Abstract: A method for dispensing fuel has features to prevent theft of fuel and also control maintenance of authorized vehicles. The system includes a portable memory unit which remains with each vehicle. The portable memory unit is removably connected to an on-board computer on the vehicle. The on-board computer senses certain vehicle conditions and changes through transducers carburetor settings. The on-board computer also writes into the portable memory unit a warning if any of the vehicle conditions exceed limits. At the fuel dispensing site, a data processing unit receives the portable memory unit to read from it coded information. A central processing unit is located at a central records site and connected to the remote processing unit for record storage. The remote processing unit reads from the portable memory unit a last mileage at which fuel was dispensed, and compares it to a current mileage entered by the operator into the remote processing unit.

Abstract: Information indicative discrete events of interest imbedded in raw data are globally classified, or filtered with respect to scale and changes in the scale of observation to effect intelligent perception of phenomena. Large scale components are classified as events while small scale components of an identified event designate points of occurrence of the event. The invention has broad application in artificial intelligence and signal processing wherein perceived discrete events, including minima, maxima, inflections, cusps, and discontinuities have a significance other than as noise. Methods and apparatus are described which utilize the subject invention in signal processing applications.

Abstract: A pole and zero analyzer determines the poles and zeroes of a device for applying a stimulus signal to the device, detecting the stimulus and response signals and computing the auto- and cross spectra. An estimated transfer function is least squares fit to a measured transfer function obtained from the auto- and cross-spectra and the poles and zeroes are obtained as the roots of the estimated transfer function. Inaccuracies due to noise are minimized by subtracting out a noise bias from the squared cross-spectrum obtained during the least squares fit and by orthogonalizing a data matrix used in the determination of the coefficients of the estimated transfer function.

Abstract: For accurate completion of pre-printed forms on computer systems having printers with different characters-per-inch (CPI) printing capabilities, the desired data print locations of blank fields along respective print lines of a form are defined independently of CPI density, as distances from a reference location on the form. The distances are determined by positioning a user-selected reference mark on a print carrier (of a printer) at the beginning of each field. Data is then accurately printed in each field at a selected CPI density by converting the distances to printable character locations at the selected density and printing corresponding data at each of the determined locations.

Abstract: A video system is able to change the display on a video monitor with a minimal number of memory transfer cycles. The video system includes a monitor for displaying of processed data, a processor means for processing the data to be displayed, a display memory means divided into a plurality of planes addressable by a row address, the display memory stores the data that has been processed by the processor means. There are additional other sources of data which is processed by the processor means for storing in the display memory and subsequently being displayed by the CRT monitor . A control means controls the data transfer between the data sources, the processor, the display memories, and the CRT monitor and includes a row address override circuit. The row address override circuit comprises a plurality of output logic for providing a write enable signal to a memory plane. Each memory plane is connected to a cross finding output logic circuit.

Abstract: An operator-interactive automated chromosome analysis system is employed by an operator to locate and identify acceptable metaphase spreads, form a karyotype by rearranging the identified metaphase spreads in accordance with a predetermined arrangement of the twenty-three pairs of chromosomes naturally occurring in human beings, and display the karyotype on a display or a hardcopy printout, or both.

Abstract: A microprocessor-based transformer monitoring system to provide continuous on-line monitoring and analysis of transformer operation. The transformer monitoring system periodically monitors various parameters related to transformer load and condition. Maximum, minimum, and instantaneous values of the parameters are stored and analzyed. To perform the analysis, a hierarchy of thresholds is associated with each parameter. When a parameter exceeds any one of the thresholds, a response is produced by the transformer monitoring system. The type of response depends on the level of the exceeded threshold in the hierarchy. The range of response produced by the transformer monitoring system includes: continuing normal periodic data collection and analysis, increasing the rate of data collection and analysis, recommending an on-site physical check of the monitored transformer, reducing transformer load, and taking the transformer off line.

Abstract: A method of measuring the velocity of a fluid by noninstrusive means comprises passing a pump laser beam pulse through the fluid wherein the fluid contains a constituent absorbing the wavelength of the laser so that a temperature gradient, and therefore an index of refraction gradient, occurs in the laser beam path; and a probe laser beam is passed transverse to the pump laser beam and is deflected by the heated portion of the fluid; measuring the beam deflection and calculating from that the fluid velocity. After the pump pulse the amount of deflection reaches a peak value and then decreases at a rate independent of the concentration of the absorbing constituent. Where the pump laser beam has a Gaussian spatial profile, the deflection signal decreases according to: exp-2(v+/a).sup.2, where v is the velocity; t is time; and a is a constant representing the pump laser beam radius.

Abstract: A pole and zero analyzer determines the poles and zeroes of a device by applying a stimulus signal to the device, detecting the stimulus and response signals and computing the auto- and cross spectra. An estimated transfer function comprising a rational fraction of two Chebyshev polynomials is least squares fit to a measured transfer function obtained from the auto- and cross-spectra and the poles and zeroes are obtained as the roots of the estimated transfer function. Inaccuracies due to noise and computational error are minimized by the use of the Chebyshev polynomials.

Abstract: The time required for several calibration signals to traverse a signal path (1, 2, 3) is determined and compared with a nominal value. The individual calibration signals have different values for at least one signal parameter. Depending on the results of the comparison, a control signal is produced for each value of the signal parameter. Of the intelligence signal, the value of the signal parameter to be taken into account in the determination of the control signal is measured prior to the traversal of the signal path, and the control signal assigned to this value is selected.The control signal can be used in DME transponders to set an exact transponder delay, and in DME interrogators to allow for delay variations in the distance measurement.

