Abstract: A microprocessor card having a microprocessor is connected to a predetermined pattern of resistors for providing a binary notation signature identifying the speed capability of the microprocessor and for adjusting the speed of the clock signals for the microprocessor. A motherboard having circuitry for recognizing the binary notation signature identifying the speed capability of a microprocessor is connected to the predetermined pattern of resistors. A series of latches latch the microprocessor speed identification into a logic and lookup table circuitry. The table circuitry looks up a binary notation signature correlating the motherboard speed capability with the speed capability of the particular microprocessor. This binary notation signature, which identifies the motherboard speed in relationship to the microprocessor speed, provides the binary notation signature on the resistors and overrides the microprocessor speed identification.

Abstract: Embodiments of a fence clip installing tool and methods of using it are described. The preferred tool uses a stack of connected fence clips which are loaded in advance for semi-automatic multiple clip installations. Upon actuation, the tool places the simple, pre-shaped clip partially around the fence post, and then bends the clip ends around the wire that runs through the tool and laterally past the fence post. Thus, the clip extends around the back and two sides of the post and surrounds and grips the wire tightly on either side of the post to hold it securely against the front side of the post. The tool quickens the process of clip installation, lessens handling of clips, and results in more uniform installation, with the two clip ends extending in parallel vertical planes around the wire on either side of the post.

Abstract: An interchangeable headlamp reflector and light bulb unit is provided which can be used as part of various automotive headlamp assemblies. The surface of the reflector is defined mathematically by considering the optical path differences between a ray of light from a light source and a ray of light from a vertical cylindrical axis. The reflector is made of a low number of individual segments that each define a certain portion of the resulting beam of light. Each segment has light rays that extend parallel to the ground and diverge horizontally, thus minimizing possible hot spots on the lens of the reflector assembly.

Abstract: Antenna structures are provided which facilitate the simultaneous radiation of multiple antenna beams. The structures include photonic manifolds that define equal-length optical paths and other optical paths whose lengths progressively change by a selected length .DELTA.L. The manifolds conduct signal pairs to radiative modules. Each signal pair includes a frequency-swept scanning signal s.sub.s and a reference signal s.sub.r whose frequency is a selected one of the sum and the difference of the frequencies of the scanning signal s.sub.s and a respective operating signal s.sub.o. Subsequently, the scanning signals are mixed with the reference signals and filtered to recover phase-shifted versions of each respective operating signal s.sub.o. The phase-shifted versions are radiated to form multiple radiated beams wherein each beam is scanned by changing the frequency of its respective scanning signal s.sub.s. The frequency of the scanning signals is selected to avoid generation of spurious radiated signals.

Abstract: Hexahydroindenopyridine compounds having the following formula and relative stereochemistry ##STR1## where R.sup.1 is C.sub.1-6 alkyl; R.sup.2 is hydrogen or C.sub.1-6 alkyl; R.sup.3 is carboxyl or a group which is metabolized to a carboxyl group under mammalian physiological conditions; R.sup.4 is halogen; mixtures of said compound and acid addition salts thereof exhibit potent antispermatogenic activity and are useful in a method of inhibiting spermatogenesis in mammals.

Abstract: The clock configuration of a printed circuit board (PCB) processor card is described. A processor card including a processor, its associated processor card system bus, a clock generator, and its associated processor card system clock bus is optimized by providing various clock configurations and distributions. In one configuration, multiple clock signals are coupled to a system clock bus for distributing to a host card having system devices. In another configuration, multiple clock signals having various clock rates are coupled to the processor device on the processor card.

Abstract: A receiver carrier synchronization apparatus and method for carrier synchronization with a received signal having a known data pattern preamble uses a "punctured" preamble for making carrier synchronization estimates thereby reducing the number of receivers required. The known data pattern preamble of the received signal is processed with a local reference signal and a differentiated replica of the known data pattern preamble to generate an error signal. The error signal is selectively sampled in the time domain in accordance with a puncture scheme, and the sampled error signal is used to generate the local reference signal in a closed loop. The received signal is processed with the local reference signal and a replica of the known data pattern preamble to generate a synchronization estimate signal.

Abstract: A noise estimator for threshold correction of a receiver includes a low pass filter to remove wideband noise from an input signal that includes a signal component and a noise component. The output of the wideband filter is applied to a square-law power detector having an output applied to an envelope detector. The output of the envelope detector is the instantaneous envelope of the input signal and is applied to a low pass filter to perform time averaging and is also applied to a differential network. The output of the low pass filter is a signal representing a time averaged statistical envelope representing the statistical mean of the instantaneous envelope of the input signal. This signal is also applied to the differential network that generates a signal representing the difference in the instantaneous envelope of the input signal and the time averaged statistical envelope signal. This difference signal is applied to a square-law power detector and then to a low pass filter for time averaging.

Abstract: A fiber optic modulation and demodulation system is disclosed. The system is configured as telemetry system for relaying signals from sensors in remote, harsh environments. Light is modulated using one or more optical reflective grating and piezoelectric crystal combinations, and demodulated using an interferometer system. The one or more modulators are driven by the responses of one or more sensors thereby modulating one or more carrier wavelengths of a carrier light source. The modulated light signal is transmitted from the sensor or sensors, over an optical fiber, to an interferometer which is used to demodulate the reflected signals and thereby determine the responses of one or more sensors. One embodiment of the invention set forth is that of a telemetry system linking sensors within a borehole to detection and processing equipment at the surface of the earth.

