Abstract: A footwear attachment device for releasable mounting on primary footwear, e.g., a boot or shoe, to provide enhanced traction. The primary footwear has an upper including a toe portion and a heel portion, a sole including a fore-foot portion and a heel portion. The attachment device comprising an integral member having a mounting ring, a forefoot-sole engaging portion, a heel-sole engaging portion, and plural connecting webs. The attachment device is preferably molded of a resilient material. The forefoot-sole engaging portion and the heel-sole engaging portion of the device are each a generally planar member mounted within the bounds of the ring by the connecting webs. The ring is stretchable to enable it to encircle the upper of the primary footwear to releasably mount it, so that its forefoot-sole engaging portion is engagement with the forefoot portion of the sole of the primary footwear, and its heel-sole engaging portion is in engagement with the heel portion of that sole.

Abstract: A cleat for use in a resilient flexible ground engaging portion of an article of footwear or an attachment for an article of footwear to provide resistance to slippage. The web of resilient material has an inner side and an outer side, and an aperture extending therethrough for receiving portions of the cleat assembly. The cleat assembly includes a base member, a projection member, and an optional cover member. The base member is an annular ring having a central opening and is arranged to be located within the opening in the web of resilient material. The projection member has a hub having an outer surface, from which a spike projects, and a flange projecting radially outward from the hub. The flange includes a peripheral bead. The projection member of the cleat assembly includes plural posts and the base member of that assembly includes plural lugs defining plural recesses therebetween.

Abstract: In a television system, including a standby power supply coupled directly to an AC power input and a main power supply coupled via an on/off switch to the AC power input, a source of light is illuminated at a first brightness level in response to the standby power supply being connected to an AC source and illuminated at a lower brightness level in response to the main power supply being connected to the AC power source.

Abstract: A footwear attachment device for releasable mounting on primary footwear, e.g., a boot or shoe, to provide enhanced traction. The primary footwear has an upper including a toe portion and a heel portion, a sole including a fore-foot portion and a heel portion. The attachment device comprising an integral member having a mounting ring and plural stretchable connecting webs, extending between respective portions of the ring. The attachment device also includes a forefoot pad assembly and a heel pad assembly. Each pad assembly includes a generally planar base pad and a generally planar a cover pad. Each base pad includes a recess for receipt of a respective one of the connecting webs. Each cover pad is arranged to be secured over an associated base pad with the connecting web interposed therebetween and stretchable in the recess. Each base pad includes a ground engaging surface. Each cover pad includes an inner surface.

Abstract: A transaction ordering mechanism for processor-based computing systems ensures proper ordering of transactions between the processor, I/O and memory subsystems, ensures cache coherence within the computing system, and facilitates concurrence of the transactions so as to enable high-bandwidth, deadlock-free operation. I/O to memory transactions and processor to memory transactions are placed in a memory request queue in the order in which such transactions appear on the processor bus; I/O to memory transactions are placed in an inbound request queue in the order such transactions appear on the I/O bus; and processor to I/O transactions and completions corresponding to split-transaction I/O to memory read transactions are placed in an outbound request queue in the order in which the split-transaction I/O to memory read transactions and the processor to I/O transactions appear on the processor bus.

Abstract: An integrated safety system (20) comprises a rope grab (100), a body engagement device such as a harness (200, 201) or waist belt to be worn by a person (22), a lanyard (104) and lowering device (300). The harness (200, 201), which also constitutes a part of the invention by itself, comprises a compartment (202) for the lowering device (300), and also a first connector (224), a second connector (220) and in one embodiment (201) additionally comprises a third connector (600). The lanyard (104) is securable to the first connector (224) of the harness (200, 201) and to the rope grab (100) to enable the person (22) to be suspended thereby in the event of a fall. The lowering device (300) is stored in the compartment (202) of the harness (200, 201) until needed and is arranged to be mounted on the safety line (28) by the person (22) while the person is suspended thereby after a fall.

