Abstract: A turntable for rotating a wafer carrier in order to enable the attachment of a handle to the wafer carrier. The turntable includes a platform rotatably mounted to a baseplate. In addition, the turntable includes stops which are positioned to enable 180.degree. clockwise and counterclockwise rotation of the platform to provide access to the wafer carrier for handle attachment. The platform includes carrier guides which are spaced apart to accommodate the wafer carrier. The platform further includes a platform handle which an operator manipulates to rotate the platform.

Abstract: A virtual mass storage device implements a data manager for storing information on multiple physical mass storage devices. The virtual mass storage device is organized into blocks of information which are allocated to different physical devices, thereby enabling the physical devices to operate in parallel and increase the overall transfer rate of the virtual device.

Abstract: A device for securing a mirror in a projection television is disclosed. The device includes a cabinet having an aperture defined by edges. A shoulder element is located adjacent each of the edges, wherein each shoulder element extends underneath the aperture and is positioned for supporting peripheral edges of a reflection surface of the mirror. The device further includes a mirror cover plate located adjacent a back surface of the mirror and affixed to the cabinet. In addition, the device includes a securing element affixed between the back surface and the mirror cover plate for reducing deformation of said mirror.

Abstract: A disk-selective disk system is capable of holding a plurality of disks such as compact disks (CDs), mini-disks (MDs), CD-ROM disks, floppy disks, or other types of disks for reproducing and recording data, wherein a selected disk can be ejected from a disk container even if another disk is loaded in the disk drive and is being driven for reproduction or recording. Cartridges each having a disk therein are inserted into a disk container through an insertion slot. A movable base, which moves up and down in a housing, is provided with a drive unit, and any of the cartridges can be taken into a cartridge holder by selective movement of the movable base for reproduction.

Abstract: An image projector having a compatibility so as to display an image having screen ratios of 4 to 3 and 16 to 9 includes a plurality of light sources for projecting light, a reflecting mirror portion for reflecting the light projected from the plurality of light sources onto a predetermined direction, a reflecting mirror controller for controlling the position of the reflecting mirror portion according to screen vertical-to-horizontal ratios, and a microcomputer for controlling the reflecting mirror portion and plurality of light sources according to screen vertical-to-horizontal ratios. The image projector can display compatibly an image having screen vertical-to-horizontal ratios of 16 to 9 and 4 to 3. Also, in the case of the screen vertical-to-horizontal ratios of 4 to 3, since two lamps are alternately used, the lamp life can be extended.

Abstract: An adaptive receiver includes an adaptive demodulator and an adaptive decoder for providing demodulated and decoded output data from a video signal encoded for satellite, terrestrial or cable transmission. The demodulator recovers demodulated output data by using an adaptive timing recovery network and an adaptive carrier recovery network that incorporates a selectable slicer network. In addition, an Automatic Gain Control network within the demodulator provides a gain control output as a function of a difference between signals produced both prior to and following the slicer. The demodulator may also incorporate a signal quality detector that uses carrier recovery network signals to provide an estimate of the error in the demodulated output data. The decoder produces a Viterbi decoded output from the demodulated output data by using a selectable code rate Viterbi decoder.

Abstract: A rotary compressor is disclosed. The compressor reduces frictional loss in a contact part between the rolling piston and the eccentric sheave and in contact parts between the crankshaft and the main and sub bearings by achieving smooth lubrication to the contact parts. In the compressor, a lubricating groove is formed on the outer surface of the eccentric sheave. A hole communicating with the internal oil conduit of the crankshaft is formed in the lubricating groove and supplies oil from the oil conduit to the outer surface of the sheave. Lubricating grooves are also formed on the inner surfaces of the main and sub bearings so as to facilitate oil supply for the contact parts between the crankshaft and the bearings.

Abstract: A fin tube heat exchanger includes a plurality of fin plates disposed in parallel with one another, spaced at regular intervals and adapted to allow air to flow therebetween, and a plurality of refrigerant tubes disposed in at least two rows, inserted into the fin plates in a perpendicular direction and being adapted to allow a fluid medium to pass therein. Each of the fin plates has a plurality of raised strips which extend in a direction perpendicular to a direction of air flow. A plurality of normal raised strips are formed on both sides of the fin plates in at least one row on an air flow outlet side. A plurality of low raised strips or embossings are formed on at least one side of the fin plates in other rows. The height of the low raised strips or embossings in the other rows are lower than the height of the normal raised strips in the at least one row.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for the rapid switchover between different height modules in an automatic module testing and handling machine. The multi-chip module (MCM) handling apparatus comprises a bottom rail and a guide rail which has an upwardly extending wall and an outwardly extending flange which form a channel. This channel provides a passageway through which a MCM of a first thickness can pass laterally such that the first MCM is in contact with the top surface which positions contact nodes provided on the first MCM at a predetermined vertical position with respect to the top surface. This handling apparatus further comprises a removable justifying plate (RJP) which is removably attached within the first channel, thereby forming a second channel. This second channel provides a passage way through which a MCM of a second thickness, which is less than the first thickness of the first MCM, can pass laterally.

