Abstract: A gas discharge lamp electronic ballast circuit including a gas discharge lamp (51); a rectifier circuit (11a, 11b, 11c, 11d, 13) responsive to AC power for providing a full wave rectified sinewave voltage across output terminals of the rectifier circuit; a transformer (T1) having a primary winding and a secondary winding; a switching circuit (29) for repetitively connecting the rectifying circuit full wave rectified sinewave voltage to the primary winding; a driving circuit (33, 35, 37, T2, 49) responsive to the secondary winding for driving the lamp with a sinusoidal voltage having a predetermined frequency; a current sensing circuit (39, 41, 45, 47, 43) for sensing an average of peaks of current flowing in the driving circuit; and a pulse width modulation circuit (25) responsive to the full wave rectified sinewave voltage and the current sensing means for pulse width modulating the switching circuit at the predetermined frequency such that the rectifier circuit provides a current having a flattened full wa

Abstract: A CRT compensation system (10) is disclosed which utilizes a cathode stabilizer circuit (16) to correct a cathode current I.sub.k which deviates from an ideal transfer function. The cathode stabilizer circuit (16) takes the cathode voltage V.sub.K and the cathode current I.sub.K and removes the ideal gamma transfer function from I.sub.K to produce a linear output. This linear output is then subtracted from the cathode voltage V.sub.K to produce an error voltage V.sub.err which is used to adjust the CRT drive to minimize the error in the cathode current. For example the V.sub.err the error voltage may be utilized to change the voltage level of the grid one element of the CRT (14). As a result, the CRT (14) will more closely approximate the ideal transfer function. The system (10) operates continuously and thus is able to correct for short term cathode current effects on a real time basis.

Abstract: A system for energizing a fluorescent lamp by a current having an adjustable level of magnitude that is independent of the voltage across the fluorescent tube, which current is non-pulsing with the polarity being periodically changed at the conventional, 60 Hz rate of the AC power line by an electronic commutator, which commutator provides switching of the polarities at very sharp rise times, allowing use of relatively small components with the low frequencies, and the power factor of the input current is processed to a desired power factor. The constant current magnitude is adjustable over a wide range, which current settings are independent of the AC power line voltage and independent of the voltage across the lamp.

Abstract: An apparatus for determining the magnitude of heart muscle contractions has two ultrasonic transceivers, both of which are disposed in sonic alignment on selected points of the heart. A digital counter electrically interconnects the transceivers with a digital microprocessor. The counter determines a pulse transit time which corresponds to the difference in time between the transmission of a sonic pulse from the transmitter and the reception of the sonic pulse by the receiver. Immediately after determining each pulse transit time, the counter sends the transit time signal to the microprocessor, which first filters the signals to reject any signal which indicates a heart size that is unreasonably large or small. After filtering, the transit times are averaged in groups of a predetermined number and then converted to corresponding heart size measurements for storage and display.

Abstract: A toy light sword including a hollow blade with a fluorescent coating on the inside, or it may be translucent and tend to glow when illuminated. A stroboscopic lamp unit is discharged by a switch to provide a burst of high intensity light and a glow on the sword blade. An inertial switch is provided in the blade in one optional embodiment whereby the high-intensity light is discharged when the sword is moved against an object to indicate that contact has been made. Also, a sound generator can be provided to emit a sound when the burst of light occurs. An exemplary circuit for use with the light sword is also part of the invention.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for supplying continuous output power from at least one of two sources of input power. A rectifier circuit rectifies an AC current from an AC power source into a DC current. A first sensing circuit respectively provides first and second control signals in response to the input voltage provided by the AC power source. The first control signal is provided when the AC power source voltage is within a predetermined voltage range. The second control signal is provided when the AC power source voltage is outside the predetermined voltage range so as to inhibit the rectification of the AC current. An inverter circuit converts a DC current from a DC power source into an AC current which is then rectified into a DC current. A second sensing current, responsive to the first and second control signals, generates a third control signal which controls the magnitude of the output of the inverter circuit.

Abstract: A highly efficient circuit for converting a low level DC voltage to the high voltage necessary for energizing a flash lamp. The circuit is very small and non-complex, it is portable and is quickly recharged, particularly being adaptable for emergency flash uses and for toys such as light swords and laser pistols. A very efficient portion of the circuit, comprising a DC/AC inverter, an AC/DC converter and a voltage multiplier, operating at an appropriate frequency, enables the flash capacitor to always be maintained substantially at peak voltage value with minimum power usage.

Abstract: A self-contained emergency signal has a base which contains a battery and a high-intensity flash/lamp actuating unit. The actuating unit is electrically connected to a battery and to a high-intensity flash lamp. A switch turns the actuating unit on and high-intensity lamp bursts are displayed through a transparent, translucent, polarized, colored or symbol containing a lens arrangement, or a combination of such elements. The emergency signal may have different forms such as cylindrical, elliptical, rectangular or triangular. In some embodiments the lens arrangements are in telescopic relationship to the base, or may be collapsible to a compact, easy-to-carry device. Exemplary circuitry for use with the various emergency signal embodiments is also part of the invention.

Abstract: A toy laser weapon such as a pistol utilizes a flash unit to generate a burst of high intensity light. A collimating device collimates the light into a beam simulating a laser beam. A target vest can be worn by the person that is the target of the simulated laser pistol and includes a target area of fluorescent material that indicates a hit when the light beam from the toy laser pistol strikes the target area. Also, a sound generator can be provided to emit a sound when the burst of light occurs. An exemplary circuit for use with the light pistol is also part of the invention.

Abstract: A programmable analog to digital (A/D) converter useful for example, in ultrasonic medical diagnosis systems, for providing transfer functions that in some arrangements may be manually selected and in other arrangements may be automatically selected as a function of time. A ladder network providing the comparator reference voltages in the converter is driven at a plurality of control nodes or points by programmed control voltage sets received from, for example, a resistive network or from a digital source through a digital to analog converter. In the arrangement in which the transfer function changes as a function of time, different transfer curves are selected having a predetermined relationship to the amplitude levels of the input signal which, for example, may be an ultrasonic return signal in a medical diagnosis system.

Abstract: Disclosed is a touch control adapter that is used with any standard electric lamp. It operates to turn the lamp on or off in response to a mere touching of the lamp. One embodiment operates as a three-way controller; while another embodiment operates as a dimmer controller. The control adapter includes a male electrical receptacle of the screw-in type for screwing the adapter into the light bulb socket of the lamp. Also included is a female electrical receptacle of the screw-in type for receiving the light bulb. Metal contacts extend from the adapter and touch the exterior of the light bulb socket of the lamp. This in turn is in electrical contact with other exterior parts of the lamp. Electronic circuitry within the adapter senses when a person is touching these exterior parts and passes predetermined portions of power received from the male receptacle to the female receptacle in response thereto.