Abstract: The invention encompasses license plate frame assemblies having modulators, transponders or radio frequency identification devices (RFIDs) incorporated therein. Further, the invention encompasses methods of attaching transponders, modulators, and RFIDs to vehicles. In one aspect, the invention includes a method of forming a license plate frame comprising: providing a license plate frame substrate, the license plate frame substrate being configured to mount to a vehicle and being configured to receive and retain a license plate; and mounting a transponder to the license plate frame substrate.

Abstract: A transceiver circuit with a heterodyne receiver circuit is provided. Output signals of first and second local oscillator 103, 104 are mixed by a local frequency converter 105. An output signal of the converter 105 passes a filter 106 and inputs a modulator 111 of a transmitter circuit 101 as well as a first frequency converter 122 of a receiver circuit 102. The second local oscillator 104 comprises a frequency synthesizer whose output signal varies for a transmission or a receiving mode. The output signal of the second local oscillator 104 also inputs the second frequency converter 124 of the receiving mode. A reference frequency of the second local oscillator 104 is set higher than a frequency step between communication channels so that a quick switching of the frequency is performed. Thus, the transceiver circuit of this invention is suitable for a compact size and hardly generates unwanted spurious components at transmission mode.

Abstract: Noise reduction schemes are provided in a radio frequency identification (RFID) system for use with RFID intelligent tags. Amplitude and phase noise is minimized by starting with a low noise crystal oscillator having an output frequency which is an integer multiple n of the desired RF field frequency, and then dividing this frequency by the integer multiple n. One or more cascaded flip-flops are used for the frequency dividing. Both outputs of the final stage flip-flop are used to drive the transmitter antenna to produce a continuous wave signal.

Abstract: The invention relates to an intrusion detection system which monitors the resistance of an outdoor equipment cabinet door gasket. The resistance of the door gasket is measured by a circuit to determine the integrity of the gasket and to determine whether the door has been tampered with.

Abstract: The glass break detector uses sampling techniques to a low band and a high band portion of a signal from a transient event to assess whether the bands are random. In addition, an assessment of the envelope shape of the signal is made to confirm the signal is consistent with a rapid rise followed by a sloped decay typical of transient events. It has been found that dividing of the signal into high and low bands and analyzing each portion over a short front end portion of a transient event is effective in distinguishing glass break events from other common events.

Abstract: A vehicle warning device comprises a visual indicator activated by a deceleration sensor upon emergency deceleration of the vehicle. The visual indicator is powered by a base inserted into a vehicle lamp socket. In the preferred embodiment, the base is part of an adapter comprising an adapter socket for receiving the vehicle lamp. The adapter allows installation of the warning device by simply plugging the adapter into the vehicle lamp socket without wiring or mounting changes to the vehicle. The preferred embodiment comprises a stroboscope for providing a highly visible indication of an emergency braking state.

Abstract: Disclosed is a radio apparatus in which modulating signals (I and Q signals) from an arithmetic/control unit are converted to analog signals, which are then applied to an orthogonal modulator. A modulated wave for transmission, which has been produced by orthogonally modulating a reference carrier wave by the modulating signals, is demodulated by the orthogonal detector. The arithmetic/control unit compares the modulating signals and the demodulated signals and, based upon the comparison, updates distortion compensation coefficients and applies pre-distortion processing to the modulating signal using the distortion compensation coefficients. Leakage of carrier produced due offset of the orthogonal modulator is detected and the arithmetic/control unit adjusts the level of the modulating signals or shifts the phase of the reference carrier wave in such a manner that the leakage of carrier (offset) becomes zero.

Abstract: A medical treatment device is disclosed that utilizes an entertainment displays such as a standard television set, to control the medical treatment device. For example, alarm conditions may be displayed and a user (such as a patient) can respond to such alarm conditions. During an uneventful treatment, the patient can view programs (e.g., television programs) on the entertainment display. The medical treatment device can override the entertainment program and cause the entertainment display to display information related to operation or status of the medical treatment device. The medical treatment device can also include a user input (e.g., keyboard, mouse, joystick, etc.) allowing the patient to move a selector image being displayed by the entertainment display to enable the patient to control the medical treatment device.

Abstract: A system for detecting accretion of frazil ice on underwater gratings inces a housing for disposition beneath a water surface and spaced from but proximate an underwater intake grating. A pair of parallel electrically conductive bars are mounted side-by-side in the housing and extend therefrom. The bars are in communication with an electromagnetic wave generator in the housing. A coaxial transmission line is connected at a first end to the housing and in communication with the pair of bars for extension from the housing upwardly above the water surface. A monitoring station is disposed above the water surface for receiving signals from the bars, the monitoring station having a second end of the transmission line fixed thereto. The wave generator propagates electromagnetic waves to the bars for further travel to distal ends of the bars, and back to the housing and thence to the monitoring station.

Abstract: A dangerous condition warning device for issuing an alarm when a dangerous condition is sensed incorporates a circuit including a replaceable dangerous condition sensor, a processor coupled to the sensor for periodically determining the ambient concentration of a potentially dangerous substance (e.g., CO) and a horn to issue alarm signals if indicated, the processor also periodically checking the integrity of the sensor, and the device incorporates sensor placement apparatus for facilitating removing and correctly replacing a sensor of suspect integrity. The sensor has an outer periphery and a reduced dimension portion employed as first and second electrodes. The sensor placement apparatus includes a sensor receptacle; a first contact member positioned to contact the reduced dimension portion of the sensor when the sensor is correctly emplaced and to electrically connect to the outer periphery of the sensor when the sensor is incorrectly emplaced.

