Abstract: An improved electronic oscillator circuit suitable for use in an isolating DC-to-DC converter circuit, and an improved isolating DC-to-DC converter circuit. In one embodiment, an integrated circuit coupled to a transformer includes an oscillator and an output driver. The integrated circuit is preferably fabricated using a silicon-on-insulator technology. The oscillator outputs an alternating pulse signal defined by electrical characteristics of components other than the transformer. The alternating pulse signal is coupled to the output driver, the alternating output of which is coupled to corresponding legs of the primary winding of the transformer. The secondary winding of the transformer provides an electromagnetically coupled isolated output which may be rectified and filtered to produce a DC output voltage. Additional functionality, such as current protection circuitry for the improved circuits, may be readily added to the integrated circuit at little or no increase in cost.

Abstract: An improved electronic oscillator circuit suitable for use in an isolating DC-to-DC converter circuit, and an improved isolating DC-to-DC converter circuit. In one embodiment, an integrated circuit coupled to a transformer includes an oscillator and an output driver. The integrated circuit is preferably fabricated using a silicon-on-insulator technology. The oscillator outputs an alternating pulse signal defined by electrical characteristics of components other than the transformer. The alternating pulse signal is coupled to the output driver, the alternating output of which is coupled to corresponding legs of the primary winding of the transformer. The secondary winding of the transformer provides an electromagnetically coupled isolated output which may be rectified and filtered to produce a DC output voltage. Additional functionality, such as current protection circuitry for the improved circuits, may be readily added to the integrated circuit at little or no increase in cost.

Abstract: An improved electronic oscillator circuit suitable for use in an isolating DC-to-DC converter circuit, and an improved isolating DC-to-DC converter circuit. In one embodiment, an integrated circuit coupled to a transformer includes an oscillator and an output driver. The integrated circuit is preferably fabricated using a silicon-on-insulator technology. The oscillator outputs an alternating pulse signal defined by electrical characteristics of components other than the transformer. The alternating pulse signal is coupled to the output driver, the alternating output of which is coupled to corresponding legs of the primary winding of the transformer. The secondary winding of the transformer provides an electromagnetically coupled isolated output which may be rectified and filtered to produce a DC output voltage. Additional functionality, such as current protection circuitry for the improved circuits, may be readily added to the integrated circuit at little or no increase in cost.

Abstract: An improved electronic oscillator circuit suitable for use in an isolating DC-to-DC converter circuit, and an improved isolating DC-to-DC converter circuit. In one embodiment, an integrated circuit coupled to a transformer includes an oscillator and an output driver. The integrated circuit is preferably fabricated using a silicon-on-insulator technology. The oscillator outputs an alternating pulse signal defined by electrical characteristics of components other than the transformer. The alternating pulse signal is coupled to the output driver, the alternating output of which is coupled to corresponding legs of the primary winding of the transformer. The secondary winding of the transformer provides an electromagnetically coupled isolated output which may be rectified and filtered to produce a DC output voltage. Additional functionality, such as current protection circuitry for the improved circuits, may be readily added to the integrated circuit at little or no increase in cost.

Abstract: An animal release chute for use in steer or calf roping competitions is described. The chute has a fixed section and a moveable section that telescopes forwardly relative to the fixed section. A release gate at the forward end of the moveable section is moveable between a closed position for retaining a steer or calf inside the chute and an open position releasing the steer or calf from the chute. A sensor at the rearward end of the fixed section senses the presence of the horse of the roper at the rearward end of the fixed section. Only when the roper's horse is at the rearward end of the fixed section can the gate be released to release the calf. The chute system assures that there is always the fixed, predetermined distance between the calf and the roper at release.

Abstract: A method of equalizer adaptation involves comparing equalizer output values with a center threshold, and with at least one of a pair of outer thresholds, and adapting the equalizer in order to increase the degree of eye opening. The values of the outer thresholds are adapted such that a fixed proportion of equalizer output values lie between the outer thresholds, and the equalizer coefficients are adapted such the separation of the outer thresholds is increased. The equalizer coefficients are adapted on the basis of equalizer output values which lie between the pair of outer thresholds.

