Abstract: An apparatus and a method are provided for delaying or skewing a control signal provided to an electronic device such as a memory device with an alignment delay, such that the overall delay associated with the alignment delay and the propagation delay associated with outputting the control signal to the electronic device substantially equals one or more integral cycles of a clock signal. As a result, the control signal received at the electronic device is substantially aligned with the clock signal. This results in synchronizing or realigning the asynchronously-generated control signal back into a synchronous environment. The apparatus and method have unique applicability when used in memory controllers and the like for handling memory accesses with one or more memory devices, in particular with memory devices having enhanced memory transfer modes or higher transfer speeds, where even a small amount of skew between a control signal and a clock signal may significantly degrade performance.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for recording onto or playing back from a magneto optical disk eight channels of digital audio data. Eight channels of serial audio data, for example in a AES/EBU format is converted to parallel data and provided to one or more buffers via a DMA controller. After buffering, the data may be recorded onto a MO disk via an SCSI.

Abstract: A unidirectional microphone assembly for receiving sound within a range of sound frequencies is disclosed. The microphone assembly comprises a housing formed of a sound absorbing material. The housing has an outer surface, and a bore extending inwardly along a bore axis from the outer surface to form a chamber within the housing. The microphone assembly further comprises a directional microphone having an axis of maximum reception. The microphone is disposed within the chamber and positioned with its axis of maximum reception directed outwardly substantially along the bore axis.

Abstract: A caller ID system is disclosed in which a prescaler is coupled between a source of a caller ID signal and a caller ID receiver, and a processor is coupled to the caller ID receiver. The prescaler is responsive to the processor for scaling the caller ID signal.

Abstract: A compact disc and floppy disc compatible driver and a driving method thereof, in which a structure is improved for simultaneously driving a floppy disc and a compact disc including commodities of applying a compact disc such as a CD, CD-ROM and video CD to minimize an installation area, thereby tightly compacting a notebook computer. The driver has a magnetic head reciprocally movable along a first guide rail, a stepping motor fixedly installed to one side of the magnetic head, a turntable of a double loading system with steps rotatably attached to the upper portion of a lower side, a detecting unit installed to both inner sides of the entrance side for receiving the inserted floppy disc or compact disc, a pickup storing an optical head therein coupled to second guide rails, a sled motor fixed by being connected to the optical head for driving the optical head in the radius direction of the compact disc, and a loading mechanism for up/down a tray by two steps.

Abstract: A vertical reset generator monitors a composite video signal and generates a vertical reset pulse which is active during the presence of serration pulses within the composite video signal. The synchronization pulses within the input composite video signal are separated by a sync separator circuit. The output of the sync separator circuit, including horizontal sync pulses, equalizing pulses and serration pulses, is provided to a charging circuit which charges up a capacitor when the output of the sync separator circuit is at a low level and discharges the capacitor when the output of the sync separator circuit is at a high level. The serration pulses are at a low level for a greater time period than the equalizing pulses. The charge built up across the capacitor is therefore greater during a serration pulse than during an equalizing pulse.

Abstract: An angle controller for an image display is disclosed including a rotating hole formed in a hemispherical support portion; a control hole formed on a rotating piece to be rotatably inserted into the rotating hole and for controlling a rotating protrusion of the detaching/attaching device to rotate above a predetermined angle; rotating device for making the rotating piece rotate; an angle controlling surface for controlling the rotation angle of a rotating piece; a control piece for controlling the angle controlling surface to rotate at a predetermined angle; and fixing device for fixing the control piece.

Abstract: A conductive component for carrying electrical signals constructed from a molded polymer substrate and a conductive coating adhered to the substrate, the coating defining a continuous electrical pathway between at least two terminals. Preferably, molded plastic such as liquid crystal polymer is formed to make circuits having conductive ink adhered thereto in order to provide inexpensive and versatile printed circuit boards for carrying electrical traces and other components and to provide printed formed contacts. The conductive solderable inks can be adhered to the substrate, for example, via screen printing, brush, spraying, dipping, masking, vacuum plating or vacuum deposition with subsequent oven drying, reflowing in a vapor phase, post curing or plating.

Abstract: A first pixel of a given field is compared with second and third vertically aligned pixels of corresponding horizontal position of an adjacent field to produce, for each first pixel, a pixel difference signal having a value of zero if the value of the first pixel is intermediate the values of the second and third pixels, the difference signal otherwise having a value equal to the absolute value of a difference between the value of the first pixel and the value of one of the second and third pixels having a value closest to that of first pixel. The pixel difference signals are accumulated over a predetermined portion of one field period of the video signal to provide a field difference signal which is analyzed by a group of five correlators for patterns characteristic of 2-2 pull-down or 3-2 pull-down film mode sources. Flags are produced for identifying film mode operation and for identifying which of the adjacent fields to use in subsequent video processing such as de-interlacing or flicker reduction.

Abstract: Described is a method of manufacturing a sputtering target or backing plate for a sputtering target that minimizes metal waste and reduces manufacturing steps. The target or backing plate is made from a substantially circular metal blank by progressively deforming circumferential bands until the blank is in the shape of a sputtering target or backing plate. The target and backing plate so produced are also described.

Abstract: A remote control for use in connection with a consumer electronics device and a computer. The remote control comprises a central processing unit, a set of buttons linked to the central processing unit, a circuit linked to the central processing unit for use in transmitting an infrared signal to the consumer electronic device in response to activation of at least one of the set of buttons, and a two-way circuit linked to the central processing unit for enabling two-way communication between the remote control and the computer.

