Abstract: In a railroad locomotive having a diesel engine and an electro-motive propulsion system for transforming and transmitting power from the engine to wheels of the locomotive for propelling the locomotive, a method of reducing the time required to transmit power at a predetermined level of power to the wheels to propel the vehicle comprising increasing engine speed to approximately a maximum engine speed prior to transmitting power generated by the engine to propel the locomotive, and thereafter controlling the electro-motive propulsion system to transfer power from the engine to the locomotive wheels to propel and accelerate the locomotive.

Abstract: In a distributed power railroad train, an apparatus for equalizing the equalizing reservoir pressure in the remote power unit and the brake pipe pressure. With these pressures equal, the remote unit cannot charge the brake pipe while the lead unit attempts to vent the brake pipe to command a brake application at the railcars of the train.

Abstract: Method and communication system for a railroad train having at least one locomotive for automatically adjusting the communication system to provide effective communication of command data to control operation of the locomotive are provided. The system includes a transceiver on the locomotive. The system further includes at least one transceiver remote from the locomotive. A database may be provided for storing data relative to a plurality of communication schemes available to the communication system. A first monitor may be used for sensing a parameter indicative of the quality of the communications between the transceivers when the transceivers are operating under a first one of the available communication schemes and generating data indicative of communications quality.

Abstract: An anti-exposure flotation suit for children is fabricated from water impermeable fabrics, and is sealed at various openings to prevent water from leaking into the enclosed interior. Elongated sleeves and a bottom of the suit are enclosed to prevent water leakage. A watertight zipper may be used to close an opening through which a child is placed for donning the suit. A flexible collar and hood seals the neck area from water leaking into the suit. The length of the sleeves and suit are adjustable to fit various sizes of children.

Abstract: Multi-wavelength fiber-optic processors based on a fault-tolerant scheme using a macro-pixel to control an optical beam are described. The macro-pixel system uses multiple device pixels per beam to provide a robust digital technique for amplitude control and routing, enabling a module with high optical beam alignment tolerance and resistance to catastropic failure. In one embodiment, the macropixel is implemented via small tilt micromirrors fabricated via optical microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) technology. The system includes fault tolerant fiber-optic processors that can implement add-drop wavelength routing, optical power level conditioning per wavelength, 2×2 optical crossconnects, and 1×N and M×N type broadcast-gain controlled switches. The system can simultaneously and independently implement optical power conditioning and wavelength routing for any wavelength channel.

Abstract: A wayside lubrication apparatus (10) for applying a lubricant (26) to a second position (36) of a rail (12) in response to the head of a train (14) being proximate a first position (20) of the rail. The distance (D) between the two positions prevents the lubricant from reducing the traction capability of the drive wheels (38) of the locomotives (16). The application of the lubricant is terminated before a number of rear load cars (46) passes the lubricant applicator (28) so that the residual lubricant remaining on the rail after the train has passed is reduced. Operation of the lubricant dispensing apparatus (22) may be bypassed by an operator-controlled bypass device (60) or in response to a signal (56) indicating moisture on the rail.

Abstract: An improved railroad communication system configurable to comply with newly proposed FRA regulations and further configurable to addresses the concern of communications conflicts is provided. The railroad communication system includes a first radio communication system operating in a first frequency band of about 450 MHz band for communication with a locomotive. The system further includes a second radio communication system operating in a second frequency band selected to be different from the first frequency so as to avoid interference with the first radio communication system for communication with the locomotive. A processor on the locomotive enables the locomotive to selectively respond to the designated control signals so that operation of the locomotive will respond only to the appropriate control signals.

Abstract: In the present invention, viruses, plasmids or both are constructed which contain viral DNA, at least one head-to-head ITR junction, and recombinase recognition sites positioned such that site-specific recombination between recombinase recognition sites in separate plasmids results in generation of infectious viral DNA at high-efficiency in cotransfected host cells that have been engineered to express a site-specific recombinase. Because of the high-efficiency and specificity of the Cre enzyme, suitably engineered plasmids can be readily recombined to produce infectious virus at high-efficiency in cotransfected 293 cells, without, at the same time, producing wild-type adenovirus, with the attendant problems for removal thereof.

Abstract: A planar antenna comprising a spiral conductive surface comprising an inner spiral segment and an outer spiral segment. A shorting leg for connection to a ground plane and a feed leg responsive to the antenna signal (in the transmit and the receive modes) extend downwardly from the plane of the spiral segments. Performance characteristics of the antenna are responsive to the configuration and spacing of the spiral segments and the distance between the antenna and the ground plane.

Abstract: An adaptive fuel limit function (52) for protecting an internal combustion engine. The adaptive fuel limit function is a learning function responsive to trends in an engine performance parameter such as compensated fuel consumption per unit of power produced (62). The engine performance parameter is processed through a low pass filter (64) to allow changes in a fuel limit signal (54) in response to gradual changes in the fuel demand, such as may be due to wear in the engine, while blocking changes in the fuel limit signal in response to sudden changes in the fuel demand, such as may be due to a cylinder failure. The difference between the input and the output of the low pass filter may be processed to identify a failure level (88) for providing an alarm function distinct from the learning function.

Abstract: A thermal protection apparatus for an AC traction motor including a stator, a rotor, a blower fan and an inverter includes a method and apparatus for predicting the motor temperature assuming that the blower is operational. The method and apparatus also determines an estimated motor temperature by measuring the motor resistance or the rotor slip. The estimated motor temperatures compared to the predicted motor temperature to determine the condition of the motor cooling system.

