Abstract: A vehicle air outlet having an outlet bell, an upstream shutoff valve having an open and closed position, a directionality control member which is downstream of the shutoff valve. The upstream shutoff valve includes a flow straightener assembly rendered functional when the shutoff valve is in a fully opened position and non-functional when the shutoff valve is in a closed position. The shutoff valve is mounted on a rotary shaft in the air outlet, and the flow straightener is mounted on the same rotary shaft with the shutoff valve and is operated commonly on an operation of the rotary shaft.

Abstract: A local multipoint distribution system having a head end coupled to a plurality of base stations with each base station constituting a cell. Each base station has a plurality of sector beam antennas, each sector beam antenna illuminating a predetermined sector of the cell with RF communication signals. A plurality of RF subscriber stations for each sector of a cell, with each subscriber station having a high gain antenna with a narrow beam width oriented toward the sector beam antenna oriented toward its assigned sector. Time division multiple access control is provided at each subscriber station operated such that each subscriber transmits at a time different from the other subscribers in its sector so that the subscribers in a given sector do not interfere with each others' transmissions, respectively. The power level transmitted by the subscribers are adjusted or controlled so that the subscriber signals arrive at the respective base stations at about the same power level.

Abstract: A dynamic patella brace having a first knee enveloping member with an aperture adapted to expose the patella, and a device for applying medial pressure to the patella. A mounting system for substantially freely floatingly mounting the device for applying medial pressure on the knee enveloping member laterally of the aperture so that the device for applying medial pressure moves relative to the knee enveloping member in vertical and horizontal directions and automatically tracks vertical movements of said patella throughout the physiological range of flexion and extension of the knee while applying medial pressure to the patella, the mounting accommodating horizontal excursions; thereby allowing more controlled horizontal medial pressure and tracking vertical movements of the patella. Preferably, the device for applying medial pressure includes a patella pad, and the knee enveloping member is an elastomeric sleeve.

Abstract: Air traffic surveillance and communication system for air traffic controllers includes a plurality of ground based first digital radio transceivers, each first digital radio transceiver being located in specific geographic sectors, respectively, and having a first frequency channel for supporting party-line digital voice, and a second frequency channel dedicated to supporting a digital data channel for down-linking dependent surveillance data and for both up-link and down-link data communications. The first and second frequency channels are paired such that each time a frequency change is commanded by the ground both the first and second frequency channels will be automatically tuned to a new air-ground frequency pair.

Abstract: A system and method for assisting a person to rapidly find keys on a key ring in a container such as a purse, briefcase, pouch, sack, or the like comprises a fob element having a hole portion for placement on the key ring with the keys and a body portion. The body portion has at least one planar surface, a recess formed in the planar surface, first part of a two-part hook-and-loop fastener assembly is adhered to the planar surface within the recess, and the second part of the two-part hook-and-loop fastener assembly is mounted in the container at a selected location. Preferably, the softer and more comfortable-to-feel loop part of the two-part hook-and-loop fastener assembly is mounted on the fob which is carried by the user. The molded plastic member has a second planar surface that faces oppositely to the first planar surface. A logo may be emblazoned or molded in the second planar surface, and an advertising or other promotional indicia may be fitted in the second recess.

Abstract: A sport shoe cleat especially for golf shoes has a main body member having a dome-shaped outer face and a planar inner face, a threaded stud molded integrally with the main body member and projecting outwardly from the inner face. A plurality of pseudo pyramid-shaped teeth projecting around the perimeter of the main body member, each of the pseudo pyramid-shaped teeth having an outward angle to provide lateral stability and traction through the plane of a sports swing. The traction teeth have a low profile to reduce damage to putting green surfaces for example. The body member has a wear pad at the center of said dome-shaped outlet face, the wear pad being a weight-bearing surface such as to support the majority of the body weight placed on the cleat and keeping weight off the traction teeth to prolong the life of the traction teeth and the cleat.

Abstract: A frequency control system and method for minimizing frequency drifts in subscriber terminals in a point-to-multipoint system is described enabling the use of low cost oscillators in the Subscriber terminals by measuring the frequency offset of the subscriber terminal's receiver to estimate its oscillator frequency drift which is then used to correct the subscriber terminal's transmitter frequency and also by feedback of a frequency correction from the base station to the subscriber.

Abstract: A joint comprising a body member defining an annular groove and a pair of tangential notches intersecting the annular groove at diametrically opposed positions. A socket member is comprised of a preferably semispherically shaped frame having an open side and a pair of diametrically opposed knob or pin member. Each knob or pin member is engagable with one of the tangential notches to snap fit the body member within the semispherically shaped frame and within the annular groove. The body member is secured to a mounting bar and the semispherically shaped frame has an elongated slot and the mounting bar passes through the slot. The arrangement is such that the slot defines one path of rotation of the shaped frame member relative to the body member and the annular groove defines a second path of relative rotation between the body member and the shaped frame.

Abstract: The extraction of proteins from selected naturally occurring membranes without any harmful, adverse, or other deleterious effect(s). In one preferred embodiment the detergent is prepared from the reaction of a cycloalkyl aliphatic alcohol and a saccharide.

Abstract: A spread spectrum CDMA communication system in which a base station communicates with a plurality of subscriber terminals and the base signal transmitted by the base station is comprised of a set of substantially orthogonal functions which are overlaid with a pseudo-noise (PN) sequence forming a coded spreading sequence for an information signal, each orthogonal function of the set carries data for a single user in the system. Information signals are modulated onto the carrier to form a transmit signal and the coded spreading sequence on the transmit signal for broadcasting, each subscriber terminal having a receiver for coherently demodulating the base station signal. A plurality of correlators, each respectively tuned to different functions of the orthogonal signal set, are each followed by an appropriate nonlinearity for removing the data modulation. The summed output of the correlators is used to improve the estimate of carrier phase over that obtained with a single correlator.

