Abstract: A method and apparatus for supplying contactless power. Electrical power is transferred from a power source to a load through a primary energy converter that can be connected to the power source, through a primary inductive loop connected to the primary energy converter and a secondary pickup coil magnetically coupled to the primary inductive loop, and then to a secondary energy converter. The power factor for the transfer of electrical energy is one. Multiple loads can receive power from the power source and, where the loads are located in zones, collisions between the loads can be prevented.

Abstract: An apparatus for deterring flying animals and method for making the same. The apparatus is made from a planar base plate in which one or more tangs are formed. A wire is removably attached to at least one of the tangs, the wire having a first portion that has a component that is not planar with the base plate and a second portion that can be captured by the tang. The first and second portions of the wire are attached at one end of the second portion. The wire can also have a third portion, also attached to the second portion, at the other end of the second portion. The tangs in the base plate can be linear, zigzag, or have any other configuration. If the tangs have a zigzag configuration, the base plate is preferably sinuous. The third portion of the wire can have three subportions, although the third portion is coplanar. The three subportions are at angles to one another.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing data representing a time history of a sonic waveform. A portion of the data is processed to determine a beat frequency by performing a transformation from the time domain to the frequency domain and, based on the energy of the frequencies of the sonic waveform, produce an energy vector for each frequency band. The data is also processed to detect and order transients found in the sonic waveform and use these transients to establish the tempo of the sonic waveform.

Abstract: A stable multi-fold telescopic resonator is applied to a slab laser to provide a high power laser beam of a high optical quality. The current invention could be applied to both waveguide and free-space slab lasers with either gas or solid-state active media. A reduced sensitivity to misalignment is achieved through the use of two short-radii concave folding mirrors forming a nearly-confocal or confocal optical resonator. In order to obtain a nearly-symmetrical output beam profile from the large thickness slab lasing medium, the resonator includes a slit diaphragm(s), positioned between the slab and resonator mirrors and aimed to eliminate higher order laser modes in the direction transverse to the plane of the slab. Furthermore, a three mirror multi-fold telescopic resonator is provided by substituting one of the resonator mirrors with a surface of one of the folding mirrors.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for phase-locking a plurality of display devices and multi-level driver for use therewith. Each of the display devices displays an image under the control of a distinct clock having a distinct clock rate. Each of the images contains a predetermined periodic indexing event. One of the clocks is designated as a master clock. The times of occurrence of the indexing events are compared, and the times of occurrence are caused to fall within a predetermined amount of time of one another so that each of the other clocks is phase-locked with the master clock.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for parallel communication from a PC to an external device. The apparatus is connected between the PC and the external device. The apparatus is encoded so that its identity can be read by the PC and the external device. The PC then communicates with the external device through the apparatus, informing the external device of the communication mode that the PC uses to communicate. In response, the external device communicates through the apparatus to inform the PC of the communication mode that it uses. Subsequently, the PC transmits information to the apparatus for retransmission to the external device. As a result of the data it has previously obtained from the PC and the external device, the apparatus configures itself so that it can optimize the transmission of information from the PC to the external device. The method is the method of receipt and processing of the data used to optimally configure the apparatus of the invention.

Abstract: A skateboard deck and method for making the same. The skateboard deck is made from a wooden core. The core is made from a plurality of longitudinal portions that are each glued to one or two other horizontally adjacent longitudinal portions, so that they share a vertical planar joint. At least one end portion of the core has a transverse semicircular groove formed in its upper surface. The groove is filled by a cut-off semicircular cylindrical filler piece that has a smaller radius of curvature than the groove. The end portion of the core is bent upward and the filler piece is held in place by an epoxy resin. The entire core is then enclosed in a pregnable fabric impregnated with an epoxy resin and the enclosed core is held in place under pressure and elevated temperature until the epoxy resin has hardened. If desired, a steel protective piece can be placed against at least one end of the lower surface of the core before it is enclosed in the pregnable fabric.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing notification of the falling motion of a tree. An angular sensor produces a sensor signal when its angle is changed beyond a predetermined angle by the falling motion of the tree to which the angular sensor is attached. Receipt of the sensor signal causes a transmitter to send an alarm signal over a 900 MHz spread spectrum channel to a receiver. The receiver generates a vocal message which is, in turn, cyclically sent over a wireless or wired telephone link to a law-enforcement agency or a party representing the landholder. If a particular telephone in the cycle of telephones does not answer, the receiver attempts to connect over another telephone link.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for characterizing and controlling the heat treatment of a metal alloy employing non-contact sensors selectively positioned to minimize the effects of background temperature contributions. The sensors monitor the temperature of the part being treated at a location that is remote from the surface that is being irradiated directly. In preferred embodiments, the surface where the temperature measurements are taken are located within a black body source. The collected temperature information is used to control the heat treatment of the metal alloy.

