Abstract: Generation and stabilization of glow plasma by discharge under atmospheric pressure are monitored by detection of the number of electric current pulses per one-half cycle of an alternating voltage applied to a discharge device. Alternately, or in addition, a Lissajous figure is generated showing a correlation between the applied alternating voltage and a current flow in the discharge device, and a discharge state is discriminated according to the Lissajous figure. Accurate, quick and simple monitoring of atmospheric pressure glow discharge plasma and the control thereof are thus made possible.

Abstract: Automatic reclosing apparatus for a DC feeder circuit breaker connectable between a main power bus and a feeder line, including a transducer connectable to the feeder line and a return bus for producing an output signal that corresponds to voltage on the feeder line; and a programmable controller connectable to the breaker for reclosing the breaker when a fault condition is absent and for preventing breaker closure when a fault condition is present; the controller being coupled to the transducer for detecting zero offset and full scale calibration of the transducer output signal. The apparatus can also determine negative return voltage and use such determination to improve accuracy of a load measurement test. The zero offset and full scale calibration functions can be used to implement open and short circuit tests of the apparatus.

Abstract: A system for testing the integrity of critical circuitry, lines and wires employs a differential amplifier having an input resistance R.sub.in and a feedback loop with a resistance R.sub.fb. The critical wires being tested must be a signal wire series connected to a resistance R.sub.s, which is in turn series connected to a return wire. A test voltage source is connected to the noninverting input of the differential amplifier. The signal wire is connected to the inverting input of the differential amplifier. The test voltage source is activated by a test control unit. When activated, the test voltage source provides two distinct outputs allowing computation of a test gain in the presence of other functional signals. The test control unit measures the output V.sub.out of the differential amplifier and computes the value of the test gain. A break in either the signal wire or the return wire will result in a test gain of 1. If the signal and return wires are shorted, the test gain will be 1+R.sub.fb /R.sub.in.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining surface characteristics of a layer (e.g. anodised aluminum) by measuring electrical impedance thereof and solving specified equations.

Abstract: A circular chamber is disclosed. Helium is introduced into the chamber to swirl in a circle to flow past a pair of spaced electrodes forming a spark in the helium. The chamber enables a sample detected by interaction with spark initiated ionization.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of and an apparatus for evaluating the reliability of metal interconnects. It is capable of performing the evaluation under such a testing condition as to reproduce an actual operating environment, that is, under the testing condition of simultaneously accelerating electromigration and stress-induced migration, thereby evaluating failures conventionally missed to be evaluated. In particular, this method is applicable for evaluating the reliability of metal interconnects of semiconductor devices, and which includes the steps of performing a constant-temperature storage test I for interconnect reliability evaluation at a temperature over a specified temperature for a specified time; and applying a current to the interconnect and simultaneously performing a test II of measuring a voltage of the interconnect.

Abstract: A method of measuring the dielectric constant of a sheet-like material is disclosed, the method using a cavity resonator having a transverse slit formed in the intermediate region thereof between the opposite ends for disposing a sample sheet perpendicularly to the direction of the length thereof. The dielectric constant is measured as a function of the difference f.sub.1r -f.sub.r2 between the microwave resonant frequency f.sub.1r of the cavity resonator obtained when the sample is not inserted in the transverse slit and the microwave resonant frequency f.sub.r2 of the cavity resonator obtained when it is inserted in said transverse slit. The resonant frequency f.sub.2r (.beta.) is calculated in the state in which the sample sheet in said transverse slit is rotated through a given angle .beta. with respect to said longitudinal axis from the predetermined angle designated by 0.degree., from the formula approximating the resonance curve in the cavity resonator.

Abstract: To locate ground faults in a normally ungrounded DC circuit a centertapped voltage divider is connected across the positive and negative buses. An oscillator controlled switch is connected between the centertap and ground which when operating modulates the ground fault currents with a square wave having a repetition rate no greater than 3 hertz. A Hall probe including a field nulling coil is clamped successively along the conductors under test. A capacitive storage circuit maintains the energization of the nulling coil at the level that provided a null indication immediately prior to actuation of a test button. The Hall probe is connected to a read-out oscilloscope which indicates the presence or absence of the square wave modulation. Fault currents as small as 1 ma can be detected.

Abstract: A mobile x-ray unit operates from a rechargeable battery in a number of different modes which draw current from the battery. The present invention determines the number of patient exams remaining in the mobile x-ray unit, and has the capability of monitoring battery capacity usage as well as displaying information. The current drawn from the battery is measured as the system operates, which allows for the remaining capacity of the battery to be calculated. The remaining capacity of the battery can be adjusted based on usage of the system in each particular application. The system then calculates patient exams remaining based on the adjusted calculated remaining capacity of the battery, and displays the calculated patient exams remaining.

Abstract: A digital sensor network scanner for use in monitoring resin flow and its re progress during a resin fabrication process in which a plurality of non-intersecting electrically conductive threads are arranged in a grid-like configuration with each sensor thread having a sensor input for a sensor data path so as to create a plurality of sensors is disclosed in which a first section of the scanner supplies time encoded pulses to the sensor input path. A second section of the sensor network scanner includes a plurality of detectors which are connected to the sensor data path as well as to a plurality of LEDs and which are also triggered by the same time encoded pulses applied to the sensor input path. When a sensor data path is in a conducting state, the applied time encoded pulses propagate down the sensor data path to the detector which, having simultaneously received a signal from both the network scanner and the sensor, illuminates the LED.

