Apparatus for processing bits of information magnetically recorded on a credit card or similar article. The apparatus includes a slot for receiving the credit card as well as a transducer for reading the bits of information when the card is manually moved thereunder. Circuitry connected to the transducer is operative to read the recorded bits of information. Sensors, provided at each side of the transducer, detect and time the initial movement of the card. An alarm circuit is operative to genera...

An improved read-only/read-write semiconductor memory of the type that includes a semiconductor substrate with dopant atoms of a first conductivity type, a pair of spaced-apart charge storage regions at the surface of the substrate, a bit line at the surface of the substrate spaced apart from the charge storage region, respective MOSFET transistor gate regions at the surface of the substrate between the bit line and the charge storage regions, and a conductor over the storage regions; the improv...

A scan-on-read manager efficiently scans received data. The scan-on-read manager detects attempts by applications to read received data. The scan-on-read manager scans received data only responsive to an application attempting to read it. The scan-on-read manager only allows the application to read received data that has been scanned.

An improved read channel for storage and communication application particularly useful in optical storage applications. The improved read channel includes a Viterbi sequence detector tuned to a preferred partial response target well suited to sensing of pulses in the waveforms typical of optical storage read heads. In particular, the read channel of the present invention implements pulse and sequence detection for a partial response target having a spectral null at the Nyquist frequency and havi...

A scan-on-read manager efficiently scans received data. The scan-on-read manager detects attempts by applications to read received data. The scan-on-read manager scans received data only responsive to an application attempting to read it. The scan-on-read manager only allows the application to read received data that has been scanned.

A watt-hour meter or other visual read-out apparatus which may also be read electrically through the use of a plurality of code discs and a photoelectric sensing device in spaced juxtaposition with the back sides of the discs. The sensing device is supported by a cable-controlled carriage which reciprocates back and forth in a direction parallel to the discs under the control of a bidirectional electric motor. A pair of stop members are located at opposite ends of the path of travel of the carri...

The disclosure relates to a charge coupled device (CCD) read only memory (ROM) capable of storing the data stored in a punch card or photographic film and reading same out on commands. This is accomplished by providing a charge coupled imager, which may be of standard design, with frames arranged in a rectangular array to coincide with the regions in the card or film, in which holes are capable of being punched or slots on the photographic film will appear. The total size of the frames on the ch...

A programmable read-only memory including word lines and bit columns, wherein the columns (good conductors) are less resistive than the word lines (resistive conductors or bands) and wherein the programming is facilitated by the inclusion of one or more shunt paths which are good conductors and which are intended to channel programming current away from at least one of the word lines formed in a semiconductor substrate as a result of their being connected to these word lines or resistive bands v...

A read-only memory in which the storage-in and storage-out buses are connected to each other in accordance with the significant position "weights" of the stored coded words. At least one intermediate bus with one end connected to one of the storage-in buses and with another end connected, through unilateral conductivity elements connected to each other by like terminals, is connected at least to two storage-out buses forming thereby combinations of different ranks.

A programmable read-only memory circuit including a plurality of fusible link memory cells is disclosed in which a first auxiliary current source is employed to selectively isolate a cell location to be volatized during memory personalization and a second auxiliary current source is employed to volatize or personalize a fusable link in the selected memory cell for insuring complete volatilization of the fusible link.