Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling an imaging system while imaging a patient's body or part thereof, by sensing a cyclically-occurring physiological condition of the patient over a plurality of cycles, and producing a sensor output signal corresponding thereto; analyzing the sensor output signal over the plurality of cycles to identify at least one time point of each cycle in which the sensor output signal exhibits a minimum deviation in the plurality of cycles; and utilizing the at least one time point of minimum deviation for gating the imaging system.

Abstract: An ear probe for detecting and/or measuring at least one predetermined physiological condition of a subject, includes: an earplug shaped and dimensioned for insertion into an ear of the subject; and a sensor carried by the earplug for sensing the predetermined physiological condition of the subject; the sensor including: an acoustical transmitter and an acoustical receiver spaced from the transmitter and defining an acoustical channel therebetween; and a processor for monitoring changes in the transit time, caused by the predetermined physiological condition, of an acoustical wave transmitted from the transmitter to the receiver through the acoustical channel.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for generating electrical energy from a subject's body by sensing pulsations of a part of the subject's cardiovascular system and converting such pulsations into electrical energy. In one described preferred embodiment, pulsations of an artery of the subject are sensed and converted. Into electrical energy by utilizing the pulsations to pump liquid with respect to an electrical coil to generate an electrical voltage in the coil. In another described embodiment, pulsations of the heart are sensed; and in a further described embodiment, the pulsations are converted to electrical energy by a piezoelectric device.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for monitoring a condition having a known relation to, or influence on, the transit time of a cyclically-repeating energy wave moving through a transmission channel, by: (a) transmitting a cyclically-repeating energy wave through the transmission channel from a transmitter at one end to a receiver at the opposite end; (b) continuously changing the frequency of the transmitter according to changes in the monitored condition while maintaining the number of waves in the transmission channel as a whole integer; and (c) utilizing the changes in frequency of the transmitter to provide a continuous indication of the monitored condition. Operation (b) is preferably performed by detecting a predetermined fiducial point in each cyclically-repeating energy wave received by the receiver, but may also be performed by the use of a phase-locked loop circuit, to maintain the number of energy waves in the loop of the transmission channel as a whole integer.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for measuring the frequency of a cyclically-repeating electrical signal by: passing the electrical signal through a network of sequentially-activated gates, in which the first gate detects the leading edge of each cycle of the electrical signal, and each of the remaining gates, when activated, applies a predetermine propagation delay to the detected leading edges; determining the gates which were activated at the beginning, and at the end, of a predetermined time window; determining the difference in the total propagation delays at the outputs of the activated gates; and utilizing the differences in the total propagation delays in determining the frequency of the electrical signal.

Abstract: A sensor for sensing a predetermined parameter having a known relationship with respect to the transit time of an energy wave through a medium, includes a body of soft elastomeric material having high transmissivity and low attenuation properties with respect to the energy waves; and a transmitter and receiver carried by the body in spaced relation to each other such that the energy waves received by the receiver are those transmitted by the transmitter after having traversed at least a portion of the body of soft elastomeric material. The transit time of the energy wave through the elastomeric body is measured to produce a measurement of the predetermined parameter. In the described preferred embodiments, the energy wave is a sonic wave, such that the body of soft elastomeric material serves as an acoustical channel between the transmitter and receiver.

Abstract: A revolving-door assembly includes a plurality of radially-extending door sections rotatably mounted about a vertical rotary axis within a passageway for controlling the flow of traffic through said passageway. Each of the radially-extending door sections includes a radially-extending inner panel and at least one radially-extending outer panel. The radially-extending inner panels are mounted for rotation about the vertical rotary axis. Each of the radially-extending outer panels is movable radially outwardly away from, and inwardly towards, the respective radially-extending inner panels to assume an outermost position when the respective radially-extending door section is located perpendicularly to the flow of traffic, and an innermost position when the respective radially-extending door section is located parallel to the flow of traffic.