Abstract: A method and system for generating electronic hardware simulation model segments is disclosed. The input to the method and system are abstraction models that define the mappings between the signals of electronic circuit models and the signals of specification models expressed at higher levels of temporal and/or data abstraction. Abstraction models are converted into simulation model segments using a two-step process where abstraction models are first converted into intermediate data structures. A second step converts the data structures into simulation model segments in any of the standard hardware description languages (HDLs). Useful applications of the method and system include automated simulation test bench generation and automated synthesis of hardware design models from behavioral specifications.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for communicating information between a remote location and a user. Information from the remote location or the user is received by the inventive apparatus and processed by configurable circuitry to a form that can be received and used by the intended recipient. The reconfigurable circuitry can be changed manually by a human user or remotely through the receipt of appropriate signals. Accordingly, the apparatus can be reconfigured to be able to receive information that is transmitted in different forms from those forms that are receivable before reconfiguration.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for communicating with a product label. A host computer transfers information to be communicated to one or more product labels to a radio frequency transmitter. The information is transmitted to a transceiver built into the product label. The information can be intended for each of a plurality of product labels, or for a particular one of the product labels. If the particular one of the labels is one which has not communicated recently with the host computer, the information can used to locate the particular label through the use of other product labels.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for exchanging energy between relativistic charged particles and laser radiation using inverse diffraction radiation or inverse transition radiation. The beam of laser light is directed onto a particle beam by means of two optical elements which have apertures or foils through which the particle beam passes. The two apertures or foils are spaced by a predetermined distance of separation and the angle of interaction between the laser beam and the particle beam is set at a specific angle. The separation and angle are a function of the wavelength of the laser light and the relativistic energy of the particle beam. In a diffraction embodiment, the interaction between the laser and particle beams is determined by the diffraction effect due to the apertures in the optical elements. In a transition embodiment, the interaction between the laser and particle beams is determined by the transition effect due to pieces of foil placed in the particle beam path.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for exchanging energy between relativistic charged particles and laser radiation using inverse diffraction radiation or inverse transition radiation. The beam of laser light is directed onto a particle beam by means of two optical elements which have apertures or foils through which the particle beam passes. The two apertures or foils are spaced by a predetermined distance of separation and the angle of interaction between the laser beam and the particle beam is set at a specific angle. The separation and angle are a function of the wavelength of the laser light and the relativistic energy of the particle beam. In a diffraction embodiment, the interaction between the laser and particle beams is determined by the diffraction effect due to the apertures in the optical elements. In a transition embodiment, the interaction between the laser and particle beams is determined by the transition effect due to pieces of foil placed in the particle beam path.

Abstract: A high-speed solid state buffer circuit and method for producing the same. A buffer circuit accepts logic input signals and transforms the signals to an output signal which can drive a heavy load. By using an output stage pull-up device that includes a parallel combination of an enhancement mode FET and a depletion mode FET, a solid-state buffer circuit with increased speed and output voltage swing is achieved. Most conveniently, the buffer takes the form of a logic inverter. However, the buffer can also be used to form a multiple input NOR gate. The circuit is most suitable for realization in GaAs technology.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing information concerning products, using radio frequency transmissions. A host computer transfers information relating to a product to a radio frequency transmitter. The information is transmitted to a transceiver built into a label for the product, the label being located near a shelf of a gondola that is holding the product. The transmission from the transmitter to the transceiver may be made through one or more repeaters. A label transceiver for another product can act as a repeater, upon instruction from the host computer. When the intended label transceiver correctly receives the information concerning the product, it retransmits an acknowledgement back to the host computer along the same transmission path by which the information reached the transceiver. The transceiver stores the information relating to the product in the label. The transceiver and label are powered by a photovoltaic cell that transforms ambient light into electrical energy.