Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing and using a variable format, configuration and location keyboard image which enables a digitizing device to present a different keyboard configuration and/or location to each user so that detection by an unauthorized viewer of a personal identification number (PIN) or other secret identification number during entry will become significantly more difficult. The presentation may include a random or scrambled keyboard entry image for each customer, and a single or set of customer preselected images that will be tied to the customer's account number which is read from the magnetic strip on a personal card. In addition to the keyboard, the device provides a single write surface for capturing a signature entry so that the two security features are incorporated in a single device.

Abstract: This invention relates to compounds of formula (I), ##STR1## pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, and pharmaceutically acceptable solvates of either entity, wherein X is CH or N; Y is optionally monousaturated C.sub.3 -C.sub.5 alkylene optionally substituted with C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 allyl or methylene; R.sup.1 is H; C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl optionally substituted with C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkoxy, OH, NR.sup.5 R.sup.6, CONR.sup.5 R.sup.6, C.sub.3 -C.sub.6 cycloalkyl or aryl; or C.sub.3 -C.sub.6 alkenyl; R.sup.2 is H; C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl optionally substituted with C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkoxy, OH, NR.sup.5 R.sup.6, CONR.sup.5 R.sup.6, C.sub.3 -C.sub.6 cycloalkyl or aryl; or CONR.sup.5 R.sup.6 ; R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 are each independently selected from H; C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl optionally substituted with NR.sup.5 R.sup.6 ; C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkoxy; halo; CONR.sup.5 R.sup.6 and aryl; and R.sup.5 and R.sup.6 are each independently selected from H and C.sub.1 -C.sub.

Abstract: A magnetic position and orientation determining system uses magnetic fields, desirably including uniform fields from Helmholtz coils positioned on opposite sides of a sensing volume and gradient fields generated by the same coils. By monitoring field components detected at the probes during application of these fields, the position and orientation of the probe in the field can be deduced. A representation of the probe can be superposed on a separately acquired image of the subject to show the position and orientation of the probe with respect to the subject.

Abstract: This invention relates to compounds of formula (I), ##STR1## pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, and pharmaceutically acceptable solvates of either entity, wherein X is CH or N; Y is optionally monousaturated C.sub.3 -C.sub.5 alkylene optionally substituted with C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl or methylene; R.sup.1 is H; C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl optionally substituted with C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkoxy, OH, NR.sup.5 R.sup.6, CONR.sup.5 R.sup.6, C.sub.3 -C.sub.6 cycloalkyl or aryl; or C.sub.3 -C.sub.6 alkenyl; R.sup.2 is H; C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl optionally substituted with C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkoxy, OH, NR.sup.5 R.sup.6, CONR.sup.5 R.sup.6, C.sub.3 -C.sub.6 cycloalkyl or aryl; or CONR.sup.5 R.sup.6 ; R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 are each independently selected from H; C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl optionally substituted with NR.sup.5 R.sup.6 ; C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkoxy; halo; CONR.sup.5 R.sup.6 and aryl; R.sup.5 and R.sup.6 are each independently selected from H and C.sub.1 -C.sub.

Abstract: A fault signalling system for an optical fiber-based communications link having erbium doped fiber amplifier repeaters comprises a broadband optical source for generating a fault signal in the event of a fault occurring. Each repeater includes such a broadband source, which will output a characteristic fault signal onto the link for transmission to a receiving station, in the event of a fault being detected at that repeater. Advantageously, a control circuit which enables the source to emit its fault signal when appropriate is also used as part of an automatic gain control for the output of the amplifier repeater in normal operation.

Abstract: Difficulties with prior disrupted communications restoration systems are overcome by employing for each node of a communications network a restoration processor in which predetermined functions of the restoration process are managed by respective ones of a plurality of manager modules. The manager modules are arranged to be directly interconnected only with a so-called restoration manager that coordinates the operations of the modules and provides for their interconnection needs. In a preferred embodiment, four manager modules, a) a user interface manager module, b) a digital cross-connect system (DCS) manager module, c) a distributed communications manager module and d) a core algorithm manager module, are interconnected and coordinated by the restoration manager. Additional robustness to the restoration process is provided by way of enhancements to the functionality of the core algorithm manager module.

Abstract: A random access memory (RAM) device that allocates memory cells to first-in first-out (FIFO) memory. The RAM device has an array of addressable memory cells that are selected by row and column decoders. The memory cells and decoders have dual read and write lines that allow simultaneous read and write operations on the memory cells. The memory cells can store data from at least two data streams including, by way of example, a stream of U data and a stream of V data from an input device such as a YUV video processor. The RAM device includes a control circuit which generates separate read and write pointers for the U and V data. The control circuit also generates separate U and V minimum and almost full trigger pointers. Data is written into the memory cells until a write pointer reaches either a minimum trigger pointer or an almost full trigger pointer.

Abstract: A housing device for the retractable storage of a wire, cord or cable which is capable of operationally interconnecting electronic equipment, such as portable speakers and radios, while the interiorly coiled end of the wire, cord or cable remains coiled around a rotatable spool during connection. In its preferred embodiment, the housing device has a cover with connection ports therethrough. A radio connected to the connection ports becomes operationally connected with the interiorly coiled end of the wire, cord or cable through electrically conductive means integral with the spring-driven spool. The outer end of the coiled wire is then extended through an opening in the housing cover and connected to a portable speaker. The opening in the housing would be just large enough to accommodate the wire. A device larger in diameter than the wire would be attached at the near end of the exposed wire to prevent it from retracting all the way back inside the housing.

