Abstract: A system (10) for controlling an actuatable occupant protection device (44, 46, 52, 48, 50, 54) includes an actuatable headrest device (44, 48) which, when actuated, helps protect an occupant of a vehicle seat (42, 43). A crash sensor (22) is operative to sense a condition of a vehicle (20) and provide a crash sensor signal having an electrical characteristic indicative of the sensed vehicle condition. A controller (24) is coupled to the actuatable headrest device (44, 48) and the crash sensor (22). The controller (24) determines a crash velocity value and a crash displacement value based on the crash sensor signal. The controller (24) has a threshold value functionally related to the determined crash displacement value. The controller (24) controls actuation of the actuatable headrest device (44, 48) in response to the determined crash velocity value relative to the threshold value.

Abstract: An apparatus (12) for use in a vehicle suspension (10) comprises an anti-roll bar (28) having opposite first and second end portions (30 and 32). An intermediate portion (34) is interposed between the first and second end portions (30 and 32) and is subjected to torsional forces when the first and second end portions (30 and 32) move relative to one another. The apparatus (12) further comprises an actuator (48) for attaching at least one of the first and second end portions (30 and 32) to a part of the vehicle suspension (10). The actuator (48) comprises a cylinder (52) for retaining fluid (54) and a piston assembly (56) for dividing the cylinder into two chambers (81 and 83). The piston assembly (56) is movable axially within the cylinder (52). The piston assembly (56) includes structure forming orifices (144) for interconnecting the two chambers (81 and 83) of the cylinder (52).

Abstract: An apparatus (20) determines a target (e.g., a vehicle occupant 22) beyond a predetermined distance. In an exemplary embodiment, the apparatus (20) determines a distant target for use in control of air bag deployment. The apparatus (20) includes a sensor (44) for emitting and receiving first (52, 56) and second (54, 58) signals in an interspersed predetermined emission sequence toward the target. A controller (60) successively determines a time interval between the emission of a current signal and the reception of an echo. The controller (60) successively compares at least two time intervals to determine whether a sufficient difference exists to indicate that the target is beyond the predetermined distance and outputs a signal to the air bag actuation system (62).

Abstract: An apparatus comprises a vehicle occupant protection device and a gas generating material, which, when ignited, produces gas to actuate the vehicle occupant protection device.

Abstract: A vehicle occupant sensor apparatus (34) has an imager (36) that gathers an image of an occupant (12). The image has focus attributes. A focal plane associated with the imager (36) is at a distance from the imager. A 2D high-pass filter (42), a multiple frame temporal filter (46), and a position determination component (52) operate to determine position of the occupant (12) relative to the focal plane (38) via use of the focus attributes.

Abstract: An apparatus (210) includes seat belt webbing (12), a parallelogram linkage (220), a sensor lever (370), and a sensor (379). The seat belt webbing (12) helps to protect the occupant (14) of the vehicle (18). The parallelogram linkage (220) includes a first beam (352) and a second beam (362) parallel to the first beam (352). The first and second beams (352, 362) each bend in response to at least part of a load applied by the seat belt webbing (12). The sensor lever (370) is interposed between the first and second beams (352). The sensor lever (370) has a connection with the first and second beams (352). The connection causes the sensor lever (370) to deflect upon bending of the first and second beams (352). The sensor (379) senses the deflection of the sensor lever (370) and provides an output signal indicative of the amount bending of the first and second beams (352, 362).

Abstract: An apparatus (10) for providing fluid under pressure for actuating a vehicle occupant protection device comprises an electrically actuatable initiator (80) having terminal pins (100). A hermetically sealed metal propellant container (130) contains a propellant (82) ignitable by the initiator (80) to produce fluid under pressure. The propellant container (130) is secured to the initiator (80) by crimping. The apparatus (10) also comprises a member (86) electrically insulating between the metal propellant container (130) and the terminal pins (100) of the initiator (80) to isolate the initiator electrically from the propellant container.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for testing units that are subject to rotational force, such as automotive tire-mounted units. The apparatus (30) includes a rotational drive motor (36), a rotating member (32), and a drive interconnection (42, 44, 46, 48, 50, 56) operatively connected between the drive motor and the rotating member. The drive interconnection includes a first constant velocity joint (44), a longitudinal spline interconnection (56), and a second constant velocity joint (46). The apparatus (30) also includes a stationary motor mount (38) fixed to the drive motor (36), a test unit holder (34) located on the rotating member, and a three-dimensional motion drive (40) operatively connected to the rotating member (32).

