Abstract: A tilt apparatus allows an operator to readily change the tilt angle of a display monitor and retain the angle after it is changed. The tilt apparatus mounts vertically to the display monitor housing at the rear of the monitor's pivot point and center of gravity. The apparatus includes a piston and spring assembly which counterbalances shifting in the monitor's center of gravity during the manual tilting of the monitor to provide continuously variable adjustment throughout a predefined tilt range. The apparatus also includes frictional drag means to compensate for nonlinear changes in the center of gravity of the monitor.

Abstract: A mounting arm is disclosed on one end of which a piece of electronic or other equipment is mounted and the other end of which is detachably fastened to the edge of a supporting surface. The arm has three moving joints that permit the equipment fastened thereto to be moved with multiple degrees of freedom for desired positioning of the equipment. One joint utilizes a friction washer assembly and a preloaded torsion spring counterbalancing the weight of the equipment. The torsion spring tension is adjustable to compensate for differing weights of equipment on the one end of the arm. Another joint utilizes a friction ball joint arrangement having double concentric friction ball surfaces in an assembly that permits multiple degrees of freedom of motion and is easily removed from the remainder of the arm without disassembling the ball joint.

Abstract: Forming a character-based monochromatic image from a digital representation of a color image by (1) forming a character-based representation of the color image in which a plurality of color characters each describe the background and foreground color within a defined area of the color image, (2) providing a plurality of color pattern masks each corresponding to a color in the color image and comprised of a pattern of light and dark dots capable of providing, in the monochromatic image, visual discrimination between areas of different color, (3) transforming the color characters to monochromatic characters by replacing the background and foreground color of each color character with the corresponding pattern of light and dark dots, and (4) displaying the monochromatic characters on a character-based output device (e.g., a CRT display driven by a character-based controller).

Abstract: Apparatus and method for detecting and discriminating among various signals indicative of progress while making a telephone connection. A particular waveform parameter known as peak factor is advantageously employed in a call progress analyzer. The illustrative call progress analyzer uses the average magnitude peak factor (ratio of the peak of the waveform to the average of the absolute value of the waveform) to distinguish among single-tone signals (e.g., special service information tones), double-tone signals (e.g., dial tone, audible ring, and busy), and speech. Waveform ON and OFF times (duration above and below an energy threshold) are combined with signal-type determinations (made using peak factor) to automatically determine the status of a call.

Abstract: In a multi-tasking data processing system, each task may request that the operating system set up descriptor blocks which identify virtual screens for display of data on the video display. Under keyboard control, only one virtual screen is selected for display at a given time. The operating system reserves a portion of the video display for displaying identifiers of the virtual screens which have been established but which are held in background. Each virtual screen may be subdivided into viewports by the corresponding application task. Those viewports are also identified in the operating system by descriptor blocks which point to pages of data in the document files. The descriptor blocks can be modified through requests from application tasks even when held in background. Whenever the display memory is updated, data designated by the descriptor blocks is passed through a rasterizer in the operating system which generates the pixel data to be stored in a display memory.

Abstract: A color to monochromatic image transformation which transforms each color area of the original image into a corresponding area of a monochromatic image having a particular pattern of `light` and `dark` dots corresponding to and representing the original color of the area. The dot patterns are selected to provide both gray scale representations of the original colors and differing textural appearances for each color, so as to maximize the discrimination between the areas of the monochromatic image. The monochromatic dot patterns do not necessarily correspond exactly to the colors or gray scale values of the original colors, but are selected to provide visual impressions analogous to the visual impressions provided by the corresponding original colors.

Abstract: Apparatus for removably attaching a cable to a point on another piece of apparatus. The apparatus consists of means such as a jack for attaching an end of the cable to the piece of apparatus and a clip at another point on the piece of apparatus which may be employed at the option of the user of the piece of apparatus to retain an intermediate point of the cable. The cable may be inserted in and removed from the clip without use of tools. The attaching apparatus is employed in devices such as keyboards for the cables which attach the keyboard to the rest of the system and auxiliary input devices to the keyboard. In a preferred embodiment, the clip consists of a short channel in the case of the keyboard which will accept a number of cables having different sizes and a flexible snap which retains the cables in the channel.

Abstract: A simplified cache with automatic updating for use in a memory system. The cache and the main memory receive data from a common input, and when a memory write operation is performed on data stored at a memory location for which there is a corresponding cache location, the data is written simultaneously to the cache and to the main memory. Since a cache location coresponding to a memory location always contains a copy of the data at the memory location, there is no need for dirty bits or valid bits in the cache resisters and the associated logic in the cache control. The main memory used with the invention may receive data either from a CPU or from I/O devices, and the cache includes apparatus permitting the CPU to perform cache read operations while the main memory is receiving data from an I/O device.

