Abstract: An engine can utilize a combustor to combust fuel to drive the engine. A fuel nozzle assembly can supply fuel to the combustor for combustion or ignition of the fuel. The fuel nozzle assembly can include a swirler and a fuel nozzle to supply a mixture of fuel and air for combustion. The fuel nozzle can include both a primary and secondary fuel passage, and an additional air passage to provide for greater flame control, fuel provision, or local fuel and air mixing prior to combustion.

Abstract: A surgical system uses a single entry port in a wide variety of surgeries. To insert multiple surgical instruments into a patient through a single entry port requires that the shaft of at least one of the surgical instruments be bent between the base of the surgical instrument and the point where the shaft contacts a channel in an entry guide. Each surgical instrument is positioned by an instrument manipulator positioning system so that when the shaft is inserted in a channel of the entry guide, any bending of the shaft does not damage the surgical instrument and does not inhibit proper operation of the surgical instrument.

Abstract: A display may have a pixel array such as a liquid crystal pixel array. The pixel array may be illuminated with backlight illumination from a direct-lit backlight unit. The backlight unit may include an array of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) on a printed circuit board. The display may have a notch to accommodate an input-output component. Reflective layers may be included in the notch. The backlight may include a color conversion layer with a property that varies as a function of position. The light-emitting diodes may be covered by a slab of encapsulant with recesses in an upper surface.

Abstract: Each of three redundant sensor sets (16, 18, 20) provides flight status data to a corresponding one of three flight control computers (22, 24, 26). Each of the computers shares sensor data as well as computed control surface command signals with all other system computers. The command signal outputs from two computers are transduced (34, 36) to mechanical commands which are combined and applied to the appropriate aircraft control surface. The remaining computer output is a mathematical model of the mechanical outputs of the other channels. Fault detection and isolation is accomplished by cross channel comparing sensor data, command signals, model/surface position information and by incorporating channel monitors for detecting generic or common mode flight control computer failures.

Abstract: A system for providing an optimum lift demand signal for aircraft maneuvers such as "go-around" includes a computer for generating a reference angle of attack signal which is functionally related to the aircraft's vertical velocity. The reference signal is compared with a signal corresponding to the aircraft's actual angle of attack, thereby producing an error signal. The error signal is utilized as a control to the aircraft's dynamics for optimizing the aircraft's climb-out performance.

Abstract: Upon landing approach to a runway, glideslope and altitude information is processed to produce an indication of ground distance to the touchdown point. Actual aircraft position is then determined by integrating the aircraft's ground speed. A display of distance from the beginning and end of the runway is provided. An alert is produced if the aircraft approaches the end of the runway at excessive speed. Further, the system may be coupled to the aircraft's autobrake system to automatically control the rate of deceleration.