Abstract: A non-contact row crop sensor comprises one or more transmitter/receptor pairs mounted on two row separators of a harvesting machine. Each transmitter transmits an energy beam to one of the receptors and the energy beams cross at a point which defines a position of the harvesting machine relative to a row of crop stalks. A circuit produces steering control signals dependent upon the time of intercept of one beam of a pair relative to the time of intercept of the second beam of the pair. A discriminator circuit is provided for discriminating between crop stalks and weeds. Plural transmitter/receptor pairs permit discrimination between intercepts caused by leaves and those caused by stalks.

Abstract: In a data transfer network of the present invention, each switch is designed such that when the partial address necessary for a given switch to determine another switch belonging to the succeeding stage, to which a packet is to be delivered from the given switch, is included in the first one of plural subpackets supplied to the given switch and each having the partial address, the given switch starts its switching operation upon arrival of the first subpacket. In a preferred embodiment, when the partial address necessary for the succeeding switch to make its switching operation is not included in the first subpacket, the partial addresses are exchanged between the subpackets by the preceding switch so that the said partial address is now included in the first subpacket.

Abstract: A time division multiplex system adaptable for branching services, which includes a predetermined level code generator for generating a signal of the same level and a switching unit for switching between the predetermined level signal and a signal to be multiplexed. The channel bit group number allotted to each channel is changed with time. For signals of transmission speeds above 64 Kb/s, a plurality of time slots are used to form a single channel to thereby accommodate branching services in octet units.

Abstract: A credit card carrier having a plurality of individual card holder pockets formed of celluloid or similar thin plastic material. Each of the pockets is mounted on a flap of the wallet and is adapted to receive a credit card. Each of the pockets is placed one upon another in overlapping relationship and each pocket is provided with an opening for receiving a switch. A switch is formed from a pair of Mylar strips, one of which is the mirror image of the other. The Mylar strips face each other and each facing surface is provided with a thin layer of electrically conducting metallic foil. The switch includes a plurality of arms projecting upwardly and outwardly from the central portion of the strip and all of the arms are electrically connected one to the other. Each of the arms projects into the opening so that each pocket receives one pair of switch arms. The arms are biased toward each other by a spring clip member which engages a portion of each of the arms.

Abstract: A detector system for detecting overheight vehicles in a drive through restaurant is employed to prevent damage to an overhanging roof or canopy by signalling both the vehicle driver and a restaurant attendant simultaneously when an overheight vehicle is detected prior to reaching the overhanging roof or canopy.

Abstract: In order to permit multislot connections to be simply made across a telecommunications digital switch, so that all the slots of the multislot connection experience the same whole frame time delay, the switch is constructed as input and output switch stages each comprising arrays of digital switching modules (DSM) and a central switching area comprising two arrays of Demultiplexing/Mixing/Remultiplexing devices (DMR) interconnected by an array of digital switching modules (DSM), wherein each DMR has a transfer function such that a channel (p) in a time frame of (q) channels on an input line (r) appears on an output line (s) which is related to the input line by means of a backward rotate function, where s=MOD (q-r+p), where MOD=modulo q. This construction of switch ensures that all channels routed through the switch have one of only two possible values of whole frame time delay, thereby simplifying the setting up of a multislot connection.

Abstract: A vehicle warning system is provided having a plurality of light emitting diodes mounted on a rearward facing portion of a housing, that may be attached to the side of the vehicle. A switching transistor selectively supplies current to the LED's, through a flashing circuit. The base of the transistor is driven by electrical connection to the junction of first and second phototransistors, which are mounted on the housing and directed skywardly and rearwardly, respectively. During the day the skywardly pointing phototransistor grounds the base of the transistor so that the LED's remain off. At night, the LED's are turned on responsive to the headlights of an oncoming vehicle, which will activate the rearwardly facing phototransistor.

Abstract: An instantaneous voltage drop detector that comprises a power supply for a utilization circuit such as a mobile telephone. A first detector detects a drop in an output voltage of the power supply that falls below a first predetermined level. A second detector determines whether the first detection signal continues for more than a predetermined time. A control circuit responds to the first and second detection signals for controlling the utilization circuit.

Abstract: An alarm device is disclosed to indicate the opening of an access element of a containment chamber carrying dangerous materials, such as a drawer or cupboard door, by children or similar intellectually unsophisticated persons. The alarm device provides two switches that are sequentially activated by a pivotally movable, externally projecting, wedge shaped sensor that moves outwardly to cause alarm annunciation at, or at a predetermined time after activation, if not deactivated by further outward manual motion before or after alarm annunciation. The alarm device is battery powered and operated by solid state electronic circuitry that is contained in a small compact casement that serves as a mounting means.

Abstract: A data communications system in which a PAD service host that gives service to non-packet terminals (NP-DTE) via a PAD (packet assembly and disassembly) is connected to a packet switching network that has PAD with packet assembling/disassembling function and protocol conversion function for the NP-DTE, and wherein a computer system that executes the TSS service is further connected to the packet switching network. The computer system is equipped with PAD emulation function that exists between the TSS and the packet switching network and that works in the same manner as the PAD for the TSS terminals and PAD service host, whereby the service of the PAD service host can be received through the TSS terminals.

