Abstract: Systems, methods and cartridges for carbonating or otherwise dissolving gas in a precursor liquid, such as water, to form a beverage are disclosed. A gas source, which is used to generate gas that is dissolved into the precursor liquid, and/or a beverage medium, such as a powdered drink mix or liquid syrup, may be provided in a cartridge. The use of one or more cartridges for the gas source and/or beverage medium may make for an easy to use and mess-free system for making sparkling beverages, e.g., in the consumer's home.

Abstract: Systems, methods and cartridges for carbonating or otherwise dissolving gas in a precursor liquid, such as water, to form a beverage are disclosed. A gas source, which is used to generate gas that is dissolved into the precursor liquid, and/or a beverage medium, such as a powdered drink mix or liquid syrup, may be provided in a cartridge. The use of one or more cartridges for the gas source and/or beverage medium may make for an easy to use and mess-free system for making sparkling beverages, e.g., in the consumer's home.

Abstract: Systems, methods and cartridges for carbonating or otherwise dissolving gas in a precursor liquid, such as water, to form a beverage are disclosed. A gas source, which is used to generate gas that is dissolved into the precursor liquid, and/or a beverage medium, such as a powdered drink mix or liquid syrup, may be provided in a cartridge. The use of one or more cartridges for the gas source and/or beverage medium may make for an easy to use and mess-free system for making sparkling beverages, e.g., in the consumer's home.

Abstract: Systems, methods and cartridges for carbonating or otherwise dissolving gas in a precursor liquid, such as water, to form a beverage are disclosed. A gas source, which is used to generate gas that is dissolved into the precursor liquid, and/or a beverage medium, such as a powdered drink mix or liquid syrup, may be provided in a cartridge. The use of one or more cartridges for the gas source and/or beverage medium may make for an easy to use and mess-free system for making sparkling beverages, e.g., in the consumer's home.

Abstract: This invention relates to additional embodiments of the tuned flexure accelerometer (TFA) concept. The TFA reduces or eliminates the elastic restraint (also termed “spring stiffness”) of the reference mass support by means of oscillation to improve the ability to accurately measure distance, velocity or acceleration with the accelerometer. The invention also relates to tuning flexures in other applications such as mirrors so as to allow the mirror to hold rotation or translation position once moved, without additional torque or force.

Abstract: An oscillatory gyroscope is described with decoupled drive and sense oscillators and reduced cross-axis sensitivity. The gyroscope is fabricated using a plasma micromachining process on standard silicon wafers. The electrical isolation of the drive and sense functions of the gyroscope, contained within the same micromechanical element, reduce cross-coupling while obtaining high inertial mass and high sensitivity.

Abstract: A method of operating a RAM memory having a plurality of memory addresses for storing data, the method being performed with a timing based on clock signals spaced by clock periods and comprising the steps of: receiving an address and a function signal specifying a function to be performed on data associated with that address; determining whether the same address has been received during a predefined number of preceding clock periods; generating a first data item representing data associated with the received address; modifying the first item according to the function signal to generate a second data item associated with the address, and writing the second data item to the address in the RAM and retaining a separate record of the last n second data items, the step of generating a first data item being performed by: (i) if the result of the determination is negative, generating the first data item to be equal to data stored by the RAM in the address, and (ii) if the result of the determination is positive, gene

Abstract: A method of operating a RAM memory having a plurality of memory addresses for storing data, the method being performed with a timing based on clock signals spaced by clock periods and comprising the steps of:

Abstract: This invention describes a technique for measuring the peak amplitude and phase of an oscillating member without using any external precision references other than stable precision frequencies. The technique relies upon stable reference dimension of the oscillating member and stable dimensions of a stationary system which the member is oscillating with respect to. The technique uses a stable precision crystal clock oscillator to measure the time at which the oscillating member arrives at certain reference angles. The reference angles may be established on the member or by interferometry, with respect to sensors on a stationary member. Using inputs from the sensors, a precision clock, and counters the system determines the period of oscillation of the vibrating member and the phase of the maximum excursions of the vibrating member based on the time required for the oscillating member to move through the reference angles established on the reference member.

