Abstract: A network interface includes a network medium interface operatively coupled to a software device driver arrangement, with a legacy media access controller (MAC) therebetween. The device driver arrangement includes a legacy MAC device driver configured to communicate with the legacy MAC, and an intermediate driver configured to communicate with the network medium interface. The intermediate driver and the network medium interface may communicate with one another by use of special frames, for example to send and receive control information. The special frames are formatted to pass through the legacy MAC, and include an identifier so that they can be identified at the intended destination, either the intermediate driver or the network medium interface. Upon identification, the control information is extracted at the destination. The network medium interface may include one or more MACs as well as one or more physical layer devices (PHYs).

Abstract: A method of testing a network physical layer device (PHY) having a media independent interface (MII) includes sending information between the PHY and a tester along the data buses of the MII. The information may be sent in the form of special frames, the special frames being sent from the tester to the PHY including an identifier. The PHY includes means for detecting the identifier, for extracting control information from the special frames, and for using the control information to execute write operations to and read operations accessing the memory registers of the PHY, and for sending information to the tester. The information may be passed between the PHY at an exemplary rate of 100 Mb/sec.

Abstract: A local area data network includes two separate and unique twisted pair telephone networks joined by a coupler to form a common data network. The coupler operates to pass pulse position modulated data signals (PPM) and quadrature amplitude modulate (QAM) data signals between the telephone networks and isolate each plain old telephone service (POTS) signals on one telephone network from the other telephone network.

Abstract: A method of indirect addressing involves use of a bank select register and a bank of multiple directly-accessible registers to indirectly access registers of a memory device. Bank select data is written to the bank control register, specifying a bank of registers to be indirectly accessed. Read and/or write operations are then performed, for example, reading data from the specified bank of registers and transferring it to the bank of directly-accessible registers, or writing data to the bank of directly-accessible registers from an external source, and transferring the data to the registers of the specified bank.

Abstract: A physical layer transceiver of a home network station connected to a telephone medium has an architecture enabling adaptation of detection circuitry based on received network signals to enable reliable recovery of data signals. The physical layer transceiver includes an input amplifier that amplifies network signals according to one of 128 gain settings set by a receiver gain control signal. A signal conditioning circuit includes an envelope detector configured for outputting an envelope of the amplified received signal, and an energy detector configured for outputting an energy signal of the amplified received signals. The envelope signal and the energy signal are supplied to slicer threshold circuits, configured for outputting noise, peak, data event and energy event signals based on noise threshold, peak threshold, data transition threshold, and energy threshold signals, respectively.

Abstract: A local area network having a telephone line medium in a home network environment includes physical layer transceivers having transmit and receive state machines enabling each network station to determine a link status on the telephone line medium. The transmit state machine is configured for transmitting a link packet within a prescribed interval (T), less than a minimum packet length of a data packet, and having a preamble and a sufficient number of bytes to allow for transmission. Hence, the link packet will be detected by the other stations on the network, but will not be processed, since it is classified as a runt packet by the media access control layers. The receive state machine monitors the telephone line medium, and if after a prescribed interval (2T) the station has not detected a valid preamble from a data packet or a link packet, then the link status indicator for that station is set to an invalid condition, and subsequently supplied to the station operating system.

Abstract: A coupling arrangement for selectively coupling and uncoupling the handle and the blade of a surgical instrument, such as a broach, includes a key projecting axially from the handle and receivable within a first recess portion in the blade to engage locking pins upon transverse movement of the key into locking engagement with the locking pins, and a plunger selectively movable into a further recess portion contiguous with the key for precluding relative movement of the handle and the blade in the transverse direction so as to maintain the key in locking engagement, the plunger being selectively retractable from the further recess portion to permit relative transverse movement of the handle and the blade, and consequent movement of the key out of locking engagement with the locking pins, to enable uncoupling of the handle from the blade.

Abstract: A positive displacement injector for automatic centralized lubrication systems is constructed to include a two-piece disk-seal valve assembly that acts as a check valve and also provides seals at oppositely facing surfaces. The assembly consists of a stiff disk sandwiched between upstream and downstream disks of a resilient seal member. Notches in the periphery of the stiff disk are normally blocked by the downstream disk to prevent upstream fluid flow through these notches, yet the periphery of the downstream disk is deflectable to permit downstream fluid flow through the notches when there is relatively high fluid pressure at the inlet port. The assembly is bodily movable so that with low fluid pressure at the inlet port this port is blocked by the upstream disk, and with high fluid pressure at the inlet port the downstream disk blocks axial input to an outlet passage.

Abstract: An arbiter circuit includes a latch made of two crosscoupled NAND gates, one of which is a Schmitt NAND gate, a difference detector, and two output NOR gates. The output of the latch is coupled to the difference detector and to one input of the NOR gates. The NOR gates receive another input from the difference detector. The difference detector is responsive to a voltage difference that exceeds one V.sub.BE, thereby blocking signals that originate in the latch during oscillating or metastable states of the latch, which may include rut pulses.

Abstract: A hydraulic wrench has a support, and a drive assembly which is mounted thereon and which includes a shaft that is turnable, a pair of sector drive plates which are mounted on the shaft turnable relative to the same and spaced from one another, each drive plate having an arcuate edge face formed with a plurality of slots that are spaced about the axis of the shaft and extend substantially parallel to this axis, and a square drive member which is turnable with the shaft and can be inserted into a mating drive socket. A transmission arrangement transmits motion from the sector drive plates to the shaft in order to turn the latter when the sector drive plates are turned.