Abstract: A method for on-chip detection of data lock and measurement of data lock time in a high-speed serial data link, including: permitting one or more incoming data streams into the high-speed data link; establishing a pattern to be searched in the one or more incoming data streams; comparing patterns in the one or more incoming data streams to a programmable data pattern; holding a repetitive pattern of bits in the one or more incoming data streams by one or more programmable data pattern registers, wherein when one or more occurrences of a byte are detected, an appropriate bit in the one or more programmable data pattern registers is set to indicate the byte's relative position; and filtering false indications in the repetitive pattern by using a byte detection state machine, the state machine controlling and keeping track of a search progress.

Abstract: An eyewidth of a data signal is determined by steps including: (a) recovering a phase of a clock from a data signal as a sampling clock; (b) shifting the phase of the sampling clock away from the first phase by a count multiplied by predetermined phase amount; (c) sampling the data signal with the shifted sampling clock phase to obtain sample data; d) determining whether the sample data contains error; (e) when the sample data does not contain error, recovering the phase of the clock from the data signal again for use as the first phase of the sampling clock, increasing the count value and repeating steps (b) through (e); and f) when the sample data contains error, determining the eyewidth based on the last shifted phase of the sampling clock prior to determining that the sample data contains error.

Abstract: The present invention provides a robust global timing resynchronization architecture, a multi-link communications system including the same, and a method for minimizing the effects of resynchronization signal skew, reference clock skew, and PLL static phase error variations on resynchronization of multi-link communications systems.

Abstract: Methods are provided for making a porous filter that is useful in polymer melt spinning. The methods include pressing particles, such as a metal powder, to form a filter having a filter body integrally formed with a top cap and a bottom cap. The filter body and caps are formed as a single component or, alternatively, are formed as two or three separate parts that are fitted and pressed together to form a single component having blind inlet and outlet cavities. After pressing, the component is sintered to form the porous filter. The particles are pressed and cohere to form the caps and filter body without the use of a polymeric binder, and the inlet and outlet cavities are formed substantially without machining.

Abstract: A method for on-chip detection of data lock and measurement of data lock time in a high-speed serial data link, including: permitting one or more incoming data streams into the high-speed data link; establishing a pattern to be searched in the one or more incoming data streams; comparing patterns in the one or more incoming data streams to a programmable data pattern; holding a repetitive pattern of bits in the one or more incoming data streams by one or more programmable data pattern registers, wherein when one or more occurrences of a byte are detected, an appropriate bit in the one or more programmable data pattern registers is set to indicate the byte's relative position; and filtering false indications in the repetitive pattern by using a byte detection state machine, the state machine controlling and keeping track of a search progress.

Abstract: Methods for manufacturing reinforced, three-zone, microporous membrane having a plurality of different possible pore sizes from at least a single mother dope batch, including formulating at least a single mother dope batch, controllably formulating the dope in at least one vessel such that the dope temperature does not exceed a predetermined maximum mixing temperature and is maintained at a temperature lower than the mixing temperature, heating a small portion of the dope to a target temperature corresponding to a specific desired pore size to be formed in at least one zone of the microporous membrane in at least one thermal manipulation apparatus cooling the dope to about room temperature or a temperature which results in a suitable and/or optimal coating viscosity, operatively connecting at least one dope application apparatus is to the at least one thermal manipulation apparatus for transporting the manipulated dope to a dope processing site.

Abstract: A transmitter for driving a transmission medium employs pre-distortion to predistort the signals leaving the driver so that they will have an acceptable shape when they reach their destination and have been distorted by imperfections in the transmission medium. The change to pulse height is accomplished by means of a current steering unit that directs a controllable amount of current into the line for each pulse while maintaining the total sum of current that is generated constant in order to reduce noise. Control coefficients for the current steering unit are manipulated in an nxm register that automatically maintains the total number of bits constant while bits are moved from a location that controls a first current driver to a location that controls a second current driver with different properties.

Abstract: Systems and methods for processing dope for the manufacture of microporous phase inversion membrane having any one of a plurality of different pore sizes from a single master dope batch is disclosed. The systems and methods include formulating a single master batch of dope preferably maximizing the non-solvent to solvent ratio for a given weight percentage of polymer for use in a microporous phase inversion membrane casting operation to produce phase inversion membranes having one of a plurality of different predetermined pore sizes. The master dope batch is controllably formulated in a vessel such that the temperature of the dope does not exceed a predetermined maximum mixing temperature and is maintained at a relatively low temperature (lower than the mixing temperature) suitable for storage.

Abstract: Systems and methods for the manufacture of reinforced, three-zone, microporous phase inversion membrane having any one of a plurality of different possible pore sizes in any of the three zones from at least a single mother dope batch is disclosed. The systems and methods include formulating at least a single mother batch of dope in a vessel preferably maximizing the non-solvent to solvent ratio for a given weight percentage of polymer for use in a microporous phase inversion membrane production operation to produce three-zone phase inversion membranes having one of a plurality of different predetermined pore sizes in any or all of the three zones. The at least one mother dope batch is controllably formulated in at least one vessel such that the temperature of the dope does not exceed a predetermined maximum mixing temperature and is maintained at a relatively low temperature (lower than the mixing temperature) suitable for storage.

