Abstract: A photonic integrated circuit and a method for its manufacture are provided. In an embodiment, an intermetal dielectric layer, for example, a silicon oxide layer, is contiguous between an upper metal layer and a lower metal layer on a substrate. One or more waveguides having top and bottom faces are formed in respective waveguide layers within the intermetal dielectric layer between the upper and lower metal layers. There is a distance of at least 600 nm from the upper metal layer to the top face of the uppermost of the several waveguides. There is a distance of at least 600 nm from the lower metal layer to the bottom face of the lowermost of the several waveguides. The waveguides are formed of silicon nitride for longer wavelengths and alumina for shorter wavelengths. These dimensions and materials are favorable for CMOS processing, among other things.

Abstract: A brake system with a wheel brake has a fluid reservoir and a valve assembly in fluid communication with the reservoir via a first conduit. The valve assembly is in fluid communication with the wheel brake via a second conduit. The valve assembly includes a bypass valve which only permits fluid flow from the first conduit to the second conduit when the fluid pressure within the first conduit is above a predetermined pressure level above atmospheric pressure. The valve assembly further includes a check valve in a parallel path arrangement relative to the bypass valve such that the check valve permits fluid flow from the second conduit to the first conduit, and prevents fluid flow from the first conduit to the second conduit. The brake system further includes a first source of pressurized fluid providing fluid pressure for actuating the wheel brake, wherein the first source of pressurized fluid is selectively in fluid communication with the second conduit.

Abstract: A hydraulic mount for a vehicle is configured to control and damp the behavior of a motor mounted on a vehicle body. The hydraulic mount includes: an inner pipe; a main rubber molded on an outer circumferential surface of the inner pipe and having an upper front liquid chamber and an upper rear liquid chamber, and a lower front liquid chamber and a lower rear liquid chamber; and an outer pipe fitted to an outer circumferential surface of the main rubber to seal the liquid chambers, wherein the main rubber includes a first flow path connecting the upper front liquid chamber and the lower rear liquid chamber filled with fluid such that the fluid is movable therebetween; and a second flow path connecting the upper rear liquid chamber and the lower front liquid chamber filled with fluid such that the fluid is movable therebetween.

Abstract: A vibration damping device for use with downhole electronics may comprise: a device housing mechanically coupled to the downhole electronics and defining a receptacle; and an inertia element movably supported in the receptacle; wherein the volume of the receptacle is greater than the volume of the inertia element so as to define an interstitial volume therebetween and wherein the interstitial volume is occupied by a fluid or an elastomer. A method for tuning a downhole torsional damping device to match a desired downhole electronics may comprise a) calculating a set of natural frequencies and mode shapes for the downhole electronics, b) selecting a desired frequency from the calculated natural frequencies, c) tuning the damping device characteristics to match the selected frequency, d) using the mode shapes to place the damping device. The mode shapes may include antinodes and step d) includes positioning a damping device at an antinode.

Abstract: A method of controlling the performance of a night vision device includes supplying, by a power supply, to a microchannel plate of a light intensifier tube, a control voltage that controls a gain of the microchannel plate, determining an amount of compensation to apply to the control voltage based on a change to the control voltage attributed to a change in temperature of an operating environment of the night vision device, adjusting the control voltage in accordance with the amount of compensation to obtain a compensated control voltage, and supplying, by the power supply, the compensated control voltage to the microchannel plate of the light intensifier tube. The method may further include determining whether the night vision device has been used for a predetermined amount of time, and only after that predetermined amount of time, is the method configured to supply the compensated control voltage.

Abstract: A system to detect obstacles includes a power beam transmission circuit, a power beam reception circuit arranged to receive a power beam from the power beam transmission circuit, an emitter module, and a detector module arranged to distinguish between a first characteristic and a second characteristic. The emitter module includes a first emitter arranged to emit a first signal having the first characteristic, the first signal emitted in proximity to the power beam, and a second emitter arranged to emit a second signal having the second characteristic, the second characteristic different from the first characteristic, the second signal emitted in proximity to the first signal. The detector module includes a first detector arranged to respond to the first signal emitted by the first emitter, wherein the detector module is arranged to determine when an obstacle is in or near a line-of-sight transmission path between the first emitter and the first detector.

Abstract: A generator of phases of a detector integrates at least one elementary machine for interpreting a microcode stored in a register. Each elementary machine includes at least one control input having a logic level change detector. Each elementary machine also includes at least one phase output having a controlled switch, enabling to define the logic level of the phase output, and a controlled inverter enabling to toggle the logic level of the phase output. Further, each elementary machine includes at least one clock signal associated with a counter, and a unit for loading the instructions and the arguments stored in the register, the instructions being coded over 3 bits.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a process suitable for constructing a multiple stage air shock. The multiple stage air shock is unique among shocks in that the multiple stage design possesses qualities not available to other shock absorbers. The process includes a means for determining the compressed and extended lengths of the air shock based on the lengths of the parts for each stage. This means refers to one methodology and offers the air shock an extended length that is greater than twice its compressed length, an optimized extended length, and a construction capability based on adding stages. In particular, the extended length-compressed length relationship is a quality inherently unobtainable by current shock absorbers. The process also includes a means of determining the spring rate. This means refers to a second methodology and offers the capability to both set-up the air shock with a relatively linear spring rate and make the relatively linear spring rate more linear.

Abstract: Provided is a brake control apparatus mounted in a vehicle with a plurality of wheels, the brake control apparatus including: a actuator configured to apply a braking torque to the plurality of wheels; and a controller configured to control the actuator to apply a first braking torque to a first wheel of the plurality of wheels, based on a spin of the first wheel being greater than or equal to a target spin, and to control the actuator to apply a second braking torque to the plurality of wheels based on a displacement of a brake pedal of the vehicle while applying the first braking torque to the first wheel, wherein the controller stepwise or linearly increases a braking torque applied to a second wheel of the plurality of wheels up to the second braking torque.

