Abstract: An EEPROM transistor fabricated with a single polysilicon layer. An MOS transistor is fabricated with a subsurface electrode region defined by a stripe in a first direction. A layer of thin oxide is arranged in a second stripe, perpendicular to the first stripe and a polysilicon layer, arranged in a third stripe is disposed over the second stripe of thin oxide. An adjoining parallel plate capacitor is formed by a subsurface region of the same conductivity type as the subsurface electrodes in the first stripe. An insulative second plate of thin oxide is joined to the second stripe and a third plate of the capacitor is formed by a polysilicon plate over the oxide plate. Vertical metallization stripes in the first direction may contact with some components, while parallel metal stripes in a second layer in a perpendicular direction may contact with the remaining members.

Abstract: Non-volatile semiconductor core memory performance is enhanced by reduced stress on core memory cells. Stress is reduced by selectable application of bias voltages to the sense line under control of the word line. The word line is connected to an inverting device in turn connected to a transistor effective for grounding the gate of a variable threshold programmable transistor in the memory cell. Power down of the word line is reflected in synchronous power-down of the sense line. Additionally, with power down, the sense amplifier for the particular core memory cell is disconnected from a master latch circuit, which in turn is connected to a slave latch circuit for applying the previous sense amplifier output to an input/output buffer, in order to secure the data sensed in core memory during read operation. The invention further permits reduced word line voltages during erase operation on the sense line and the variable threshold programmable transistor.

Abstract: A method and system of determining an operation parameter for a centrifuge includes measuring one or more physical characteristics of a rotor interchangeably supported by a rotor drive. In the preferred embodiment, windage is measured at a first rotational speed and a speed-dependent signal is generated to adjust a vacuum system based upon changes in rotational speed of the rotor. Changes in windage may also be used as a basis for adjusting a refrigeration circuit. Either as an alternative or in addition to monitoring windage, the moment of inertia can be measured and used to adjust adaptive circuitry. For example, the drive circuitry may be adjusted based upon a determination of inertia as the physical characteristic of interest. The method and system isolate inertia and windage as the main forms of resistance to acceleration of the rotor.

Abstract: A truck-train system that provides for the mounting and dismounting of a truck-trailer on/from a railway dolly at any stretch of train rails which is paved or gravelled level to the height of the rail head, and employing a moment arm reaction locking mechanism that automatically centers and engages the truck-trailer thereby locking it into place. The dolly includes a steering rod assembly that permits it to steer into curves in either direction of operation. Also included on the dolly, is a truck assembly that utilizes a floating pedestal. The moment arm reaction locking mechanism coupled with the steering rod assembly and the floating pedestal affords greater lateral stability and greatly increased operating speeds of the truck-train system.

Abstract: A load binder with incremental adjustments that can adjust a load to within one quarter of one link, having a handle that extends into a curved cam with a recess, and a many sided variable pivot mounted within the recess and two opposed clevises attached to the cam. The incremental adjustments are made available by mounting the variable pivot asymmetrically about its axis. Providing the incremental adjustments abrogates the over or under tensioning of a link chain that has been historically associated with the lever type load binders.

Abstract: A modular brush for applying hair treatment solution in a quasi-random pattern includes a brush body and a plurality of removable rotating bristle modules. The bristle modules have tightly packed bristles that retain different volumes of hair treatment solution, such as dye, after the bristles have been dipped into a supply of the solution. The modules may be arranged to achieve the user-selected pattern of treatment. Movement of the brush causes the bristle modules to rotate, providing a fresh supply of solution to the sections of hair which are contacted by bristles and leaving the sections in their natural color where the sections are between bristle modules or between arrays of bristles on the same module. A locking member can be employed to selectively prevent rotation of the bristle modules. A detent-and-notch arrangement may be used to ensure synchronous rotation of the bristle modules.

