Abstract: A universal ski boot heating system, includes a boot assembly and a power pack assembly. The boot assembly employs a heating element disposable in a ski boot and electrically connected to a boot anchor secured to the exterior of the boot. The power pack assembly includes an elecrical energy source and means for engaging the boot anchor to permit selective contact between the energy source and the heating element through rotation of the power pack assembly when engaged with the boot anchor.

Abstract: A system for monitoring and controlling the operation of a plurality of fluid dispensers, such as gasoline pumps or the like in a self-service gasoline station is disclosed. The system includes an operating console that may be located in a station building and has electronic displays, dispenser selecting push buttons and a keyboard including numeric and functional switches, all of which an operator can use to control the operation of the system. A mode select switch permits operation of the system in various modes, selected ones of which permit an operator to obtain various period totals of both volume and cost, to control normal postpay or prepay dispensing transactions, check inventory as well as set or reset the cost per volumetric unit, among other operations. The system can include electronic displays at the gasoline pump and permit price setting of the fluid product from the console.

Abstract: A digital data encoding and decoding method and system is disclosed, with particular reference to magnetic records, in which bits are encoded in groups. Three out of four, two-bit combinations are encoded respectively by three patterns of transition placements under the rule that the two-bit group frame be divisible in only three sections having width of the read resolution R and the minimum spacing M between transitions is twice that value. The fourth bit combination is encoded under utilization of altogether four bits, using pattern combinations that extend over six sections R under the same constraint as to minimum spacing. Under otherwise similar conditions, the package density can be increased by 33% as compared with tri-period codes, and more than doubled as compared with frequency doubling or Manchester.