Abstract: An insurance program that provides improved health care and longevity by emphasizing health improvement and maintenance for members of a group. After a predetermined waiting period from the time insurance is purchased by the group, during which the health status of the members is maintained or improved, the insured group may link the insurance policy with one or more other types of insurance policies, such as; disability, nursing home, etc. Throughout the life of the policy, portions of the premiums may be deposited in an account for the benefit of the group or for each member of the group, provided that the overall health of the group or the member is maintained or improved. The account may be utilized to pay or help pay for the linked insurance and may also be utilized for retirement benefits.

Abstract: An insurance program that provides improved health care and longevity by emphasizing health improvement and maintenance. After a predetermined waiting period from the time health insurance is purchased, during which the health status of the insured is maintained or improved, the insured may link the health insurance policy with one or more other types of insurance policies, such as; life, disability, nursing home, etc. Throughout the life of the policy, portions of the premiums may be deposited in an escrow account, provided that the health of the insured is maintained or improved, which may be utilized to pay or help pay for the linked insurance and may also be utilized for retirement benefits.

Abstract: An insurance program that provides improved health care and longevity by emphasizing health improvement and maintenance. After a predetermined waiting period from the time health insurance is purchased, during which the health status of the insured is maintained or improved, the insured may link the health insurance policy with one or more other types of insurance policies, such as; life, disability, nursing home, etc. Throughout the life of the policy, portions of the premiums may be deposited in an escrow account, provided that the health of the insured is maintained or improved, which may be utilized to pay or help pay for the linked insurance and may also be utilized for retirement benefits.

Abstract: A method for compensating a steering system exhibiting dead-zone characteristics estimates the dead-zone parameters of the steering system and establishes a dead-zone inverse function utilizing the estimated parameters. The dead-zone inverse is utilized to transform steering orders in the dead-zone. Parameters of the dead-zone inverse are continuously up-dated with the utilization of the transformed steering order, the existing dead-zone parameters, and the present heading.

Abstract: A rudder control system having adjustable rudder drive turn off and “turn on,” and component wear monitoring. The rudder drive “turn off” being adjusted in accordance with the rudder stop position relative to the rudder order stop position, thereby improving position accuracy. Frequency of system “turn on” is compared to an acceptable “turn on” frequency for solenoid operation. Should the “turn on” frequency exceed the acceptable “turn on” frequency, the rudder angle at which “turn on” is implemented is adjusted to protect solenoids in the system from burnout. The rate of change of the rudder repeatback signal is monitored. A slow rate of change providing an indication of some component problem.

Abstract: An Atmospheric Turbulence Detector utilizes a sensor to detect noise and extracts infrasound having frequencies below a specified infrasound frequency. A threshold is computed from the detection of infrasound in the vicinity of the sensor prior to the arrival of infrasound from the turbulence and an alarm is given when the infrasound from the turbulence are determined with the utilization of two sensors (6-1A, 6-1B), measuring amplitude differences of the infrasound detected at two seperate locations.

Abstract: A transmissive display system is calibrated by applying DAC values for a target color and noting the color displayed on the screen. The displayed color is compared to the target color in high and low ambient light levels to determine if it is within a specified tolerance of the target color. Should the displayed color not be within the tolerance range, a calibration procedure is launched for both the high and low light levels which establishes new DAC values and backlight levels for accurate target color presentation on the screen over a wide dynamic range of input signal levels.

Abstract: A scan conversion is provided which allows the scan converter to work with data in its most convenient format in a radar memory. A displayable image is mirrored to a graphics memory simultaneously with the write portion of the radar memory of the scan conversion process. On every write to the radar memory, radar data is simultaneously converted to associated colors by indexing a color look-up table and writing the indexed color to the graphics memory. A simulated phosphor decay for the display is provided by decreasing the intensity of each pixel in the radar memory once each antenna scan and similarly decreasing the intensity of data in corresponding locations in the graphics memory to simulate the decay of a phosphor coated screen in a CRT display. The signals in the graphics memory are coupled to a display at a rate that simulates a display on a phosphor coated screen.

Abstract: Boundaries of a moving haven along a voyage plan are constructed with the utilization of simple shapes, rectangles and arcs, each of which are drawn with selected line segments. A buffer, internal to the moving haven boundary, is created, which, when crossed initiates a warning that the boundary of the moving haven is being approached. Procedures for the implementation of the moving haven boundary and the buffer are substantially similar, with but few modification from the procedure that generates the moving haven needed to establish the procedure to implement the procedure that generates the buffer.

Abstract: A panoramic view of the world surrounding a stationary mast of a submarine is provided by a plurality of small windows disposed circumferentially around the mast and a corresponding plurality of lenses for imaging the fields of view thereof onto coherent fiber optic image bundles. The fields of view of the lenses overlap to provide a complete panoramic view. The exit ends of the image guides are arranged to form a polygonal opening so that a replica of the panoramic view is provided within the opening. A mirror or prism rotating within the opening scans the view replica and directs the scanned image to a stationary television camera. A derotating prism in the path of the directed scanned image rotates at one-half the angular displacement of the image director to compensate for rotation imparted to the scanned image by the image director.

