Abstract: A mechanism for controlling the powering-on and powering-off of control units in a data processing system having a plurality of channels, a plurality of control units, and a communications network of links for linking the channels to the control units. Each control unit includes a power-control table for recording power-control allegiance of the control unit to the channels. Where a control unit receives a power-on command from a channel, it records the identity of the channel in its power-control table. When a channel orders a control unit to power-off, the control unit checks to see if it owes power-control allegiance to the ordering channel. If it does, the control unit deletes the identity from its power-control table. The control unit will not power-off unless its power-control table is empty, indicating that it does not owe allegiance to any other channel.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus includes an optical system for forming an image of an object. An image pickup section effects the image pickup operation by causing a one-dimensional image pickup device to scan an image formed by the optical system. A light exposure detecting section detects light exposure based on a luminance signal output according to the scanning operation of the one-dimensional image pickup device at the light exposure detection time. A control section controls the image pickup section according to the light exposure detected by the light exposure detecting section at the time of image pickup operation.

Abstract: A paging system has a signal for transmitting a variable amount of messages to paging receivers. The signal has a synchronization signal, an address field, an information and a boundary signal indicative of the boundary between the address field and the information field. Each message has addresses which are included within the address field and may have message information which is included in the information field. The information field includes two portions, a first portion having a plurality of packets for holding a predetermined amount of information and a second portion for holding a variable amount of information. If the information associated with a message is less than the predetermined amount, the message information is stored in the first portion of the information field.

Abstract: A Double Sliding Spark Plug as a Volume Ignition System for Internal Combustion Engines causes ignition processes of the air-fuel mixture by two simultaneously conical or cylindrical sliding discharges between a conical or cylindrical high voltage electrode (1) located inside two solid insulation parts (4) and (5) and two circular low voltage electrodes (2) and (3). Those sliding discharges are on outer large conical or cylindrical surfaces of insulation parts (4) and (5) with high diameters. The outside low voltage electrode (2) is connected to a metallic body of this spark plug and to the outer conical or cylindrical surface of the outside insulation part (4). The inside cylindrical or conical low voltage electrode (3) is connected to the inner conical or cylindrical surface of the inside insulation part (5).

Abstract: A file folder locating system which includes a transmitter to selectively transmit packets of radio frequency cycles indicative of the coded address of a particular folder. A transponder, attached to the folder, receives the transmission and responds thereto by producing an audible sound which enables the file to be easily located.

Abstract: A rotary control for a music mixing desk consists of a cylindrical knob which includes an information display. The knob is fashioned from an electrically conductive plastic material and is in electrical contact with the spindle of the knob which is connected to a touch sensitive circuit. The rotary control is thereby able to sense the touch of a mixing desk operator without the operator having to turn the knob. The mixing desk can be programmed to undertake various actions upon touching the knob. The display consists of a plurality of light transmitting channels composed of an optic fiber or a wave guide comprising a bundle of optic fibers. Light transmitting elements are disposed at one end of respective channels and circuitry connected to the elements enable certain selected elements to be activated to denote certain conditions. In this way display of signal conditions can be made within a restricted space.

Abstract: A telephone subset which incorporates a high resolution electrophoretic display on the surface of a subset housing. The telephone subset includes a microprocessor which operates under the control of a mode selector. In this manner the display is employed to generate various keyboard formats and operates in conjunction with a position sensitive overlay to enable a subscriber to place telephone calls in a conventional manner when the keyboard display is implemented on the electrophoretic display. The telephone subset in conjunction with various subset buttons which control the mode selector is capable of operating in different modes. Due to the high resolution and large capacity of the display one can now present pages of stored telephone numbers which essentially enables a user to select any number by means of a movable cursor and by pressing another subset button can immediately dial that number.

Abstract: An infrared remote-controlled soil compacting device is controlled such that the device cannot be set into operation as long as the operator with the sending unit is within close vicinity of the soil compacting device so that an accidental operation or propelling in the wrong direction is prevented. This is achieved by providing an infrared close range radiation in addition to the infrared control radiation required for the operational control of the device. The close range radiation has a substantially reduced intensity relative to the control radiation so that the close range radiation can be received within the receiving unit only within close vicinity of the sending unit. When the close range radiation is received within the receiving unit the generation or release of electric signals affecting propelling of the soil compacting device is suppressed.

Abstract: A system has a central store computer and a multiplicity of electronic shelf labels (ESLs). Each label has a means to detect the presence of an ESL-mounted shelf talker. The system automatically audits the store for the proper set of installed shelf talkers. The detection means is an optical port, a pressure sensor such as a button, or a capacitive sensor. The sensor will detect the presence of the shelf talker as well as the absence of the shelf talker. The talker may snap into a recessed optical port, the recessed port serving as a mounting mechanism as well, thus ensuring a more reliable indication that the shelf talker is installed. The sensor may be a capacitive sensor, detecting the presence of a metallized region on the shelf talker.

Abstract: There are provided a cathode-ray tube display unit which can be manufactured with reduced weight and cost and which can have a screen plane flattened without the use of any metal band, and a method of making the same. The screen panel is previously deformed by the use of a jig and then sealingly connected to a funnel. After the jig has been removed, the interior of the display tube body is extracted to form a vacuum. The display tube body is distorted by the extraction, but such a distortion can be corrected by deformations previously applied to the display tube body. Thus, the screen plane can be flattened without the use of any metal band.

