Abstract: A system for communication among audio-related devices in an audio system includes a performance equipment manager that communicates with audio-related devices to monitor and control changeable parameters of a corresponding audio-related device. Each of the audio-related devices includes an audio node structure having components that are representative of the functionality of the respective audio-related device. Some of the components are representative of changeable parameters in the audio-related device. The performance equipment manager is configured to be selectively subscribed to one or more of the changeable parameters so that when a predefined condition occurs, the audio-related device is configured to automatically provide the current value of the changeable parameter(s) to the performance equipment manager.

Abstract: A system for management and control of audio-related equipment. A link manager may be included in the system. The link manager may be configured to manage subscriptions to multiple other audio-related devices or control panel views. When the managed data variables change, the link manager module may notify other audio-related devices and/or control panel views of the change. In response to the notification, the other audio-related devices and/or control panels may subscribe to the audio-related device with the changed data variable, to request receipt of the updated data variable. In some examples, the link manager module may also be configured to lessen the subscription burden for a particular audio-related device.

Abstract: A system for determination of the functionality of an audio-related device that is operable in an audio system includes a performance equipment manager. The performance equipment manager may receive from an audio-related device an audio node structure representative of the corresponding audio-related device. The received audio node structure may be reviewed to determine if all the components included in the audio node structure are predefined within the performance equipment manager. For those components that are known, no discovery is necessary and actual values of changeable parameters in the audio-related device may be obtained. For unknown components of the audio node structure, the performance equipment manager may undertake discovery to identify additional portions of the audio node structure, and/or attributes related to the unknown components, in order to obtain actual values of changeable parameters related to the unknown components.

Abstract: A system may instantiate a control panel view that is useable to monitor and control an audio-related device operable in an audio system. A product plugin that corresponds to an audio-related device may receive and analyze the components of an audio node structure received from the audio-related device. The product plugin is configured to store one or more predefined control panel views that are associated with one or more of the components. The product plugin is also configured to instantiate the predefined control panel views that correspond to the components. If the product plugin determines that all of the components are not represented, one or more user interface aspects can be integrated into one or more of the control panel views prior to instantiation. Alternatively, a generic control panel view can be generated.

Abstract: An incendiary 10 includes a plurality of containers 12 each containing a volume of a first substance such as potassium permanganate which, when mixed with a second substance such as glycol which is injected at a later time, reacts exothermically to generate a flame. Frangible couplings in the form of tabs 16 couple or connect adjacent containers 12 together. Thus the incendiary 10 is in the form of a flexible belt having a plurality of containers 12 which are mutually held together until separated by a dispensing/initiating machine. Each container 12 includes a flat surface 22 and a receptacle 18 having an opening 20 which opens onto the flat surface 22. A seal 24 extends across and closes the opening 20.

Abstract: This invention is directed to a catalyst that comprises (i) an acidic solid oxide component comprising an oxide of a Group IVB metal modified with an anion or oxyanion of a Group VIB metal, and (ii) a Group IB metal or metal oxide component. This catalyst may be used, for example, to isomerize paraffins.

Abstract: An enclosed ion source for generating substantially monoenergetic ions from a gaseous sample comprises a chamber into which the gaseous sample is introduced and which is substantially enclosed by a source block having two electron entrance apertures formed in it and by a source plate having one ion extraction aperture formed in it. Two filaments are disposed outside the chamber and adjacent the electron entrance apertures. The electron impact ion source is characterized by the provision of an electrically conductive shield which is disposed within the chamber and which defines an equipotential region. The electrons, generated from a heated filament, pass into the chamber through one of the electron entrance apertures. The shield allows the passage of molecules of the gaseous sample and the electrons into the equipotential region, so that electron impact ionization of at least some of the sample occurs in the equipotential region.

Abstract: A compression spring useful in vehicle suspension applications has an extended plateau region in its force/deflection characteristics, such extended plateau being obtained by virtue of the formation of the spring as a tubular elastomer body of progressively increasing cross-section from one end to the other provided with longitudinally spaced-apart reinforcements defining bulging instability sites therebetween. The spring when under compression undergoes bulging sequentially at these sites.

Abstract: The spring includes a tubular elastomeric body, preferably rubber, and a coil spring embedded in and bonded to it. The coil spring controls the occurence of symmetric bulging instablity in the body under axial load conditions. This bulging instability occurs sequentially along the length of the body between adjacent coils of the coil spring until it assumes the form of a continuous coil of elastomer.

Abstract: Apparatus including a telephone instrument for connection to a public telephone system has provision for a call connection to be set up through the system to just a single party upon operation of a single push-button. A plurality of electric switches are preset (usually prior to installation of the instrument) to characterize the directory number of the party that can be called. Upon operation of the push-button, electronic circuitry scans the switches characterizing the directory number to cause the decimal digits of that number to be written sequentially into storage circuitry which subsequently generates a train of impulses in respect of each such digit for transmission to line. There is provision for the scanning operation to be halted for a predetermined period after some of the digits have been written into the storage circuitry.

Abstract: A pushbutton telephone semiconductor dialling circuit power supply comprising a capacitor fed by a diode bridge placed in series with the line looping circuit during dialling. The capacitor size is chosen to charge to at least minimum circuit supply voltage during make periods of line looping, and to keep the circuit supplied during break periods. A constant current charging circuit may be employed to charge the capacitor from the bridge to improve performance, with a diode to power the circuit directly from the bridge while the capacitor is still charging.The microphone-bridging off-normal contacts may be replaced by a transistor switching circuit.

Abstract: A repertory dialler has a main digital data store for the storage of information required for impulsing to line upon operation of a selected call push-button. This store is a circulating dynamic store. The dialler may be operated either in a recording mode or in an impulsing mode as determined by the position of a manually-operable switch.In the recording mode, the identity of a call push-button that has been operated is first written in digital form into a circulating buffer store. This is followed by the decimal digits of the exchange and/or directory number of a subscriber which are entered by means of a digit keypad. When all the required digits have been so stored, the data temporarily stored by the buffer store is transferred to the main store and in the main store is added to the end of the block of data circulating therein.

Abstract: The spring includes a tubular elastomeric body, preferably rubber, and a coil spring embedded in and bonded to it. The coil spring controls the occurence of symmetric bulging instablity in the body under axial load conditions. This bulging instability occurs sequentially along the length of the body between adjacent coils of the coil spring until it assumes the form of a continuous coil of elastomer.