Abstract: Surveillance platforms detect dangers and transmit information signals describing the dangers to a control center, which determines the degree of danger and its geographic extent. The center generates a message that identifies the degree of danger and GPS coordinates of the impacted geographic area for a region. A vulnerability index determined using neural networks and fuzzy logic enables a prioritized message. The center broadcasts the message to remotely located warning devices, which compare the received danger coordinates with their own GPS coordinates and determine the extent to which they are in danger. Warning signals can issue automatically, appropriate to the degree of danger. Emergency manned vehicles may also directly receive the broadcast message and act appropriately relative to the degree of danger.

Abstract: One of the exemplary filter systems described includes a bracket and a filter module that can be suspended from the bracket by a plurality of flexible supports. The bracket can support the filter system beneath the grate of a storm drain without the need for the filter system to be attached to the grate. The grate can be lifted out of the storm drain separately from the filter unit, which allows the filter system to be lifted without the added weight of the grate. When the grate has been lifted out of the way, a suitable fastener structure can be attached to the bracket of the filter system to make the use of mechanical lifting devices more convenient. The bracket can be manufactured to known dimensions, or it can be offered from among a set of brackets that are pre-configured for known storm drain dimensions or as a standard bracket that can be modified to fit the dimensions of a particular storm drain.

Abstract: A roofing system includes first and second pluralities of shingles, which include central planar portions. Shingles of each plurality are arranged such that their respective central planar portions are substantially co-planar. Each shingle of the first plurality is adjacent at least one shingle of the second plurality. The central planar portions of shingles of the first plurality are displaced with respect to central planar portions of shingles of the second plurality by a separation distance. Adjacent shingles may be installed such that opposite surfaces of their central planar portions are exposed to view. A surfacing shingle may include a central planar portion and several edge portions. The shingles may be used in a ventilated roofing system, which includes a surfacing structure coupled to a roofing substrate. The surfacing structure is elevated with respect to the substrate such that an airspace is disposed between the substrate and the underside of the surfacing structure.

Abstract: A friend or foe detection system and method is disclosed. Friend or foe warning unit 20 has a geographic locating system, a communication system for communicating with each of the warning units, and a military force detection system for detecting military forces in a combat area and has a signal routing and control circuitry 50 for controlling operations. A number of components, devices, or sub-systems, such as a transmitter/receiver radio 28, an antenna 26, a microphone 30, a speaker 32, a battery 34, a display 36, a microprocessor 38, a memory 40, a camera 56, a radar/lidar input 54, on/off switch 52, a GPS location system 45 that includes a GPS processor 46, a GPS receiver 42, a GPS antenna 44, are coupled to the circuitry 50. Display 36 provides a display to the user of the unit 20 and shows the location of friendly forces as well as unfriendly or unidentified forces in the area. Display 36 displays text messages for the user of the warning unit 20.

Abstract: An RF tuner and tuning method employs analog quadrature mixing with a coarse-stepwise tunable local oscillator to a near-baseband passband region, followed by A/D conversion of the I and Q signals, correction of phase, group delay, and amplitude errors, image rejection, and translation to baseband by (1) fixed frequency translation, (2) stepwise channelized translation, or (3) essentially continuously variable tuning over a given digital tuning range. The near-baseband passband region is sized and located such that alternating image rejection provides non-redundant and complete tuning coverage of a desired high frequency spectrum with a local oscillator step size equal to about twice the digital tuning range or about twice the number of channels digitally stepwise tunable times the channel width, effectively doubling the typical local oscillator step size.

Abstract: In an exemplary configuration, an air container is placed in a vacant portion of a structure and substantially prevents convection between an air mass in that portion and an adjacent air mass of an occupied portion of the structure. By thus isolating the air masses, the air container restricts heat transfer between them and advantageously allows the occupied portion's air mass to heat up and cool down without requiring substantial heating and cooling (at least initially) of the vacant portion's air mass. Other methods and structures with different advantageous features are also described.

