Abstract: This invention relates to control techniques and controllers for resonant discontinuous forward power converters (RDFCs). A controller for a resonant discontinuous forward converter (RDFC), said converter including a transformer with primary and secondary matched polarity windings and a switch to, in operation, cyclically switch DC power to said primary winding of said transformer, said converter further having a DC output coupled to said secondary winding of said converter, said controller having a primary sense input to sense a primary winding signal, said primary winding signal representing a voltage across said primary winding or across an additional winding coupled to said primary winding, and wherein said controller is configured to switch on said switch in response to detection of a reduction in a rate of change of said primary winding signal below a threshold, adjacent a substantially minimum value in an operational cycle of said sensed primary winding signal to convey power to said DC output.

Abstract: This invention relates to control techniques and controllers for resonant discontinuous forward power converters (RDFCs). A method of controlling a resonant discontinuous forward converter (RDFC), said converter including a transformer with primary and secondary matched polarity windings and a switch to, in operation, cyclically switch DC power to said primary winding of said transformer, said converter further having a DC output coupled to said secondary winding of said converter, said method comprising: sensing a transformer signal, said transformer signal representing a voltage across a winding of said transformer or a resonant current in a winding of said transformer; calculating a resonance period of said RDFC from said sensed transformer signal; and controlling an off duration of said switch in response to said calculated resonance period such that a sub-harmonic oscillation in said resonant voltage across said primary winding is reduced.

Abstract: This invention relates to control techniques and controllers for resonant discontinuous forward power converters (RDFCs). A method of controlling a resonant discontinuous forward converter (RDFC), said converter including a transformer with primary and secondary matched polarity windings and a switch to, in operation, cyclically switch DC power to said primary winding of said transformer, said converter further having a DC output coupled to said secondary winding of said converter, said method comprising: sensing a primary winding signal during an on period of said switch, said primary winding signal representing a current in said primary winding; comparing said sensed primary winding signal with a threshold value; and controlling one or both of an on and off duration of said switch in response to said comparison.

Abstract: A system is used with advertisements or merchant listings that include promotional phone numbers associated with particular merchants. A database includes associations between phone numbers for the merchants and their promotional numbers. A call tracker includes an interface that receives calls and identifies a phone number called and a calling phone number for received calls. The call tracker uses the database to select the merchant phone number associated with the phone number called and routes the call to the selected merchant phone number. The call tracker adds data identifying the call, including data identifying the time and date of the call, the calling phone number, the phone number called and the merchant phone number to a call log. The call tracker determines whether a message is taken for the merchant for a received call and track any calls from the merchant to the calling phone number responding to the message.

Abstract: Described herein are methods for creating categorized documents, categorizing documents in a distributed database and categorizing Resulting Pages. Also described herein is an apparatus for searching a distributed database. The method for creating categorized documents generally comprises: initially assuming all documents are of type 1; filtering out all type 2 documents and placing them in a first category; filtering out all type 3 documents and placing them in a second category; and defining all remaining documents as type 4 documents and placing all type 4 documents in a third category. The apparatus for searching a distributed database generally comprises at least one memory device; a computing apparatus; an indexer; a transactional score generator; and a category assignor; a search server; and a user interface in communication with the search server.

Abstract: A system is used with advertisements or merchant listings that include promotional phone numbers associated with particular merchants. The system includes a database of associations between phone numbers for the particular merchants and their promotional phone numbers. A call tracker is provided that includes a telephone interface that receives calls directed to multiple phone numbers and identifies a phone number called and a calling phone number for the received calls. As the phone number called is one of the promotional numbers, for received calls, the call tracker uses the database to select the merchant phone number associated with the phone number called and routes the call to the selected merchant phone number. The call tracker also adds data identifying the call, including data identifying the time and date of the call, the calling phone number, the phone number called and the merchant phone number to a call log.

Abstract: A system for automated excision of one or more samples from a sample media, including by using a device for electronically capturing one or more traits of samples in the media, using a microprocessor linked to the device to analyze the captured traits by comparison to reference databases, identifying samples of interest at location coordinates in the sample media, and automatically excising and processing the samples through the use of a novel robotic excision tool.

