Patents Represented by Attorney Francis J. Maguire
  • Patent number: 4975627
    Abstract: In an elevator, an electric motor is connected to a brake through a gearbox. The brake is controlled with an electromagnet. A torque signal is applied to the motor. Brake voltage characteristics are used to detect actual brake engagement and to signal a switch to substitute a decaying torque control signal to the motor for the motor torque signal supplied to the motor while the elevator is moving. Motor torque is thereby gradually rather than suddenly reduced to zero.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 1988
    Date of Patent: December 4, 1990
    Assignee: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventor: Narasimha K. Reddy
  • Patent number: 4964804
    Abstract: A training or servicing kit comprises a portable electronic simulation of an apparatus, the simulation including manually operable means to sense and/or control parameters of the simulation, and a computer with associated software serving in use to lead an operator through a training or servicing programme in dependence upon the values of parameters determined by the operator by means of the manually operable means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 1989
    Date of Patent: October 23, 1990
    Assignee: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventors: Thomas G. Carr, Donald Oliver, John James, Robert Rayfield
  • Patent number: 4959782
    Abstract: Arbitration access to an IOC's RAM between the IOC's I/O bus and a signal processor is accomplished by always granting the signal processor access to the IOC's RAM for one machine cycle and disallowing any signal processor operations which would otherwise permit preemptive demand access to memory for more than one machine cycle. The signal processor's activity is then monitored for detecting the signal processor engaged in an activity which does not presently require access to the IOC's RAM and which will occupy the signal processor in a non-memory access activity for a predictable period of time. The IOC's I/O bus is then granted access to the IOC's RAM for a period of time less than the predicted period. In addition to this transparency feature, the present invention may be used in a context of a unique method of transferring data between sensors and actuators on one side of the IOC and the signal processor on the other side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 1990
    Date of Patent: September 25, 1990
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Bhalchandra R. Tulpule, Daniel G. Binnall
  • Patent number: 4954726
    Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for generating thyristor gating signals for a force commutated inverter in order to produce variable frequency pulse-width modulated output waveforms with the appropriate percent fundamental voltage content for reactive power control and with the correct phase relationship to the utility line for real power control. A signal processor in conjunction with a memory is used to store individual patterns for generating a wide variety of PWM waveforms at different frequencies over the entire modulation range so as to provide the designer with the flexibility to select the most advantageous harmonic cancellation for each operating point. An embodiment of the invention .disclosed uses three microprocessors to generate the PWM waveforms and a fourth microprocessor to synhcronize the other three and produce the required phase shift.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1989
    Date of Patent: September 4, 1990
    Assignee: International Fuel Cells Corporation
    Inventors: Kenneth Lipman, Douglas G. Young
  • Patent number: 4953059
    Abstract: A plurality of trapezoidal wedges in a channel for retaining a PCB heat sink are held in place by spring force provided by a compression spring inside the bottom end wedge. The compression forces provided by the spring are mainly effective to prevent twisting of wedges on the absence of a heat sink and to provide at least some degree of heat transfer between the heat sink and the chassis even if the responsible technician neglects to torque down the wedges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 1986
    Date of Patent: August 28, 1990
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Christopher T. McNulty
  • Patent number: 4933836
    Abstract: A plurality of n-dimensional modular entities are internally interconnected via as many as n duel port random access memory devices (DPRs), each memory device dedicated solely to the interchange of information between two modular entities in an n-dimensional lattice of modular entities. One or more of the modular entities may itself be a separate multiprocessor architecture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 12, 1990
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Bhalchandra R. Tulpule, Robert E. Collins, Daniel G. Binnall
  • Patent number: 4903187
    Abstract: A star-connected sensing resistor at the A.C. output side of a PWM inverter detects an output voltage across the resistor, a PWM control according to the invention then amplifies the detected voltage, compares the amplified voltage with a sine wave voltage command signal, amplifies the compared output in a P-I amplifier having a definite gain for a D.C. current, compares the P-I amplified output to a carrier and thus provides a PWM output for controlling the inverter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 1989
    Date of Patent: February 20, 1990
    Assignee: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Doi, Yasutami Kito
  • Patent number: 4893261
