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 self-terminating coaxial connector provides for automatic termination of a coaxial cable. The connector includes an internal termination resistor which is only connected in series between the central conductor of a first cable and a grounded body of the connector when a second cable is not installed on the end of the connector. When a second cable is installed on the connector, the terminator resistor is disconnected from the grounded body, thereby removing the termination from the central conductor of the first cable.

Abstract: A zero insertion force pin grid array socket includes a cover slidably engaged to a base and having an array of holes formed therethrough. The base has an array of corresponding passages, the passages receiving pins of an IC package inserted through corresponding holes of the cover. Contacts are mounted within the passages and are mounted at an angle askew to the sides of the base in order to provide a high density interstitial array. The contacts include torsional beams which deflect upon the engagement of the pin of the IC package which have a surface area of at least thirty percent of the entire surface area of contacts. The contacts include a wiping area which is plated which has a surface area of less than a fortieth of the entire surface area of the contact.

Abstract: A video display apparatus has a controllable, synchronized switch to control current conduction in an inductance. Responsive to a switching signal, a modulator switches the conductive states of the controllable switch. A signal generator is coupled to a source of retrace pulses, for generating at an output a horizontal rate sawtooth signal. The sawtooth signal comprising a first ramp of duration within the first half of the retrace pulse and a second ramp of duration equal to the trace interval. A source of a modulation signal is coupled to a means for generating the switching signal. Responsive to the modulation and sawtooth signals the means generates the switching signal having a first polarity which inhibits conduction in the switch and a second polarity which enables conduction in the switch. The first polarity of switching signal commences within the first half of the retrace interval and the second polarity commences within the remaining time of the horizontal interval.

Abstract: A metal detector having a receive signal responsive to detected metal objects and having a display panel that can simultaneously display a plurality of phase angles associated with the receive signal. Additionally, the display panel can simultaneously display a second variable associated with the receive signal at each particular phase angle. The second variable is user selectable and can be either (1) a count of the number of times the signal amplitude exceeds a predetermined threshold level at a particular phase angle or (2) the signal amplitude when the signal is at a particular phase angle.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus (70) and method for removing particles from an interior of a CRT envelope (12). The CRT envelope includes a faceplate panel (14), with a color selection electrode assembly (30) detachably mounted therein, sealed to a funnel (18). The apparatus comprises a plurality of thumper mechanisms (84, 184 and 284) for imparting asynchronous vibrations to the funnel of the envelope while the interior of the funnel is flushed with a suitable fluid. The embodiment further includes a plurality of vibrators (51) for imparting asynchronous vibrations to the color selection electrode assembly to remove particles therefrom, before the color selection electrode assembly is mounted into the panel and sealed to the funnel. A method for removing particles using the apparatus also is described.

Abstract: For large screen video displays using line-doubling to reduce scan line visibility, where a video source signal in standard interlaced format such as NTSC is converted to line-doubled non-interlaced format for progressively scanned display, visible motion degradations such as edge shimmer and strobe effects due to film-sourced video material are minimized by improved motion-detection video processing taught by this invention. In advance of actual display, successive fields are monitored for motion value in a first motion-detector and microprocessor comparator/analyzer where fields having high field-motion-value are detected as H-fields. Then, for display, each H-field is modified by pixel-averaging with a selected non-H-field. The regular and averaged fields are correctly sequenced to achieve vertical pixel alignment and smooth motion transitions thus minimizing film-source edge motion degradation.

Abstract: An improved controller for a microwave oven capable of preventing it from an undesired heating caused by an erroneous operation thereof, which includes a heating member for generating heating energy; a power switch for controlling electric power supply to the heating member; a switch module including a plurality of switches for selecting a desired function; a microcomputer for outputting scanning signals having predetermined time differences to the switch module and for outputting a predetermined control signal in accordance with a key input signal outputted from the switch module; and a controller for controlling the power switch in accordance with control signals outputted from the microcomputer and a signal applied from the switch module, wherein the control signals includes a latch signal maintaining a predetermined state after the output signal of a switch is detected, while having the same level as a scanning signal outputted from a switch which is selected by an operation mode corresponding to scanning

Abstract: An innovative but easy to use on-line program list is provided to provide the user of a multiple channel television broadcast system a wealth of programming information in a simple format that is easy to understand. The guide enables the user to easily select a particular program to watch or to watch in the future. Unlike prior art television guides, the present invention presents a program list that is oriented according to the program instead of the channel. In particular, the program list provides program information and the times the program is broadcasted the displayed timeframe. This is particularly useful for viewing in one simple and easy-to-read format the start times of a pay-per-view program, which may, for example, be broadcasted every 1/2 hour over a variety of channels.

