Patents Examined by Felix D. Gruber
  • Patent number: 4954972
    Abstract: A color signature sensor for color recognition or discrimination utilizing a spectral analysis system for use as a process control for automation and on-line quality assurance. An object to be observed is illuminated by a suitable light source, light collected from the object under examination is routed into a monochromator. The output of the monochromator is fed to an analog-to-digital converter and analyzed by a microprocessor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 1987
    Date of Patent: September 4, 1990
    Assignee: Honeywell Inc.
    Inventor: Charles T. Sullivan
  • Patent number: 4954953
    Abstract: A digital computer having stored therein a program receives information on pin locations, logic equations and timing delays from a plurality of inputs to a plurality of outputs of a representation of an electronic integrated circuit. A first representation of the electronic integrated circuit is constructed by the program based upon the input information. The first representation has a plurality of nodes interconnecting a plurality of first electronic logic circuit elements, with the first electronic logic circuit elements in the primitives of a first simulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 1988
    Date of Patent: September 4, 1990
    Assignee: VLSI Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Steve Bush
  • Patent number: 4953110
    Abstract: A system for monitoring various operating conditions of a turbocharger for providing warnings and control when the monitored operating conditions meet and/or exceed predetermined limits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1988
    Date of Patent: August 28, 1990
    Assignee: Globe Turbocharger Specialties, Inc.
    Inventor: Paul W. Chartrand
  • Patent number: 4953096
    Abstract: In a distributed system having a plurality of processors connected to a common transmission line, each processor comprises means for registering erroneous programs within the processor, and means for changing modes, so that a program is diagnosed on the basis of a processed result of data accepted from the transmission line and is registered in the erroneous program registration means if it is erroneous, and that the mode change means changes-over the test mode and the on-line mode by reference to the erroneous program registration means and in correspondence with the programs registered in or canceled from the registration means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 1987
    Date of Patent: August 28, 1990
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Isao Wachi, Kinji Mori, Masayuki Orimo, Yasuo Suzuki, Katsumi Kawano, Minoru Koizumi, Kozo Nakai, Hirokazu Kasashima
  • Patent number: 4951200
    Abstract: A method for controlling the apply element during a kickdown shift for an electronic automatic transmission system by controlling the turbine speed along a desired slope to adaptively predict how much time remains to fill the apply element after having achieved a predetermined target speed for the turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 1988
    Date of Patent: August 21, 1990
    Assignee: Chrysler Corporation
    Inventors: Maurice B. Leising, Gerald L. Holbrook, Howard L. Benford
  • Patent number: 4951205
    Abstract: A method of sensing and determining open circuits and short circuits to the solenoid-actuated valves for the electronic automatic transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 1988
    Date of Patent: August 21, 1990
    Assignee: Chrysler Corporation
    Inventors: Gary K. Lowe, Hemang S. Mehta, Howard L. Benford, Maurice B. Leising
  • Patent number: 4951223
    Abstract: A system for inspecting and characterizing continuous web material such as may be wound into a roll. This system includes a recording storage means for providing a duplicate image of the web material and a device for reviewing the recording storage means image to detect a predetermined characterisitc of the image such as a defect therein. The position along the image is detected and a switch is responsive to both the content information and position information to record an indicia of image position corresponding to detection of the predetermined characteristic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 1989
    Date of Patent: August 21, 1990
    Inventors: R. Langdon Wales, H. W. Crowley
  • Patent number: 4949276
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for efficiently protecting dynamic compressors from surge under changing inlet conditions and in response to flow disturbances of varying size and speed. An antisurge control system based on this disclosed method will compute the relative proximity of the compressor operating point to its surge limit as a multi-variable parameter which is self-compensated for changes in gas composition, inlet temperature and pressure, compressor efficiency, guide-vane position, and rotational speed. A combination of adaptive closed- and open-loop control responses is used to maintain a margin of safety between the operating point and the surge limit. Both the safety margin and the magnitude of the open-loop response are proportional to the rate at which the operating point approaches the surge limit, thus maximizing process efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 1988
    Date of Patent: August 14, 1990
    Assignee: Compressor Controls Corp.
