Abstract: A surgical apparatus and method for incising an aperture in the anterior capsule of the human eye are disclosed. The apparatus or capsulorhexitome, comprises a hollow shaft, a concentric cutting member with a annular channel and orifice, and means for injecting a substantially incompressible fluid through the apparatus to incise a smooth, continuous, curvilinear aperture in the anterior capsule of the eye.

Abstract: A cable retractor comprising interconnected restrainer segments attached end-to-end by pivot pins, such that the entire structure is foldable into a small space. A fiber optic cable is attached to restrainer segments in a manner such that the total path length of the fiber optic cable does not substantially change as the retractor is unfolded to an extended position from a folded position.

Abstract: A tool for removal of rivets includes three main sections--a tubular body section, a base, and a drive shaft assembly. The drive shaft assembly includes an upper portion to be received in the chuck of a rotational source of power and a lower portion to be received in the bore of the tubular body. An internally threaded drill receiving socket is disposed at a lower end of the lower portion of the drive shaft. The body section includes a coil spring for retracting the drill and a drill stop bushing for limiting the depth of penetration of the drill bit into the rivet. The base includes an upper disc and a larger diameter lower disc and three equally spaced tubular legs connect the upper disc to the lower disc. The bottom of the base includes a non-slip polymeric pad for contacting a work surface surrounding the rivet and stabilizing the cutting path of the drill.

Abstract: Apparatus and a method for providing real estate agents, persons relocating to another home or acquiring an interest in a property, and providers of home insurance, with an audio-visual presentation of a property supplied over existing cable, telephone, ISDN or other types of broadband network facilities. The audio-visual presentation is mode on a computer monitor from a database containing a visual walkthrough and a textual description of the property and surrounding areas.

Abstract: An apparatus for applying non-gravitational pressure to a surface includes a frame structure having a longitudinal axis, a pair of connecting members coupled to the frame structure along parallel axes normal to the longitudinal axis of the frame structure, vacuum fasteners coupled to the connecting members to secure the frame structure on an underlying surface, a vacuum pump mounted on the frame structure for activating the vacuum fasteners and a positive pressure pump mounted on the frame structure for inflating a collapsible diaphragm to apply pressure to the underlying surface. The apparatus is useful for applying doublers to aircraft repair localized damage.

Abstract: An optical system for scanning a light beam across an object where the light beam is double reflected by the reflection surfaces of a rotating polygonal mirror. Beam expander optics are included in the light path for the light beam following the first reflection by the polygonal mirror to magnify the beam diameter to fill the length of the reflective surface of the polygonal mirror at the second reflection. The beam expander optics further include lenses for demagnifying scan angle in the light beam following the first reflection. The lenses of the beam expander optics are formed with a Petzval curvature (third order Seidel aberration) to correct for the distortion induced in the optics image plane by the longitudinal shift in the entrance pupil position at the first reflection as the polygonal mirror rotates.

Abstract: A method for selecting tie point locations within a series of overlapping images. Initially the series of images are ordered to maximize the potential for successful phase correlations between adjacent images. Adjacent pairs in the ordered images are then phase correlated to determine the translational offsets between adjacent pairs. The overlapping regions in adjacent pairs are assessed for normalized cross correlation and initial candidate tie points are selected within the regions at a reduced resolution. The initially selected tie points are then phase correlated at full resolution and any surviving candidate tie point locations are further refined to sub-pixel accuracy.

Abstract: Amorphous propylene/1-butene and ethylene/propylene copolymers having increased tensile properties produced by the process comprising:reacting propylene and 1-butene monomers or ethylene and propylene monomers in the presence of a catalyst system comprising:(a) a solid supported catalyst component is prepared by the method comprising: (i) co-comminuting magnesium halide support base and aluminum trihalide in a molar ratio from about 8:0.5 to about 8:3 in the absence of added electron donor; and (ii) then co-comminuting the product of step (i) in the absence of added electron donor with sufficient titanium tetrahalide to provide a molar ratio of magnesium halide to titanium tetrahalide from about 8:0.1 to about 8:1.0;(b) a trialkylaluminum co-catalyst, having from 1 to 9 carbon atoms in each alkyl group in an amount such that the Al/Ti ratio is between about 50:1 and about 500:1; and(c) an alkoxy silane component of the formula R.sub.n Si(OR').sub.4-n where n=1-3, R=aryl or alkyl and R'=C.sub.1-3 alkyl.

Abstract: A polymeric inventory control collar locking ring for securing an inventory control collar around the cylindrical neck of a storage container comprising a circular disc with a central opening sized to fit around the neck of the storage container and a plurality of inwardly disposed flexible tabs spaced equally around the perimeter of the central opening. The tabs are formed integrally with the disc and extend radially inward into the central opening, having a distance of projection sufficient to engage the neck of said storage container.

