Abstract: The present invention provides a security system for audio equipment which allows users to easily release a security operation without having to remember any identification numbers or codes. The present invention provides a security system for audio equipment in which audio equipment in an inoperable condition is changed into an operable condition when data recorded on a recording medium during a playback condition matches identification data stored in a memory. Thus, the present invention allows users to easily release the security operation without compromising the level of security. Furthermore, the present invention prevents the audio equipment from being placed in an unlockable condition due to careless operation of users.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an electromechanical wind chime. The chime includes a disk from which a hammer assembly is suspended. Additionally, a plurality of tubular chimes are suspended from the disk and surround the hammer assembly. The hammer assembly houses an internal electric motor, and an associated eccentric rotor. The motor serves to move the assembly about a central axis. In this manner, the hammer assembly comes into contact with the chimes to produce a pleasing sound. A control unit is coupled to the hammer assembly by way of an electric cord. The control unit includes means to control the current being delivered to the electric motor. Through the control unit the current can be shut off after a predetermined amount of time has elapsed. Additionally, the unit can alternate the frequency with which the current is delivered to produce a more random motion. An embodiment employing a solenoid in place of an electric motor is also disclosed.

Abstract: An anti-theft vehicle system for a vehicle wheel having a rotational axis includes at least one inhibitor disposed within the vehicle wheel to selectively engage and disengage the vehicle wheel to resist and allow rotational movement of the vehicle wheel about its rotational axis. The anti-theft vehicle system also includes rotatable structure disposed within the vehicle wheel and cooperating with the at least one inhibitor for moving the at least one inhibitor between an engaged position and a disengaged position with respect to the vehicle wheel. The anti-theft vehicle system further includes a receiver operatively associated with the vehicle wheel to receive a predetermined signal to activate the rotatable structure to move the at least one inhibitor between the engaged position and disengaged position.

Abstract: A surveillance system comprising a motion detector is secured by a security system comprising a light emitter and light receiver optically coupled to light guides positioned, for example, along the circumference of a light-transmitting window that covers the motion detector. In this manner the window is secured against damage or attack on its integrity, for example, in the form of a film covering or sprayed on the window. The security system delivers an alarm signal when the detected light intensity level is too low or too high.

Abstract: An inexpensive multibit magnetic tag is described which uses an array of amorphous wires in conjunction with a magnetic bias field. The tag is interrogated by the use of a ramped field or an ac field or a combination of the two. The magnetic bias is supplied either by coating each wire with a hard magnetic material which is magnetized or by using magnetized hard magnetic wires or foil strips in proximity to the amorphous wires. Each wire switches at a different value of the external interrogation field due to the difference in the magnetic bias field acting on each wire.

Abstract: A traffic supervision system for transport systems (17) of the type comprising a towing unit and one or more transporting or transported units, the towing unit having a data processing unit (1) with transmit and receive facilities adapted to read/write messages from stationarily located tags (10B) or to transmit information via a wireless transmission (7) in which the towed, transporting or transported unit or units have another data processing unit (15) having transmit and receive facilities capable of exchanging information with the data processing unit (1) in the towing unit via a wireless transmission (7) or via an interface (8).

Abstract: An improved satellite beam acquisition and crossover technique for finding an appropriate satellite beam by searching for and acquiring a strongest pilot channel, searching for signalling channels on the acquired strongest pilot channel and monitoring the acquired signalling channel. Beam acquisition of a continuous wave pilot as in the preferred embodiment is faster and more reliable than beam acquisition of a modulated channel. Moreover, the acquired pilot channel can be used to unambiguously precalibrate the frequency reference of the mobile terminal. Also, acquisition of the pilot ensures that the corresponding satellite beam is not blocked or shadowed immediately prior to searching for a signalling channel, which significantly improves the reliability while reducing the time required for the search process. Mitigation of fading and shadowing is provided by using fast attack, slow decay non-linear filtering.

Abstract: An indicator system (1) having a plurality of hoppers (2) for supplying electrical components (20) to respective dispensing locations. There are actuators (9) associated with the hoppers (2), the actuators (9) being movable during the dispensing. There is a sensor (13) selectively actuatable by some of the actuators (9) when the components (20) in one of the hoppers (2) are below a desired number or threshold level. The system (1) also has a visual indicator (14) coupled to the sensor (13) to provide a warning signal indicative of when the components (20) in one of the hoppers (2) are below the desired number.

Abstract: A portable safety light and audible signal apparatus for placement in proximity to a building exit, to guide one or more fire fighters and emergency personnel to the exit during conditions of intense smoke and heat. The portable safety light and audible signal apparatus has a housing for containing, an audible signal generator capable of generating at least three distinctive audible signals, a strobe light mounted upon the top portion of the housing; an inverted U-shaped handle mounted on opposing sides of the strobe light, at least one switch in electrical communication with the strobe light and the audible signal generator, and a portable power supply located within the housing, in electrical communication with the switch.

Abstract: A heat detection and alarm unit is provided including a housing with a front face, a rear face, a top face, a bottom face and a pair of side faces coupled therebetween defining an interior space. A speaker is situated within the interior space of the housing. The speaker is adapted to emit an audible tone upon the supply of power thereto. A coiled thermostat is provided having a first end located at the center thereof rotatably coupled within the interior space of the housing. The coiled thermostat has a second end with a conductive hammer coupled thereto. Next provided is a battery mounted within the housing for powering purposes. An electrical assembly including a contact is mounted adjacent the conductive hammer. Upon the detection of a predetermined temperature, the hammer engages the contact thereby supplying power to the speaker.

