Abstract: A fuel system includes a pair of electronically controllable high pressure fuel pumps operable to supply high pressure fuel from a lower pressure fuel source to a high pressure fuel accumulator having a pressure sensor associated therewith. The fuel collection chamber feeds an electronically controllable valve operable to dispense the high pressure fuel to a fuel distribution unit supplying fuel to a number of fuel injectors. A control computer is provided for controlling the high pressure fuel pump and valve in response to requested fueling, engine speed and fuel pressure provided by the pressure sensor. The accumulator pressure signal is processed in accordance with the present invention for diagnosing erratic pressure sensor failures. The control computer is operable to compute error pressure values based on differences between peak accumulator pressure values and a target pressure value, and compute pressure error variance values based on subsets of the pressure error values.

Abstract: A vehicle/engine acceleration rate management system includes means for determining vehicle acceleration rate and a control computer providing a fueling signal to an internal combustion engine fueling system. The control computer is responsive to a gear ratio signal indicative of one of a plurality of selectable transmission gear ratios currently engaged with the engine and a vehicle acceleration rate signal to control the vehicle acceleration rate by limiting the fueling signal whenever the vehicle acceleration rate signal exceeds a vehicle acceleration limit function. In one embodiment, such vehicle acceleration rate limiting is performed only for vehicle speeds above a threshold vehicle speed, and an identical engine acceleration rate limiting procedure is performed at vehicle speeds below the threshold vehicle speed. In either case, such acceleration rate limiting is preferably only performed under manual control of engine fueling via an accelerator pedal or the like.

Abstract: A system for controlling fueling of an internal combustion engine includes a receiver associated with the vehicle, such as a GPS, GLONASS or LORAN-C receiver, operable to receive radio signals relating to vehicle location, a fueling system responsive to fueling signals to provide fuel to the engine and a control computer with a memory having a number of different engine fueling maps stored therein. The control computer is responsive to the radio signals to determine therefrom a geographical position of the vehicle, retrieve an appropriate one of the number of engine fueling maps from memory which corresponds to the geographical location of the vehicle, and provide the fueling signals according to the appropriate one of the number of engine fueling maps.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling engine speed during power take-off (PTO) operation. A technique is disclosed which enables accelerator pedal over-ride of PTO operation, wherein PTO operation is resumed when the accelerator pedal induced engine speed value decreases to a preset PTO engine speed. Also, a high-speed governor is employed to limit accelerator pedal-based engine speed during PTO over-ride operation to thereby limit maximum engine speed. In accordance with the invention, the operator of a vehicle can thus accelerate the engine, via actuation of the accelerator pedal, to engine speeds in excess of the preset PTO engine speed without disengaging PTO operation.

Abstract: An electrical system for use with interconnected or ganged furniture includes electrical receptacles for each article of furniture and a plurality of electrical cables for connecting the receptacles. The receptacles and cables have specifically coded terminal groups and connector terminal groups that prevent interconnection of more than a specific allotted number of receptacles. An initial receptacle includes a substantially permanent power cord for plugging into a conventional wall socket. A last receptacle has only an input terminal group and a blank output. Intermediate receptacles are provided so that the total electrical system is limited to twelve sockets among the first, last and intermediate receptacles. In one embodiment, five terminal groups are provided. The receptacles are configured so that the input and output terminal groups for the receptacle are different.

Abstract: An extendable/retractable temporary electrical receptacle assembly 10 is provided for mounting within an opening formed in the work surface S of an article of furniture, such as a table T. The receptacle assembly 10 includes a bezel 11 that is mounted by use of resilient locking tabs within the opening and a hollow receptacle formed from an upper portion 12 joined to a lower portion 3. The upper portion 12 carries an array of electrical/data sockets 21, 22 that are accessible above the work surface S when the receptacle assembly 10 is in an extended position. In a retracted position, the upper portion 12 is wholly contained within the bezel 11 to hide the array of sockets 21, 22. A pair of compression springs 55 is disposed within spring channels 52, 53 formed in the upper and lower portions of the receptacle. The springs 55 are bottomed on tabs 38 projecting inwardly from the bezel 11 and into the spring channels 52 in the receptacle.

