Abstract: An audio-based guide arrangement is provided for guiding a user along a target path by the use of stereo audio cues. The user's current location is sensed and compared to the target path. Sounds are fed to the user through left and right audio channels and these sounds are varied to indicate the user's divergence from the target path. In particular, the left and right channel sounds are varied in a complementary manner preferably by increasing the frequency of the sound in one channel whilst simultaneously decreasing the frequency of the sound in the other channel and vice versa.

Abstract: An Integrated Circuit (IC) package is disclosed comprising an IC chip with a microcontroller therein having an n-bit data bus, and up to n pins electrically coupled to the microcontroller. The IC package also includes a control register coupled to the microcontroller for receiving enable and disable signals from the microcontroller. One or more of the pins have one or more functional block associated thereto. Each functional block defines a specified function for its corresponding pin. Thus, each pin having a plurality of corresponding functional blocks has a number of potential functions equal to the number of corresponding functional blocks. The specific function for a given pin is selected by the enable signal from the control register which selects the appropriate functional block upon appropriate command from the microcontroller. By using pins with multiple functions, the instant invention permits an n-bit architecture microcontroller to use less than or equal to n pins.

Abstract: A system and method for high resolution digital x-ray imaging which utilizes a single imaging sensor is disclosed. In the preferred embodiment, the system utilizes a single imaging sensor and includes one or more redirecting elements to redirect a predetermined portion of light from an imaging screen onto the imaging sensor.

Abstract: An Integrated Circuit (IC) package is disclosed comprising an IC chip with a microcontroller therein having an n-bit data bus, and up to n pins electrically coupled to the microcontroller. The IC package also includes a control register coupled to the microcontroller for receiving enable and disable signals from the microcontroller. One or more of the pins have one or more functional block associated thereto. Each functional block defines a specified function for its corresponding pin. Thus, each pin having a plurality of corresponding functional blocks has a number of potential functions equal to the number of corresponding functional blocks. The specific function for a given pin is selected by the enable signal from the control register which selects the appropriate functional block appropriate command from the microcontroller. By using pins with multiple functions, the instant invention permits an n-bit architecture microcontroller to use less than or equal to n pins.

Abstract: A multipurpose input/output circuit providing full input output current drive capability and special mode selection on a single device pin. The circuit includes first and second high voltage detectors coupled to the pin, at least one pin bias circuit, and a mode selector. The mode selector determines whether the pin operates as either an input or output. One of the high voltage detectors detects a high voltage on the pin and causes the bias circuit to disconnect the pin from the supply voltage. The other high voltage detector operates to detect a special mode voltage on the pin and set the device into a special mode.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method for coating a medical device comprising the steps of applying to at least a portion of the surface of said medical device, an antimicrobial coating layer and a non-pathogenic bacterial coating layer, wherein the antimicrobial and non-pathogenic bacterial coating layers inhibit the growth of pathogenic bacterial and flngal organisms. The non-pathogenic bacterium used in the bacterial coating layer is resistant to the antimicrobial agent. Furthermore, the non-pathogenic bacterium layer includes at least one of the following: viable whole cells, non-viable whole cells, or cellular structures or extracts. The antimicrobial agent and non-pathogenic bacterium are used to develop a kit comprising these compositions in one container or in separate containers. The kit is used to coat a catheter prior to implantation in a mammal.

Abstract: The present invention relates to scribble matching methods, ie. methods for searching samples of electronic ink without having first to translate the ink into ASCII text. The methods of the present invention find application in pen-based computer devices. The invention entails the identification and encoding of velocity minima in the input scribble. Three scribble matching algorithms are described--a syntactic matcher, a word matcher and an elastic matcher. The syntactic matcher encodes the input scribble according to the shape of the scribble in the region of the velocity minima. The word matcher encodes the input scribble according to the heights of the velocity minima from a reference line, using a continuous height encoding scheme. The elastic matcher encodes the input scribble according to a classification of the velocity minima and intermediate points.

Abstract: An Integrated Circuit (IC) package is disclosed comprising an IC chip with a microcontroller therein having an n-bit data bus, and up to n pins electrically coupled to the microcontroller. The IC package also includes a control register coupled to the microcontroller for receiving enable and disable signals from the microcontroller. One or more of the pins have one or more functional block associated thereto. Each functional block defines a specified function for its corresponding pin. Thus, each pin having a plurality of corresponding functional blocks has a number of potential functions equal to the number of corresponding functional blocks. The specific function for a given pin is selected by the enable signal from the control register which selects the appropriate functional block upon appropriate command from the microcontroller. BY using pins with multiple functions, the instant invention permits an n-bit architecture microcontroller to use less than or equal to n pins.

Abstract: A technique for reading data from a selected memory element of an EPROM array having rows and columns with addressable memory elements which may be selectively accessed at respective intersections of the rows and columns. Each memory element includes a transistor having gate, source and drain electrodes, and after selection of a particular memory element from which data is to be read by appropriately biasing the row and column associated with that memory element, the source electrode thereof is selectively connected to ground by a switching element to allow current flow through the source-drain path of the memory element and enable the readout of data therefrom after the drain and gate voltages of the memory element have stabilized.

