Gary L Gooding, 763273 Eastview Ave, Tucson, AZ 85730

5291069, Mar 1, 1994

Dec 15, 1992

7/991864

Gary F. Gooding - Tucson AZ
Larry L. Tretter - Tucson AZ

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

H03K 1760
H03K 301

307254

An improved driver design including a plurality of NPN bipolar driver transistors connected in an H configuration including at least one bipolar upper drive transistor. A novel circuit is included for driving the upper NPN bipolar driver transistor. In a particular implementation, the circuit for driving the upper bipolar drive transistor is adapted to sense the output of the drive transistor and regulate a voltage at the input thereof in response thereto to keep the drive transistor out of saturation. Thus, power dissipation is minimized by using an H configuration and high speed is afforded by using bipolar drive transistors and by keeping the drive transistors out of saturation.

5450385, Sep 12, 1995

Aug 27, 1993

8/112526

John F. Ellis - Tucson AZ
Frank D. Gallo - Tucson AZ
Gary F. Gooding - Tucson AZ
Scott M. Rockwell - Tucson AZ

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

G11B 1722
G06F 1200

369 34

Each storage cell in an automated storage and retrieval system is provided with a mark, such as a bar code label, which is detectable to a vision system when the cell is empty. Further, each item storable in a cell is also provided with a mark, such as a bar code label uniquely identifying the item, which is detectable by the vision system. During an inventory of the contents of the system, the vision system is moved across the openings of the cells and scans for the marks. If an item mark is detected, entries in a data table are made indicating the location of the cell being scanned and its occupied status. The identity of the item detected can also be entered into the data table. On the other hand, if a cell mark is detected, entries in a data table are made indicating the location of the cell being scanned and its empty status. If neither mark is detected at a cell, additional steps can be initiated to determine the status of the cell.

6101052, Aug 8, 2000

Jun 14, 1993

8/075627

Gary Francis Gooding - Tucson AZ
Larry Leeroy Tretter - Tucson AZ

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

G11B 509

360 46

An H configuration write driver circuit is provided which includes integral fault detection circuitry. A load device, such as a magnetic tape recorder write head, is coupled in an H configuration with four drive transistors. A first and second drive transistor are coupled to opposite ends of the load device and produce current flow through the load device in a first direction. A third and fourth drive transistor are coupled to opposite ends of the load device to produce current flow through the load device in the opposite direction. A resistor is coupled in series between each drive transistor and the load device and these resistors serve to determine the time constant of the rise/fall of current through the inductive write head and to limit current flow through a drive transistor in the event of a short circuit condition therein. Voltage measurement nodes are provided in association with each resistor and the voltage at each node is compared to a predetermined reference voltage in order to produce multiple fault detection signals which may be utilized to accurately identify specific component fault conditions within the driver circuit.

5206769, Apr 27, 1993

Apr 6, 1992

7/862919

James A. Bailey - Tucson AZ
Gary F. Gooding - Tucson AZ

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

G11B 509
H03L 707
H03L 7093

360 51

In a magnetic tape readback system for a multi-track tape player, a phase lock loop is provided for each of the channel circuits used for reading signals from the respective tracks on a multi-track tape. A common frequency determining capacitor is coupled to all of the phase lock loops such that the frequency of operation of the phase lock loops is stabilized. The capacitor has a capacitance usable in the individual phase lock loops for determining a frequency of operation and it is commonly AC connected to all of the phase lock loops. A capacitance AC couples and DC blocks each of the individual phase lock loops to the frequency determining capacitor such that the individual phase lock loops have their own reference DC levels and yet receive AC input from all of the other phase lock loops.

5138282, Aug 11, 1992

Apr 20, 1990

7/511688

James A. Bailey - Tucson AZ
Gary F. Gooding - Tucson AZ

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

H03L 700

331 2

A magnetic tape readback system is disclosed for a multi-track tape player. A single phase lock loop is provided for the channel circuits used for reading signals from the respective tracks on a multi-track tape. A common frequency determining circuit means is coupled to all of the phase lock loops such that the frequency of operation of the phase lock loops is stabilized. A capacitor which has a capacitance usable in the individual phase lock loops for determining a frequency of operation is commonly AC connected to all of the phase lock loops; in this arrangement none of the phase lock loops have the frequency determining capacitor. A capacitance AC couples and DC blocks each of the individual phase lock loops to the frequency determining capacitor such that the individual phase lock loops have their own reference DC levels and yet receive AC input from all of the other phase lock loops.