Abstract: A sound generating apparatus or a sound detecting apparatus includes: a flexible substrate; and a plurality of bimorphs arranged on a surface of the flexible substrate in a direction at a predetermined interval, each of the bimorphs having input/output terminals. Each of the bimorphs has a rectangular shape and its longitudinal direction is perpendicular to the direction. The flexible substrate has a slit between successive two of the bimorphs. A width of the slit outside the bimorphs is wide. A buffering material covering surfaces of the flexible substrate with the bimorphs exposed or a cover covering the bimorphs with a space may be provided. The cover and the buffering material may have slit. A sound generating apparatus including a plurality of flexible substrates respectively supporting bimorphs may be provided. The flexible substrate may have a comb shape.

Abstract: A radar system (10) which transmits a random noise signal. The transmitted signal is embodied as an electromagnetic signal and is directed at an object or target. The object or target reflects at least a portion of the electromagnetic signal which is returned to the radar system. An image of the electromagnetic random noise signal is stored in memory (16) and compared with the returned modulated signal. Based on the correlation value, a determination is made regarding the object or target. In a particular implementation, the radar system is used in a target detection device (TDD) (10) in order to determine the distance from the target or object to the device and the relative velocity of the target or object and the device. When the target or object reaches a predetermined distance and also satisfies any other system requirements, the TDD (10) initiates a detonation signal which causes detonation of the missile or warhead.

Abstract: An electronic device for use by recreational divers, that uses ultrasonic signals to measure distance, to indicate relative direction, and to maintain contact between at least two diving partners during a diving session. One of the devices is worn and operated by each diving partner, and each device, through an arrangement of ultrasound transmitters and receiver pairs affixed thereto, monitors relative distance between itself and each other device in use by a diving partner. The device has a user interface, including a plurality of push-buttons and liquid crystal display, to set and indicate relative distance, relative direction, low battery fault, and chime or vibration warning mode. The warning mode alerts a diver when a distance limit between companion divers has been exceeded.

Abstract: A speed measuring apparatus including a transmitter for transmitting an acoustic reference wave toward a moving-target, the acoustic reference wave being generated based on a reference signal with a predetermined frequency. Also included is a receiver for receiving acoustic reflection waves which are generated by the transmitted acoustic reference wave being reflected by the moving-target, for converting the acoustic reflection waves to receiver signals, and for outputting the receiver signals therefrom. Further, a signal attenuating unit for selectively attenuating a signal component with the same frequency as the frequency of the reference signal in the receiver signals which are output from the receiver and outputting signals therefrom and a band pass filter unit for selecting at least one Doppler signal component from the signals output from the signal attenuating unit are included.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for distinguishing systematic artifacts from noise involves localizing functional noise in the vicinity of predicted functional peaks. The method is particularly relevant to detection and tracking of time-varying signals. An apparatus implementing such an application of the method comprises a detection system (50) which monitors each component of a multi-component periodic signal via its basis repeat unit: a cyclet, of periodicity &tgr;. The signal is digitized and clocked through the system (50) in segments. A cyclet remover (62) subtracts predicted values of previously detected cyclets from the incoming signal segment to produce a residual signal. A cyclet detector (60) uses a sliding window procedure to detect further cyclets in this residual and to measure their amplitude profiles {overscore (b)}(&tgr;) and periodicities (&tgr;).

Abstract: This invention describes a new method to estimate the sediment flux in front of a Coherent Acoustic Sediment Probe (CASP) instrument. Also, described is a newly invented Bistatic Doppler Velocity and Sediment Profiler (BDVSP) device for measuring sediment concentration, sediment velocity, and the resultant sediment transport in a sediment bed, and for the measurement of turbulent stresses and dissipation in the ocean.

Abstract: A transceiver arrangement for a smart antenna system of a mobile communication base station is disclosed. A receiving apparatus comprises N array antennas, N AFEUs for down-converting each of signals which are received from the N array antennas into N different frequencies, respectively, N:1 power combiner for combining the converted N signals into one signal, a wideband transceiver for down-converting the combined signal into a base frequency band, a wide band analog-to-digital converter for converting the down-converted signal into a digital signal, N digital filters for dividing the digital signal into N different digital signals and L beam forming modules for receiving one by one the N digital signals divided by each of N digital dividing means and for forming adaptive beam, wherein L is the number of subscribers.