Abstract: A bus bridge situated between two buses includes two queues: an outbound request queue and an inbound request queue. Requests originating on the first bus which target a destination on the second bus are placed into the outbound request queue. Requests originating on the second bus which target a destination on the first bus are placed into the inbound request queue. A transaction arbitration unit (TAU) within the bridge maintains transaction ordering and avoids deadlocks. The TAU determines whether requests can be placed in the inbound request queue. The TAU also determines whether requests originating on the first bus can be responded to immediately or whether the agent originating the request must wait for a reply. In addition, the TAU includes logic for determining whether a request in the outbound request queue can be executed on the second bus.

Abstract: The dual mode bus bridge accommodates either two 64-bit personal computer interface (PCI) buses or four 32-bit PCI buses. In either case, only a single load is applied to the host bus. The dual mode bridge includes a bridge controller unit connected to a pair of expansion bridge units by respective internal buses. Each expansion bridge unit includes two sets of 64-bit wide queues and buffers. For 32-bit PCI operation, the two sets of queues and buffers are operated in parallel. For 64-bit PCI operation, the two sets of queues and buffers are linked together so as to appear in series to provide a single queue structure having twice the depth of the separate queue structures for a 32-bit mode operation. As such, undue duplication of queue and buffer resources is avoided. Method and apparatus embodiments of the invention are described.

Abstract: An improved fluorescent troffer lighting fixture particularly intended for recessed mounting to a suspended ceiling grid, the fixture of the invention having a housing frame configured with spaced end plates which secure to a top plate and side flanges without the need for separate fasteners. The end plates, top plate and side flanges of the fixture housing snap-fit together through the use of cooperating fastening elements formed integrally with said end plates inter alia. The fixture housing mounts a louver and a channel with fastening structure integrally formed with the fixture housing, the channel mounting at least one fluorescent lamp and having reflective surfaces opposing said lamp for increasing efficiency of the fixture.

Abstract: An convertible, footwear attachment device and methods of configuring it and using it on a primary footwear to provide resistance to slippage on snow, ice or other slick surfaces. The attachment device is of the sling-type, full-sole unit and is formed of an elastic, flexible and severable material. The full-sole unit is made up of a sole, a toe attachment assembly, a heel attachment assembly, and visible indicia, e.g., grooves, for indicating the boundaries of a removable portion of the full-sole unit which may be severed therefrom to form the half-sole unit. The attachment assemblies enable the device to be releasably mounted on the primary footwear irrespective of whether the device is converted from the full-sole unit to the half-sole unit or not. The sole and heel portions of the full-sole unit each include plural hard, ice-gripping projections, e.g., spikes.

Abstract: A strapping assembly for ice-gripping sandal or other device which is arranged readily adjust the tightness of its connection, while enabling its rapid and easy disconnection and reconnection. The strapping assembly includes a first end strap, a bridging strap member, and a second end strap. The first end strap is secured to one side of the sole of the sandal and has a free end portion to which a ring is secured. The second end strap is fixedly secured to the other side of the sole of the sandal and has a free end portion on which a VELCRO.RTM. strip is mounted. The bridging strap includes a VELCRO.RTM. strip on one end for releasable securement to the VELCRO.RTM. strip on the second end strap to secure the bridging strap thereto. The other end of the bridging strap then becomes it free end and is arranged to be extended through the ring and secured in place by other VELCRO.RTM. strips. The connection between the first end strap and bridging strap can be readily disconnected and can be readily reconnected.

Abstract: In a coin sensing station, coins pass edgewise along a passageway through a transparent block and interrupt three optical sensing beams that transverse the passageway at spaced locations. The beams are produced by light emitting diodes which direct light into the block where it is directed by reflection from inclined surfaces integrally molded into the block. By use of a beam splitting means, it is possible to direct the first and second sensing beams from a single source beam, across the passageway at different, spaced apart locations.

Abstract: A color coded safety belt or harness to be worn by a person to protect the person from a fall and the method of making and using the belt or harness. The belt or harness is formed of first fibers of a predetermined first color, e.g., optical yellow, and also includes at least one color coded indicator fiber woven therein to indicate the year of the manufacture of the belt or harness. The indicator fiber is of a second color which contrasts with the color of the belt or harness fibers to enable the user of the belt or harness to determine if the belt or harness had been produced more than a predetermined number of years before so that a decision can be made by the user of whether or not to discard the belt or harness due to its age. The second color of the indicator fiber is a predetermined different color than the first color, and is changed in successive years, without repeating the second color.

