Abstract: A thermodynamic engine comprises first and second heat exchange members and a solid state thermodynamic member therebetween. At least one of the heat exchange members is formed by use of micromechanical machining.

Abstract: An improved scrambler for serial digital video that is compatible with SMPTE Standard 259M inserts a detector/dithering circuit between the input serial digital signal and a scrambler. The scrambler's statistics are observed by a pair of up/down counters. One counter monitors the scrambled data prior to NRZI encoding to determine transition density, and the other monitors the NRZI encoder output to determine the relative density of "ones" and "zeros" in the scrambled output signal. A pseudorandom generator generates a dither signal which is combined with the least significant bit of selected video words of the input serial digital signal when enabled by the terminal count output from either counter. A complementary descrambler has a similar detector/dithering circuit at its output to restore the original least significant bit of the selected video words. The improved scrambler/descrambler may be implemented in either the serial or the parallel domain.

Abstract: A dynamically variable anti-aliasing filtering system calculates on a local basis the compression factors (Cf) present in an image that is being mapped from a two-dimensional source image through a three-dimensional space and into a two-dimensional target image, the apparatus implementing a linear equation of the form:Cf=A*X.sub.s +B*Y.sub.s +Cwhere, X.sub.s and Y.sub.s are, respectively, the horizontal and vertical coordinates of pixels in the source image, and A, B and C are precalculated (each field or frame) constants that depend on the transform matrix function F. A total of four compression factors are required, one for control of horizontal luminance filtering, one for control of vertical luminance filtering, one for control of horizontal chrominance filtering and one for control of vertical chrominance filtering. Three dual accumulator circuits are used to implement the linear equation in X.sub.s and Y.sub.s for three different sets of A, B and C.

Abstract: A FIR filter based upon squaring accumulates the sum of the squares of the samples of a digital input signal. The samples also are added to respective filter coefficients, squared and accumulated in a plurality of filter stages. The sum of the squares of the samples are subtracted, together with a constant that is the sum of the squares of the filter coefficients, from the output of the last filter stage to produce an output signal that is divided by two to produce the samples for a digital output signal.

Abstract: An improved M.times.N mechanical optical switch has opposing input and output optical fiber bundles disposed within offset ferrules forming an optical interface with the ferrules having sleeve members secured to one of the end faces thereof. The sleeve members have a hardness greater than the ferules and the optical fibers for forming respective recessed polished end face regions on the ferrules at the optical interface. Each ferrule is mounted in three-point kinematically correct V-groove holder allowing the optical fibers in each optical fiber bundle to traverse on a closed curve path during the rotation of the respective ferrules. Each V-groove holder has a spring clamp with first and second clamp members and wear resistant inserts secured to the clamp members and the sidewalls of the V-groove holder. The closed curve paths of each optical fiber in one of the optical fiber bundles intersect at least one of the closed curve paths of the optical fiber in the opposing optical fiber bundles.

Abstract: A circuit modifies a fast-in, slow-out data acquisition system to provide a redundant analog data acquisition cell (aR) that can be substituted for a defective cell without adversely affecting the timing between acquired samples. This circuit includes a plurality of signal acquisition cells (a1-an) including at least one redundant cell arranged in a row, a source of sample and hold clock signals (b1-bn) for the signal acquisition cells, and a corresponding row of demultiplexers (D1-Dn). Each acquisition cell has an analog signal input and a sample and hold clock signal input that determines when the analog signal is to be sampled. The demultiplexers each have a signal input, a select input, and at least two outputs, with the input being coupled to one of the sample and hold clock signals, and the outputs being coupled to the sample and hold clock inputs of two adjacent signal acquisition cells.

Abstract: An aqueous phase change ink contains a water dispersible sulphonated polyester gloss agent and a selected concentration of hyperthermogelling component that causes the ink to gel when its temperature is increased to its thermo-inversion point or when the concentration of the hyperthermogelling component is increased by evaporation, or substrate absorption, of water from the ink. The ink may be jetted directly onto a heated and/or absorptive substrate or jetted onto a cooler and/or hydrophobic surface before being transferred to the substrate. The thermo-inversion point is preferably about ambient temperature, and the preferred hyperthermogelling component is a nonionic surfactant, such as an ethylene oxide propylene oxide block copolymer surfactant.

Abstract: A system and method for printing a predetermined image onto a substrate includes steps or structure for determining a first area on the substrate where a colorant is to be deposited; determining a second area which is immediately adjacent to the first area; depositing an image-enhancing precoat over the first area and the second area; and depositing a colorant on the exposed surface of the image-enhancing precoat substantially so as to be over the first area, whereby a border of precoat material will be defined about the printed image on the substrate. A second aspect of the disclosure involves sealing a printed image on a substrate by applying an aftercoat.

