Abstract: An antenna device is composed of a plurality of units of a same structure connected in series.

Abstract: A system for enhancing safe operation of industrial vehicles includes at least one of three sets of sensors for detecting pedestrians in zones and providing appropriate responses. Zone 1 includes a two to four foot region around a stationary vehicle which might include personnel who had recently been conversing with the vehicle's operator. Zone 2 extends from 2 to 6 feet from the vehicle and personnel entering Zone 2 will cause the vehicle's horn to sound to prevent their walking into the side of the vehicle. Zone 3 comprises hidden danger zones where personnel may enter a region where an industrial vehicle from outside the area and be unaware of the vehicle's presence. Motion detectors associated with Zone 3 cause activation of an RF tag that reflects a radio signal transmitted by the vehicle. The sounding of the horn will notify both the pedestrian and the vehicle's operator of the potential danger.

Abstract: A transmitting controller is connected to a powerline and on command places a reference signal and a series of signal pulses in the powerline at a series of signal timing positions related to zero voltage crossing points so that the signals pulses are substantially in the powerline temporal quiet zone. The receiving controller is connected to the powerline and has a filter circuit therein which filters away the powerline AC signal and noise to leave the reference and signal pulses. The signal pulses are compared to the position of starting reference pulses to determine in which signal timing position the pulses have occurred. Digital data is communicated over the powerline in accordance with the nature placement of the data pulses related to the reference pulse positions. The timing zone for transmission and signals is preferably about 500 to about 1000 microseconds away from zero voltage crossing.

Abstract: A tire pressure monitoring system (12) for a spare tire of a vehicle (10) includes an indicator (52) and a timer (44) that generates a first time signal corresponding to the time the spare tire is used as a rolling tire and a second time signal corresponding to a time the spare tire is stowed. The temperature sensor (34) generates a temperature profile and a controller (22) that is coupled to the indicator, the timer, and the temperature sensor generates a spare tire warning signal in response to the temperature profile, the first time signal, and the second time signal.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for monitoring and detecting seat belt usage, having an enforcement device with an enforcement circuit board and a vehicle device with a vehicle circuit board. Each of the enforcement circuit board and the vehicle circuit board has a transformer and a receiver and a pair of antennas for transmitting and receiving a first signal and a return signal. The enforcement device and the vehicle device communicate a properly fastened state or an improperly fastened state for a seat belt.

Abstract: A brake and signal light system for use with a vehicle, such as a motorcycle and a helmet worn by a rider of the motorcycle. The system includes a transmitter mounted to the vehicle and electrically connected to the signaling circuitry of the vehicle for broadcasting a coded radio signal in response to a current passing through the signaling circuitry of the vehicle. A flexible housing is mounted the helmet and contains a receiver and at least one light source. The receiver receives the radio signal and at least one light source is illuminated indicating the state of the vehicle's signaling circuitry. The housing assembly includes a central portion, at least one left segmented housing, and at least one right segmented housing. A flexible back member flexibly connects the left and right segmented housing to the central portion.

Abstract: A vehicle mounted warning assembly for providing highly visible safety measures for trucks and trailers upon roadways. The vehicle mounted warning assembly includes a display assembly being adapted to mount to a vehicle for providing a warning to other motorists, and including one or more plates, and also including an assembly of illuminating light being attached to the one or more plates; and also includes a support assembly being adapted to mount to a vehicle and supporting the display assembly.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for activating smoke detector alarms within a house. The method includes the steps of providing a plurality of smoke detectors dispersed among a plurality of locations within the house, detecting smoke within a first smoke detector of the plurality of smoke detectors, transmitting a radio frequency signal from the first smoke detector to a second smoke detector of the plurality of smoke detectors upon detection of smoke by the first smoke detector and activating an alarm within the second smoke detector upon detection of the radio frequency signal from the first smoke detector.

Abstract: A method for alarming a decrease in tire air-pressure, in which rotational numbers of four tires are detected for judging whether any of the tire air-pressures is decreased or not, and issuing an alarm if the internal pressure of a tire is decreased. In an equation for calculating a judged value for detecting deflation of a tire, correction factor function values including a first factor related to lateral acceleration of the vehicle and a second factor related to lateral acceleration and front and rear wheel ratios are subtracted from actually measured values when performing actual running of the vehicle with the tires being set to specific air-pressures. The first and second factors are calculated such that a result of subtraction is approximately close to zero and is stored. It is possible to improve accuracy of detection of deflations of tires by automatically obtaining factors for turning correction after mounting the tires to the vehicle.

Abstract: A tire pressure monitoring device, being installed in a motor vehicle having a plurality of tires, includes: a plurality of sensor modules being installed onto the tire and having a wireless communication signal transmitter for transmitting a radio frequency (RF) signal. The RF signal includes a specific code for the status of the tire and a specific code for the sensor module. The device further includes a plurality of antenna modules, each being installed individually for one of the sensor modules for receiving the signal; and a receiving device, electrically coupled to the antenna module for processing the signal.