    Inventors: Naum Staroselsky, Saul Mirsky, Paul A. Reinke
  • Patent number: 4947330
    Abstract: A method of input power on/off discrimination for an automatic vehicular transmission system having an input shaft to which an output torque of an engine is transmitted, the method being adapted, for example, for the selection of the transmission control logic of the transmission system. The output torque of the engine transmitted to the input shaft is detected. If the detected output torque takes a value such that the rotating speed changing rate of the input shaft during transmission control is higher than a predetermined target value, it is concluded that the engine is in the power-on state. Preferably, the output torque of the engine is transmitted to the input shaft of the transmission system through a driving force transmission apparatus capable of detecting transmission torque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 1988
    Date of Patent: August 7, 1990
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takeo Hiramatsu
  • Patent number: 4947331
    Abstract: An improved control system and method for an automatic/semi-automatic transmission system (10) including an automatic change gear transmission (12) driven by a throttle (26) controlled engine (14) is provided. The control system includes a processing unit (42) for receiving inputs indicating at least throttle positon (THL) and vehicle speed (OS) and for determining vehicle acceleration (dOS/dt) and for processing these inputs in accordance with a program or logic rules to determine the selected engaged gear ratio and for issuing command signals to a transmission shifting mechanism (34). The processing unit operates according logic rules so that the control system will execute skip upshifts upon sensing certain predetermined conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 1988
    Date of Patent: August 7, 1990
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventor: Donald Speranza
  • Patent number: 4947329
    Abstract: A method wherein a controller is programmed to determine the acceleration of the turbine in the torque converter to control transmission operation during a shift or gear change by counting the number of teeth during a predetermined cycle and dividing that tooth count by the actual time elapsed between the first and last tooth in an automatic transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 1988
    Date of Patent: August 7, 1990
    Assignee: Chrysler Corporation
    Inventors: Howard L. Benford, Hemang S. Mehta, Michael R. Lindsay
  • Patent number: 4947357
    Abstract: A digital system that includes a plurality of integrated circuits disposed on a circuit board, each integrated circuit comprising a plurality of scan chains, each scan chain scanning data from a scan input to a scan output in response to a scan clock; each scan input is coupled to a first pad of the integrated circuit, and the scan outputs are multiplexed to a second pad of the integrated circuit; the second pads of the integrated circuits are multiplexed to a port of the circuit board. A controller selects one of the integrated circuits for scanning, the controller selecting the second pad of the selected integrated circuit for coupling to the port of the circuit board; and the controller also selects one of the plurality of scan chains in the selected integrated circuit for scanning, the controller coupling the scan clock to the selected scan chain and selecting the scan output of the selected scan chain for coupling to the second pad of the selected integrated circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 1988
    Date of Patent: August 7, 1990
    Assignee: Stellar Computer, Inc.
    Inventors: W. Kem Stewart, Lester M. Crudele, Jonathan L. Miller, Marco E. Riera, Bruce E. Schurmann
  • Patent number: 4947352
    Abstract: A microprocessor is employed to control a test program which operates to cause a component under test to be filled (or evacuated) to a predetermined pressure P.sub.2 at which a leak test is to be carried out. The test program is arranged firstly to perform a rapid test at atmospheric pressure P.sub.1 to determine the pressure change dpl'/dt in the component due to the temperature fluctuation. The component is then filled (or evacuated) automatically to the test pressure P.sub.T, at which the leak check is carried out. Temperature compensation is achieved by subtracting the value of C dpl'/dt from the pressure change dp.sub.t /dt actually measured, i.e. the actual leak rate dPL/dt is given by ##EQU1## where the constant, C, is generated from an identical proram run, the calibration run, on a known non-leaker with a high temperature fluctuation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 1988
    Date of Patent: August 7, 1990
    Assignee: Ion Track Instruments, Inc.