Abstract: A display system (10) or display (12) has a supertwisted nematic liquid crystal cell (30) located between first and second polarizing filters (24, 54) that have respective first (26) and second (56) transmission axes that form respective polar angles (A, D) with a reference plane (28). The first polarizing filter passes a neutral polarized color along the first transmission axis and has another transmission axis (27) orthogonal to the first transmission axis and transmissive of a purple polarized color; the second polarizing filter is of a neutral density type. The cell has first and second electrode structures (32, 34) confining a liquid crystal composition, each having an inner surface with respective liquid crystal alignment directions (38, 40) of inner-surface-contacting directors of the liquid crystal composition forming respective polar angles (B, C) with the reference plane. The second polarizing filter may be associated with a translucent film (64) to reflect light toward the second polarizing filter.

Abstract: A color liquid crystal display (LCD) includes many ones of a color cell triad (150) of liquid crystal cells (80R, 80G, 80B) and a negative birefringence compensator plate (110). The color cell triads are positioned between a pair of linear polarizers (112, 114), and each color cell triad is in optical association with colored filters (152R, 152G, 152B). Each of the liquid crystal cells has a symmetrical director field (82, 82') that produces a symmetrical but nonuniform color viewing circle curve (100) from the liquid crystal cell. The negative birefringence plate restores the color viewing angle uniformity. When graphed on a polar plot, the measured light transmission percentage curves (120, 122, 124) characterizing the LCD are substantially concentric circles surrounding the optical axis (18) for all azimuthal angles (28) and viewing angles (24) up to 30 degrees. Thus, the color LCD provides a multi-color display having colors that are perceptibly uniform over a wide range of azimuthal and viewing angles.

Abstract: A visually graded display of digitally compressed waveforms for a digital storage oscilloscope. A histogram is formed by sampling or otherwise resolving a data set of values corresponding to an independent variable to produce a quantized set of values over a selected compression interval of the independent variable. The compression interval represents equal quanta of the independent variable and has associated therewith a set of histogram bins, each containing a number, wherein the number contained within each bin represents a weighted number of hits associated with vectors connecting selected pairs of such dependent variable values, wherein each vector is associated uniquely with one pair. The numbers are weighted for each vector according to drawing techniques, the drawing techniques alone or in combination allowing choices for signal display ranging between retaining maximal signal information, for emulating the display of an analog oscilloscope, or retaining less signal information.

Abstract: An adapter for a measurement test instrument electrical probe has a flexible dielectric substrate with electrically conductive runs thereon. One end of the conductive runs has first electrical contacts with a pitch geometry corresponding to the pitch geometry of electrical contacts of an electronic device that is electrically connected to a substrate via the electrical contacts of the device. The other end of the conductive runs has second electrical contacts that have a pitch geometry compatible with the electrical probe of the measurement test instrument.

Abstract: A method of thermal transfer printing on a substrate includes the steps of determining, on a pixel by pixel basis, where colorant is to be located on the substrate; applying an image-enhancing precoat to each pixel where colorant is to be located, as well as to at least one immediately adjacent pixel; and depositing a colorant onto the precoated predetermined pixels. The precoating that is applied to the immediately adjacent pixels helps retain the precoating to the substrate, among other advantages. A second method, for printing on a rough substrate, includes steps of applying an image enhancing precoat so as to form bridges across valleys of said rough surface; and subsequently depositing a colorant onto the precoat. A third printing method includes the steps of applying a precoat to the substrate which has one or more voids defined therein; and depositing a colorant onto the precoat so as to bridge over the voids in the precoat. Related systems and printed products are also disclosed.

Abstract: A hybrid R-C component for use in oscilloscope probes of the type having a resistive element disposed on a first surface of a substrate, and having a first conductive coating disposed on a second surface of the substrate, and having a dielectric layer disposed over the first conductive coating, a second conductive coating partially disposed over a first portion of the substrate and in contact with a first end of the resistive element and with a region of the second conductive coating being partially disposed over the dielectric layer and forming a first capacitor plate, a third conductive coating disposed over a second portion of the substrate and in contact with a second end of the resistive element and with a region of the third conductive coating being partially disposed over the dielectric layer and forming a second capacitor plate, whereby the first capacitor plate and a first area of the first conductive coating in conjunction with the dielectric layer form a first capacitor C1 and the second capacitor

Abstract: A digital clock generation system provides both a digital composite clock and a digital component clock synchronized with an input synchronization video signal. The digital composite clock is generated from the burst portion of the input synchronization video signal, and the digital component clock is synthesized from the digital composite clock. A frame timing pulse is generated at regular intervals from the composite sync of the input video signal for resetting the digital component clock to establish a defined phase relationship between the digital composite and component clocks according to an offset constant.