Abstract: In a data processing system in which two-level error correction is performed on variable length data being transferred between the host processor and the data storage device, the logical length of the data being transferred is computed during a fixed time gap with computation continuing after termination of the fixed time gap and commencement of the data transfer. The computation required for the logical length of the data field to accommodate two-level ECC is accomplished by first comparing the actual field length with a value predetermined by the subblock length of the two-level ECC. If the actual length is greater than the predetermined value, then a value equal to the subblock length plus first level ECC bytes is loaded into a counter which begins decrementing at the termination of the fixed time gap so as to synhronize by the byte-by-byte transfer of the data. As the data is being transferred the computation continues.

Abstract: In a control system for a step motor having a rotor and stator, small velocity coils are placed in the stator in quadrature to the main power phase windings. The velocity coils provide velocity feedback signals which are summed with current command signals to gradually damp the step motor. The damped step motor is effective in minimizing its rotor from oscillating about a desired stopping point.

Abstract: A linear suction control system 10 includes a linear solenoid valve 11 which exhibits a flow through rate having a known proportional relationship with the current through the solenoid 30. Regulated fluid pressure 12 is fed through the linear solenoid valve 11 to a venturi-type pressure vacuum converter 17. The resulting vacuum is proportional to the flow rate through the valve 11 and thus to the current through the solenoid 30. A transducer 16 samples the vacuum output and produces a signal fed to a differential amplifier 17. The signal is compared in negative feedback fashion with a variable input voltage set by a potentiometer 18 or other variable voltage source, so that the transducer signal tracks the voltage source signal. The voltage source can comprise a potentiometer 18 actuated by a foot switch 19 or the like, so that angular position of the foot switch 19 relates directly and predictably to the vacuum output of the converter 13.

Abstract: Asbestiform crystalline calcium sodium metaphosphate fibers are prepared by (a) forming a homogeneous melt of substantially crystalline calcium sodium metaphosphate having a composition on a dry basis equivalent to a CaO/Na.sub.2 O/P.sub.2 O.sub.5 mol percent ratio of about 29.0-34.0/16.0-18.0/50.0-53.0 and a degree of crystallinity from about 60% to about 75% as determined from density and differential thermal analysis measurements, (b) supercooling the homogeneous melt, (c) seeding the supercool melt with calcium sodium metaphosphate crystals, (d) maintaining the seeded supercooled melt at the seeding temperature under isothermal conditions for a time sufficient to form crystalline blocks of calcium sodium metaphosphate, and (e) fiberizing the crystalline blocks.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for recording a record that emulates a first recording format, which includes a track reference point, such as an index field, used for determining a position of a record on a track according to the first recording format, on a moving storage device operating according to a second recording format which also includes a track reference point. The invention comprises the steps, responsive to location information generated according to the first recording formats, of:(1) determining an original angular position of a record according to the first recording format;(2) calculating in response to the original angular position and a parameter a preferred angular position for the record according to the second recording format;(3) determining an actual angular position of the record recorded according to the second recording format; and(4) recording an extension of the record to compensate for the difference between the preferred angular position and the actual angular position.

Abstract: A new method for fabricating electret-containing devices is disclosed. The inventive method includes a new technique for fabricating electrets, which involves applying a voltage across an electrically polarizable body. Large-scale breakdown effects in the body are avoided by reducing the voltage across at least a portion of the body undergoing polarization in response to a current indicating the onset of a breakdown in the body.

Abstract: A polymer composition adapted for use in producing polyvinyl halide polymer products comprising a blend of a vinyl halide polymer and a particulate terpolymer having a molecular weight of at least about 100,000 and a glass transition temperature of at least about 50.degree. C. The terpolymer comprises repeating units derived from an olefin, a diester of an addition polymerizable unsaturated dicarboxylic acid, and a solubilizing monomer which promotes compatibility of the terpolymer with the vinyl halide polymer. A shaped plastic article produced from this composition, and method of producing the shaped article are also disclosed.

Abstract: A terpolymer comprising repeating units derived from an olefin, a diester of an addition polymerizable unsaturated dicarboxylic acid, and a solubilizing monomer which promotes compatibility between the terpolymer and a vinyl halide polymer. A granular form of the processing aid and a method for its preparation are also disclosed.

Abstract: A static random access memory array cell that is non-volatile because when power fails a floating gate is charged or not charged depending on the information content of the cell. When power is restored, all cells are written to a positive state except those with charged floating gates so that the information content of the array is recreated.

Abstract: Electrically polarizable material (e.g., PVDF film) is poled by applying an electric field across the film. In the inventive technique, insulation is provided on the surface of the film. In a typical embodiment, a compliant dielectric annulus insulates the polarized region from the edges of the film. This substantially eliminates breakdown at the edges of the film, allowing increased poling voltages. The technique can reduce poling time to typically a few seconds at room temperature, as compared to minutes or hours by prior art techniques, some of which required elevated temperatures.

Abstract: In a monolithic semiconductor integrated circuit, conventional bipolar transistors are fabricated along with thin ion implanted junction field effect transistors, to create BIFET structures. After the conventional isolation diffusion, the surface oxide is stripped off and the semiconductor wafer ion implanted with slow diffusing impurities of a conductivity type, the same as the undiffused surface material. Then the bipolar transistors, along with the junction field effect transistors, are fabricated using conventional oxide masked diffusion processes. The field effect device sources and drains employ the base diffusions of the bipolar transistors while the gate contact is achieved with an emitter diffusion. The field effect device channels are formed at a depth substantially greater than that of the impurities deposited in the original ion implant. If desired, an ion implanted top gate can be established over the channel. The wafer is then annealed and processed in accordance with conventional techniques.

