Abstract: A sign (10) includes a gear subassembly (50, 52) and a slip assembly (74, 80) operatively associated between the drive shaft (42) and the output shaft (46) of one of the display elements (14). During a portion of a rotation of the input gear element (50), the input gear teeth (72) engage the output gear teeth (78). During another portion, the input gear teeth (72) disengage. At least one partial gear tooth (82a, 82b) assists in periodically aligning the gear teeth. The slip subassembly comprises: an input slip element (74) defining a generally arcuate line about the axis of the input slip element; and an output slip element (80) defining a generally straight line that is non-intersecting with and extends perpendicular to the input slip axis. During a portion of a rotation of the input slip element (74), the arcuate line and the straight line of the slip elements (74, 80) are in slipping contact to prevent the output slip element (80) from rotating.

Abstract: A method to update information including code and data in a non-volatile memory reliably and efficiently to avoid loss of information during the loading process and to minimize aircraft service downtime in an In-Flight Entertainment System (IFES). The non-volatile memory is partitioned into two sections: one section contains the currently valid information and the other is available for loading the new information. A section pointer is used to keep track of the currently valid section and to select the loading section. The new information is loaded to the selected loading section. A validation procedure is performed to determine if the loading is successful. When the loading of the new information is successfully completed, the section pointer is updated to point to the newly loaded section.

Abstract: An indexing system for signs consisting of a plurality of indicia bearing vane faces wherein the vane faces are sequentially exposed to view in the manner of a "wave", such sequential revealing of the sign vane faces generating interest in the sign's message. Each sign vane is rotated by a transmission and the transmissions are interconnected in such a manner as to sequentially operate the vanes to produce the "wave" action and detents associated with each transmission lock the sign vane in the desired position.

Abstract: Implemented on a vehicle, a digital in-transit entertainment system that assists in providing passenger services to a plurality of end nodes of a vehicle. The system includes a multi-drop digital communication bus, preferably configured to support RS-485 standards. A plurality of zone bridge units ("ZBUs") and a system manager unit ("SMU") are coupled to the digital communication bus. At least one ZBU is responsible for signaling headend equipment to perform a requested passenger service. The SMU is also designed to signal another type of equipment if implemented in lieu of the first type. Both the ZBUs as well as the SMU are designed to contain PSS status information for every end node of the vehicle to maintain coherency.

Abstract: A system and method for multiple processors operating independently from one another to share memory as a boot device. The system includes a plurality of computing systems each including a processor and a local memory element. In response to a boot condition for a selected computing system, its processor begins a boot sequence in which it uses operational code contained within a non-volatile memory element that is shared by each of the computing systems. Arbitration for ownership of a memory bus interconnecting the non-volatile memory element to the processors and organization of a direct memory access transfer between the non-volatile memory element and local memory associated with the processor of the selected computing system is controlled by a memory access coordination circuit coupled between the computing systems and the memory bus.