    Abstract: Aircraft speed and direction are determined by sampling the sinusoid-like pressure variations at the end of a rotor and performing a Fourier analysis on the pressure samples. Fourier quadrature component signals are used to determine aircraft direction and are also used to determine, along with a steady state component, the aircraft's total velocity. A discrete Fourier analysis may be performed on the pressure samples using a plurality of subrevolution pressure samples averaged over each subrevolution interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 1987
    Date of Patent: January 9, 1990
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: William W. Flint, III, Richard C. Filipkowski
  • Patent number: 4890284
    Abstract: A backup software program is installed in an isolated portion in the memory of at least one of redundant computers. The backup program performs basically the same functions as the prime program but is dissimilarly programmed to prevent a common software error. Switchover to the backup program occurs either automatically in response to monitors, or manually by the operator (i.e. pilot) when he detects an anomaly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 1988
    Date of Patent: December 26, 1989
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Richard D. Murphy, William C. Fischer
  • Patent number: 4885475
    Abstract: A sine wave locked in phase and frequency to a carrier having a high second harmonic content, carrying information on the magnitude of a parameter, is applied to an open loop operational amplifier which provides a trapezoidal waveform to a high speed, differential transistor pair which provides a pair of squarewave signals whose duty cycles are regulated by varying the threshold at which the differential pair switches. The squarewaves may be used as a second-harmonic-free demodualting signal. The fundamental premise is that if the amplitude levels of the squarewave levels of the squarewave are known to a high degree of accuracy, and they are equal in the positive and negative directions, then the average value is zero only for a 50% duty cycle. A current regulator generates a selected current to a constant value with a high gain amplifier. This current is switched from one side to the other of the differential pair by the trapezoidal waveform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 1988
    Date of Patent: December 5, 1989
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Joseph P. Farina
  • Patent number: 4878046
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for a helmet mounted display with a cathode ray tube for mounting on the torso of the operator are disclosed. A disconnectable cable supplies an information bearing signal to a signal conditioning circuit for mounting on the torso of the operator and a low voltage signal to a high voltage supply also for mounting on the torso of the operator. The high voltage supply provides the necessary high voltage for the operation of the cathode ray tube. The signal conditioning circuit provides the horizontal and vertical deflection signals and a decoded and amplified information bearing signal to the cathode ray tube. The cathode ray tube converts the information bearing signal into CRT images. A reducer, adjacent to and facing the cathode ray tube display face, reduces these CRT images and presents them to an optical fiber bundle which in turn presents the reduced CRT images to an expander.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 1987
    Date of Patent: October 31, 1989
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Stephen J. Smith
  • Patent number: 4874063
    Abstract: A plurality of components are mounted within a portable housing which may be mounted inside an elevator car on top of the door frame. The components comprise a people sensing means for detecting individual persons entering and leaving the elevator car and providing signals indicative of each such person and the direction of movement, and further comprise height sensing means for providing a signal indicative of the altitude of the portable housing, a clock for providing a time signal indicative of the time of day and a signal processor responsive to the person signal, the floor signal and the time signal for storing the time of day of a particular stop, the number of people entering and leaving and the floor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 1988
    Date of Patent: October 17, 1989
    Assignee: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventor: Kenneth D. Taylor
  • Patent number: 4871226
    Abstract: A fiber carrier provides an effective coupling means between a cleaved facing surface of an optical fiber and a light port in a mounting surface of an integrated optical device. Both the fiber carrier and the integrated optical device have an anisotropic thermal expansion property along the same known optic axis and both are substantially similar in magnitude to each other. The fiber carrier is positioned with the integrated optical device so that both the carrier optic axis is parallel to the device optic axis and so that an auxiliary surface of the carrier is parallel to the device mounting surface. The optical fiber is then bonded to the fiber carrier so that the plane of the optical fiber cleaved facing surface lies in the plane of the carrier auxiliary surface. The carrier auxiliary surface is finally bonded to the device mounting surface so that the optical fiber cleaved facing surface is placed in registration with the light port in the device mounting surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 1987
    Date of Patent: October 3, 1989
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel P. Courtney, Timothy J. Bailey
  • Patent number: 4870334
    Abstract: An apparatus for controlling an adjustable-speed electric motor. The actual motor speed is sensed and compared with a commanded motor speed. A speed error signal, which depends on the difference between the actual and desired values of motor speed, is derived and applied to a proportional-plus-integral control circuit which converts it into a first torque command signal. The speed command signal is converted into a second torque command signal proportional to the rate of change of the speed command signal. The second torque command signal is added to the first torque command signal to provide a torque command signal. A control circuit responds to the torque command signal by controlling the operation of the motor in accordance with the torque command signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 1988