Abstract: A method of making a force sensor, the force sensor being particularly sensitive to forces applied along a predetermined axis, of the type including a force-receiving membrane deformable by an applied force to be sensed, the method comprising: providing the force sensor with a body of a liquid, and with a second membrane separated from said force-receiving membrane by the body of liquid; applying the force to be sensed to the center of the force-receiving membrane to thereby pressurize the liquid according to the magnitude and axis of the force applied to the force-receiving membrane; and measuring the deformation of the second membrane.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for measuring a predetermined parameter, by providing a displaceable sensor on a mounting member such that the displaceable sensor changes in location, form or length with respect to the mounting member in accordance with the predetermined parameter. A cyclically-repeating energy wave is transmitted to or through the displaceable sensor, and a predetermined fiducial point in the received cyclically-repeating energy wave is detected and used for continuously changing the frequency of the transmitted cyclically-repeating energy wave such that the number of waves received is a whole integer. The change in frequency is used to produce a measurement of the predetermined parameter. Several embodiments are described wherein the displaceable sensor is a deformable membrane, an end wall of a bellows, a spring-mounted member, a displaceable plunger, and a bar changing its length in accordance with the parameter to be measured.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for non-invasively measuring concentration of a target substance such as glucose within a body by: activating a pulse source to apply to the body a series of pulses of energy highly absorbable by the target substance to generate, by the photoacoustic effect, a series of acoustic waves propagated through an acoustic channel in the body; detecting the acoustic waves to produce an electrical signal having a frequency corresponding to the frequency of the acoustic waves generated by the photoacoustic effect; controlling the pulse source to change the frequency at which the energy pulses are applied to the body such that the detector detects a whole integer number of wavelengths in the acoustic channel irrespective of variations in the target substance concentration within the body; and utilizing a measurement of the frequency, or change in frequency, of the pulses to produce a measurement of the concentration, or change in concentration, of the target substance.

Abstract: A voice controlled system includes a microphone for receiving voice commands and for converting each voice command to an electrical output; a filter system connected to receive the electrical outputs of the microphone and to produce for each voice command a first output corresponding to the high-frequency component of the voice command, and a second output corresponding to the low-frequency component of the voice command; and a processor for processing the first and second outputs of the filter system, and for outputting, for each voice command, a first electrical signal when the low-frequency component precedes the high-frequency component in the respective voice command, and a second electrical signal when the high-frequency component precedes the low-frequency component in the respective voice command.

