Abstract: One or more user accessible switches are provided by which the authorized user may fully or partially limit the computer's access to one or more of its peripheral devices. The switch inhibits power or control lines to the peripheral device, or enables the programming of access limits to the peripheral device, in a manner which cannot be overridden by the computer. This added level of control allows the user to control the computer's activities so that access to these peripheral devices is allowed only under secure conditions, so as to preclude alteration or destruction of data by unauthorized users or computer viruses. Methods are disclosed by which the switches can render peripheral devices totally inactive, or made to be temporarily read-only, write-only, or write-once in order to implement a number or security protocols for single or multi-user environments.

Abstract: A system for verifying the authenticity of a document that bears a number of fields of strings of variable characters such as a check bearing date of issue field, payee field and numeric and alpha amount fields, includes a computer at the document issuing and printing station that controls the computer. A secret program selects certain characters from the strings, transforms those characters into other characters by various methods to generate a unique string of characters to print on the document as a unique code. Any remote authenticating station can authenticate the document with a computer that contains the same secret program used at the time the document was issued. The strings of variable characters born by the document are read into the computer at the authenticating station. The secret program causes the computer to generate an authenticating code from the data read into the computer from the document. The computer compares the authenticating code to the unique code born by the document.

Abstract: A CRT having a phosphor layer on the inner surface of a panel wherein the longer side of the phosphor layer is concave with respect to the longer side of the panel, thereby providing a screen which has a rectangular appearance.

Abstract: A cable management system which provides routing of wired services between service lines (16) and user lines (18). Each service line enters the cable system at a service termination unit circuit card (22) which also holds a portion of a crosspoint switch matrix (126). Each user line enters the system at a line termination unit circuit card (20). The service termination unit circuit cards are all mounted to connectors (36) on a first side of a centerplane board (24) and the line termination unit circuit cards are mounted to connectors (36) on the other side of the centerplane board. Pins (37) extending through the centerplane board interconnect the connectors so that any service line can be connected to any user line. A system controller card (26) mounted to the centerplane board communicates with the circuit cards via a bus (38) on the centerplane board.

Abstract: A method for functional monitoring of an electrical load, controlled by a control circuit, provides that defects in the load are detected by comparison of a signal which is used to control the load and a status signal which is passed back to the control circuit from the load. A short-circuit to ground or to the supply voltage and a cable failure can be confirmed by logical evaluation of the signals before, during and after a switching event. In this case, it is possible to differentiate between the individual defect cases.

Abstract: The imager includes a frame transfer image array 22 having a plurality of image cells, the image cells accumulating charge in response to input light and arranged in a plurality of image rows and image columns, odd numbered ones of the image rows constituting a first field and even numbered ones of the image rows constituting a second field; and a memory array 24 having a plurality of memory cells arranged in a plurality of memory rows and memory columns for storing charge from the image array 22, wherein, in a first mode, charge in the first field and the second field is transferred to the memory array 24 from the image array, and, in a second mode, charge in the first field is summed with charge in the second field in the image array 22 before being transferred to the memory array 24.

Abstract: A transponding tag (14) and method for responding with a unique code signal (18) when it receives an interrogation signal (16). The tag (14) waits a random duration before responding to avoid interference with response code signals (18) from other tags (14). The tag (14) includes two antennae (22, 24) formed on opposing sides of a dielectric planar substrate (20). A protective coating (52) and printed indicia (72) overlie the antennae. An electrical circuit (34), decoupling capacitor (44) and inductive pickup coil (46) are embedded within the substrate (20). The electrical circuit (34) and capacitor (44) reside between the antennae (22, 24) to receive RF shielding from the antennae and to reduce thickness of the tag (14). A capacitance exists between the antennae (22, 24). This capacitance stores DC electrical energy for the electrical circuit (34). The tag (14) is programmed through a modulated magnetic field detected at the inductive pickup coil (46).

Abstract: An improved color picture tube includes a screen and an inline gun for generating and directing three inline electron beams along separate paths toward the screen. The electron gun includes electrodes that provide a beam-forming region, a prefocus region and a main focus region. The beam-forming region of the gun includes a cathode, a G1 electrode, a G2 electrode and a first portion of a G3 electrode. The prefocus region includes a second portion of the G3 electrode, a G4 electrode and a first portion of a G5 electrode. The main focus region includes a second portion of the G5 electrode and a G6 electrode. The improvement resides in the beam-forming region, the prefocus region and the main focus region each being astigmatic.

Abstract: A selective call receiver (5) comprises receiver circuitry (14) for receiving a message, a display (22) for displaying a key pad arrangement (70) and for displaying the received message in a message display area (68). A microcomputer (20) and user controls (12) interact with the key pad arrangement (70) to modify the received message. A method of displaying the received message comprises the steps of displaying the key pad arrangement (70) and interacting with the key pad arrangement (70) so as to modify the message or add a new message.

Abstract: A radio frequency quadrupole (RFQ), which is a combination of the standard 4-vane and 4-rod designs, with a window or windows cut through mid-portions of the normally solid vanes. The windows decrease the resonant frequency, minimize undesirable mode coupling in the RFQ and result in a smaller and more easily tuned accelerator.