Abstract: A fluorescence detection scanner and method employing a fiberoptic collector, positioned adjacent to the scanning plane of the excitation beam, with a light collecting surface which is oriented to reject back-scattered excitation light from the incident surface of the sample support. The scanning plane of the excitation beam is off normal relative to the incident surface of the sample support and the light collecting surface is located within the area defined by the resulting acute angle of incidence. The light collecting surface is angled away from the location at which the incident excitation beam intersects the surface of the sample support so that back-scattered excitation light does not enter the optical fibers. The orientation of the light collector results in a four to five-fold decrease in excitation-light background without attenuation of the fluorescence emitted by the sample.

Abstract: Stress detecting device for monitoring respiration, including a base supporting a transducer responsive to forces applied, at least indirectly, thereon by a slideably engageable belt, for producing electrical signals representative of magnitudes of the forces, and an element allowing at least one component of the forces in a selected direction to be applied to the transducer, while supressing application of other components in other directions of the forces to the transducer. A method for detecting and monitoring circumferential changes in the chest or abdomen of a user resulting from breathing, is also disclosed.

Abstract: A digital logic circuit for use in or as a macrocell which can be programmed to operate as a flip-flop or as a latch, or to be transparent to a signal, and which also has programmable output polarity. This programmable macrocell circuit has two master latch elements and one slave latch element. The master latch elements are respectively inverting and noninverting latches which are located on two parallel alternate paths. A set of pass transistors on the input end of the two paths causes an input signal to drive only a selected one of the two paths and its associated master latch element. A two-by-one multiplexer connects the output of the selected master latch element in one of the two signal paths to the input of the slave latch.

Abstract: An optical data identification card for an individual containing a photograph of the authorized user and a strip of optical contrast laser recording material with a laser-written macroscopic bi-level image of the authorized user to authenticate the photograph. The bi-level image is constructed by applying a dither matrix to a digital image file corresponding to the photograph. Each dark pixel consists of an array of high-density laser recorded spots or lines.

Abstract: A thermal control system for variable speed microprocessor with a piecewise estimate of temperature change. The estimate is modeled after actual temperature change measurements of a microprocessor operating at low and high speeds and is recorded in a digital format in storage registers, one set of registers for each operating frequency. A counter counts sample microprocessor clock signals for a time over which the microprocessor speed is operating at a specific speed and provides a basic count signal. This basic count signal is incremented or decremented by comparison with stored values of the piecewise estimate of temperature change. As the basic signal increases or decreases, new slopes are provided to the counter for adjusting the basic count, upwards or downwards, depending on whether the system speed is high, intermediate or low. The adjusted counter output is also fed to comparators, which monitor a desired upper and lower temperature limit.

Abstract: A quantitative fluorometer for multiple fluorophores having dual time-modulated beams of excitation light. Each beam is synchronized with a separate detector and lock-in amplifier. The fluorophores are simultaneously excited and the combined fluorescent emission is resolved into components corresponding to each fluorophore. Confocal scanning means are used to excite and detect fluorescent emission from locations throughout a volume. The location specific output of each amplifier is stored in a computer which resolves the emission into the components corresponding to each fluorophore. The location specific data may be further processed or visually displayed. Multiple amplifiers for each detector channel allow phase discrimination in each channel so that prompt and delayed fluorescence may be measured, allowing use of multiple fluorophores in each detector channel.

Abstract: An optical surface scanner for semiconductor wafers and like substrates having one channel with a detector receiving collected scattered light and another channel with a detector receiving reflected light. The scattered light signal is indicative of surface haze, particle count and size, while the reflected light signals are indicative of film thickness and/or surface properties as in the case of an opaque or absorbing layer. The latter signal may be used to correct the particle count and size determination and may also be used simultaneously for thin film measurement. The reflectivity or thin film measurement signals may be used to characterize a film layer controller to improve the accuracy of the deposited thickness of the layer.