Abstract: A receiver carrier synchronization apparatus and method for carrier synchronization with a received signal having a known data pattern preamble uses a "punctured" preamble for making carrier synchronization estimates thereby reducing the number of receivers required. The known data pattern preamble of the received signal is processed with a local reference signal and a differentiated replica of the known data pattern preamble to generate an error signal. The error signal is selectively sampled in the time domain in accordance with a puncture scheme, and the sampled error signal is used to generate the local reference signal in a closed loop. The received signal is processed with the local reference signal and a replica of the known data pattern preamble to generate a synchronization estimate signal.

Abstract: Wideband phased array antennas are provided that eliminate the need for phase shifters in the region of the array face. In addition, they generate less beam squint than conventional antennas. In one embodiment, they include an electronic signal generator, reference and scanning manifolds and an array of n radiative modules. The signal generator generates a variable-frequency scanning signal s.sub.s and a reference signal s.sub.r wherein the frequency of the reference signal s.sub.r is substantially a selected one of the sum and the difference of the frequencies of the scanning signal s.sub.s and an operating signal s.sub.o. The reference manifold receives and divides the reference signal s.sub.r into n reference signal samples which are progressively time delayed by a selectable one of m reference differential time delays .DELTA.t.sub.r. The scanning manifold receives and divides the scanning signal s.sub.

Abstract: Mixing and modulating methods are described for nonlinear optical amplifiers (30) which can generate intermodulation products of radio-frequency signals in an optical carrier signal (26) without the penalty of an optical conversion loss and without the need for radio-frequency mixers, electro-optic modulators and expensive polarization-maintaining optical fibers. The radio-frequency signals can be applied to either a bias port (36) or an optical input port (32) of the optical amplifier and are used to upconvert and downconvert signals in phased-array antenna and remote antenna embodiments of the invention.

Abstract: This invention is directed toward a fiber optic modulation and demodulation system, and more particularly directed toward a telemetry system for relaying signals from sensors in remote, harsh environments. Light is modulated using one or more optical reflective grating and piezoelectric crystal combinations, and demodulated using an interferometer system. The one or more modulators are driven by the responses of one or more sensors thereby modulating one or more carrier wavelengths of a carrier light source. The modulated light signal is transmitted from the sensor or sensors, over an optical fiber, to an interferometer which is used to demodulate the reflected signals and thereby determine the responses of one or more sensors. One embodiment of the invention set forth is that of a telemetry system linking sensors within a borehole to detection and processing equipment at the surface of the earth.

Abstract: A receiver carrier synchronization apparatus and method for carrier synchronization with a received signal having a known data pattern preamble uses a "punctured" preamble for making carrier synchronization estimates thereby reducing the number of receivers required. The known data pattern preamble of the received signal is processed with a local reference signal and a differentiated replica of the known data pattern preamble to generate an error signal. The error signal is selectively sampled in the time domain in accordance with a puncture scheme, and the sampled error signal is used to generate the local reference signal in a closed loop. The received signal is processed with the local reference signal and a replica of the known data pattern preamble to generate a synchronization estimate signal.

Abstract: A safety-shielded trocar having an obturator with a linear cutting edge surface defining a base width substantially less than the diameter of the safety shield is disclosed. When the trocar is inserted through tissue, the tissue dilates from the width of the linear incision to accommodate the size of the safety shield of the trocar, thus making it possible to provide an access opening greater than the incisional width made by the linear cutting edge surface of the obturator. In a preferred embodiment, the safety shield has a shield tip region which is asymmetric to facilitate the dilation of the tissue as the trocar is inserted.

Abstract: An optical amplification system directs a diffraction-limited signal beam through a series of approximately 90.degree. crossings with a number of non-diffraction-limited pump beams in a photorefractive medium. All of the beams are s-polarized, resulting in an energy transfer from the pumps to the signal beam while leaving the signal beam diffraction-limited. The photorefractive medium is preferably a series of BaTiO.sub.3 :Rh crystals that receive the pump and signal beams through orthogonal faces, with their C-axes at approximately 45.degree. to both beams. A binary tree optical distribution network is used to minimize waveguide splits in forming a large number of pump beams.

Abstract: A safety-shielded trocar having an obturator with a linear cutting edge surface defining a base width substantially less than the diameter of the safety shield is disclosed. When the trocar is inserted through tissue, the tissue dilates from the width of the linear incision to accommodate the size of the safety shield of the trocar, thus making it possible to provide an access opening greater than the incisional width made by the linear cutting edge surface of the obturator. In a preferred embodiment, the safety shield has a shield tip region which is asymmetric to facilitate the dilation of the tissue as the trocar is inserted.

Abstract: A safety trocar is provided which includes a spring-loaded shield that shields the cutting tip of the obturator after the obturator penetrates tissue. The distal end of the shield is conical in profile and contains a slot which conforms to the geometry of the cutting tip. The obturator tip contains a knife edge blade which extends the length of the cannula inner diameter. Ideally, the knife is made of an amorphous metal, and may be serrated at its edge. In one embodiment, the knife edge is contacted directly to a portion of the safety shield.

Abstract: An apparatus including a system bus coupled to an I/O interface which includes a pointer register and a rejecting circuit which determines whether a write to the pointer register will be accepted or rejected. The I/O interface is further coupled to at least one I/O bus having at least one I/O device connected thereto. The system bus is further coupled to a main memory and to a Central Processing Unit (CPU) which is capable of executing software instructions, providing a command structure corresponding to an access of an I/O device, and writing to the pointer register an address of a location in main memory of the command structure. The CPU further includes a hardware indicator responsive to the rejecting circuit for providing a status signal indicating the status of a write to the pointer register. The CPU executes the software in accordance with the status signal. The apparatus allows the software being executed by the CPU to software pend accesses to devices not directly connected to the system bus.