Abstract: The present invention is a touch probe which can be connected to a computer controlled machine for determining positions of and defining shapes of work pieces, edges, hole centers and contours. The probe due to it design allows for a simpler and effective alternative to previous probes. The probe includes a body, stylus, a shank and an internal assembly. The body contains the internal assembly, which provide signals to a computer. The arrangement of the internal assembly is what makes the present invention simpler to manufacture and allow the probe to be miniaturized. The internal assembly includes an upper circuit board with a Light Emitting Diode (LED), a spring, a spring cap, a stylus mount, a housing, carbide balls, a lower circuit board, a support ring and wires.

Abstract: The present invention provides a visual drag diagnostic apparatus, software and method for CNC machines. The present invention creates a visual display or plot of the drag values associated with the CNC machine's moving components along each axis of movement of a tool holder or table. The plot created by the present invention provides a diagnostic tool to evaluate the operational status of the CNC machine, which is quick to perform and easy to understand by the operator. Knowing the drag values allows an operator to foresee problems with tool holder or table movement before making a product, thereby saving time and money during machining operations.

Abstract: A Viterbi decoder is disclosed particularly suited for implementation in a microprocessor-based modem. The decoder calculates the branch metric corresponding to each point of a signal constellation by calculating the Euclidean distance between a received point and a subset of constellation points. Prior to the metric calculations, each received point is translated to the first quadrant and, if necessary, truncated.