Abstract: An industrial communication module includes a controller and a common interface coupled to the controller. The common interface is configured to couple to a plurality of different types of sensor modules. The industrial communication module includes protocol/output circuitry coupled to the controller and configured to provide an output to a remote device. A sensor module includes a controller and a common interface coupled to the controller. The common interface is configured to couple to a plurality of different types of industrial communication modules. The sensor module includes measurement processing circuitry coupled to the controller and configured to measure an analog electrical characteristic of a sensor and provide a digital indication of the measured analog electrical characteristic to the controller.

Abstract: A modular industrial transmitter includes a communication module and a sensor module. The communication module is configured to communicate with a remote device and has a common interface configured to couple to a plurality of different types of sensor modules. The sensor module is coupled to the common interface of the communication module. Physical coupling of the communication module to the sensor module is performed tool-lessly.

Abstract: A processing system is provided consisting of an interrupt pin, multiple registers, a stack pointer, and an automatic interrupt system. The multiple registers store a number of processor states values. When the system detects an interrupt on the interrupt pin the system prepares to enter an exception mode where the automatic interrupt system causes an interrupt vector to be fetched, the stack pointer to be updated, and the processor state values to be read in parallel from the registers and stored in memory locations based on the updated stack pointer, prior to the execution of an interrupt service routine. A method for automatic hardware interrupt handling is also presented.

Abstract: A processing system is provided consisting of an interrupt pin, multiple registers, a stack pointer, and an automatic interrupt system. The multiple registers store a number of processor states values. When the system detects an interrupt on the interrupt pin the system prepares to enter an exception mode where the automatic interrupt system causes an interrupt vector to be fetched, the stack pointer to be updated, and the processor state values to be read in parallel from the registers and stored in memory locations based on the updated stack pointer, prior to the execution of an interrupt service routine.

Abstract: A system, method and software application according to the present invention creates complex, interesting, self checking and sturdy verification programs. A self-checking random verification program automatically generates appropriate register and memory reference values, inserts checkpoints and gathers and reports results to test CPU designs. With appropriate templates and simulator, the SRVP framework is largely independent of the CPU architecture and can be utilized to generate randomly generated self-checking verification programs for any CPU architecture and any CPU instruction set.

Abstract: A wire connector is disclosed that has a removable cap to provide access to the connected wires for testing purposes. The connector includes a hollow body with a wide end and a narrow end, openings to the interior of the hollow body in each end, an electrically conducting spring inserted inside the body, and a cap threadably receivable on the narrow end of the body. The cap has a plug that fits into the hole in the narrow end of the body to limit the advance of the electrical conductors inserted into the wire connector. The spring in the body has a neck that operates in combination with the cap's plug to limit conductor advance. The cap can be made in colors different from that of the body so that it can serve as a code to identify the circuit to which the wires belong. The cap may be formed with different styled surface features that help gripping. The style of the surface features may be matched to the preference of the user since the caps are interchangeable.

Abstract: A compact, portable cone penetrometer for determining the shear resistance of soil measures the compressive force on the penetrometer in penetrating the ground by a load cell and the depth of penetration of the ground by an ultrasonic proximity sensor. The outputs of the load cell and the proximity sensor are stored in the memory of a data logger/processor, from which the field data may later be transferred to a digital computer for averaging and tabulating of the data.

Abstract: A sun and sound shielding arrangement (10) for allowing a person to sleep in a bright noisy environment wherein the arrangement (10) includes a sun shade member (20) having an open end box configuration provided with air flow openings (24); and, an ear plug unit (11) including ear plug members (13) mounted on a spring element (14) such that the ear plug members (13) will cause the tragus (101) of the user's ear (100) to block the auditory canals (102).

Abstract: A rotary electrical switch is provided of the type that includes a stator body of substantially cylindrical shape having a cylindrical opening coaxially disposed therein. The stator body includes a plurality of electrical contacts embedded in the stator body at circumferentially spaced positions therearound and extending radially inward from the cylindrical opening in the stator body and having a pair of parallel disposed planar contact surfaces, all of the contacts being disposed in a common plane orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical opening. A rotor body is rotatably disposed in the cylindrical opening and a contactor clip including a pair of contactors electrically and resiliently engaging both planar contact surfaces of respective ones of the contacts is constrained to rotate with the rotor body.

Abstract: A rotary electrical switch is provided of the type that includes a stator body of substantially cylindrical shape having a cylindrical opening coaxially disposed therein. The stator body includes a plurality of electrical contacts embedded in the stator body at circumferentially spaced positions therearound and extending radially inward from the cylindrical opening in the stator body and having a pair of parallel disposed planar contact surfaces, all of the contacts being disposed in a common plane orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical opening. A rotor body is rotatably disposed in the cylindrical opening and a contactor clip including a pair of contactors electrically and resiliently engaging both planar contact surfaces of respective ones of the contacts is constrained to rotate with the rotor body.

Abstract: An indexing mechanism comprises a detent spring secured to a shaft and biased into engagement with a long wearing hill and valley insert secured to a housing. A variety of inserts can be secured to a standard housing providing a variety of switching positions and angles of indexing. A plurality of ears extending radially from the insert engage notches within the housing and a pair of spaced arms integral with each of the ears are biased against the walls of the notches to rigidly secure the insert to the housing. A stop element secured to the shaft is provided with a plurality of nubbins engaging a plurality of nubbin receiving notches provided in the detent spring for reinforcing the rotation of the detent spring in response to the rotation of the shaft.