Abstract: A countermeasure device which is supplied with air in order to actively compensate for external water pressure at any depth, is disclosed. The countermeasure includes an air bag hover system and one or more acoustic projectors, both of which are connected by an air line to a high pressure air source. A sensor is provided which measures the external water pressure and transmits the measurements to a microprocessor. Upon sensing an increased external water pressure, a pressure regulator valve is opened and air is supplied to both the acoustic projectors and the air bag in order to compensate for the increased water pressure. Similarly, if the external water pressure decreases, then air is released from both the air bag and the acoustic projectors through a pressure vent valve connected to the air bag. The microprocessor can also be programmed to vary the deployment depth of the device by varying the internal pressure within the device relative to the external water pressure.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming satellite transmission beams are disclosed. A beamforming network in accordance with the present invention comprises an array of antennas and primary and secondary dividing networks. The array of antennas comprises at least a first subarray having a first number of elements and a second subarray having a second number of elements. The primary dividing network divides a beam signal into a plurality of panel signals, wherein a number of panel signals is substantially equal to a number of subarrays. The secondary dividing network divides a first panel signal into a first plurality of element signals substantially equal in number to the first number of elements and for dividing a second panel signal into a second plurality of element signals substantially equal in number to the second number of elements.

Abstract: A sensor device for detecting vibration, including a light source for providing a laser light, a first optical fiber connected to the source for transmitting the laser light, an oscillator positioned to receive the transmitted laser light and adapted to reflect the light as a frequency modulated light; a second optical fiber positioned to capture the frequency modulated light to transmit the frequency modulated light; and a frequency modulated discriminator for receiving the frequency modulated light from the second optical fiber and producing a signal responsive of vibration of the oscillator. In a preferred embodiment, the frequency modulated discriminator further includes a frequency meter for determining the average number of cycles per unit time to provide a second signal responsive of the temperature of the oscillator.

Abstract: The location of a mobile unit is determined by evaluating the instantaneous distances between an apparatus traveling above the surface of the earth and the mobile unit. The instantaneous distances are determined by measuring the travel time of a plurality of signals and calculating the distance based on the speed of the signal. One of two possible location regions is identified as the region including the location of the mobile unit by observing the motion of the mobile unit resulting from the rotation of the Earth.

Abstract: An ultrasonic ranging system and method for detecting the presence of and distance to a target using ultrasonic sound waves generated by an ultrasonic transducer with reduced audible noise. Electrical ultrasonic signal pulses are modulated according to a smooth modulation envelope and a transducer drive signal is generated from the modulated signal pulses. The transducer drive signal drives an ultrasonic transducer which generates ultrasonic sound waves for transmission in a desired path, and further receives ultrasonic sound waves reflected from targets in the transmission path. The received ultrasonic sound waves are converted to an electrical signal that is processed by a processor to provide time and distance information to the target. The distance information is computed by using a middle time value for the transmitted and received signals.

Abstract: A system and method for detecting the range of an acoustic source within a reverberant space. The invention includes a method, apparatus, and computer program to determine whether a sound source is situated near or far from a pair of microphones situated within a reverberant space. A signal detector is applied to the data; only the data that passes the signal detector is processed any further. The signal at the two microphones is compared to obtain the angular distribution of acoustic power. The concentration of acoustic power in the direct path versus reverberant paths is determined and used to compute a direct-to-reverberant ratio. If this ratio is greater than a selected threshold, the sound source is determined to be near the microphones. Otherwise, the sound source is determined to be far from the microphones.