Abstract: An electrophoresis device for use in separating a mixture of analytes in a fluid sample is provided, the device comprising a first dimension separation medium through which the analytes may migrate, the separation medium being carried on one face of a flexible sheet, the surface area of that face being greater than that of the region of contact between the separation medium and the sheet, wherein the first dimension separation medium is located within a first separation zone which is defined at least partly by the flexible sheet, the device further comprising a fluid chamber, separated from the first dimension separation zone by the flexible sheet, in which fluid may be retained in contact with that face of the sheet opposite to the face on which the separation medium is carried. The device may additionally comprise a second separation zone, in which a second separation medium may be located, in order to carry out a second dimension electrophoretic separation.

Abstract: A fastening system with an object including a securement structure with an extension element adapted to be compressed by a fastener. A portion of the securement structure extends above a first end of a compression reinforcement device. The extension element is adapted to be compressed by a fastener such that the portion of the securement structure is positioned substantially level with the first end and wherein the compression reinforcement device and the securement structure both receive compressive force from a fastener.

Abstract: A trusted display (18) of a trusted authorization device (TAD) (10) displays on a trusted display (18) first information about a transaction to be authorized by a user (14) using a trusted keypad (20). The TAD (10) generates (208) a random number (R); generates (1210) second information from the first information, the random number (R) and a first identification code (TADID-A) of the TAD (10); generates (212) a signature of the second information using a first encryption process; egnerates (216) a set of session keys (Ks1, Ks2, Ks3) by a second encryption process responsive to the random number (R) and a set of stored working keys (Kw1, Kw2, Kw3); and generates (218) third information by encrypting the second information and the signature using a third encryption process responsive to the set of session keys (Ks1, Ks2, Ks3).

Abstract: The location of weather activity from a moving platform such as an aircraft is enhanced using triangulation in time. More particularly, a first measurement of the weather activity is made relative to the aircraft at a first time. A second measurement of the location of the weather activity is made from the aircraft at a second period in time. The first measurement is modified or updated to correct for the change in position of the aircraft between the first and second measurements and then the modified data is compared with the data of the second measurement to enhance the location of the weather activity.

Abstract: Two pairs of signals determinative of bearing to a transmitter are developed from two pairs of directional antennas. The signals, converted to digital form, are compared to each other to develop a result signal. The result signal is used to select a primary pair out of the original two pair of signals. The non-primary pair of signals are compared to each other to develop a binary sign bit. The primary signal pair, the result signal and the sign signal are applied to a table to develop a bearing quantity related to the bearing to the transmitter.

Abstract: A vehicle fan shroud and component cooling module (24) includes a fan (44) mounted within a fan ring (32) between the radiator (26) and condenser (28). Pressurized air, either positively pressurized (downstream of fan (44)), negatively pressurized (upstream of fan (44)), or both, is routed from within the fan ring (32) and to the component (22) to cool it. Since the air has not yet passed the radiator (26), it is not substantially hotter than regular ambient air. Unlike rammed ambient air, it is pressurized as long as the fan (44) is turning. It therefore provides better cooling than either rammed ambient air, or pressurized air picked up downstream of the radiator (26).

Abstract: A globally-addressable array of electronic circuit elements having distributed intelligence. Each circuit element location is connected to a common bus structure which can address each circuit element and transfer data to and from each element. Logic circuitry at each circuit element location recognizes data addressed to a respective circuit element location, and converts data received into an operating level for a respective transducer element. Data transfer to each element location can be made using conventional compression techniques. The data transfer can be bidirectional so that a sensed condition may be transferred from the location over the common bus structure.

