Abstract: A vehicle drive incorporates a speed control that assists an operator in shifting the transmission without requiring the clutch, or synchronization of engine speed. An operator is provided with a single switch that allows a prediction of the next shift direction, and also a request for torque elimination to begin a gear shift. The electronic control unit modifies the engine fueling to a predicted value to achieve a zero torque load, thus allowing the operator to move the transmission to neutral. The transmission is provided with a neutral switch that provides a positive signal to the electronic control unit of when the transmission is in neutral and when it is engaged. Once the electronic control receives the neutral signal, it begins to modify the engine speed to achieve the desired synchronization speed. The operator is thus able to engage the new gear. Once the new gear is engaged, control over the engine returns to the operator.

Abstract: A pyrochemical process is utilized to recover 99% of the remaining transuranium materials from plutonium-uranium extraction waste. One step of the overall pyrochemical process involves the electrochemical separation of the waste components. A solid anode and a solid cathode are used in this electrochemical separation step to electrorefine in single or multiple steps. The solid anode and solid cathode are selected from certain preferred anodic and cathodic materials. Where multiple electrorefining steps are used to obtain more complete electroseparation, this is achieved by employing in the multiple electrorefining steps both a solid anode, suitably graphite, and a molten metal anode containing a mixture of the actinide and rare earth elements. This results in greater separation than can be realized through electroseparation by use of either anode alone.

Abstract: A nonlinear optical material includes a noncentrosymmetric crystal of an anionic boron complex salt containing a cation and at least one organic ligand coordinated to a boron atom. The nonlinear optical crystal may consist of a compound having the formula A[BC.sub.2 ] where A is a monocation, B is boron, and C is the organic ligand, or a compound having the formula A[BC.sub.2 ].sub.2 where A is a dication, B is boron, and C is the organic ligand. The organic ligands may also be organic molecules having .alpha.-dihydroxy functionalities. Furthermore, the organic ligands may be selected from the group consisting of .alpha.-hydroxy carboxylic acids and 1,2-diols or from the group consisting of d-malic acid, d-lactic acid, d-tartaric acid, dimethyl-d-tartrate, diethyl-d-tartrate, l-malic acid, l-lactic acid, l-tartaric acid, dimethyl-l-tartrate, diethyl-l-tartrate, and ethylene glycol.

Abstract: A remote signal transmitter that is capable of producing a command comprising a signal including a first value and an answer calculated using the first value as an input variable in a transfer function. The transmitter broadcasts the signal to a receiver which receives the first value and the answer. The receiver then performs a second calculation using the first value to produce a second answer. The first answer incident upon the receiver is then compared with the second answer and if a predetermined comparison test is satisfied, the subsequent command is implemented. The preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a means to increment the first value each time the transmitter is utilized. In addition, the receiver includes a screening process in which the second calculation performed by the receiver will not be performed if a previously used first value is received.

Abstract: A micro electromechanical RF switch is fabricated on a substrate using a suspended microbeam as a cantilevered actuator arm. From an anchor structure, the cantilever arm extends over a ground line and a gapped signal line that comprise microstrips on the substrate. A metal contact formed on the bottom of the cantilever arm remote from the anchor is positioned facing the signal line gap. An electrode atop the cantilever arm forms a capacitor structure above the ground line. The capacitor structure may include a grid of holes extending through the top electrode and cantilever arm to reduce structural mass and the squeeze damping effect during switch actuation. The switch is actuated by application of a voltage on the top electrode, which causes electrostatic forces to attract the capacitor structure toward the ground line so that the metal contact closes the gap in the signal line. The switch functions from DC to at least 4 GHz with an electrical isolation of -50 dB and an insertion loss of 0.1 dB at 4 GHz.

Abstract: A switch sentry device (22) having a digital telephony switch (SCX, 16), a device (24) for processing information, a device (24, 34) for simulating a call from the processing device (24) to the switch (SCX, 16), a device (SCX, 16) responsive to the call simulating device (24, 34) for simulating a primary ringing line (36) from the switch (SCX, 16) to the processing device (24), a device (SCX, 16) responsive to the call simulating device (24, 34) for simulation an alternate ringing line (38) from the switch (SCX, 16) to the processing device (24), and a device (24) for determining an inoperative condition of the switch (SCX, 16).