Abstract: A heat spreader with one or more integrally formed open regions discourages the formation of air bubbles in the encapsulant of a plastic packaged integrated circuit. Little or no air bubbles can be trapped between the heat spreader and the encapsulant surface. Any air bubbles that do form in the encapsulant can escape through the open regions of the heat spreader. The heat spreader of the invention is placed on the surface of a liquid encapsulant and the encapsulant fills the open regions of the heat spreader and covers the sides of the open regions. When the encapsulant hardens, a form fitting bond between the heat spreader and the upper surface of the encapsulant is created. This form fitting bond provides for secure attachment of the heat spreader to the surface of the encapsulant. One embodiment of the heat spreader of the invention includes integrally formed tabs with which a supplementary heat spreader, such as heat tower, is inserted for even greater heat dissipation capability.

Abstract: In a quadrature FM detector, demodulation is performed by a product detector which multiplies an amplitude limited FM modulated information signal by a version of the amplitude limited FM modulated information signal which has been phase shifted by a phase shifting network including a single tuned LC circuit. In order to assure that the LC circuit is tuned to the carrier frequency of the FM signal, the LC circuit is tuned by a variable impedance device in response to a control signal generated by a bus controlled DAC. The control signal is coupled to the variable impedance device at the same pin of an integrated circuit where the LC circuit is coupled to the demodulator.

Abstract: Automatic brightness control apparatus for a monitor which can provide a high picture quality by properly adjusting the back raster's brightness in accordance with the picture's brightness produced on a screen. According to the apparatus, the back raster's brightness is lowered in a relatively bright picture state, while it is heightened in a relatively dark picture state.

Abstract: The present invention provides an improvement in a color picture tube having a tensioned mask and support frame assembly. Each of the mask and the support frame is rectangular and has two long sides that parallel a central major axis thereof and two short sides that parallel a central minor axis thereof. The mask has a substantially cylindrical contour, being curved along the major axis and straight along the minor axis. The improvement comprises the frame including two first members that parallel the major axis and two second members, attached to the ends of the first members, that parallel the minor axis. Each of the first members includes a rigid section and a compliant section cantilevered from the rigid section. The mask is attached to the distal ends of the cantilevered compliant sections.

Abstract: A glove box enclosing a volume shielded from electromagnetic radiation by the glove box wherein the gloves are formed from conductive material such as chain mail and are conductively and shieldingly attached around apertures in the walls of the glove box, permitting an operator to manipulate directly a device under test within the glove box while maintaining the shielding continuity of the box. A shielded window and an interior light can be included to facilitate viewing of a device within the box during manipulation of the device. The glove box provides an inexpensive, fully-shielded environment for the testing, tuning, adjusting, or repair of RF transmitting or receiving devices such as pagers, electronic notebooks, and cellular telephones.

Abstract: An information distribution system for a digital network, includes a master communications unit for establishing communications with the network in order to receive a synchronous digital signal, a distribution amplifier unit for receiving and dividing the synchronous digital signal into a plurality of synchronous signals and a plurality of communications units for establishing communications with a plurality of receiving stations. The system also includes a master controller for controlling the plurality of communications units from a central location. The invention alternatively relates to an information disseminating system for a digital network and includes a plurality of video clip storing units, each storing data related to a particular subject matter, a plurality of distribution amplifiers associated with the video clip storing units and a plurality of communications units which establish communications between the plurality of distribution amplifiers and the digital network.

Abstract: An adapter for supplying D.C. current from a lighter receptacle to a remote accessory is formed by a plug inserted into the receptacle which has a reversible interconnection with a cable connected to the remote accessory. The end of the cable with the reversible interconnector is marked to visually display the electrical polarity of current supplied to the remote accessory.

Abstract: An optical pickup system capable of improving productivity by facilitating the arrangement and assembly of components thereof and preventing an error caused by wavelength variation of a laser beam includes a laser diode used as a light source, a grating for classifying a beam from the laser diode into three diffracted lights of zero, +first and -first orders, an objective lens placed the grating and an optical disc for focusing the three diffracted lights passed through the grating on the optical disc while receiving the lights reflected from the optical disc, a photodetector divided-by-five formed of five split areas partitioned in the longitudinal direction to be arranged side by side in the sequence of fourth, first, second, third and fifth split areas to receive the lights reflected from the optical disc focusing on the respective split areas for detecting a focus error and a tracking error and reading out information recorded on the optical disc, and a hologram element divided-by-two formed of a first ho

Abstract: A resistor combination and method, that is formed by a substrate having a resistive film on it, and pins extruding from one edge of the substrate and connected to the film. A U-shaped cold region is provided on the substrate around at least much of the film, and is so constructed that application of common high overload voltages to the pins causes vertical fracture of the substrate. The resulting substrate pieces are held by the pins to the circuit board. In one embodiment, a synthetic resin housing is provided around the substrate.