Abstract: A boat having a deck and a hull includes a suspension for suspending the deck with respect to the hull. Sensors are employed to determine motion of the deck, with a controller adjusting the suspension such that it maintains the pose of the deck with respect to an inertial reference and with respect to pitch, roll, and heave of the deck.

Abstract: A LiDAR-based 3-D point cloud measuring system includes a base, a housing, a plurality of photon transmitters and photon detectors contained within the housing, a rotary motor that rotates the housing about the base, and a communication component that allows transmission of signals generated by the photon detectors to external components. In several versions of the invention, the system includes a vertically oriented motherboard, thin circuit boards such as ceramic hybrids for selectively mounting emitters and detectors, a conjoined D-shaped lens array, and preferred firing sequences.

Abstract: A color LiDAR scanner device includes color laser diodes (red, green, blue) and avalanche photodetector diodes (red, green, blue) that illuminate and detect the color light intensity returned from a target. In a preferred version these color laser/detectors are coupled with a single infrared laser/detector that detects the range and infrared light intensity from the same target. The combined range and color intensity information is combined to produce a single colored pixel in space. Multiple illuminations are used to create multiple pixels which can be combined to produce images. A rotating housing may be used for an entire surrounding image.

Abstract: A boat having a deck and a hull includes a suspension for suspending the deck with respect to the hull. Sensors are employed to determine motion of the deck, with a controller adjusting the suspension such that it maintains the pose of the deck with respect to an inertial reference and with respect to pitch, roll, and heave of the deck.

Abstract: A LiDAR-based 3-D point cloud measuring system includes a base, a housing, a plurality of photon transmitters and photon detectors contained within the housing, a rotary motor that rotates the housing about the base, and a communication component that allows transmission of signals generated by the photon detectors to external components. In several versions of the invention, the system includes a vertically oriented motherboard, thin circuit boards such as ceramic hybrids for selectively mounting emitters and detectors, a conjoined D-shaped lens array, and preferred firing sequences.

Abstract: A lidar-based 3-D point cloud measuring system and method. An example system includes a base, a housing, a plurality of photon transmitters and photon detectors contained within the housing, a rotary motor that rotates the housing about the base, and a communication component that allows transmission of signals generated by the photon detectors to external components. The rotary component includes a rotary power coupling configured to provide power from an external source to the rotary motor, the photon transmitters, and the photon detectors. In another embodiment, the photon transmitters and detectors of each pair are held in a fixed relationship with each other. In yet another embodiment, a single detector is “shared” among several lasers by focusing several detection regions onto a single detector, or by using a single, large detector.

Abstract: A color LiDAR scanner device includes color laser diodes (red, green, blue) and avalanche photodetector diodes (red, green, blue) that illuminate and detect the color light intensity returned from a target. In a preferred version these color laser/detectors are coupled with a single infrared laser/detector that detects the range and infrared light intensity from the same target. The combined range and color intensity information is combined to produce a single colored pixel in space. Multiple illuminations are used to create multiple pixels which can be combined to produce images. A rotating housing may be used for an entire surrounding image.

Abstract: A lidar-based 3-D point cloud measuring system and method. An example system includes a base, a housing, a plurality of photon transmitters and photon detectors contained within the housing, a rotary motor that rotates the housing about the base, and a communication component that allows transmission of signals generated by the photon detectors to external components. The rotary component includes a rotary power coupling configured to provide power from an external source to the rotary motor, the photon transmitters, and the photon detectors. In another embodiment, the photon transmitters and detectors of each pair are held in a fixed relationship with each other. In yet another embodiment, a single detector is “shared” among several lasers by focusing several detection regions onto a single detector, or by using a single, large detector.

Abstract: An improved in-wall speaker assembly providing better performance and less intrusion than prior art speakers. The speaker assembly is oriented such that the driver fires vertically, parallel to the wall studs, rather than horizontally and perpendicular to the wall studs. The cone and surround of the speaker assembly are generally rectangular and/or conform to the area available between studs. Additionally, the cone is not attached to the voice coil, but is connected to the voice coil by a shaft which transmits the energy from the voice coil to the cone. In another aspect of the invention, the cabinet or housing includes two housings.