Abstract: A battery saver circuit compares the battery terminal voltage to a programmable reference voltage and disconnects the battery from the load when the measured battery voltage falls below a predetermined minimum value. The reference voltage is programmable by a transfer function generator which varies the reference voltage in accordance with the current drawn by the load to account for the voltage drop in the line series wiring. A fault indicator is included to prevent chatter in the relay by raising the battery voltage necessary to reconnect the battery to the load. The fault indicator is reset when the battery is recharged.

Abstract: A film deposition control system and method in which a deposition rate monitor and an ellipsometer are used to control the thickness of a thin film being deposited on a wafer. The ellipsometer is also used to detect the refractive index of the thin film being deposited, and the detected refractive index value is used to control the ratio of the reactive gases being injected into the processing chamber.

Abstract: A variable speed controller is disclosed that is capable of processing selected commands at a faster-than-normal rate. The invention is useful in the context of x86-based microcomputers to speed up the execution of MASK-A20 and/or RESET-CPU commands that are normally carried out by an 8042-based controller. Execution time for these operations is improved, yet compatibility with existing peripherals and/or code is retained.

Abstract: An auxiliary video information decoder for extracting an auxiliary video information signal from a video signal includes a data slicer and apparatus for adjusting the slicing level of the data slicer. The slicing level is adjusted rapidly until a reference component of the auxiliary information signal is detected during a display interval of the video signal in which auxiliary video information is expected to occur. A count is incremented after display intervals in which the reference component is detected and is decremented after display intervals in which the reference component is not detected. Slicing level adjustment ceases while the count is at least a predetermined number. The apparatus rapidly adapts the slicing level to long-term video signal amplitude changes of significant magnitude (e.g. following a channel change) and maintains a constant slicing level when transient variations occur in the video signal amplitude.

Abstract: Interleaved operation of multiple memory banks is improved by including a frequency multiplier and a synchronizing circuit, such as a phase-locked loop, as part of an integrated circuit memory chip. Frequency multiplication supplies additional clock edges for timing different phases of the system clock signal. The synchronizing circuit provide precise control of clock edge timing to exactly align the timing signals in one memory chip with the timing signals in another memory chip despite variability in temperature, process and voltage parameters between the chips.

Abstract: An adaptive receiver includes an adaptive decoder for providing decoded output data from a video signal encoded for satellite, terrestrial or cable transmission. The apparatus includes an adaptive decoder for providing a first decoded output as a function of a code rate selected from a plurality of code rates. The apparatus also includes an adaptive deinterleaver for deinterleaving the first decoded output in accordance with a deinterleaving function selected from a plurality of deinterleaving functions. In addition, the apparatus includes an output signal processor for processing the deinterleaved output data to provide the decoded output data. The demodulator may also incorporate a an adaptive error decoder for detecting and correcting errors in the deinterleaved output. In addition, a signal quality detector may provide an estimate of the error in the decoded output data. The apparatus is automatically configured to be compatible with the encoded video signal format in response to the error estimate.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods and apparatus for mapping spare columns to defective columns in a fabricated random access memory (RAM). The defective columns correspond to improperly fabricated bit lines in the RAM and spare columns are fabricated on the RAM to replace any defective columns. Particular arrays of columns in the RAM are accessed through a corresponding input/output device. A defective column in an array is bypassed by a column redundancy scheme that allows a spare column to be mapped to more than one array of columns. Thus, a plurality of spare columns may be mapped to each array of columns. Since the total number of spare columns may be less than the total number of column arrays, the present invention provides a saving over the prior art which requires one spare column for each column array.

Abstract: A modulator that modulates and encodes data using data symbols, interspersed with pilot symbols, for transmission to another modem, and a demodulator that decodes data symbols of a signal received from another modem. In the demodulator, a received signal is sampled at four times the symbol rate. The sampled signal is converted to quadrature signals and low-pass filtered to produce a complex baseband signal. Data symbols in the complex baseband signal are sampled in synchronization with the start of each symbol based on the pilot symbols that are interspersed in the signal. By processing the pilot symbols, full modem synchronization is maintained down to a very low signal-to-noise ratio, through noise bursts, or even when the data symbols representing data are replaced by predefined sequences of data symbols that convey the dots and dashes of Morse code identifying the station transmitting the modulated signal.

Abstract: An electronically controlled accessway includes a touch pad mounted to or immediately in front of, a door panel. A step plate is positioned immediately in front of the door. A user stands on the step plate to open the door and contacts the touch pad. A grounding sensor coupled to the touch pad and the step plate detects resistance between the touch pad and the step plate. If the resistance between the touch pad and the step plate is within a designated range, the grounding sensor releases an electronically controlled locking mechanism to permit the door to be opened. If the grounding sensor detects that the person is not properly grounded, the grounding sensor leaves the locking mechanism engaged to prevent the person from entering the statically sensitive area. In one embodiment, the door panel is pivotable about conventional hinges and the touch pad is integral to the door handle.

Abstract: The resolution of an original image, represented as a pixel array, is increased by applying a spectral transformation to the pixel array, producing a spectral array representing the image, and then applying an inverting spectral transformation to produce a larger pixel array. The inverting spectral transformation is of a kind designed to convert high frequency spectral components not present in the original image or identified by the spectral array. These high-frequency terms of the inverting spectral transformation are either ignored or supplied with zero values. As a result, the final, larger pixel array has the same spectral distribution as the original pixel array, but a larger number of pixels.