Abstract: An automated system and process is provided for pooling samples from a multiplicity of blood or plasma donations for subsequent testing to uniquely identify any such blood or plasma donations which may be infected with a particular virus. The system includes an autosampler needle which is directly inserted into a blood or plasma sample aliquot container in order to withdraw an aliquot portion of the contents for forming a sample pool with aliquot portions of other blood or plasma samples. The autosampler comprises a tubular piercing member having a hollow interior bore and a tubular shroud surrounding the piercing member.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a downhole, high-current, low-impedance, feed-through connector for passing electrical current, preferably high frequency AC current, between a tool compartment having relatively high pressure and another tool compartment having relatively low pressure. The primary intended application of the present invention is to connect a radio frequency transmitter/receiver antenna to the antenna's tuning capacitors, but the present invention is applicable to any downhole application requiring the transmission of high electrical current across a barrier having a high pressure differential. This invention minimizes the force acting on the connector due to the high pressure differential by providing a conductor preferably having either a wave-like cross-section or a multi-finned cross-section, thereby minimizing the overall cross-sectional area of the connector yet providing sufficient cross-sectional area of the conductor to carry the necessary amount of electrical current.

Abstract: A telecommunications switching system with a hardware resource manager system. The resource manager interfaces with higher-level system functions such as call processing, OA&M, NMS and system control functions and with lower-level hardware functions embodied in an input/output sub-system (IOSS) containing various hardware resources for interfacing the switching system to other entities. The resource manager controls all interactions between the IOSS hardware and the higher-level functions and hides the hardware specifics of the IOSS, giving the higher-level functions a hardware-independent view of the IOSS resources. As a result, the higher-level functions can operate without modification with a wide variety of IOSS hardware configurations. The resource manager manages the physical interfaces and IOSS resources and is aware of the complete configuration of the IOSS, including all channel addressing information and the state of each IOSS resource.

Abstract: A variable function calculator utilizes a fixed program memory array such as a programmed read only memory in which a number of programs are stored depending upon the desired functions of the calculator. The calculator also includes a program counter, an instruction register, control decoders, jump-condition circuits, a clock generator, a timing generator, digit and FLAG mask decoders, key input logic, a register and FLAG data storage array, a decimal and FLAG arithmetic logic unit, an output decoder, and a digit scanner which scans both the keyboard and display outputs. Aside from providing basic desk top calculator functions, the read only memory may be programmed so that the system provides metering functions, arithmetic teaching functions, control functions, etc.. A preferred embodiment of the invention is capable of being fabricated as a monolithic integrated semiconductor system utilizing contemporary metal-insulator-semiconductor techniques.

Abstract: An autofocus system for use for instance in a photolithography machine (but not so limited) uses oblique incident optics which transform a defocus of the plane of the wafer whose location is being detected to a lateral shear of the beam. A common path interferometer measures the lateral shear. The common path interferometer is for instance a triangular path interferometer. Since both the signal (object) light beam and the reference light beams transverse almost exactly the same optical path, the system is thereby independent of mechanical vibration or other environmental influence such as temperature variations. Compensation is provided for refractive effects caused by local atmospheric heating immediately above the wafer surface.

Abstract: A method for determining the location of an object in a passenger compartment of a vehicle in which ultrasonic waves are transmitted from a first transducer into the passenger compartment, waves reflected off an object in the passenger compartment are received by the first transducer and a first distance from the first transducer to the object is calculated based on the time difference between the transmitted waves and reflected waves when received by the first transducer. Further, different ultrasonic waves are transmitted from a second transducer into the passenger compartment which then receives reflected waves off the object and a second distance from the second transducer to the object is calculated based on the time difference between the transmitted waves and reflected waves when received by the second transducer. The approximate location of the object in the passenger compartment is determined based on the first distance and the second distance.

Abstract: Two new adaptive homing guidance laws are developed which are variants of Augmented Proportional Navigation (PRONAV). The first guidance law commands flight path angle rate and is referred to as adaptive matched augmented PRONAV (AMAAP). The second guidance law commands linear acceleration and is referred to as adaptive matched augmented linear PRONAV (AMALP). The major attributes of these guidance laws are (1) they are the solutions of a linear quadratic control problem, (2) they do not require an estimate of time-to-go (tgo), (3) they are matched to a nonlinear model of the target's motion, (4) they adapt in real time to provide optimal guidance over each small segment of the intercept trajectory, and (5) they optimally account for missile deceleration.