Abstract: A circuit and method for Ethernet combination chaining of auto-negotiation sessions for multiple physical layer capability. The present invention provides control circuitry for arbitrating between different physical layer circuit types that heretofore were allowed autonomous auto-negotiation processes because only one type of physical layer circuitry was applied at each end of a communication line. The present invention operates effectively within a hub of a local area network (LAN) communication system where multiple communication standards can be employed within circuitry that communicate at different ends of a communication line, e.g., twisted pair wire. In the environment of the invention, different types of physical layer circuits are integrated within communication devices. The invention provides a mechanism whereby, at each end of the communication line, a first physical layer circuit (e.g., the master) of a first type is allowed to auto-negotiate under the IEEE 802.

Abstract: A process for compressing data describing the layout of integrated circuits so that the layout information can be readily communicated over conventional telephone lines at substantially increased speeds and, hence, at substantially reduced cost. As applied to integrated circuits that have been designed with computer-aided design (CAD) methods, the process includes the steps of assigning unique tokens to describe selected geometrical attributes of sets of polygonal shapes, which tokens ordinarily are less than a single byte of binary information. For example, a token can be used to signify that the x-direction coordinates of a second polygon are all spaced from respective ones of the x-direction coordinates of a first polygon by the given distance.

Abstract: An automatic trim assembly (10) adjusts the trim of an engine (14) in a boat (12) based upon the speed of the boat (12). A pressure switch (18) senses the speed of the boat from a pitot tube and switches to a first condition when the speed is below a predetermined speed and to a second condition when the speed is above the predetermined speed. A control circuit (16) trims the engine (14) to a first or low position in response to the switch (18) being in the first condition, and trims the engine (14) to a second or high position in response to the switch (18) being in the second condition. An initiation circuit (62) is provided to automatically trim the engine (14) to the first position upon start-up of the assembly (10). An inhibit circuit (64) prevents trimming of the engine (14) to the first position when the speed of the boat exceeds the predetermined speed upon start-up of the assembly (10).

Abstract: A programmable cycle meter assembly (17,117) for monitoring a cycling member by receiving an input signal from a transducer (13,113) proportional to the cycles of the monitored member and for indicating various cycle rates by a speedometer or tachometer (36) in linear proportion to a linear array of corresponding frequencies. The assembly includes a circuit (17, 117) which is characterized by a switchable filter means (12,112) which filters out unwanted frequencies above a predetermined frequency of the input signal from the transducer (13,113). a switchable divider (20,120) is used for adjustably dividing the input signal for changing the proportion of the frequency by variable a predetermined ratio to produce a repetitive rate (24,124). A fixed frequency to voltage converter (28,128) converts the repetitive rate adjusted frequency signal (24,124) into a proportional voltage for indicating cycle rate on a meter (36) for various configurations of the cycling member.