Abstract: Apparatus which carries out a method for monitoring the length of sheets (such as banknotes) passing a predetermined position includes two pairs of rollers 1, 2 defining respective nips 5, 6 through which a sheet passes. The passage of a sheet causes radial movement of portions 11 of the rollers 2 which is detected by detectors 12 mounted in a shaft 4. The passage of a sheet causes respective counters 15, 16 to be incremented at a relatively fast sheet. The length of the sheet is determined by monitoring the counter, counters 15 and 16, during the plurality of successive intervals. The leading edge of the sheet appears during the first of the successive intervals and the trailing edge of the sheet appears during the last of the successive intervals.

Abstract: Point and area target tracking are employed by a dual mode video tracker which includes both a correlation processor (30) and a centroid processor (32) for processing incoming video signals representing the target scene (20) and for generating tracking error signals over an entire video frame. A microcomputer (26) controls the operation of the correlation and centroid processors, as well as a preprocessor (28) which preconditions the incoming video signals. The tracker operates in any of several modes in which the correlation and centroid processors function either independently or cooperatively with each other. The correlation processor generates a reference map in pixel format which is used to produce azimuth and elevation optimal weighting values for each pixel in the field-of-view. The reference map is recursively updated. The track gate for the correlation processor is automatically sized using a gradient function derived from the optimal weighting values.

Abstract: In strip casting, a melt is pressed between a travelling belt and a casting drum rotating along with the belt. A method and device for measuring the speed difference between the speed of the belt and the peripheral speed of the drum involves providing the belt on one side with a pattern of alternately darker and lighter stripes. Around the periphery of the casting drum there is arranged a number of measuring zones, each having the same width as that of the stripes. Each measuring zone includes a transducer built up of a number of photocells which, via optical conductors opening out to the measuring zones, can be activated by the stripes. When, during a casting operation, a measuring zone has arrived at a given measuring region, the number of activated photocells is read. The same procedure is repeated when the same transducer arrives at the end of the measuring region.

Abstract: A Doppler velocimeter having laser generating crossing light beams provides a crossing and focus area forming a measuring volume having regions of high and low light intensity. Solid or liquid particles moving through the measuring volume scatter light which is sensed and converted into a signal having a frequency. A signal processor measures the frequency by detecting and tracking an individual zero crossing of a particle through the measuring volume to provide real time information about the coherent component of the signal. This information is useable to determine the velocity of the particle moving through the measuring volume.

Abstract: Cost counting apparatus wherein at each transaction a printing drum prints a consumed amount that is pre-set into the apparatus, a calculating section subtracts that amount from a balance that is initially set into an electronic memory, an electromechanical display section displays the resulting balance after each transaction and the positions of the elements of the display are communicated for use in restoring the balance information to memory in the event of power failure.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for accurately measuring the weight of a load carried by a truck body which is mounted on a truck frame. The apparatus is located along an interface between the truck frame with the load carried by the truck body and uniformly distributes the weight of the body onto the frame along the interface. In order to measure the weight of the load, the apparatus includes pressure sensors which communicate the entire weight of the load to the truck frame. The pressure sensors provide an electrical signal proportional to the pressure exerted by the load on the apparatus. This electrical signal is processed to calculate the weight of the load carried in the truck body. By providing a pressure sensing apparatus at an interface between the load and truck frame, the weight on the load carried by the truck body can be continually monitored without interrupting the loading, hauling and dumping routine.

Abstract: A measuring device measures the width of trees and other vertically disposed objects at a distance from these objects. An aiming instrument cites various points along the object and measures a distance to the object as well as provides a signal proportional to a plumb line angle sensor, a signal proportional to a horizontal angle device, and a distance measuring signal. A computer coupled to the aiming instrument will compute the diameter of the trees or other vertically disposed objects from the distance signal, angle sensor signal and horizontal angle device.

Abstract: A payload monitoring system of a work vehicle includes a software controlled method of predicting when one additional bucketload of material will properly fill the vehicle to its rated capacity. The system calculates the actual magnitude of each bucketload of material and adds that value to the present payload to predict the future payload resulting from an additional bucketload of material. When the predicted future payload encompasses the rated capacity, the system signals the operators of both the work vehicle and the loading vehicle that one additional pass will complete the loading process.

Abstract: Only one pressure sensor is employed in a compact measuring apparatus for measuring both depths of water and altitude. A pressure-data generator generates pressure data corresponding to a pressure applied to the single pressure sensor. A water-depth data converter converts this pressure data into water-depth data. An altitude-data converter converts this pressure data into altitude data. The water-depth data and the altitude data are visually displayed on the compact measuring apparatus.

Abstract: A method and apparatus provides a three dimensional measurement of a point on an object. A surface with a system for detecting the position of sensors is placed adjacent to the surface and an assembly disposed adjacent to the surface yet freely movable within a plane is parallel to the surface. The assembly includes two sensors whose orthogonal projections into the surfce are detected by the two dimensional detecting system. The assembly further includes a probe, slidable only in a direction perpendicular to the surface and a system for detecting the perpendicular distance of the probe from the surface. In this manner, the orthogonal projection of the probe into the plane is permanently fixed in relation to the two sensors. In practicing the method of the invention, the object to be measured is placed adjacent to the surface and the assembly is moved to a position where the contact on the probe can be moved orthogonally until it contacts the spot on the object whose position is to be measured.

