Abstract: An ultrasonic imaging catheter comprises a catheter body having a distal region and proximal region. The distal region has a reduced cross-sectional area compared to that of the proximal region, and the proximal region includes at least two lumens therethrough for accommodating a movable guidewire and a rotatable working element, respectively. The catheter body may be inserted over the moveable guidewire, with the guidewire passing through a lumen in the distal region and the guidewire lumen in the proximal region. After positioning the catheter body, the guidewire can be retracted from the distal region and into the proximal region, leaving the lumen in the distal region available for the rotatable working element. Such a construction allows over-the-wire imaging of the catheter while minimizing the width of the catheter in the distal region which remains available for placement of the working element.

Abstract: The present invention provides an ionic and electronic insulator interposed between a BASE tube and a tube mounting member in an AMTEC cell for preventing shunt currents from forming between BASE tube electrodes. In a first embodiment of the invention, an insulator is formed integral with the BASE tube by leaching out an alkali metal ion component of the BASE tube at a desired location. In a second embodiment of the present invention, an alpha alumina ring is brazed to the end of the BASE tube. In a third embodiment of the present invention, a glass material seal is formed between the BASE tube and the mounting member.

Abstract: The present invention is generally directed to a system and process for accurately determining the temperature of an object, such as a semi-conductive wafer, by sampling from the object radiation being emitted at a particular wavelength. In one embodiment, a single reflective device is placed adjacent to the radiating object. The reflective device includes areas of high reflectivity and areas of low reflectivity. The radiation being emitted by the object is sampled within both locations generating two different sets of radiation measurements. The measurements are then analyzed and a correction factor is computed based on the optical characteristics of the reflective device and the optical characteristics of the wafer. The correction factor is then used to more accurately determine the temperature of the wafer. In an alternative embodiment, if the radiating body is semi-transparent, a reflective device is placed on each side of the object, which compensates for the transparency of the object.

Abstract: A reactor for plasma CVD or plasma etch is provided with a first electrode held to ground potential which supports the workpiece, e.g., a semiconductor wafer. A second electrode is spaced from the first electrode to form a gap therebetween, and has an electrical potential suitable to form an ionizing electrical field within the gap. The second electrode also has a gas inlet and a gas outlet. Preferably, the gas outlet includes a plurality of gas outlets. The reactor includes a porous plug constructed and arranged with the gas inlet to isolate the second electrode from ground potential. This plug has a plurality of pores which are sized to permit passage of gas therethrough and to substantially inhibit electrical discharge therein. Accordingly, gas injected through the gas inlet of the second electrode passes through the plug without ionization; and that gas thereafter exits from the gas outlet to provide substantially uniform ionization within the gap.

Abstract: A blend of bonding polyester with an acid resistant polyester and heat dispersant filler providing a liner especially suitable for concrete structure subjected to acidic environments. The blend can also be used in combination with aggregate or fibers to be extruded or molded into articles which are substitutes for conventional concrete.

Abstract: A two-axis satellite antenna mounting and tracking assembly including a universal joint for mounting the antenna to support structure. A pair of linear actuators offset at 90.degree. to each other about the universal joint are operated in full-on/full-off fashion to control the azimuth and elevation orientations of the antenna. Satellite tracking is effected by maximizing received signal strength.

Abstract: A thin MCM packaging structure and technique is provided in which a thin film decal interconnect circuit is fabricated on a thin aluminum wafer. The thin-film decal interconnect employs Au metallurgy for bonding and comprises a bond pad/ground plane layer, topside pads, and one or more routing layers. The top routing layer also acts as the pad layer along the edge of the interconnect structure. The underside of the decal interconnect structure is provided with metal pads for attachment to conventional aluminum or gold I/O pads on one surface of the integrated circuit die. A thermosonic bonding system is used to bond the die pads to the pads. The aluminum wafer is selectively removed forming one or more cavities to hold one or more die to be mounted on the MCM structure. The die are oriented with their pads in contact with contact pads on the thin-film decal interconnect to which they are bonded and the cavities are filled with a liquid encapsulant and cured.

Abstract: The present invention utilizes dielectric slabs to provide a relatively uniform electromagnetic field to a cavity between two or more dielectric slabs. Each dielectric slab is a thickness equal to or nearly equal to a quarter of a wavelength of the electromagnetic field in the dielectric slab. In a particular embodiment, sample material is introduced into the cavity between the two dielectric slabs. This sample material may be introduced through one or more openings in the dielectric slabs. In further embodiments, specialized choke flanges prevent the leakage of energy from this cavity. In a preferred embodiment, an elliptical conducting surface directs the electromagnetic field to a focal region between the two dielectric slabs. Openings to this focal region allow sample material to be passed through this region of focused heating.

Abstract: A system for processing a batch which is distributed into a plurality of independent segments. A preferred embodiment of this invention calls for implementation on a symmetrical multiprocessing platform, however, the invention is also applicable to massively parallel architectures as well as uniprocessor environments. Each segment comprises a plurality of discrete events, each discrete event comprising a plurality of sub-events to be processed. The system operates to process each discrete event within each segment sequentially and each sub-event within each discrete event sequentially. The plurality of segments may be processed on an uniprocessor, an SMP system or an MPP system. By balancing the number of discrete events in each segment using a "coarse grain" approach, a flexible but efficient use of processor availability is obtained.

