Abstract: A technique for resolving whole-cycle ambiguity that is inherent in phase-angle measurements of signals received from multiple satellite-based transmitters in a global positioning system. The relative position of a secondary receiving antenna with respect to a reference antenna is approximately known or approximately initially determined and then measurements from a minimum number of satellites are used to determine an initial set of potential solutions to the relative position of the secondary antenna that fall within a region of uncertainty surrounding the approximate position. Redundant measurements are taken from one or more additional satellites and used to progressively reduce the number of potential solutions to close to one. Even if the number of potential solutions is not reduced to one true solution, the number can be further reduced by using additional measurements taken at different time intervals, at which different satellite geometries prevail.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for starting and accelerating a vehicle through a range of vehicle speeds during which the vehicle's internal combustion engine is operated in a plurality of different operating modes is disclosed. The engine may first be cranked in a compressionless mode preparatory to starting and then run in a second mode at a relatively low speed for a warm-up interval as a six-stroke cycle engine where each engine cylinder cycle includes an essentially adiabatic compression and expansion. The system may then convert to a third mode of operation as a four-stroke cycle engine during normal engine operation. Different operating modes are available during this normal engine operation. Under high demand conditions, the engine may be run as a conventional inefficient but effective throttled engine or converted to operate in a fourth mode as a two-stroke cycle engine.

Abstract: A bistable electronically controlled pneumatically powered transducer for use, for example, as a valve mechanism actuator in an internal combustion engine is disclosed. The transducer has a piston which is coupled to an engine valve, for example. The piston is powered by a pneumatic source and is held in each of its extreme positions, and air control valves are held in their closed positions by pressurized air and/or permanent magnet latching arrangements and the control valves are released therefrom to supply air to the piston, and the piston is released therefrom to be pneumatically driven to the other extreme position by an electromagnetic neutralization of the permanent magnet field. The piston forms a part of the magnetic latching circuit and that magnetic circuit also includes a radially slotted ferromagnetic member to both complete the magnetic circuit and provide a good air communication path from a high pressure air inlet to the control valve.

Abstract: A pneumatically powered valve actuator is disclosed and includes a valve actuator housing, a working cylinder within the housing having a pair of opposed contoured end faces, and a main piston reciprocable within the cylinder along an axis. The main piston has a pair of oppositely facing primary working surfaces contoured substantially the same as the opposed end faces of the working cylinder to mate therewith providing a small minimum volume and, therefor, a high compression ratio. A pair of air control valves are reciprocable along the axis relative to both the housing and the main piston between open and closed positions for selectively supplying high pressure air to the piston primary working surfaces. The contoured end faces each include a central opening, an outer annular flat surface, and an intermediate frustoconical surface connecting the central opening and the flat surface.

Abstract: A bistable electromechanical transducer is disclosed having an armature reciprocable between first and second positions, a permanent magnet latching arrangement for maintaining the armature in the respective positions, and an electromagnetic repulsion arrangement operable when energized to dislodge the armature from the position in which the armature was maintained and causing it to move to the other of the positions. In a preferred embodiment, the transducer takes the form of an electronically controllable valve mechanism for use in an internal combustion engine and has an engine valve with an elongated valve stem along with the electromagnetic repulsion arrangement for causing the valve to move in the direction of stem elongation between valve-open and valve-closed positions.

Abstract: A bistable electronically controlled pneumatically powered transducer for use, for example, as a valve mechanism actuator in an internal combustion engine is disclosed. The transducer has an armature including a piston which is coupled to an engine valve, for example. The piston is powered by a pneumatic source and includes pneumatic and hydraulic damping as it nears its destination postion. The armature is held in each of its extreme positions by pneumatic pressure under the control of control valves which are in turn held in their closed postions by permanent magnet latching arrangements and are released therefrom to supply air to the piston to be pneumatically driven to the other extreme position by an electromagnetic arrangement which temporarily neutralizes the permanent magnetic field of the latching arrangement.

Abstract: A bistable electronically controlled transducer having an armature reciprocable between first and second positions is disclosed including either a stressed spring or compressed air within a closed chamber in the transducer for causing the armature to move, and a permanent magnet latching arrangement for holding the armature in either one of the positions. An electromagnetic arrangement for temporarily neutralizing the effect of the permanent magnet latching arrangement releases the armature to move from one to the other of the positions. The transducer finds particular utility as an actuator mechanism for moving internal combustion engine valves.

