Abstract: The invention relates to a bus system for transmitting data between data processing units in a network, by means of a bus that consists of two signal lines. The signals at said bus are analog signals which lie within a plurality of non-overlapping frequency bands assigned to the individual data processing units, and these data processing units use a digital communication protocol to communicate with a signal processor unit that comprises a polyphase filter bank, a D/A Converter and a bus-coupling unit being connected downstream of said bank in order to couple the data signal into the bus in a galvanically-isolated manner. The proposed bus system has a simple design with regard to cabling, allows the use of a Standard communication protocol such as Ethernet for the data processing units, and additionally allows data to be transmitted between all network subscribers simultaneously and without restriction.

Abstract: A monitoring device for a repair patch that can be placed on or in a wall of an aircraft to repair a defect has a sensor device for detecting properties of the repair patch placed in the wall, an energy supply device for supplying energy at least to the sensor device, and a communication device so as to read out the sensor data. A repair kit that can be placed in or on a wall of an aircraft to repair defects comprises a repair patch for repairing a defect in or on a wall of an aircraft and also comprises a monitoring device. A method for monitoring a repair patch in or on a wall of an aircraft by means of a monitoring device comprises the steps of detecting a measurement phase on the basis of the amount of energy provided by the energy supply device, measuring load parameters in and/or on the repair patch during the measurement phase, and reading out the load parameters.

Abstract: A system for open space data communication comprising a transmitting device and an optical receiver using multiple varying levels of emitted radiation output. The transmitting device includes multiple emitter groups that are capable of being switched on and off and each of which can be activated in parallel to emit fixed, varying radiation outputs. A total radiation output emitted by the transmitting device is defined by a sum of the emitted radiation outputs of the emitter groups, wherein to transmit a bit vector (b0 . . . bn) an emitter group assigned to a most significant bit (b0) emits a maximum radiation output Pmax and emitter groups assigned to the less significant bits (b1 . . . bn) of the bit vector emit radiation outputs: Px=Pmax/2x where x=1 . . . n.

Abstract: The invention relates to a bus system for transmitting data between data processing units (20) in a network, by means of a bus (14) that consists of two signal lines. The signals at said bus (14) are analog signals which lie within a plurality of non-overlapping frequency bands assigned to the individual data processing units (20), and these data processing units (20) use a digital communication protocol to communicate with a signal processor unit (24) that comprises a polyphase filter bank, a D/A Converter (26) and a bus-coupling unit (30) being connected downstream of said bank in order to couple the data signal into the bus (14) in a galvanically-isolated manner. The proposed bus system has a simple design with regard to cabling, allows the use of a Standard communication protocol such as Ethernet for the data processing units (20), and additionally allows data to be transmitted between all network subscribers simultaneously and without restriction.

Abstract: An aircraft passenger seat has at least one seat element characterized by at least one monitoring apparatus for monitoring the seat element. The seat arrangement has a plurality of seats, wherein at least one seat includes at least one sensor module for monitoring a seat element and a control unit for checking and controlling the monitoring, wherein the at least one sensor module is in a data exchange relationship with the control unit.

Abstract: A monitoring device for a repair patch that can be placed on or in a wall of an aircraft to repair a defect has a sensor device for detecting properties of the repair patch placed in the wall, an energy supply device for supplying energy at least to the sensor device, and a communication device so as to read out the sensor data. A repair kit that can be placed in or on a wall of an aircraft to repair defects comprises a repair patch for repairing a defect in or on a wall of an aircraft and also comprises a monitoring device. A method for monitoring a repair patch in or on a wall of an aircraft by means of a monitoring device comprises the steps of detecting a measurement phase on the basis of the amount of energy provided by the energy supply device, measuring load parameters in and/or on the repair patch during the measurement phase, and reading out the load parameters.

Abstract: An aircraft passenger seat has at least one seat element characterized by at least one monitoring apparatus for monitoring the seat element. The seat arrangement has a plurality of seats, wherein at least one seat includes at least one sensor module for monitoring a seat element and a control unit for checking and controlling the monitoring, wherein the at least one sensor module is in a data exchange relationship with the control unit.

Abstract: A micromechanical inertial sensor that includes three component planes, namely a bottom part, a center part and a cover part. The center part is a silicon wafer in which a cardan-type (i.e. gimbal) structure with two oscillating elements is formed. A plate is formed in the silicon wafer which can be pivoted about a rotational axis lying in the wafer plane. Metallized portions or conductive layers form an exciter unit and set the gimbal structure oscillating. The inventive sensor further comprises a device for detecting the displacement of the plate. In addition, a method for manufacturing a micromechanical inertial sensor.

Abstract: A micromechanical rotation speed sensor with a gimbals-mounted structure capable of vibration includes two vibration elements (4, 5) which are swivelled about two axes (A, B) oriented perpendicular toward each other. An excitation unit in the form of an electrode (7) sets the first vibration element (4) into a vibration about the first axis of rotation (A). A read out unit in the form of a read out electrode (8) records a tipping or vibration of the second vibration element (5) about the second axis of rotation (B) as a measure for the rotation speed of the sensor. Additional mass elements (6a, 6b) which are symmetrically aligned are situated on the upper side (2a) and the underside (2b) of the first vibration element (4) which form a rocker. The sensor is manufactured of at least three individually processed wafers which are finally joined together and form a top part (1), a midsection (2) and a bottom part (3).