Abstract: A tuned flexure accelerometer, comprising, a housing; a gimbal coupled to the housing for oscillation about a gimbal oscillation axis; and a reference mass coupled by one or more pivots to the gimbal to allow pivoting motion of the reference mass relative to the gimbal about a pivot axis which is transverse to the gimbal oscillation axis, the one or more pivots having an effective elastic restraint. The gimbal is oscillated about its oscillation axis, to thereby induce on the one or more pivots an oscillating negative elastic restraint, to reduce the effective elastic restraint of the pivots.

Abstract: A passive resonator gyroscope in which a laser beam is split into two equal intensity beams in a waveguide, each of the beams being coupled to counterpropagate around a fiber optic ring. The beams, after splitting, are frequency modulated with a voltage having a serrodyne waveform, the polarity of the voltage applied to the modulator for the one beam being opposite to the polarity of the modulating voltage applied to the modulator for other beam. The laser frequency is locked to the optical cavity half wave resonant frequency and when the laser is so locked, the modulating voltage is applied for a first period with one polarity and then for a second period of the same duration with the opposite polarity. The output beams from the optical fiber ring are combined in the waveguide and a portion of the combined optical beam is provided to a photodetector.

Abstract: An axial gyroscopic pointing reference for mounting on optics within an internally cooled telescope a resonant fiber optic gyroscope, in which the elements of the fiber optic gyroscope are cryogenically cooled with the same system that cryogenically cools the telescope optical elements. In one specific configuration the pointing reference includes three orthogonally positioned resonant fiber optic gyroscopes supported in a tetrahedron configuration and cryogenically cooled by the telescope cooling system.

Abstract: A high-energy laser system having gyroscopically stabilized optical elements includes an unstable confocal laser resonator having first and second spinning cavity feedback mirrors that resist mechanical wave energy induced spatial dislocations by gyroscopic inertia. One or both of the spinning cavity mirrors are preferably mounted for rotation with the rotor of a gyroscope. The gyroscope is operative as an actuator for selectively tilting the spinning mirror, and as a direction indicator for controlling the pointing direction of other elements with respect to inertial space. The angular rotation of the cavity feedback mirrors generates aerodynamic flows that cool the spinning mirrors by convective heat transport. Every material particle thereof describes an annular path once per revolution that prevents hot-spot formation and extends the useful lifetime.

Abstract: A system for electronically tuning and suppressing 2N rectification torques in a dynamically tuned free rotor gyroscope with a universal hinge, or a plurality of universal hinges. The system includes means to adjust the frequency of the drive shaft of the gyroscope to a speed such that the rotor precession due to direct elastic restraint torques is eliminated. In addition, the system includes means for measuring the two degree of freedom angular deviations of the principal axis of the rotor with respect to the gyroscope case, as well as the angular deviations of the shaft spin axis relative to the gyroscope case. The sensed angular deviations of both the rotor and shaft drive a torque generator which produces a torque on the rotor for nulling torque due to angular vibrations of the drive shaft with respect to the rotor. The controlled phasing and gain of the nulling torque provides both average bending compliance tuning and suppression of the 2N rectification.

Abstract: A single vibration sensor having the capability of sensing vibration along three rotational axes as well as three translational axes and exhibiting consistent dynamics over a wide frequency range. The sensor includes an elongated mass formed of a generally rigid material suspended in a fluid within a housing. The exterior surface of the mass is spaced from the interior surface of the housing to permit limited freedom of motion of the mass within the housing. The mass is provided with multiaxial radial and axial electromagnetic suspensions, and is typically supported by a fluid within the housing. Rotational positioning is provided by a signal generator, torque generator combination. Vibration is sensed by additive or differential measurements of current changes in the coils of different axes of the suspensions or electromagnetic signal and torque generator combinations.