Abstract: Provided are methods, test devices, and diagnostic kits for predicting, assessing, and diagnosing the risk of a disease using salivary analysis. The method comprises providing a whole (unfractionated) saliva sample from a subject; contacting an aliquot of said saliva with one or more lectins under conditions that allow said one or more lectins to bind to a lectin-binding component of said saliva; detecting the amount of bound lectin; and comparing the amount of bound lectin to the amount known to bind a saliva sample from a control patient, to predict the risk of a disease in the subject. Also provided are methods for reducing the risk of a disease and a method for assessing the risk of the disease at a defined level.

Abstract: A method is provided for determining a slice level in the quantizer of a receiver, by determining the proportions of received signal values which lie below and above specified values. These proportions, which correspond to points on a cumulative probability function, can be used with assumptions about the received signal distribution, to determine a desired slice level.

Abstract: A method of equalizer adaptation involves comparing equalizer output values with a centre threshold, and with at least one of a pair of outer thresholds, and adapting the equalizer in order to increase the degree of eye opening.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for recovering a digital signal from an analog signal. A received analog signal value is compared with a centre threshold, and with at least one of a pair of outer thresholds, to form comparator output signals. Digital samples of the comparator output signals are formed using a recovered clock signal. The values of the outer thresholds are adapted such that a constant proportion of the digital samples represent received signal values lying between the outer thresholds, and the phase of the recovered clock signal is adapted such that the separation of the outer thresholds is maximised. Other receiver parameters can be adapted in the same way.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method of transferring data from a first device to a second device over parallel connections. The data represents a signal which has some known statistical property, and the data is encoded and distributed between the parallel connections, such that each parallel connection carries a respective time-aligned sequence of bits, and such that the known statistical property of the signal represented by the data is used to establish a known correlation between the respective sequences. In the second device, the known correlation between the respective sequences is used to re-establish time alignment of the received sequences.

Abstract: A needle for use with an apparatus for injecting fluid into a pierced body orifice has a hollow body having an axis and an internal bore along the axis, a blunt, closed first end, an open second end with an interface to a closure for attachment to a reservoir, and one or more side openings at substantially a right angle to the axis communicating from the internal bore to outside the hollow body. The needle may be curved or straight. A fluid injection system based on the needle uses such as squeeze bottles or syringes to express material through the needle.

Abstract: A needle for use with an apparatus for injecting fluid into a pierced body orifice has a hollow body having an axis and an internal bore along the axis, a blunt, closed first end, an open second end with an interface to a closure for attachment to a reservoir, and one or more side openings at substantially a right angle to the axis communicating from the internal bore to outside the hollow body. The needle may be curved or straight. A fluid injection system based on the needle uses such as squeeze bottles or syringes to express material through the needle.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for reducing spurious sidebands in the tuning signal of phase locked loop frequency synthesizers and phase locked loops is disclosed. The frequency synthesizer includes an oscillator, a divider, a difference circuit and a sampling circuit. The oscillator produces a variable frequency oscillator signal in response to an applied tuning signal. The divider divides the variable frequency oscillator signal by a division factor to produce a reduced frequency signal. The difference circuit receives the reduced frequency signal to produce a difference signal corresponding to the phase difference between the reference signal and the reduced frequency signal. The sampling circuit intermittently samples the difference signal in response to a timing signal to produce a tuning signal which approaches a DC characteristic. The tuning signal serves to adjust the oscillator frequency in a direction to diminish phase differences in the reference signal and the reduced frequency signal.

Abstract: The data processing system includes a property inspection data entry device for collecting and storing inspection data during the inspection of a property. The property inspection data entry device typically includes a scanner which is responsive to labels which are associated with the property as well as various items located about the property which include indicia representative of predetermined characteristics of the rental unit. The property inspection data entry device also includes a data entry device, such as a keypad, for providing manual entry of additional inspection data. The data processing system can also include a maintenance data entry device for collecting and storing maintenance data relating to maintenance activities performed on a property. The data processing system also includes a host computer for electrically communicating with the property inspection data entry device and the maintenance data entry device prior to and subsequent to inspection and maintenance activities, respectively.

Abstract: A phase shift arrangement comprising bi-stable devices arranged to provide phase shifted output signals triggered by a clock pulse level. The bi-stable devices including biasing means such that the clock pulse level at which the bi-stable devices are triggered is adjusted. The adjustment of the triggering level providing an offset for the degree of phase shift between output signals.