Abstract: A wiring base for a bar code scanner or the like provides a conductive housing open at one face for connecting cables at various screw terminals to a circuit board providing signal processing for the signals and permitting various different-connections of the cables. The shields of the cables pass into the conductive housing to be terminated on conductive housing thereby enlisting the conductive housing as a shield around all the cables. Attachment of the scanning head to the upper face of the wiring base closes the housing to be free from the egress of dust or liquid and completes a Faraday cage around the connections while connecting two multi-pin connectors one within the base and one within the scanner, communicating the signals to the scanner. A visual indicator attached within the conductive housing indicates the presence of power and its polarity prior to connection of the scanning head to the conductive housing.

Abstract: An ultra-passive, variable pressure, regenerative fuel cell system in accordance with the invention utilizes a single gaseous hydrogen storage tank that encloses a plurality of smaller gaseous oxygen storage tubes. This design effectively eliminates the need for active pumping elements to protect the fuel cell's anode surface. A single heating/cooling coil, inside the gaseous hydrogen storage tank, is used to prevent: (a) icing inside the storage tanks due to isentropic expansion during electrical power generation, or (b) overheating of gases due to isentropic compression during electrical recharging operations. Advantageously, the invention also reduces the overall weight and mechanical complexity of the fuel cell system, thereby improving system reliability.

Abstract: An automobile is equipped with an inertial measuring unit, an RF GPS satellite navigation unit and a local area digitized street map system for precise electronic positioning and route guidance between departures and arrivals, is equipped with RF receivers to monitor updated traffic condition information for dynamic rerouting guidance with a resulting reduction in travel time, traffic congestion and pollution emissions, is also equipped with vehicular superceding controls substantially activated during unstable vehicular conditions sensed by the inertial measuring unit to improve the safe operation of the automobile so as to reduce vehicular accidents, and is further equipped with telecommunications through which emergency care providers are automatically notified of the precise location of the automobile in the case of an accident so as to improve the response time of road-side emergency care.

Abstract: A communication system providing for the duplication of data and information transmission between programmable controllers is disclosed. A modem is provided for each programmable controller and each processor within a programmable controller in the system, and the modems are interconnected by pairs of coaxial cables. Each transmission from a programmable controller or processor within a programmable controller is simultaneously transmitted via its associated modem over both cables to all of the other programmable controllers and processors within programmable controllers in the system. The receiving modems select the data or information from one of the cables, based on the integrity of the data being received, and transmit same to its associated programmable controller or processor within a programmable controller.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for incorporating fuzzy logic into a feedback controller is provided. An error signal and the derivative of feedback or error is provided to the fuzzy logic to develop a proportional and differential signal, the differential signal is subsequently integrated and added to the proportional signal to create a control output of the controller. The fuzzy rules of the fuzzy logic decrease the integral term under situations that might lead to "wind-up".

Abstract: A gyroscope includes one or more drive cylinders operatively attached to a pickoff member, which can be in the form of a disk or cylinder. Where the pickoff member is cylindrical, the gyroscope is configured as three axially-aligned cylindrical members attached end to end, the outer two functioning as drive cylinders and the inner one functioning as a pickoff cylinder. The drive cylinders have a single electrode on the outside diameter and a single electrode on the inside diameter. The pickoff cylinder has a single electrode on the outside diameter and a plurality of electrodes on the inside diameter. In the preferred embodiment, the three cylindrical members are integrally formed with one another from piezoelectric material that is polarized radially, and each drive cylinder is attached to the pickoff cylinder by a plurality of connecting members or posts located at the separations between the pickoff electrodes. The posts are preferably staggered positionally as between the two drive cylinders.

Abstract: A feedback control loop having a variable attenuator controlled by oscillation detector means and overshoot detector means to better track the input signal. The oscillation detector means utilizes an estimated signal value compared to a subsequent measured value with the absolute difference of the two compared to predetermined threshold values. Should the calculated difference exceed predetermined threshold values, the variable attenuator value is adjusted and the process repeated after a brief disabling period to allow settling.In addition to the oscillation detector, an overshoot detector means may also be used alone or in combination with oscillator detector means to control the variable attenuator setting.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for motor control tuning wherein an extremely accurate estimate of inertia is determined by using the second derivative of a desired motor velocity and the torque supplied to a motor is altered as a function of inertia.

Abstract: A tracking filter has a tunable filter responsive to an input signal for producing a filtered output signal, a Hilbert transformer for producing an in-phase reference signal and a quadrature-phase reference signal from the filtered output signal, and a discriminator responsive to the input signal and the in-phase and quadrature-phase reference signals for producing a passband center frequency control signal and a passband width control signal for controlling the passband center frequency and the passband width of the tunable filter. The frequency discriminator performs complex demodulation of the input signal with the in-phase reference signals to produce respective in-phase and quadrature-phase baseband signals which are low-pass filtered. The quadrature-phase baseband signal is divided by the in-phase baseband signal. The quotient is integrated to produce the passband center frequency control signal.

Abstract: A method and apparatus to be used with a motor controller for determining the degree of rotor winding failure and stator winding failure using current zero crossing times of the stator winding currents. An error signal sequence, consisting of phase angle errors between consecutive zero crossings over a sampling period, is generated and analyzed in different regions of interest in either the time or frequency domain, producing signals with varying amplitudes, the signal amplitudes together with other motor parameter measurements being used to determine the degree of rotor winding failure and stator winding failure.

