Abstract: A process for smelting aluminum from a mixture of a double salt potassium-aluminum sulfate 2KAl(SO.sub.4).sub.2 and aluminum sulfate Al.sub.2 (SO.sub.4).sub.3 with potassium sulfate K.sub.2 SO.sub.4 having a weight ratio of 2KAl(SO.sub.4).sub.2 to K.sub.2 SO.sub.4 in the range of 50/50 to 15/85. The mixture is heated to a eutectic temperature that makes it molten and electrolysis is used to precipitate out aluminum at the negative electrode and gases from SO.sub.4 ions at the positive electrode. A critical amount of a feed of 2KAl(SO.sub.4).sub.2 is added to replace that which was consumed in the electrolysis and to maintain the weight ratio which provides for the low eutectic melting temperature.

Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention combines, on a single integrated circuit, an eight channel GPS receiver, a 68330-type microprocessor, a 68681-type DUART serial communications controller, an analog-to-digital converter, a real-time clock, a random access memory and a boot read-only memory. A system integration module and inter-module bus allow tri-state control of the microprocessor such that a commercially available 68332-type emulator may be used for software development.

Abstract: A GPS emergency rescue network comprising at least one GPS receiver and L2-frequency transmitter combination for a target, and a GPS receiver able to tune the L2 frequency transmissions of the target's transceiver. A constellation of orbiting GPS satellites transmit their range information on two carrier frequencies, L1 and L2, and are differentiated from the survivor's L2-frequency transmissions by unique pseudo-random number codes in the spread spectrum code multiple access scheme that is otherwise conventional.

Abstract: In aluminum smelting by electrolysis, a double salt of KAlSO.sub.4, as a feedstock, is heated with a eutectic electrolyte, such as K.sub.2 SO.sub.4, at 800.degree. C. for twenty minutes to produce an out-gas of SO.sub.3 and a liquid electrolyte of K.sub.2 SO.sub.4 with fine-particles of Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 in suspension having a mean size of six to eight microns. This is pumped into a cell with an electrolyte comprised of K.sub.2 SO.sub.4 with fine-particles of Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 in suspension, an anode and a porous cathode of open-cell ceramic foam material. The cell is maintained at 750.degree. C. and four volts of electricity applied between the anode and the cathode causes oxygen to bubble at the anode and liquid aluminum to form in the porous cathode.

Abstract: A pellicle for use on a photomask reticle in conjunction with deep ultraviolet light wavelengths. The membrane of the pellicle comprises a purified fluoropolymer that has been spin coated on a glass substrate treated with a surface modifier and then separated and mounted on an aluminum frame. The aluminum frame has vents that filter air of contaminants and which allow an equalization of air pressure on both sides of the pellicle membrane when a peel-off backliner is in place on the opposite side of the frame. A permanent bond is made between the membrane and frame and a sticky adhesive is used to keep the backliner on the frame until peel-off. The sticky adhesive is such that the backliner may be re-attached a plurality of times.

Abstract: A receiver embodiment of the present invention comprises a radio frequency section that down-converts frequency division signals received from the several orbiting GLONASS satellites into a composite pseudo-baseband with spectral fold-over, a Nyquist sampling unit for sampling the composite signal at twenty to twenty-five MHz, and a programmable carrier frequency in-phase (I) and quadrature-phase (Q) digital multiplier for sorting through the composite signal to find a particular GLONASS satellite's signal. The particular satellite is identified by comparing almanac and ephemeris information. Cross-correlations between L1 and L2 are performed by a correlation that is integrated over a whole data bit length and a proposed insertion bit is inverted or not inverted according to its sign before further summing.

Abstract: An electronic design automation tool embodiment of the present invention comprises a five step process. In a first step, for each pin-master of arbitrary shape in a cell-master a pin access direction is identified, a region in which placing a via will connect a pin to a metal layer, and cause no design rule violation to other pin-masters, is physical bounded on the surface of a chip. Such a region is defined to be a "via-region" of the pin-master. In a second step, at least one "via-spot" within each via-region is identified that violates no design rules if vias are placed at these points. In a third step, vias are placed on each cell instance according to their via-spots. In a fourth step, a "maze-routing" is done to connect the neighboring same net pins by metal-1. In a fifth step, the vias on the pins connected by the maze-router are removed, leaving only one via on a pin if the connection for a current net is not complete.

Abstract: A motor vehicle with an on-board propelling power source and operator control functions for steering, increasing and decreasing the vehicles rate of motion. The vehicle includes a chassis with an operator seat for receiving a human operator; a front wheel that can be laterally directed by the operator so the operator can steer the vehicle; a front wheel which is connected to an electronic motor for propelling the vehicle; a drive-gear train assembly for transferring the rotational power of the electronic motor to rotational power of the front wheel; a pair of rear wheels spaced laterally relative to each other for supporting and assisting in maneuvering the vehicle; and a pair of front stabilizing wheels spaced laterally from the front wheel with the front wheel intermediate to the front stabilizing wheels. The steering mechanism, drive-gear train assembly, and electronic motor are attached to a steering shaft and rotate with the steering shaft.

