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.

Abstract: A device for rotating a liquid crystal display coupled to a camcorder, capable of safely protecting the liquid crystal display, eliminating any protruded portion of the camcorder, and rotating the liquid crystal display in any directions, thereby taking a moving picture at any positions of the camcorder.

Abstract: A burner for a Stirling engine includes a combustion chamber forming an air-fuel mixture by mixing air and fuel supplied from air inlet passageways and a fuel injection nozzle, an igniter igniting the air-fuel mixture within the combustion chamber, a heater tube absorbing high-temperature heat generated by the combustion of the air-fuel mixture and transferring it to the Stirling engine, and exhaust gas passageways discharging an exhaust gas to the outside. In addition, a heating duct is provided between the combustion chamber and a head portion of the Stirling engine. The heating duct transfers high-temperature combustion gas through combustion gas passageways to the heater tube, thereby increasing a heat transfer rate and preventing corrosion.

Abstract: A ground/cable broadcasting receiver for an HDTV for receiving both ground and cable channel broadcastings of an HDTV is disclosed including: switching means for selecting ground broadcasting or cable broadcasting; a TCM decoder for symbol-detecting and error-correcting a baseband signal of the ground broadcasting for HDTV; discriminating means for symbol-detecting a baseband signal of the HDTV cable broadcasting; and a multiplexer for selecting and outputting one of the signals output from the TCM decoder and the discriminating means according to the switching means so that ground broadcasting receiver and cable broadcasting receiver are coupled to form a single receiver.

Abstract: A method of establishing communications between a first communication station and a second communication station comprising the steps of: storing a communication originate packet in the first station; storing a communication answer packet responsive to the originate packet in the second station; transmitting the originate packet to the second station from the first station; detecting the originate packet in the second station; transmitting the answer packet from the second station to the first station upon receipt of some but not all of the originate packet; and, establishing communications between the first and second station in response to receipt by the first station of the answer packet.

Abstract: A system and method of automatically printing a label for optical disk cartridges residing in an optical disk cartridge storage and retrieval device, wherein each of a first number these optical disk cartridges is associated with a media ID. If the controller of the optical disk cartridge storage and retrieval device determines that a label flag is not associated with the selected optical disk cartridge, the controller will cause a printer to print a label including the media ID associated with the selected optical disk cartridge. The printer may be an external device connected to the optical disk cartridge storage and retrieval device, or it may be integrated within the optical disk cartridge storage and retrieval device. Once the controller has sent a command to the printer to print the label, a label flag is written to data storage within the optical disk cartridge storage and retrieval device to indicate that a label has been printed for the selected optical disk cartridge.

Abstract: An improved washing machine equipped with a bubble producing apparatus and a bubble producing control method thereof capable of advantageously reducing the needed amount of detergents and preventing laundry from being damaged and entangled. The washing machine includes a washing machine body; an outer tub disposed inside the washing machine body for receiving detergent-containing water therein; an inner tub disposed inside the outer tub for receiving detergent-containing water and laundry therein and having a plurality of water drain holes formed on the circumferential surface thereof; and a bubble producing apparatus disposed on the bottom of the outer tub for producing bubbles.

Abstract: A transmitter for transmitting a low probability of detection rf signal, in which digitized audio data is contained therein. Each data frame contains deliberately introduced errors to synchronize a signal containing noise-like data due to skewing of an encoding frame and a data frame upon reception by a receiver.Analog data is converted to digital form by an A/D converter, and then applied to a forward error correction device (FEC encoder) to properly encode the data. One block of input digital data associated with the A/D converter, and one block of input data for creating a codeword associated with FEC encoder are synchronized by a synchronization block, which determines a superframe that constitutes a common multiple of FEC encoder blocks and A/D converter blocks. The superframe is determined by a pulse output from the synchronization block, and that pulse is used to deliberately create one or more errors in the digital data output from the FEC encoder.

Abstract: A satellite dish antenna for receiving a broadcast signal from a satellite includes a low noise block which receives the signal reflected from the dish and provides a human-perceptible guidance signal, such as a sequence of beep tones, to aid an individual in properly orienting the satellite dish with respect to the satellite. A time interval between the beep tones is varied in dependence on the strength of the broadcast signal received at the low noise block. A circuit for providing the guidance signal is activated by a non-contact switch, such as a magnetic lead switch. A magnet is movably mounted on the surface of the low noise block for selectively activating and deactivating the guidance signal circuit.

Abstract: A sputtering target comprising a body of metal such as aluminum and its alloy with an ultrafine grain size and small second phase. Also described is a method for making an ultra-fine grain sputtering target comprising melting, atomizing, and depositing atomized metal to form a workpiece, and fabricating the workpiece to form a sputtering target. A method is also disclosed that includes the steps of extruding a workpiece through a die having contiguous, transverse inlet and outlet channels of substantially identical cross section, and fabricating the extruded article into a sputtering target. The extrusion may be performed several times, producing grain size of still smaller size and controlled grain texture.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a wire winding and collecting device for winding and collecting a long string wire. The winding and collecting device includes a spring for asserting a rotation force. The winding and collecting device further includes a bi-level both-end type of wire collector which includes a bottom collecting ridge and a top collection ridge divided by a dividing surface. The dividing surface includes an opening for inserting the wire therethrough at a mid-point on the wire for wrapping a first portion of the wire around the bottom collecting ridge and a second portion opposite the first portion from the mid-point around the top collecting ridge. The winding and collecting device further includes a rotation axial shaft inserted through an axial opening disposed on the central portion of the spring and the collector.

Abstract: An electrical connector having a planar gripping member which allows for improved manual gripping of the connector to facilitate easy connection/disconnection of the electrical connector from an interface point.

Abstract: A battery charger having a night light is described for use with a cordless telephone. The battery charger is energized by being plugged into a standard AC outlet and includes a cradle for receiving a cordless telephone handset having rechargeable batteries. The battery charger includes a phototransistor for detecting the level of light impinging on the battery charger and a lamp for providing illumination. When AC power is cut off and the phototransistor detects that the light level is below a predetermined level, the lamp is powered by the handset battery to provide illumination and to enable a user to locate the handset during low light conditions while it is being charged.

Abstract: A hearing aid battery cover switch for a hearing aid, having a shorting contact mounted to the battery cover for actuation of various modes of a hearing aid by a user. A contact member is positioned to be engaged by the shorting contact when the contact is moved by a user. Various switch designs are used, including a cantilevered contact switch, a symmetrical wave spring switch, and a cantilevered switch with a battery contact post.

Abstract: A microprocessor generates an output signal in accordance with user controlled sharpness selection. The output signal is supplied to a video processor and to a scan velocity modulation circuit for concurrently varying in the same sense the amount of picture sharpness produced by the scan velocity modulation circuit and by the video processor.

Abstract: In a D.C. coupled vertical deflection circuit, an input sawtooth signal is coupled to an inverting input of a vertical deflection amplifier via a first resistor network. A D.C. voltage is coupled to a second input of the amplifier via a second resistor network for preventing the D.C. signal component from affecting the deflection current. To provide temperature compensation, for every resistor included in the first resistor network, there is included a corresponding resistor of equal value in the second resistor network.