Abstract: A compensation circuit is disclosed for compensating bias levels of an operational circuit in response to variations in a supply voltage. The compensation mechanism identifies variations in the supply voltage by comparing the voltage of a selected node of the operation circuit with a relatively constant or fixed reference voltage. Based on the results of the comparison, the compensation mechanism adjusts selected bias levels in the operational circuit, preferably using current stealing circuitry, so that the functionality and performance of the operational circuit can be substantially maintained. A biasing circuit for biasing one or more differential pairs is also disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention provides an optical system that includes an array of opto-electronic devices, an array of micro lenses, and a fore optic. The array of opto-electronic devices lie substantially along a plane, but the fore optic has a non-planar focal field. To compensate for the non-planar focal field of the fore optic, each opto-electronic device has a corresponding micro lens. Each micro lens has a focal length and/or separation distance that compensates for the non-planar focal field of the fore optic. As a result, light that is provided by the fore optic is reconfigured by the micro lenses to be substantially focused along the plane of the array of opto-electronic devices.

Abstract: An active region of a VCSEL at one (i.e., n doped) end having an expanded effectively undoped region, and another (i.e., p doped) end having a significantly doped region up to or even including a portion of the active region. A previous way had heavy doping of the n and p doped regions up to the active region, at least close to it or even partially into it.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive sensor system having resistive elements changing in ohmic value in the presence of a magnetic field of a current being measured. The variant values of the elements are amplified by some electronics that inherently add offset to the resultant values. The elements themselves also add an offset. The output of the electronics is modulated and then buffered as an output. This output is demodulated integrated. The resultant signal is fed back to the input of the electronics to null out the offsets. The output of the buffer also goes to an inductive coil that is magnetically coupled to the resistive elements to null out the magnetic field from the current being measured. The buffer output indicates the magnitude of the current being measured. An oscillator outputs a signal to actuate the modulator and the demodulator. The oscillator signal also goes to a set/reset circuit for setting and resetting the resistive elements of the magnetoresistive sensor.

Abstract: A room in a building serving as a safe haven for human inhabitants against harmful agent attack such as chemical or biological weapon attack. The room provides an environment sealed from air-carried harmful agents wherein the sealing can be accomplished by blocking air ducts and air leakage around doors. The room can be specially built, retrofitted, or rapidly adapted to serve as a safe haven. The room can include an oxygen source such as an oxygen generator. One oxygen generator utilizes a chemical process to generate gaseous oxygen. The room preferably includes a carbon dioxide scrubber. The invention includes kits and methods for rapidly converting a room to a safe haven.

Abstract: A self-aligned optical coupler, and method of manufacturing thereof, for conducting light from and to vertical and/or horizontal ports on optical devices or optoelectric integrated circuits. The device or circuit having the respective port has keys and/or slots on the device or circuit for self-aligning an end of the optical coupler to the port. The end has corresponding slots and/or keys. Visual alignment marks may be used instead so as to permit automatic alignment with machine vision devices. The coupler may have one or a plurality of waveguides. One of the ends of the coupler may have a connector for a self-aligning optical connection to a connector receptacle of a module or a backplane.

Abstract: A display for producing a seamless composite image from at least two discrete images. The display includes one or more projectors for projecting each of the discrete images separately onto a screen such that at least one of the discrete images overlaps at least one other of the discrete images by more than 25 percent. The amount of overlap that is required to reduce the seams of the composite image to an acceptable level over a predetermined viewing angle depends on a number of factors including the field-of-view and aperture size of the projectors, the screen gain profile, etc. For rear-projection screens and some front projection screens, an overlap of more than 25 percent is acceptable.

Abstract: A more efficient solid-state light emitting device in which phosphors excited by radiation produce visible light. The efficiency is increased by, for example, providing a reflector adjacent to the phosphor layer for reflecting at least some of the radiation that passes through the phosphor, back into the phosphor. The reflector may also reflect at least some of the visible light that is emitted by the phosphor toward a designated light output. Alternatively, or in addition to, the lateral edges of the active region of the radiation source can be at least partially surrounded by a visible light emitting phosphor and a reflector. This allows more of the radiation to interact, and thus excite, the phosphor material, making the device more efficient. The reflector also may reduce optical and radiation cross talk between adjacent light emitting devices.

Abstract: An infrared detector having two cameras for viewing a scene to detect humans. The cameras focus the scene on their respective pixel arrays. One array is designed with a filter to be sensitive to light from 0.8 to 1.4 microns and the array of the other camera is designed with a filter to be sensitive from 1.4 microns to 2.2 microns. The arrays are co-registered spacially and temporally relative to the viewed scene and pixel transmission dynamics. The spectral powers of the pixels from both arrays are difference weighted and fused into one set of pixels. The fused pixels are thresholded into another set of pixels that have one of two values—black or white. These pixels are entered into a visual display that shows a segment image of a human if in the viewed scene.

Abstract: A misfire monitor for detecting cylinder misfires in an internal combustion engine. The monitor has a light detector that senses infrared light signals emerging from combustion gases through a window inserted on an exhaust pipe or manifold. Characteristics of a detected light signal indicate whether there is a firing or a misfire in any cylinder. Other information about the engine is deduced with processing of the detected signals and misfire counts. The detection is real time and functions well at all normal engine speeds and operating conditions.

