Abstract: A high performance microbolometer in which a pixel contains the material VOx wherein x of VOx is set at a value to adjust a thermal coefficient of resistance to a selected value between 0.005 and 0.05.

Abstract: Electronic tilt switches utilizing an environmentally safe electrically conductive, non-mercury fluid and a spherical weight, in which the switches have similar performance to mercury switches. The switch also avoids common problems resulting from conductive fluids having different densities and viscosities than mercury, as well as avoiding the problems of conventional tilt switches using solely conductive spheres to actuate the switch.

Abstract: A display system that can be calibrated and re-calibrated with a minimal amount of manual intervention. To accomplish this, one or more cameras are provided to capture an image of the display screen. The resulting captured image is processed to identify any non-desirable characteristics, including visible artifacts such as seams, bands, rings, etc. Once the non-desirable characteristics are identified, an appropriate transformation function is determined. The transformation function is used to pre-warp the input video signal that is provided to the display such that the non-desirable characteristics are reduced or eliminated from the display. The transformation function preferably compensates for spatial non-uniformity, color non-uniformity, luminance non-uniformity, and other visible artifacts.

Abstract: The present invention is a proximity detector for an electronic device. The proximity detector utilizes two capacitors which share a common electrode. The two capacitors are located on the housing of the electronic device. The capacitors are arranged so that when the electronic device is used in its normal orientation, a portion of the operator's body will occlude one of the capacitors, but not the other. The close proximity of the operator's body will change the electric field surrounding the capacitor. Thus, the capacitance of the occluded capacitor will be different than the unencumbered capacitor. A detection circuit is coupled to the capacitors and to the power supply of the device. The circuit uses very little power, and maintains the electronic device in a standby or powered down mode. Only when the circuit detects a difference in the capacitance generated by the two capacitors, will it allow full power to be delivered to the electronic device.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for implementation of fault-tolerant networks provide a network fault-tolerance manager for detecting failures and manipulating a node to communicate with an active channel. Failure detection incorporates one or more methods, including message pair and link pulse detection. Failure recovery includes switching all node data communications to a stand-by channel or switching just those nodes detecting a failure. Communication between nodes provides the distributed detection, with detecting nodes reporting failures to their network fault-tolerance manager and the network fault-tolerance manager broadcasting the failure recovery to all nodes. The network fault-tolerance manager is middleware, residing with each node in a logical hierarchy above a physical layer of a network and below a transport layer of the network. The approach is particularly suited to Ethernet LANs and capable of using commercial off-the-shelf network components.

Abstract: An illumination system provides a light output distribution that is ideally suited for home and office applications. The illumination system generally comprises a solid waveguide and a light directing structure located on a side opposite of the waveguide's light output side for controlling the light output distribution from the illumination system. The light directing structure may be unitarily formed with the waveguide or it may be secured thereto by an interface which provides approximately 100% contact between the waveguide and light directing structure. The light directing structure includes an array of light directing features configured as generally lenticular prisms that extend in a direction substantially perpendicular (i.e., not parallel) to the average direction at which light rays enter and propagate through the waveguide. Each light directing feature defines an included angle that controls the distribution of light output from the illumination system in a first direction.

Abstract: Multiple pulses of narrow band signals of varying frequency are detected by multiple spaced apart receivers such that average time difference of arrivals of the signals from an item to be located are determined. The average time differences are used to calculate a position of the item to be located with a desired accuracy, such as within one meter in one embodiment. One of multiple receivers or rangers initiates a location process by transmitting a sync pulse. The sync pulse is received by a scout and other rangers. The scout is a small robot which acts as a transponder, sending out its own narrow band return pulse in response to the sync pulse. Each ranger then determines a difference in time between the sync pulse it receives and the return pulse generated by the scout. The location process is then repeated again at different selected narrow band frequencies, and an average of the difference in time at each ranger is determined.

Abstract: Improved linear illumination sources which utilize external, highly reflective enclosures containing one or more linear openings and thereby achieve improved source efficiency, output irradiance and/or output radiance. Such improved illumination sources may be combined with additional optical elements to produce more complex illumination systems.

Abstract: A system for at least partially decontaminating personnel in response to detection of an agent harmful to human life such as a chemical or biological agent. The system can provide a sprinkler head above a walkway such as a hallway through which personnel are expected to walk. The sprinkler can provide a spray of decontamination fluid such as gas or liquid over personnel passing underneath, removing or neutralizing at least some of the harmful agent and reducing the transport of the agent from one area to another. Preferably, the system includes a sprinkler or shower head coupled to an existing fire isle control sprinkler supply pipe, wherein the sprinkler head may include a valve that is remotely controlled and can be opened in response to detection of a chemical or biological agent.

Abstract: A system of managing changes in the states of interrelated objects provides for synchronization of change notifications transferred between source and target objects. In one embodiment, target objects subscribe to state changes in source objects and the change notifications are provided with unique temporal state identifiers such as a system time stamp or an assigned number to provide a temporal dimension and allow synchronization of the notifications at the target object. The state changes are actually in the form of methods applied to the source, and equivalent or identical methods are then applied to the target. A log of change notifications is provided, and each of the notifications are applied to the target object to synchronize it with relevant source objects to which it is dependent upon and to a particular selected point in time.

