier is received at a compact, easily fabricated and battery powered data receiver which operates without automatic gain control and which includes a double loop antenna (diameter of about two inches) with a trimmer capacitor center tapped to the antenna for providing a conjugate impedance match between the antenna and a low noise amplifier. In the receiver, a square-law detection AM demodulator for demodulating the amplified signal is in a bipolar silicon IC, and a DPSK data detector for decoding the demodulated signal is in a separate digital CMOS IC.

Abstract: A signal processing system and method for improving reception of plural signals received at an antenna array in a wireless communication system by increasing the carrier-to-interference plus noise ratio and by decreasing signal envelope variance of each of the plural signals using single or multiple stage subspace projection and a constant modulus beamformer. Each of the stages separate and optimize one of the signals and projects the remaining signals (if present) to the subspace of the next stage. In the method and system the plural signals received at each antenna are converted to baseband in a wideband RF downconverter. Received signals are thereafter provided in digital form to the constant modulus beamformer where each stage of the beamformer separates one of the plural signals from a stage input so that a stage output has the remaining ones of the plural signals, and projects the stage output onto a subspace of the remaining signals in the next stage.

Abstract: An integrated circuit R/C network and method for providing a selectively variable impedance in which a capacitor has a high resistivity semiconductor plate with a low resistivity body contact region therein, the contact region for providing a variable resistance in series with the capacitor, and in which a control terminal is connected to the plate for selectively applying a control voltage thereto which varies the series resistance to thereby vary the impedance of the network.