Abstract: A microsensor housing having a structure with at least one inlet at one end and a thermal property sensor at the other end. Situated between the inlet and the sensor is a convection shield. Sampled fluid is taken in the inlet from a channel carrying the fluid to be sampled. The convection flow lines of the fluid are barred by the convection shield. The fluid is diffused into a cavity between the shield and sensor. The sensor detects a thermal property of the diffused fluid. One preferred shield has holes about its perimeter with a solid center part of the shield covering at a distance the sensor. The channel carrying the fluid may have screens to reduce turbulence noise and to aid in fluid transport to and from the sensor housing.

Abstract: Systems and methods are discussed that monitor wear in seat materials of a valve. One aspect of the present invention includes a system. The system includes sensors to sense the open/closed status of the valve within a desired range. The system also includes a set of counters to count each time the desired range is adjusted to characterize the valve as having the open/closed status if the valve was not within the desired range. The count of each counter is indicative of wear in seat materials of the valve. Another aspect of the present invention includes a method. The method includes determining an open/closed status of the valve within a desired range, and adjusting adaptively the desired range so as to characterize the valve as having the open/closed status if the valve was not within the desired range. Each iteration of adjusting is indicative of wear in seat materials of the valve.

Abstract: An actuator device controlling the shape of a flexible surface having a quasi-continuum in a plurality of locations. The device includes a plurality of individual cells arranged in an array for contact with the flexible surface. The cells comprise a cell body having an upper film portion and a lower film portion and an open central portion. The upper film portion is in contact with the flexible surface. A post is mounted in the open central portion and fixedly attached to the upper film portion and the lower film portion, the post defining a vertical axis of movement. The upper and lower film portions have electrodes mounted thereon respectively, positioned on the face of the upper and lower film portions and facing each other.

Abstract: A wafer-pair having at least one recess in one wafer and the recess formed into a chamber with the attaching of the other wafer which has a port plugged with a deposited layer on its external surface. The deposition of the layer may be performed in a very low pressure environment, thus assuring the same kind of environment in the sealed chamber. The chamber may enclose at least one device such as a thermoelectric sensor, bolometer, emitter or other kind of device. The wafer-pair typically will have numerous chambers, and may be divided into chips.

Abstract: An RTD having a thin film HfN resistor formed on a substrate for temperature detection in accordance with the resistance of the HfN resistor. The RTD is a two lead device having high accuracy and a wide temperature range from 20 to 1400 degrees Kelvin. The substrate has bonding pads or contact strips connected to the resistor and processing electronics. An SiN thin film passivation layer is formed on the resistor and substrate. Two leads connect the bonding pads or contact strips to processing electronics and an indicator.

Abstract: An electrostatic actuator device and method for actuating the device. The device includes a pair of actuator plates having electrodes for conducting a voltage potential thereto and at least one of the pair being movable with respect to the other. The plates are positioned to move upon application of a voltage potential through electrodes attached thereto. A driving means provides a voltage potential to the electrodes to cause the movement of the at least one plate. The driving means produces compound AC signal with rise/fall sections at least 10 to 100 times (preferably more than twenty times) the mechanical response time of the actuator. The preferred AC signals are selected from square-wave, sine wave, triangle wave and mixtures thereof. The preferred circuit produces rise/fall sections that are a quarter of a full period of the AC wave signal, and only the nominal section of the compound AC signal is used for driving the actuator.

Abstract: A vehicle occupant sensor which utilizes an acoustic system for determining object range, extent, and direction. The system is composed of an ultrasonic transmitter formed from an array of air chamber resonator elements driven in relative phase to each other to produce a steered acoustic beam. Electrical excitation circuitry converts waveform data stored in memory elements to electrical signals to drive the transmitter. One or more ultrasonic receivers receives the acoustic waves reflected from objects, and a processor determines the range, extent and direction of the objects based on the received acoustic waves.

Abstract: A microbolometer film material VOx having a value such that the thermal coefficient of resistance is between 0.005 and 0.05. The film material may be formed on a wafer. The VOx material properties can be changed or modified by controlling certain parameters in the ion beam sputter deposition environment. There is sufficient control of the oxidation process to permit non-stoichometric formation of VOx films. The process is a low temperature process (less than 100 degrees C.). Argon is used for sputtering a target of vanadium in an environment wherein the oxygen level is controlled to determine the x of VOx. The thickness of the film is controlled by the time of the deposition. Other layers may be deposited as needed to form pixels for a bolometer array.

Abstract: A microsensor housing having a structure with at least one inlet at one end and a thermal property sensor at the other end. Situated between the inlet and the sensor is a convection shield. Sampled fluid is taken in the inlet from a channel carrying the fluid to be sampled. The convection flow lines of the fluid are barred by the convection shield. The fluid is diffused into a cavity between the shield and sensor. The sensor detects a thermal property of the diffused fluid. One preferred shield has holes about its perimeter with a solid center part of the shield covering at a distance the sensor. The channel carrying the fluid may have screens to reduce turbulence noise and to aid in fluid transport to and from the sensor housing.

Abstract: Environmentally safe, non-mercury electronic switches having a sphere lubricated with an arc suppressant. Electronic tilt switches utilize an electrically conductive sphere and have good resistance to physical damage of the sphere caused by electrical arcing. A conductive sphere is coated with a lubricant that partially fills a hollow housing and prevents the electricity from pitting and corroding the ball.