Abstract: A delay chain having a known number of delay elements providing various delayed outputs of its input, a first and a second register set, and preferably, an array of multiplexors, are provided to measure the frequency of a digital signal, and the high and low time of its period. The digital signal to be measured is provided to the delay chain as input. A first and a second sample of the various delayed outputs are taken at the beginning and the end of a known time period, and stored in the first and second registers, one delayed output per register bit. The sample results stored in the register sets are read out through the multiplexors, and used to determine the frequency of the digital signal being measured, and the high and low time of its period.

Abstract: A first and a second input generating circuits, a first and a second set of counters, and a first and a second comparison circuits are provided to test whether the frequencies of a first and a second periodic digital signal are symmetric. The first and second input generating circuits generate enable inputs for the first and second sets of counters using the first and second digital signals respectively. The first and second sets of counters count the first and second digital signals while the enable inputs are provided. The first comparison circuit monitors the first set of counters, and stops both input generating circuits from providing further enable inputs to both sets of counters, after the first set of counters reaches a predetermined level, thereby stopping both sets of counters from further counting.

Abstract: Each of the remote high speed circuits of a digital system is provided with a sync pulse generation circuit for generating periodic sync pulses with a predetermined periodicity using a control value. Additionally, each of the remote high speed circuits is further provided with a sampling circuit for sampling the sync pulse generation control value, a comparison circuit for determining whether each of the sampled sync pulse generation control values are consistent, and an adjustment circuit for adjusting the sync pulse generation control value of the particular remote high speed circuit. Furthermore, a sync pulse generation coordinator comprising a clock selection circuit, a delay line, a delayed clock selection circuit, and a coordination pulse generation circuit is provided to the digital system for generating periodic coordination pulses. The periodic coordination pulses are used to control the sampling and comparison.

Abstract: An address converter that reduces the number of address bit changes between successive sequential addresses is provided to a RAM address bus for a sequentially accessed RAM. In the presently preferred embodiment, the address converter comprises a plurality of XOR gates for converting the access addresses into gray coded access addresses having at most one address bit change between successive access addresses. As a result, the power consumed and the noise generated over the address bus is reduced, thereby conserving power available and minimizing device package pins required by the digital system having the RAM and the RAM address bus.

Abstract: A state machine circuit comprising a first phased circuit clocked by a first phased clock and a second phased circuit clocked by a second phased clock. The first phased circuit includes a first input register which sequences and stores at least one input signal; a first combinatorial logic network which produces a number of output control signals wherein each of the control signals has a next state signal and a jump index signal; a first multiplexer to select one of the output control signals; and a first output register which sequences and stores the selected output control signal and also (i) feeds back the next state signal into the first combinatorial logic network, (ii) outputs the jump index into a second selector, and (iii) outputs the selected control signal, absent the next state signal and the jump index, to a device.

Abstract: Each data sending high speed circuit generating and sending a stream of data slices and a stream of clock pulses is provided with a sync pulse generation circuit for synchronously generating and sending an accompanying stream of periodic sync pulses. The various streams of data slices, clock pulses, and periodic sync pulses incur varying amount of delays as they travel from the data sending high speed circuits to a data acquisition circuit. The data acquisition high speed circuit is provided with a plurality of circular buffer chains of appropriate length for independently buffering the skewed data slices until all corresponding data slices have been received and buffered, and then concurrently reading the buffered corresponding data slices out of the circular buffer chains.

Abstract: A digital clock reconstruction circuit comprising a first flip flop, a programmable delay chain, and a first assembly of gates is provided to digitally compensate an entering digital clock's skew for a high speed digital circuit by digitally reconstructing the entering clock. The reconstructed clock will also provide the minimum amount of high and low time in a period required by the components of the high speed circuit. Additionally, at least one measurement or comparison circuit is provided for measuring the frequencies of the reconstructed clock under various delay settings of the programmable delay chain to calibrate the digital clock reconstruction circuit. Under the calibration process of the present invention, the delay setting is determined iteratively, starting from an initial setting and varying the delay setting in a predetermined manner.

Abstract: A method and system for the dispatch of resources to remote sites in response to alarm signals. A preferred embodiment particularly relates to a system for the dispatch of field service engineers to a plurality of remote sites in response to fault conditions detected in systems for the storage and retrieval of voice signals. A processor accesses a database of field service engineers designated to provide services to particular remote sites in response to alarm signals received from those sites and then attempts to establish a telephone connection with the field service engineer. Once communication is established, the processor provides the field service engineer with information by means of synthetic voice messages. In a preferred embodiment of the subject invention, the system may also execute remote diagnostic programs and where the results of the diagnostic programs are not within predetermined limits, the system will again attempt to contact a field service engineer.

Abstract: This invention relates to chemical compounds which have selective thyromimetic activity. A compound of this invention is 3,5-dibromo-3'-[6-oxo-3(1H)-pyridazinylmethyl]-thyronine.

Abstract: This invention relates to chemical compounds which have selective thyromimetic activity. A compound of this invention is 3,5-dibromo-3'-[6-oxo-3(1H)-pyridazinyl-methyl]-thyronine.

Abstract: This invention relates to chemical compounds which have selective thyromimetic activity. A compound of this invention is 3,5-dibromo-3'-[6-oxo-3(1H)-pyridazinylmethyl]-thyronine.

Abstract: A method of making an explosive in the form of an emulsion, which includes two stages being a first stage comprising directing a plurality of 0.5 to 5 mm diameter jets of the discontinuous phase into the continuous phase, in the presence of an emulsifier, and feeding the continuous phase containing the discontinuous phase through a static mixer to form a relatively coarse, fuel-rich emulsion; and a second stage comprising directing a plurality of 0.5 to 5 mm diameter jets of the discontinuous phase into the continuous phase of said coarse emulsion, and feeding the coarse emulsion with the added discontinuous phase through two further static mixers arranged in series. The invention further extends to an apparatus for performing the method of the invention.