Abstract: A two-dimensional parity method and system that provides two-disk fault tolerance in an array of disks, such as a RAID system, is presented. The method includes arranging strips containing data in the disk array into horizontal and diagonal parity sets, each parity set including at least one data strip as a member and no single data strip is repeated in any one parity set. Horizontal XOR parities are calculated for each horizontal parity set and stored in a designated disk. Diagonal XOR parities are calculated for each diagonal parity set and at least some of the diagonal XOR parities are stored in a designated disk. The remaining diagonal parities are stored in a corresponding strip in a diagonal parity stripe so that no members of a contributing diagonal parity set have the same disk index as the disk index of the corresponding strip of the diagonal parity stripe.

Abstract: System and method for controlling an appliance for drying clothing articles is provided. The appliance has a container for receiving the clothing articles. A motor is provided for rotating the container about an axis. A heater is provided for supplying heated air to the container during a dry cycle. A sensor is provided for providing a signal indicative of moisture content of the articles. Memory is provided memory for storing historical stop time data of respective dry cycles. A noise-reduction filter is coupled to receive the signal from the moisture sensor to provide selectable filtering to that signal. A timer provides a signal indicative of elapsed time upon start of the dry cycle. A module is responsive to the historical data in the memory for determining an initial estimate of the stop time of the dry cycle to be executed. A processor allows for estimating the stop time of the dry cycle as the cycle is being executed.

Abstract: An electrostatic speaker is constructed using a thin flexible membrane as the active member. This membrane is uniformly positioned against at least one printed circuit board containing at least one stator fixed in the PCB. Variations in structure are provided, all including at least one PCB and a membrane. In a preferred embodiment, intermeshing opposing ridges on the PCBs are adjacent to a central vibrating area of the membrane, and serve to position and tension the membrane. Attachment means connect the PCBs together, and electrical connections permit the passage of current to bias the membrane and to drive the stators to vibrate the membrane, producing acoustical output in the sonic or ultrasonic ranges. The invention also relates to the electrostatic speakers produced by this method of manufacture.

Abstract: A antenna array (20) includes a plurality of periodic or aperiodic arranged sub-arrays (22). Each sub-array (22) includes a plurality of antenna elements (32) arranged in the form of a spiral (30). The sub-arrays (22) can comprise various spiral shapes to provide the required physical configuration and operational parameters to the antenna array (20). The elements (32) of each sub-array (22) are arranged to minimize the number of such elements (32) that intersect imaginary planes perpendicular to the spiral and passing through the spiral center. Such an orientation of the elements (32) minimizes grating lobes in the antenna pattern.

Abstract: There is disclosed a meanderline loaded antenna formed by applying a conductive ink or other conductive material to a flexible substrate. The substrate is then shaped by removing regions and folding other regions along perforated or scored lines to fit the antenna within the available space of a wireless device. In lieu of folding regions of a planar substrate to form a three-dimensional structure, the substrate can be vacuum formed over a mandrel after the antenna elements have been formed thereon. The antenna can also be formed by printing on existing enclosure surfaces of a wireless device or on the surfaces of components within the device. Thus the advantages offered by a meanderline antenna where the effective electrical length is greater than the actual physical length are achieved in conjunction with a space-saving physical structure for the antenna.

Abstract: An antenna incorporating slow wave structures. The antenna comprises at least two conductive serpentine structures disposed on a dielectric substrate and further comprising an oppositely disposed conductive top plate electrically connected to the conductive serpentine structures and farther electromagnetically connected thereto. In one embodiment the antenna further comprises a ground plane below the dielectric substrate.

Abstract: A centrifugal blower (70) for an electric-drive vehicle (71) having three independent air outlets (82, 86, 90) receiving air from a single impeller (78). A first radial airflow (84) provides cooling air to an alternator (106) of the vehicle, a second radial airflow (88) provides cooling air to a control group (102) of the vehicle, and an axial airflow (92) provides cooling air to an electric drive motor (108) of the vehicle. The first and second radial airflows are provided through respective first and second outlets (82, 86) formed at radially separated locations in a perimeter of the blower housing (72). The axial airflow is provided through a generally ring-shaped third outlet (90) formed in a sidewall (94) of the housing. An air dam (110) provides a pressure barrier between the radial and axial airflows proximate a location where the first radial airflow is redirected to flow in a generally axial direction.

Abstract: A magazine-protecting, ambidextrous device for carrying a loaded spare magazine attached to a firearm buttstock in position for rapid removal and insertion into the firing position of the firearm. The loaded spare magazine is restrained within a well formed in the buttstock by a retractable latch pivotably mounted such that when the spare magazine is removed, the latch retracts below the exterior surface of the firearm buttstock, protecting the latch from damage and reducing the profile of the weapon. The spare magazine is carried in such a way as to protect the open end of the magazine and the ammunition carried therein from dirt and/or damage.

Abstract: In a distributed power railroad train, an apparatus for equalizing the equalizing reservoir pressure in the remote power unit and the brake pipe pressure in response to airflow into the brake pipe from the remote locomotive. With these pressures equal, the remote unit cannot charge the brake pipe while the lead unit vents the brake pipe to command a brake application at the train railcars.