Abstract: A method of improving the stress crack resistance of an impact modified styrenic polymer comprising (a) combining about 95 to about 99.5 wt. % of an impact modified styrenic polymer with about 0.5 to about 5 wt. % of a polymer solution comprising about 25 to about 75 wt. % polyisobutylene and about 25 to about 75 wt. % of a polyolefin comprising one or more C2 to C12 alpha olefins.

Abstract: A method of improving the stress crack resistance of an impact modified styrenic polymer comprising (a) combining about 95 to about 99.5 wt. % of an impact modified styrenic polymer with about 0.5 to about 5 wt. % of a polymer solution comprising about 25 to about 75 wt. % polyisobutylene and about 25 to about 75 wt. % of a polyolefin comprising one or more C2 to C12 alpha olefins.

Abstract: A packaging film or sheet having a styrene-butadiene block copolymer directly melt-bonded to at least one layer of a cyclo-olefin copolymer is disclosed. The films may be made by means of co-extrusion. The packaging film is amenable to thermoforming processes and is particularly suitable for forming blister packaging used in pharmaceutical applications.

Abstract: A re-multiplexer module for use in a packet processing system used in cable television headend devices generates two or more output streams from two or more MPEG input transport streams. The re-multiplexer module includes an input processing portion that receives a plurality of input data streams containing packet data, a plurality of packet buffers to store the packet data, an output processor that selectively multiplexes the data packets in the packet buffers, and a host processor that controls the operation of the input processing portion and the output processing portion.

Abstract: A packet identifier table for use in conjunction with an input processor in a re-multiplexing module is divided into an active table and a pending table. Both tables conduct PID filter values used to filter incoming packet data. The active table contains PID values that are used by the re-multiplexer module, while the pending table contains PID values that can be modified while the active table is in use. A host processor switches the status of the active table and the pending table so that the modified values can be used by the input processor. Because the PID values in the active table are kept separate from the PID values that are being modified, PID value modification can occur without interrupting the re-multiplexing operation.

Abstract: An input filter for use in a re-multiplexing module to process input packet data, includes an input interface that receives the input packet data, an input processor that is designed to write data to a packet buffer, and a packet identifier table containing PID values for filtering the input packet data. The input filter is implemented as hardware, thereby eliminating the limitations encounted in software filtering of data packets.

Abstract: A re-multiplexer module for use in a packet processing system used in cable television headend devices generates two or more output streams from two or more MPEG input transport streams. The re-multiplexer module includes an input processing portion that receives a plurality of input data streams containing packet data, a plurality of packet buffers to store the packet data, an output processor that selectively multiplexes the data packets in the packet buffers, and a host processor that controls the operation of the input processing portion and the output processing portion.

Abstract: A refrigerator cabinet is provided with a plastic liner, the inside wall of the refrigerator, which is resistant to chemical degradation by fluorocarbons. Freon and Freon substitutes used as blowing agents for foaming the insulation contained between an outer metal cabinet and on the inside wall of the refrigerator can cause blistering, cracking, and sometimes dissolution of materials used to form the plastic liner which is the inside wall of the refrigerator. There is provided a plastic liner which is resistant to those blowing agents and particularly to those blowing agents which are partially halogenated and tend to be more aggressive than Freon. The plastic liner wall maintains impact strength and toughness after exposure to fluorohydrocarbons conventionally employed in refrigerator units for in situ polyurethane foam production.

Abstract: A refrigerator cabinet is provided with a plastic liner, the inside wall of the refrigerator, which is resistant to chemical degradation by fluorocarbons. Freon and Freon substitutes used as blowing agents for foaming the insulation contained between the outer metal cabinet and the inside wall of the refrigerator can cause blistering, cracking, and sometimes dissolution of materials used to form the plastic liner, which is the inside wall of the refrigerator. There is now provided a plastic liner which is resistant to those blowing agents and particularly to those blowing agents which are partially halogenated and tend to be more aggressive than Freon. The plastic liner wall maintains impact strength and toughness after exposure to fluorohydrocarbons conventionally employed in refrigerator units for in situ polyurethane foam production.

Abstract: A fiber optic local area network including a plurality of passive star couplers each capable of connecting to a plurality of users. One connection input to and output from each passive star coupler is connected to a respective output and input of an active star coupler. The active star coupler stores the round-trip transmission times to each passive star coupler and upon receipt of a signal from a passive star coupler inhibits output to that passive star coupler for the signal duration and inhibits input from all other passive star couplers for the signal duration plus the round-trip transmission delay.

Abstract: In a burst mode fiber-optic transmitter-receiver or bus interface unit (BIU), the clock recovery process by a phase lock loop (PLL), or more generally a servo loop, detects the frequency difference between the PLL oscillator and the transmitter oscillator, and generates a control voltage which is combined with the voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) error voltage to urge the PLL oscillator towards the transmitter's frequency. An activity detector detects the presence of received signal, and "freezes" or holds the control voltage to the PLL so the PLL is free to slew to the frequency and phase of the clock of the received burst. Thus, the PLL is maintained near the expected frequency of the received clock signal for fast acquisition. After the burst, the activity detector once again allows the frequency control signal to assert command of the VCO frequency.

Abstract: A high data rate optical network data communication system includes a receiver including a photodiode detector, a data slicer and a data decision circuit. A clock recovery arrangement includes an impulse generator coupled to the data slicer to generate impulse signals. The impulse generator includes a high speed ECL NOR gate driven by mutually out-of-phase and relatively delayed data. The impulse signals are applied to ring a coaxial cavity by way of a resistor and an input magnetic coupling loop. The coupling loop allows the cavity to achieve high Q so it will oscillate for a relatively long time, and also provides a path by which bias is applied to the output of the NOR gate to fulfill ECL biasing requirements. The cavity Q is maintained high by coupling signals from the cavity by way of a second magnetic coupling loop. The oscillations are applied by way of a limiter to the data decision circuit.

Abstract: A burst mode fiber optic or light-wave communication system uses as a transmitter a light emitting device requiring drive current to produce a light output. The characteristics of the light emitting device change with time, so the drive current must be periodically adjusted. In a high speed burst data system, the magnitude of the light output and the new value of drive current cannot be determined until a time well after the beginning of the burst, or possibly after the burst has ended. If the drive current is adjusted to a new value during burst transmission, the change in light output may be interpreted by a receiver as a data transition, which may result in data errors. The change in the control signal which controls the magnitude of the drive signal is delayed until a time between data bursts, whereby the drive current magnitude remains constant during any burst transmission.