Abstract: A passenger determination device includes a load sensor attached to a seat main body, a controller for calculating a detected load value on the basis of an outputted load value of the load sensor and for determining a passenger on the basis of a large and small relationship between the detected load value and a predetermined determination threshold value, a load variations detecting device for detecting variations of the detected load value when the large and small relationship between the detected load value and a predetermined determination threshold value changes and a prohibition device for prohibiting from changing the determination of the passenger by the change of the large and small relationship between the detected load value and a predetermined determination threshold value when the detected load variations is small.

Abstract: When an IC card 1 is inserted into an IC card reader 2 of an emergency notification box 101, the name and so on of an aged person are read to be inputted to a controlling section 4, and this information is sent out as an emergency notification signal from a communication section 6 by a controlling section 4 via a public telephone line 7 to a receiving device 102 of a place to be contacted which is stored in advance. In the receiving section 102, the name and so on of an aged person is outputted from a speaker 12, and furthermore, a warning light 13 is lighted and a vibrator 14 is vibrated to notify an emergency.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for detecting movement of an infrared-radiating object within a monitored space is provided. The method of includes exposing the monitored space to a passive infrared sensor having a first sensor element generating a first polarity signal when its field of view senses an infrared-radiating moving object, and a second sensor element generating a second polarity signal when its field of view senses an infrared-radiating moving object and determining the direction of movement of the detected object from the relative sequential order of the first and second polarity signals, for example for detecting intrusions in the monitored space to determine whether the movement direction is a hostile direction or a friendly direction.

Abstract: The invention is a system for use in automobiles for preventing and frustrating carjacking attempts. The system includes a Radio Frequency Identification Tag (RFIT) kept by the user and an interrogating system on the car that periodically reads the RFIT in order to confirm that the driver does have permission of the owner to continue to drive the car. The system on the car includes a microprocessor driven transceiver controller printed circuit board. The circuit board is hard wired into a number of different control systems including the fuel delivery system, emergency lights and horn. In the event that the user has been forced out of the car, the RFIT will no longer be in proximity to the interrogating system and the proper code will no longer respond to the interrogating signal. The control system will then take steps to shut down the operation of the vehicle engine and send out audible and visual emergency signals.

Abstract: In a method and apparatus for verifying that an occupant sensing system reliably classifies vehicle seat occupants as adults or children, a small number of systems is tested using test objects that have physical characteristics representative of a lower limit adult and an upper limit child. Average measured parameter values are calculated for each test object, as well as standard deviation. Margins are then calculated for each of the two test objects, using separate statistical formulas. If the margins for both objects are non-negative, it is concluded that the system demonstrates a minimum reliability, with a desired confidence level.

Abstract: In a vehicle (102) a method of detecting air bag (106) deployment includes detecting an acoustic energy level increase (150) and developing a spectral content (502) of the increase. Further comparing the spectral content (502) to a template (134) and if spectral content (502) correlates to template (134), outputting an air bag deployment signal (138). An apparatus for detecting air bag deployment includes a means for detecting an acoustic energy level increase (150) in a vehicle (102), a spectral content (502) of the acoustic energy level increase (150) and a template (134), where the spectral content (502) is compared to template. An air bag deployment signal (138) is outputted if the spectral content (502) correlates to the template (134).

Abstract: A tire pressure monitoring system (12) for a vehicle (10) has a plurality of tires (14a-d) in respective rolling locations having a respective plurality of tire transmitters (16a-d) that generate a respective plurality of transmitter identification signals. A respective plurality of initiators (20a-d) are fixedly attached to the vehicle at a respective plurality of locations. A controller (22) activates the plurality of initiators (20a-d) by generating a respective plurality of initiator signals from the plurality of initiators. The plurality of initiator signals has a first power level. The controller (22) increases the first power level incrementally to a final power level until the controller receives a sensor signal from each of the plurality of tire transmitters.

Abstract: A removable top for a bottle or other container includes a sound generator that is activated when the top is removed. The sound generator produces an entertaining audio signal that enhances experiences, such as eating experiences, undertaken at the time the bottle is opened. There are alternative ways of constructing the sound generator, such as with electrical switches, light sensors or the like.

Abstract: Atomic virtual document generation and tagging is described. A virtual article that is intelligible to a digital processing system is generated from a physical materiality. The physical materiality is marked with an identifier. The virtual article is tagged with a tag that corresponds to the identifier. The generating of the virtual article, the marking of the physical materiality, and the tagging of the virtual article occur at substantially the same time.

Abstract: An apparatus for sending signals downhole during drilling operations uses a main pump to pump mud from a mud pit at a substantially constant flow rate. The bulk of the pumped mud goes downhole to maintain adequate circulation for the drill bit. A bypass pipe is provided with a shut-off valve that is controlled by an electronic controller. By pulsing the opening and closing of the shut-off valve, the volumetric flow downhole is pulsed. The pulse amplitude and duration can be controlled. These pulses in the flow rate are detected by a suitable downhole device such as a flow rate measurement device, a pressure detector or a turbine. The initial “wake-up” pulse is made long enough so that the detection device downhole is always able to detect it. Subsequent to this wake-up pulse, adjustments are made to the pulse duration, in steps of about 2 seconds, for the smallest pulse period that is detectable downhole.