Abstract: A solar panel may be modified to function both as a solar panel and as a patch antenna. The use of combination solar cell and patch antenna allows for a greater amount of the upper surface of a device to be covered with solar panels, and may reduce the size and cost of the device. The ground layer of a printed circuit board in the device may be used as the ground plane of the patch antenna, further reducing the size and cost of the device.

Abstract: A data storage cartridge for a data storage disk drive has a latent illuminance marker. A light source illuminates the marker and the marker emits illuminance as phosphorescence. A photosensor detects the emitted illuminance, and the decay time is determined. The decay time is checked to provide identification of different types or generations of data storage cartridges.

Abstract: A system and method for AC erasing fields on tracks in a disk is provided. An AC three-pass write technique is used in a disk drive to erase old data from an older generation, wide track disk with a newer generation, narrower read/write head, and write new data to the wide track disk with the narrower head. A strong AC bias field (instead of a DC bias field) is applied to the read/write head during the erase passes in the multipass technique, thereby reducing the net signal-to-noise ratio when the written data is read back in an older drive with a wider head. Moreover, a request from a disk drive controller for a DC erase is detected and the DC erase signal is automatically replaced with an AC erase signal.

Abstract: A system and method for AC erasing fields on tracks in a disk is provided. An AC three-pass write technique is used in a disk drive to erase old data from an older generation, wide track disk with a newer generation, narrower read/write head, and write new data to the wide track disk with the narrower head. A strong AC bias field (instead of a DC bias field) is applied to the read/write head during the erase passes in the multipass technique, thereby reducing the net signal-to-noise ratio when the written data is read back in an older drive with a wider head. Moreover, a request from a disk drive controller for a DC erase is detected and the DC erase signal is automatically replaced with an AC erase signal.

Abstract: A data storage cartridge for a data storage disk drive has a latent illuminance marker. A light source illuminates the marker and the marker emits illuminance as phosphorescence. A photosensor detects the emitted illuminance, and the decay time is determined. The decay time is checked to provide identification of different types or generations of data storage cartridges or provides a secure keying mechanism for authorized access to proprietary software.

Abstract: An object or an article for a detector or reader has a latent illuminance marker. A light source illuminates the marker and the marker emits illuminance as phosphorescence. A photosensor detects the emitted illuminance, and the decay time is determined. The decay time is checked to provide identification and/or authentication of different types or generations of objects or articles.

Abstract: A data storage cartridge for a data storage disk drive has a latent illuminance marker. A light source illuminates the marker and the marker emits illuminance as phosphorescence. A photosensor detects the emitted illuminance, and the decay time is determined. The decay time is checked to provide identification of different types or generations of data storage cartridges.

Abstract: A link detection circuit automatically terminates SCSI data transmission lines by use of a sense circuit which detects the absence or presence of an adjoining device or devices. The lines are automatically terminated at the ends with no user intervention. Wrong input/output cabling is precluded by use of a bi-directional link detection circuit. Detection is done without adding signal lines or disturbing buss functionality.

Abstract: The present invention provides fractional frequency dividers using inexpensive digital components in a relatively simple circuit for producing a substantially spectrally pure clock signal, free of significant time or phase jitter. The synthesizer and method include a reference frequency register for providing a frequency set value, which frequency set value is proportional to the desired frequency, a summer, having a finite storage capacity, for adding the frequency set value to a stored summed value to form a new summed value which new summed value is stored as the summed value. A carry signal is generated when the new summed value exceeds the finite storage capacity. In that event, only that portion of the new summed value in excess of the finite storage capacity is stored as the summed value.