Abstract: An adjustable shade (20) is used in combination with a stroller (22) carrying a child occupant. The stroller (22) has an integral canopy (26), and the adjustable shade (20) includes a top cover (36) which is configured to attach to the integral canopy (26). A front curtain (38) is coupled to the top cover (36) and extends downward from a front edge (52) of the top cover (36). First and second side curtains (40, 42) are coupled to the top cover (36) and extend downward from first and second lateral edges (54, 56) of the top cover (36). Adjustable shade (20) adjusts to a plurality of positions to effectively protect the child occupant from lateral and reflected rays of sunlight.

Abstract: An apparatus for maintaining an enclosed space proximate a selected comfort range, and for conserving utilities, the apparatus comprising a housing in communicating relation with the enclosed space and the external environment and having an evaporative cooler for cooling the enclosed space and having a predetermined operating efficiency, and a spaced apart air conditioner for either selectively cooling or heating the enclosed space and having an operating efficiency different from the evaporative cooler, and a control mechanism for automatically and selectively switching back and forth from operation of the evaporative cooler to the air conditioner.

Abstract: A helmet assembly (20) for protecting a head and neck by laterally displacing impact forces (28). The helmet assembly (20) has a helmet (22) and a face guard (26). The helmet (22) has a rigid inner shell (96), a resilient spacing layer (94) outside of and in contact with the inner shell (96), an articulated shell (76) having a plurality of discrete rigid segments (78) disposed outside of and in contact with the resilient spacing layer (94), and a resilient outer shell (24) made of foam covered by an flexible protective layer (112). The face guard (26) has a plurality of transverse bars (36) with a longitudinal bar (38) down the center. The face guard (26) has shock absorbers (46) integrated on the lowermost transverse bar (36).

Abstract: An apparatus (96) and method for reconditioning the protective coating (14) of a digital recording disc (10) is provided. The apparatus (96) includes a turntable (98) configured to receive the non-data center section (17) of the digital disc (10), a brake (100) for controlling the rotation speed of the turntable (98) and the disc (10), a turntable support (102) for attaching the turntable (98) to a base (104), a buffing element (52), a motor (54) for rotating the buffing element (52), a buffing element support (58) for attaching the buffing element (52) to the base (104), and a protective housing (106).

Abstract: An interference-tolerant spread-spectrum receiver (20) includes an FIR (finite impulse response) filter network (32) and a correlator/detector (34). The filter network (32) contains a pair of FIR filters (36) substantially identical to each other. A signal passes directly into the first filter (36'), but is delayed a predetermined amount of time before passing into the second filter (36"). Each of the filters (36) contains means for sampling (62) and windowing (70) the signal in the time domain; transforming (118) the signal to the frequency domain; limiting (130) and despreading (160) the signal in the frequency domain; and transforming (168) the signal back to the time domain. The signal from the first filter (36') is delayed the predetermined amount of time to resynchronize signals from both filters (36), which signals are then combined into a single signal. The combined signal is then passed into the correlator/detector (34), which determines the presence or absence of a spread-spectrum signal.

Abstract: A voucher cash-out system (20) includes a service terminal (22) for producing a voucher (58) in response to a received service request (50). A processor (24) in communication with the service terminal (22), manages a cash disbursement relative to a cash worth (62) of the voucher (58). An automated cash disbursement machine (28), in communication with the processor (24), is configured to perform the cash disbursement in response to validation of the voucher (58) by the processor (24).

Abstract: A local multipoint data distribution system (10) simultaneously accommodates many communication sessions occurring at a wide variety of data rates. space surrounding cell sites (12) is partitioned into sectors (16), and the spectrum is allocated to the cell sites (12) so that adjacent sectors (16) use different spectrum portions, but the entire spectrum is reused numerous times at each cell site (12). A time diversity scheme allocates different numbers of time slots (54) to different calls. Time slot identifiers are assigned in contiguous blocks in an assigned numbering system (56). The time slot identifier assignments are translated into a counted numbering system (58) which causes the time slots (54) for any call to be distributed throughout a frame (48) and interleaved with time slots (54) assigned to other calls.

Abstract: A digital data receiver includes a tunable analog matched filter circuit having a variable bandwidth responsive to the bit error rate (BER) of the decoded data. The bandwidth of the analog filtering circuit is controlled by a tuning control signal that includes a coarse tuning signal combined with a fine tuning signal. The coarse tuning signal is generated by a frequency-to-current converter and the fine tuning signal is generated by a current-scaling digital-to-analog converter (DAC). The DAC input signal is produced by a DAC control circuit that includes a BER comparator and a DAC control state machine. The BER comparator determines whether the BER has improved or degraded in response to a previous tuning command. To optimize the BER in the decoded data signal, the state machine increments or decrements the value of the fine tuning signal, which in turn alters the filter bandwidth.

Abstract: A unidirectional valve (46) is used for preventing a back flow (52) of fluid matter (72) in a dental saliva ejector (20). The unidirectional valve (46) includes a valve body (74) and a valve diaphragm (76). The valve diaphragm (76) is coupled to a base (78) of the valve body (74). The base (78) has apertures (90) for separating a particulate component (104) from a liquid component (102) of fluid matter (72). The valve diaphragm (76) has a flexible flap (96) for allowing a forward flow (48) of liquid component (102) into a low volume suction tube (28) of saliva ejector (20). The flexible flap (96) is further configured to prevent the back flow (52) liquid component (102) into an ejector tip (26) and into the mouth (22) of a dental patient (24).

