Abstract: An electromechanical thrust reverser actuation system that is designed with non-symmetric redundant channels is interfaced with an aircraft engine control system that is also redundantly designed. In one embodiment, the engine control system is also designed with non-symmetric redundant channels, and in another embodiment it is designed with symmetric redundant channels.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
December 5, 2001
Date of Patent:
December 2, 2003
Assignee:
Honeywell International Inc.
Inventors:
Andrew T. Johnson, Terry J. Ahrendt, Richard J. Foley, Michael R. Madsen, Kevin K. Chakkera
Abstract: A sleeve used to wrap items such as potted plants or comestibles. The sleeve has a closed curved bottom. The sleeve may also have an expansion element such as a gusset, pleats, random folds or elastic material for enabling the lower portion of the sleeve to conform to the outer and bottom surfaces of the pot to provide a decorative cover about the pot. The sleeve optionally has a detachable upper portion.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
November 22, 2002
Date of Patent:
December 2, 2003
Assignee:
Southpac Trust International, Inc.
Inventors:
Donald E. Weder, Joseph G. Straeter, Paul Fantz
Abstract: A method and apparatus for minimizing errors in a sensor device due to signal amplitude variation are disclosed herein. A signal output from the sensor device is amplified and, thereafter, AC-coupled to a comparator such that the amplification and AC-coupling of the signal minimize offset shift-related errors associated with the sensor device. The signal can be coupled to eliminate offset shifts due to component mismatches, calibration, aging and/or temperature associated with the sensor device. An AC-coupled sensor signal conditioning circuit is utilized to amplify the signal through an amplifier and then AC-couple the signal to a comparator.
Abstract: An apparatus and method for concealing data bursts in an analog scrambler using parts of the audio of a signal in substitution for the data bursts. What otherwise would be periodic data bursts appearing at the audio output are replaced with selected portions from audio portions of the multiplexed signal. Preferably the replaced audio samples come from immediately past and immediately future portions of the audio of the signal. The data bursts are therefore effectively concealed from the audio output which improves on the degradation of audio otherwise caused by the data bursts that are mixed in periodically with the audio portions of the signal.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
November 18, 1997
Date of Patent:
December 2, 2003
Assignee:
Transcrypt International, Inc.
Inventors:
Steven P. Poulsen, James P. Preston, II
Abstract: Scented decorative grasses having an appearance and/or texture simulating the appearance and/or texture of cloth are disclosed, as are methods for making such scented decorative grasses from materials wherein at least one surface of the material is modified to simulate the appearance and/or texture of cloth.
Abstract: A DMA computer system (10) for driving a peripheral device such as an LCD display (12) of a GPS receiver without stealing excessive cycles from a CPU (18). The DMA computer system (10) includes a CPU (18), a first memory (20) that may be written to or read by the CPU (18), a second memory (22) that may be written to or read by the CPU (18), and a DMA controller (24) coupled with the CPU (18) and the second memory (22). The DMA controller (24) is operable to: read data from the second memory (22) and transfer the data to the peripheral device; delay the CPU (18) from accessing the second memory (22) while the DMA controller (24) is reading data from the second memory (22); enable the CPU (18) to regain access to the second memory (22) once the DMA controller (24) has finished reading data from the second memory (22); and allow the CPU (18) to access the first memory (20) without delay even while the DMA controller (24) is reading data from the second memory (22).
Abstract: An electrical box for supporting sheathed electrical cables therein holds and supports electrical cables in a preferred arrangement. A cable clamp structure is used for clamping electrical cables to a surface of an electrical box. The cable clamp structure has an arched configuration and serrations on a cable contacting surface in order to more efficiently store electrical cables in an electrical box.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
May 31, 2002
Date of Patent:
December 2, 2003
Assignee:
Thomas & Betts International, Inc.
