Abstract: A contactless programmable electrostatic Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) reader that also serves as an Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS) reader is described. The RFID/EAS reader contains a detector circuit for detecting the presence of a signal carrier frequency transmitted by the transponder in response to a signal from the reader. The detector circuit has a resonator circuit which is connected to a receiver electrode. The resonator comprises a piezoelectric element with a high quality factor ‘Q’ at the resonant frequency to enhance sensitivity. The alarm carrier signal is rectified and fed to either a peak detector or an envelope detector circuit. A voltage source generates a voltage threshold to allow for operating range adjustment. A comparator compares both voltages and generates an alarm signal if the voltage signal reaches the threshold voltage. The RFID/EAS further having the capability to read the RFID contents.

Abstract: An anti-theft vehicle system for a vehicle wheel having a rotational axis including a signal generator to generate a first predetermined signal around a first predetermined perimeter and to generate a second predetermined signal around a second predetermined perimeter at least partially disposed within the first predetermined perimeter, 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 the rotational axis, a 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, and a receiver disposed within the vehicle wheel to receive a first predetermined signal and second predetermined signal to activate the rotatable structure to move the at least one inhibitor between the engaged position and the disengaged position.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing and testing an electronic circuit, the method comprising forming a plurality of conductive traces on a substrate and providing a gap in one of the conductive traces; attaching a circuit component to the substrate and coupling the circuit component to at least one of the conductive traces; supporting a battery on the substrate, and coupling the battery to at least one of the conductive traces, wherein a completed circuit would be defined, including the traces, circuit component, and battery, but for the gap; verifying electrical connections by performing an in circuit test, after the circuit component is attached and the battery is supported; and employing a jumper to electrically close the gap, and complete the circuit, after verifying electrical connections.

Abstract: The present invention comprises an apparatus and method for detecting a rotational movement of a body. An advantageous embodiment of the invention is capable of detecting a rotational movement of the body of a child. The invention can provide a care giver information concerning the position of the body of a child in the care giver's care. The invention is especially useful in warning when a child moves from a position of lying on its back to a position of lying on its stomach. The invention comprises at least two tilt switches capable of detecting when the apparatus of the invention has been rotated by a preselected inclination angle of approximately one hundred eighty degrees. The invention also comprises a controller that is capable of receiving a signal from the tilt switches and generating an alarm signal. The apparatus also comprises an alarm signaling device that is capable of sending the alarm signal to alert a care giver that a child has rolled over onto his or her stomach.

Abstract: An ionic flame monitor. The flame monitor has a flame rod that produces an ionization current when the flame rod is immersed in a flame and excited by a voltage. The ionization current has a DC component and an AC component each dependent on the intensity of the flame, and a flicker frequency. The flame monitor also has a computing device that is responsive to signals representative of the flicker frequency, and the AC and DC components of the ionization current for determining the existence of the flame.

Abstract: The present invention proposes a self safety-protection burglarproof device comprising an uninterruptible power system, an image-capturing unit, an access unit, a lock head, a receiver, a server, a lock mechanism, a control unit, sensing units, and a case-reporting unit. The lock head is at an on state so that input power can be provided to the receiver when the keyhole of the lock head is inserted by a key. When the receiver receives a remote-control signal emitted by an emitter, the server will activate the control unit to stay at a state of alert, and the lock mechanism will be driven to unlock. Therefore, gangsters or burglars can be deterred and arrested in time to more assure public order or safety of inhabitation.

Abstract: A warning device for door lock of car. The door lock has a driving motor to drive a driven shaft to lock the door of the car, and a locking shaft passing through a through hole on the driven shaft. The warning device for door lock of car is characterized in that the through hole is lengthened to form a triggering space and a sensor is provided within the triggering space. When the puller is pulled by external force, the sensor arranged within the triggering space generates a signal to a controlling IC and the controlling IC triggers a driving circuit. The driving circuit drives a loud speaker to alarm the car owner.

Abstract: A control system includes a transmitter and a receiver for receiving signals from the remote transmitter, and a multi-vehicle compatible controller cooperating with the transmitter and receiver. The multi-vehicle compatible controller preferably generates at least one set of command signals on the data communications bus for the at least one vehicle device. The at least one set of command signals may include at least one working command signal and at least one non-working command signal for a given vehicle to thereby provide compatibility with a plurality of different vehicles. Multiple signals or codes can be generated on the data communications bus, and only that code for the given vehicle will cause an operation or response from the vehicle device. Such an arrangement provides for a relatively simple and straightforward approach to interface with a vehicle having a data communications bus.

Abstract: An electronic identification apparatus having data storage memory on board a removable transceiver device. The transceiver device also includes a processor and a transponder for receiving information pertaining to the object/person to which it is attached and storing the information in memory. The transceiver also transmits stored data to a control computer or the external devices. The transceiver is mounted on a base, such as a wristband, and the apparatus includes an attachment sensor indicating whether the transceiver is attached to the base. If the transceiver has been removed from the base, the processor performs one or more lockdown operations to prevent the stored data from being used in connection with another object or person. The lockdown operations include clearing the contents of the memory, disabling access to the memory, suppressing the display of stored data and activating an alarm.