Abstract: A reverse thrust braking system includes an inlet having propeller fan blades that accelerate air coming into the system. A plurality of chambers receive the air accelerated through the inlet by the propeller fan blades. An exit point receives air from at least one of the plurality of chambers and exhausts the air from the system. The exit point exhausts air at an angle to create a reverse thrust.

Abstract: Electro-optical conversion of an input analog signal and optical modulation of the optical signal to provide light of different intensity levels to 2n photodetection sites whose outputs can be encoded as an n-bit digital output value. The sample rate can exceed 10 GHz (rates above 100 GHz are possible) with much greater simplicity of electronic circuitry.

Abstract: An omni-wheel may include a shaft, a plurality of rollers, and a braking device. The plurality of rollers may be circumferentially arranged about the shaft and arranged radially outward from the shaft. The braking device may include a fluid-filled bladder and a plurality of braking pads. The fluid-filled bladder may be circumferentially arranged about the shaft. The plurality of braking pads may be arranged between the fluid-filled bladder and the plurality of rollers. The fluid-filled bladder may expand radially outward when pressurized, displacing the plurality of braking pads radially outward to contact the plurality of rollers, preventing rotation of the rollers.

Abstract: A wireless battery-powered daylight sensor for measuring a total light intensity in a space is operable to transmit wireless signals using a variable transmission rate that is dependent upon the total light intensity in the space. The sensor comprises a photosensitive circuit, a wireless transmitter for transmitting the wireless signals, a controller coupled to the photosensitive circuit and the wireless transmitter, and a battery for powering the photosensitive circuit, the wireless transmitter, and the controller. The photosensitive circuit is operable to generate a light intensity control signal in response to the total light intensity in the space. The controller transmits the wireless signals in response to the light intensity control signal using the variable transmission rate that is dependent upon the total light intensity in the space. The variable transmission rate may be dependent upon an amount of change of the total light intensity in the space.

Abstract: The present application discloses an apparatus configured to measure characteristics of high power beams of laser energy used in material processing. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a housing having a first compartment and a second compartment separated from each other to reduce the transfer of thermal energy between them. Optical modules having optical sensors configured to measure characteristics of the high power beam are mounted in the first compartment. An optical window operative to allow a significant portion of the beam to propagate therethrough is mounted in an intermediate housing member separating the first and second compartments. A removable and replaceable beam dump configured to absorb most of the high power beam is positioned in the second compartment. The removability/replaceability of the beam dump enables operation of the apparatus without active cooling of the beam dump assembly, simplifying the apparatus and protecting the optical sensors in the first compartment.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a light gathering lens that instantaneously corrects for the effect of varying distance between an object and a sensor such as a range finding sensor or LiDAR. Methods of designing these lenses using both traditional lenses and exotic metamaterials and gradient index materials are disclosed, as well as methods of optimizing a design for a given detector type and application. Range-finding systems using these lenses in practice to optically correct for radiometric variation of returned signals received from an object of varying distances are further disclosed. Lenses and range-finding systems suitable for use in a variety of electromagnetic wavelength ranges are disclosed including but not limited to visible, infrared, and millimeter wave regimes.

Abstract: A vehicle brake system includes a first main cylinder with a first main cylinder connection and a first actuating device with a first actuating connection. The first main cylinder connection is in flow-connection to the first actuating connection, and the first actuating device is operable with the first main cylinder. A first brake circuit is provided between a pump and a first wheel cylinder, where the pump in the first brake circuit is operable to generate pressure and move a fluid within the first brake circuit. A first valve device is provided in the first brake circuit where the first valve device is movable between a first configuration in which a flow connection is produced between the pump and the first wheel cylinder, and a second configuration in which a flow connection between the pump and the first wheel cylinder is prevented.

Abstract: An engine mount device includes a housing, a carrier within a cavity in the housing, and a flexure flexibly connecting the carrier to the housing, with a pin disposed in a hole in the carrier to support an engine. A method of providing isolation in the engine mount device includes transmitting a force from the pin into the carrier; mechanically isolating the carrier from the housing via the flexure; and providing, via the flexure, a higher stiffness in one or more radial directions of the hole compared to a stiffness provided in an axial direction of the hole.

Abstract: Described herein is a gas-liquid separating gas exchange device comprising a vent mechanism that services gas exchange between the interior and exterior of a housing, a shelter of the vent mechanism distal from the housing that provides shelter of a distal area around the vent mechanism, an area-encompassing abutment rising distally from the housing and encompassing both the vent mechanism and the shelter and creating a fluid-catchment junction between the shelter and the abutment, and at least one fluid-exchange passageway in the at least one shelter allowing fluid exchange between the distal sheltered area and the abutment into the fluid-catchment junction. The gas-liquid separating gas exchange device may separate gas and liquid by gravity, energy of vibration, air-pressure forces, or a combination thereof and facilitates expulsion of contaminating liquid and debris from the housing.

Abstract: Provided are a light intensity detection circuit, a light intensity detection method and an light intensity detection apparatus. The light intensity detection circuit includes a photoelectric conversion sub-circuit, a source follower sub-circuit, a reset sub-circuit, a read sub-circuit and a sense sub-circuit. The photoelectric conversion sub-circuit generates a corresponding electrical signal according to an incident light signal, and outputs it to a first node; the source follower sub-circuit generates a corresponding voltage signal or current signal according to the electrical signal of the first node and outputs it to a second node; the read sub-circuit reads the voltage signal or current signal of the second node to determine an incident light intensity; the reset sub-circuit provides a voltage at a offset voltage terminal to the first node.