Abstract: A self-propelled vehicle (20) for movement within a tubular member (22) includes propulsion mechanisms (28) distributed about a core element (24). Each of the propulsion mechanisms (28) includes a drive belt (28). A first pulley (34), a second pulley (36), and a mid-roller assembly (38) are encompassed by and engage the drive belt (28). The mid-roller assembly (38) is spring-loaded for providing an outwardly-directed force (40) to an underlying portion (42) of the drive belt (28) to press the drive belt (28) against an inner wall (44) of the tubular member (22). A motor arrangement (46), in communication with the propulsion mechanisms (28), actuates one of the first and second pulleys (34, 36) to rotate the drive belt (28) in contact with the inner wall (44) of the tubular member (22) thereby moving the vehicle (20) within the tubular member (22).

Abstract: A process (100) and apparatus (20) for control of a deployment of an airbag (28) for a seat (30) in a motor vehicle (22). Upon issuance of a deployment request (RD) by a vehicular computer (24) intended for a deployment activator (26), a processor (36) intercepts the deployment request (RD). The processor (36) then receives a load mass (M), a load temperature (T), and a load height (H) from a mass sensor (38), a thermal-imaging sensor (52), and a proximity sensor (54), respectively. The processor (36) adjudicates the load mass (M), load temperature (T), and load height (H), to determine a deployment status (SD). A deployment status (SD) of pass (SP) is adjudicated when the load mass (M) is greater than or equal to a reference mass (MR), the load temperature (T) is greater than or equal to a reference temperature (TR), and the load height (H) is greater than or equal to a reference height (HR). A deployment status (SD) of inhibit (SI) is adjudicated otherwise.

Abstract: A self-service display unit (100) for the merchandising of eyewear (102) is taught. The display unit (100) is made up of a horizontal bottom panel (120), a vertical left panel (150), a vertical right panel (160), and an oblique top panel (110) divided by a plurality of divider strips (170). The display unit (100) encompasses an interior space (103) configured to contain a plurality of inventory boxes (105). A display system (200) containing a plurality of the display units (100) between a left frame (202) and a right frame (204) is also taught. The display system (200) may face in a single direction or in two opposing directions. The display system (200) has a mirror (208) and signage (206) between the left frame (202) and the right frame (204).

Abstract: A pipe-inspection system (100) is provided. The system (100) is made up of a transmission cluster (104) incorporating a transmission unit (800) between first and second wheeled guidance units (400), and a reception cluster (104?) incorporating a reception unit (1400) between third and fourth wheeled guidance units (400). Each wheeled guidance unit (400) contains a plurality of wheels (416) radially disposed in each of a plurality of planes (420, 426, 432). Transmission unit (800) contains a transmission device (1004). Reception unit (1400) contains a reception device (1604). The system (100) is compatible with RFEC inspection techniques to inspect a pipeline (102), where transmission and reception devices (1004, 1604) are an RFEC transmitter and receiver, respectively. A lead line (106) is attached to the first guidance unit (400) to move the system (100) in a forward direction (108).

Abstract: A golf club head comprises a front striking plate that in turn comprises a front striking surface, a rear surface, and a first boss generally centrally located on and attached to the rear surface. A rear body section is fixedly coupled to the front striking plate. A longitudinal member is adjustably coupled to the rear body section and has a first end configured for pivotal movement in engagement with the first boss. The longitudinal member applies a force of compression onto the rear surface of the striking plate.

Abstract: A multiphase DC-to-DC converter includes at least two phase circuits each having upper and lower power switches and a front-end inductor that is operative for forming a resonant tank circuit with the phase circuits to ensure zero voltage switching and minimizing power losses.

Abstract: A combined refrigerator-oven (20) includes an enclosed chamber (28) having a top wall (22), a bottom wall (24), and vertical side walls (26). The refrigerator-oven (20) further includes a heating unit (50) and a refrigeration unit (70). A controller (118) is in communication with the heating unit (50) and the refrigeration unit (70). When a cooling mode is selected, the controller (118) activates the refrigeration unit (70) to deliver cool air (62) into the enclosed chamber (28). When a heating mode is selected, the controller (118) activates the heating unit (50) to produce heat (66) in the enclosed chamber (28).

