Abstract: On a railroad car handbrake system the main handbrake shaft, used to turn the chain, is utilized during its rotation to drive a target object to a magnetic sensor. The target object may be driven by cam plates, gears, screw mechanisms or the like and may be a magnetic or ferromagnetic object. The sensor system disclosed is rugged and easily adapted to existing handbrake systems.

Abstract: A geartooth target providing a consistent magnetic signal for each feature type with unambiguously readable features has three unique 30° segments, each segment ending with a falling edge transition, the segments placed to have a unique pattern of segments every 90°.

Abstract: A method and circuit to strip the composite synchronization (sync) from a composite video signal is disclosed. This invention utilizes a phase-locked loop and a switchable input operational amplifier to remove the sync portion of the video signal without bandlimiting or introducing non-linearities to the video signal. The phase-locked loop creates a high frequency clock from which a signal can be created that fully encompasses the sync portion of the composite video signal. This signal controls the switchable input operational amplifier to select blank level voltage during sync or allow the video to pass when sync is not present.

Abstract: A low ampere mechanical switch has a contact design creating a line of contact between the moveable and stationary contacts. The stationary contacts are stainless steel and the moveable contact is Inconel.TM.. Both contacts have a thin plating of gold alloy to provide for good mechanical strength at high temperature with a natural lubricating ability. The contact physical design provides good wiping action and mechanical contact while preventing troughing.

Abstract: An environmental sensor apparatus and method of making same is disclosed in which an environmentally sensitive silicon die is sandwiched between an elastomeric media seal and a conductive elastomeric pad contained within a housing. The conductive elastomeric pad contacts a printed circuit board (PCB) which leads from the housing. The die, elastomers and PCB are secured by a press fit plug which contacts the PCB and is heat staked to the housing to provide a substantially flush hermetic seal.

Abstract: A configurable switch having a base and interchangeable stationary contacts positioned in adjustable locations with respect to the base. A plunger is slidably mounted with respect to the base so that the plunger moves between a first position and a second position. One or more moveable contacts are mounted in a normally open position or a normally closed position. In the first position or the second position, the moveable contacts make contact and/or break contact with the stationary contacts depending upon the respective arrangements of the stationary contacts and the moveable contacts. Thus the configuration of a four-circuit switch can be altered with a minimum of different components to be, for example, a four normally closed circuit configuration, three normally closed and one normally open circuit configuration, two normally closed and two normally open circuit configuration, etc., with a minimum of expense or retooling.

Abstract: A switch assembly with three axis actuator tolerance comprises a body containing an actuator floating in the x-y plane for moving a camming device which activates a self-contained switch unit with all parts being contained within the body. The switch assembly is thereby highly useful for accommodating manufacturing tolerances of appliances where the switch actuator must fit through holes in appliance panels or the body must fit between appliance panels or both.

Abstract: A temperature sensor for the liquid crystal portion of a liquid crystal display assembly which includes a thin layer of transparent conductive material which is spread across the viewing area of the display. This layer of transparent conductive material can provide heat to warm up the display when a large voltage is put across it, and can also be used to measure liquid crystal temperature. It is known that the resistance of materials such as indium tin oxide (ITO) changes at a known rate with respect to temperature. By using this transparent layer of material in the stacked elements of a liquid crystal display assembly, an accurate reading of the liquid crystal temperature can be made.

Abstract: Rapid prototyping methods and apparatuses that produce structures made of continuous-fiber polymer-matrix composites without the use of molds. Instead of using molds, the composite structure is fabricated patch by patch in layers or wraps, using a two- or three-axis stage connected to a rapidly-reconfigurable forming surface, and a robot arm to position the evolving composite structure, which are both programmable devices. Because programmable devices are included, i.e., a robot and a two- or three-axis stage connected to the reconfigurable forming surface, the control program needed to produce a desired shape can be easily modified to automatically generate the desired shape from an electronic model (e.g., using a CAD/CAM system) of the desired (predetermined) shape.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for automating validation and verification of computer software that confirms during a test execution of the software that all lines of code are executed and all branches in the software are taken or not taken at least once. The computer software to be tested is compiled and a link map is generated. After compilation of the code, it is run in a test fixture to test all the required functions. During this test execution, a monitoring process is performed which documents which lines of code have been executed and whether certain branches of the code were either taken or not taken. An execution record is generated which indicates what instruction branches were taken and were not taken. A comparison is then made between the link map originally generated and the instruction record generated to determine what lines of code were executed, whether each branch was taken at least once, and whether a branch was not taken at least once.

Abstract: A phosphor binding material and process is shown and described for LCD backlight systems. The improved process provides a residual phosphor binding material transparent to UV light. No UV light energy is lost to absorption in the binding material and more UV light energy is used to produce visible light. Because the UV light is better utilized in the production of visible light, overall lamp efficiency is improved.