Abstract: A system for customizing the operation of a vehicle/engine control computer includes a memory card having control computer customizing information stored thereon and a memory card interface unit having at least one signal line connected to at least one existing input signal line of the vehicle/engine control computer. In one embodiment, the memory card interface unit includes a control device operable to control a number of switches each connected to one of a corresponding number of switched input signal lines of the vehicle/engine control computer. The control device is operable to read the control computer customizing information from the memory card and control the states of the number of switches to thereby transfer the control computer customizing information to the vehicle/engine control computer.

Abstract: A fuel system includes an electronically controllable high pressure fuel pump operable to supply high pressure fuel from a lower pressure fuel source to a high pressure fuel collection chamber having a pressure sensor associated therewith. The fuel collection chamber feeds an electronically controllable valve operable to dispense the high pressure fuel to a fuel distribution unit supplying fuel to a number of fuel injectors. A control computer is provided for controlling the high pressure fuel pump and valve in response to requested fueling, engine speed and fuel pressure provided by the pressure sensor. The control computer is normally operable to drive the fuel pump as a function of fuel pressure and a reference pressure, which is based on requested fueling, and to control the valve as a function of commanded fueling, which is a function of engine speed and a reference speed based on requested fueling, and fuel pressure.

Abstract: A system for managing engine retarding torque during coast mode operation includes a control computer operable in one embodiment to control boost pressure, engine compression brake setting and/or engine accessory deactivation upon detection of coast mode operation with the engine compression brakes enabled. In another embodiment, the control computer is operable to determine a current engine retarding torque value, based either on an estimation thereof as a function of current boost pressure and engine compression brake setting or based on a mass estimation technique accounting for the grade of the road, and control boost pressure, engine compression brake operation and/or engine accessory deactivation to thereby control engine retarding torque upon detection of coast mode operation with the engine brakes enabled.

Abstract: A prescription farming control system includes a navigation controller and a product delivery controller for controlling the rate of operation of a number of agricultural product delivery mechanisms mounted on an applicator vehicle as a function of the global position of the vehicle in an agricultural field. Information is stored in computer memory on board the vehicle to define a number of layers corresponding to each of the delivery mechanisms, each layer including a number of zones representing different levels of activity of the corresponding mechanism. Each zone is defined by a plurality of vertices, rather than on a pixel-by-pixel basis. The navigation controller receives satellite positioning data to combine with pseudorange correction data received from a fixed ground station to determine a corrected accurate global position of the vehicle. A graphics coprocessor includes active invisible graphics memory page onto which each layer is sequentially drawn and interrogated.

Abstract: A one-diode circuit for negated implication (.about..fwdarw.) is derived from a 12-transistor Lukasiewicz implication circuit (.fwdarw.). The derivation also yields an adjustable three-transistor implication circuit with maximum error less than 1% of full scale. Two Lukasiewicz logic arrays (.English Pound.LAs) are proposed that use area-efficient implementations of the one-diode and three-transistor implication circuits. The very dense diode-tower .English Pound.LA contains 36,000 implications in an area that previously held 92 implications; the three-transistor .English Pound.LA contains 1,990 implications. Both .English Pound.LAs double the number of inputs per pin on the IC package. Very dense .English Pound.LAs make .English Pound.LA-based fuzzy controllers and neural networks practical. As an example, an .English Pound.LA retina that detects edges in 15 nanoseconds is described.

Abstract: A folding leg apparatus is provided to mount a leg to an article of furniture, such as a tabletop, so that the leg can be moved between extended and retracted positions. The table leg has a pair of upright bars disposed apart from each other. the apparatus includes a pair of support brackets mounted to the underside of the tabletop and straddling the upright bars of the leg. A pair of swivel brackets and a pair of brace links are pivotably mounted at opposite ends of each support bracket. A pair of pivot rods are attached to the upright bars adjacent the free end of the leg, and the swivel brackets and brace links are pivotably connected to a corresponding pivot rod. The apparatus includes a latch and release mechanism that includes a release lever having an actuator plate positioned within the envelope of the support brackets. The release lever includes a pair of lever arms that each define a locking notch for receiving one of the pivot rods therein to lock the leg in its upright position.