Inventors:
Charles B. Thompson, Ioan L. Lupsa, Tomasz Bedkowski
Abstract: A method and apparatus for fabricating thin Group III nitride layers as well as Group III nitride layers that exhibit sharp layer-to-layer interfaces are provided. According to one aspect, an HVPE reactor includes one or more gas inlet tubes adjacent to the growth zone, thus allowing fine control of the delivery of reactive gases to the substrate surface. According to another aspect, an HVPE reactor includes both a growth zone and a growth interruption zone. According to another aspect, an HVPE reactor includes a slow growth rate gallium source, thus allowing thin layers to be grown. Using the slow growth rate gallium source in conjunction with a conventional gallium source allows a device structure to be fabricated during a single furnace run that includes both thick layers (i.e., utilizing the conventional gallium source) and thin layers (i.e., utilizing the slow growth rate gallium source).
Type:
Grant
Filed:
March 28, 2002
Date of Patent:
December 2, 2003
Assignee:
Technologies and Devices International, Inc.
Inventors:
Denis V. Tsvetkov, Andrey E. Nikolaev, Vladimir A. Dmitriev
Abstract: This invention relates to an improved fabricated vehicle wheel. According to one embodiment of the invention, the vehicle wheel includes a wheel rim having a plurality of holes formed therein; a wheel disc having a central mounting surface and a plurality of outwardly extending spokes, each of the spokes having at least two holes formed therein; at least one rim to disc interface area provided along each of the spokes wherein some portion of a surface of the rim and some portion of a surface of the spoke contact one another; and a fastener extending through each of the at least two holes of each of the spokes and through an associated at least two holes of the plurality of holes of the rim to secure the rim and disc together.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
May 31, 2002
Date of Patent:
December 2, 2003
Assignee:
Hayes Lemmerz International, Inc.
Inventors:
Alan Coleman, Thomas E. Heck, Todd Duffield
Abstract: The present invention discloses a method and apparatus for electronically deterring an animal from approaching an exclusion area around an exclusion unit or from entering or leaving an area bounded by a wire. The animal is provided with a collar unit, which includes a sensor adapted to sense the strength of electromagnetic signals generated by the exclusion unit or wire and a correction unit adapted to provide correction to the animal in response to a sensor output. The portable unit reports to a central controller which selects a correction strategy, such as level of correction to be applied to the animal approaching the perimeter. The controller provides warnings to the user, including warnings for when the battery in the collar unit goes low and when the animal stays in a correction zone for too long. The controller may control a number of exclusion units and/or power units, and may select an appropriate correction for one of a plurality of animals.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
January 31, 2001
Date of Patent:
December 2, 2003
Assignee:
Joint Techno Concepts International, Inc.
Inventors:
James R. Barry, John S. Titus, Dennis L. Larson
Abstract: A system and method for canceling both an echo signal and a spurious sinusoidal signal, such as a telephone dialtone or a carrier signal, from a return signal in a communications system involves producing a replica of the echo signal using an adaptive filter and producing a replica of the sinusoidal signal using an oscillator circuit. The replicas are subtracted from the return signal. The magnitude and phase of the sinusoidal signal are determined by generating a signal that is close in frequency to the expected frequency of the sinusoid and then correlating it to the return signal. The correlation produces a replica of the sinusoid.
Abstract: An apparatus and method for use in testing devices under high-g environments is disclosed in which an elastic beam, rigidly fastened at least at one end, carries the device under test; the beam being pre-loaded to a bent position by a force producing member which may be suddenly removed to allow the stored energy of the beam to be released, and to apply a high-g force to the device.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
November 30, 2001
Date of Patent:
December 2, 2003
Assignee:
Honeywell International Inc.
Inventors:
Owen D. Grossman, Mark W. Weber, Jeffrey E. Fridberg
Abstract: A composite face seal having an annular seal rotor with a metal base portion and a radially extending flange. The flange having first and second axially facing surfaces. A first ceramic ring is mounted to the first surface of the flange by a first braze joint and a second ceramic ring is mounted to the second surface of the flange by a second braze joint. The composite face seal assembly further includes an annular stator having an axially facing surface that sealingly engages an axially facing surface of one of the ceramic rings. Each of the braze joints may comprise a molybdenum ring disposed between two braze rings or, for thicker seal assemblies, molybdenum and nickel rings disposed between braze rings.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
February 13, 2001
Date of Patent:
December 2, 2003
Assignee:
Honeywell International Inc.
