Abstract: This invention is in the area of three-dimensional holiday decorations and their manufacture, and specifically in the area of an illuminated decoration to replace natural stems for the tops of pumpkins, squash and gourd-type fruits as used in Halloween, Thanksgiving, Harvest, Christmas and similar holiday-type decorations. An artificial replacement stem and various assorted appendages such as witches and apparitions are provided.

Abstract: A file folding technique reduces the number of duplicate data blocks of a file consumed on a storage device of a file server configured to generate a persistent image of its active file system at a point in time. According to the file folding technique, if “old” data blocks of the file are over-written with “new” data and that new data is identical to the data of the persistent file image, the old data blocks are “freed” and the file is directed to refer to the persistent image for its data. The invention reduces disk space consumption in a file server configured to generate persistent images of its active file system and, in particular, reduces overall persistent image disk usage.

Abstract: A circuit and method for accelerating bus line communication in an integrated circuit is disclosed. High speed transmission of signals along a bus line is achieved by driving a series of bus line segments with their own bi-directional bus amplification circuits. Because each bus line segment has less capacitive loading than longer non-segmented bus lines, voltage reversal, or data inversion of a pair of complementary lines of a bus line segment is accomplished at high speed. Each bi-directional bus amplification circuit includes a precharge circuit for precharging each complementary pair of lines to known logic levels, and a drive circuit for changing the logic level of each line.

Abstract: Amplitude is corrected by subtracting a component signal from a composite signal to produce a remainder signal, correlating the remainder signal with the component signal to produce a product signal, averaging the product signal, and adjusting the magnitude of the component signal in accordance with the averaged product signal to minimize the product signal. The amplitude of the component signal is adjusted in a programmable gain amplifier controlled by an up-down counter. The up-down counter is part of a digital control loop including a pseudo-multiplier for multiplying the remainder signal with the component signal. The output of the multiplier controls the direction of the count, which is generally continuous except that it cannot roll over or roll under. The remainder signal is the received signal with the echo removed.

Abstract: A turbojet engine having a fan (12) driven by a speed-reducing gear unit (23) whose input is driven by a turbine shaft (22). The speed-reducing gear unit (23) includes a planet gear (24) affixed to a turbine shaft (22), a ring gear (28) joined to a fan shaft (12) and a plurality of satellite gears (25) mounted on a stationary satellite support (27) and having helical teeth which operatively engage with helical teeth of the ring gear and the planet gear to balance axial loads along the turbine shaft and the fan shaft.

Abstract: A circuit breaker includes two movable contacts for electrical connection to a load and a power source, respectively, a movable contact holder holding the first contact, a first spring biassing the contact holder, and an actuator for moving the second contact into contact with the first contact. A locking frame locks the contact holder and, in turn, the first contact at a first position in the path of movement of the second contact, against the spring, for contact by the second contact. The locking frame pivots between a first locking position locking the contact holder in the first position and a second position releasing the contact holder from the first position. A second spring biasses the locking frame towards the second position. A solenoid holds the locking frame in the first position against the second spring. An electronic control circuit detects occurrence of a circuit fault and, in response to detecting a fault, disables the solenoid.

Abstract: An improvement is disclosed in a brush cleaning apparatus for cleaning a major surface of a wafer and including wafer guide wheels for transporting the wafer. The improvement includes a polish pad material disposed on a circumference of the guide wheels. The polish pad material is a material used in chemical-mechanical polishing of the wafer. The polish pad material contacts an edge portion of the wafer during cleaning thereof, thereby removing contaminants from the edge portion of the wafer, so that edge cleaning is performed in situ in addition to the brush cleaning of the major surface of the wafer.

Abstract: More than two surround sound channels are provided within the format of a digital soundtrack system designed to provide only two surround sound channels by matrix encoding from three to five additional surround sound channels into two “discrete” surround sound channels. The digital audio stream of the digital soundtrack system designed to provide only two surround sound channels remains unaltered, thus providing compatibility with existing playback equipment. The format of the media carrying the digital soundtracks also is unaltered. The “discreteness” of the digital soundtrack system is not audibly diminished by employing matrix technology to surround sound channels, particularly if active matrix decoding is employed.

Abstract: A leak detection system for a fuel system of an automotive vehicle has a diaphragm pump that is repeatedly stroked to pressurize vapor containment space of the fuel system during a leak detection test. A restriction is disposed between the pump and the space being pressurized to cause a real time pressure trace of pressure between the pump and the restriction to comprise a succession of pulses having peaks and valleys. Data from the first pump burst of the trace is used to adjust the number of times the pump is stroked during subsequent bursts to maintain substantially constant mass airflow into the space during each burst, thereby compensating for change in pump efficiency.

Abstract: The present invention features designs of pixels and designs of control features for seals on AMLCD tiles optimized for tiling AMLCD flat panel displays (FPDs) which have visually imperceptible seams. The FPD structure has an image view plane which is continuous and remote from the pixel apertures or image source plane on the inside of the tiles. The image is formed on the view plane by a distributed ultra low magnification flies-eye optical system (a screen) that is integrated with the tiles, effectively excluding and obscuring an image of the seams. The innovations described herein minimize the defects on the perimeter pixels by effectively damming the waviness of the front of the seal near the perimeter pixels on the tiles. Dark space required for the seal between the interior tile edges and active regions of the pixels is decreased, as is the space allocated for wiring thereby increasing the feasible aperture ratios near the mosaic edges and all apertures.

