Abstract: A small and easy to fabricate programmable current source correction circuit. The correction circuit consists of a first current division circuit for establishing a reference current; a programmable correction current circuit for establishing the amount of correction current required; a second current division circuit for further reducing the reference current into smaller step or resolution; and a source-sink controlling circuit for determining whether the present invention is to operate as a current sink or current source. The present invention consists of substantially less number of circuit modules and can be fully integrated into a single chip which requires substantially smaller chip area and can operates at a substantially higher frequency compared to prior art.

Abstract: A repeater interface controller receives a data packet at one of a plurality of port nodes from an associated segment of a local area network. The plurality of port nodes determine a priority port node when more than one port node receives a data packet at substantially the same time. The priority port node transmits the data packet from the priority port node to a central node. The central node receives the data packet from the priority node, repeats the data packet, and transmits the repeated data packet to the non-priority port nodes. Each non-priority port node receives the repeated data packet and transmits the repeated data onto its associated segment. Management and status information is transferred between the port nodes and an external processor and an external display by an internal bus and an external bus. A bus arbiter alternately provides a bus controller and the external controller control of both the internal and external buses to transfer the data.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to various features of a repeater interface controller (RIC) that connects segments of a bus/tree local area network. In the described embodiment of the invention, the RIC implements the IEEE 802.3 repeater specification.In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the RIC provides hub management support in the form of information regarding the status of its ports and of the packets it is repeating. This data is available in three forms: counted events, recorded events and status packets. This information is available through the RIC's interface. The counters and event recording registers have user-definable masks which enable them to be configured to count and record a variety of events.In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the RIC management statistics at maximum network bandwidth. Statistics are logged while a packet repetition is in process and are furnished to counter and flag arrays after transmission of the same packet has ended.

Abstract: The nodes of a repeater interface controller which repeats data packets received from one segment of a local area network onto the remaining segments of the local area network include loopback circuitry that allow the data packets received from the one segment to be repeated back onto the one segment in addition to the remaining segments of the local area network, thereby allowing the integrity of the one segment to be verified.

Abstract: In a network in which conflicts may arise because of simultaneous requests from several interlocutors, the invention provides for immediate granting of access to the network to a caller if, in a specified period of time prior to the request from the caller, no other request has been transmitted. If not, the controller of the network monitors the occupation of the network and, once it is no longer occupied, it verifies that no other request has been transmitted for a randomly specified period of time. If it is the case, it sends a verification message to the caller and, if it receives an acknowledgement of reception before a specified time, it grants him access to the network.

Abstract: A repeater interface controller receives a data packet at one of a plurality of port nodes from an associated segment of a local area network. The port nodes determine a priority port node, if more than one port node receives a data packet at substantially the same time, and transmit the data packet from the priority port node to a central node. The central node receives the data packet, repeats the data packet from the priority node, and transmits the repeated data packet to the non-priority port nodes. Each non-priority port node receives the repeated data packet and transmits the repeated data onto its associated segment. Each port node further includes a partitioning port state machine which monitors its associated segment and partitions the segment from the repeater interface controller when the partitioning port state machine detects a collision in a predetermined number of consecutive data packets.

Abstract: The laminate structure comprises a liquid crystal polymer substrate attached to a test surface of an article. A light absorbing coating is applied to the substrate and is thin enough to permit bonding steric interaction between the liquid crystal polymer substrate and an overlying liquid crystal monomer thin film. Light is directed through and reflected by the liquid crystal monomer thin film and unreflected light is absorbed by the underlying coating. The wavelength of the reflected light is indicative of the shear stress experienced by the test surface.

Abstract: The laminate structure comprises a liquid crystal polymer substrate attached to a test surface of an article. A light absorbing coating is applied to the substrate and is thin enough to permit bonding steric interaction between the liquid crystal polymer substrate and an overlying liquid crystal monomer thin film. Light is directed through and reflected by the liquid crystal monomer thin film and unreflected light is absorbed by the underlying coating. The wavelength of the reflected light is indicative of the shear stress experienced by the test surface.

Abstract: The rotor has a body with recesses formed therein in which airfoil-type blades are secured. The blades have platforms which abut one another to define an annular wall which circumscribes the rotor body. One edge of each of the platforms, which abuts an adjacent platform, has a rectilinear cut-out formed therein. The resulting void constitutes a slot which extracts fluid therethrough, and each void has an evacuating duct in communication therewith for venting the extracted fluid. The voids and ducts bleed off a minimal volume of the fluid handled by the rotor, principally the volume which comprises the secondary flows. These are the secondary flows which, otherwise, would result in the formation of eddies and vortices which are susceptible of eroding the roots of the blades.

Abstract: A slow positron beam generator uses a conductive source residing between two test films. Moderator pieces are placed next to the test films on the opposite side of the conductive source. A voltage potential is applied between the moderator pieces and the conductive source. Incident energetic positrons are, first, emitted from the conductive source, second, passed through test film, and then, third, isotropically strike moderator pieces before diffusing out of the moderator pieces as slow positrons. The slow positrons diffusing out of moderator pieces are attracted to the conductive source which is held at an appropriate potential below the moderator pieces. The slow positrons have to pass through the test films before reaching the conductive source. A voltage is adjusted so that the potential difference between the moderator pieces and the conductive source forces the positrons to stop in the test films.

