Abstract: A portable coordinate measurement machine (CMM) is disclosed. The CMM may include a manually positionable articulated arm having opposed first and second ends and a measurement probe attached to the first end articulated arm. The arm may include a plurality of jointed arm segments. Each arm segment may include at least one position transducer for producing a position signal. The CMM may also include an electronic circuit that receives the position signals from the transducers and provides a digital coordinate corresponding to the position of the probe in a selected volume. At least one of the arm segments may be non-linear along its length.

Abstract: A SiGe or Ge structure comprises a substrate and a SiGe or Ge layer that is formed on a first surface of the substrate. A silicidation or germanide layer is formed on a second surface of the substrate so to increase the tensile strain of the SiGe or Ge layer on the first surface.

Abstract: A rotary valve unit is provided for blending fluid sources to regulate a temperature of fluid flowing to a heat exchange device in an extracorporeal blood perfusion circuit. A valve body includes a valve chamber having a first inlet port, a second inlet port, a first outlet port, and a second outlet port. A wedged-shaped rotary valve is disposed within the valve chamber and is rotatable within the valve chamber for controlling a blending of the cold fluid entering the fluid chamber from the first inlet port and the return fluid entering the fluid chamber from the second inlet port to regulate the desired temperature of fluid provided to the heat exchanger. The wedge-shaped rotary valve is positionable to provide either only cold fluid to the first outlet port, only return fluid to the first outlet port, or blending of the cold fluid and return fluid to the first outlet port.

Abstract: A propeller control system includes a propeller control logic subsystem in conjunction with an engine control logic subsystem to provide an optimized transition from forward to reverse speed governing under all operating conditions. By creating a Propeller control Mode (PCM) map relative the blade angle and Power Lever Angle (PLA), the minimum blade angle allowed for forward speed governing and the maximum blade angle allowed for reverse speed governing is determined. By combining the actual propeller blade angle, the min and max angles for speed governing, and the PLA signal, the state of the propeller speed governor is determined.

Abstract: An apparatus for continuously preparing viscous compositions containing additives includes: (i) a mixing device for uniformly mixing and dispersing an additive into a viscous fluid; (ii) one or more servo motor driven pumps for feeding the viscous fluid to the mixing device; (iii) one or more servo motor driven pumps for feeding the additive to the mixing device; (iv) means for supplying the viscous fluid to the viscous fluid servo motor driven pumps; (v) means for supplying the additive to the additive servo motor driven pumps; (vi) means for dispensing a viscous composition containing the fluid and the additive from the mixing device into a container, (vii) a programmable logic computer, constructed and arranged to control the operation of the servo motor driven pumps for the viscous fluid and the servo motor driven pumps for the additive, so that a predetermined ratio of RPM between the servo motor driven pumps for the viscous fluid and the servo motor driven pumps for the additive, is maintained irrespect

Abstract: A system is disclosed for providing electrical power responsive to solar energy. The system includes a Si cell, an AlGaAs cell, and a Ge cell. The Si cell is for providing electrical power responsive to solar energy within a first frequency range. The AlGaAs cell is coupled to a first side of the Si cell, and is for providing electrical power responsive to solar energy within a second frequency range. The Ge cell is coupled to a second side of the Si cell, and the Ge cell provides electrical power responsive to solar energy within a third frequency range.

Abstract: A propeller control system provides for actuation through supply pressure only. A transfer bearing thereby requires only a single land. The supply pressure is metered at a pitch change valve within the rotating propeller shaft downstream of the transfer bearing to provide hydraulic pressure for actuation and control. A feather override mode is provided by energizing a feathering solenoid. The increased supply pressure changes the hydraulic force balance of the pitch change valve to allow the increased supply pressure into a Coarse Pitch chamber and simultaneously allow fluid within the Fine Pitch chamber to flow to drain pressure. The flow to drain changes the hydraulic balance on the Pitch Change Actuator Piston to drive a pitch link attached to each propeller blade and thereby change the pitch thereof towards coarse pitch.

Abstract: A propeller control system provides for actuation through supply pressure only. A transfer bearing thereby requires only a single land. The supply pressure is metered at a pitch change valve within the rotating propeller shaft downstream of the transfer bearing to provide hydraulic pressure for actuation and control. A feather override mode is provided by energizing a feathering solenoid. The increased supply pressure changes the hydraulic force balance of the pitch change valve to allow the increased supply pressure into a Coarse Pitch chamber and simultaneously allow fluid within the Fine Pitch chamber to flow to drain pressure. The flow to drain changes the hydraulic balance on the Pitch Change Actuator Piston to drive a pitch link attached to each propeller blade and thereby change the pitch thereof towards coarse pitch.