Abstract: An actuator device providing an active surface. The actuator has an electrostatic electrode for electrostatic cooperative action with an opposing electrostatic electrode. The cover has at least one second electrostatic electrode for cooperative electrostatic activation. The cover also has an outer surface forming the active surface. A power supply cause the cooperative electrostatic activation. A quantity of fluid is contained within the cavity for pneumatically defining active surface conditions during cooperative electrostatic actuation. The electrostatic electrodes may comprise a plurality of electrostatic electrodes arranged in a pattern to cause a predetermined change in the active surface. Various patterns may be used, such as bands, patches and regions. Also provided is control electronics.

Abstract: A system for producing vehicle routes such as aircraft flight plans in the presence of weather and other hazards defines static and moving hazards with polygons drawn on a display containing graphic hazard regions. Different hazard types and intensities are displayed differently. Both lateral and vertical geographic depictions are displayed, and hazards can be displayed temporally as well. Users input information and thresholds for hazards.

Abstract: A mechanically actuated power stealing solid state low energy switch providing a drop-in replacement for low energy mechanical switches. The present switch eliminates disadvantages of the mechanical switches. Power stealing is done on a constant basis to eliminate spikes, which might interfere with digital logic. Stealing logic with no diode drops allows low power operation on single CMOS substrate and omni-directional hook-up of a power supply with the most negative voltage being directed to the substrate. Hysteresis for the solid state switch is provided to mimic mechanical switch operation but without chatter of the latter.

Abstract: Producing the microstructures on separate substrates, which are bonded. One of these structures may be temperature sensitive CMOS electronics. There may be a high-temperature thermal sensor on one wafer and low-temperature CMOS electronics. In the case where the bonding material is polyimide, the polyimide on both surfaces to be bonded is soft baked. The wafers are placed in a wafer bonder and, using precision alignment, brought into contact. The application of pressure and heat forms a bond between the two coatings of polyimide. A wafer may need to be removed from a combined structure. One of the bonded structures may be placed on a sacrificial layer that can be etched away to facilitate removal of a wafer without grinding. After wafer removal, a contact from the backside of one of the structures now on polyimide to the other on the wafer may be made. Sacrificial material, for example, polyimide, may be removed from between the structures that are connected via a contact.

Abstract: A screen assembly that combines an angle re-distributing prescreen with a conventional diffusion screen is disclosed. The prescreen minimizes or eliminates the sensitivity of the screen assembly to projector location. The diffusion screen provides other desirable screen characteristics. The prescreen is preferably formed by a collection of light transmitting and refracting elements, preferably spheres 80, partially embedded in a light blocking layer. Toward the back of the spheres 80 are effective apertures 82 where the light blocking layer 81 is absent or at least thinner than in other regions toward the side of the spheres. The projected image enters spheres 80 through the effective apertures 82, and exits the spheres 80 centered orientationally about the normal to the lens axis. The re-oriented light rays then enter the diffusion screen for viewing.

Abstract: A knocking-based, micro-combustion engine constructed in three layers of micromachined material. Two outer layers contain means for directing gases and fuels into and out of vents in a middle layer. The middle layer has machined in it two, linear, free pistons with or without integral air springs, and vents for directing gases and fuels into and out of a combustion chamber. A high compression ratio is achieved. The engine can be constructed with means to generate electrical energy.

Abstract: A system and method of optimizing a multi-dimensional route, such as an aircraft flight path, using a lateral path optimizer and a vertical path optimizer. The lateral path is determined by searching for a path among nodes that minimizes a cost function. The vertical path is determined by reference to pre-determined data generated as a function of aircraft parameters and wind speed. The optimized route is filtered as it is being generated. The optimized route is not limited by pre-determined waypoints.

Abstract: This invention relates to processes for the assembly of three-dimensional structures having periodicities on the scale of optical wavelengths, and at both smaller and larger dimensions, as well as compositions and applications therefore. Invention embodiments involve the self assembly of three-dimensionally periodic arrays of spherical particles, the processing of these arrays so that both infiltration and extraction processes can occur, one or more infiltration steps for these periodic arrays, and, in some instances, extraction steps. The product articles are three-dimensionally periodic on a scale where conventional processing methods cannot be used.

Abstract: Optical diffusing structures can be fabricated from photopolymerizable material by directing light through a transparent or translucent substrate and then through the photopolymerizable material for a period of time sufficient to photopolymerize only a portion of the material. The resultant structure can be utilized as a diffuser, a viewing screen, and in other applications, and can be combined with other light-directing structures such as arrays of tapered optical waveguides.

Abstract: A microactuator array device, which includes a plurality of generally parallel thin flexible polymer sheets bonded together in a predetermined pattern to form an array of unit cells on at least one layer. Thin conductive and dielectric films are deposited on the sheets to form a plurality of electrodes associated with the array of unit cells. A source of electric potential operably connects the electrodes, whereby electrostatic forces are generated most intensely proximate the point where the gap between the sheets is smallest. Inlets and outlets for each cell permit displacement of fluid during generation of the electrostatic forces. In a preferred embodiment, the plurality of sheets forms a stack of layers of arrays of unit cells. The layers are configured such that bi-directional activation is caused by pairs of actuators working opposite each other.