Abstract: Systems and methods for the manufacture of reinforced, three-zone, microporous phase inversion membrane having any one of a plurality of different possible pore sizes in any of the three zones from at least a single mother dope batch is disclosed. The systems and methods include formulating at least a single mother batch of dope in a vessel preferably maximizing the non-solvent to solvent ratio for a given weight percentage of polymer for use in a microporous phase inversion membrane production operation to produce three-zone phase inversion membranes having one of a plurality of different predetermined pore sizes in any or all of the three zones. The at least one mother dope batch is controllably formulated in at least one vessel such that the temperature of the dope does not exceed a predetermined maximum mixing temperature and is maintained at a relatively low temperature (lower than the mixing temperature) suitable for storage.

Abstract: Systems and methods for processing dope for the manufacture of microporous phase inversion membrane having any one of a plurality of different pore sizes from a single master dope batch is disclosed. The systems and methods include formulating a single master batch of dope preferably maximizing the non-solvent to solvent ratio for a given weight percentage of polymer for use in a microporous phase inversion membrane casting operation to produce phase inversion membranes having one of a plurality of different predetermined pore sizes. The master dope batch is controllably formulated in a vessel such that the temperature of the dope does not exceed a predetermined maximum mixing temperature and is maintained at a relatively low temperature (lower than the mixing temperature) suitable for storage.

Abstract: Systems for processing dope for the manufacture of microporous phase inversion membrane having any one of a plurality of different pore sizes from a single master dope batch is disclosed. The systems and methods include formulating a single master batch of dope preferably maximizing the non-solvent to solvent ratio for a given weight percentage of polymer for use in a microporous phase inversion membrane casting operation to produce phase inversion membranes having one of a plurality of different predetermined pore sizes. The master dope batch is controllably formulated in a vessel such that the temperature of the dope does not exceed a predetermined maximum mixing temperature and is maintained at a relatively low temperature (lower than the mixing temperature) suitable for storage.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for preventing spotting of the undersurface of the evaporation caps of an incubator in a clinical analyzer. It has been discovered that the surprising cause of the problem was electrostatic attraction building up on the caps, due to the use of plastic parts. The solution to that problem is the provision, in a plastic cover plate mounting the incubator housing on its drive spindle, with carbon fibers rather than glass fibers, in an amount sufficient to provide a volume resistivity throughout the plastic of between about 10.sup.5 and about 10.sup.9 ohm-cm, and grounding the housing through the spindle on which it is mounted.

Abstract: Tin, lead or tin-lead alloy electroplating baths producing little or no foam during electroplating, even at conditions of high-speed plating using high current densities and/or vigorous bath circulation, are disclosed comprised of tin and/or lead salts of alkane sulfonic acids, free alkane sulfonic acid, brightening agent, a deforming agent comprised of silicone and silica and/or a silicate in polypropylene glycol, a first nonionic surfactant consisting of an ethoxylated arylphenol and a second nonionic surfactant consisting of an ethoxylated short-chain alcohol.

Abstract: This invention concerns a support device for raising an animal from a collapsed position to an upright position. The support structure is a fluid inflatable bag which may be inflated by air or water. The bag has four apertures to receive the legs of collapsed animals thereby enabling the animal to be supported with its legs clear of the ground. In the preferred form the bag comprises three compartments which are separately inflatable. The compartments may be further provided with a plurality of additional compartments underneath or to each side. The bag may be made from a strong canvas outer skin with an interior lining of a suitable plastics material. There is no frame or other form of support member for the bag, it being entirely self-supporting and self-raising by virtue of the fluid pressure of air or water.

Abstract: The light intensity-exposure time product of a lighthouse used in the manufacture of phosphor screens for color picture tubes is held constant despite changes in the shadow mask light transmission characteristic and power supply variations. The power provided to the exposing lamp is monitored and converted to a square wave output having a frequency which varies with the power. The frequency variations change the exposure time inversely with the frequency changes to maintain the light intensity-exposure time product constant.

Abstract: A system for determining the exposure time required for a lighthouse to expose the screen of a television panel in accordance with the light transmission characteristics of the shadow mask includes means for providing the actual light transmission characteristics of the shadow mask. The minimum and maximum acceptable transmission values are subtracted to form a transmission range. The actual transmission characteristics and the minimum transmission value are combined to provide a transmission difference signal. The transmission difference and the transmission range are converted into a ratio which is used to determine a transmission percentage. The percentage is combined with a maximum transmission time to establish the exposure time.

Abstract: The motion of a kinescope panel on a lighthouse is made intermittent by dividing the total excursion distance into intervals. Each interval is segmented into a move time and a dwell time which are expressed as move counts and dwell counts per interval. The counts per interval are changed in accordance with the required exposure time and the intensity of the exposing energy source.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a device for bending pipes, tubes, bars and rods such as may be used in roof racks, crash bars and in general plumbing. The device includes a frame with an arm extending to both sides, a pair of spaced stop members on the arm, a hydraulic ram fixed to the frame, a link connected to the piston of the ram and a former mounted on the end of the link. The arrangement is such that two or more adjacent bends can be made in a rod or bar so that the bends are in different planes.

Abstract: A set of auxiliary deflection coils are placed on opposite sides of a multibeam color television picture tube having a deflection yoke and color purity adjustment apparatus. The tube is operated to cause a raster to be scanned. The auxiliary coils are energized to cause the beams to be deflected to the left from their normal beam landing sites by a predetermined amount during at least one vertical field and to the right for the nominal beam sites by a predetermined amount during at least one vertical field in order to simulate beam landing errors caused by factors present in the television tube use environment. Color purity is then adjusted in the presence of the simulated beam landing errors.