Abstract: A device for centrifugally separating a sample includes a housing which defines an enclosed chamber from which gas is evacuated via an evacuation port protected by a spinning rotor. The evacuation port is preferably located proximate to the axis of rotation of the rotor and within the interior of the rotor. A drive shaft connects the rotor to a motor positioned outside of the chamber. An annular sleeve having an inside diameter greater than the diameter of the shaft extends coaxially along the drive shaft into the chamber. The outlet of the gap between the drive shaft and the annular sleeve defines the evacuation port. A hub is fixed to the upper end of the drive shaft and includes a downwardly depending skirt that has an inside diameter greater than the outside diameter of the annular sleeve. Gas evacuation from the chamber is initially in an upward direction along the gap between the hub skirt and the sleeve and in a downward direction from the evacuation port to a vacuum pump.

Abstract: A display plaque having an indicia that is seen through a transparent facing material; an opaque facing such as a solid surface or a marbleized material, a back plate that supports both said facing materials in unification. The transparent and opaque facing materials are cut in a conforming geometrical configuration. The transparent and opaque facing materials are then fitted and affixed to said back plate.

Abstract: An array of electron beam tubes is mounted on a conductive plate for projecting stripe-like electron beams through air onto a substrate beneath the plate. The tubes each have a narrow beam window formed by a very thin low-Z film layer, supported by silicon and sealing the tube against ambient pressure. Such windows produce low beam attenuation and allow low extraction voltages to be used, thereby reducing beam energy which would otherwise be lost by penetration through a surface to be treated. The stripe-like output electron beam segments may be formed into a linear beam track so that the entire widthwise extent of a surface, such as a sheet or web, may be treated by electron beam irradiation or the beam segments may be formed into any desired composite beam pattern. In another embodiment the stripe-like output beam segments may be arranged in an array to treat a circular circumferential surface, such as a cable.

Abstract: A method for deterring fraudulent voting involving use of wallet-size cards having a permanent data storage medium and a temporary data storage medium disposed on each card. A first card writing device has means for acquiring biometric information from a person and for writing a template of that information on the permanent storage medium. A voter registration verification terminal has similar means for acquiring biometric information from a possessor of the card, and also has a means for reading the biometric information from the permanent storage medium of the card. Upon inputting biometric information from both the card and the possessor of the card, the verification terminal compares the information, and, if they match, writes data allowing limited use of the card for voting on the temporary data storage medium of the card. This data can be read by a plurality of voting terminals at other locations.

Abstract: A conduit defined by an oxygen ion permeable wall formed of zirconia or other materials and having gas permeable electrodes disposed on an inner and outer surface of the wall. The electrodes are configured to form two oxygen pumps that share an electrode on the inner surface in order to minimize interference with gas flowing through the conduit, yet allow a number of operations to be performed on the gas as it flows. The conduit can be used as a getter for removal of oxygen from even reactive gases. The conduit can also be used as a pump for injecting a known quantity of oxygen to the gas, the oxygen supplied from air outside the conduit. The upstream pump can be used as a getter and the downstream pump for oxygen injection, thereby providing a known concentration of oxygen gas or oxidants, such as water vapor, in the gas exiting the conduit. The conduit can contain a pair of sensor electrodes on the inner and outer surface downstream of the other electrodes.

Abstract: An electrostatic color printer or copier having a single toner applicator with a system for continuous toner purification. The single applicator is used for each color sequentially and as toning of one color is completed a volume of spent or contaminated toner fluid is left behind in the applicator. This volume is removed with clean wash fluid and sent to a wash fluid tank. Dirty wash fluid is continuously purified either before or after return to a wash fluid supply tank. In the latter case, the wash fluid supply becomes contaminated but is purified as wash fluid is withdrawn or while still in the tank. Continuous purification of dirty wash fluid allows a small volume purifier to be used without need for spent toner disposal.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for aiming billiard balls comprising an object ball with a surface coated with an array of colored dots. Adjacent dots are dissimilarly colored to aid in their distinguishment. A desired trajectory is aimed for by first sighting the object ball from a direction opposite a target and selecting a contact dot disposed collinear with that trajectory and furthest from that target. A cue ball or other striking means is then aimed to strike the object ball at the contact dot.