Abstract: A marine vessel steering system having a bus to which an autopilot interface unit (AIU) containing an autopilot function is coupled. The system having at least one steering location at which autopilot function controls are positioned and coupled through a cable (bus) interface unit (CIU) to the bus for communication with the AIU. In the event that more than one steering location seeks access to the bus, priority is established by an arbitration procedure between data frames transmitted from each steering location. A manual steering unit, such as a helm, is positioned at the main steering location and directly coupled to the AIU, wherein a switch selects between autopilot function rudder control and helm rudder control. Miniwheels, which operate in a manner similar to that of a helm, are positioned at steering locations remote to the main steering location which communicate with the AIU to switch between autopilot function control to miniwheel control.

Abstract: Performance of an inertial navigation system (INS) corrected with GPS position data is enhanced with the addition of a filter that smooths the GPS-INS position difference data and couples the smoothed data to the INS position data. Difference data provided to the filter is edited to eliminate GPS-INS position data that excceeds a predetermined level. Performance is further improved by applying position resets from the INS Kalman filter in a ramp like manner.

Abstract: A liquid level and weight sensor utilizes a pressure sensor of any type positioned at the base of the liquid or weight. A second pressure sensor is positioned external to the liquid or weight to measure the ambient pressure. Ambient pressure is subtracted from the total pressure indicated by the base positioned pressure sensor to determine the actual pressure exerted by the liquid or weight on the base positioned sensor. The actual pressure is then utilized in the calculation of liquid level or weight. The determination of liquid level requires that both the pressure and density of the liquid be known. When the density of the liquid is not known, a third pressure sensor is inserted in the tank at a known level above the first. The differential pressure and differential level are determinative of the liquid's density.

Abstract: The rudder angle indicator system utilizes a low cost potentiometer coupled to the rudder to provide a signal proportional to rudder angle. A stepper motor positions, in open loop arrangement, the dial of a rudder angle indicator, such as a large three-faced rudder angle display, in accordance with the potentiometer signal. An active sector tab and sensor are utilized to provide a signal in accordance with when the indicator is in the active sector of the display so as to minimize the search for the indicator zero index tab.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for measuring the parameters of atmospheric turbulent flows utilizes the Doppler shifted frequencies of received radar signals backscattered from sound generated aerodynamically by atmospheric turbulent flows. Doppler frequency bandwidths of the received backscattered signals are used to estimate the atmospheric flow turbulence and the mean frequency within a bandwidth is processed to estimate its radial flow velocity. Total flow velocity and the flow velocity angle with respect to the antenna boresight of the atmospheric turbulent flow may be estimated by estimating the radial flow velocity at two radial positions and processing these radial velocities. Processing of the Doppler data is initiated when the total signal power within the Doppler frequency band exceeds a predetermined power level.

Abstract: A tunable mass coupled to a body subjected to forced vibrations that reduces the vibration amplitudes of the body in the forced vibration frequency band. The mass includes a container having a plurality of cavities with grooves in the lower surfaces and notched side walls. Each cavity is filled with spherical elements which are restrained by the grooves and notches. The tunable mass is constructed to respond in a spring like manner so that vibration frequencies of the mass are tunable to provide counter vibrations in the forced vibration frequency band. Vibration frequency amplitude reduction is provided by vibrations of the mass that are in phase opposition to the vibrations of the body.

Abstract: A true predicted area of danger providing a preselected miss distance between an intruding vehicle and own ship is provided. A miss distance circle, having a radius equal to the desired miss distance, is generated about the initial position of the intruding vehicle and the relative coordinates and distances from own vehicle of selected points on this miss distance circle are determined. Points of own vehicle intercept of these selected points are established and a smooth curve is drawn through these points to provide the boundary of the predicted area of danger.

Abstract: A passive target positioning system utilizes three stations positioned on a linear baseline with a central master station positioned predetermined distances from two slave stations. Angle to the target is determined from the time differences of arrival at the master station and each of the slave stations. Range to the target, in one embodiment, is determined from the difference of the two time difference of arrival measurements and the angle-to-target, while in a second embodiment from the time differences of arrival. A scannable antenna with frequency selection capability provides a spatial sector and frequency band selectivity.

Abstract: Pollutants in the exhaust from wood burning in a fireplace are removed by positioning reticulated foam between the smoke chamber and the flue. The reticulated foam is a three dimensional latticework of interconnected ligaments forming a porous, open-celled structure with a large internal surface area. The internal surfaces are coated with a catalytic material which converts pollutants in the exhaust to harmless compounds. Heat from the exhaust, when the fire is burning, maintains the catalyst at a temperature for efficient conversion operation. Thermostatically controlled heaters are embedded in the foam, or thermostatically controlled electrical current is applied directly to the catalyst, to raise the catalyst temperature when the fire is growing or smoldering, periods during which the exhaust temperature is insufficient for good conversion operation.

Abstract: A method of correcting errors in in inertial navigation system, without imposing restrictions on the ships course, utilizing bathymetric data collected during the Ocean Survey Program (OSP). As the ship is in transit in or crosses an OSP swath, sonar transmissions commence and continue only to acquire bottom data within data areas of predetermined dimensions. Depth gates and transmission power levels are established in accordance with OSP provided bottom data and depth is determined by an autocorrelation process. A virtual linear map is established with the OSP data in the predicted locations of data collection areas. The collected data is then compared to corresponding OSP data to determine inertial navigation system corrections.