Abstract: A stick-on drywall-corner cover for covering predetermined drywall-corner configurations has a stick-on first cover-attachment panel (2) and a stick-on second cover-attachment panel (3) with undetectably thin panel edges (7) on opposite sides of a corner portion (4) that is predeterminedly rigid. The thin panel edges can be paper layers (19) or thinly tapered edges (18) of rigid material (21) for stick-on covering of foreseeable drywall-corner configurations.

Abstract: A drywall-joint fixture has a drywall-joint cover (1, 33, 37, 42) that can be attached to a drywall arch, wall flat or other drywall structure after a first sheet (3) and a second sheet (4) of drywall of the drywall joint are positioned on wall framework (5, 35, 39) of a building. A paper face (49) that is resistant to sanding is positioned on the drywall-joint cover. The drywall-joint cover includes a first side (6), a second side (7) and an attachment flange (8). The attachment flange is extended orthogonally from an inside surface of either the first side or the second side and is longer than a side opposite from which it is extended for receiving fastener shanks (12) that are stuck through sheets and into a wall framework. A selection of shapes are provided for differing wall structures. A method includes using the attachment flange to maintain the drywall-joint cover in place.

Abstract: An insulating end cap for a cylindrical electrolysis cell the type comprising at least two tubular electrodes with a cylindrical membrane arranged co-axially between them, comprises a first annular section with first and second axial ends, having at its first axial end a circular seating or one end of an outer cylindrical electrode and at its second end a circular aperture, of smaller diameter than the circular seating and co-axial therewith, to accommodate one end of the membrane. A second annular section of the end cap is detachably secured to the first and has a central circular aperture of smaller diameter than the central aperture of the first section and co-axial therewith, to accommodate one end of the inner cylindrical electrode. The two part construction of the end cap facilitates the assembly of the cell, and reduces the likelihood of breakage of the fragile ceramic membrane.

Abstract: A method for extending bit-depth of display systems. The method includes creating pseudo-random noise from human visual system noise. When applied to the image data, the noise causes spatiotemporal dithering. The pseudo-random noise is combined with image data, producing noise-compensated image data. The noise-compensated image data is them quantized.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to the regulation of plant physiology, in particular to methods for inhibiting the ethylene response in plants or plant products, and has three embodiments. The first embodiment relates to methods of minimizing impurities capable of reversibly binding to plant ethylene receptor sites during the synthesis of cyclopropene and its derivatives such as methylcyclopropene, thereby avoiding the negative effects these impurities have on plants treated with cyclopropene and its derivatives. The second embodiment relates to complexes formed from molecular encapsulation agents such as cyclodextrin, and cyclopropene and its derivatives such as methylcyclopropene, in addition to cyclopentadiene and diazocyclopentadiene and their derivatives, thereby providing a convenient means for storing and transporting these compounds capable of inhibiting the ethylene response in plants, which are reactive gases and highly unstable because of oxidation and other potential reactions.

Abstract: A method for extending bit-depth of display systems. The method includes creating pseudo-random noise from human visual system noise. When applied to the image data, the noise causes spatiotemporal dithering. The pseudo-random noise is combined with image data, producing noise-compensated image data. The noise-compensated image data is them quantized.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to the regulation of plant physiology, in particular to methods for inhibiting the ethylene response in plants or plant products, and has three embodiments. The first embodiment relates to methods of minimizing impurities capable of reversibly binding to plant ethylene receptor sites during the synthesis of cyclopropene and its derivatives such as methylcyclopropene, thereby avoiding the negative effects these impurities have on plants treated with cyclopropene and its derivatives. The second embodiment relates to complexes formed from molecular encapsulation agents such as cyclodextrin, and cyclopropene and its derivatives such as methylcyclopropene, in addition to cyclopentadiene and diazocyclopentadiene and their derivatives, thereby providing a convenient means for storing and transporting these compounds capable of inhibiting the ethylene response in plants, which are reactive gases and highly unstable because of oxidation and other potential reactions.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to the regulation of plant physiology, in particular to methods for inhibiting the ethylene response in plants or plant products, and has three embodiments. The first embodiment relates to methods of minimizing impurities capable of reversibly binding to plant ethylene receptor sites during the synthesis of cyclopropene and its derivatives such as methylcyclopropene, thereby avoiding the negative effects these impurities have on plants treated with cyclopropene and its derivatives. The second embodiment relates to complexes formed from molecular encapsulation agents such as cyclodextrin, and cyclopropene and its derivatives such as methylcyclopropene, in addition to cyclopentadiene and diazocyclopentadiene and their derivatives, thereby providing a convenient means for storing and transporting these compounds capable of inhibiting the ethylene response in plants, which are reactive gases and highly unstable because of oxidation and other potential reactions.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for detecting the signaling frequency of communications signals transported on the trunk and lobe circuits of a token ring. The communications signals including Differentially Manchester Encoded data signals. The apparatus includes an internal trunk circuit and a plurality of ports including an input port for connecting to an input trunk segment, and an output port for connecting to an output trunk segment, and a plurality of lobe ports for connecting to the lobe circuits. Means are provided for sensing the frequency of the data signals at each of said plurality of ports. The sensing means including means for taking multiple successive timing samples, and grouping the samples into quality groups.