Abstract: A sensor system immersible in an ambient-fluid for sensing at least two conditions of the ambient fluid, includes a sealed chamber filled with a reference fluid of a known composition and/or pressure, and two acoustic transmission channels, one including the reference fluid, and the other including the ambient fluid. Measuring circuitry measures (a) the transit time of an energy wave through one transmission channel to determine the temperature of the fluid within the sealed chamber and thereby the temperature of the ambient fluid; and (b) the transit time of an energy wave through the other transmission channel to determine the composition and/or the pressure of the ambient fluid.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of measuring a predetermined parameter having a known relation to the transit time of movement of an energy wave through a medium, by transmitting from a first location in the medium a cyclically-repeating energy wave; receiving the cyclically-repeating energy wave at a second location in the medium; detecting a predetermined fiducial point in the cyclically-repeating energy wave received at the second location; continuously changing the frequency of transmission of the cyclically-repeating energy wave from the first location to the second location in accordance with the detected fiducial point of each received cyclically-repeating energy wave received at the second location such that the number of waves received at the second location from the first location is a whole integer; and utilizing the change in frequency to produce a measurement of the predetermined parameter.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for measuring a predetermined parameter, by providing a displaceable sensor on a mounting member such that the displaceable sensor changes in location, form or length with respect to the mounting member in accordance with the predetermined parameter. A cyclically-repeating energy wave is transmitted to or through the displaceable sensor, and a predetermined fiducial point in the received cyclically-repeating energy wave is detected and used for continuously changing the frequency of the transmitted cyclically-repeating energy wave such that the number of waves received is a whole integer. The change in frequency is used to produce a measurement of the predetermined parameter. Several embodiments are described wherein the displaceable sensor is a deformable membrane, an end wall of a bellows, a spring-mounted member, a displaceable plunger, and a bar changing its length in accordance with the parameter to be measured.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for monitoring a condition having a known relation to, or influence on, the transit time of a cyclically-repeating energy wave moving through a transmission channel, by: (a) transmitting a cyclically-repeating energy wave through the transmission channel from a transmitter at one end to a receiver at the opposite end; (b) continuously changing the frequency of the transmitter according to changes in the monitored condition while maintaining the number of waves in the transmission channel as a whole integer; and (c) utilizing the changes in frequency of the transmitter to provide a continuous indication of the monitored condition. Operation (b) is preferably performed by detecting a predetermined fiducial point in each cyclically-repeating energy wave received by the receiver, but may also be performed by the use of a phase-locked loop circuit, to maintain the number of energy waves in the loop of the transmission channel as a whole integer.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of measuring a predetermined parameter having a known relation to the transit time of movement of an energy wave through a medium, by transmitting from a first location in the medium a cyclically-repeating energy wave; receiving the cyclically-repeating energy wave at a second location in the medium; detecting a predetermined fiducial point in the cyclically-repeating energy wave received at the second location; continuously changing the frequency of transmission of the cyclically-repeating energy wave from the first location to the second location in accordance with the detected fiducial point of each received cyclically-repeating energy wave received at the second location such that the number of waves received at the second location from the first location is a whole integer; and utilizing the change in frequency to produce a measurement of the predetermined parameter.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for generating electrical energy from a subject's body by sensing pulsations of a part of the subject's cardiovascular system and converting such pulsations into electrical energy. In one described preferred embodiment, pulsations of an artery of the subject are sensed and converted. into electrical energy by utilizing the pulsations to pump liquid with respect to an electrical coil to generate an electrical voltage in the coil. In another described embodiment, pulsations of the heart are sensed; and in a further described embodiment, the pulsations are converted to electrical energy by a piezoelectric device.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of measuring a predetermined parameter having a known relation to the transit time of movement of an energy wave through a medium, by transmitting from a first location in the medium a cyclically-repeating energy wave; receiving the cyclically-repeating energy wave at a second location in the medium; detecting a predetermined fiducial point in the cyclically-repeating energy wave received at the second location; continuously changing the frequency of transmission of the cyclically-repeating energy wave from the first location to the second location in accordance with the detected fiducial point of each received cyclically-repeating energy wave received at the second location such that the number of waves received at the second location from the first location is a whole integer; and utilizing the change in frequency to produce a measurement of the predetermined parameter.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of measuring a predetermined parameter having a known relation to the transit time of movement of an energy wave through a medium, by transmitting from a first location in the medium a cyclically-repeating energy wave; receiving the cyclically-repeating energy wave at a second location in the medium; detecting a predetermined fiducial point in the cyclically-repeating energy wave received at the second location; continuously changing the frequency of transmission of the cyclically-repeating energy wave from the first location to the second location in accordance with the detected fiducial point of each received cyclically-repeating energy wave received at the second location such that the number of waves received at the second location from the first location is a whole integer; and utilizing the change in frequency to produce a measurement of the predetermined parameter.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for automatically controlling the movement of a door over a floor from an open position to a closed position with respect to a door frame, by mounting ultrasonic transmitters at one side of the door frame and oriented to transmit ultrasonic energy downwardly towards the floor and to reflect the energy from the floor upwardly upwardly at the other side of the door frame; mounting ultrasonic receivers over the door frame at the opposite side and oriented to receive the energy from the ultrasonic transmitter reflected by the floor; and processing the reflected energy received by the ultrasonic receiver to detect the presence of an object in the path of the door, when moving toward its closed position, and to automatically interrupt the closing of the door.