Abstract: An audiovisual program broadcast control center including at least one robot for controlling at least one device containing program information; a central control console for manually controlling the robot; a central programmable automatic controller for controlling the robot; and a data transmission bus for connecting the control console and the automatic controller to the robot.

Abstract: In order to ascertain the current revision levels of a plurality of plug-in boards which have been inserted into a digital data processing system, a plurality of number generators are respectively mounted on the plug-in boards. Each of the number generators retains the current revision level of the corresponding plug-in board, and produces current revision level data. A display is operatively coupled to the number generators and receives the revision level data therefrom and exhibits the current revision levels of the plug-in boards. Further, each of the revision levels is checked to see if it is confined within a range of revision levels which are available for the data processing system. The check results are also exhibited on the display. Still further, in the event that: (a) a given revision level is detected outside the revision level range and (b) the plug-in board is found dispensable, the board is logically disconnected from the data processing system.

Abstract: A residential facility control system transmits data as a radio signal between host and subsidiary apparatus. Transmitting and receiving devices of the host and subsidiary apparatus are reduced in power consumption. A transmitting circuit of the transmitting device of the transmitting and receiving apparatus is supplied with power from a transmitting circuit power source control in synchronization with a first timing signal from a first timer for a period of time which is necessary for transmission. A receiving circuit of the receiving device of the transmitting and receiving device is supplied with power from a receiving circuit power source control for a shorter period of time in synchronization with a second timing signal from a second timer which is synchronized with the first timing signal.

Abstract: A method and apparatus perform remote memory management in an acknowledge-back selective call communication system (100) comprising an infrastructure (102) and a selective call receiver (120). The infrastructure (102) transmits (904) a notification (406) of a pending message for the receiver (120). The receiver (120) reports (906) in response a memory value (414) specifying space available in a memory (322) for storing the pending message. The infrastructure (102) compares (908) the memory value (414) with the length of the pending message to see if sufficient memory space is available to store the pending message in the receiver (120). The infrastructure (102) controls further processing of the pending message based on the result of the comparison.

Abstract: Several different cold cathode configurations for a gas discharge device each having a plurality of grooves of selected spacing, depth and width to improve the emission of electrons in a gas discharge device. Each of the cold cathode configurations can be machined from a single piece of a selected material. Several of the configurations can be assembled with individual elements which is easily seen from the various figures.

Abstract: A dielectric barrier discharge lamp has a discharge vessel having a discharge chamber filled with a discharge gas. Excimer molecules are developed due to a dielectric barrier discharge. The discharge vessel is equipped with a window for the output of the light radiated from the excimer molecules. A getter space, equipped with a getter, communicates with the discharge chamber. A common wall separates the discharge chamber from the getter space, or a separately arranged getter space is connected to the discharge chamber via a tube. In one form, the discharge vessel and window is made of quartz glass containing less than 10 ppm of OH radicals by weight.

Abstract: A paging receiver with a motor and buzzer for saving a battery voltage by alerting a low voltage state of the battery. A low voltage detector compares the battery voltage with a reference voltage to generate a low voltage detection signal when the battery voltage is less than the reference voltage. In this case, an alerting driver is switched by the low voltage detection signal for cutting off the electrical passage between a motor and the battery and connecting the tone generator to the buzzer so as to generate alert tone.

Abstract: A remote control keyless security system is presented herein for remotely controlling locking means mounted on a vehicle. A receiver is mounted on a vehicle. A remote transmitter includes a plurality of switches each representative of a control function to be performed and circuitry responsive to actuation of one of the switches for transmitting a digital signal having a security code, a sequence control code adapted to be sequentially changed in response to each actuation of a switch and a function code. The transmitter changes the sequence control code after each operation with the change being dependent upon information contained in the security code. The received security code is compared with a stored receiver security code. Circuitry responds to each occurrence of a match between the security codes for reading a stored sequence control code and changing it to define an updated sequence control code having a value dependent upon information contained in the stored security code.

Abstract: A data acquisition system having selective communication capability to enable the data acquisition system to communicate with other data acquisition systems. The probe of the present invention initiates communication with a data acquisition unit located in an appliance. The data acquisition unit maintains a collection record which indicates the current setup and counts of the appliances. When the probe communicates with the data unit, it identifies itself and based upon this identification, the data unit responds with a particular collection record which is compatible with the probe communicating with the data unit. In addition, if the probe is used to setup a data unit, the probe decides what type of setup record to send based upon the collection record received from the data unit.

Abstract: An electron tube is constructed to seal in vacuum a substrate for supporting an electron collect electrode, a substrate for supporting a cold cathode array, and a part of an electrode structure. Electrons, emitted from an electron discharge area composed of the cold cathode array and the electrode for picking up an electron beam, pass through a vacuum area and reach an electron collect electrode. The vacuum area is formed by anode jointing the outer peripheral portion of the substrate 1 for supporting the electron collect electrode with the part of the electrode for picking up an electron beam in a vacuum bath. After sealing them in vacuum, the vacuum level of the vacuum area can be kept unchanged when the electron tube is taken out of the vacuum vessel.