Abstract: A circuit board material is disclosed which includes a support layer, at least one electrical resistance layer having a preselected resistivity adhered to the support layer, a barrier layer adhered to the electrical resistance layer, and a conductive layer adhered to the barrier layer. The barrier layer is capable of protecting the resistance layer from attack by alkaline ammoniacal copper etchants. A method of producing the circuit board material is also disclosed.

Abstract: An improved color picture tube includes an evacuated envelope having a rectangular faceplate panel. The panel includes a viewing screen on an inner surface thereof and a shadow mask-frame assembly mounted therein. The shadow mask-frame assembly includes an apertured shadow mask and a peripheral frame to which the mask is attached. The improvement comprises the frame being formed by eight sections, two identical long side sections, two identical short side sections and four corner sections, that are attached together edge-to-edge. The two long side sections and the two short side sections are thinner than the four corner sections.

Abstract: A mixer control circuit generates content control signals which are used by a mixer circuit to control the content of an output signal. The output signal will include either an analog signal, a digital signal or a mixture of the analog and digital signals. The level of a digital content control signal corresponds to the percentage of the output signal which includes the digital signal. The level of an analog content control signal corresponds to the percentage of the output signal which includes the analog signal. When the output signal includes a mixture of the analog and digital signals, a differential pair and an external control voltage are used to specify the percentage of each signal to be included within the output signal. During a horizontal blanking period, when the signals are being mixed, the differential pair and the external control voltage are bypassed and only the analog signal is included within the output signal.

Abstract: A MO cartridge jukebox cartridge door and closure mechanism which employs a pair of parallel door panels and a pair of parallel cranks all connected together to form a parallelogram which is moved by engagement with a mechanical linkage to the cartridge receiving tray within the jukebox to expand and thereby open a cartridge insertion slot in the jukebox, or contract and thereby close the insertion slot.

Abstract: A copy prevention method and apparatus of a digital magnetic recording/reproducing system performs the copy prevention function by encoding to insert a marker involving copy prevention function information and executing the function and allows a program supplier to realize a desired copy prevention function of various patterns, in which the marker formed by a control word for scrambling audio and video bit straps and copy prevention information for preventing an illegal copy is encrypted by an encoded key to be multiplexed with the audio and video bit strips scrambled by the control word. The marker transmitted is detected from the bit strips to be decrypted and analyzed by the encoded key to determine whether the copy is permitted or not, so that the detected marker is updated to be recorded on a video tape and the control word is produced from the marker to perform the descrambling to supply the result to a monitor to be displayed.

Abstract: A monolithic multilayer ultra thin chip inductor is manufactured with two terminals on the same end of the component to reduce the mechanical stresses caused by a coefficient of expansion mismatch. A third no-connect terminal located on the opposite end may be used to mount the component when a more rigid connection is required. The inductor is constructed using a bottom and top coil layer, each having a coil and forming a termination point corresponding to the inductor terminals. The opposite ends of the coils form connection ends and are electrically connected to form a continuous coil from one terminal to the other. Optionally, a number of intermediate coil layers can be included between the bottom and top coil layers. The coil layers are selected from a set of coil layers. As a result, the total number of coil turns can be obtained by selecting the appropriate coil layers.

Abstract: An improved color picture tube includes a shadow mask and a dot screen, wherein the mask has two long sides and two short sides. The long sides of the mask parallel a central major axis of the mask, and the short sides parallel a central minor axis of the mask. The mask includes an array of apertures. The improvement comprises each of the shadow mask apertures being substantially rectangular with four sides. Two of the aperture sides approximately parallel the major axis and establish aperture height. The other two aperture sides approximately parallel the minor axis and establish aperture width The widths and heights of the apertures increase at a first rate and a second rate, respectively, from the center to the sides of the mask, along the major axis; and the widths and heights of the apertures increase at a third rate and a fourth rate, respectively, from the center to the top and bottom of the mask, along the minor axis.

Abstract: A two-terminal electronic thermostat connectable in series with an electrical heater and a source of AC power and selectively providing AC power to the electrical heater, and a power supply incorporated in the thermostat for providing DC power to the control circuitry of the thermostat, includes a relay connectable in series with the electrical heater, a control circuit for selectively actuating the relay, an ambient temperature sensor and a potentiometer for setting a set point temperature. The power supply includes a current transformer having its primary winding connected in series with the relay and the electrical heater. The power supply also includes a first bridge rectifier circuit, a second bridge rectifier circuit connected to the secondary winding of the current transformer and a capacitor divider network formed from first and second capacitors and providing a desired DC voltage to the control circuit. The first capacitor is coupled to the first bridge rectifier circuit.

Abstract: A universally adaptable battery charger connector which couples electrically a battery charger outlet to pairs of terminals of different types and kinds of rechargeable battery devices. The universal adaptable battery charger includes an attachment arrangement for engaging releasably one of the pairs of battery device terminals. The attachment arrangement includes a pair of electrodes coupled electrically to a battery charger outlet for helping to supply electrical current to the battery device terminals. The universal connector also includes a securing device for mounting removably on the battery device to be charged. Each one of the electrodes includes a resilient contact for pressing resiliently into engagement with the terminals to maintain an electrical and mechanical contact between the securing device and the battery device terminals.