Abstract: A steering linkage in which a pair of steering arms rotatably mounted on the vehicle frame are jointed by a tie rod to form, in combination, a parallelogram. For each wheel, a steering arm slidably engages a crank arm secured to a king pin that rotatably mounts the wheel to the frame. The pivot point of each steering arm is arranged so that a given angular rotation of both steering arms produces a differential angular wheel rotation that maintains the point of intersection of the steered wheel axes proximate the axis of the fixed wheels or more generally, the rotational axis of all wheels proximate a fixed point.

Abstract: An error correcting code (ECC) function and a parity interface scheme providing a translation capability between the ECC and parity protocols is implemented for memory systems in personal computers (PCs). The ECC function addresses the problems of interfacing memory with a variety of other components that may communicate in words composed of differing numbers of bytes. A partial write function within an ECC module permits a read/modify/write operation without extra components, at faster speeds and with minimal use of the system bus. An improved parity/ECC protocol interface is implemented by choosing an appropriate ECC code to facilitate parity generation and checking. This is done by selecting a code that contains groupings of data bits corresponding to the desired parity scheme. The ECC XOR trees are modified to allow parity checking and error correction decode simultaneously, thereby eliminating the need for two sets of XOR trees in the interface.

Abstract: A power down circuit for a default detection circuit, for detecting defects in memory array cells, comprising means for diverting the memory array standby current around the memory array cells to achieve the maximum ratio of change in input voltage as compared to the change in cell standby current and to provide improved tracking of the memory array over statistical variations of temperature, power supplies, process and other variables.

Abstract: A respiratory sound analyzer system for use in the noisy ambient environments, such as in medical transport vehicles including helicopters, boats, aircraft, ambulances, and other vehicles, as well as at fire scenes, disasters, sporting events, rock concerts, and the like, includes an array of miniature accelerometers which are connected to the chest of a patient. Rather than relying on traditional auscultation, the on-board personnel will analyze a conditioned signal on a display screen or other device to monitor a patient's breathing patterns. Successive signals may be stored and compared with each other to determine a deterioration in a patient's breathing pattern, and signals may also be compared with stored normal and abnormal breathing signals. Ambient noise effects can be reduced or eliminated from the sensed breathing signal by a number of means.

Abstract: A pressure sensor includes a liquid crystal positioned between transparent, electrically conductive films (18 and 20), that are biased by a voltage (V) which induces an electric field (E) that causes the liquid crystal to assume a first state of orientation. Application of pressure (P) to a flexible, transparent film (24) causes the conductive film (20) to move closer to or farther from the conductive film (18), thereby causing a change in the electric field (E'(P)) which causes the liquid crystal to assume a second state of orientation. Polarized light (P.sub.1) is directed into the liquid crystal and transmitted or reflected to an analyzer (A or 30). Changes in the state of orientation of the liquid crystal induced by applied pressure (P) result in a different light intensity being detected at the analyzer (A or 30) as a function of the applied pressure (P).

Abstract: Copolyamic acids carrying -CF3 group functionalized aromatic segments in the polymer chain derived from aromatic diamines and dianhydrides with linear-rigid-planar structure interrupted by linear-rigid-noncoplanar segments structure and the corresponding copolyimides films are provided. These copolyimides have low in-plane thermal coefficient of expansion, reduced anisotropy in the optical and dielectric properties, low moisture uptake, and improved polyimide-to-polyimide adhesion.

Abstract: A controller coupled to a host system, an external storage unit and a temporary memory performs a simultaneous data transfer thereamong. The controller includes an interface unit coupled to the host system, a buffer memory coupled to the external storage unit, a data transfer control unit coupled to the interface unit and the buffer memory, and a bus interconnecting the interface unit, the buffer memory and the temporary memory to one another. The data transfer control unit includes sequencing circuitry for generating first and second enable-signals substantially simultaneously and then generating one of first and second read signals and one of second and first write signals while instructing the temporary memory to fetch data onto the bus.

Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit device in which an internal circuit thereof is held by a backup power source when a main power source is disconnected comprises a comparator 29 for comparing a potential at a first power terminal 111 with that at a second power terminal 110. When the potential at the first power terminal is reduced switch means 212 connected between the first and second power terminals is closed to supply power from the second power terminal to a data storage unit 17 while forbidding write and read operations of store data.

Abstract: A conventional dynamic testing machine, such as an MTS (Material Test System) is modified to allow for a new method for dynamically monitoring fatigue damage in a specimen. Load and stroke signals are used to determine phase angle and gain frequency response parameters for a specimen as it is cyclically loaded. Although the cycles required for specimens to fatigue to failure varies greatly from specimen to specimen, the phase shift between the load and stroke signals as well as the gain of the stroke signal remains fairly constant from specimen to specimen. These characteristic parameters can be used to accurately determine the percent of life remaining and residual strength in other specimens.

Abstract: A single step electrical/mechanical connection process utilizes an adhesive layer (3 or 26) that is patterned on a substrate (1 or 21) to mechanically connect adjacent substrates in a multilayered structure (28) or to connect a pin (2) assembly to a device (5). In a preferred embodiment, the adhesive layer (3 or 26) and substrate (1 or 21) are made from materials which will undergo transesterification under heat and pressure to create a very strong bond therebetween. The adhesive layer (3 or 26) is positioned around and does not cover the solder (4) in the pin connector assembly or the alignment holes (24) in the molding/sheet (21), thereby allowing bonding metallurgy to make positive electrical connections between pins (2) and pads (6) and adjacent spheres (22) in a multilayered structure (28).

Abstract: A method and apparatus implement reciprocal and square root calculations using Chebyshev polynomial approximation by scaling the mantissas of IEEE floating point numbers based on splitting them into intervals, thereby allowing Chebyshev polynomials of few terms to approximate each interval and resulting in high performance. A reciprocal or square root operation is implemented in a floating point unit (FPU) of a computer having a pipelined multiply accumulate function using a Chebyshev polynomial approximation. A plurality of Chebyshev coefficients are stored in read only storage. Mantissas m of floating point numbers are scaled based on splitting the mantissas into 2.sup.n intervals i as:m'=2N.times.m-(2N+2i+1),where m' is the scaled mantissa and N is a power of 2. Using a predetermined number of high bits of the scaled mantissa, a set of stored coefficients are read from read only storage to compute the polynomial.

Abstract: Arithmetic logic unit has an arithmetic logic circuit, an arithmetic circuit, and a selector which form a digital signal processor for processing video signals to be supplied to a display. The arithmetic logic circuit carries out one calculation selected from an addition of first and second input signals, a subtraction of the second input signal from the first input signal, and a subtraction of the first input signal from the second input signal, and the arithmetic circuit carries out a calculation selected from an addition of the first and second input signals and a subtraction of the first input signal from the second input signal. As a result of these calculations, the selector selects one of output signals of the arithmetic logic circuit and the arithmetic circuit. In this arithmetic logic unit, one of calculations of parallel addition and subtraction, addition and subtraction with selection, and absolute value of a difference is carried out.

Abstract: The fire fighting and hot surface cooling methods of this invention use a composition formed by combining a nonionic surfactant possessing a specific photoexcitable functional group with an arylphosphate, also of photoexcitable nature, in a solvent medium of composition and content that allows for a convenient workable viscosity and is resistant to effects of freezing. The ultimate water solution used for spraying to extinguish a fire or cool a surface contains from 2000 ppm of the surfactant nonylphenolethoxylate and 94 ppm of the arylphosphate, poly(oxy-1,2-ethanediyl), .alpha.-phenol-.omega.-hydroxy-(2)-phosphate to 3000 ppm surfactant and 141 ppm arylphosphate. The spray solution is applied to the fire until the desired result occurs.

