Abstract: Dynamic tension control for tape transported along a tape path between supply and take-up reels, driven by supply and take-up reel motors. Rotational angular velocities of the supply and take-up reels are determined from tachometers, and therefrom a linear speed for the tape at the supply reel, and a linear speed for the tape at the take-up reel are each determined. The tape linear speeds at the reels are compared to determine a delta velocity between the linear speeds. The motors are operated in accordance with a function of the delta velocity to provide a torque to at least one of the reels tending to reduce the delta velocity.

Abstract: A system and method for managing and processing supply and demand information in an equipment market comprises a business logic engine, a database and interface engine and communications engine on a web host server. The communications engine is configured to enable the community of participants in the market to send market inquiries from the demand side of the market, and the business logic engine is configured to process market inquiries and responses to include them in the database of supply and demand information. The database is configured to enable the search engine to retrieve all types of data relevant to business planning and executing of equipment contracts and activities from community data and published data. The business logic engine comprises tools for collaboration, calculation, optimization and forecasting in the equipment market. In the exemplary embodiment the equipment is offshore drilling rigs.

Abstract: A servo position detector and a method for detecting and following an index position displaced at an offset with respect to an edge of a servo track, an edge comprising an interface between two dissimilar recorded servo signals. The servo track has two edges on opposite lateral sides of a middle recorded servo signal, the edges separated by a predetermined distance. A servo read element has an active sensing region which is no more than and is substantially the entire predetermined distance separating the edges, thereby.sensing no more than two of the dissimilar recorded servo signals at one of the edges. An independent position sensor senses the coarse position of the servo read element, indicating which edge or which index position is aligned with the servo read element. Logic compares the two sensed servo signals to determine the ratio therebetween, and determines an error between the compared ratio and a predetermined ratio.

Abstract: An insulating layer is formed onto a surface of a semiconductor substrate by reacting a silicon-containing compound and a compound containing peroxide bonding to deposit a short-chain polymer on the surface of the semiconductor substrate. A deposition rate of the short-chain polymer is increased by further reacting a substance which associates readily with the compound containing the peroxide bonding.

Abstract: An insulating layer is formed onto a surface of a semiconductor substrate by reacting a silicon-containing compound and a compound containing peroxide bonding to deposit a short-chain polymer on the surface of the semiconductor substrate. A deposition rate of the short-chain polymer is increased by farther reacting a substance which associates readily with the compound containing the peroxide bonding.

Abstract: Servo errors can be avoided in a bi-directional reel-to-reel tape transport in which magnetic tape is moved in either of two opposite directions for data recording by providing a fine-line tachometer for each reel and a directly coupled tension sensor. Control of tape speed is implemented in a servo algorithm that uses tachometer inputs to determine parameter values for generating reel motor drive currents. If the linear velocity of both reels is the same then the tension output must be within a tolerable range. The directly coupled tension output provided an is indication of the actual current of the tension sensor. The difference between the linear velocities of the tape from each reel is calculated and monitored together with the tape tension. A trip level is set when an error occurs to stop tape motion and permit recovery without damaging the tape.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an antenna system that is particularly suited for use in communications systems implementing wireless local loops. In its preferred embodiment, the antenna comprises an array of air loaded stacked patch antenna elements suspended above a ground plane. The antennas each operate in a dual slant 45 linearly polarized mode and are fed by air loaded microstrip transmission line feeds. The line widths of the feed lines are uniform throughout the design, thereby eliminating the need for impedance transformers. The electronics for the antenna is located beneath the antenna ground plane to reduce the footprint of the antenna. In addition, a "connectorless" coupling structure is provided for transferring signals between the antenna elements and the underlying electronics. In one embodiment, an antenna is provided having enhanced sidelobe suppression despite having a limited number of side by side elements in a plane of interest.

Abstract: This invention relates to showerheads for delivering gases to reactor chambers. The showerhead 18 comprises a casing 19, which includes a backing plate 20, first and second baffle plates 21, 22 and an outlet plate 23. Baffle plates 21 and 22 divide the volume defined by the casing 19 into plena 24, 25 and 26. A gas supply 27 feeds the plenum 24, a gas supply 28 feeds the plenum 25 and a further gas supply 29 feeds the plenum 26. The outlet plate 23 has an array of openings 30 and each of the baffle plates 21, 22 has a tube for each opening 31. The tubes and outlets together define concentric but separate outlets for the respective plena.

Abstract: A printing apparatus for printing on a substrate, including a base mounting a storage spool for printing ribbon, a ribbon take-up spool, and there being a ribbon path from the storage to the take-up spool through a printing station, a print head relative to which the substrate and the ribbon move during a printing operation. The apparatus further including a shuttle moveable relative to the base, the shuttle having a ribbon guide about which the ribbon is entrained, the arrangement being such that relative movement between the print head and the ribbon is achieved by movement of the shuttle relative to the base.

Abstract: Servo elements contained within a tape head detect a lateral displacement the magnetic tape relative to the tape head and generate position error signals corresponding to such lateral displacement. To aid in servo monitoring, the position error signals are sampled at predetermined times and the samples output or stored in machine-readable form. Each sample is classified as bad if it exceeds a predetermined threshold. Samples are analyzed to determine, for each time a bad position error signal occurs, how many successive position error signals are also bad. Samples are also analyzed to determine the relationship between bad position error signals samples and total samples. This data may be used for a number of different purposes. For example, this information may be used to identify differences between performance on top and bottom servo edges, or problems with the servo writing mechanism. Performance variations among different servo elements may also be identified.

Abstract: A high resolution, independent position sensor is provided, having application in a magnetic tape drive and other environments in which a linear or angular position is to be monitored. Analog outputs from an inexpensive, low resolution optical encoder are processed to correct gain and offset distortions and are used as the basis for an interpolation process. If a code strip having a 127-micron grating is used, a resolution of about 0.125 microns can be achieved.

Abstract: An improved and apparatus is provided in a tape drive for servo-controlling a tape head position relative to a magnetic tape as the magnetic tape travels past the tape head thereby reducing track mis-registration on the magnetic tape. Servo elements contained within the tape head detect a lateral displacement of the magnetic tape position relative to the tape head and generate position error signals corresponding to such lateral displacement. The position error signals are then filtered to generate a low frequency position error signal, a midrange frequency error signal, and position reliability signals. The tape head is then positioned by a head actuator according to the low frequency position error signal to adjust to the lateral movement of the magnetic tape. The midrange frequency error signal is compared to a distortion threshold to determine if errors exist due to tape edge vibrations or distortion of the magnetic tape.