Patents Examined by C. Oda
  • Patent number: 5107249
    Abstract: A multi-sensor intrusion detection system having improved immunity to false alarm is disclosed. The sensor being less susceptible to the generation of false alarm has its output signal processed and held. The held signal is supplied to a logic gate which receives directly the signal from the other sensor. The output of the logic gate generates an alarm signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 1990
    Date of Patent: April 21, 1992
    Assignee: C & K Systems, Co.
    Inventor: Richard A. Johnson
  • Patent number: 5103215
    Abstract: A signalling device is provided having a plurality of differently colored light modules stacked one above the other than function properly regardless of arrangement order of the light modules within the signalling device. The signalling device includes a signal bus having a plurality of channels that extends through each light module. Each channel carries a unique status signal to one light module. Each light module is connected to and identified by a different channel, thus enabling the light modules to be arranged in any order and still function properly. One or all cover plates on each light module may be removed without requiring any light module to be removed from the signalling device. This feature enables both the light modules to be serviced while retaining their color identity and the color of the cover plates to be changed without requiring any light modules to be removed from the signalling device in either situation. The signalling device is quickly assembled with dilating rivets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 1990
    Date of Patent: April 7, 1992
    Assignee: Federal Signal Corporation
    Inventors: James Taylor, Sarosh Khambatta, Moti Thadani
  • Patent number: 5099222
    Abstract: A flasher unit is provided which can plug into the standard flasher receptacle of a turn signal system of a vehicle. When the vehicle operator selects a turn signal lamp by operation of the turn signal switch, the flasher unit will cycle the chosen lamp on and off at a predetermined rate for as long as the turn signal switch is closed. The flasher unit will also operate an audible signal to indicate that the turn signal system is in operation, with the level of the audible signal progressively increasing in the event that the operator forgets to restore the turn signal switch to the off position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 1990
    Date of Patent: March 24, 1992
    Assignee: Fact Games, Ltd.
    Inventor: Gerald L. Campagna
  • Patent number: 5099224
    Abstract: A method for detecting and identifying the magnetic characteristics of materials by generating an interrogating electromagnetic field in which two opposing receiver antenna assemblies are immersed. The material is housed substantially within one of the receiver antenna assemblies so that one end protrudes slightly inside the other receiver antenna assembly to minimize edge effect noise. The responding field is detected, sampled and converted to a digital signal that is compared against pre-stored values that correspond to particular signatures or patterns of the materials being identified. Through computational adjustments of the digital values or adjustments to the interrogating field, the resulting digital values are fitted to the waveform patterns, within preestablished variances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 1991
    Date of Patent: March 24, 1992
    Inventors: Jesus C. P. Santiago, Juan De la Cierva, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5081446
    Abstract: A security tag for a compact disc container holding a compact disc is comprised of a generally flat substrate which includes circuitry for establishing a resonant circuit. The substrate is positioned within the compact disc storage container such that a first portion of the substrate extends beyond the periphery of the compact disc and a second portion of the substrate overlaps at least a portion of the compact disc. A part of the circuitry is located on each of the first and second portions of the substrate so that the frequency of the resonant circuit is established at least in part by interaction between the circuitry and the compact disc. The security tag is used in an electronic security system for a surveilled area, including a transmitter for transmitting electromagnetic energy into the surveilled area at a predetermined detection frequency and a receiver for detecting the presence of a security tag resonating at a detection frequency within the surveilled area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 1990
    Date of Patent: January 14, 1992
    Assignee: Checkpoint Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter L. Gill, Anthony F. Piccoli
  • Patent number: 5073769
    Abstract: A circuit for detecting presence of a flame receives a flame signal from a standard photocell positioned to receive radiation from the flame and digitally processes the amplitude variations in the photocell's output to sense for the presence of frequencies near a frequency which is characteristic of a flame. The frequencies substantially higher than the characteristic frequency are filtered from the signal, and the remaining signal is sampled at a frequency which is preferably four times the characteristic frequency. The samples are converted to digital values and processed using a discrete Fourier transform. If the value resulting from the transform operation exceeds a preselected value, presence of a flame is essentially certain. Such digital processing allows use of a dedicated microcircuit or a microprocessor for the flame sensing function and avoids the need for many large discrete components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 1990
    Date of Patent: December 17, 1991
    Assignee: Honeywell Inc.
    Inventor: Arlon D. Kompelien
  • Patent number: 5066941
    Abstract: A key-in-ignition warning switch (10) is integrally mounted within an ignition switch (11). The warning switch (10), positioned along the rotational axis (17) of the ignition switch (10), comprises an inner plunger (15), an outer plunger (16), a plunger spring (28), and a housing spring (31). As the ignition key (26) is inserted into the key cylinder (12), a linkage (14) between the key cylinder (12) and the warning switch (10) pushes against the inner plunger (15), which in turn pushes against the outer plunger (16). As the key (26) is inserted completely into the key cylinder (12), contacts (24,25) attached to the plungers (15,16) make contact with terminals (34,36) located within a terminal block (35) attached to the ignition switch (11). When both plunger contacts (24,25) and mating terminals (34,36) are in contact, the key-in-ignition warning circuit is completed, thereby enabling the associated warning devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 1990
    Date of Patent: November 19, 1991
    Assignee: United Technologies Automotive
    Inventor: Daniel Lau
  • Patent number: 5049859
    Abstract: A pool safety alarm system includes a water-activated sonar transmitter adapted to be worn on the body of a non-swimmer for continuously transmitting low frequency audio signals upon immersion of the transmitter. An underwater microphone or hydrophone is located within the pool and is connected to a receiver circuit having a band pass filter connected to a monostable multivibrator for supplying signals to an alarm. Whenever signals within the pass band of the filter are received by the hydrophone, these signals trigger the monostable multivibrator from its stable state to its astable state. The astable state of the multivibrator operates the alarm. When signals within the pass band frequency of the filters are received by the hydrophone from sources other than the water-activated transmitter, such signals typically are momentary or intermittent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 1990
    Date of Patent: September 17, 1991
    Assignee: Karla J. Roffee
    Inventor: Clifford G. Arnell