Abstract: The invention relates to a steerable antenna platform including two independently controllable motors for rotating a flat plate or a parabolic dish antenna about two perpendicular axes. The antenna platform includes a semicircular yoke rotatable about a fixed axes with bearings mounted on either end thereof for pivotally supporting the antenna. The antenna platform also includes a ball joint for supporting the center of the antenna, enabling a reduction in the requirements of the two motors.

Abstract: The invention relates to a steerable antenna platform including two independently controllable motors for rotating a flat plate or a parabolic dish antenna about two perpendicular axes. The antenna platform includes a semicircular yoke rotatable about a fixed axes with bearings mounted on either end thereof for pivotally supporting the antenna. The antenna platform also includes a ball joint for supporting the center of the antenna, enabling a reduction in the requirements of the two motors.

Abstract: This invention relates to a new and useful system and method of ultrasonic detection for use on in the monitoring of the danger zone of a vehicle. The system comprises at least one sensor, an analog and digital integrated circuit, a power driver and a microprocessor. The microprocessor is programmed to control the sensors, to receive a plurality of signals from the sensors, establish and store an initial reference image, monitor a second plurality of signals received from a continuous scan of the sensors, establish a data set for the second plurality of signals, compare the data set with the initial reference image and return an alarm output if a variation is detected.

Abstract: In a color photographic video data conversion system digital data representing each of three primary color components of a pixel is converted (i.e. encoded) to digital data comprising luminance data for the pixel and smoothed (i.e. averaged) chrominance data for a group of contiguous pixels, thereby reducing for transmission the amount of data required to represent picture information. Chrominance data for a group of four pixels in a two-by-two array is selected for smoothing, the human eye being about one quarter as sensitive to color as brightness. When the digital video data is received, the luminance and chrominance data is converted (i.e. decoded) to primary color data comprising data representing satisfactorily each of three primary color components for a pixel. The method of, and apparatus for, both encoding and decoding data in the data conversion system is provided.