Abstract: A resonator for use in a marker, with a bias element which produces a bias field, in a magnetomechanical electronic article surveillance system is composed of an amorphous magnetostrictive alloy containing iron, cobalt, nickel, silicon and boron in quantities for giving the resonator a quality Q which is between about 100 and 600. The amorphous magnetostrictive alloy is annealed in a transverse magnetic field for giving it a B-H loop which is linear up to about 8 Oe and an anisotropy field strength of at least 10 Oe. When the resonator is excited to resonate by a signal emitted by the transmitter in the surveillance system, it produces a signal at a mechanical resonant frequency which can be detected by the receiver of the detection system. Due to the resonator having a quality Q in the above range, the signal produced by the resonator in a first detector window, beginning approximately 0.

Abstract: An electronic monitoring device to be attached to a subject for monitoring, at a remote location, movement and/or other activities of the subject, includes a closure member incorporating an identification tag having a unique identification number stored therein. The monitoring device further includes an electronic data processor programmed to read and store the identification number of the electronic tag when the closure member is applied, and periodically thereafter, to make a determination of whether a closure member is currently attached to the subject having an identification number matching the stored identification number, and to transmit to the remote location an identification signal corresponding to such determination.

Abstract: A system of sensors to prevent cheating at a casino gaming table, where the sensors are strategically positioned about a casino gaming table to monitor the movement about certain established areas on the gaming table during certain established times during the play of the game. The tripping of a sensor in response to the detection of unauthorized movement about a certain area of the table sends a signal to a monitoring system which in turn alerts the casino so that the casino may respond to the unauthorized movement accordingly. The system of sensors can be used with a wide variety of card-based or chip-based casino gaming tables.

Abstract: A seed blockage monitoring system employs a flexible, generally flat piezoelectric seed sensor element inserted at an acute angle of about 13 degrees into a seed flow path so that a portion of seeds traveling in the seed flow path strike the seed sensor element, preventing damage to the seeds and maintaining forward momentum of all seeds in the seed flow path. In order to provide flexibility in monitoring seeds of different types and to increase the data rate that information can be obtained from numerous multiple seed sensor elements, the use of a one-shot to temporarily store a seed detection signal and serial sampling of the temporarily stored signals from the sensors as in the prior art is avoided. Instead, a comparator that includes a diode in a feedback loop so as to function as a latch is used in conjunction with a serial shift register that has parallel data input lines.

Abstract: A method and circuit for determining whether a sensor 2 is attached to a connection point 5 of a sensor interface circuit 1 of a seed monitoring system. When it is desired to determine whether a sensor is attached to a connection point, the method applies a time varying detection signal at terminal 3 to the connection point 5 via a reactive element, such as capacitor 4. The connection point 5 is connected to a first input of a comparator 9 having its other input set at a first reference voltage which maintains the comparator in a first state in the absence of a detection signal being applied. Even when a detection signal is applied, the comparator is not driven into a second state if an operable sensor is connected to the connection point 5. When the sensor is not connected to the connection point, or is inoperable, the voltage produced by the detection signal at the first input of the comparator is high enough to trip the comparator into a second state, which may be latched.

Abstract: A particle blockage monitoring system employs a flexible piezoelectric particle sensor element in a portion of a particle flow path so that a number of particles traveling in the particle flow path strike the flexible particle sensor element while preventing damage to the particles and maintaining the forward momentum of all the particles in the particle flow path. In order to provide flexibility in monitoring particles of different types and to increase the information rate, the use of a one-shot multivibrator to temporarily store a particle detection signal as in the prior art is avoided. Also, serial sampling of the particle sensor data is avoided to increase the information rate. Instead, a comparator that includes a diode in a feedback loop so as to function as a latch is used in conjunction with a serial shift register that has parallel data input lines.

Abstract: A simple trip-wire or magnetic circuit associated with a shipping container provides continuity, which is detected electrically. Simply, if continuity is disabled by a forced entry of the container, electrical detection means, such as a radio-frequency-identification (RFID) tag, will alert the owner or monitoring station. The trip-wire concept would require the replacing of a broken trip wire (resulting from forced entry), while the magnetic circuit concept can be reused repetitively. In a second embodiment a magnetic circuit and the detection device (RFID tag) are embedded into the shipping article during manufacturing. The preferred detection device, an RFID tag, could also be a battery backed transceiver type on which a replaceable or rechargeable battery could be mounted on the inside of the shipping container during manufacturing. The RFID tag would communicate with an interrogator unit, which could be connected to a host computer.

Abstract: A pool monitoring system including a monitoring unit with a detection mechanism adapted to transmit an alarm signal upon the detection of a human falling within the body of water. Further provided is a timer deactivation mechanism having a first mode of operation during which an activation signal is transmitted, wherein the activation signal is transmitted only while the timer deactivation mechanism is maintained in the first mode of operation. The timer deactivation mechanism further has a second mode of operation initiated by the receipt of a timer deactivation signal via free space. The timer deactivation mechanism is further maintained in the second mode of operation during a time period inherent in the timer deactivation signal. Also included is a transmitter mechanism connected to the sound detection mechanism and timer deactivation mechanism.

Abstract: A door panel is actuated when an actuator sensor disposed near the door panel senses an object approaching the door panel. When a safety sensor mounted on the door panel senses an object while the door panel is opening, the door panel is stopped. When a safety sensor mounted on the door panel senses an object while the door panel is closing, the door panel is opened. Each of the sensors includes a light-emitting unit, a light-receiving unit and a control unit, and the sensor can detect for itself failure in any of the light-emitting unit, the light-receiving unit and the control unit.