Abstract: The invention relates to a micromechanical inertial sensor that comprises three component planes, namely a bottom part (12), a center part (11) and a cover part (13). The center part (11) is a silicon wafer in which a cardan-type structure (14) with two oscillating elements (15, 16) is formed. A plate (17, 18) is formed in the silicon wafer which can be pivoted about a rotational axis lying in the wafer plane. Metallized portions or conductive layers (19, 20, 21, 22) form an exciter unit and set the cardan-type structure oscillating. The inventive sensor further comprises a device for detecting the displacement of the plate (17, 18). Said structures represent a sensor module with a rotational rate sensor and at least one acceleration sensor that are produced by means of the same method.

Abstract: A micromechanical rotation speed sensor with a gimbals-mounted structure capable of vibration includes two vibration elements (4, 5) which are swivelled about two axes (A, B) oriented perpendicular toward each other. An excitation unit in the form of an electrode (7) sets the first vibration element (4) into a vibration about the first axis of rotation (A). A read out unit in the form of a read out electrode (8) records a tipping or vibration of the second vibration element (5) about the second axis of rotation (B) as a measure for the rotation speed of the sensor. Additional mass elements (6a, 6b) which are symmetrically aligned are situated on the upper side (2a) and the underside (2b) of the first vibration element (4) which form a rocker. The sensor is manufactured of at least three individually processed wafers which are finally joined together and form a top part (1), a midsection (2) and a bottom part (3).

Abstract: A device for determining the frequency and/or the amplitude of a vibrating structure includes a vibrating element (2) and a pair of position sensors (10, 11) for the determination of the deflection of the vibrating element (2). The position sensors (10, 11) are arranged such that their measurements during a half-wave of vibration exceed and/or are less than one another. A comparator compares the measurements of the two position sensors (10, 11) to determine a threshold value Us for the half-wave of the vibration at which their measurements are equal. A device is used for determining the duration during which the measurement of one of the two position sensors (10, 11) exceeds or is less than the threshold value Us. The position sensors (10, 11) can be capacitors whose electrodes are arranged in a step-like manner. The determination of the amplitude of the vibration is, carried out independent of a potential parallel shift of the movable element (2), such that there is no distortion of the measurement result.

Abstract: A self-testing sensor (especially to measure an angular rate or acceleration) includes a resonant structure, an actor unit configured to excite the structure to a first periodic vibration, a piezoresistive element configured to generate an output signal that depends on the measured quantity, and an isolator configured to isolate a test signal component from the output signal, whereby the test signal component is generated by a second periodic vibration of the structure superposed on the first vibration. A device for self-testing a sensor includes an isolator configured to isolate a test signal component superposed on a useful signal component from the periodic output signal of the sensor, and it includes a comparator configured to compare the test signal component with a predefined value or a test signal fed to the sensor. For the self-test, a second periodic vibration is superposed on a first vibration of the structure, and an output signal containing information on the measured quantity is determined.

Abstract: A rate of rotation sensor is suggested which is structured out of silicon (silicon compounds or silicon/glass compounds) or other semiconductor materials by means of micromechanical techniques. The rate of rotation sensor has the form of a tuning fork whose prongs are situated in planes in parallel to the surface of the semiconductor wafer. These prongs are exited to carry out vibrations in a plane perpendicular to the wafer plane. By means of a sensor element which registers the torsion of the tuning fork suspension, the angular velocity of a rotation of the sensor about an axis in parallel to the tuning fork suspension is measured.

Abstract: In a diode-pumped frequency-doubled solid-state laser, all the elements of the resonator as well as the elements inside the resonator such as the laser crystal, mirror, and frequency doubler, are accommodated in or on an angle or U profile, which is milled as a solid part from a solid piece or is manufactured as a cast, stamped, or sintered part from metal or ceramic. The profile has one or more intermediate walls that are made of the same piece, as the angle or U profile to lend additional stability. The elements of the resonator or elements inside the resonator are contained on or in the resonator, and the intermediate walls have openings to allow the laser mode and/or the laser irradiation to pass through.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method of reducing the amplitude noise of solid lasers (e.g. Nd-YAG, Nd:YAlO, Nd:YLF, Nd:YVO.sub.3, etc.) with resonator-internal frequency doubling (for example by KTP, LBO, BBO, KNbO3, LiNbO.sub.3, etc.). According to the invention, some of the frequency-doubled ejected laser radiation or the fundamental wave radiation is guided onto a photodetector (in particular a photodiode) whose electrical output signal undergoes bandpass filtering which filters out a frequency range typical of the noise. This output signal, optionally after rectification, quadrature and/or integration, is then subjected to temperature regulation or control which corrects the temperature of the frequency-doubling crystal such that the output signal is minimized after the bandpass filter and thus the amplitude noise of the laser radiation is minimized.

Abstract: A system for measuring acceleration in three axes comprises four individual sensors arranged in a rectangle on a common substrate with each having one main sensitivity axis. Each individual sensor has a seismic mass in the form of a cantilevered paddle connected by a bending beam to an outer frame and having a center of gravity. Each beam is arranged parallel to the substrate surface and each contains means for measuring the bending that occurs when acceleration forces act upon the system. The actual acceleration occurring on each axis can then be determined as a function of the error angle formed between the sensitivity axis and the normal to the substrate surface.