Abstract: A bistable electronically controlled pneumatically powered transducer for use, for example, as a valve mechanism in an internal combustion engine is disclosed. The transducer armature, an engine valve, for example, is powered by a pneumatic source and includes pneumatic damping and energy recovery as it nears its destination position. The armature is held in each of its extreme positions by a permanent magnet latching arrangement and is released therefrom to be pneumatically driven to the other extreme position by an electromagnetic arrangement which temporarily neutralizes the permanent magnetic field of the latching arrangement. A multiplicity of engine operating modes are also disclosed including operation of an engine in a six stroke cycle mode, and a unique intake valve timing scheme where the intake valve closure is delayed beyond bottom dead center of its associated cylinder with the delay being greater at lower engine speeds and less at higher engine speeds.

Abstract: A bistable electronically controlled fluid powered valve actuator for use in an internal combustion engine of the type having engine intake and exhaust valves has a piston reciprocative in a cylinder housing for driving the engine valves to open and close. Control valves are mounted separately from the piston for reciprocative movement in the housing and are used to selectively direct air pressure to drive the piston. The control valves are magnetically latched in closed positions with the magnet force used to also close ends of the valves. Abutments are affixed to ends of the piston shaft to aid the control valves in their closing movements, especially if the valves have a transitory retardation; another aid to valve closing movement is the capture of air in a chamber that is sealed on opening valve movement so that the compression of air in the chamber acts as an air spring to aid in the valve closing movements.

Abstract: A bistable electronically controlled pneumatically powered transducer for use, for example, as a valve mechanism actuator in an internal combustion engine is disclosed. The transducer has an armature including a piston which is coupled to an engine valve, for example. The piston is powered by a pneumatic source and includes asymmetric pneumatic damping. Air damping may be differentially controlled to provide dissimilar damping at the two extremes of piston motion. The armature is held in each of its extreme positions by pneumatic pressure under the control of control valves which are in turn held in their closed positions by pressurized air latching arrangements and are released therefrom to supply air to the piston to be pneumatically driven to the other extreme position by an electromagnetic solenoid or by an electromagnetic repulsion arrangement. The control valves may be spring loaded toward their open positions.

Abstract: A bistable electronically controlled fluid powered valve actuator for use in an internal combustion engine of the type having engine intake and exhaust valves has a piston reciprocative in a cylinder housing for driving the engine valves to open and close. Control valves are mounted separately from the piston for reciprocative movement in the housing and are used to direct pneumatic pressure to drive the piston. The control valves are magnetically latched in closed positions with magnet force and released after a temporary electromagnetic weakening of the magnetic field. Upon release, the valves are opened pneumatically and closed pneumatically.

Abstract: The invention relates to a safe and arm mechanism for an exploding projectile to be fired from a rifled gun. The projectile first experiences axial and angular acceleration which moves a setback ball to initially arm the mechanism. A third projectile parameter, angular velocity, functions to lock the ball in the armed position. During projectile flight, a spin actuated escapement mechanism moves toward a fully armed position, but may be precluded from reaching that fully armed position by a command arm arrangement. The projectile is then fully armed when a command arm signal releases the arrangement and the escapement mechanism is allowed to complete its motion to the fully armed position. When the projectile strikes a target, it experiences axial deceleration which moves a contact ball partway to a detonating position. After the projectile passes through the target surface and into a void, e.g.

Abstract: A bistable electronically controlled pneumatically powered transducer for use, for example, as a valve mechanism actuator in an internal combustion engine is disclosed. The transducer has an armature including a piston which is coupled to an engine valve, for example. The piston is powered by a pneumatic source and includes pneumatic damping with a one-way return of air compressed beyond source pressure back to the air source as it nears its destination position. Air supplied to power the piston may be differentially controlled to compensate for asymmetric resistance to movement and the air damping may be differentially controlled to provide dissimilar damping at the two extremes of piston motion.

Abstract: A bistable electronically controlled transducer having an armature reciprocable between first and second positions is disclosed including either a stressed spring or compresed air within a closed chamber in the transducer for causing the armature to move, and a permanent magnet latching arrangement for holding the armature in either one of the positions. An electromagnetic repulsion motor overpowers the effect of the permanent magnet latching arrangement releasing the armature to move from one to the other of the positions. The transducer finds particular utility as an actuator mechanism for moving internal combustion engine valves.