Abstract: A communications system programmable to operate at a selected one of multiple frequency ranges and any one of a plurality of modulations schemes and data rights including an open architectural bus line for linking a plurality of board level units. A single board receiver exciter operates to receive and transmit signals at a plurality of frequencies and contains means for interfacing the single board receiver exciter with the open architectural bus line. A single board modulator demodulator allows for modulation/demodulation and for encoding/decoding of signals. The single board modulator demodulator also includes means for interfacing with the open architecture bus lines so that instruction and programming commands may be received. A single board processor multiplexer controls operations of the single board receiver exciter and the single board processor multiplexer over the communications link created by the open architecture bus line.

Abstract: A method and apparatus determines the location of a signal transmitter located at an unknown location by using externally-induced intermodulation distortion emitted from the signal transmitter. A transmitter locator emits an interrogation signal having a frequency that is offset from the frequency of the signal emanating from the signal transmitter. The interrogation signal and the carrier signal of the signal transmitter are "mixed" within the signal transmitter to form an intermodulation product signal. The intermodulation product signal having a different frequency is then radiated from the unknown signal transmitter. A receiver tuned to the frequency of the intermodulation signal detects the returned signal and a processor determines the range and direction from the transmitter locator to the location of the signal transmitter.

Abstract: A very high speed counter system of operating at frequencies of up to around 800 MHz provides timing measurements with accuracies on the order of (1/f) seconds where f is the frequency of operation. The least significant bit of the counter operates at the given frequency of a first clock signal while the other higher order bits operate at a second clock signal where the second clock signal is one-half the frequency of the first clock signal and is inverted. Carry lookahead circuits connected between stages of the second counter operate in conjunction with the clocking scheme to produce a high speed and accurate counter.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling the temperature of a device, wherein said method and device includes a plurality of thermoelectric coolers with independent temperature feedback control loops monitors and controls the temperature of a device. One thermoelectric cooler coupled to the package of the device maintains a desired temperature of the package by utilizing a first independent control loop. A second thermoelectric cooler coupled to the device maintains a desired temperature of the device by utilizing a second independent control loop. The operating temperature of the package of the device is maintained as the temperature of the environment varies.

Abstract: A relative GPS landing system is provided for approach and landing of aircraft where an accurate site survey of the GPS platform is unavailable. Data containing information on all GPS satellites in view is uplinked from a ground station to an aircraft. A relative solution is derived at the aircraft. Based upon the calculated solution, aircraft guidance signals are generated for approach and landing of the aircraft at a desired point.

Abstract: The present invention comprises apparatus for identifying, intercepting and forwarding incorrectly addressed mailpieces having either a machine readable or non-machine readable address. The apparatus reads (either mechanically or manually) the addressee name and the mailpiece destination marking address for processing in a database and comparison to a list of names and former addresses in the USPS National Change of Address database of persons who have requested mail forwarding service. If the read name and address match a name and former address in the database, then the mailpiece is identified as having an incorrect address and intercepted from the mail stream. The apparatus then searches the NCOA database for a forwarding address and delivery point ZIP code corresponding to the address. The forwarding address and delivery point ZIP marking number are printed on the mailpiece in place of the incorrect address and the mailpiece is returned to the mail stream for delivery to the addressee.

Abstract: A liquid coolant heat exchange system for use in semimonocoque aircraft includes an arcuate planar heat sink fixed along a radius of curvature R.sub.1 by forming members, a flexible arcuate planar spreader plate having a radius R.sub.2, such that R.sub.1 >R.sub.2, a heat exchange tube for transferring heat from the liquid coolant to the heat sink and means for attaching the spreader plate to the forming members to hold the spreader plate in contact with the heat sink.

Abstract: An inventory control collar incorporating a resident memory for use on a cylindrical neck of a storage container comprising an electrically insulative housing having a central opening sized to fit around the cylindrical neck of the storage container, and a circumferential groove located in the top of the housing. A first conductive ring inserted into the circumferential groove in the housing is electrically connected to the first terminal of the memory and a second conductive ring inserted into the circumferential groove in the housing is electrically connected to the second terminal of the memory. An electrically insulative retainer ring is inserted into the circumferential groove between the first and second rings. Data is conducted to and from the memory by electrically contacting the first and second conductive rings.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for encoding and decoding data on navigation signal pulse pairs utilizes pulse position modulation (PPM). The pulse interval between a first pulse and a second pulse of the pulse pair is varied depending on whether the logic value of the data to be encoded is a logic "0" or a logic "1". A tri-graph encoding process converts the raw input data into encoded input data. Each input data bit is encoded into three bits with each bit having the same logical value as the input data bit. The encoded input data is then encoded on the navigation signal using a pulse position modulation (PPM) technique. A decoder recovers the encoded data and provides an error correction process for high data integrity that corrects certain bit errors that may occur during the transmission and reception of the data on the navigation signal. The error correction process detects and corrects errors such as a missing bit, an extra bit or a bit error.