Abstract: An article (10) comprises a transparent material (42) having interior and exterior surfaces (44 and 46). A coating of paint (48) is applied to the exterior surface (46) of the transparent material (42). Indicia (12) are formed in the coating of paint (48) by a plurality of interrelated line segments (50). Each line segment (50) of the plurality of line segments (50) extends parallel to each other line segment (50). The article (10) further comprises a light source (40) actuatable for directing light against the interior surface (44) of the transparent material (42) and through the line segments (50) to illuminate the indicia (12). The indicia (12) are discernible from the coating of paint (48) when illuminated by the light source (40) and are indiscernible from the coating of paint (48) when not illuminated.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus 200 for phase tracking coherent detection in a communication system. The method provides receiving a waveform which carries information including both phase reference information and data information. The received waveform is phase-rotated by a phase offset estimate. Phase reference information and data information is extracted from the phase-rotated received waveform. A phase offset estimate is calculated based on the extracted phase reference information, extracted data information, and the received waveform. The apparatus 200 provides a phase rotator 206 for phase-rotating an received waveform by an input phase offset estimate. A data detector 210 is provided which extracts phase reference information and data information from the phase-rotated version of the received waveform.

Abstract: A vehicle steering column (10) comprises a one-piece steering column member (12) that includes a plurality of elongate wall portions (20-24) that extend generally parallel to a longitudinal axis (28) of the steering column. The plurality of wall portions (20-24) at least partially define a chamber (26) in the member (12) for receiving an axially extending steering shaft (30) of the vehicle. The member (12) has a generally rectangular exterior configuration. The member (12) includes a vehicle mounting portion (90, 92) formed as one piece with the elongate wall portions (20-24). The vehicle mounting portion (90, 92) extends from the wall portions (20-24) and is adapted for fastening the steering column member (10) to the vehicle body.

Abstract: An apparatus (10) for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle (12) having a side structure (16) and a roof (18) comprises an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (14). The inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (14) is inflatable away from the vehicle roof (18) into a position between the side structure (16) of the vehicle (12) and the vehicle occupant. A fill tube (22) has a portion located in the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (14). The apparatus (10) also includes at least one support device (40) that has a portion (42) that clamps around a portion of the fill tube (22). The apparatus (10) further includes a grab handle (150) that has at least one portion (156) adapted to interconnect with the support device (40). A fastener (180) is extendable through the support device (40) to connect the grab handle (150), support device (40), fill tube (22) and inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (14) to the vehicle (12).

Abstract: A superconducting A/D converter (10) has an error correction system (70) for eliminating non-linearities in a primary quantizer (30). The converter (10) includes a primary quantizer (30), a primary SFQ counter (50), and the error correction system (70). The primary quantizer (30) generates primary SFQ pulses based on an average voltage of an analog input signal. The primary SFQ counter (50) converts the primary SFQ pulses into a digital output signal based on a frequency of the primary SFQ pulses. The error correction system (70) corrects the digital output signal based on the analog input signal and the primary SFQ pulses. Using the primary SFQ pulses to correct the digital output signal allows the converter (10) to take into account the non-linearities of the primary quantizer (30).

