Abstract: A method and apparatus for wastewater treatment to minimize solid-waste by-products requiring disposal in a landfill site. The system for carrying out the process utilizes initial screening and dissolved air flotation processes to remove a large portion of the solid-waste matter within the wastewater. The wastewater is then processed by anaerobic and aerobic means to clarify the wastewater to a point where it may be discharged into normal sanitary sewage systems. The solid-waste matter removed during the process is dewatered and composted. The composted matter may be used for land applications such as fertilizing or fill dirt.

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, 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: A dispenser including a rotatable rod with a flexible member attached thereto. The flexible member includes an opening at one end for receiving and retaining the cap end of a tube-type container filled with flowable material. The pinched end of the tube-type container is positioned between the flexible member and the rod. When the rod is rotated, the flexible member, along with the tube-type container, is drawn towards and wrapped around the rod. The force applied by the flexible member and rod on the tube-type container in wrapping the tube around the rod squeezes out a predetermined amount of flowable material for consumer use.

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: The total energy, wave type, orientation and rotation of an incident electromagnetic signal having an unknown polarization is identified through single channel frequency domain signal analysis of the incident electromagnetic wave power as measured by an orthogonally polarized electromagnetic sensor. A controlled switch samples between the power measurements at each orthogonal output of the sensor to generate a signal comprised of a carrier frequency component and two sideband frequency components in the frequency domain. The sampled radio frequency signal is down converted by a single channel receiver to an intermediate frequency where the carrier and one sideband frequency component are separated and coherently shifted to the same frequency. A phase detector and ratiometer measure the relative phase and amplitude differences between the separated carrier and sideband frequency components to identify the wave type, orientation and rotation of the incident electromagnetic signal.

Abstract: A coaxial-to-microstrip transition compensated to reduce the impedance discontinuity and parasitic inductance of the transition. The impedance discontinuity is reduced by decreasing the inductance due to the center conductor pin of the coaxial line and the inductance due to the bond wire connecting the center conductor pin to the microstrip line. The impedance discontinuity is also reduced by increasing the capacitance from the microstrip line to ground and from the microstrip line to the center conductor pin of the coaxial line. To reduce the inductance in the signal conduction path, a small diameter center conductor pin is used. A short length of bond wire, doubled around the center conductor is used to connect the center conductor pin to the microstrip line. Also, a thin dielectric substrate is used to minimize the length of the center conductor pin that extends beyond the base of the coaxial housing.

Abstract: A location independent personal telecommunications system is presented that utilizes an out-of-band bi-directional burst data communications network to assist in the routing of personal communications via an in-band voice and data communications network. Access to the out-of-band network for communication is regulated by a multiple access communications protocol. Each user is synchronized with the other users of the network to the protocol and will access the network only during certain time periods that are reserved by the protocol for message traffic between network users. A collision avoidance scheme is included in the protocol to resolve instances of simultaneous transmission of message traffic by multiple users during the same time period.

Abstract: A mass data storage unit includes a plurality of first data storage modules that form a mass information storage library, a data directory archive for maintaining a directory of the information contained on each data storage module, and data record/playback modules for receiving any selected any data storage module in the mass storage library. A plurality of interface computers are coupled to a plurality of host computers for receiving data and for generating request signals to access information stored in the mass storage library. A file directory is coupled to the interface computers and the data directory archive for receiving the request signals, locating in the data directory archive the address containing the stored information and generating a data address location output signal for the stored information.

Abstract: A method for enhancing lofargram data images utilizing a rule base. The system takes a plurality of sequentially occurring vertical frequency strips of a lofargram data image and computes an estimate for the mean and variance of each vertical frequency strip. A linear transformation utilizing a rule base is then applied to each pixel of the vertical frequency strip to improve the visual clarity of the lofargram data image.

Abstract: A vacuum beam product dispenser and singulator to dispense and singulate "soft" products in an automated order dispensing system (AOS) includes a product cartridge and an inclined conveyor belt. The conveyor belt picks the products from the bottom of the cartridge using a vacuum control element and carries it up the conveyor until it reaches a pinch roller that holds the product ready to be dispensed to a central conveyor of the AOS. Products are picked from the product cartridge by the inclined conveyor in a position such that a product will fall off the conveyor unless held by a vacuum generated by the vacuum control element. Thus, random multiples removed from the cartridge with the picked product fall off the conveyor. The product stream from the hopper is thereby singulated.