Abstract: Improvements in alternating current plasma display panels are disclosed including an imperforate intermediate structure in such a panel which provides both the function of a separator between the front and back plates (layers or structures) of the panel and the function of cross talk reducing barriers between cells of the panel. The structure includes spacing bosses which extend from the barrier structure and engage the front transparent dielectric plate, and sidewall portions intermediate adjacent pairs of spacing bosses which are separated somewhat from the front dielectric plate to provide a gas and ion passing gap between adjacent cells. In one preferred form, the sidewalls blend into a generally flat bottom wall within each cell. The sidewalls and bottom wall have a smooth or specular surface and may be coated with a reflective material to enhance cell brightness.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for rapidly and accurately determining the position coordinates of a remote, movable receiver relative to a fixed reference receiver. The technique utilizes successive code measurements and carrier phase measurements of both the L.sub.1 and L.sub.2 carrier signals broadcast from four or more orbiting GPS satellites. Code measurements based on a weighted average of the individual L.sub.1 and L.sub.2 code measurements in each satellite/receiver link are adjusted in accordance with the corresponding carrier phase measurement for an L.sub.1 -L.sub.2 carrier difference signal and are further smoothed over time. This yields a rapid determination of the remote receiver's position coordinates, with progressively increasing accuracy. After merely about two to three minutes of processing, a wide laning carrier phase procedure can be implemented to yield a position determination that is accurate to within about one centimeter.

Abstract: The invention relates to a safe and arm mechanism for an exploding projectile to be fired from a rifled gun. The projectile first experiences axial and angular acceleration which moves a setback ball to initially arm the mechanism. A third projectile parameter, angular velocity, functions to lock the ball in the armed position. During projectile flight, a spin actuated escapement mechanism moves toward a fully armed position, but may be precluded from reaching that fully armed position by a command arm arrangement. The projectile is then fully armed when a command arm signal releases the arrangement and the escapement mechanism is allowed to complete its motion to the fully armed position. When the projectile strikes a target, it experiences axial deceleration which moves a contact ball partway to a detonating position. After the projectile passes through the target surface and into a void, e.g.

Abstract: A three winding induction compass mounted in a host vehicle has each winding output coupled to an analog to digital converter. Each winding output is weighted and accumulated by a push down stack circuit to obtain a time filtered output; the filtered outputs are mapped into equivalent two winding outputs as the vehicle is turned in a 360.degree. circle to form sensitivity values from the windings readings and using these values to obtain measurement parameters which are incorporated into a least squares matrix which is solved for calibration coefficients to obtain the calibration parameters representing the distortions due to the permanent and inducted magnetism of the host vehicle and due to winding imbalance between the three windings and misorientation of the three windings. The calibration parameters are applied to the outputs of the three windings to obtain an equivalent two winding output which is normalized for determining the corrected compass heading.

Abstract: A bistable electromechanical transducer is disclosed having an armature reciprocable between first and second positions, a permanent magnet latching arrangement for maintaining the armature in the respective positions, and an electromagnetic repulsion arrangement operable when energized to dislodge the armature from the position in which the armature was maintained and causing it to move to the other of the positions. In a preferred embodiment, the transducer takes the form of an electronically controllable valve mechanism for use in an internal combustion engine and has an engine valve with an elongated valve stem along with the electromagnetic repulsion arrangement for causing the valve to move in the direction of stem elongation between valve-open and valve-closed positions.

Abstract: A piezoelectric fuse, and safe and arm mechanism for a small active projectile is dislcosed including a piezoelectric element mounted within the projectile near the leading end thereof with an impact deformable electrically conductive shell spaced from and at least partially surrounding the piezoelectric element and a resilient material substantially filling the space between the piezoelectric element and the shell. Electrical leads connected the detonator to the shell and to a rearward piezoelectric element contact so that upon projectile impact, the shell deforms compressing the piezoelectric element generating a volatge thereacross, and thereafter, the shell makes electrical connection with a piezoelectric element forward contact actuating the detonator. The safe and arm mechanism includes an interrupter located in a "safe" position between the detonator and a lead charge.