Abstract: A transmitter for a digital transmission signal includes a pre-distorter to improve linearity of a power amplifier. An amplified transmission signal is conditioned into a narrowband feedback signal that is responsive to a logarithm of the power appearing in out-of-band components of the amplified transmission signal. The feedback signal is processed in a pre-distortion processor that implements a genetic algorithm to adapt pre-distortion functions implemented in the pre-distorter and improve linearity over time. The genetic algorithm tests a population of randomly-generated pre-distortion functions for fitness. A baseline component of the coefficients from pre-distortion functions used in a subsequent population tracks the best-fit pre-distortion function from the current population, allowing the use of a limited search space. New populations are generated from old populations using an elitism process, and randomized crossover, and mutation processes.

Abstract: Described herein are a transient event detector (35) comprising electrical circuitry (50) suitable to detect a transient event, and a container (34) having a wall with at least two electrically conductive contacts (23, 44) electrically connected to the electrical circuitry (50), each of the at least two electrically conductive contacts (23, 44) being electrically isolated from each other, and a movable electrically conductive piece (36) that intermittently connects at least two of the at least two electrically conductive contacts when the electrically conductive piece (36) is in motion. An RF circuit (54) couples to a loop antenna (25) having a tuning capacitor (26) formed as conductive pads (26?, 26?) juxtaposed on opposing sides of a planar dielectric substrate (92). The tuning capacitor (26) has a hole (27) through it, and the hole has a size that is selected to cause the loop antenna (25) to exhibit a desired resonance frequency.

Abstract: A digital communications transmitter (100) includes a digital linear-and-nonlinear predistortion section (200) to compensate for linear and nonlinear distortion introduced by transmitter-analog components (120). A direct-digital-downconversion section (300) generates a complex digital return-data stream (254) from the analog components (120) without introducing quadrature imbalance. A relatively low resolution exhibited by the return-data stream (254) is effectively increased through arithmetic processing. Linear distortion is first compensated using adaptive techniques with an equalizer (246) positioned in the forward-data stream (112). Nonlinear distortion is then compensated using adaptive techniques with a plurality of equalizers (226) that filter a plurality of orthogonal, higher-ordered-basis functions (214) generated from the forward-data stream (112). The filtered-basis functions are combined together and subtracted from the forward-data stream (112).

Abstract: A sliding-mode switching power supply (24) having N phases (28) and a method of operating the power supply (24) are provided. N switches (30) are coupled to a bipolar power source (22), with each switch (30) effecting one phase (28). An inductance (32) is coupled to each switch (30), and a capacitance (36) is coupled to the inductances (32). A load (26) is coupled across the capacitance (36). A monitor circuit (38) is coupled to the inductances (32) and the capacitance (36) and configured to monitor currents (IL) through the inductances (32) and/or a voltage (VC) across the capacitance (36). A sliding-surface generator (78) is coupled to the monitor circuit (38) and generates a single sliding surface (?) for all phases (28). A constant-frequency control (104) forms a variable window (??) for the sliding surface (?). A switching circuit (138) switches the switches (30) at a switching frequency (fS) determined by the variable window (??).

Abstract: A base (108) for supporting a pole puller (110) utilized to manipulate a pole (186) includes first and second bearing arms (112, 114) configured to rest on a surface (60) with the pole (186) located between the first and second bearing arms (112, 114). A cross member (128) interconnects the first and second bearing arms (112, 114) and a housing (138) extends from the cross member (128) into which the pole puller (110) is seated. A flexible member (62) coupled to a ram (174) of the pole puller (110) encircles the pole (186). An upward force (72) is imposed on the flexible member (62) via the ram (174) to extract the pole (186) from a fixed, upright position in the ground (60). The support provided by the base (108) prevents the pole puller (110) from kicking into the ground as the upward force (72) is imposed.