Abstract: An apparatus for determining a square root averaging error for a differential pressure orifice meter while measuring volumetric fluid flow in a closed medium including input circuitry that provides an input signal corresponding to the instantaneous differential pressure measured at the orifice plate and logic circuitry connected to receive the signals from the input circuitry for computing the square root averaging error for the orifice meter over a selected time interval. Also disclosed is an apparatus for measuring volumetric fluid flow in a closed medium that includes input circuitry for providing an input signal corresponding to a differential pressure at an orifice located within the closed medium and logic circuitry connected to receive the input signal, compute a square root of the corresponding differential pressure and provide an output signal corresponding to this square root.

Abstract: A micro-computer is coupled to the X-Y coordinate drives of a plotting table or the like and it is programmed to provide for monitor displayed pattern design. Straight or circular lines are subdivided into a number of unit steps based upon the system resolution such that each unit step segment of a straight line and each unit step chord of a circular line corresponds to said system resolution. The sine and cosine functions of the slopes of said segments or chords are summed, and the X and Y coordinate drives are advanced one unit step each time the cosine and sine functions, respectively, crosses an integer boundary.

Abstract: A pole and zero analyzer determines the poles and zeroes of a device by applying a stimulus signal to the device, detecting the stimulus and response signals and computing the auto- and cross-spectra. An estimated transfer function is least squares fit to a measured transfer function obtained from the auto- and cross-spectra and the poles and zeroes are obtained as the roots of the estimated transfer function. A weighting function may be used to emphasize certain desired regions of the frequencies of interest in the determination of the least squares fit. The orders of the poles and zeroes are modified until an optimum fit is reached.

Abstract: A display system including a display device, a storage means having an array of storage locations each location being adapted to contain data representing a visual parameter of a different pixel of a picture to be displayed, and signal generating means for causing the display device to use the data to display a picture. the storage means is adapted to store data relating to a picture of a larger area than the picture displayed at any one time, the generating means incorporating means for altering the locations in the storage means which are addressed to produce the picture displayed in dependence on the required portion of the larger area picture which it is required to display.

Abstract: Apparatuses and processes are described for the automatic determinations of fat contents of foods, such as dairy products, e.g., milk, wherein automatic density and solids content determining apparatuses are employed, together with a computer, to determine the fat contents of food samples being tested. The density determining apparatus is preferably one which is electromagnetically excited to vibrate at its natural resonant frequency, so that from the change in such frequency, compared to a control, the mass of the sample may be determined. The means for measuring the solids content is preferably an automatic volatility computer in which electromagnetic radiation (microwave energy) is employed to drive off the volatile material (usually mostly water) in the sample, which is automatically weighed before and after such volatilization.

Abstract: A road surface condition discriminating system is disclosed, in which a vehicle speed signal produced from a vehicle speed sensor mounted on a part of the wheel system of an automobile running on a road is analyzed to decide the road surface conditions on the basis of the variations in the wheel revolutions. The system computes the acceleration from the derivative of the measured speed and then various actuating devices of the vehicle, such as, height control, shock absorber control, power steering control and skid control are controlled from the decision on the road condition.

Abstract: An automatic spectrum analyzer is provided with enhanced features for measured data handling and analysis. One feature allows the user to establish a sequence of operations to be performed at the end of each sweep of the instrument. Another feature enables the user to specify a particular signal amplitude and to have a marker placed on a displayed signal trace at that amplitude. Still another feature provides a marker that can be positioned on the next signal peak to the right or the left of the current marker position, enabling the display of the amplitude and frequency of the signal on which the marker is placed.

Abstract: The inspection apparatus comprises scanning means and processing means operative to produce a lean signal which indicates how much an article moving on a conveyor leans from the vertical. Comparing means is operative to compare the lean signal with a first preselected standard and a second preselected standard which is lower than the first preselected standard. If the first standard is exceeded, the article is rejected by first rejecting means and, if the second standard is exceeded the article may be rejected by second rejecting means downstream of the first after further information has been obtained about the article from inspection devices, or the second standard may be used to provide an indication of a trend towards leaning.

Abstract: A two-input crosstalk-resistant adaptive noise canceller receives a primary input signal including a desired speech signal portion and an undesired noise signal portion and also receives a reference input signal having a reference noise input portion and a crosstalk speech portion. The canceller has first and second summer means and first and second adaptive filter means. The first summer means provides a canceller output signal which is the difference between the primary input signal and the first adaptive filter output signal. The canceller output signal is applied to the reference input of the second adaptive filter and to one of a pair of error-control inputs of the first adaptive filter. The second error-control input of the first adaptive filter is provided by the signal at the output of the second adaptive filter, which receives a single error-control input signal from the output of the second summer means.

Abstract: A computation and control module suitable for use in a variety of postal scales as well as other types of mailroom equipment is disclosed. The module includes a microprocessor and associated circuitry; connectors for connecting ROM, which store firmware for controlling the microprocessor, and PROM, which store postal rate charts; an input/output connector; a serial interface for communications with postage meters; a non-volatile memory for storing parameters specific to particular units; and an auxiliary input/output connector. The auxiliary input/output connector is driven by selected, memory mapped interface circuitry mounted on the PROM card. The module also includes a load cell interface and a power supply. In one embodiment switches, responsive to the microprocessor, are provided for sequentially energizing various connectors and interfaces, so as to reduce power requirements. Systems comprising a plurality of computation and control modules are disclosed.