Abstract: A layout design assisting system operates in the following steps. A drawing of a layout area for installing a plurality of layout objects is displayed on a display unit. The operator specifies one of the displayed layout objects. Another layout object which interferes with the specified layout object is found in the layout area. An economical loss imposed on the specified layout object attributable to the other layout object is evaluated. Examination is conducted as to whether or not the other layout object can be relocated so that it does not interfere with the specified layout object. The specified layout object, the other layout object, the economical loss and the examination result are displayed on the display unit.

Abstract: An air-in-line detector for detecting the presence of air in a translucent tube (8) containing a liquid comprises a channel (18) for receiving the tube, only three radiation emitter detector pairs (11, 12; 13, 14; 15, 16) two of which (11, 12; 15, 16) are arranged to detect the presence of an opaque liquid with the emitter (11, 15) and detector (12, 16) of each pair being located on opposite sides of the channel (18) so that radiation emitted by the radiation emitters impinges directly on their associated detectors and one (13, 14) of which is arranged to detect the presence of translucent liquids with its emitter (13) and detector (14) being located on opposite sides of the channel (18) but not directly aligned so that radiation emitted by the radiation emitter (13) only impinges on its associated detector (14) after refraction by the tube (8) filled with a translucent liquid, and a programmed computer (1).

Abstract: A flow rate measurement system and method suitable for monitoring filtrate flow in a hemodialysis apparatus, provides a pair of flow meters in series at the input of a dialyzer for producing electrical signals indicative of dialysate flow rate and a pair of flow meters in series at the output of the dialyzer for producing electrical signals indicative of dialysate plus filtrate flow rate. A computer receives the flow rate signals and is programmed to calibrate each flow meter during a calibration phase to correct for any variations in each pair to thereby produce corrective scale factors. During an operational phase of the apparatus, the program monitors the flow meters and provides an alarm if any changes between the readings of either of the pairs of flow meters occurs.

Abstract: Time modulation in a vector film recorder is used to control the color of an image to be recorded by using a constant intensity electron beam and controlling the number of electron beam sweeps for each primary color in a color filter wheel and for each vector in a set of vectors which when summed make up the image to be recorded.

Abstract: The system has one or more vision units each of which has a head with a primary prism, a primary objective lens, and zoom optics including a plurality of lenses which form an optical path through which the image of an object may pass onto an area array sensor. Also provided is a reseau plate having a plurality of reseaus formed in a given pattern and a light source for projecting the image of the reseaus through the optical path onto the sensor for use for correcting in real time, optical distortion of the image of the object passing through the optical path including the lenses of the zoom optics. The unit is capable of movement about two perpendicular axis. Servo control devices operated by a computer are employed for automatically adjusting the focus, aperture, magnification, axial position of the reseau plate in consonance with the focus adjustment, and movement of the head about its two axes. The system also contains a central control processing head and a manual controller for the vision units.

Abstract: An electric power monitor system for radio communication (trunking and paging repeater base station) systems includes a plurality of input switches, power sensors, a power monitor having a display, keyboard, and microprocessor, a printer port, and communications port. The input switches facilitate alarm inputs, for example, unauthorized entry, flooding, fire, and temperature of the antenna site. The power sensors include bidirectional and unidirectional sensors connected to a communication system having tunable components for producing analog signals indicative of system component performance. The power monitor measures, determines, and reports locally and/or remotely the power output and standing wave ratio of transmitters and antennas, insertion loss of combiners and power to and SWR of antennas and alarms.

Abstract: With the apparatus of the invention, any acceleration/deceleration in the direction of movement is sensed by a pendulum. Electrical signals derived therefrom are used for solving the differential equation of oscillation of the pendulum for determining the acceleration, velocity and/or the distance covered by the moved body within a desired time period.

Abstract: Tissue signatures are obtained from first and second order statistics of an image texture to discriminate between different normal tissues and to detect abnormal conditions. These signatures describe intrinsic backscatter properties of the tissue imaged, and are used as the basis of an automatic tissue characterization algorithm. A device for on-line classifying of the texture of an image measures a total of four first and second order statistical properties of echo signals of a region of interest (ROI) selected by an operator, the echo signals being contained in an image memory. These can be used to obtain the tissue signatures, to detect low contrast lesions by machine, and to produce parametric images.

Abstract: A control apparatus for an air conditioning system has an outdoor unit with a compressor, a condenser and a plurality of motorized valves installed to a plurality of branch pipings. A plurality of indoor units having, a plurality of indoor thermoswitches, a microcomputer, and a drive circuit for driving the motorized valves according to the output from the microcomputer are also provided for the control apparatus. The microcomputer counts the number of indoor units required for operation by receiving the output from the indoor thermoswitch. The microcomputer also controls the opening of the motorized valves by predetermined opening steps, according to the result of the counting and with reference to an opening table. The opening table relates the number of indoor units required for operation with the opening of each of the motorized valves. The control apparatus thus permits an optimum distribution of refrigerant to the indoor units to be set quickly.

Abstract: Apparatus for measuring velocity utilizes quadrature input signals provided by a transducer and divides the derivative of one of the signals by the magnitude of the other to obtain a measure of velocity. The apparatus may be digital or analog. It is particularly suitable for the measurement of velocity where the quadrature signals are provided by an optical grating and transducer arrangement.