Abstract: A tilt sensor apparatus (36) includes one or more tilt sensors (42). Each tilt sensor (42) includes a conductive element (64) entrapped within an opening (46) formed through a middle planar substrate (38). The opening is surrounded by an opening wall (52) which is entirely covered by a conductor (54). A conductive star pattern (100?) is formed on a top planar substrate (40), and a conductive star pattern (100?) is formed on a bottom planar substrate (44). The star patterns (100) are positioned at opposing ends of the opening (46). The conductive element moves within the opening (46) as the apparatus (36) is tilted. An interrupt-driven control circuit (124) is configured to indicate a change in orientation only when a short is first detected across a contact pair (54/56, 54/60) that corresponds to an orientation opposite to a currently-indicated orientation.

Abstract: A communication system (20) includes a hub radio (22) that wirelessly communicates with any number of user radios (24). The hub radio (22) monitors signal quality measurements compiled from the communication signals (30?) transmitted from the various user radios (24) and based upon baseband quadrature constellation point error to estimate out-of-band signal energy for the communication signals (30?). The hub radio (22) formulates commands based upon these measurements that instruct the user radios (24) how to adjust their power amplifier linearizers (66) so that their power amplifiers (74) become better linearized to minimize spectral regrowth and insure compliance with a spectral template.

Abstract: An amplification circuit (10) is used in a radio receiver (12) to achieve both constant phase shift over the gain range and low intermodulation. A gain-controlled amplifier (16) is desirably optimized for good fidelity, even if at the expense of poor phase linearity. A phase shift compensator (48) compensates for phase non-linearity by imposing a delay of variable duration downstream of the gain-controlled amplifier (16). The delay duration is determined in response to a gain-control signal (20) generated by an AGC circuit (42). The gain-control signal (20) is translated through a look-up table (62) into delay values which control a programmable delay element (64). The programmable delay element (64) generates an adjusted clock signal (54) that drives a digitizer (36). The digitizer (36) both digitizes and delays an amplified signal (32) produced by gain-controlled amplifier (16).

Abstract: A food product flavoring apparatus (20) includes a receptacle (22) having a dispensing base (30), nozzles (50) positioned above the dispensing base (30), and a vessel (80) holding a liquid flavoring (82). The liquid flavoring (82) is delivered from the vessel (80) to the nozzles (50) via a conduit (84) and a pump (86). The liquid flavoring (82) is sprayed from the nozzles (50) and uniformly covers a food product, such as popcorn (40), lying on the dispensing base (30). Following application of the liquid flavoring (82), vanes (60) of the dispensing base (30) are adjusted such that the flavored popcorn (45) is released through the dispensing base (30). The popcorn (45) is subsequently funneled through a hopper (32) positioned below the dispensing base (30) and into a container (36).

Abstract: A system (20) and method to locate an anomaly (22) of a conductor (24) is provided. The system (20) uses a test set (28) to inject a test signal (36) into the conductor (24) at a location (PT) and a probe (30) to detect the test signal (36) at a second location (PP). A communication link (42) between the probe (30) and the test set (28) has a predetermined propagation delay (DS), from which the system (20) can calculate a propagation delay (DTP) of the conductor (24) between the test set (28) and the probe (30), and a propagation delay (DPA) between the probe (30) and the anomaly (22). By varying the location (PP) of the probe (30) until the propagation delay (DPA) between the probe (30) and the anomaly (22) is substantially zero, the precise location (PA) of the anomaly (22) may be determined. The propagation velocity (VC) of the conductor (24) may also be determined.

Abstract: A buffing head (34) includes a rotary element (36) for retaining an optical disc (20) and causing the disc (20) to rotate at a first speed. A buffing element (38) contacts a work surface (30) of the optical disc (20), and rotation of the disc (20) enables corresponding movement of the buffing element (38). A restrictor (40), in communication with the buffing element (38), restricts movement of the buffing element (38) so that the buffing element (38) moves at a second speed to recondition the work surface (30), the second speed being slower than the first speed. The buffing head (34) further includes a well (86) surrounding the buffing element (38) and containing a fluid (88). Movement of the buffing element (38) causes the buffing element (38) to be immersed into the fluid (88) and to be returned into contact with the work surface (30).