Abstract: Ultrasonic apparatus determines the fluid depth, volume, and temperature in a storage tank. A system description for monitoring an underground storage tank containing gasoline is described. The system determines the water's and gasoline's depth, volume, and temperature. The apparatus consists of a remote console, ultrasonic probe, and interconnecting cable. The remote console contains a display to report tank information and a computer to operate the probe. The probe consists of an ultrasonic transducer above the bottom of the probe facing upwards to transmit and receive ultrasonic signals, vertically spaced reflectors and a temperature sensor to measure fluid temperature.

Abstract: An untied shoelace warning system with first and second conductive shoelace segments coupled to an indicator that activates when the shoelace segments do not touch, and does not activate when the shoelace segments do touch. The first and second conductive shoelace segments and the indicator are coupled to a battery and a switch. The switch activates the indicator when the shoelace segments are not touching, and does not activate the indicator when the shoelace segments are touching. The untied shoelace warning system further includes a pressure sensor so that when the pressure sensor does not sense pressure and the first and second conductive shoelace segments coupled to an indicator are not touching, the indicator does not activate. The untied shoelace warning system does not activate the indicator when the shoe that is tied with the first and second shoelace segments is not being worn. The indicator may be a sound device, e.g., a piezoelectric buzzer, a light or a series of lights, e.g.

Abstract: An atomizing nozzle (40) includes a body (44) having an fluid inlet end (50), a fluid outlet end (52), and a channel (54) located between the inlet end (50) and the outlet end (52). A free floating plunger (46) resides in the channel (54). The plunger (46) has a frusto-conical portion (64) facing the inlet end (50) and a cylindrical portion (62) facing the outlet end (52). The frusto-conical portion (64) causes the plunger (46) to resist getting wedged in the channel (54) so that a mist (102) having fluid particles of uniform size is ejected from the outlet end (50).

Abstract: A misting system (20) includes an atomizing nozzle (22) having a one-piece body (28). The one-piece body (28) has a passage (34) in which a plunger (36) resides and an atomizing orifice (30). The plunger (36) is inserted into the body from a fluid inlet end (38) of the body (28). A retainer (40) couples to the fluid inlet end (38) of the body (28) so that fluid flow into the passage (34) is not blocked but movement of the plunger (36) out of the passage is blocked. The retainer (40) may take a variety of forms, including a crimped portion of the body (28), a compressible elastic member (52, 72, 82), a cap (86) or plug (102).

Abstract: A heterojunction bipolar transistor (20) is provided with a silicon (Si) base region (34) that forms a semiconductor junction with a multilayer emitter (38) having a thin gallium arsenide (GaAs) emitter layer (36) proximate the base region (34) and a distal gallium phosphide emitter layer (40). The GaAs emitter layer (36) is sufficiently thin, preferably less than 200 .ANG., so as to be coherently strained.

Abstract: A communication system (11) uses concatenated coding in which an inner code is configured to match the needs of an outer code. The inner code is implemented through a pragmatic trellis coded modulation encoder (18) and decoder (34). A parser (50) of the encoder (18) distributes fewer than one user information bit per unit interval (66) to a convolutional encoder (58) which generates at least two convolutionally encoded bits for each user information bit it processes. Exactly one of the convolutionally encoded bits is phase mapped (56) with at least two user information bits during each unit interval (66). The decoder (34) detects a frame sync pattern (48) inserted into the user information bits to resolve phase ambiguities. Phase estimates are convolutionally decoded (100) to provide decoded data estimates that are then used to selectively rotate the phase estimates prior to routing the phase estimates to a slice detector (118).

Abstract: A lubricant reserve system (10) includes a reservoir tank (18) coupled to an accumulator T fitting (22). Additionally, coupled to the accumulator T fitting (22) is an accumulator pressure monitoring system (24) and an electronically-actuated valve (28). The reservoir tank (18) is adapted to hold a quantity of lubricant and a volume of gas having a gas pressure. The valve (28) opens in response to a control signal generated prior to ignition of an internal combustion engine (12) to prime the engine and closes when the engine (12) is disabled. The accumulator pressure monitoring system (24) is adapted to provide an indication of sufficient priming of the engine (12) prior to ignition of the engine (12). System (10) discharges lubricant (38) from the reservoir tank (18) while the engine (12) is running when the gas pressure is greater than a lubricant pressure of the engine lubrication system (13).

Abstract: A method and a surgical guidance system (20) direct an instrument to a target (40) located inside a patient (22). The surgical guidance system (20) includes a fixation frame (28), a first arc member (36), a second arc member (38), and first (78) and second (84) electromagnetic (EM) radiative sources. The first arc member (36) and the second arc member (38) are adjustably coupled to rotate about a common axis (48) and are adjusted in response to a target address and at least three marker addresses so that the target (40) is located at the center point of a virtual sphere defined by the arc members. A first electromagnetic (EM) radiative beam (80) and a second electromagnetic (EM) radiative beam (86) are projected from the system (20) and intersect at a line. The line forms a trajectory (146) along which an instrument can be directed to the target (40).