Abstract: A technique is disclosed for reading a memory element of an EPROM array embedded in a microcontroller chip which has been scaled down from a previous design by virtue of reduced line widths of a process technology used for fabricating the chip. The microcontroller chip has a predetermined supply voltage, and the array comprises rows and columns of addressable memory elements which may be selectively accessed to read data content therefrom in a low voltage mode in which the supply voltage initially rises and ultimately reaches substantially its maximum voltage during a read cycle. A regulated reference voltage is used to exercise row and column control in the low voltage read mode by tracking the level of the supply voltage up to a certain preselected level below the maximum supply voltage, and by clamping the row and column control voltage at substantially the preselected level despite increases in the level of the supply voltage above the preselected level.

Abstract: An improved method of matching a query string against a plurality of candidate strings replaces a highly computationally intensive string edit distance calculation with a less computationally intensive lower bound estimate. The lower bound estimate of the string edit distance between the two strings is calculated by equalising the lengths of the two strings by adding padding elements to the shorter one. The elements of the strings are then sorted and the substitution costs between corresponding elements are summed.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for control of a stepper motor drive for controlling movement of a receiver sheet into transfer relationship with an image-bearing member that supports an image to be transferred to the receiver sheet. Initially, the stepper motor is driven by drive pulses generated in response to clock pulses not synched with movement of the member. However, in order to ensure accurate registration, stepper motor drive pulses are subsequently generated that are in sync with encoder clock pulses that are generated in response to movement of the member. The transition of generation of the drive pulses is determined by establishing a condition of concurrence of a non-synched stepper motor drive pulses with an edge of an encoder pulse. The term condition of concurrence may be established by generating a timing control pulse of relatively short pulsewidth to define an allowed period for determining the condition of concurrence.

Abstract: A method of high speed reading of data from an EPROM, in which a memory array is programmed based on device status at intersections of rows and columns of the array to store data therein as 0's and 1's, uses a capacitive overcharging and discharging technique to enable fast voltage stabilization without drawing significant current. A row containing the memory element to be read is quickly overdriven to overcharge an effective capacitance associated with the row to substantially the maximum level of the EPROM supply voltage which may exceed the programmed threshold voltage of the selected memory element. The effective capacitance is thereupon discharged to a predetermined voltage level below both the maximum level of the supply voltage and the programmed threshold.

Abstract: A circuit for providing protection from effects of electromagnetic interference (EMI) at input pins and internal nodes of an integrated circuit (IC) includes a regenerative comparator (Schmitt trigger) to perform triggering functions in response to input pulses applied to the input pin, resulting in hysteresis between high and low trigger voltages. The hysteresis extends durations of false pulses induced by presence of EMI at the input pin. A filter is coupled to the regenerative comparator, with a filter response time with a duration at least as great as the expected largest duration of EMI-induced false pulses including extended duration attributable to the hysteresis, for filtering out the EMI-induced false pulses. A pulse generator is coupled to the filter, for generating a pulse for application to the IC whenever a pulse applied to the input pin has a duration exceeding the duration of the filter time constant.

Abstract: A buried Zener diode has an auxiliary Zener junction access path in parallel with the force anode/cathode path. Unlike the force anode/cathode path, the auxiliary path is effectively by-passed by the current flowing between the force anode and cathode during circuit operation, so that there is no accumulation of significant resistance-current products that would otherwise mask the Zener voltage. The Zener diode has an anode region disposed in a first surface portion of a substrate. A `force` anode is formed on a first surface portion of the anode region. A `sense` anode is disposed on a second surface portion of the anode region spaced apart from the force anode. A first cathode region is disposed in a second surface portion of the substrate spaced apart from the anode region, while a sense cathode region is disposed in a third surface portion of the substrate spaced apart from each of the anode region and the first cathode region.

Abstract: Described is composition of matter and methods useful for the indentification of blood group antigens. Additionally a kit which can be used to identify and quantify a large number of blood group antigens is disclosed. The composition of matter and the methods can be used to identify antigens on red blood cells, as well as, on tissue samples.

Abstract: Single crystal dielectrically isolated islands are formed providing a substantially non-reflective or indentured silicon surface before the application of the dielectric isolation layer and the polycrystalline support. Thin film resistor material is formed and delineated on an insulative layer over the single crystal island juxtaposed to the substantially non-reflective bottom dielectric isolation. The thin film resistive layer is trimmed using a laser.

Abstract: Apparatus for directing a stream of fluid against a pliant substrate panel traveling through the apparatus, the panel including a pair of opposed generally parallel planar surfaces co-terminating at the edge defining the periphery of the panel.

Abstract: A support material rectangle indicia is formed during the formation of the dielectrical isolation of starting material islands in one of said dielectrically isolated islands. An X indicia on a mask is positioned over the four corners of rectangular indicia to align the mask and the substrate.