Abstract: The present invention involves a dynamic brake for use in a peristaltic (i.e., roller) pump. The dynamic brake avoids backlash, due to counter rotation. In addition, it does not preclude the option of hand operating the roller pump. This is achieved by initiating the braking operation after the roller pump set-point has been set to zero and only after the roller pump has decelerated below a predefined speed (e.g., 20 rpm). In addition, the braking operation is activated for only a very brief period of time (i.e., a period of time required for the pressure in the roller pump fluid conduit to subside).

Abstract: The present invention involves a dynamic brake for use in a peristaltic (i.e., roller) pump. The dynamic brake avoids backlash, due to counter rotation. In addition, it does not preclude the option of hand operating the roller pump. This is achieved by initiating the braking operation after the roller pump set-point has been set to zero and only after the roller pump has decelerated below a predefined speed (e.g., 20 rpm). In addition, the braking operation is activated for only a very brief period of time (i.e., a period of time required for the pressure in the roller pump fluid conduit to subside).

Abstract: A system and method for predistorting a signal which is to be amplified by a non-linear amplifier. The system and method uses additional predistortion circuits to eliminate the predistortion caused by amplifier input circuits and amplifier output circuits. In one aspect of the invention, the system and method uses a frequency response and phase corrector circuit to modify the amplitude versus frequency of the signal independent of phase.

Abstract: A system and method for transmitting advanced television signals such as digital television signals. The system and method controls the frequency of the RF signal by compensating for errors in the signal received from a transport system. The system and method also reduces the complexity of the transmission system by inserting a pilot frequency signal after the television signal has been filtered and shaped.

Abstract: A system and method for controlling the frequency of a signal being transmitted wherein the frequency of the signal received at the transmitter site is error corrected before being broadcast. The error in the frequency may be developed and applied to the intermediate frequency upconversion and/or the channel upconversion to reduce or eliminate the effects of the error. In the system and method, a pilot frequency signal can be added to the signal to be broadcast after the signal to be broadcast has been shaped and filtered.

Abstract: An improved electronic hydraulic propeller control designed as a retro-fit kit for existing Hamilton Standard Division 54460 and 54H60 propeller controllers includes an apparatus for controlling the pitch angle of a propeller blade. The retro-fit kit includes an electro-hydraulic servo valve, an electronic controller, a protection valve, and a propeller maintenance interface panel. These components functionally replace the existing hydromechanical propeller control system without reconfiguration of the existing interface. The apparatus converts mechanical inputs of the propeller and airframe systems to electronic signals, which can be measured by the electronic control. The apparatus also receives and converts the electronic control's commands into hydraulic pressure and flow changes through an electro-hydraulic servo valve. The electronic controller performs the required calculations to interpret and then react to changes in the propeller/airframe systems.

Abstract: This invention relates to colored polyester thermoplastics comprised of polymeric colorants having poly(oxyalkylene) moieties and/or anionic dye/quatenary ammonium substantially inorganic salt-free colorant complexes mixed with diluents selected from the group consisting essentially of sorbitan (C.sub.8 -C.sub.22) monoesters, ethoxylated sorbitan (C.sub.8 -C.sub.22) monoesters, mixtures thereof of sorbitan (C.sub.8 -C.sub.22) monoesters and ethoxylated sorbitan (C.sub.8 -C.sub.22) monoesters, ethoxylated nonyl-phenol ethers, ethoxylated dodecylphenol ethers, mixtures thereof of said ethoxylated nonyl-phenol ethers and ethoxylated dodecylphenol ethers, and mixtures of (i) sorbitan (C.sub.8 -C.sub.22) monoesters or ethoxylated sorbitan (C.sub.8 -C.sub.22) monoesters and (ii) ethoxylated nonyl-phenol ethers or ethoxylated dodecylphenol ethers.

Abstract: An improved intensity-encoded fiber optic sensor incorporating novel drift correction and filtering means is disclosed. The first embodiments of the invention relate to means for removing unwanted higher-order core and cladding modes from an intensity-encoded signal in an optical fiber using mode strippers and mode filters located strategically at various points in the sensing system. The second set of improvements in the invention relate to an improved technique for long-term temporal drift cancellation in a fiber optic pressure sensor by periodically applying pressure to the sensor tip in order to ascertain the measured voltage at which the sensor diaphragm contacts other elements of the sensor. This measured voltage is subtracted from an initial calibration voltage, and the result is applied to the measured signal as a constant correction term.