Abstract: A microfiche punch unit and method are disclosed. The method and apparatus assure proper alignment between the images and the binary identification tabs attached to the edge of the microfiche. In the pre-tabbing stage the microfiche is punched to create reference holes which are measured from the image grids rather than the edge of the fiche. The microfiche is "registered" (checked for alignment) by aligning the images with reference lines on the punch unit prior to punching the reference holes. During the actual tabbing, the fiche is placed over pegs added to a prior art tabbing press, to secure the fiche. The method and apparatus are ideally used in a microfiche storage/retrieval unit, such as those which are part of a digital imaging process.

Abstract: The generally rectangular cross section of a telephone handset handle extends through a microphone portion of the handset. The microphone portion is angled about 38 degrees from the handle. The handle has a width of about 1.5 inches and a depth of about 0.7 inch to meet the requirements of 98% of the user population. A speaker portion, angled about 15 degrees from the handle, has a concave depression to be seated against a user's ear. The distance between the center of the speaker depression and the microphone cavity is about 5.8 inches. The microphone portion is about two inches long and has grooves extending to its end. Baffles extend across the hollow of the handle to acoustically isolate the speaker and microphone portions of the handset. To facilitate assembly, the connector and microphone are first fixed to a holder without the need for adhesive or additional fasteners. The speaker and holder are then positioned in a base section of the handset without the need for adhesive or additional fasteners.

Abstract: A generalized method and apparatus for compression and decompression of textual information. Compression is performed by reading in succession each character and an associated context of a text, selecting for each character and associated context a corresponding code character, and providing the resulting code characters as the compressed form of the text. Decompression is a symmetric, inverse operation wherein the contexts associated with the code characters are read from a known decompressed portion of text. The context of a character is a group of text characters associated with a text character and containing a fixed number of characters. Text and code characters and contexts are related through a table containing a relative alphabet for the contexts of the language of the text.

Abstract: A thermal print head includes electrical heating elements for marking a heat sensitive medium, and buses for delivering power to the elements (each bus being connected in common to a number of the elements); a power source applies to one of the buses a first voltage level which is at least sufficient, when applied to one of the elements, to cause marking, and the power source holds a second bus at a fixed second voltage level insufficient for causing marking.

Abstract: A task control method and apparatus for controlling the interactive, concurrent execution of a plurality of general purpose data processing tasks in a data processing system. The system includes a memory for storing active tasks, a mass storage means for storing inactive tasks and a general purpose CPU. Upon request by a user or by an active task, a task loader transfers a presently inactive task from the mass storage means to the memory to be available for execution. A memory manager assigns a task node space in the memory and a task manager creates a task control block for the task to be activated, assigns a task control block identification to the task control block, and writes the task control block identification into the task's task node space to link the task to the task's task control block.

Abstract: What is disclosed is a memory module to and from which multibit binary words are stored and read out. Each multibit binary word comprises a standard word size and another memory bit that may be used for purposes such as parity checking. The modules may be mounted on a printed circuit mother board from which power, control signals and binary words are applied to and taken from the module.

Abstract: CPU based telephone circuitry allowing for enhanced telephone functions includes a battery backup. To minimize power drain from the battery, the battery only supplies limited circuitry required for limited telephone service without CPU support. To further limit power drain, power backup circuitry includes a first circuit limited to sensing of the hookswitch status and sensing of incoming calls and generation of a ringing sound. Based on the status of the hookswitch, additional amplifiers, dialers and the like required for the limited telephone service are then powered by the backup battery.

Abstract: A paper feeder for use in dispensing paper into a printer with sensors for leading and trailing edges of paper and with a platen which rotates in a forward imprinting direction in response to a leading edge and in a backward, paper-ejecting direction in response to a trailing edge, the paper feeder comprising a paper holder, at least one rotatable drive roller to operably contact paper in the holder, and a drive train connecting the platen to the roller and controlled exclusively by such connection to cause no roller rotation in response to forward platen rotation, and to cause roller rotation in a paper-dispensing direction in response to backward platen rotation; the drive train is arranged so that the roller delivers paper to a paper-loading position on the printer not before the platen completes paper ejection; whereby backwards platen rotation provides simultaneous paper ejection and dispensing.