Abstract: A display includes a plurality of individually electrically controllable pixels. Each pixel has a layer of light controlling medium extending over a predetermined area of the pixel. The light controlling medium is responsive to electrical fields directed through the area of the light controlling medium for controlling the light passing through the pixel as a predetermined function of the magnitude of the electric field. Each pixel has an electric field directing arrangement for directing an electric field through the layer of light controlling medium of the pixel. The electric field for each pixel is controllably variable over the area of the light controlling medium of the pixel such that the light passing through the area of the light controlling medium of the pixel is controlled in a manner that varies over the area of the pixel depending on the variable electric field.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method of performing alignment adjustments for bringing a laser into a desired alignment which, in turn, affects light output intensity of the laser. The laser defines an alignable light path within a resonant cavity and includes a birefringent nonlinear material having an input face. The method includes the steps of arranging the nonlinear material in the light path in a way which causes the light path to pass through the input face of the nonlinear material such that the alignment adjustments affect a plurality of parameters which parameters are normally interdependently coupled to one another with respect to each alignment adjustment. One of the parameters being the phase retardance of the birefringent nonlinear material and one of the adjustments is the tilt of the birefringent non-linear material with respect to the light path.

Abstract: Light responsive, transmissivity variable eyewear utilizing two specifically configured liquid crystal cells and a method of making the cells is disclosed. The cell itself includes a pair of spaced apart transparent substrates in confronting parallel relationship to one another, transparent electrodes exposed over the outer surfaces of the substrates and connectable to a voltage control arrangement, a liquid crystal mixture contained between the substrates and tilted homeotropic alignment layers formed on the inner confronting surfaces of the substrates. The liquid crystal mixture contains a liquid crystal material with a negative dielectric anisotropy and dichroic dye molecules. All of which cooperate with one another such that the cell is highly transparent indoors, that is, out of the sunlight and is much less transparent, that is dark, in the sunlight.

Abstract: A method is disclosed as part of an overall process in which a boring tool is moved through the ground within a given region along a particular path in an orientation which includes pitch. A locating signal is transmitted from the boring tool which exhibits negative locate points at the surface of the ground. The method establishes the depth of the boring tool at a particular position by identifying a negative locate point corresponding to the particular position of the boring tool along the particular path. Thereafter, a signal strength of the locating signal is measured at the negative locate point. The pitch of the boring tool is then determined at the particular position of the boring tool. Using the measured signal strength and the determined pitch, the depth of the boring tool beneath the surface of the ground is established at the particular point.

Abstract: A system is disclosed in which a boring tool is moved through the ground in a region which includes at least one electrically conductive in-ground line. The system includes an arrangement for tracking a specific positional relationship between the boring tool and one or more in-ground lines. The arrangement generates a magnetic field from one of either the boring tool or the line. A particular characteristic of the generated field is detected at the boring tool if the field is generated from the line or is detected at the line if the field is generated from the boring tool. The characteristic varies as a function of the specific positional relationship between the boring tool and the line as the boring tool moves through the ground within the region.

Abstract: A device such as an electric motor, an electric generator, or a regenerative electric motor includes a rotor arrangement and a stator arrangement. The stator arrangement has a dielectric electromagnet housing and at least one energizable electromagnet assembly including an overall amorphous metal magnetic core. The overall amorphous metal magnetic core is made up of a plurality of individually formed amorphous metal core pieces. The dielectric electromagnet housing has core piece openings formed into the electromagnet housing for holding the individually formed amorphous metal core pieces in positions adjacent to one another so as to form the overall amorphous metal magnetic core. The device further includes a control arrangement that is able to variably control the activation and deactivation of the electromagnet using any combination of a plurality of activation and deactivation parameters in order to control the speed, efficiency, torque, and power of the device.

Abstract: A system for producing modulated light is disclosed. The system comprises a spatial light modulator including a light modulating medium switchable between different states so as to act on light in ways which form overall patterns of modulated light. The system also includes an arrangement for switching the modulating medium between the different states in a controlled way and an illumination arrangement for producing a source of light. The system further includes an optics arrangement for directing light from the source of light into the spatial light modulator and for directing light from the spatial light modulator through a predetermined source imaging area. The optics arrangement cooperates with the illumination arrangement and the spatial light modulator so as to produce a real image of the source of light within the source imaging area such that an individual is able to view a virtual image of the overall patterns of modulated light from the source imaging area.

Abstract: A surgical procedure done under general anesthesia in which a patient is first operated on in an operating room and thereafter moved from the operating room to a recovery room is disclosed herein. During general anesthesia the patient is administered oxygen from a first oxygen source through a cooperating tube disengagably connected at a first end to the source and at a second opposite end to a mask or endotracheal tube attached to the patient in a way that allows the patient to receive oxygen from the source. After surgery, while being moved from the operating room to a recovery room, the patient is administered oxygen from a second, portable source using the very same cooperating tube. Specifically, after the patient has begun spontaneous ventilation, the first end of the cooperating tube is disconnected from the original oxygen source and reconnected to the portable source.

Abstract: Treatment systems and associated methods for exposing one or more articles to at least one treatment source are disclosed herein. In one embodiment the system includes a single treatment source. The treatment source and the article or articles being treated are positioned in separately evacuable chambers. In a method of using the first embodiment, the article or articles can be removed from a handling chamber while the treatment source remains in an evacuated environment within a source chamber. Multi-source treatment systems and associated methods are also disclosed herein. Each treatment source in the multi-source systems is positioned in a respective evacuable chamber completely isolated from the other sources which make up the overall system. An evacuable multi-source handling chamber is arranged for selective movement between the source chambers.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for modulating light, wherein a light source provides light of a certain wavelength to be modulated by a layer of superconducting material which forms part of a specifically configured plate assembly. The superconducting layer is placed in the optical path of the light source. Further the superconducting layer is switched between a partially transparent non-superconducting state and a substantially non-transparent superconducting state by a modulation circuit. The resulting optical pulses transmitted through the superconducting layer are converted from the original wavelength to a lower wavelength by a frequency converting device.