Abstract: A digital electronic locator which assists in locating the position and direction of an object/animal/person is described. Three configurations of the locator are presented; the first one is the basic configuration which gives an alerting means (Audio and/or visual) to indicate the location of an object/animal/person, the second configuration of the locator, in addition to providing the facility offered by the basic configuration, indicates the direction of an object/animal/person, the third configuration of the locator is used for locating person, in addition to providing the facilities offered by the basic and the second configuration it provides the direction of the searcher to the person being located who can, as well, acknowledge that he/she has been found.

Abstract: An ETC-relevant information communication control system designed for limiting ETC-relevant information communication between an ETC communication equipment of a toll gate provided on or along a toll road and an vehicle-onboard ETC-relevant information communication control apparatus of a motor vehicle after entry thereof into a communication area for a predetermined interval up to a location within the communication area where communication error can be evaded while maintaining the current speed of the motor vehicle entering the communication area.

Abstract: A moving object detecting apparatus, an abnormality alarm apparatus, and a load-carrying compartment opening control apparatus each have an oscillator circuit, an antenna, and a frequency fluctuation detector. If a moving object, such as a human or the like, exists near the antenna when a signal from the oscillator circuit is transmitted from the antenna, the load on the antenna fluctuates due to fluctuations in capacitance involved in the movement of the object. Due to the fluctuations in the antenna load, the oscillating frequency of the oscillator circuit fluctuates. The frequency fluctuations are detected by the frequency fluctuation detector.

Abstract: A computerized base station system communicates with radio frequency tags attached to one or more objects. Included in the system is a separate position detector that determines the position of one or more of the tags within a time increment and within a field of the base station. A communication process reads information from one or more of the tags within the time increment and associates the position determined with the information of the respective tag.

Abstract: An information exchange system is capable of realizing useful information exchange both for the service provider located along the road and providing services and the vehicular driver, by effectively using limited communication capacity of the road-vehicle radio communication. The information exchange system has a vehicle-mounted unit and a road-side unit providing information to the vehicle-mounted unit using a road-vehicle radio communication. The vehicle-mounted unit includes receiving unit receiving information transmitted from the road-side unit through a radio communication and transferring unit transferring at least a part of a content of the received information to a vehicular occupant. The road-side unit including storage unit storing information to be transmitted to the vehicle-mounted unit and transmitting unit transmitting information to the vehicle-mounted unit through the radio communication.

Abstract: A tracking apparatus includes a tracked object interrogator which produces a tracked object identifier output. The tracking apparatus also includes a location interrogator which produces an apparatus location output. The apparatus further includes an alarm which enunciates for a predetermined combination of the apparatus location output and the tracked object identifier output.

Abstract: A radio frequency (RF) transponder (RF tag) is proposed, where a high dielectric constant material is used in operative cooperation with a tag antenna so that the distance of the tag antenna from conducting or absorbing surfaces may be reduced, and so the tag dimensions may be reduced.

Abstract: It is prevented that a malfunction occurs because of a noise. A smoke detection section samples as a smoke detection signal a signal digitized after being output from a light reception section when a light emission section glows, and updates a previous smoke detection signal. A noise detection section samples as a noise detection signal a signal output from the light reception section when the light emission section is not driven to glow. When the noise detection signal exceeds a predetermined noise level, a noise de-influence unit disables updating of the previous smoke detection signal with the newly sampled smoke detection signal so as to process a noise.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a system that allows operators of emergency vehicles to obtain graphic data regarding other emergency vehicles that may pose threats of collision. Automatic signaling takes place between emergency vehicles within range of each other to transmit directional data regarding the direction of travel of each emergency vehicle. This data is correlated to derive directional vectors relative to each other. These vectors are displayed so that the operator can quickly determine the direction of other vehicles with respect to his own. The system includes equipment for preempting traffic signals by selected emergency vehicles, and for informing other emergency vehicles that a traffic signal has been preempted.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for diagnosing whether a solenoid in an image forming system is functioning properly is disclosed. An actuating current is sent to a particular solenoid while a current waveform and elapsed time such as pull-in time value are noted for instances when the solenoid is in a first position and a second position. The first position can be one in which a solenoid plunger is extended and the second position can be one in which the solenoid plunger is retracted, or vice versa. Based at least partially on the measured actuating current values prior to the beginning and after the ending of solenoid movement, and measured time values, a determination can be made as to whether the solenoid is functioning properly by comparing these values to predetermined values for a properly functioning solenoid.

Abstract: A device and method for monitoring the delivery of a speech having selected time limits for specific speech types, includes a housing having a control panel, a clock display, and an array of different colored light emitting elements that are activated corresponding to specific speech time limit intervals. A timing circuit generates a signal to a control circuit that corresponds to a specific speech type, wherein the control circuit generates event marker signals that correspond to the lapse of a series of sequential selected time periods in the control circuit. The event marker signals provide for the sequential indication of the light emitting elements that allows for minimal distraction to the speaker to monitor their speech timing while allowing the speaker to wind up the speech in a smooth and timely manner.