Abstract: A data transmission system for transmitting and receiving data over a transmission line includes a receiving station having a receiving circuit for simultaneously detecting current and voltage signals including the data in the transmission line and applying these signals to a common output impedance, so that an output voltage signal developed across the output impedance will have a sufficient signal level irrespective of the value of other load impedances on the transmission line.

Abstract: A two-wire displacement converter for converting minute mechanical displacements to a DC output signal requiring no precision components yet providing a highly accurate output signal. A pair of first and second AC-excited reactive elements is provided, at least one of which has an impedance which varies in response to the mechanical displacement. DC signals proportional to the impedances of the first and second impedance elements are supplied to a differential amplifier, which produces an output signal having a magnitude related to the difference between the first and second current signals, and thus indicative of the amount of mechanical displacement. A current regulator circuit maintains a sum of a third current signal through a third reactive impedance element having a fixed impedance and at least one of the first and second current signals at a predetermined, fixed value.

Abstract: A multikey keyboard for inputting data into a computer, wherein pressing a key places in circuit the point of intersection of a row conductor and column conductor respectively connected to portions of separate row and column sequential series of capacitors whose cumulative capacitance correspond to the specific row and columns of the pressed key, thus allowing the computer to establish which key was pressed by measuring the capacitance between the events involving said completed keyboard circuits.

Abstract: A portable traffic control unit comprising a wheeled trailer having a main frame attachable to a towing vehicle. A telescoping, vertical mast carries a pivotally mounted boom assembly. A first traffic control signal is secured to the vertical mast and a second at the end of the horizontal boom. A winch assembly can be actuated to raise the vertical mast and upon the vertical mast reaching its full extension, causing the boom to pivot to a generally horizontal position. In the erected position, the device provides a street side signal and an over-the-road traffic control signal for safety and visibility.

Abstract: A capacitive keyboard structure, the keyboard comprising on one face of a substrate a series of static sensitive keys each associated with a pair of electrodes: an emitting electrode excited sequentially by an alternating signal supplied by an emitting line and a receiving electrode which is coupled capacitively to the emitting electrode by the corresponding key and on which a receiving line collects the variations of the signal as an effect of possible presence of a user's finger in the neighborhood of the key, wherein the electrodes of one same type are disposed on such face, the electrodes of the other type being disposed on the other face of the substrate, thus avoiding the crossing of the emitting and receiving lines.Application to the control of an industrial or publicly available apparatus.

Abstract: A toroidal shaped metallic housing, mounted on and electrically connected with a high voltage transmission line, is adapted with a metal plate and an intervening dielectric sheet adhered to its exterior surface. The housing, tied to the transmission line voltage, and the metal plate constitute the electrodes of a first capacitor of a capacitive voltage divider, while the capacitive coupling of the metallic plate with the surrounding environment provides a second voltage divider capacitor. The voltage appearing on the plate is processed by circuitry within the housing to derive a signal indicative of the transmission line voltage.

Abstract: This invention relates to apparatus for detecting quantities of a rotary member, such as a field system, characterized in that channel identification signals and measurement data after analog-to-digital conversion are combined and then changed into a serial pulse signal by a serializer, that the serial pulse signal is modulated by amplitude modulation and then transmitted to a stationary side, and that on the stationary side, the serial pulse signal is demodulated into a plurality of original analog quantities, which are then indicated, whereby the plurality of quantities of the field system are transmitted by a single transmission system.

Abstract: A repeat control apparatus for a serial keyboard interface apparatus has a one-chip microprocessor which serves as a keyboard controller. A RAM section in the microprocessor includes an area for holding a set value RCD.sub.A for repeat start timing control, an area for holding a set value RCD.sub.B for repeat time interval control, a counter area for permitting RCD.sub.A to be set as a preset value and for making a sequential down count according to the number of pollings from a terminal main unit, and a counter area for permitting RCD.sub.B to be set as a preset value and for making a sequential down count according to the number of pollings from the terminal main unit. The terminal main unit performs the polling operation with respect to a keyboard controller. The number of pollings is counted on the side of the keyboard controller, after the key operation has been performed. When the count value reaches a value initially set from the terminal main unit, a repeat operation is executed.

Abstract: A process of remote transmission of signals issued by at least one sensor over a transmission line, wherein the power necessary to supply the sensor is transmitted by that line in the form of an alternating current signal of approximately constant intensity, and wherein the line fulfills the triple function of supplying power to that sensor, of transmitting interrogation signals from a central station to that sensor and of transmitting data signals in response to that interrogation signal from the sensor to the central station. A device for incorporating this process is also disclosed.

Abstract: Communication of electric signals between a control board mounted on a steering wheel but held in stationary state irrespective of a rotation of the steering wheel and an electric controller disposed at a position remote from a steering mechanism. The control board is supported by a steering drive shaft through a toothed wheel mechanism, so that it remains stationary regardless of a rotation of the shaft. The control board and the electric controller are electrically coupled to each other through a combination of slip rings and brushes, a pair of coils, or two pairs of coils. The control board and the electric controller include each an FSK modulation circuit, an FSK demodulation circuit and a microprocessor for controlling transmission or reception of the electric signals. Key inputs on the control board are encoded by the control board and then transmitted to the electric controller. The electric controller decodes the received code and then renders operation instructions to load-vehicle equipments.

