Abstract: A compact and portable docking station for a radio mobile personal digital assistant (PDA) carries a magnetic card reader and provides an interface that supplies drive power to the magnetic card reader independently of the PDA battery and translates signal levels provided from the card reader so that they can reliably be read by the PDA. PDA battery power is conserved by initiating all interface actions from a software generated “radio” button appearing on the screen of the PDA.

Abstract: A furniture joint for joining hollow-ended structural sections of modular furniture and especially the highly finished elements employed in the steel-and-glass-look type of furniture. This type of furniture requires a continuity of surface appearances having mirror-like attributes. The joining of the hollow-ended sections which advantageously may be cut from available lengths of mirrorized plastic tubing is accomplished by the use of a splined collar of elastomeric material and connector spuds which fit in the annular spaces between the connector arms and the tubing. The splines of the collar are adapted to be torsionally distorted ("squeegeed") during assembly. This distortion of the splines prevents the joint from inadvertently coming apart under the axial strain that the furniture joint may be expected to carry in normal use. However, the joint may be disassembled and the elements reused if rotational twisting is employed together with a pulling effort.