Abstract: A system, method, and apparatus for monitoring and detecting movement of components of a shipping container latch. A latch monitor may embody an electromagnetic sensing unit and a nearby magnet or light emitter for measuring and characterizing the profile of a nearby electromagnetic field. The field profile is monitored to detect a change in the profile, log the change, and report any abnormal disturbance to the electromagnetic field, indicating a breach of the integrity of a latching mechanism on a shipping container. An alert of a breach event may be sent via a communication network to an authority for response. The invention can distinguish authorized, incidental, and tampering events, and also store and upload an electronic manifest for a shipping container.

Abstract: A system, method, and apparatus for monitoring and detecting movement of components of a shipping container latch. A latch monitor may embody an electromagnetic sensing unit and a nearby magnet or light emitter for measuring and characterizing the profile of a nearby electromagnetic field. The field profile is monitored to detect a change in the profile, log the change, and report any abnormal disturbance to the electromagnetic field, indicating a breach of the integrity of a latching mechanism on a shipping container. An alert of a breach event may be sent via a communication network to an authority for response. The invention can distinguish authorized, incidental, and tampering events, and also store and upload an electronic manifest for a shipping container.

Abstract: A system, method, and apparatus for monitoring and detecting movement of components of a shipping container latch. A latch monitor may embody an electromagnetic sensing unit and a nearby magnet or light emitter for measuring and characterizing the profile of a nearby electromagnetic field. The field profile is monitored to detect a change in the profile, log the change, and report any abnormal disturbance to the electromagnetic field, indicating a breach of the integrity of a latching mechanism on a shipping container. An alert of a breach event may be sent via a communication network to an authority for response. The invention can distinguish authorized, incidental, and tampering events, and also store and upload an electronic manifest for a shipping container.

Abstract: A polishing machine for optical elements, comprising: a spindle arranged to rotationally drive an optical element; a polishing tool mobile relative to the spindle; wherein the polishing machine further comprises a platform mounted on top of a work chamber, the work chamber comprising the spindle, and the platform holding a body on which is mounted the polishing tool.

Abstract: A system, method, and apparatus for monitoring and detecting movement of components of a shipping container latch. A latch monitor may embody an electromagnetic sensing unit and a nearby magnet or light emitter for measuring and characterizing the profile of a nearby electromagnetic field. The field profile is monitored to detect a change in the profile, log the change, and report any abnormal disturbance to the electromagnetic field, indicating a breach of the integrity of a latching mechanism on a shipping container. An alert of a breach event may be sent via a communication network to an authority for response. The invention can distinguish authorized, incidental, and tampering events, and also store and upload an electronic manifest for a shipping container.

Abstract: A system, method, and apparatus for monitoring and detecting movement of components of a shipping container latch. A latch monitor may embody an electromagnetic sensing unit and a nearby magnet or light emitter for measuring and characterizing the profile of a nearby electromagnetic field. The field profile is monitored to detect a change in the profile, log the change, and report any abnormal disturbance to the electromagnetic field, indicating a breach of the integrity of a latching mechanism on a shipping container. An alert of a breach event may be sent via a communication network to an authority for response. The invention can distinguish authorized, incidental, and tampering events, and also store and upload an electronic manifest for a shipping container.

Abstract: A system, method, and apparatus for monitoring and detecting movement of components of a shipping container latch. A latch monitor may embody an electromagnetic sensing unit and a nearby magnet or light emitter for measuring and characterizing the profile of a nearby electromagnetic field. The field profile is monitored to detect a change in the profile, log the change, and report any abnormal disturbance to the electromagnetic field, indicating a breach of the integrity of a latching mechanism on a shipping container. An alert of a breach event may be sent via a communication network to an authority for response. The invention can distinguish authorized, incidental, and tampering events, and also store and upload an electronic manifest for a shipping container.

Abstract: A polishing machine for optical elements, comprising: a spindle arranged to rotationally drive an optical element; a polishing tool mobile relative to the spindle; a front face provided with a door enabling the access to the spindle and to the polishing tool; wherein the polishing tool is mounted on a body which is rotationally mounted on sliding means by way of a first axis, the sliding means being substantially perpendicular to the front face.

Abstract: A method of receiving a first set of target data points from a first data feed and receiving a second set of target data points from a second data feed arrangement. Comparing a time variable included in the target data points from the first set to the time variable included in the target data points from the second set to determine time matched target data points and further comparing a second variable included in the time matched target data points from the first set to the second variable included in the corresponding time matched target data points from the second set to determine fully matched target data points. Combining the first set of target data points with the second set of target data points when the fully matched target data points satisfies a predetermined threshold.