Abstract: An accurate estimate of the amplitude of a sparsely sampled sinusoidal signal is obtained by filtering the squares of the sampled values of the sinusoidal signal with an adjustable notch filter in order to remove a double-frequency component at twice the frequency of the sinusoidal signal. This amplitude estimate, for example, is used for automatic gain control of the amplitude of the sinusoidal signal. Preferably, the notch filter is a digital filter for computing an output signal (v) from successive samples (x.sub.n, x.sub.n-1, x.sub.n-2) of an input signal (x) according to: v.sub.n =x.sub.n -.beta.x.sub.n-1 +x.sub.n-2. The frequency control parameter (.beta.) is computed, so as to automatically track the frequency of the sinusoidal signal, by integrating a product of a derivative (x.sub.n-1 -x.sub.n-2) of the input signal (x) and a derivative (v.sub.n -v.sub.n-1) of the filtered signal (v).

Abstract: For use with a quartz angular rate sensor, a frequency and phase-locked synthesizer recovers a reference signal virtually free of phase noise, and generates a quadrature-phase reference signal for complex demodulation of the angular rate signal. The synthesizer also ensures a precisely adjusted phase shift of approximately zero across the drive tines of the sensor. Moreover, the digital synthesizer provides a precise numerical indication of the drive frequency, which can be used for compensation and automatic tuning of filters, such as a tracking filter, a filter in an automatic gain control, and notch filters in the phase and/or frequency detectors in the digital synthesizer. The tracking filter is used as a pre-filter for the synthesizer, and is responsive to a passband-width control signal generated from the magnitude of the frequency and phase error signal controlling the frequency generated by the synthesizer.

Abstract: A tube nozzle having a thermal insulative barrier in it to prevent thermal fatigue cracks due to thermal transients in tube nozzles for all kinds of pipe joints that carry fluids with temperatures that change rapidly. This is particularly useful in mixing tees, where two different temperature fluids meet. The use of this invention could increase safety and reliability of processing streams in processing plants involving fluids maintained at various constant or fluctuating temperatures.

Abstract: An operator of a vehicle may request torque reduction on the connection between a transmission and an engine, or may use a clutch. A switch is provided to send a torque elimination request. Upon receiving the request, an engine control adjusts engine fueling to achieve a zero torque load on a transmission to allow an operator to shift the transmission to neutral without clutching. The engine control predicts the engine fueling to achieve a zero torque load, and begins adjusting fueling to approach that predicted value. The prediction of the zero torque value is based on system variables other than torque load. Since the actual zero torque fueling varies, it is difficult to measure or predict. Moreover, a torque meter for measuring actual torque is expensive and difficult to maintain. The present invention addresses this difficulty by adjusting the engine fueling above and below the predicted zero torque value.

Abstract: A single bit bandpass analog-to-digital converter has an analog summer, an analog bandpass filter, a single bit quantizer, and a single bit digital-to-analog converter connected in a loop. An input signal to the single bit filter is applied to a plus input terminal of the summer, and the output of the digital-to-analog converter is applied to a minus input terminal of the summer. The output signal from the single bit filter is taken from the output of the quantizer. The bandpass filter is preferably driven by a digital clock running at the same frequency as the quantizer and the digital-to-analog converter. This architecture reduces quantization noise within the passband at the possible expense of increasing it outside the passband. The passband is centered precisely on one-quarter of the clock frequency.

Abstract: A method for the densification of a shaped nickel base single crystal alloy article utilizing a pre-HIP, a hot isostatic pressing (HIP) step, and post-HIP solution heat treatment to enhance removal of casting porosity in a finished article.

Abstract: A compact photosensor circuit provides automatic intensity range control for machine vision systems. The circuit may be implemented with standard CMOS integrated circuit technology to provide high sensitivity, fully static operation, and automatic exposure control with no moving parts. For each pixel of an imaging array, a photodetector provides an input photocurrent to a corresponding photosensor circuit. The photodetector is connected to provide an output voltage and an input to the gates of a pair of series-connected FETs that act as an attenuator. The attenuator is connected to a biasing source that provides a floor bias voltage. An output of the attenuator is connected to the gate of a third FET connected to the input photocurrent. The output voltage responds as a function of the light intensity at the photodetector while the bias voltage determines the range of light intensity for normal operation of the photosensor circuit.