Abstract: The present invention provides a locator/monitor capable of locating a boring tool and monitoring the progress of the tool for control purposes. The locator/monitor may be used in expedited locating methodology and straightforward calibration techniques of the present invention. A durable and cost effective pitch sensor is also provided by the present invention. In addition, the present invention provides a slotted transmitter housing formed of an electrically conductive material, where the magnetic field generated by the transmitter is capable of penetrating to the surface.

Abstract: An overall process in which a boring tool is moved through the ground within a given region along a particular path from a specific starting point is disclosed herein. A method of establishing and graphically recording the location of at least a portion of the particular path taken by the boring tool within the given region is also disclosed herein along with and with respect to a reference path which may change with time and vertical survey reference path which will remain unchanged with time.

Abstract: A method of using amorphous silicon as a photoresist is disclosed herein. The photoresist is produced by first forming a thin film including at least an outermost layer which includes hydrogenated amorphous silicon onto a suitable surface. Predetermined areas of the outermost layer are then exposed to ultraviolet light. Following exposure, the unexposed areas of the outermost layer, along with any underlying associated portions of the film, are removed so as to reveal the surface in areas which underlie the unexposed outermost layer areas. In a first feature, the outermost layer is formed at a temperature no greater than about 100.degree. C. In a second feature, the predetermined areas of the outermost layer are exposed to ultraviolet light at a temperature no greater than about 100.degree. C. In a third feature, the film is formed entirely from hydrogenated amorphous silicon.

Abstract: A system is disclosed in which a boring tool is moved through the ground in a region which includes at least one electrically conductive in-ground line. The system includes an arrangement for tracking a specific positional relationship between the boring tool and one or more in-ground lines. The arrangement generates a magnetic field from one of either the boring tool or the line. A particular characteristic of the generated field is detected at the boring tool if the field is generated from the line or is detected at the line if the field is generated from the boring tool. The characteristic varies as a function of the specific positional relationship between the boring tool and the line as the boring tool moves through the ground within the region.

Abstract: A system and method for producing spatially modulated monochrome or color light having gray scale during a given period of time includes a spatial light modulator having a light modulating arrangement switchable between different states so as to act on light in different ways. A switching arrangement switches the modulating arrangement between different states in a controlled way during the period. The system also includes an illumination arrangement for selectively and alternately directing light of constant intensity and varying intensity into the modulating arrangement during predetermined subperiods of the period. In a color version of the system, the illumination arrangement directs light of different colors into the modulating arrangement during predetermined subperiods of the period, thereby providing a system for producing modulated colored light having color gray scale during a given period.

Abstract: A system for producing spatially modulated monochrome or color light having gray scale includes an active matrix liquid crystal spatial light modulator having light modulating means including (i) a layer of ferroelectric liquid crystal material which is designed to switch between ON and OFF states and (ii) active matrix means including VLSI circuitry for dividing the layer of liquid crystal material into an array of individual liquid crystal pixels and for causing each of the pixels of liquid crystal material to modulate light individually by switching between the ON and OFF states in a way that depends upon the data which the VLSI circuitry is written. The system also includes illumination means having a light source for directing light from the source into the pixel-divided layer of ferroelectric liquid crystal material in a specific way.

Abstract: A device such as an electric motor, an electric generator, or a regenerative electric motor includes a rotor arrangement and a stator arrangement. The stator arrangement has a dielectric electromagnet housing and at least one energizable electromagnet assembly including an overall amorphous metal magnetic core. The overall amorphous metal magnetic core is made up of a plurality of individually formed amorphous metal core pieces. The dielectric electromagnet housing has core piece openings formed into the electromagnet housing for holding the individually formed amorphous metal core pieces in positions adjacent to one another so as to form the overall amorphous metal magnetic core. The device further includes a control arrangement that is able to variably control the activation and deactivation of the electromagnet using any combination of a plurality of activation and deactivation parameters in order to control the speed, efficiency, torque, and power of the device.

Abstract: An orientation sensor especially suitable for use in an underground device is disclosed herein. This orientation sensor includes a sensor housing defining a closed internal chamber, an arrangement of electrically conductive members in a predetermined positional relationship to one another within the chamber and a flowable material contained within the housing chamber and through which electrical connections between the electrically conductive members are made such that a comparison between an electrical property, specifically voltage, of a first combination of conductive members to the corresponding electrical property of a second combination of conductive members can be used to determine a particular orientation parameter, specifically pitch or roll of the sensor.

Abstract: A one way drive device for transmitting torque from a rotational input to a rotational output when the device is driven in a counterclockwise torque transmitting rotational direction by the rotational input. The device allows the rotational input to freely rotate in a clockwise overrun direction relative to the rotational output. The one way drive device includes a dog clutch to transmit torque when driven in the torque transmitting direction and a ratchet clutch to provide the overrun function.

Abstract: A method of establishing the location of at least a portion of a particular path taken by a boring tool within a given region is presented. The method includes the steps of establishing a reference path within the region and providing a portable locator and means located partially at and forming part of the boring tool and partially at and forming part of the locator for generating certain information about the position of the boring tool relative to the position of the locator. When the boring tool reaches various spaced apart measuring locations as it moves along the particular path, at each such measuring location, the locator is positioned on the reference path at an associated reference point which is specifically determined by the position of the boring tool at the associated location on the particular path.