Abstract: Receiving a message including bits corresponding to an identifier, the identifier including a unique address for a aircraft transponder, extracting the unique address from the identifier, comparing the unique address to a set of predetermined addresses, changing selected ones of the identifier bits when the unique address is not one of the set of predetermined addresses, wherein the changing of the identifier bits changes a value of the unique address in the identifier, re-comparing the updated unique address to the set of predetermined addresses and processing the message when the unique address matches one of the set of predetermined addresses.

Abstract: Receiving a message including bits corresponding to an identifier, the identifier including a unique address for a aircraft transponder, extracting the unique address from the identifier, comparing the unique address to a set of predetermined addresses, changing selected ones of the identifier bits when the unique address is not one of the set of predetermined addresses, wherein the changing of the identifier bits changes a value of the unique address in the identifier, read-comparing the updated unique address to the set of predetermined addresses and processing the message when the unique address matches one of the set of predetermined addresses.

Abstract: A system and method for reducing reaction forces induced in a machine frame by an oscillating tool employs a counterforce assembly which is driven to move along linear slides mounted to the machine frame. The counterforce assembly is driven with a drive signal derived from two signals: a first signal which is proportional to the acceleration of the tool, and a second signal which is directly proportional to the velocity of the oscillating tool. By properly-adjusting the acceleration and velocity components of the drive signal, the magnitude of the reaction forces induced in the machine frame by the oscillating tool can be substantially reduced. The counterforce assembly preferably includes a centering means which prevents it from moving to either end of the slide. An accelerometer is preferably mounted to the machine frame to sense its vibration, with the accelerometer output used to adjust the counterforce assembly's drive electronics to reduce vibration to a minimum.

Abstract: A system and method for reducing reaction forces induced in a machine frame by an oscillating tool employs a counterforce assembly which is driven to move along linear slides mounted to the machine frame. The counterforce assembly is driven with a drive signal derived from two signals: a first signal which is proportional to the acceleration of the tool, and a second signal which is directly proportional to the velocity of the oscillating tool. By properly-adjusting the acceleration and velocity components of the drive signal, the magnitude of the reaction forces induced in the machine frame by the oscillating tool can be substantially reduced. The counterforce assembly preferably includes a centering means which prevents it from moving to either end of the slide. An accelerometer is preferably mounted to the machine frame to sense its vibration, with the accelerometer output used to adjust the counterforce assembly's drive electronics to reduce vibration to a minimum.

Abstract: In a fast tool servo, a single-point flexure mechanism amplifies a low force, large stroke range actuator's force while reducing its stroke range to reduce the arcuate motion of the cutting tool. The flexure mechanism bends around a pivot point in the X-Z plane and is very stiff along the Y-axis. The actuator applies force to the unpinned end of a lever arm causing it to move back-and-forth through a large stroke range. In response, the shorter tool arm rocks around the pivot point causing the tool to oscillate back-and-forth along the Z-axis through a very shallow arc thereby superimposing the toric deviation on the base curve while maintaining surface quality.

Abstract: A fining and polishing machine and method enable a work piece, suitably a spectacle lens, to be polished with a relative motion between the lens and a tool that is precisely matched to the specific lens prescription. The lens and tool are reciprocated along first and second non-co-linear axes, respectively, and the lens is polished as each reciprocates. The relative motion between lens and tool is equal to the vector sum of their individual motions. By precisely controlling the reciprocation of lens and tool, a wide range of desired motions can be obtained, enabling a lens to be polished to a particular prescription by altering the frequency and/or amplitude of the reciprocating motions along the two axes. A controller drives a pair of actuators which reciprocate the lens and tool in accordance with resident motion equations, as realized with prescription-specific amplitude and frequency parameters received as inputs.

Abstract: A ladder assembly, primarily for use on trucks and other vehicles, has a ladder slidable between a retracted, stored position in a ladder storage assembly, and an extended, operative position in which the ladder projects from an extrance of the storage assembly. First and second retainers are provided for retaining the ladder relative to the storage assembly in the stored and operative positions, respectively, and the ladder has opposed lateral projections slidable along guides formed by parallel side members having U-shaped cross-sections the side members being spaced apart to receive the ladder therebetween and forming opposite sides of the storage assembly.