Abstract: The method and apparatus for compensating a photo-detector allows both regulation and monitoring of the photo-detector to be performed with a common digital controller. The controller accepts input of monitored operational parameters including received signal strength and temperature. The controller provides as an output a bias control signal which regulates a positive the positive or negative side bias voltage power supply for the photo-detector. The controller maintains the bias voltage to the photo-detector at levels which optimize the gain and signal-to-noise ratios for the photo-detector thereby facilitating the decoding of the received signal over a broad range of signal strengths and temperatures. The controller includes a corresponding digital signal strength and temperature compensators the outputs of which summed with a summer to provide the bias control signal.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for making mixtures of ethanol and methanol by reacting methane, water and an acidic aqueous solution of a electron acceptor, preferably Fe.sub.2 (SO.sub.4).sub.3 or Fe(ClO.sub.4).sub.3, having a pH of less than 3, preferably 1 to 3, more preferably 1 to 2 in the presence of a noble metal catalyst, typically platinum or palladium, having a diameter of at least about 100 .ANG. at a temperature of at least 60.degree. C. to about 100.degree. C. The process is advantageous as it provides a method of making ethanol directly from methanol at low cost and high thermodynamic efficiency.