Abstract: Three-dimensional color images are produced by combining the red image plane from a left color camera and the blue and green image planes from a right color camera. Techniques for compensating for over or underexposure in a particular image plane are deployed as well as techniques for minimizing subjective disturbance when viewing relatively pure color regions of a 3-dimensional image and for transmission of 3-dimensional color television images to users.

Abstract: A golf club head is provided with a residual compressive stress layer on the inside surface of the club face using a peening treatment. The peening treatment also may remove material from the club head, such as unwanted alpha case on a titanium club head. The body of the club head further may be subjected to a peen treatment.

Abstract: A method of assembling an ignition coil cassette assembly for use with an internal combustion engine having a plurality of cylinder assemblies each including a spark plug, and an ignition coil cassette assembly provided in accordance with the invention methodology. The cassette assembly includes a plurality of ignition coils for respective electrical coupling to the respective spark plugs, whereby to deliver high voltage charges to the spark plugs in accordance with a predetermined firing order, a cassette body structure interconnecting and mounting the ignition coils in spaced downstanding relation with respect to the body, a printed circuit board for delivering power to the coils, and electronic components mounted on the board.

Abstract: Provided is a method of monitoring conditions of a pneumatic tire comprising a central tread, one or more belt(s) disposed radially inwardly of the tread and an inner-liner disposed radially inwardly of the belt(s), the belt(s) having a side edge. An electronic tag and associated condition sensors are disposed within the tire. The method includes: sensing a first temperature which is temperature of the tire inner-liner adjacent to the bet edge with the electronic tag; sensing a second temperature which is the air temperature within the tire with the electronic tag; and sensing air pressure within the tire with the electronic tag.

Abstract: A packaging material for packaging a selected fluid-containing fresh food item for providing simultaneous curing or marinating of such food item and storage of the same at normal refrigeration temperatures. A packaging material comprises a substrate suitable for contact with food and a food treatment layer comprises a predetermined amount of edible adhesive applied to a food contacting surface of the substrate and a curing or marinating agent mixed in, retained and calibrated by the adhesive. The adhesive is capable of dissolving in fluid from the food at a temperature in the range of −3° C. to −4° C. The amount of curing or marinating agent retained by the predetermined amount of adhesive is that which is required to substantially cure or marinate the selected food item. The amount of the adhesive is determined by the amount of curing or marinating agent required to be retained by it.

Abstract: An optical receiver is formed to include a digitally-controlled preamplifier that is used to adjust the bandwidth of the receiver. A measured bandwidth of the receiver is compared to a desired bandwidth and a digital control signal (such as a voltage, current, or any other appropriate parameter) supplied to the preamplifier is thereafter adjusted (either increased or decreased) to increase/decrease the bandwidth of the receiver to the desired value. A voltage regulator and potentiometer may be used as the digital controller and coupled to the input voltage supply of the preamplifier to provide the needed adjustment in voltage.

Abstract: A plasma reactor for processing a workpiece includes a reactor enclosure defining a processing chamber, a base within the chamber for supporting the workpiece during processing thereof, a semiconductor window electrode overlying the base, a gas inlet system for admitting a plasma precursor gas into the chamber, an electrical terminal coupled to the semiconductor window electrode, an inductive antenna adjacent one side of the semiconductor window electrode opposite the base for coupling power into the interior of said chamber through the semiconductor window electrode.

Abstract: A vacuum picker apparatus for cups includes a vacuum picker head with concave surface areas, each being preferably ½° reverse angle, and each surface area having a hole therethrough that allows for a vacuum to be formed at the picker head. When the vacuum is formed, the side wall of the cup is drawn, inside the overall circumference of the head at each concave surface area to provide for an effective seal to hold the cup to the picker head, which reduces deformation of the cup and facilitates its extraction for further processing. A protective ring or skirt at the picker head has spaced apart notches through which apertures are formed to direct a thrust of air against the stack to force the stack away from the individual cup being denested. The dual action of the vacuum picker apparatus removes an individual cup from a stack of cups and forces the stack away from the cup to facilitate removal of the individual cup from the stack.

Abstract: A fuel metering unit including a pump having a rotor with a plurality of slots. The pump also includes a pivotally movable cam ring coaxially arranged with respect to the rotor. Vanes are slideably disposed in the slots for maintaining contact with the cam ring during movement thereof. A servovalve has a motor and nozzles operatively connected to the pump such that increased flow through the first nozzle pivots the ring of the pump toward maximum while increased flow through the second nozzle pivots the ring toward minimum. An arm extends between the nozzles for varying fluid flow therethrough. The arm couples to the motor such that the motor moves the arm. A flow meter connects to the pump and an end of the arm for applying a force against the arm to assist in maintaining position of the arm.

Abstract: A metrology system and method uses pulsed light to allow continuous movement of a target relative to the sensor. A metrology system and method uses dynamic adjustment of tilt in a system. A metrology system and method calibrates the system to remove inherent optical aberrations in the system. Filtering may also be used in the system to increase accuracy.