Abstract: A sensing device 50 comprising an O.sub.2 sensor 22, a pump 37, a compressor 19, and a heater 21 is provided to quickly sense the amount of O.sub.2 in a combustion product gas. A sample of the combustion product gas is compressed to a pressure slightly above one atmosphere by compressor 19. Next, heater 21 heats the sample between 800.degree. C. and 900.degree. C. Next, pump 37 causes the sample to be flushed against electrode 32 located in O.sub.2 sensor 22 6000 to 10,000 times per second. Reference air at approximately one atmosphere is provided to electrode 31 of O.sub.2 sensor 22. Accordingly, O.sub.2 sensor 22 produces a voltage which is proportional to the amount of oxygen in the combustion product gas. This voltage may be used to control the amount of O.sub.2 entering into the combustion chamber 10 which produces the combustion product gas.

Abstract: A data process system has a plurality of stations or terminals linked to a star coupler over cables comprising separate sending and receiving transmission lines, the cable shield being connected to system ground. To minimize bit error rate when a station is powered down, the transmitting differential amplifier at each terminal station is connected between a bias voltage and a virtual ground created by a pair of diodes connected in parallel, their anodes being connected to a voltage source through a current limiting resistor, the cathode of one diode being connected to system ground, the cathode of the other diode being connected to one side of the transmitting amplifier to define the virtual ground. To further enhance noise rejection, a balanced differential network is connected to the outputs of a transistor pair at the amplifier output to the differential wire transmission line.

Abstract: A method and device 15 is provided for a quick, accurate and on-line determination of heats of combustion of gaseous hydrocarbons. First, the amount of oxygen in the carrier stream air is sensed by oxygen sensing system 20. Second, three individual volumetric flow rates of oxygen, carrier stream air, and hydrocarbon test gas are introduced into burner 19. The hydrocarbon test gas is fed into burner 19 at a volumetric flow rate n measured by flowmeter 18. Third, the amount of oxygen in the resulting combustion products is sensed by oxygen sensing system 20. Fourth, the volumetric flow rate of oxygen is adjusted until the amount of oxygen in the combustion product equals the amount of oxygen previously sensed in the carrier stream air. This equalizing volumetric flow rate is m and is measured by flowmeter 16. The heat of combustion of the hydrocarbon test gas is then determined from the ratio m/n.

Abstract: A method for determining hydrocarbon conversion factors for a flowmeter 17. A mixture of air, O.sub.2 and C.sub.x H.sub.y is burned and the partial pressure of O.sub.2 in the resulting gas is forced to equal the partial pressure of O.sub.2 in air. The flowrate of O.sub.2 flowing into the mixture is measured by flowmeter 13 and the flowrate of C.sub.x H.sub.y flowing into the mixture is measured by the flowmeter 17 conversion factor is to be determined. These measured values are used to calculate the conversion factor.

Abstract: A product and the process for preparing the same to improve the moisture resistance properties of epoxidized TGMDA and DGEBA resin systems by chemically incorporating chromium (III) ions therein without impairing the mechanical strength properties of the resins.

Abstract: An anemometer utilizing a radionuclide counting technique for measuring both the velocity and the direction of wind. A pendulum 12 consisting of a wire 13 and a ball 14 with a source of radiation 15 on the lower surface of the ball is positioned by the wind. Detectors 16, 17 and 18 are located in a plane perpendicular to pendulum 13 (no wind). The detectors are located on the circumference of a circle and are equidistant from each other as well as the undisturbed (no wind) source ball position. The ratio of the outputs of detectors 16 and 17, and the ratio of the outputs of detectors 17 and 18 are applied to a processor 23 to select from the data stored in the processor the wind velocity V and the wind direction .phi..In a second embodiment of the invention (FIG. 10) the pendulum consists of a wire 27, a heavy ball 24, a string 28 and a lighter ball 25 with radiation sources on the lower surfaces of both balls.

Abstract: A low energy electron beam magnetometer that utilizes near-monoenergetic electrons thereby reducing errors due to electron energy spread and electron nonuniform angular distribution. In a first embodiment of the invention (FIGS. 3 and 4) atoms in an atomic beam 30 of an inert gas are excited to a Rydberg state (lasers 32, 33 and 34) and then electrons of near zero energy are detached from the Rydberg atoms (gas chamber 35 ). The near zero energy electrons are then accelerated by an electric field V.sub.acc to form the electron beam 21. In a second embodiment of the invention (FIG. 5) a filament 42 emits electrons into an electrostatic analyzer 40 which selects electrons at a predetermined energy level within a very narrow range. These selected electrons make up the electron beam that is subjected to the magnetic field being measured.

Abstract: An optically linked distributed data processing system having a plurality of stations and first and second transmission lines associated with each station. The first transmission line carries optical signals to its associated station and the second transmission line carries optical signals from its associated station. An active optical coupler module couples each first transmission line to every second transmission line. The coupler module includes a tapered waveguide for directing the optical signals from each of the first transmission lines to a single optical path, an optical detector for converting the optical signals to electrical signals, an amplifier for amplifying the electrical signals. In one embodiment a single optical source converts the amplified electrical signals back to optical signals, and in a second embodiment a plurality of optical sources, one for each of the second transmission lines, convert the amplified electrical signals back to optical signals.

Abstract: A data processing system having a plurality of stations and an optical transmission bus linking the stations. The bus includes two transmission lines carrying optical signals in opposite directions so that two stations may communicate simultaneously. A passive optical coupler module couples each station to the two transmission lines. The optical coupler module includes a silicon substrate having suitably formed grooves and recesses for mounting single fiber waveguide segments, tapered waveguides, each for directing the optical signal on either of two waveguide segments to a single optical path, and optical beam splitters, each for splitting a portion of the optical signal on a waveguide segment for each of two other waveguide segments.