Abstract: A system for rejuvenating old keyboard instruments has an array of key sensor switches which are individually adjustable in a horizontal plane to accommodate varying angulations of the keys behind the balance rail of the keyboard and each key sensor switch includes a friction retained sensor probe which enables a rapid and accurate accommodation of uneven keys.

Abstract: A vehicle detector for detecting a moving vehicle traversing a predetermined roadway includes a coil antenna for detecting electromagnetic radiation inherently generated and emitted by the vehicle as it traverses the predetermined path and producing a first signal. A low noise amplifier receives and amplifies the first signal and outputs an amplified first signal to a differential full wave amplitude modulation envelope detector and produces a second signal. A high pass filter having a predetermined cutoff frequency is connected to receive the second signal and output only third signals having a magnitude proportional to the electromagnetic signal being detected. A converter circuit converts the third signals to a digital signal, the converter circuit including a switching comparator having a source of a stable voltage reference level and outputting a fourth signal.

Abstract: A flat panel having at least one non-conductive substrate having a first conductor array on the surface thereof and a dielectric layer on said first conductor array having an exposed flat surface. A first predetermined pattern of vias external through the dielectric layer to pads on each conductor in the array. A second predetermined pattern of vias extend through the dielectric layer to further conductive pads, and an input and through-feed second conductor array is on the substrate with the dielectric layer covering the second predetermined pattern. A conductor material, preferably a gold frit, is in contact with the conductor at the bottom of each via, respectively, and partially filling same to a predetermined level below said exposed flat surface.

Abstract: A networking protocol for wireless point (base station) to multipoint (user) networks where the users are stationary which utilized time-division multiplexing the in the direction of the base station to the user, heretofore called the downstream direction, and time-division multiple access in the direction of the user to the base station, heretofore called the upstream direction, where medium access control actively assigns time slots in the upstream direction to accommodate varying demands for bandwidth by multiple users, where upstream frame timing is synchronized to the downstream frame timing, where time slots carry individual ATM cells, where the first time slot of the downstream frame carries a frame start ATM cell, where upstream time slot synchronization is maintained to within .+-.

Abstract: A vehicle washer nozzle system having a source of washer liquid under pressure, a fluidic oscillator comprising a housing and a fluidic insert having a power nozzle, an oscillation chamber having an upstream end coupled to the power nozzle for issuing a jet of washer liquid into the oscillation chamber and a downstream end having an outlet aperture for issuing a jet of wash liquid to ambient, and side and top and bottom walls, an oscillation inducing silhouette in the oscillation chamber for causing said jet of wash liquid to rhythmically sweep back and forth between the sidewalls in the oscillation chamber. Top and bottom walls of the oscillation chamber first diverge for a predetermined distance in a downstream direction and then converge towards each other through said outlet aperture. This enables the deflection angle to be adjusted for different vehicles and applications by changes to the fluidic insert without changes to the housing.

Abstract: A wireless OCDMA communication system in which there is a cluster of base stations (BS), or radio fixed parts (RFP), which may in turn be controlled by a wireless cluster controller (WCC). The system uses frames of a time division duplex spread spectrum signal for two-way voice and/or data transmission, and a plurality of handsets, portable parts (PPs), or more complex subscribers, each adapted to communicate with the BS, or RFP, using the communication system, can be used to implement a variety of system configurations and provide a variety of at least two levels of service selected from a wide variety of services.

Abstract: A high efficiency bicycle front fork suspension system in which the front fork and wheel assembly are isolated from the remaining parts of the bicycle frame by a leading, 3-point linkage arrangement configured to produce a trailing link action at the wheel. The suspension system, in its preferred configuration, includes one or more fluid logic, rotary dampers and one or more high performance elastomeric or conventional spring elements carried in rear stub or shortened fork blades.

Abstract: A novel drive system is described for AC plasma (ACP) gas discharge flat bistable matrix panels on which real-time video and computer graphics, both with pixel by pixel gray scale are displayed. The drive scheme increases scan speed, reduces complexity and minimizes circuitry required to operate the video and computer graphics gray scale images on the ACP display through: a) unique application of standard high density memory IC architecture, and b) unique panel drive waveform technique. Flicker is avoided with an interlaced framerate of 46 Hz and non-sequential pixel row scanning. The unique panel drive scheme allows high speed operation to avoid flicker in the ACP panel for real time gray scale video and graphic images. Because of the high speed addressing requirements, the panel waveform techniques apply all of the drive voltages to the ACP panel from the row (Y) axis and only selective cancellation voltage from the column (X) axis.

Abstract: An exceptionally efficient operation is achieved through the use of orthogonal code divisional multiple access radio communication between a base station and a plurality of user handsets. Each user handset is provided with a local oscillator. The base station transmits a reference pilot/sounding signal which is received at the user handsets and the local oscillators at the user handsets are phase locked to the reference pilot/sounding signal.

Abstract: A substitute lid for use in association with a container, such as paint cans and the like, when the contents of the can are being poured or dipped by a brush therefrom. The lid is of a flat design and includes a peripheral flange having an inner surface for closely engaging one end of the can so that the lid can be removably attached to one end of the can such as when the can is sold for later removal of the contents by the user. A ridge or tabs can be provided around the periphery and project from a side of a flat body portion of the lid opposite to the flange so as to provide a nesting effect between cans piled in a stack. Adjacent the flange a groove sealing portion of the lid may be provided so as to seal the upwardly open groove commonly present in such cans for maintaining the usual can lid in a closed sealed condition.