Abstract: A line segment depicting system includes an error discrimination condition memory for designating for each octant an error discrimination condition applied when a DDA (Digital Differential Analyzer) error item is 0.5. First and second different error discrimination conditions are set in the condition memory for first to fourth octants, and for fifth to eighth octants, respectively. A data processing unit receives information of a given line segment and determines in which octant the given line segment is included, and the result of determination is stored in an octant memory, which controls a selector for selecting one of outputs of the error discrimination condition memory. The data processing unit also supplies a DDA parameter to a DDA unit, which sequentially generates a coordinate value (Xn, Yn) of dot positions of an approximate line segment with reference to the error discrimination condition supplied through the selector from the error discrimination condition memory.

Abstract: A multiplying system based on the Booth's algorithm, comprises a Booth's decoder having a first input receiving a multiplier "Y" and a second input receiving a mode signal designating either a first multiplication of "X.times.Y" (where "X" is a multiplicand) or a second multiplication of "-X.times.Y". The Booth's decoder generates a Booth's decoded value and a sign selection signal to a partial product generation circuit which also receives the multiplicand "X", so that the partial product generation circuit generates either a first partial product of "X.times.Y" or a second partial product of "-X.times.Y" in accordance with the sign selection signal. An output of the partial product generation circuit is summed by a partial product summing circuit, and an output of the partial product summing circuit is added to a value "A" stored in an output register by an arithmetic unit. Thus, the accumulating multiplication "A=A.+-.X.times.

Abstract: A method for entry and recognition of elements from a set of symbols, involving a template of line segments displayed on an electronic writing surface. A stylus is applied to the electronic writing surface so as to trace a desired symbol. A computing arrangement is used to "snap" the strokes made by the stylus onto the corresponding template line segments. Upon completion of a symbol, a code is made to represent the line segments and this code is used to reference entries in a data structure to identify the appropriate corresponding computer code. If there is no match, the code for the line segments and a corresponding set of computer codes can be added to the table. This method takes advantage of natural handwriting skills and can be used for a variety of symbol sets.

Abstract: In a floating point arithmetic addition/subtraction system which is configured to receive a pair of input operands of floating point data including its mantissa part expressed in an absolute value so as to execute an addition/subtraction and which includes a mantissa adder, a normalizing shifter, an exponent part updater and a bit position decoder, integer data expressed in a 2's complement is supplied as one of the pair of input operands, and the integer data is converted into an absolute value by using the mantissa adder. Thereafter, the bit position of the obtained absolute value is modified by using the normalizing shifter so as to give a mantissa part, and a value of an exponent part is generated by using the updater and the bit position decoder.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor element, a base, a cap, leads, and low-melting glass. The semiconductor element is mounted on the base, and the base consists of high-purity alumina and has a thickness of 0.5 mm or less. The cap is arranged on the base to cover the semiconductor element, consists of translucent alumina, and has a thickness of 0.4 mm or less. The leads extend out of the semiconductor device to be interposed between the base and the cap, and are electrically connected to the semiconductor element. The low-melting glass integrally and hermetically seals the base, the leads, and the cap.

Abstract: Standard processing techniques for creating a patterned polyimide film from a radiation sensitive polyimide film forming composition are modified to include a post-develop, flood exposure/hardening step which crosslinks precursors of the polyimide film prior to curing. The flood exposure/hardening step prevents pull-back of the wall profile which occurs during the shrinkage of radiation sensitive polyimide film forming composition which occurs during thermal curing.

Abstract: An improved carburetor useful for reducing emissions of small gasoline powered engines commonly used to power lawnmowers and the like has a bypass air inlet and valve for venting amounts of fresh air into the fuel/air mixture to lean the mixture prior to combustion. The enleanment of the fuel/air mixture reduces carbon monoxide and hydrocarbon emissions. The valve lags the engine load condition such that during a sudden high load condition (e.g. during acceleration) the valve remains momentarily closed to provide a rich fuel/air mixture. Likewise, during a sudden lightened load condition (e.g. during deceleration or shutoff) the valve remains momentarily open to provide a lean fuel/air mixture. Hence, emissions are reduced while engine performance and response are not compromised. In the preferred embodiment, a mechanical linkage connects the bypass air valve to the engine throttle. The lagging function is controlled by a mechanical or electrical damper.