Abstract: An ice-gripping attachment device for securement to the sole of primary footwear, e.g., a boot. The attachment device includes comprises a front section, a rear section, and a pair of straps interconnecting the sections. The front section includes a front sole portion having a toe box disposed over it. The rear section includes a rear sole portion and a heel cup disposed over it. The toe box is adapted for accommodating the toe portion of the boot, while the heel cup is arranged for accommodating the heel portion of the boot. The pair of straps interconnect the toe box and the heel cup along the medial and lateral sides of the boot and are located above the front sole portion and the rear sole portion so that they do not contact the ground when attachment device is in place on the boot. The straps are arranged to be releasably secured together by VELCRO.RTM.

Abstract: An improved automated diagnostic analyzer and method of the type which includes a reaction carousel having cuvettes to receive sample and reactant for photometric analysis and to index and park for addition of sample, reactant and washing of cuvettes. Alternative reactant and/or sample addition points are provided so the analyzer controller may index cuvettes to provide greater frequency at which washing of cuvettes may take place simultaneously with addition of sample or reactant.

Abstract: An ice-gripping sandal for releasable mounting on the foot of a person or on the sole of a boot or other primary footwear worn by the person. The sandal comprises a sole, a toe strapping assembly and a heel strapping assembly for mounting the sandal on the boot. The sandal's sole has a bottom surface having plural groups of cleats projecting therefrom. Some of the cleats are located within a forefoot and toe portion of the sole and extend at an acute angle to the longitudinal axis of the sole. These cleats include end portions having respective ice-gripping screws mounted therein. Grooves are provided between the cleats in the forefoot and toe portions of the sole, with the width and depth of the grooves increasing from the medial side of the sole to the lateral side of the sole. The grooves enable material which may tend to adhere to the sole within the grooves to be forced out of the grooves when the wearer walks.

Abstract: An input signal (IN) and a threshold signal (Vt) are coupled to an output terminal (2) via the base-emitter paths of first (Q1) and second (Q2) transistors having respective collector electrodes connected to a supply voltage source (3). The output terminal (2) is coupled to a source of reference potential (4) via a first resistor (Re) and is coupled via a second resistor (Rd) to a selected plate of a capacitor (C1) that is connected between the collector and base electrodes of the second transistor (Q2). Circuit impedances are scaled such that Re>Rd>R1 wherein Re and Rd are the values of the first and second resistors, respectively, and R1 is a component of the output impedance of the threshold signal source (5).

Abstract: Microcode is loaded into, for example, a processor or I/O module within a computer system without manually halting and restarting the computer system. In other words, microcode can be loaded into the computer system dynamically while data processing continues from the processor or I/O module states just prior to the microcode load with no major interruption to the user. A microcode image is loaded into a processor which is already executing one or more tasks. A request to load microcode into the processor is received. The processor is signalled to suspend task execution. After the microcode image is transferred into the processor, the processor is signalled to resume task execution.

Abstract: A system and method of use for attaching a safety rope to an elevated portion of a tower, e.g., an electric power transmission tower, so that the rope extends along the tower's leg from the elevated portion to a lower portion, e.g., the ground, to enable a worker may be secured to the rope by a safety device, e.g., a rope grab, to protect the worker from a fall. The system comprises an air rifle for shooting a projectile having a light weight flexible filament secured to it over the elevated portion of the tower, the safety rope, and plural rope-retaining gates. Once the projectile has been shot over the tower to carry the filament over the elevated portion the safety rope is connected to the filament and pulled over the elevated portion of the tower. The safety rope is then secured in place extending vertically between the elevated portion and the ground.

Abstract: A scheme for providing split transaction capability on a PCI standard bus without modification to the existing PCI standard. Additional address bits are provided to a standard PCI address signal. The additional bits carry information regarding the requestor of a read transaction. By providing the requestor's identification to an addressed target, data is provided by the target device as a posted write. By using this enhanced mode, read requests need not be continually retried. If a target device is unable to respond to the enhanced address signal, the transaction is resent as a standard PCI address signal with the enhanced bits turned off.