Abstract: A wireless system for monitoring a patient's brain tissue including (1) a plurality of electrodes abutting brain tissue, (2) main circuitry outside the patient's body to transmit power at radio frequencies and send/receive data using infrared energy, and (3) subcutaneously-implanted remote circuitry connected to the electrodes and configured to (a) receive transmitted RF power, (b) capture and digitize EEG signals from the electrodes, and (c) send/receive data to/from the main circuitry using IR energy, including sending digitized EEG signals from each electrode to capture the full bandwidth of each EEG signal. The system preferably includes circuitry to measure the electrical impedance of each electrode for real-time monitoring of the condition of the electrode/tissue interfaces to enhance interpretation of captured EEG signals.

Abstract: The present invention describes a structure and method for reducing or eliminating the flatness distortion effects of a photomask assembly which occurs when a pellicle is mounted to the photomask. The invention is to perform a partial disconnection of the mounting area of the pellicle frame from the print area of the mask. An exemplary embodiment of the present invention achieves the distortion reduction or elimination using a trench in the photomask as the partial disconnection.

Abstract: A method for emulating signal impairments to enable dynamic evaluation of transmit and receive modem performance through the use of computer-generated models enabling both an evaluation of system performance as well as a comparison of results obtained from system designs respectively exposed to both impaired and unimpaired conditions to enable direct comparison as well as comparison with standardized measurement values to facilitate system design activities prior to any hardware implementation.

Abstract: Closure member control systems, including door control systems for barrier housings, and associated methods are disclosed. One aspect of the invention is directed toward a closure member control system that includes a closure member positioned to cover a portion of an opening in a structure (e.g., a barrier housing). The closure member has a closed position where the closure member covers the portion of the opening and an open position where the closure member does not cover the portion of the opening. The system further includes a control device operatively coupled to the closure member that urges the closure member to remain in the closed position when the closure member is in the closed position and urges the closure member to remain in the open position when the closure member is in the open position. In certain embodiments, the control device can include at least one forcing mechanism.

Abstract: A navigation system with a portable heads up display (HUD). The HUD comprises a housing rotably mounted on a stand. The housing holds a device for generating an image that can be projected onto a vehicle windshield, for example a vacuum fluorescent display (VFD) module. Preferably, the navigation system is a NavMate® Navigation System from Visteon Technologies LLC, and the HUD is operatively connected to the navigation system by a high speed serial interface, for example an RS232 interface. An exemplary HUD includes a microcontroller, frame buffer, and a graphic display module. A preferred image generator is a Futaba GP1045A02A graphic display module.

Abstract: A data system architecture is described that allows multiple processing and storage resources to be connected to multiple clients so as 1) to distribute the clients' workload efficiently across the available resources; and 2) to enable scaleable expansion, both in terms of the number of clients and in the number of resources. The major features of the architecture are separate, modular, client and resource elements that can be added independently, a high-performance cross-bar data switch interconnecting these various elements, separate serial communication paths for controlling the cross-bar switch settings, separate communication paths for passing control information among the various elements and a resource utilization methodology that enables clients to distribute processing or storage tasks across all available resources, thereby eliminating “hot spots” resulting from uneven utilization of those resources.

Abstract: A data system architecture is described that allows multiple processing and storage resources to be connected to multiple clients so as 1) to distribute the clients' workload efficiently across the available resources; and 2) to enable scaleable expansion, both in terms of the number of clients and in the number of resources. The major features of the architecture are separate, modular, client and resource elements that can be added independently, a high-performance cross-bar data switch interconnecting these various elements, separate serial communication paths for controlling the cross-bar switch settings, separate communication paths for passing control information among the various elements and a resource utilization methodology that enables clients to distribute processing or storage tasks across all available resources, thereby eliminating “hot spots” resulting from uneven utilization of those resources.

Abstract: A communication system emulator digitally emulates a plurality of signal impairments created by the transmitter and receiver components and communication medium in a typical communication system, for use in evaluating and refining modem design. A variety of linear and non-linear distortion characteristics are impressed on baseband signals between modulators and demodulators to evaluate and refine modem performance without requiring transmission frequency components or communication channel. The emulator comprises transmit modules, receive modules and communication media modules, and can accept or output analog or digital signals. Each module is configurable to allow modeling of simplex or duplex communication, or a common base station with multiple users transmitting or receiving, all configurations with or without communication media impairment emulation. Each module can be configured to add a plurality of linear and non-linear impairments to a baseband signal.

Abstract: Apparatus and a method for depositing a material on a substrate utilizes a distributor including a permeable member through which a carrier gas and a material are passed to provide a vapor that is deposited on a conveyed substrate. A secondary gas can be provided to promote uniform distribution of the material on the substrate.

Abstract: A multi-channel remote keyless entry (RKE) transponder having dynamically re-configurable input channel selection, channel disable, settable sensitivity for each channel, wake-up filter timing parameters, automatic gain control hold, internal tuning capacitor selection for each channel's antenna, minimum modulation depth requirement for input signal and bi-directional talk-back. Programmable minimum modulation depth requirement reduces false wake-up of the RKE transponder. An antenna for each channel of the RKE transponder may be tuned with internal tuning capacitors for improved range and receiver sensitivity. The internal tuning capacitor parameters may be stored in a configuration register. Gain of the channel may be fixed while the antenna is tuned. The antennas may be de-queued for talk-back to a base station for low frequency bi-directional communications. An external control device may dynamically read from and write to the configuration registers via a serial communications interface.