Abstract: An anti-theft vehicle system for a vehicle wheel having a rotational axis includes at least one inhibitor disposed within the vehicle wheel to selectively engage the vehicle wheel to prevent the vehicle wheel from rotating about its rotational axis. The anti-theft vehicle system also includes a notable structure disposed within the vehicle wheel and cooperating with the inhibitor for moving the inhibitor between an engaged position and a disengaged position with the vehicle wheel.

Abstract: Wall temperatures of a reactor vessel are monitored by arranging an optical fibre in thermal contact with the wall and employing an optical time domain reflectometry system to monitor the respective temperatures at different points along the fibre. Such a monitoring method can be cheaper and more reliable than comparable prior art methods. An alarm may be triggered automatically when hot spots are detected.

Abstract: A smoke/heat detector in the form of a Christmas tree ornament utilizes a spherical ornament housing divided by a fire-resistant barrier into lower and upper chambers. A transmitter circuit is mounted atop the barrier and transmits signals to a remote receiver upon detection of entry of smoke or heat into the lower chamber by means of sensors therein. Upon receipt of the transmitted signals by a remote receiver, an energized alarm circuit sounds an alarm indicative of the smoke or fire presence. Both circuits include SCR components and internal power sources so that the circuits, once initially energized, will continue to transmit signals and/or sound the alarm after initial start up.

Abstract: A system and method for protecting an electrically-powered article, particularly a computer system such as a personal computer, from theft by rendering it effectively useless to anybody but the rightful user/owner. The personal computer includes a power disruption indicator (21) to which electrical power must be applied even when the computer is shut-down (switched off at switch 12). The continuous power is normally provided by means of a mains-supplied power unit (10). In the event of mains supply discontinuities longer than a predetermined short time period, as would be the case if the equipment is stolen, subsequent start-up of the computer is prevented until a theft protection password is provided by a potential user. A separate power source, such as a capacitor (20), is provided to power the power disruption indicator for shorter time periods, such as when moving the computer within premises, and thus obviate the need to enter the theft protection password upon such occasions.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting the presence of ice or smooth packed snow on a road surface has a source of electromagnetic radiation, for example, a light emitting diode. This is mounted to illuminate an area of the road surface. It is driven by a modulating circuit at a known frequency. A detector is mounted adjacent the light source to receive radiation reflected back from the road surface, to generate a detector signal. This signal is demodulated by a demodulator to generate an intermediate signal. This is preferably compared with a fixed value, to determine whether the reflectivity of the road surface exceeds a set value, indicative of the presence of ice.

Abstract: A position detecting device comprises a pattern member having conductive patterns arranged in plural tracks; a slidable member having plural sliding pieces capable of sliding on the conductive patterns, wherein each of the sliding pieces assumes either a conductive state in contact with one of the conductive patterns or a non-conductive state not in contact with the conductive pattern; a signal processing device for detecting sets of the conductive patterns and the sliding pieces in conductive state, by transmitting electrical signals through the conductive patterns and the sliding pieces; and a discriminating device for identifying the relative position between the conductive patterns and the sliding pieces when the the conductive patterns and the sliding pieces in conductive state are detected at least a predetermined number of times or over at least a predetermined period of time.

Abstract: A signal transmission apparatus including a main unit having a signal transmission terminal, and one or more sub units (or repeaters) each having first and second signal transmission terminals. A loop connection line is provided between the main unit and a first sub unit, and additional loop connection lines are provided between subsequent pairs of sub units to convey signals from the main unit to each of the sub units, and from each of the sub units to the main unit. The main unit includes a controller, a signal generator for generating and sending a first signal to one of the sub units, and a signal processor for processing a second signal returned from one of the sub units in response to the first signal. Each of the sub units includes a controller, a destination signal determination section, and a signal transfer section for selectively capturing and transferring a signal according to its destination address.

Abstract: An electronic containment system that confines an animal or a person to a predetermined confinement area. The system has a home base that transmits data on a partially modulated signal to a transceiver worn by an animal or a person. When the animal's or person's transceiver detects the data on the partially modulated carrier wave, the transceiver activates one of a number of different features of the transceiver unit. The electronic containment system deters the animal or person from leaving the predetermined outer perimeter, by activating an annoying noise, a deterrent shock, or both. The transceiver can also transmit a digitized word and data pertaining to the transceiver, battery power, and telemetry reading of the animal or person. The home base detects and reads the data transmitted from the receiver.

Abstract: A method and device are provided for controlling an activity mode of a mobile station after the system has originated or terminated a transaction with the mobile station. The activity mode corresponds to whether the mobile station stays "awake" or goes into a sleep mode, which must be made known to the system. If the mobile station does not immediately go to the sleep mode, the base station can expect the mobile station to be reading all slots. If the mobile station is in the sleep mode, the mobile station only reads its assigned paging slots. The mobile station may not go to the sleep mode until a selected amount of activity time has expired; during the activity time, the mobile station continues to read all slots. As a result, the mobile station can immediately receive packets, thereby saving set-up time which increases the response time of the mobile station.

Abstract: The invention provides an apparatus and method of monitoring a CVD process and providing an alarm signal normally used to terminate the CVD process in response to detecting the simultaneous occurrences of a command to initiate the CVD process, the initiation of the flow of a reactive process gas into the process chamber and the motion of a turret supporting the workpiece.