Abstract: Systems and methods for optimizing speaker performance. The system includes a self-contained speaker unit that includes a speaker, an amplifier coupled to the speaker, and a processor coupled to the amplifier. The processor receives a first sound signal from a receiver and a second sound signal from a microphone, processes the first sound signal based on a plurality of parameters, outputs the processed sound signal to the speaker, and generates a video signal based on the second sound signal. A wireless remote control allows a user to manipulate the parameters. The processor generates a test sound signal and outputs it to the receiver. The receiver processes the test sound signal and returns it to the processor for output through the speaker. The video signal includes a graphical user interface having a frequency response graph of the second sound signal and an eight-band equalizer.

Abstract: An improved in-wall speaker assembly providing better performance and less intrusion than prior art speakers. The speaker assembly is oriented such that the driver fires vertically, parallel to the wall studs, rather than horizontally and perpendicular to the wall studs. The cone and surround of the speaker assembly are generally rectangular and/or conform to the area available between studs. Additionally, the cone is not attached to the voice coil, but is connected to the voice coil by a shaft which transmits the energy from the voice coil to the cone. In another aspect of the invention, the cabinet or housing includes two housings.

Abstract: A class D amplifier utilizing first and second switches connected in series to conduct current from a power source in a sequential manner. The switches have a common output node between them. A pulse width modulator is utilized to produce first and second signals identified as the high and low side. The first switch connects to a drive which receives the first signal from the pulse width modulator to close the first switch. A second switch drive receives a second signal from the pulse width modulator to operate the second switch in a sequential manner. A toggle or commutator device utilizes third and fourth switches in series with an inductor. The toggle device is connected to the common node between the first and second switches in order to closely control the switching of the first and second switches to eliminate loss of energy associated with the rapid switching normally found in a class D amplifier.

Abstract: A loudspeaker including a voice coil and a counter coil connected in series to receive speaker signals. The counter coil is wrapped on the pole pieces in an opposite direction to the voice coil such that a first magnetic field generated by the voice coil is reduced by a second magnetic field generated by the counter coil. In addition, a stiffened and/or elongated voice coil support is provided to reduce distortion caused by a bowing effect of the voice coil due to a warped stationary magnetic field located in the air gap. An acoustically-transparent basket is also provided which minimizes reflected sound waves to further reduce distortion.

Abstract: A loudspeaker structure utilizing a curved member or cone having an endless rim and a continuous curved surface between the rim. A rigid support is attached to the endless rim in order to provide a mounting structure for the curved member. A surround formed of vibration damping material is connected to the rim of the curved member. A former for voice coil is connected to the curved member and extends outwardly from the continuous curved surface. The voice coil is placed on the former at a predetermined distance from the continuous curved surface.

Abstract: A mechanism for a speaker assembly utilizing a brace for confining a speaker cone in a particular orientation. The brace is provided with at least first and second feet which append therefrom. At least one of the feet is fastened to a permanent magnet associated with the cone to isolate vibrations originating in the permanent magnet. In this regard, a plate is employed in conjunction with an elastomeric member such that the elastomeric member is interposed the foot and the plate. The elastomeric member is held to the plate and the first foot. The elastomeric member is sized to create a bias for movement of the brace only in a shear direction relative to the plate and the first foot. A fastener is also employed to support the first and second feet to the permanent magnet at predetermined distances from the permanent magnet.

Abstract: Improvements in a moving-coil loudspeaker system of the type incorporating motional feedback. An accelerometer mounted on the loudspeaker coil to develop the feedback signal is enclosed within an air-tight shield can to avoid low-frequency instability. High-frequency stability is enhanced by various means including use of a "trumpet" shaped speaker cone, an inverted (concave) dust cap, and theta-dependent cone variations such as providing clusters of holes through the speaker cone to alter the propagation of sound waves radially in selected sectors of the cone. Also disclosed is the use of weights placed on the loudspeaker coil in selected locations circumferentially with respect to the accelerometer to minimize instability effects.

Abstract: A moving-coil loudspeaker system incorporating motional feedback operable at high frequencies, i.e. above about 1000 Hz. The feedback signal is developed by a tiny piezo-electric accelerometer mounted together with a charge amplifier directly on the loudspeaker coil, in alignment with the turns of the coil. The coil comprises two layers of rectangular, anodized aluminum wire wound tightly to form an effectively integral mass. The system includes a suitable stabilizing frequency compensation network.