Abstract: The invention provides adhesive matrix type transdermal patches and methods for manufacturing the patches. More specifically, the invention utilizes ordinary, prefabricated, commercially available, pressure-sensitive adhesive tapes with skin compatible adhesives, as the structural part of the patch. The adhesive matrix layer of the tape is loaded with the desirable active substances either by embedding, in the case of powders, the active substances in an adhesive matrix layer by the application of heat or pressure, or by a diffusion process for active substances comprising liquids/semi-liquids are carried in located in an embossed release liner or backing layer, which are contact laminated to the adhesive matrix by pressure, or by the utilizing of conventional printing processes to print a half-tone pattern of a bioactive liquid on the adhesive matrix.

Abstract: An antenna arrangement on a host aircraft for generating power signals related to a direction from which a transponder reply signal is received from a threat aircraft. The arrangement includes first and second monopole antenna elements arranged along a first axis of the host aircraft, third and fourth monopole antenna elements arranged along a second axis of the host aircraft, with the second axis being orthogonal to the first axis, a first quadrature combiner coupled to the first and second monopole antenna elements for generating first and second signals from the received reply signal, and a second quadrature combiner coupled to the third and fourth monopole antenna elements for generating third and fourth signals from the received reply signal. The respective power levels of the first, second, third and fourth signals are related to the direction from which the reply signal is received from the threat aircraft.

Abstract: A proximity warning device for aircraft responds solely to transmissions from transponders. The host aircraft has a host transponder and a signal is generated therein and coupled to the device to indicate transmission of a host reply. Selective suppression is implemented based on presence of an SSR beam which is indicated by the signal. Suppression pulses have a fixed duration but randomly selected intervening durations. Data collection proceeds without regard for suppression or the presence of host replies. The shaping of data collection intervals free of interference from suppression provides for improved efficiency for later data decoding and processing. The signal is used to specially mark collected data generated by a host reply. The ability to discriminate between host and other replies allows completely new performance monitoring functions. In one case, the health of the receiver is deduced from the amplitude of host replies.

Abstract: A passive aircraft Traffic alert and Collision Avoidance Device (TCAD) is based on sensing and responding to transponder replies of other aircraft to SSR interrogations. In order to avoid masking other aircraft replies by the host transponder TCAD repeatedly and randomly suppresses the host transponder and simultaneoulsly listens for other aircraft replies. Suppression on each occasion is effective for an equal and predetermined duration which is much longer than a typical replay, in a preferred embodiment the suppression/listen duration is 725 .mu.s. In this embodiment the time between successive suppression/listen occasions is random between 725 .mu.s. and 5.025 ms. with an average value of about 2.9 ms. Digital signal processing is used to detect and discard garbled or overlapping replies. Each valid reply, exhibiting a minimum pulse amplitude, is decoded and correlated with a calibrated range parameter and given a time tag.

Abstract: Electronic game apparatus comprising a board displaying discrete playing areas and a number of playing pieces. Transmit and receive coils are provided beneath the surface of the board, preferably at right angles to each other, and each playing piece is provided in its base with an element. Means are provided for supplying a high-frequency current to each transmit coil in turn and for detecting the voltage induced in the receive coils for each discrete playing area. The presence of a playing piece on the playing area being tested, will affect the voltage induced in the receive coils and hence the presence, absence or type if desired, of a playing piece may be determined. The element preferably consists of any suitable metal or ferromagnetic material. Playing pieces of different types may be provided with elements of different materials.

Abstract: Polarization Control Networks (PCNs) are used in active solid-state array transmitters. Polarization ECM requires precise polarization control of the transmitted signal. Prior polarization control networks (vector modulators) use ferrite phase shifters to achieve low loss and wide bandwidth, but because of their large size they must be placed before the RF power distribution network of the array. By implementing the polarization control networks in MMIC technology for each antenna element, and integrating each PCN with a 2-3 watt amplifier at its input, it is possible to eliminate half the required feed network and active amplifiers from the system. Each polarization control network unit includes a plurality of thin film superconducting phase shifters, hybrids and transmission lines enclosed in a cryogenic package. If more power is required than the superconductive PCN can accommodate, the amplifiers can be placed after the PCNs, and still maintain size and performance advantages over current implementations.