Abstract: An apparatus for establishing timing signals of a communications network includes a plurality of ports and an internal trunk circuit for interconnecting trunk segments and lobes of the network. A speed detection circuit connected to each of said plurality of ports, are provided for sensing a plurality of timing signals, there being one timing signals sensed at each of the plurality of ports. The apparatus establishes a timing signal on the internal trunk equal to the timing signal senses at a majority of the ports to enable a majority of the nodes connected to a majority of the plurality of lobe ports to transport communications signals via the network.

Abstract: An arrangement for a token ring communications network includes nodes for transmitting and receiving data signals. Also provided is a communications medium for transporting the data signals includes a trunk circuit having a plurality of trunk segments, each trunk segment having an input end and an output end and a plurality of lobe circuits for connecting the nodes to the trunk circuit. A plurality of wiring concentrator are provided for connecting adjacent trunk segments as a ring. Each wiring concentrator having a plurality of ports including an input port connected to an input end of one of the trunk segments, an output port connected to an output end of one of the trunk segments, and a lobe port connected to one of the lobe circuits. Each wiring concentrator includes an internal trunk, a controller, and a plurality of switches for interconnecting the ports while the voltage and the frequency of the data signal are within predetermined voltage and frequency ranges.

Abstract: An apparatus for controlling configuration of a communications network, the network including a trunk having trunk segments and lobe circuits for connecting to nodes. The apparatus comprises an internal trunk circuit, and a plurality of ports. The ports include a lobe port for connecting to a lobe circuit, an input port for connecting to an input trunk segment, and an output port for connecting to an output trunk segment. State machines are provided for sensing the communications signal at a corresponding one of each of said plurality of ports. Each state machines is transitioned by a set of transition rules which include inputs from the sensed communications signals. The state machines enable the connection and disconnection of said ports to said internal trunk.

Abstract: A housing for batteries which may be combined with a battery charger in a mechanically integrated module. The module is mobile and includes a load-bearing frame, battery retaining members, and mechanical stabilizers. The base of the frame includes a raceway or channel for routing interconnecting wires between the charger assembly and batteries. The battery retaining members permit easy installation or removal of individual batteries from the housing as well as inhibiting lateral movement of the batteries within the housing. When the module is free-standing, the stabilizers deploy automatically for enhanced mechanical stability.

Abstract: An apparatus for controlling configuration of a communications network includes an internal ring segment for interconnecting a trunk circuit with lobe circuits of the network. The apparatus is provided with lobe ports for connecting to the lobe circuits, a ring input port for connecting to an upstream ring segment of the trunk, and an output port for connecting to a downstream ring segment, of the trunk. A plurality of trunk coupling units (TCUs) are provided, one for each port, for connecting a corresponding ports to the internal ring segment. Each of the TCUs has an inserted state to provide signaling continuity for the communications signals between a port and the ring segments, and each TCU has a wrapped state to provide signaling isolation between a port and the ring segments. A controller, responsive to the communications signals switches the TCUs between the wrapped and inserted states.

Abstract: A power converter, based on a modular architecture, in which a boost power factor correction circuit is provided as an input stage for both a primary power source and a battery power source. This arrangement permits the same power conversion stages which follow the boost power factor correction circuit to be used regardless of whether the primary or battery power source is in use. The power supply includes a controller for monitoring the primary power source voltage and the DC voltage produced at the output of the boost circuit and comparing each to a preselected reference. When a sufficiently large difference appears between each of those voltages and its respective reference, the controller connects the battery power source to the input of the boost circuit and simultaneously disconnects the primary power source therefrom. This switching of power sources is transparent to the load whose input voltage is maintained at a substantially constant level by the boost power factor correction circuit.

Abstract: According to the invention a battery charger for charging a plurality of batteries includes a voltage supply connected by a pair of switches to a power converter including a transformer having a primary winding and a plurality of secondary windings. Each secondary winding is coupled to a battery. Voltage is transferred from the voltage supply to the primary winding when the switches are closed and current is transferred from the secondary windings to the batteries when the switches are open. Charge control circuitry monitors the voltage of each battery and the total battery voltage and determines the amount of current to supply to the batteries. Supervisory logic monitors the current received from the secondary windings by each of the batteries and the voltage of each of the batteries to determine the charge status of each battery and the operating status of the power converter.

Abstract: An isolation amplifier employs feedback to accurately amplify an input signal while maintaining electrical isolation between the input and output signals. The isolation amplifier consists of an amplitude modulator, an isolation transformer having a pair of matched secondary windings, a peak-detector output circuit, and a matching peak-detector feedback circuit. The isolation transformer couples an amplitude-modulated signal to both peak detector circuits while maintaining electrical isolation. The output from the feedback circuit is fed back to the amplitude modulator, so that the amplitude-modulated signal represents the difference between the input to the amplifier and the feedback signal.