    Date of Patent: September 26, 1989
    Assignee: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventors: Masao Iwasa, Yasutami Kito, Masayuki Mori
  • Patent number: 4867524
    Abstract: A method for pigtailing an optical fiber to a lithium niobate integrated optical device (I/O chip) is shown and described wherein the bonding between the I/O chip and the optical fiber is a metallic bond. The lithium niobate may be attached to a metallic substrate which is welded to a metallic fiber optic carrier which is in turn welded to a metallized optical fiber. The fiber optic carrier may also be made of non-metallic materials which are given a metallic coating prior to attachment to the I/O chip by means of a metallic bond such as welding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 1988
    Date of Patent: September 19, 1989
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel P. Courtney, Timothy J. Bailey
  • Patent number: 4845617
    Abstract: Each engine of a multi-engine aircraft is monitored to determine if it has become inoperative during a critical flight mode such as takeoff or landing. If so, the propeller of the inoperative engine is feathered and the remaining engine or engines is uptrimmed. A "state machine" indicative of the various states of the aircraft is established and the present state of the aircraft is stored in a non-volatile memory; if an electrical power interruption occurs during a critical flight mode the identity of the present operating state may be quickly recalled for immediate refeathering of an inoperative engine and reuptrimming of the remaining engine or engines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 1987
    Date of Patent: July 4, 1989
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffry K. Kamenetz, Howard E. Simmons
  • Patent number: 4839818
    Abstract: A magnet wire oven for an in-line drawing fabrication process is controlled by means of a local operator control station having a plurality of menu screens stored therein for operator call-up and control via a remote controller for controlling a plurality of oven parameters. The remote controller is located in an output of the way location so as to efficiently utilize floorspace while at the same time controlling a large number of parameters in one main controller unit. The local operator station comprises a local signal processor, a keyboard, a display and an input/output port. The remote controller comprises a remote signal processor, a multiplexer and a plurality of analog loop controllers. The remote controller may also include either analog or digital input/output devices or both.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 1987
    Date of Patent: June 13, 1989
    Assignee: Essex Group, Inc.
    Inventor: James L. Phillips
  • Patent number: 4835649
    Abstract: A resettable current limiter is started using an externally generated reset signal, latches on and continues conducting until an overload current is sensed, at which time the limiter shuts off load current. An FET is used both as a series pass element anda load current sensing element. A comparator senses the source of drain voltage drop across the FET and provides a shutdown signal to the FET's gate upon sensing an overload. The limiter may also comprise a solid state switch for positively shutting off the FET using an externally generated off signal. The reset signal reponse circuitry may be set up to be edge triggered to protect against an external short. The reset signal may be a level change or may be a periodic signal. A zener diode may be used for both protecting the FET against excessive voltages and against current surges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 1987
    Date of Patent: May 30, 1989
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: David C. Salerno
  • Patent number: 4830577
    Abstract: A metal diaphragm impulse pump with no valves is disclosed. The pump may be used in an angular velocity sensor utilizing the Coriolis effect on a fluid jet. A magnetic core is mounted within an anvil and a drive coil is wound around the core. The drive coil may be driven sinusoidally and the diaphragm, which is mounted on the anvil responds with a vibratory motion in like manner. Sensing poles are provided in quadrature with the drive coils and may be used to sense the vibratory motion and thereby control the fluid flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 1988
    Date of Patent: May 16, 1989
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: E. Marston Moffatt, Richard E. Swarts
  • Patent number: 4820960
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for the fast retrace of the electron beam in a cathode ray tube are disclosed. A deflection signal is presented to a cathode ray tube deflection system upon the detection of the end of the retrace period of the deflection signal so that a cathode ray tube electron beam can scan across the screen of the cathode ray tube. Upon detecting the beginning of the retrace period of the deflection signal, a forcing signal is presented to the cathode ray tube deflection system. The presenting of the forcing signal to the deflection system quickly reverses the direction of the current flow through the deflection system and allows for the electron beam to slew to its initial position and settle before the end of the normal retrace period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 1987
    Date of Patent: April 11, 1989
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: James A. Fazio