Abstract: A dual-mode hose roller including a crank and a mounting plate may be used to roll up collapsed hose into either a compact hose roll or an expanded hose coil. The crank and mounting plate are arranged to facilitate transmission of torque from the crank to the desired type of hose winding. When a compact hose roll is desired, torque is transmitted directly to the hose. When an expanded hose coil is desired, torque is transmitted to the hose through the mounting plate and several extension arms. The extension arms are sized so that the hose roller forms an expanded hose coil having a suitable diameter for structural fire hose. The mounting plate is rotatably mounted on a fixed support through a bearing and, optionally, a ratchet mechanism. Using the hose roller, preparation is made for fighting a structural fire arranging a section of collapsed hose into a hose bundle. A section of hose is rolled up into an expanded hose coil and arranged into a number of hose loops to form a hose bundle.

Abstract: A valve seat insert includes a ring bounded by surfaces including an inner wall circumferentially disposed about an imaginary central axis passing through the insert. The inner wall includes a plurality of grooves oriented diagonally with respect to the central axis. This and other disclosed valve seat designs impart a vortex to an air-fuel mixture as it enters the combustion chamber, improving combustion efficiency.

Abstract: A fuzzy logic based emergency flight control system for an aircraft. The system has a thrust vectoring flight control system, an aerodynamic flight control system, and a fuzzy logic controller. The thrust vectoring flight control system provides thrust to the aircraft in an emergency situation alone or in combination with aerodynamic flight controls. The fuzzy logic controller executes fuzzy logic algorithms for assessing the emergency situation and controlling the aircraft thrust vectoring and aerodynamic flight control systems in the emergency situation. An adjustable nozzle is coupled to an exhaust thrust end of an engine of the aircraft and is angularly adjusted to direct thrust of the aircraft in a determined direction after fuzzy logic controller assessment of the emergency situation.

Abstract: An apparatus that permits a rotatable wing to be operated in three modes: a first orientation mode, a second orientation mode, and a mode in which the wing rotates (called the rotating mode). The apparatus permits the wing to be stowed and used in both fixed-wing flight and rotary wing flight. The apparatus may be a component of an aircraft capable of fixed-wing flight with a fuselage oriented generally in the direction of flight. In the first orientation mode, the wing is generally parallel to the orientation of the fuselage, providing a relatively compact stowage configuration. In the second orientation mode, the wing is generally perpendicular to the orientation of the fuselage. The first orientation mode thus facilitates stowage of the wing during stowed flight of such an aircraft under power of a host aircraft, the second orientation mode facilitates fixed-wing flight, and the rotating mode facilitates rotating-wing flight. The wing may be started into auto-driven (i.e.

Abstract: A sample reconstruction device and method extracts digital values from a DSP that are digital samples of a signal of interest and reconstructs the digital samples into an equivalent analog signal. A context detector monitors the context of the DSP's operation and determines when a digital value being processed by the DSP is a digital sample of a signal of interest. The context detector may be implemented using a logic analyzer, DSP emulator system, or the DSP itself. A digital probe or input extracts the digital values selected by the context detector for reconstruction into an analog signal. A sample buffering system having a FIFO buffer memory and control loop is employed to ensure that the analog sample interval is substantially constant, even if there is a great deal of variation between the digital sample intervals. The analog samples are reconstructed into an analog signal that accurately represents the digital signal found within the DSP.

Abstract: In a system and method for charging a rechargeable battery having a protection circuit, the rechargeable battery operates according to a model that includes an ideal battery and an internal resistance. In the model, an electrode voltage develops across the ideal battery. An internal voltage drop equal to the difference between this electrode voltage and the battery voltage is developed across the internal resistance. The battery is charged with a charging voltage that may exceed the threshold voltage and the electrode voltage. The charging system and method ensures that (1) the voltage at the protection circuit is kept below the threshold voltage and (2) the electrode voltage is kept below the end-of-charge voltage.

Abstract: A compact, self-contained device for placing inside a package or other enclosure to detect unwanted disposition of its contents. The device includes a sensor for detecting an environmental condition that indicates unwanted disposition of the contents of the package. The device also includes a compact interface for communicating information about unwanted disposition. Environmental conditions indicative of unwanted disposition include an increase in ambient light to indicate the opening of the package, excessive acceleration from dropping of the package, and excessive heat or cold. The user may arm and interrogate the device by modifying the environmental condition perceived by the sensor. For example, a device using a light detecting sensor may be armed by covering and uncovering with a finger. A device using an acceleration detecting sensor may be armed by tapping on a hard surface.