Abstract: A vacuum tubing valve including a first receiver tube shoulder including a tubular aperture extending along a longitudinal axis for receiving a first tubular hose. Connecting the shoulder is a stator unit including a C-shaped cavity with an opening about the side opposite the curved C-shaped wall and two apertures within the C-shaped wall and in axial alignment along the longitudinal axis. A 10 second receiver tube shoulder and tubular aperture extend along the longitudinal axis joining the stator about the second aperture. The stator includes a C-shaped rotor positioned and rotatable within the cavity, and having an elongated channel extending end-to-end. The channel is in alignment along the longitudinal axis with the first and second apertures when the rotor is in a first position, and the channel is off-set from the longitudinal axis when the rotor is in a second position.

Abstract: A GPS receiver comprises a data output port for communicating time code information formatted according to standards published by the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineer (SMPTE). Such time code information is input to independent sound, film and video recorders at a performance event to create tracks on each recording for re-synchronizing the pictures and sounds in post-performance editing.

Abstract: Briefly, to reduce switching stresses, employed is a high-frequency AC power source (110) and a current-limiting (ballasting) network (116). The network ( 116 ) includes a high-frequency trap ( 120 ) and an impedance transforming network (122), which is coupled to the AC power source (110) by the trap (120) and which is for connection to a load that includes at least one gaseous discharge (fluorescent) lamp or other non-linear or negative-resistance load (102). The trap, which has the parallel resonant combination of an inductor ( 130 ) and a capacitor ( 132 ), is resonant at a frequency chosen such that the switching-circuit transistor(s) (210, or 230 and 232, or 250 and 252, or 270 and 272, or 708) of the AC power source (110) switch at times when the level of the current (charge flowing) therein and/or the voltage developed there across is zero, preferably, at a frequency slightly higher than a harmonic frequency of the high-frequency AC power source ( 110 ).

Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention is an ice detection system that comprises a network of thin, flexible microstrip antennas distributed on an aircraft wing at critical points and multiplexed into a microcomputer. Each sensor antenna and associated electronics measures the unique electrical properties of compounds that accumulate on the wing surface over the sensor. The electronics include provisions for sensor fusion wherein thermocouple and acoustic data values are measured. A microcomputer processes the information and can discern the presence of ice, water frost, ethylene-glycol or slush. A program executing in the microcomputer can recognize each compound's characteristic signal and can calculate the compounds' thicknesses and can predict how quickly the substance is progressing toward icing conditions. A flight deck readout enables a pilot or ground crew to be informed as to whether deicing procedures are necessary and/or how soon deicing may be necessary.

Abstract: A switching power supply embodiment of the present invention includes a plastic leaded chip carrier (PLCC) that has two rectangular holes joined by a channel on the bottom surface that allow the PLCC to be surface mounted on a printed circuit board over a ferrite U-core section. A ferrite I-core section caps the ends of the U-core section above the top surface of the PLCC. A wire frame within the PLCC provides for several individual parallel conductor segments that pass between the two holes to rows of surface mount pins on opposite edges of the PLCC. Traces on the printed circuit board complete the connection of these conductor segments to form a primary winding of a transformer. A secondary winding is similarly constructed using pins on another edge of the PLCC.

Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention is a process in which a polymer solution is spin coated onto a master data recording disk, such as glass substrate with photoresist images, before separating. After drying and forming polymer, a polymer membrane results which is a faithful reproduction of micron-sized optical recording features on the surface of the master. Such membrane is either peeled-off and mounted to a pellicle-like frame or first laminated to a stiffer, stronger substrate before peeling to support the duplicate.

Abstract: An electronic design automation tool embodiment uses a single slack graph structure throughout a process to provide communication between a placer (performing placement) and a timing constraint generator (performing slack distribution). The tool includes a slack graph generator, a timing calculator, a timing analyzer, a timing constraint generator and a net bounding box generator. A list of net constraints and a list of complete path constraints are fed to the slack graph generator during operation. Timing calculations from the delay calculator and zero net RC delays from a clustering process in a placer also provide input to the slack graph generator. The list of net constraints, a list of pin-to-pin constraints and a set of specifications for system clocking are input to the timing analyzer. The timing constraint generator receives a composite slack graph from the timing calculator, slack graph generator and timing analyzer.

Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention is a boost preregulator circuit which includes a bridge rectifier, an inductor, a boost diode and an output capacitor. A power transistor is switched on and off across a junction of the boost inductor and boost rectifier according to a variable duty cycle. Proper variation of the duty cycle results in a power factor corrected AC line current waveform with an in-phase sinusoidal shape.

Abstract: A GPS receiver comprises a data input/output port for communication of datum-less position fixes in an earth-centered, earth-fixed (ECEF) coordinate style to avoid the errors associated with not communicating the datum choice with latitude longitude data communication formats.