Abstract: A heating element assembly for use in a rapid prototype modeling machine is described. The heating element of the hot melt assembly and an associated product container deliver hot melt product to the jets of the rapid prototype modeling machine.

Abstract: A method for providing confidentiality to a facsimile transmission includes the step of advancing a back enclosure sheet into a print engine. The method further includes the step of advancing the back enclosure sheet out of the print engine and to an envelope forming station. The method yet further includes the step of securing the back enclosure sheet to a front enclosure sheet so as to form an envelope at the envelope forming station. The method also includes the step of advancing a confidential sheet into the print engine. The method moreover includes the step of printing information associated with a page of the facsimile transmission onto the confidential sheet with the print engine. The method also includes the step of advancing the sheet out of the print engine and into the envelope.

Abstract: A device and method of supporting a bicycle load in a workstand, wherein the workstand can be supported on only two members which establish three individual points of support. The workstand can utilize at least one rotatable leg to collapse the workstand into a portable and manageable configuration that facilitates transporting and storage. The load support member to which the bicycle is either directly or indirectly coupled can be coupled to the support base off-center from the geometric center of the support base to provide a more stable configuration for the stand as well as to establish the member out of the way of the bicycle which must be supported. In addition, a space saving footprint established by the support base allows the workstand to be positioned against walls and in corners.

Abstract: A vehicle mounted laser spotlight system employs a coherent/incoherent spotlight as a light source to produce an eyesafe light dispersion pattern to illuminate an ambient environment. The laser spotlight system includes an integrated laser unit having an integrated laser, power supply and control unit for selectively transmitting coherent light. A fiber optic cable optically couples the laser unit to a spotlight which receives the coherent light from the laser and transmits a beam of coherent light into the ambient environment. An incoherent light transmitter selectively transmits a beam of incoherent light coincident with the beam of coherent light. A converter module may be disposed intermediate the laser and the spotlight to convert the frequency and wavelength of the coherent light.

Abstract: A multi-domain network manager provides alarm correlation among a plurality of domains included in a communications network. Individual network management systems each monitor a single respective domain of the communications network, and provide intra-domain alarms indicative of status specific to the single respective domain. The multi-domain network manager receives the intra-domain alarms, and correlates them to provide inter-domain alarms as well as responses in the form of corrective actions. The multi-domain network manager thus provides a high level of correlation and response for the entire network while each network management system provides a lower level of correlation and response for an individual domain of the network.

Abstract: A content addressable memory (CAM) structure, and a method for its use, wherein data items of different selected lengths stored in the CAM may be located by matching sequences of CAM data words with sequences of input data words. Extension bits associated with each CAM data word control a sequence of comparison cycles to permit an input data item to be compared simultaneously with multiple input data items of the same length stored in the CAM structure. The CAM structure can be used without modification to store data items of various selected lengths. A begin bit associated with each CAM data word is used to mark the beginning of each stored data item and, in an exact match mode of operation, a global line is used to mark the beginning of an input data item. Match logic associated with each CAM data word generates a match till now signal in each comparison cycle, and the signal is propagated to the end of the data item if an exact match is detected.

Abstract: The present invention is a removable vehicle seat assembly for use with a motor vehicle having an interior floor structure with at least a portion thereof covered by a yieldingly deformable material. A latch and release assembly is operatively associated with a riser support structure. The latch and release assembly is configured to be engaged with front and rear anchor members of the interior floor structure and releasably locked in one of a range of releasably locked positions. The latch and release assembly is constructed to be engaged with the front and rear anchor members and releasably locked in an initial one of the range of releasably locked positions.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for generating a congestion indication bit to be written to the CI field of a backwards RM ATM cell to be transmitted by a network interface utilizes a slot.sub.-- type congestion signal for indicating that the number of slots available for receiving cells is below a threshold limit, and a CI.sub.-- VC signal for indicating that the buffer space consumed by cells received on a particular VC has passed a threshold value. The CI bit in a backward RM cell for the VC when either the slot.sub.-- type congestion signal is set or the CI.sub.-- VC bit is set or the EFCI bit was set in the last data cell received by the network interface or the CI bit was set in the last forward RM cell transmitted by the network interface.

Abstract: An intelligent, portable printer having a microprocessor controller, a printing mechanism, and a web feed mechanism integrated into an assembly which, together with a battery pack, may weigh about 1.5 pounds and be about 60 cubic inches in volume. The web may have removable labels adhesively attached to a liner, or it may be linerless label stock with exposed adhesive, or it may be non-adhesive plain paper stock. The web may be printed with bar codes, graphics, text, or lines. Because the printer is so small and light in weight, it may be used at any site where labels are required. By labels is meant any tickets, stickers, or other patches (so-called "label-stock"). The controller includes a microprocessor which communicates interactively with a terminal, which may be remote from the printer and may include or be a host computer, via cable, radio, or optical interfaces. The terminal supplies application programs and data representing the information to be printed.