Abstract: A demodulation system used in connection with an analog optical link. An optical carrier signal modulated with an RF signal is split into two portions. One carrier signal portion is applied to a coarse demodulator that generates a demodulated signal representative of the RF signal and the additive inverse of an error signal. The coarse demodulator output is inverted and applied to a phase modulator along with the second carder signal portion. The phase modulator modulates the optical carrier signal with the additive inverse of the demodulated signal from the coarse demodulator, and the RF signal components of the carrier signal and the demodulated signal cancel, leaving the carrier signal modulated with the error signal. The modulated carrier signal is filtered, then demodulated to regenerate the error signal, which is combined with the demodulated signal from the coarse demodulator to recreate the RF signal with minimal excess noise and distortion.

Abstract: In a cellular satellite system such as Astrolink, where same frequency, same polarization (same “color”) signals are used in multiple ground cells, there exists the possibility of interference and false reception of uplink Synchronization Bursts (SB) in systems employing TDMA access of the frequency in question. In such systems, a SB transmitted from one terminal may be received in more than one satellite beam. The reception of the signal from a terminal in an undesired beam (330) is erroneous and may adversely impact the time synchronization (360) of the desired terminal. For example, a system may employ Maximal Length (ML) Pseudo-Noise (PN) sequences (410) for its SBs wherein every beam may use the same sequence. To minimize false reception, the ML PN sequences (410) of each SB may be cyclicly shifted a different amount for each beam to generate sequences (410, 420) having low corsscorrelation with each other.

Abstract: A vehicle (12) includes an ultrasonic intrusion alarm system (11). A linear electric motor (60) has a movable part (64) that moves linearly relative to the alarm system (11) upon actuation of the linear electric motor. A computer (120) controls operation of the linear electric motor (60). A plurality of different test devices (80, 90, 100, 110) are selectively connectable with the movable motor part (64) for performing different tests of the alarm system (11).

Abstract: A communications satellite method and are provided for controlling a configuration of spot beams produced by a communications satellite. A plurality of spot beams are generated by a communications satellite while maintained at a first orbital position with respect to a first portion of the earth. The plurality of spot beams are configured in a first cell pattern to substantially encompass a first portion of the Earth. The satellite is moved to a second orbital position with respect to a second portion of the earth. Once moved, the satellite is reconfigured such that a second plurality of spot beams form a second pattern 85 to substantially cover the new portion of the earth of interest. A network of switches allows the satellite 10 to be reconfigured for operation from multiple orbital positions. The switching network directs individual feeds to different signal paths having different bandwidth and power capabilities.

Abstract: An acoustic charge transport device is formed by a process which introduces a process dependent variation in charge carrier density within the device. The acoustic charge transport device includes a transport channel operable to carry charge carriers in response to a surface acoustic wave. In addition, the acoustic charge transport device further includes a backgate for controlling the charge carrier density within the transport channel.

Abstract: An enhancement mode FET device (10) that employs a strained N-doped InAlAs charge shield layer (22) disposed on an intrinsic InAlAs barrier layer (20). A gate metal electrode (38) of the FET device (10) is controllably diffused through a recess (36) into the shield layer (22) to the barrier layer (20). The resulting enhancement mode device (10) provides an excellent Schottky barrier with a high barrier height that inhibits undesirable surface depletion effects through charge shielding by the shield layer (22) in the regions between the recess edge and the gate metal. Minimizing surface depletion effects makes the device more robust by making the surface less sensitive to processing conditions and long-term operation effects.

Abstract: An apparatus (10) for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle (12) that has a side structure (16) and a roof (28) comprises an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (14) that is inflatable away from the roof into a position between the side structure of the vehicle and a vehicle occupant. The device (14) has a perimeter (50) defined by an upper edge (52) positioned adjacent the roof (28), an opposite lower edge (54), and front and rear edges (56 and 58) spaced apart along the upper and lower edges. The device (14) includes overlying panels secured together along the perimeter (50) to define an inflatable volume (34) and is free from association with an inflatable tube. An inflator (24) provides inflation fluid for inflating the device (14). A flexible elongated member (90) extends through the device (14) and is coiled around a portion (70) of the inflatable volume (34) of the device. The member (90) has a first end (92) and an opposite second end (94) fixed to the vehicle side structure (16).