Abstract: A wheel is mounted on a rotating shaft and cooperates with at least one pair of inductors fixedly mounted in juxtaposition to the wheel. The wheel has at least one opening formed therein for generating a signal whenever the opening in the wheel is substantially aligned circumferentially with the pair of inductors. An electronic control circuit, responsive to the signal, actuates a remote meter for providing a remote indication of the shaft position.In a preferred embodiment, this improved sensing means is applied to the remote reading of a conventional household electric meter. Two pair of inductors are provided for cooperation with five equiangularly-spaced closed slots formed in the wheel, thereby providing ten signals (or counts) for each complete revolution of the wheel. The wheel is mounted on the shaft of the unit decade dial in the meter.

Abstract: An improved pick-up means for the remote monitoring of a rotating shaft, or a wheel mounted on the shaft, utilizes the inductive coupling effect between an aperture formed in an annular conductive member and at least one pair of coils or inductors fixedly mounted radially of the annular member. As applied to the remote monitoring of a standard electric service meter, the annular member comprises a metallic rim on the circumference of a plastic disc mounted on a shaft which is journaled within the top front panel of the meter, concentrically within the unit decade dial. Preferably, three inductors are employed, including first and second inductors and a third common inductor therebetween, thereby forming two pairs of inductors; and the signal is generated in the third common inductor whenever a respective aperture on the rim of the disc circumferentially bridges a respective pair of inductors at a predetermined position of the disc.

Abstract: A data transmission system utilizing a power line comprises a transmitter (1), a receiver (2) and a repeater (5) coupled to a power line (3). Control data including a start code in the form of a high frequency signal is transmitted from the transmitter (1) in superposition on an alternating current of the commercial power supply using the power line. The repeater receives the control data transmitted from the transmitter, thereby to store the control data in a memory responsive to the start code. The control data is then read from the memory after the lapse of a predetermined period of time and is retransmitted to the receiver in a predetermined level. The receiver receives the control data, thereby to control an apparatus being controlled such as a relay, whereupon the same transmits in a return manner the data representing a control state thereof. The repeater receives the data and transmits the same to the transmitter.

Abstract: In an information processing apparatus with an input device in the form of a keyboard, a multiplicity of switches associated with input keys on the keyboard are disposed in independent submatrices. When three or more keys in each submatrix are operated simultaneously, key input detection is stopped. The number of switches which are turned on in each scanning is registered and when the number is two at the most, addresses representative of the switches which are turned on are delivered out for inputting information. Key input at high speeds can be permitted and erroneous input can be prevented.

Abstract: An operational controller is located in the elevator car, and a mobile transceiver, also located in the car, is connected to the operational controller, which includes a microprocessor that controls the transceiver. A stationary transceiver is located in the lobby, and the two transceivers are connected over two pairs of wires in the traveling cable. These transceivers communicate by dual tone combinations, each combination identifying a hall button, a hall lantern, and a position indicator in the lobby.

Abstract: A reverberation sound generator is provided for use as a warning generator for giving a warning to the driver of an automobile, for example. The reverberation sound generator has a capacitor connected in series with a power supply, a pair of diodes and a pair of resistors connected in series with the capacitor, and a sound generator circuit connected between the pair of diodes and the pair of resistors. A sound generation command switch is joined in series with the diodes and resistors. There is a circuit for discharging the capacitor. The capacitor can be controlled in its charging and discharging in response to closing and opening of the sound generation switch. When the capacitor is charged and discharged, the sound generator circuit produces reverberation sounds, respectively.

Abstract: A microprocessor controller converts one or more sensor signals to a time multiplexed digital signal which is converted to an analog voltage signal by a digital-to-analog converter. A switching circuit, under the control of the microprocessor, selectively applies the analog signal to a plurality of current sources thereby setting the output current from each current source.

Abstract: A keyboard unit control system having a port which includes a block selection register for specifying one of a plurality of blocks of scanning lines and a scanning data selection register for specifying one of the scanning lines of the corresponding block. The scanning data and block data are supplied to a keyboard unit through the scan line selecting logic. When the operator depresses a key on the keyboard unit, the key is detected by an interrupt detector and a detection signal is supplied to a CPU. The CPU first scans the blocks and then scans the scanning lines in the corresponding block.

Abstract: A long range optical pointing apparatus (10) is disclosed which can locate a spot (24) on a video screen (16) from a position several feet away from the screen. An optical pointer unit (11) focuses a portion of the raster lines traced over the video screen during one frame onto a photodetector (28), and provides an output pulse when a raster line is focused upon and detected by the photodetector. The detected raster line pulses are provided to a processing unit (13) which also receives the vertical and horizontal deflection signals from the video terminal (15). The processing circuitry (13) averages the positions of the group of raster line portions detected by the optical pointer unit to provide an averaged vertical and horizontal position for the area of the screen at which the pointer (11) is directed.

Abstract: A method of building a monthly calendar screen having abbreviated event descriptions directly translated from event descriptions on day screens. Day screens are built from keyed in dates, times, and descriptions of events related to the dates and times. Monthly screens are built by combining and abbreviating corresponding day screens. Keying and coding during day screen building, and processing steps during monthly screen building are reduced by positionally locating the first characters of day screen event descriptions, time-wise, within the monthly screens.