International Business Machines Corporation

Seagate Technology Incorporated

Other

Gary Edward Webb

David Michael Davis

Guy F Verrier

John Howard Barker

Gary Robert McClurg

Gennaro Battiloro

Joseph Wayne Freeman

Robert S Herrick

David A Kummer

William Brooks Ott

A printed circuit board assembly includes a printed circuit board having a plurality of signal lanes. The PCBA also includes at least one application-specific integrated circuit operatively mounted to the printed circuit board and connected with the plurality of signal lanes. The PCBA includes a first configuration element operatively mounted to the printed circuit board in a first orientation and at a first location and having a first bridging element for providing an electrical connection between at least a first pair of signal lanes selected from the plurality of signal lanes. The first configuration element also includes a second bridging element so that if the first configuration element were operatively mounted to the printed circuit board in a different, second orientation relative to the printed circuit board, the second bridging element would provide an electrical connection between at least a second pair of signal lanes.

Configuration element for printed circuit board assemblies

A resistive strain gauge bridge circuit, including a pulse code modulation counter operative under an algorithm designed for calibration with a voltage signal for effectively canceling out voltage and voltage fluctuation influences to maintain centering of the operating point of the strain gauges without the excessive costs attributable to devices such as electronic potentiometers which notably have been utilized to generally achieve satisfactory performance of strain gauges included in mobile personal computer systems.

Resistive strain gauge control circuit

A method for detecting when a user is typing with excessive force on a keyboard is disclosed. First, the force applied by the user on the keyboard is measured and detected during a first period of time, and the normal level of force applied by the user is determined. Next, the force applied by the user on a keyboard during a second period of time is measured and detected. It is then determined whether the force applied by the user during the second period of time is greater than the normal level of force, and if so, the user is warned and provided with feedback to adjust the level of force being applied to the keyboard.

Method of detecting excessive keyboard force

A method of obtaining a second function from keys on a standard QWERTY configured computer keyboard that have only a first function when struck individually is disclosed. First, the force applied by the user on the keyboard is measured and detected during a first period of time, and the normal level of force applied by the user is determined. Next, a second function actuating force which is greater than the normal force applied by the user is selected, and the force applied by the user on a keyboard during a second period of time is measured and detected. It is then determined whether the force applied by the user during the second period of time is greater than the second function actuating force, and if so, a computer operatively coupled to the keyboard is caused to perform a second function associated with the key. Otherwise, the computer performs the first function associated with the key.

Method of obtaining a second function from keys on a keyboard using

A method and device which provide a liquid-tight seal between a length of pipe, a housing, or other hollow structure and cured concrete in which the structure is embedded. A foamed polymeric sealing element is bonded about a portion of the exterior surface of the structure, and gunnite or concrete is cast about the structure and the sealing element. The interface of the concrete and the foamed polymeric sealing element become substantially permanently sealingly engaged. The method and device are particularly useful in the construction of swimming pools or similar fluid-containing vessels in which pipes or housings penetrate cast walls meant to confine water or other fluids. The method and device may also be used to form seals about structures penetrating cast foundations, dams, bulkheads, retaining walls, cisterns and basement walls.

Liquid-tight sealing device and method

Cartridges for a microcomputer have two adjacent edge connectors replaced by a single connector with a projection which passes into the area in which the adjacent connector would normally be placed. When the cartridge is inserted or removed from the connector socket in the microcomputer the projection transiently contacts the associated socket contact. A fixed potential (for example earth potential) normally applied to the main portion of the edge connector from its associated socket contact is therefore transferred to the transiently contacted socket contact to provide a reset signal for the microprocessor of the microcomputer. Thus, the microprocessor is reset each time a cartridge is inserted or withdrawn.

Reset system for microcomputer using program cartridges

A microcomputer system employs internal read-only memory devices and external read-only memory devices in pluggable cartridges. Each cartridge includes jumper links in leads from the external memories through the cartridge socket to a memory select unit and jumper links in leads leading from earth through the cartridge socket to enable inputs of the internal memories. By linking selected ones of the jumper links in the cartridge, the external memory can be used as an add-on memory or as a base memory replacing the internal memory.

Growing community of inventors

Cumming, GA, United States of America

Gary Edward Webb