Inventors:
Steven E. Sund, Charles J. Gasdaska, James V. Guiheen, Lennox Bruce, M. Rifat Ullah, William L. Giesler
Abstract: A method of printing with an electrophotographic machine includes providing a first optical sensor for sensing a start-of-scan position of a laser beam produced by a scanning laser printhead and transmitting a first position signal indicative thereof A second optical sensor senses an end-of-scan position of the laser beam produced by the scanning laser printhead and transmits a second position signal indicative thereof A temperature of the scanning laser printhead is measured with a temperature sensing device. A plurality of positions of each of the first optical sensor and the second optical sensor are empirically determined at each of a plurality of values of the temperature of the scanning laser beam printhead.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
July 23, 2002
Date of Patent:
December 2, 2003
Assignee:
Lexmark International, Inc.
Inventors:
Mark A. Omelchenko, Gregory L. Ream, David A. Schneider
Abstract: The invention, an improved device and method for the pointer system of a digitizer tablet, is to repetitiously emit signals sequentially from a specific set of inductive loop when the position pointed by the wireless pointer device is located within a range formed by this specific set of inductive loop induced most intensively during a locally scanning process. After a transient energy storage of the wireless pointer device, corresponding resonant signals are emitted out and are received sequentially by several sets of inductive loop located on the digitizer tablet in the neighborhood of this specific set of inductive loop and, by these signals, the wireless pointer device's coordinate position on the digitizer tablet is calculated out relatively.
Abstract: A trailer including an inner frame that is made of metal, an outer shell that is made of a non-metal and that at least partially surrounds the inner frame, and at least one wheel rotatably secured to the inner frame. In a preferred embodiment, the outer shell is made of a plastic. The inner frame includes a lower frame portion with which the at least one wheel is rotatably secured, and an upper frame portion that supports at least a portion of the weight of the outer shell. Preferably, the upper frame portion includes a middle support member that extends upwardly from the lower frame portion, and a first bar assembly that is hingedly connected to the middle support member. In another embodiment, a second bar assembly is hingedly connected to the middle support member.
Type:
Application
Filed:
January 8, 2003
Publication date:
November 27, 2003
Applicant:
U-Haul International, Inc.
Inventors:
Edward J. Votruba, Patrick W. Breslin, Michael H. Dilgard, David L. Simpson, Thomas F. Bone
Abstract: A dc offset compensator receives a three phase ac current signal as an input and provides a dc offset signal correction voltage as an output. The dc offset compensator comprises a processor configured to sample the ac current signal, generate a rotating vector (r) from the sample, extract a dc offset from the sample and to generate a dc offset signal correction voltage from the dc offset. A method of compensating for dc offset in a three phase ac current signal is also presented.
Abstract: The invention provides methods for enhancing maize silk exsertion under stress conditions and compositions relating to such methods, including nucleic acids and proteins. The invention further provides recombinant expression cassettes, host cells, and transgenic plants.
Type:
Application
Filed:
April 8, 2003
Publication date:
November 27, 2003
Applicant:
Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc.
Inventors:
Christopher Zinselmeier, Timothy G. Helentjaris
Abstract: A test apparatus for testing electrical devices such as ICs is provided. The test apparatus includes a test socket mounted on a DUT board in which a contact plunger assembly is at least partially positioned.
Type:
Application
Filed:
March 5, 2003
Publication date:
November 27, 2003
Applicant:
Rika Electronics International, Inc.
Inventors:
John M. Winter, Larre H. Nelson, John C. Bergeron, Lourie M. Sarcione
Abstract: Disclosed are azeotrope-like compositions comprising 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane and 1-chloro-1,1-difluoroethane, said compositions are environmentally desirable for use as refrigerants, aerosol propellants, metered dose inhalers, blowing agents for polymer foam, heat transfer media, and gaseous dielectrics.