Abstract: An apparatus for diagnosing the presence and location of faults within a vehicle's electrical system includes a signal generator for generating an a.c. test signal; a switching circuit connected to an interface between the system's ECU and the system's components for selectively and sequentially applying the a.c. test signal into each electrical lead therein; and a first detector connected to the system's common ground for detecting the system's response to the applied signals, thereby obtaining a set of transitory characteristics for the vehicle's electrical system.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus to electronically identify a page. Each page has a surface conductive trace that is coupled to an electronic circuit to measure the conductivity of the trace. The primary purpose of the conductive trace is to provide an identification for the page.

Abstract: An isolated detector for gas is set forth and incorporates a closed source chamber in cooperation with a sample chamber through which sample gas flows. Gas within the source chamber comprises Krypton which is excited to a metastable state by a pulsed, high voltage, direct current spark. Subsequent decay of metastable argon emits ionizing radiation which passes through a membrane window into the sample chamber thereby ionizing selected constituents within the sample gas. Charged particles resulting from the ionization of selected constituents are collected with voltage biased electrodes in the sample chamber, and the magnitude of the resulting current flow is related to the concentration of the ionized molecules or compounds. The apparatus for generating ionizing radiation requires no external source of gas, is rugged, is relatively inexpensive to manufacture and operate, and exhibits an operating life much longer than source lamps used in prior art devices.

Abstract: In a method for measuring transmission parameters of a balanced pair, a unbalanced type equipment which is widely used as compared to a balanced type equipment which is not used in practical is used. In the measurement, the balanced pair is connected to the unbalanced type equipment or via a unbalanced/balanced type transformer thereto at the measuring end, wherein predetermined terminated states are set at the measuring and far-ends to measure input admittances dependent on the terminated states. A characteristic impedance and a propagation constant for the transmission parameters are calculated from predetermined equations into which the measured input admittances are substituted.

Abstract: A capacitor (16) coupled in series with series coupled gas discharge lamps (11 and 12) will effectively block direct current from flowing through the capacitor (16). A detector circuit including a high impedance resistor (17) and transistor (18) provide an alternate path for a small direct current flow, thereby enabling a direct current voltage across the capacitor (16) to be detected. The presence or absence of this direct current voltage provides a reliable indicia of the existence or absence of a gas discharge fault.

Abstract: A power validation tool is used in place of an actual microprocessor to validate a power source to determine if the power source is capable of meeting power requirements of the microprocessor. The validation tool is placed into a socket reserved for the microprocessor. A pulse generator supplies a pulse signal to toggle a load between minimum and maximum load current values, while a window comparator monitors the voltage to determine if the load change causes the source voltage to rise above or fall below an accepted range.

Abstract: Apparatus for measuring the resistance of a programmed antifuse in an integrated circuit is integrated on the same integrated circuit as the antifuse and is controlled by a programming circuit disposed on an integrated circuit and comprises a first voltage sensing transistor having a first drain/source electrically connected to a first I/O pad, a gate electrically connected to the programming circuit, and a second drain/source electrically connected to a first electrode of the antifuse, and a second voltage sensing transistor having a first drain/source electrically connected to a second I/O pad, a gate electrically connected to the programming circuit, and a second drain/source electrically connected to a second electrode of the antifuse.

Abstract: In the process for monitoring water, in particular boiler feed water, for organic impurities by measuring the conductivity, a part stream is diverted from a sample water stream and its conductivity is measured. The other part stream evaporated at 300.degree.-500.degree. C.; the vapor is thermally treated at temperatures of 800.degree.-1000.degree. C.; the treated vapor is condensed and the conductivity of the condensate is measured. Subsequently the difference between the measured conductivities is taken.

Abstract: In a device of estimating heat resistivity for a spark plug, an ignition spark control circuit is provided to discontinue ignition spark across electrodes of a spark plug at a predetermined intervals. A counter circuit is provided to count the times of the ignition spark suppressed by the ignition spark control circuit. A self-ignition detection circuit is provided to detect the self-ignition from the spark plug when the ignition spark is suppressed by the ignition spark control circuit. A self-ignition counter circuit is provided to count the numbers of the self-ignition detected by the self-ignition detection circuit. A calculation circuit is provided to calculate occurrences rate of the self-ignition from the spark plug on the basis of the suppressing numbers of the ignition spark counted by the counter circuit and the detecting numbers of the self-ignition counted by self-ignition counter circuit.

Abstract: A capaciflector sensor system scanned in frequency is used to detect the permittivity of the material of an object being sensed. A capaciflector sensor element, coupled to current-measuring voltage follower circuitry, is driven by a frequency swept oscillator and generates an output which corresponds to capacity as a function of the input frequency. This swept frequency information is fed into apparatus e.g. a digital computer for comparing the shape of the capacitance vs. frequency curve against characteristic capacitor vs. frequency curves for a variety of different materials which are stored, for example, in a digital memory of the computer or a database. Using a technique of pattern matching, a determination is made as to the identification of the material. Also, when desirable, the distance between the sensor and the object can be determined.