Abstract: An apparatus based on precision X-Y stages that are stacked. Attached to arms projecting from each X-Y stage are a set of two axis gimbals. Attached to the gimbals is a rod, which provides motion along the axis of the rod and rotation around its axis. A dual-planar apparatus that provides six degrees of freedom of motion precise to within microns of motion.

Abstract: A terrain profile for executing terrain following flight is generated using a minimal volume of digital terrain elevation data (DTED) information. By limiting the amount of information considered in generating the terrain profile, the computational time and resource requirements for terrain profile generation are reduced, but without compromising the integrity of the terrain profile generated. The sample region is limited by limiting the width of sample regions according to expected use including most likely terrain following flight command data, potential unexpected flight path deviation, and long range terrain following flight data.

Abstract: A method based on precision X-Y stages that are stacked. Attached to arms projecting from each X-Y stage are a set of two axis gimbals. Attached to the gimbals is a rod, which provides motion along the axis of the rod and rotation around its axis. A dual-planar apparatus that provides six degrees of freedom of motion precise to within microns of motion. Precision linear stages along with precision linear motors, encoders, and controls provide a robotics system. The motors can be remotized by incorporating a set of bellows on the motors and can be connected through a computer controller that will allow one to be a master and the other one to be a slave. Position information from the master can be used to control the slave. Forces of interaction of the slave with its environment can be reflected back to the motor control of the master to provide a sense of force sensed by the slave.

Abstract: An image display apparatus which employs a polarization-sensitive scattering element (PSSE). In the display, a light source is used to illuminate a panel which modulates light in order to form an image. Positioned between the light source and the panel is the PSSE which acts to effectively separate light of different polarizations. The PSSE provides a means for recapturing light energy which would otherwise be lost in the display, while reducing degradation and heat build-up due to light absorption.

Abstract: A dual radio frequency interferometer aided by laser rangefinder and terrain database system utilizes two linear rays of RFI sensors to determine the position of a source of RF energy. The dual RFI system is very attractive in that it is a passive system and cannot be detected by other sensors or systems while it is going through its position determination operation. Furthermore, use of two linear arrays of sensors allows for the elimination of chronic effects inherent in radio frequency interferometers. The two linear arrays can be placed anywhere on a vehicle as long as they are in the same common geometric plane and in-flight mechanisms are provided to transform the coordinate systems from the in-flight platform coordinates to the local geodetic coordinates. This provides positioning and source identification which can be beneficial to not only the present system but other systems in the area.

Abstract: Methods of and apparatuses for mitigating chatter vibrations in machine tools or components thereof. Chatter therein is suppressed by periodically or continuously varying the stiffness of the cutting tool (or some component of the cutting tool), and hence the resonant frequency of the cutting tool (or some component thereof). The varying of resonant frequency of the cutting tool can be accomplished by modulating the stiffness of the cutting tool, the cutting tool holder, or any other component of the support for the cutting tool. By periodically altering the impedance of the cutting tool assembly, chatter is mitigated. In one embodiment, a cyclic electric (or magnetic) field is applied to the spindle quill which contains an electro-rheological (or magneto-rheological) fluid. The variable yield stress in the fluid affects the coupling of the spindle to the machine tool structure, changing the natural frequency of oscillation.

Abstract: An apparatus based on precision X-Y stages that are stacked. Attached to arms projecting from each X-Y stage are a set of two axis gimbals. Attached to the gimbals is a rod, which provides motion along the axis of the rod and rotation around its axis. A dual-planar apparatus that provides six degrees of freedom of motion precise to within microns of motion. Precision linear stages along with precision linear motors, encoders, and controls provide a robotics system. The motors can be positioned in a remote location by incorporating a set of bellows on the motors and can be connected through a computer controller that will allow one to be a master and the other one to be a slave. Position information from the master can be used to control the slave. Forces of interaction of the slave with its environment can be reflected back to the motor control of the master to provide a sense of force sensed by the slave.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for dimming a lamp in a backlight system of a display device, e.g., liquid crystal display ("LCD"), with a brightness dimming ratio of 10,000:1, which is a factor of 10 better than conventional dimming devices. A switch is provided in an inverter circuit, which has reactive components, that drives the lamp. The is positioned in the inverter circuit such that, when it is closed, the energy stored within the reactive components of the inverter circuit is discharged to ground. In one embodiment, the signals from the power supply are pulse width modulated.

Abstract: A control circuit for providing a common electrode voltage for a liquid crystal display dynamically controls the voltage applied to the common electrode according to various factors that affect the capacitance across the liquid crystal layer. The common electrode control circuit dynamically adjusts the common electrode voltage according to the current maximum and minimum display voltages. In addition, the common electrode control circuit adjusts the common electrode voltage according to the gate-to-source parasitic capacitance, as well as temperature fluctuations. Thus, the control circuit compensates for the most significant factors which may cause he inadvertent accumulation of a charge across the liquid crystal layer.