Abstract: A standing wave field is generated within a protected space, the standing wave field comprising a plurality of signals traveling along a plurality of propagation paths within the protected space, the propagation paths including reflections of the signals off of objects within the protected space. A change in a predetermined characteristic of the standing wave field is detected upon the changing of a physical characteristic of an object within said protected space, and an alarm signal is generated when said change in the standing wave field is greater than a predetermined threshold value.

Abstract: An Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS) marker is adapted for direct application to optically recorded media such as compact disks, CD-ROM's, laser disks, digital video disks, and the like. The marker includes a support sheet and one or more marker elements which are positioned such that the mass distribution of the marker is symmetrically disposed about the center of the marker. This ensures that when the marker is properly positioned on the optically recorded media, the marker does not adversely affect the mechanical balance of the media.

Abstract: A combined alarm system and window covering assembly includes a top housing, a bottom rail, a covering, an alarm element, a pull cord which is slidably coupled to the top housing and a resiliently biased reed relay switch. The resiliently biased reed relay switch includes a tube which has a first end and a second end which is crimped and which is mechanically coupled to an end of the bottom rail, an encapsulated reed relay switch which has a first end with a first conductive lead and a second end with a second conductive lead and which is fixedly coupled to the pull cord and slidably disposed within the tube and a spring which has a first end and a second end and which is disposed in the tube so that the first end of the spring is adjacent to the second end of the tube and the second end of the spring is adjacent to the first end of the encapsulated reed relay switch. Both of the first and second conductive leads are coupled to the alarm element.

Abstract: Apparatus for monitoring breathing and for indicating a rate of breathing outside of a predetermined rate limit includes a sensing element adapted to be worn by a wearer so that the sensing element partakes of body motion due to breathing of the wearer and a detector, remote from the sensing element. The detector is responsive to motion of the sensing element for providing an alarm signal when the motion is outside of the predetermined rate limit. The sensing element contains no internal moving parts or circuitry, contains no battery or other source of electrical power whatsoever, requires no electrical contact with the wearer or with any other object, and requires no constraining or confining clothing, webbing, or the like.

Abstract: A passive infrared intrusion detection device uses a dual element pyroelectric detector and a housing for surrounding and containing the dual element pyroelectric detector. The housing has a plurality of Fresnel lens elements for gathering infrared radiation from a "look down" volume of space and for focusing the gathered infrared radiation onto the pyroelectric detector. A mask positioned between the plurality of Fresnel lens elements and the detector partially occludes the gathered infrared radiation from the Fresnel lens elements to one of the elements of the dual element pyroelectric detector creating an imbalance in the signal thereby preventing common mode rejection.

Abstract: A detector device for finding concealed studs in partitioning includes a pair of plates which are supplied with ac via resistors. Amplifiers produce outputs representing the sum and difference respectively of the signals imposed on the plates. The sum signal drives a display enabling circuit including a comparator which enables a display means to operate when the sum signal exceeds a threshold level. The difference signal drives two comparators which control three display device such that one display device is operated only when the detector device is over the center of a stud. The other display devices indicate which way the detector should be moved to place it over the center of the stud.

Abstract: A security sensor equipped with a sighting device in which respective optical axes of a beam projector and a beam receiver can be adjusted easily and quickly. The beam receiver A includes an adjustment (50) for adjusting the optical axis, a mirror-equipped sighting device (C) having a viewing window (12) through which viewing is possible from a lateral side of the beam receiver (A), a light emitting element (8) and a mirror (14) accommodated therein for presenting an image of the beam projector (B), and a lamp control (6) for changing a status of the light emitting element (8) in correspondence with the amount of light received from the beam projector (B).

Abstract: A generally square mounting plate for attaching the cover of an audible-visual alarm to a backbox includes a plurality of openings along each side of the plate. The openings are configured and positioned to accommodate the mounting bolt placement of various standard backboxes, including 4-inch, international, single-gang and double-gang backboxes. Indicia are provided on the front of the plate to guide the installer in the correct assembly of the plate to the backbox to provide a desired orientation of a feature of the alarm, advantageously a strobe unit. The alarm generating components, e.g., a strobe unit and/or an acoustic transducer, may be carried either by the alarm cover or by the mounting plate.

Abstract: A food storage apparatus comprises a container (140) for containing a food item, and a cover (142) for covering an opening of the container (140). A first electrical component (144) is associated with the container (140). A second electrical component (146) is associated with the cover (142). The first electrical component (144) communicates with the second electrical component (146) to monitor the food item.

Abstract: An impaired operator detection system for detecting impairment of an operator of any equipment, system, or vehicle which requires continuous compensatory tracking, or nulling, of course deviation error. Operator control actions are characterized as a complex sine wave and then a power spectrum array (PSA) analysis is used to characterize this control action data. Statistical techniques are used to predict the level of operator alertness by comparing the analysis results of the operator's recent control actions to empirical power spectrum array (PSA) analysis data indicative of an unimpaired operator.

Abstract: This invention provides an overload protection device wherein a dangerous situation warning is given to workers in architectural construction when a load value imposed on a temporary column reaches a preset value. The device comprises a load pedestal above and a base pedestal below, a load detecting equipment which detects the load value on the load pedestal after converting the load value into a hydraulic pressure value, a pressure detecting equipment which operates when the pressure reaches the preset value, and a notice equipment which informs workers that the load value imposed on the temporary column has reached the preset value.