Abstract: Packaging and/or storing atactic polypropylene or other amorphous poly alpha olefins is accomplished by first heating a mass of the olefin material to a molten state and then cooling the molten mass of olefin material to an extrusion temperature. Next, the formless mass of atactic polypropylene is extruded and cut into a succession of pellets. Inert dust-like material is sprayed onto the cutting surfaces and the surface of the olefin material so that the natural tendency of the material to stick to itself and to other objects is avoided.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for correlating target data obtained from a first sensor for a subject target with target data obtained from a second sensor for a candidate target. The target data includes both target location and target classification dimensions. Target location data is processed to derive a missed distance Figure of merit indicative of a match in location between the subject target and candidate target. Target classification data is processed to derive a categorical Figure of merit indicative of the likelihood that a target having the classification of the subject target and a target having the classification of the candidate target would be co-located. The missed distance Figure of merit and the categorical Figure of merit are mathematically combined to output a measure of correlation related to the likelihood that the subject target and the candidate target are the same target.

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: The detection and correction of errors in digital data transmitted by or stored in a media channel is provided by processing the data through a triple orthogonally interleaved error correction system. On the transmit/store side of the system, the data is encoded three times prior to placement in the media channel with two different interleaving steps performed between the encoding steps. The first interleave is an orthogonal row shuffling interleave that provides enhanced protection against burst errors. On the receive/play back side, the data is decoded and deinterleaved, with included errors detected and corrected to enable recovery of the original data. To enhance the error correction, a circuit is used for generating a symbol accurate error flag identifying symbols containing errors thereby allowing the error correcting decoders to focus on and correct the data.

Abstract: A method for formatting a length of magnetic tape into a plurality of partition areas to enable data storage in any of these areas and for formatting on the magnetic tape a plurality of spaced system zones, by means of controlling programs of a recording device prompting a host computer system to input the number and spacing of the system zones and the length and number of the partitions to be formatted onto the magnetic tape. The programs also prompts the host computer system to select one of various options for placing a partitions on the magnetic tape.

Abstract: A bar code reader for reading picket and ladder oriented bar codes from products a singulated product stream transported through a scanning zone. The bar code reader is comprised of a pair of raster scanners to scan for ladder oriented bar codes on the top surface of each product and a pair of line scanners to scan the top and bottom surface of each product for picket oriented bar codes. In a second embodiment, a second pair of raster scanners is provided in addition to the top raster scanners and the line scanners to scan the bottom surface of each product for ladder oriented bar codes. The scanned optical bar code information is decoded and transmitted to a computer for analysis to identify, count and determine the disposition, according to the scanned code, of each product in the stream.

Abstract: A system for RF communications utilizing an open architecture bus line is disclosed. The system consists of a single-board receiver exciter, a single-board modulator and a system control processor all interfaced to a standard bus line. All three units are implemented on single-board assemblies and are programmable to perform over a variety of frequency ranges, to operate at one of a variety of modulating schemes, and to utilize varying data rates.

Abstract: A radiation resistant resin suitable for the manufacture of, for example, disposable medical supplies comprises a semicrystalline polypropylene or propylene-ethylene and from 1500 to 5000 ppm triallyl trimellitate. The resin exhibits substantially no increase in melt flow rate after irradiation to a dosage of up to 5 Mrads, and may contain up to about 5% by weight of a polybutylene and/or up to about 3000 ppm of a sorbital based clarifying agent.

Abstract: There is described a method and apparatus for substantially cancelling harmonic distortion from the output voltage signal of a power supply. The system samples the output of the power supply and detects the harmonic distortion within the output signal. After the harmonic distortion is detected, the amplitude of the real and imaginary components of the harmonic distortion are determined. The amplitude components are applied to a PI compensator to generate the harmonic distortion correction signal necessary to substantially cancel harmonic distortion from the output voltage signal. The harmonic distortion correction signal is then applied to the power supply.

Abstract: A singulated stream of products comprised of both single and overlapping products is transported through a scanning zone along a transport path. Each single or overlapping product defines a shadow on the transport path that is analyzed to determine the presence of product multiples in the product shadow by measuring the width and length of the product shadow. If the length of the product shadow exceeds by more than a predetermined amount the average length of previously measured shadows having a similar width, the shadow likely contains two or more overlapping products. As the product shadow moves through the scanning zone, each product included therein is scanned for affixed bar codes by a plurality of bar code scanners. If two different bar codes or two identical bar codes from mutually exclusive scanners are recorded for a single product shadow, then the shadow likely contains two or more overlapping products.