Abstract: An operator input control system for a system to assist shifting in a multi-speed transmission includes a switch that allows an operator to provide an indication of the direction of the next shift. The operator is also provided with a switch that allows a request for torque elimination to move the transmission to neutral without clutching. In one embodiment, the operator is able to provide the shift indication separately from requesting torque elimination. In a second embodiment, a single three position switch is utilized to provide both the request for torque elimination and the shift indication. The system is operable to initially eliminate or reduce the torque load between the engine and the transmission such that the operator is able to move the transmission to neutral without clutching. The system then begins to move the engine output speed to a speed that is synchronized with the value necessary at the next gear to achieve a relatively smooth speed shift.

Abstract: An improved system for synchronizing the output speed of an engine with that necessary at the next expected gear to achieve a desired speed ratio updates and monitors the currently engaged gear. In this way, the system improves upon prior systems that attempted to "count" to determine the currently engaged gear. Moreover, the system provides an operator with a shift intent switch that allows the operator to predict an upshift or a downshift as the next shift. The system calculates what the next expected gear will be based upon this indication. Once the next expected gear is known, the speed ratio at that gear is determined. Once the transmission is moved to neutral, the synchronization speed for the engine is then determined by multiplying the current transmission output speed with that next speed ratio. The engine control drives the engine speed to achieve synchronization speed ratio. The determination is updated as the transmission speed changes. The operator completes the shift with a manual stick shift.

Abstract: A temperature-responsive actuator for a sealing assembly comprises first and second annular members each having a camming surface for engagement with one another, the first and second annular members being positioned against each other so that they are nested and together exhibit a height "h" at ambient temperatures, the first annular member having a coefficient of thermal contraction less than the coefficient of thermal contraction of the second annular member so that when the thermal actuator is subjected to temperatures less than ambient temperatures, the first and second annular members contract different amounts such that the "effective" height of the actuator becomes "h+.tangle-solidup.h".

Abstract: A resonator produces a signal which is processed by being digitized and demodulated. The processed signal is applied to a filter having three sections. The first is a lowpass filter, the second is a decimator, and the third is an equalizer filter. The lowpass filter filters out the high frequency components which would be aliased by the decimator. The equalizer filter performs whatever processing as is appropriate for the measurement which is sought. A second or subsequent equalizer filter may be driven by the first. The lowpass filter and the equalizer filters all have the same architecture of allpass filters, weighting elements, and adders. The weights applied to the weighting elements vary to perform the varied purposes of the various filters. The filtered signal is applied to a display, such as a human operator, or a device (such as an auto-pilot) either in or out of a feedback loop, or both.

Abstract: A plug closes the end bore of a slip yoke. A plurality of teeth are cast into a counterbore formed at an end of the slip yoke. The rigid plug snaps behind the teeth to be retained within the counterbore. The teeth are circumferentially spaced and may be formed when the slip yoke is cast. The rigid plug has an edge that extends radially outwardly to engage an inner peripheral surface of the counterbore and retain the plug. The teeth prevent movement of the plug outwardly of the bore.

Abstract: A printing device (10) for a printing press (12) having a cylinder (14) having at least one journal (16 or 18) extending from an end (20 or 22) of the cylinder (14), and a bearing (30 or 32) on the journal (16 or 18) and having an inner edge (44 or 46) located in the range of 1/16 inches to 11/2 inches from the end (20 or 22) of the cylinder (14).

Abstract: Copper alloy rocket engine combustion chamber linings have been found to deteriorate when exposed to cyclic reducing/oxidizing (redox) environments which are a consequence of the combustion process. This deterioration, known as blanching, can be characterized by increased roughness and bum through sites in the wall of the combustion chamber lining and can seriously reduce the operational lifetime of the combustion chamber. The blanching problem can be significantly reduced by depositing a thin layer of Cu-30.sup.v /.sub.o Cr (a copper matrix with 30.+-.10 volume percent of chromium) on the inside wall of the combustion chamber. The microstructure of the Cu-30.sup.v /.sub.o Cr coating consists of finely distributed chromium (Cr) particles in a copper (Cu) matrix. When exposed to an oxidizing environment at high temperatures, the coating forms a protective chromium scale which is stable in hydrogen atmospheres (e.g., substantially unreduced by high pressure hydrogen). The Cu-30.sup.v /.sub.