Abstract: A vehicle door lock apparatus utilizes Hall-effect sensors for the position of an element in a latch or locking system and, according to the invention, the Hall-effect sensor chip or the evaluating circuitry enables the generation of first control signals when the first information signal current amplitude is above an upper threshold, the generation of second control signals with a second information signal below the upper threshold is above a lower threshold and an alarm signal when the information signal is between the lower threshold and zero. In this manner defects in the Hall-effect sensor, the conductive path between the Hall-effect sensor and the evaluating circuitry and in the current supply to the Hall-effect sensor can be detected simply and economically.

Abstract: A system for sensing the manner of operation of an automotive vehicle and for generating feedback signals to the vehicle operator as a function of the manner of operation includes a pressure sensor connected to the brake pedal so as to generate a multi-state output signal as a function of the instantaneous pressure applied to the brake, and a plurality of acceleration sensors supported so as to sense the rate of change of the motion about different axes. The sensor output signals are all provided to a controller which compares their outputs to values stored in a table to generate one of a stored set of output values. An audio signal generator receives the output values and generates an audio feedback signal to the vehicle operator as a function of the status of the sensors. The system may also provide a signal to the vehicle engine to prevent operation of the vehicle when excessively erratic operation is detected.

Abstract: A vehicle occupant safety apparatus (10) includes an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (22) and an inflator (20) actuatable in response to sensing a condition indicative of a vehicle collision. A disable switch (40) has a first condition enabling actuation of the inflator (20) and a second condition disabling actuation of the inflator. An electrically energizable indicator (50), when energized, indicates that the disable switch (40) is in the second condition. The indicator (50) is energized when the ignition (58) of the vehicle is on and the disable switch (40) is in the second condition. The indicator (50) is also energized for a predetermined period of time, when the vehicle ignition (58) is off, in response to movement of the disable switch (40) from the first condition to the second condition.

Abstract: An optical hinge (20) provides one or more free space optical communication links through the hinge (17) of an instrument (10). The optical links include a transmitter (24) in one section (14) of the instrument (10) and a receiver (34) in the other section (16) of the instrument (10). An optical coupler (27) connects the transmitter (24) to the receiver (34) through a hinge (17).

Abstract: An apparatus for guiding the pilot of an aircraft approaching its stipulated parking position in a straight line with a distance measuring device, which looks at the aircraft from the front in the direction of movement and which determines the actual position of the aircraft, and with an indicating device, which tells the pilot the distance remaining between the actual and parking positions, is characterised in that at least a 2D laser sensor is provided as the distance measuring device which surveys the front of an aircraft point by point in a (not horizontal) plane within a predetermined viewing angle and in successive measuring sweeps and which resolves each measuring point into its horizontal and vertical coordinates and from the horizontal coordinates, determined in a measuring sweep, of such measuring points, the vertical coordinates of which fall within at least one height range which is separately definable between the threshold values for each aircraft type, forms the average value as the actual posi

Abstract: An extra security alarm system for monitoring conditions within a predetermined monitoring area and alerting persons located throughout the monitoring area, persons in the vicinity and appropriate emergency personnel of an emergency situation. The extra security alarm system includes a plurality of sensors strategically positioned throughout the monitoring area for sensing conditions within the monitoring area. Each of the sensors includes a control unit for analyzing the sensed conditions to determine if an alarm situation exists and generating a sensor signal indicative of the sensed conditions, a transmitter for transmitting the generated signal to the other sensors, a receiver for receiving sensor signals from the other sensors and an alarm for generating an alarm signal upon determining an alarm condition has been sensed by the system.

Abstract: Cells in a radio telephone scheme are covered by beam-spots generated by multi-beam antenna system. Forward communication channels follow mobile units as they move between beam-spots. Additionally, each cell is divided into zones based on the mobile traffic patterns within the cell. Typically, there will be a high density zone covered by many, small area beam-spots, a medium density zone covered by two or three medium sized beam-spots, and a low density zone covered by one large beam-spot. As the mobile traffic patterns change throughout the day, multi-beam antenna dynamically reconfigures the zone and beam-spot layout for each cell, thereby keeping a nearly optimal zone and beam-spot configuration despite varying mobile traffic patterns.

Abstract: An RF tag having an antenna for receiving a RF signal having a frequency band between first and second frequencies and an acoustical resonator having a resonant frequency related to the first and second frequencies. The acoustical resonator has first and second electrodes that sandwich a layer of piezoelectric material. The antenna is connected to one of these electrodes. The resonator filters the signal received on the antenna. The filter can function either as a notch filter or as a bandpass filter. A resonator that acts as a bandpass filter includes a third electrode and a second layer piezoelectric material sandwiched between the second electrode and the third electrode. A frequency multiplier circuit may be incorporated in the RF tag to provide a response signal that occupies a frequency band at a frequency above the second frequency. In one embodiment of the present invention, multiple resonators having different resonant frequencies are utilized to generate a response code.

Abstract: A nonlinear compensating circuit simplified in structure and reduced in bulk and weight is provided for a microwave-band radio apparatus of which a built-in circuit has a nonlinear input/output characteristic. A parallel circuit composed of linear operating means, which performs a linear operation, and nonlinear operating means, which performs a nonlinear operation, is connected in series with a compensated circuit which is a subject of nonlinear compensation.

Abstract: A warning device for monitoring the rotational speed of a prime mover which includes: a) a converting unit electrically connected to the prime mover for converting a digital signal representative of the rotational speed of the prime mover to an analog voltage; b) a reference unit for providing a specific analog reference voltage corresponding to the digital signal; c) a comparison unit for comparing the analog voltage with the specific analog reference voltage and generating a comparison signal when the analog voltage is not equal to the specific analog reference voltage; and d) an output unit electrically connected to the comparison unit for generating an alarm signal in response to the comparison signal.