Abstract: A method for using a value of range rate observed by a receiver, such as a GPS receiver, at a particular location, along with other satellite information, to determine the coordinates of points on the surface of the earth from which this value of range rate would be observed. These coordinates are given in an earth-centered, earth-fixed (ECEF) coordinate system, and they form a locus of points of equal range rate. The coordinates of these points provide estimates of the location of the GPS receiver.

Abstract: A dual in-line package 12 for an integrated circuit 10 has pins 14 which engage the holes of a complementary socket 16, having two rows 16a and 16b. A portion of one row 16b is omitted, allowing the holes 22 of a cable connector 24 to engage the corresponding pins 20 of the package 12.

Abstract: A drive circuit provides approximately zero phase shift across the terminals of a resonator, and provides a constant excitation of the resonator, while cancelling variation due to the shunt capacitance. For complex demodulation of an angular rate signal from a vibrating quartz angular rate sensor, the drive circuit also provides an in-phase reference signal and a quadrature-phase reference signal. Preferably, the drive circuit includes an adjustable phase shifter connected in a feedback loop including the resonator for adjusting a phase shift of a periodic signal circulating in the feedback loop, and the adjustable phase shifter includes a Hilbert transformer for producing an in-phase signal and a quadrature-phase signal, and a combiner circuit connected to the Hilbert transformer for combining a selected amount of the quadrature signal with the in-phase signal to produce a result shifted by a selected amount of phase.

Abstract: The LOW POWER CRYSTAL OSCILLATOR shown here reduces power consumption of a Pierce oscillator which has an inverter preferably made of an NFET N0 and a PFET P0 in series. A load, preferably an NFET N1 with its gate wired to its source, is placed in parallel with a switch, preferably a PFET P1, between P0 and Vcc. A clamp, preferably a PFET P2 with its gate wired to its source, is placed in parallel with a switch, preferably an NFET N2, between N0 and ground. The switches are enabled during power-up, thereby providing quick turn-on of the oscillator. They are then disabled, thereby reducing the voltage across the crystal XTAL and consequently reducing the power consumed.

Abstract: A module interfaces a programmable controller to several serial communication networks over which data may be exchanged according to different protocols. A module has a central controller and a separate port circuit for each of the networks. Each port circuit includes a microprocessor and a shared memory to which both the central controller and the port microprocessor have access for the exchange of data. The central controller transfers data from the shared memories to a module output coupled to other components of the programmable controller. A removable memory cartridge stores a plurality of programs for execution by the port microprocessors to exchange data over the networks using different communication protocols. Configuration data is stored in the module defining which program is to be transferred from the memory cartridge into the shared memory of each port circuit.

Abstract: A mounting for a single in-line package (SIP) module includes an elongated slot aperture for receiving an edge of the module. The module may be a circuit board or other electrical device and preferably includes edge finger connectors. The elongated slot aperture preferably includes hemicylinders located about the periphery. The hemicylinders provide plated through conductors for connecting to the finger connectors of the module. The aperture is made according to an advantageous method in which the aperture is etched in order to remove barbs or extra copper material caused by milling the aperture. Preferably, the module fits into the aperture with an interference or size-on-size fit. The aperture may include strain relief areas.

Abstract: A bar code reader and the mirror oscillating system thereof are disclosed herein. The bar code reader is of the type which produces a scanning light beam by oscillating at least one mirror with a electromagnetic oscillator. The electromagnetic oscillator includes a winding which is energized with an alternating current signal produced based upon a position signal generated by a magnetic pickup. The position signal is representative of the location of the mirror. The position signal is amplified, phase-shifted, and assigned a duration based upon the difference between the desired angle of mirror oscillation and the actual angle of oscillation to produce the alternating current signal which is applied to the winding. When applied to the winding, the alternating current produces an alternating magnetic field which interacts with a permanent magnet fixed relative to the mirror to oscillate the mirror.

Abstract: A millimeter wave radar is placed on an aircraft and several radar targets are placed near a runway. The targets are discrete objects, each having a relatively localized radar cross section, a unique signature or a unique range bin, and a position which is accurately known. Targets should be spread over the length of the runway. Radar corner reflectors and active or passive repeaters are preferred. The locations of the radar targets with respect to the runway can be transmitted to the aircraft, or they can be stored on board. On board memory requirements can be reduced by requiring all airports to select one of only a few standard target placement patterns, or even only one. Targets are inexpensive, as are radars whose only precision requirement is in range, and not in azimuth or elevation angles. Range to at least three targets in the radar's field of view is all that is required for an on-board computer to determine the aircraft's location.

Abstract: This invention provides an easily removable support clip for a solar receiver panel tube. A key feature of this concept is its easy assembly and disassembly without requiring access to the back side of the panel. Another key feature is the design of the clip can accommodate very severe thermal transients without exceeding the material's capacity to sustain these strains.

Abstract: A capacitor precharge circuit limits both peak DC link current and peak AC line current to any desired peak magnitude thereby providing for optimum precharge control and robust operation. The precharge circuit employs a microprocessor which implements a non-linear discontinuous current control scheme without the need for current sensors. The precharge circuit is well suited for use with an AC to DC converter having link inductor and a DC bus capacitor which requires precharging before full power is applied to the converter.