Abstract: A remote keyless entry (RKE) transponder has a noise alarm timer having a time interval used for determining whether a received signal meets a predefined condition within a time interval. If the received signal meets the predefined condition within the time interval, the noise alarm timer is disabled and the RKE transponder circuits are enabled so that normal operation in processing the desired signal commences. If the received signal does not meet the predefined condition within the time interval the noise alarm timer issues an alert signal, whereby appropriate action may be taken such as adjusting the channel input sensitivity, disabling a channel, or placing the RKE transponder into a sleep mode in order to reduce the power consumption caused by undesired input signals. A smart wake-up filter determines whether or not the input signal meets the predefined condition within the time interval.

Abstract: A remote keyless entry (RKE) transponder has a programmable selective wake-up filter for determining whether the RKE transponder should wake-up to process a received signal. The wake-up filter correlates the timing of an input signal's carrier amplitude on and off time periods to a predefined programmable time period profile for a desired signal which has a certain carrier on time (time period on) and a certain carrier off time (time period off) arranged into a coded “header.” When a received signal matches the predefined time period profile, then the RKE transponder will wake-up to process the incoming signal data. The predefined time period profile may be programmable and may be stored in a header configuration register. Each RKE transponder has unique predefined time period on and time period off profiles.

Abstract: A bidirectional remote keyless entry (RKE) transponder comprises an analog front-end (AFE) having a programmable wake-up filter that predefines the waveform timing of the desired input signal, minimum modulation depth requirement of input signal, and independently controllable channel gain reduction of each of its three channels, X, Y, and Z. The wake-up filter parameters are the length of high and low durations of wake-up pulses that may be programmed in a configuration register. The wake-up filter allows the AFE to output demodulated data if the input signal meets its wake-up filter requirement, but does not output the demodulated data otherwise. The AFE output pin is typically connected to an external device for control, such as a microcontroller (MCU). The external device typically stays in low current sleep (or standby) mode when the AFE has no output and switches to high current wake-up (or active) mode when the AFE has output.

Abstract: An amplifier having programmable operational characteristics and a serial communications interface are fabricated on an integrated circuit (IC). The serial communications interface controls the operational characteristics, e.g., gain, frequency response, etc., of the amplifier. A multiplexer (MUX) may also be included on the IC and may be controlled by the serial communications interface. Status of the amplifier may also be obtained through the serial communications interface. The pin count of the IC package may be kept to a minimum by using the serial communications interface.

Abstract: An electrical power generator for outputting on-site electrical power comprises an engine; an alternator operatively coupled to the engine; a controller, operatively coupled to the engine and alternator for controlling at least one operational parameter relating to the engine or alternator, and a modem operatively coupled to the controller for receiving data from a remote source, the received data then being processed by the controller to control the operation parameter.

Abstract: A method for emulating signal impairments to enable dynamic evaluation of transmit and receive modem performance through the use of computer-generated models enabling both an evaluation of system performance as well as a comparison of results obtained from system designs respectively exposed to both impaired and unimpaired conditions to enable direct comparison as well as comparison with standardized measurement values to facilitate system design activities prior to any hardware implementation.

Abstract: A bus interface apparatus and method are implemented. A pair of data streams is generated from the stream of data to be launched onto a data bus. Each stream is staged along a corresponding data path that includes a plurality of storage elements. Each path feeds an input of a multiplexer (MUX). The output of the MUX drives the bus, and the MUX selects a data value for launching onto the bus in response to a signal derived from an internal bus clock. The internal bus clock is also used to generate a bus clock that is output to the bus along with the data. The period of the bus clock may be a preselected multiple of the period of a processor clock. The data is staged along the two data streams in response to clocking signals derived from the processor clock. Each of the clocking signals is qualified by a corresponding hold signal, that, when asserted, holds the clocking signals in a predetermined state.

Abstract: According to the present invention, methods and apparatus are provided to generate notification about condition changes behind a vehicle. Information about a first set of conditions behind a vehicle is gathered at a first point in time. Information can be gathered using imaging devices, infrared detectors, distance meters, light intensity sensors, and timing devices. At a later point in time, information about a second set of conditions behind the vehicle is gathered. The information gathered at a first point in time is compared to the information gathered at the later point in time to determine differences between the conditions behind the vehicle. If the differences meet a notification criterion, a notification is generated conveying information about the changed conditions behind the vehicle.

Abstract: A system and method for receiving and storing location information and providing navigational information to facilitate travel to a desired location is disclosed. Geographic location information is entered into the system, and a two dimensional representation of information, or glyph, is output that contains navigational information. For example, longitude and latitude information for a delivery address can be translated into a bar code. The bar code can be scanned by a portable bar code reader by a delivery person for the secure transfer of delivery address information.

Abstract: According to the present invention, methods and apparatus are provided to generate notification about condition changes behind a vehicle. Information about a first set of conditions behind a vehicle is gathered at a first point in time. Information can be gathered using imaging devices, infrared detectors, distance meters, light intensity sensors, and timing devices. At a later point in time, information about a second set of conditions behind the vehicle is gathered. The information gathered at a first point in time is compared to the information gathered at the later point in time to determine differences between the conditions behind the vehicle. If the differences meet a notification criterion, a notification is generated conveying information about the changed conditions behind the vehicle.