Abstract: A hybrid ion mobility and time-of-flight mass spectrometer includes an ion source region coupled to an ion mobility spectrometer (IMS) which feeds directly into an ion accelerating region of a time-of-flight mass spectrometer (TOFMS). In one embodiment, the TOFMS is positioned relative to the IMS so that the flight tube axis of the TOFMS is perpendicular to the drift tube axis of the IMS. In an alternate embodiment, the TOFMS is positioned relative to the IMS so that the flight tube axis of the TOFMS is non-perpendicular to the drift tube axis of the IMS. In the alternate embodiment, a known quadrupole ion trap is positioned between the IMS and the TOFMS to provide the capability of controlling the injection of ion packets into the TOFMS. The ion source may be a MALDI source, an electrospray ionization source, or an ion trap positioned between the IMS and any known ion source. In each case, the IMS, TOFMS and ion sources are preferably controlled by a computer.

Abstract: A joystick adapter is provided for mounting over the depressible buttons of a directional keypad on a video game controller. The adapter includes a joystick having a knob and a separable base. The knob is configured for manual manipulation, while the underside of the base is configured to contact and be supported by the depressible buttons of the keypad. The knob and base are pressfit together so that the individual components can be removed and replaced. The adapter further includes a clip having a shell that is supportable on the controller body. The shell defines an opening to receive the joystick therethrough with the knob above the shell and the base between the shell and the keypad. The adapter further includes an elastic T-shaped band that surrounds the bottom and sidewalls of the controller body. The band includes three arms with resilient openings in each of the arms. The openings are adapted to engage a corresponding tab projecting from the shell of the joystick adapter clip.

Abstract: An automatic tissue sampling device includes a housing having an upper opening and a cover closable over the opening. A biopsy needle assembly is operatively disposed within the device, and includes an outer cannula and an inner stylet. A drive mechanism includes a cannula carriage and a stylet carriage slidably disposed within the housing and a system of springs for driving the first and second carriages to pierce a tissue site and obtain a tissue sample. The cannula and stylet of the needle assembly are each supported on the respective carriages by corresponding hubs. The hubs are configured to be received within the carriages to impart driving motion from the carriages to the needle assembly. In one aspect of the invention, the hubs each include a flag attached to the hub and projecting laterally away from the longitudinal axis of the hub. Each flag is sized to be manually grasped to install or remove the hubs from the carriages.

Abstract: An automatic watering device for use with a stationary water reservoir includes an elongated hollow housing fixedly positioned relative to the reservoir, an elongated pipe having a first end extending into the housing and an opposite second end connected to a source of water, and a water control valve disposed within the housing and connected to the first end of the pipe. The water control valve is adjustably positionable within the housing to correspondingly set a desired water level within the reservoir. The automatic watering device of the present invention is particularly useful for maintaining a supply of water in an animal watering trough since the water control valve is protected from abuse at all times by the protective housing.

Abstract: An engine compression brake control device is disclosed. The control device is electronic and prevents activation of the engine compression brakes during operating states wherein undesirable conditions will result if the engine brakes are active. The electronic control device monitors various conditions and activates the engine brakes only if all of the following conditions are simultaneously detected: a valid gear ratio is detected; the driver has requested or enabled engine compression brake operation; the clutch pedal is out; the throttle is at a minimum engine speed position; and the electronic controller is not presently attempting to execute an electronically controlled final drive gear shift.

Abstract: A control system for controlling automatic shifting of a manual/automatic transmission is disclosed including a cruise control system and an auto-shift mode for controlling automatic upshift and downshift operations between the top two gears of a heavy duty truck transmission. Certain failures of equipment or incorrect driving habits of operators are corrected for with algorithms which prevent undesirable operating conditions which compromise the acceptability of an electronically controlled heavy duty truck transmission equipped vehicle. The mechanism by which auto-shift operation of the transmission is requested is also compared with parameters such as vehicle speed and engine speed in order to determine whether gears should be engaged or disengaged, the gears being those subject to auto-shift control of the system controller.