    Inventor: Anthony Jenkins
  • Patent number: 4945483
    Abstract: In a continuously variable transmission, a target vehicle driving torque is obtained according to engine load, and a target rotational value of the continuously variable transmission possible to output the target vehicle driving torque is determined from a vehicle speed and an engine torque at that time. The target rotational value may be a target rotational speed of an input shaft of the continuously variable transmission, or, a target speed ratio between a rotational speed of an output shaft and a rotational speed of the input shaft. As a result, the target rotational value to which a driver's intention is properly reflected can be set irrespective of condition, i.e., a normal running condition or a speed change transitional condition. Further, it is unnecessary to provide a device such as a throttle actuator for controlling an engine output independently of an accelerator pedal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 1988
    Date of Patent: July 31, 1990
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Setsuo Tokoro
  • Patent number: 4945489
    Abstract: A laser multiplexing system is capable of time-sharing high-power laser output among a number of work stations. The laser beam is directable in quick succession into the ends of various optic fibers leading to remote work stations. The precise position of focus of the beam into each fiber is originally determined and continually monitored during the beam travel cycle for each work station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 1988
    Date of Patent: July 31, 1990
    Assignee: Robolase Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Christian Vahab
  • Patent number: 4945482
    Abstract: A transmission control system for controlling a transmission. The system has a main transmission with a speed changing mechanism and an output shaft, a substransmission connected to the output shaft, and a control system for receiving outputs from a number of sensors which sense the running state of the vehicle. The control system itself has two outputs, there being two separate hydraulic controls connected to the two system outputs, respectively. The two hydraulic controls control the speed changing mechanisms of the main and subtransmissions, respectively. Also provided is a hydraulic pressure source which supplies a working fluid to the two hydraulic controls. The control system determines whether the main and subtransmissions are in a transient period of the speed changing operation and, as long as one of the two transmissions is in the transient period, inhibits the speed changing operation of the other transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 1988
    Date of Patent: July 31, 1990
    Assignees: Aisin-Warner Limited, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Seiichi Nishikawa, Yoshiharu Harada, Kagenori Fukumura, Yoichi Hayakawa, Masao Kawai
  • Patent number: 4945485
    Abstract: An engine control method for a vehicle is disclosed in which operation of an engine is optimally controlled in an entire operating range thereof without causing any undesirable delay in control operation. To this end, operating conditions of the engine are sensed through the use of various sensors and control signals are calculated based on the sensed engine operating conditions in a plurality of steps through the use of a microcomputer so that the operation of the engine is optimized by the use of the control signals thus calculated. In one embodiment, a first step and a second step of the plurality of steps are alternately calculated and omitted every other time the control signals are calculated while an operating parameter of the engine operates in a specified operating range in which variations in the sensed operating conditions of the engine are limited.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 1988
    Date of Patent: July 31, 1990
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takanori Fujimoto, Toshiro Hara
  • Patent number: 4943920
    Abstract: An operation control method for a frictional engagement element which includes engaging means and piston means for urging the engaging means to engage, the operation of the piston means being controlled by means of pressurized oil supplied through a hydraulic control device for producing an oil pressure of the level corresponding to the quantity of electricity supplied thereto. The relationship between the quantity of electricity supplied to the hydraulic control device and the stroke speed of the piston means is previously stored. An ineffective stroke amount of the piston means is detected from the sum total of the products of drive periods, based on the quantities of electricity supplied to the hydraulic control device while the piston means travels through an ineffective stroke section, and stroke speeds corresponding individually to the quantities of electricity. The stored value of the ineffective stroke amount of the piston means is updated to store the detected ineffective stroke amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 1988
    Date of Patent: July 24, 1990
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takeo Hiramatsu, Tetsuo Ozaki, Kenjiro Fujita
  • Patent number: 4943926
    Abstract: Method for analyzing and synthesizing pulses using a first pulse state memory for storing the pulse state connected to a pulse edge detector for detecting a pulse change of state, the latter connected to the reset pin of a pulse counter driven by a clock; a first-in-first-out memory connected to the counter for receiving the counter content for each pulse, and a microprocessor connected to the first-in-first-out memory output, having a signal pulse list for storing for each pulse its state and pulse length measured in clock counts. Two or more associate memories are provided for storing clock count of any 0-state pulse and any 1-state pulse, and a pulse display connected to each associate memory to display any 0-state pulse and any 1-state pulse as a percentage of the total pulse period To.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 1986
    Date of Patent: July 24, 1990
    Assignee: BBC Aktiengesellschaft Brown, Boveri & Cie
    Inventors: Jorge Guzman-Edery, Wolfgang Steiger, Michael Boer
  • Patent number: 4942615
    Abstract: A gate processor arrangement for a logic simulation processor system includes a new event buffer memory for storing an event at a timing t.sub.a for a predetermined logic element in a section of a logic network. A fan-out device for holding connection information for the predetermined logic element in the section of the logic network and reading the data of the predetermined logic element precedingly at a timing t is also provided. The input data of the predetermined logic element is changed at a timing "t+1". An evaluation gate buffer memory is provided having a plurality of evaluation gate memory portions able to be connected to the fan-out device and an evaluation device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 1988
    Date of Patent: July 17, 1990
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventor: Fumiyasu Hirose