Abstract: A method is disclosed in which the suctioning of materials from a surgical zone, such as the human eye, is automatically controlled linearly by means of a pressure transducer continuously sensing the vacuum level of a debris receptacle (for collecting suctioned materials from the surgical zone) when material is being suctioned from the zone. The vacuum level in the debris receptacle is linearly varied when the vacuum level in the receptacle is either raised or lowered depending on the suctioning requirements from the surgical zone and whether or not the vacuum level in the receptacle is greater or lower than a previously determined and desirable vacuum level. The vacuum level of the receptacle may, in part, be controlled and varied, by means of a foot pedal operated by the surgeon.

Abstract: A fast response vacuum aspiration collection system includes a pair of sealed collection containers, one container having a significantly smaller volume. The larger container is connected to a fixed vacuum source, the smaller container is connected to a controlled, variable vacuum source, and the containers are connected together by an exchange line passing through a normally closed first pinch valve. A surgical probe line is connected to the exchange line, and extends through a normally closed second pinch valve to an aspirating surgical instrument. The controlled vacuum applied to the smaller container is conducted through the exchange line and the surgical line to the surgical instrument, with the small volume of the small container quickly assuming the vacuum level applied to that container.

Abstract: A page modification method in a printer subsystem of the partial page buffer composing type. A printer subsystem receives a packet containing a page of characters, coded overlays/elisions, and combining data from an external source. The packet is translated into a linked list of character placement representations for each of the doubly indexed coded characters within the page. Elisions from the page are made by inhibiting the formation of a linked list segment for each character sequence within elision markers set out in the page. In contrast, coded character overlays are appended to the list as addenda. The list governs the placement of characters into a partial page buffer, whose contents are system accessible in row major order.

Abstract: In a monolithic semiconductor integrated circuit, conventional bipolar transistors are fabricated along with thin ion implanted junction field effect transistors, to create BIFET structures. After the conventional isolation diffusion, the surface oxide is stripped off and the semiconductor wafer ion implanted with slow diffusing impurities of a conductivity type, the same as the undiffused surface material. Then the bipolar transistors, along with the junction field effect transistors, are fabricated using conventional oxide masked diffusion processes. The field effect device sources and drains employ the base diffusions of the bipolar transistors while the gate contact is achieved with an emitter diffusion. The field effect device channels are formed at a depth substantially greater than that of the impurities deposited in the original ion implant. If desired, an ion implanted top gate can be established over the channel. The wafer is then annealed and processed in accordance with conventional techniques.

Abstract: Valuable 9.alpha.-hydroxy steroids are prepared via microbial enzymatic oxidation (MEO) by conventional fermentation means, without the need for a .DELTA..sup.1 dehydrogenation inhibitor, utilizing novel microorganism Nocardia canicruria ATCC 31548. Also disclosed is a novel method using any .DELTA..sup.1 dehydrogenase producing organism and a novel bio-reactor technique means for preparing said steroids.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed which automatically controls the suctioning of materials from a surgical zone, such as the human eye, which may function as a counterpart to an apparatus for automatically regulating the pressure of fluid in the same surgical zone. The apparatus incorporates a pressure transducer which continuously senses the vacuum level of a debris receptacle when the suctioning of material from the surgical zone into the receptacle is desired. The receptacle may be maintained at a certain predetermined maximum vacuum level by a vacuum source, and the vacuum may vary depending on the application. To control the vacuum of the debris bottle, the pressure transducer communicates with the control electronics which can vary the vacuum level in the receptacle by either increasing the vacuum level by opening a valve, located between the vacuum source and the debris receptacle, where the vacuum level in the receptacle is insufficient to properly suction materials from the surgical zone.

Abstract: A beam of radiant energy such as a laser beam is applied to an epitaxial silicon island on a silicon on sapphire device before formation of overlying layers of oxide and metal. The energy beam changes the crystal structure of the epitaxial silicon island to increase the mobility of carriers in the silicon island, improving the speed of transistors formed on the silicon island. The energy beam also causes the material in the silicon island edge to reflow, causing a reduction in the slope of the edge face of the silicon island edge, and a smoothing of the surface of the face, resulting in improved aluminum step coverage and elimination of a V-shaped groove in the first insulation layer at the bottom corner edge of the island, thereby increasing processing yield.

Abstract: In the free induction technique of this invention, the maser is externally stimulated to allow significant reduction of the size of the maser, and the stimulation is turned off and allowed to decay so that the maser output is free from the external stimulation before the signal is sensed to provide a clock frequency standard. As a result, the invention solves significant problems which otherwise have limited the accuracy of prior art atomic clocks, including the problem of frequency pulling due to amplitude drift in the stimulation signal.

Abstract: Mechanical digital lock operable through a series of mechanical operations actuated by the depression of digital keys comprises an intellectual combination of essential mechanisms including a plurality of keys, digital selectors, identifiers, locking means and automatic resets. The lock cannot be opened unless the predetermined digitals are sequentially depressed. Once the lock is opened, it is automatically reset. A change of combination of digitals can easily be manually effected without any tool. With its novel structure, it is highly reliable.