Abstract: In a pager receiver for receiving first through N-th pager signals successively at a first predetermined period (T1) and comprising a battery saving switch and a receiving circuit connected to the switch and enabled while the switch is in an on state, a controller puts the switch in the on state repeatedly at a second predetermined period (T2) to make the receiving circuit receive at least a portion of a preamble signal (PA) and whole of a synchronization (SS) and an address (AS) signals of the first pager signal (RS1) and detect an address signal end of the first pager signal. The controller keeps the switch in the on state to make the receiving circuit receive at least a part of the preamble signal and whole of the synchronization and the address signals of each of the second (RS2) through the N-th pager signals and detect the address signal end of each of the second through the N-th pager signals.

Abstract: A spark plug for an internal combustion engine wherein a ring shaped ground electrode has a uniform annular hole with an internal diameter about 0.80 to 1.25 times the outer diameter of the center electrode. The ground electrode is vertically spaced below the center electrode and is concentric therewith. The ground electrode is connected to one or more mounting posts attached to a spark plug metal housing. Firing surfaces of the ground and center electrode have platinum alloy inserts laser welded in place. The spark from the center electrode to the ground electrode has multiple paths and results in a spark plug which improves fuel combustion, increases gasoline mileage and engine horsepower and torque and significantly reduces the smolder time or ignition delay time and consequently reduces environmental pollutants of nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide and other hydrocarbons.

Abstract: A user of a selective call receiver (100) is capable of inputting and storing user defined search key information and user defined corresponding information into non-volatile memory (107), via user input control (109). Subsequent to receiving and decoding a message having message information and storing the message information into memory (106), the selective call receiver (100) is capable of searching the message information for an occurrence of the user defined search key information, and presenting the message information and at least a portion of corresponding information for an occurrence of corresponding user defined search key information in the message information.

Abstract: A device for moving and guiding a motion-picture film through the film gate of a telecine scanner is proposed, which serves for exactly positioning a film frame. It comprises a carriage which is rectilinearly reciprocated in a guide perpendicular to the optical path of the film gate, on which carriage each film frame is immobilised during the uniform forward movement. The drive means for the carriage comprises a motor-driven cam having a sawtooth-shape with sinusoidal transitions and two latching positions.

Abstract: A communications network including several ports where each port is connected to at least one data processing system element. The ports are interconnected by an information bus. Additionally, the ports are connected to a matrix switch that has the capability of providing a direct communications channel between any two of the ports. Each port includes control circuitry for communicating with other ports over the bus and through the bus, regulating the matrix switch in order for the matrix switch to provide the direct communication channels between two ports.

Abstract: A pivotable display arrangement for an electronic device (600) powered by a battery (116) includes an enclosure (102, 104) having sides formed to provide an arcuate rectangular aperture (602) spanning across a portion of the top and front of file enclosure (102, 104). A pivotable display positioned within the aperture 602 includes a display element (112) attached to a display housing (110) formed in a cylindrical shape such that an interior portion provides a battery compartment (109). First and second bearings (1102) are formed in the enclosure (102, 104) at opposing sides of the aperture 602 for capturing first and second ends (1104) of the display housing (110), thereby allowing rotation of the display housing (110) about a central axis (111) through the first and second bearings (1102).

Abstract: A password access method/algorithm is effected by generating a pseudorandom array of each letter of the alphabet and the numerals 0 through 9 such that the password entry can be monitored without disclosing the letters or numerals contained in the password. The preferred arrangement is a square matrix of six rows and six columns of characters. The user enters the password by selecting either the row or column containing each letter of a memorized password.

Abstract: In particular for reducing the waiting time at the checkouts of self-service supermarkets, articles are registered by providing each article with a microcircuit (24) having a loop for picking up high frequency energy and for responding to an interrogation by transmitting a modulated message at high frequency representing an article-identifying signature. An article (20) is taken into account by exciting its microcircuit by applying an energy-supplying and interrogation high frequency signal thereto to cause it to transmit the modulated signal of the signature, the modulated signal is picked up by memory means causing the signatures to correspond to the prices of articles, the price of the interrogated article is stored in a memory, and it is displayed, and the price of the article is added to that of any articles that may previously have been taken into account.

Abstract: A locating and monitoring system includes transmitters worn by a person, animal, or equipment to transmit an unique identification code while moving about a facility. The code is transmitted by pulse bursts at diverse times during predetermined time intervals to prevent synchronization with resident signals in the facility. Receivers in the walls or ceilings of the facility respond to the infrared radiation of the pulse bursts and validate the identification code by a checksum of the code through a comparison with a checksum transmitted with the code. The receivers deliver validated codes to arbitrators and receive back signals indicative of the level of an individual assigned to a class wearing the transmitters. Signals from the receivers are received by arbitrators which forward the codes to a CPU for recording start and stop events indicative of movement by transmitters into and out of the reception range of the various receivers.

Abstract: A selective call receiver (30) receives personal messages and information services provided database messages. A memory (44) stores the personal messages in a first portion (46) and the database messages as a plurality of screens in a second portion (48). A display (42) displays the plurality of screens for the user's perusal. The user can display the screens manually through activation of user input controls (40) when operating in a database mode under the control of a controller (52). Alternatively, the user can display selected screens in a quick access or quick view mode by placing operation of the receiver (30) under the control of a quick view controller (60) coupled to the database portion of memory (48) and the display (42). The user can selectively flag a screen (FIG. 9) or trigger a numeric field of a screen (FIG. 16) via activation of user input controls (40) when operating in a database mode under the control of a controller (52).