Abstract: A system for use in an automobile to indicate that the user has failed to remove an appliance, such as a radio, when the ignition switch is turned off. The system includes a circuit including an audible or visual alarm, the automobile battery for powering the circuit, a relay connected between the battery and the alarm, the automobile ignition switch for controlling the relay, and a switch controlled by insertion or removal of the appliance from its compartment located, for example, in the dashboard of the automobile. When the appliance is inserted in its compartment with the ignition switch off, the alarm will be energized until the ignition switch is turned on. If the ignition switch is subsequently turned off while the appliance is still in its compartment, the alarm will again be energized, thus indicating that the appliance should be removed before leaving the automobile. Removal of the appliance will terminate the signal.

Abstract: A method for transmitting data in packet switching networks provides a Collision-Eliminating Multiple Access protocol in which nodes desiring to transmit over the network channel transmit reservation requests during a plurality of contention slots, the number of contention slots being dynamically controlled according to network load. A node designated to next obtain control of the channel receives the identifiers of nodes transmitting reservation requests and, prior to transmitting application data, transmits network control data consisting of the identifiers of nodes from whom successful reservation requests were successfully received. The transmitted identifiers are received and stored by each node in an identical queue, whereby subsequent control of the channel is rotated based on the order of node identifiers appearing in an identical queue on each node.

Abstract: Complex waveforms may be transmitted using Lincompex techniques by frequency shifting either the complex waveform, its envelope, or both, in order to ensure that the compressed complex waveform and the envelope signal are transmitted without any substantial overlap therebetween utilizing Lincompex techniques. Overlap between the compressed waveform and envelope prevents the proper demodulation of the complex waveform from the signal transmitted. Accordingly, the frequency shifting techniques utilized in the present application allow Lincompex techniques to be utilized with complex waveforms having both a large bandwidth and a large envelope bandwidth, for example, the waveforms generated by parallel tone or multi-tone digital data.

Abstract: A safety communications system for personel employed in hazardous areas is responsive to motion sensing, as well as to worker initiated check-in signals, for registering an alarm at a central station after an absence of input for a predetermined time period. Confirmation of check-in and emergency transmission is also provided to the worker as assurance of system operation and to provide a local alarm to guide rescue efforts.

Abstract: A circuit for subscriber line interface circuits in a digital time-division multiplex communication switching center is disclosed. In the case of reception of the same information on the same time slot allocation via a number of subscriber line interface circuits, a transmit time slot as well as a receive time slot is alloted, but access of the transmit driver stages of the subscriber line interface circuits to the bus conductors leading to the switching center is prevented in order to avoid damaging interacting final stages in the transmit driver stages of the subscriber line interface circuits.

Abstract: In a TDMA system comprising a plurality of earth stations communicable with one another by the use of a plurality of carrier waves through a transponder of a satellite which has an available electric power level, bursts carried by the carrier waves are individually and flexibly controlled in accordance with a burst time plan so that selected ones of the carrier waves have on the satellite a total electric power level which does not exceed the available electric power level at any time. The bursts therefore may have different power levels in dependency upon scales of the earth stations, traffics carried by the bursts, and receiving conditions at the earth conditions. The selected carrier waves can be transmitted or received by frequency hopping. Such control of the power level is carried out in each earth station by the use of a combination of an attenuator (67) and an attenuation control circuit (71) operated in accordance with the burst time plan.

Abstract: In a communications network, a portable token ring hub which serves as a computer communications network for a plurality of computers and answers to the protocol requirements of the computer adapter cards configured to a token ring topology and which also serves as an expander with respect to an installed token ring LAN. The hub comprises a plurality of input/output ports including respective sockets into each of which an adapter card of a respective computer plugs, a trunk insertion unit having an outlet port to which a wander lead and a trunk coupling device plug are connected, and an internal token ring which is normally a closed ring but into which each of the said input/output ports and the outlet port are inserted by means of relay contacts in accordance with the requirements of the token ring protocol.

Abstract: A wideband/multislot switching arrangement is provided for use in a digital telecommunications exchange. A call handling device is provided which receives signalling information about a path connection, and which communicates with a switch interface to generate a single switch request. The switch interface includes a map record of each circuit connection controlled by the call handling device and generates multiple switch requests which are used to control a number of switches to make the path connections.

Abstract: In a tunable filter including first and second inductors, a varactor diode, and a bandswitching diode connected intermediate the inductors to select the inductor configuration for first and second tuning bands, a capacitor is connected in parallel with the bandswitching diode. When the bandswitching diode is in the high impedance "non-conducting" state, the capacitor is functionally connected with other elements of the tunable filter for purposes such as trapping or tracking. When the bandswitching diode is in the low impedance "non-conducting" state, the capacitance is functionally disconnected from the tunable circuit.

Abstract: A digital radio RF signalling protocol communicates either digitized voice or digital data signals and indicates the type of information being communicated to the receiver. Multiple repeats of control signals are provided for face protection and to ensure correct receipt even under adverse communications channel conditions. When the destination transceiver receives a transmitted digital data burst from the transmitter, the destination transceiver transmits a responsive acknowledge message and may specify in the acknowledge message which portions of the received message were received incorrectly and should be retransmitted by the originating transceiver. The originating transceiver determines the contents of subsequently-transmitted data burst based upon the information it receives from the destination transceiver by way of the acknowledge message. As deleterious phenomena (e.g.