Abstract: An improved laminated ferromagnetic FIG. 8 power meter core is provided. The core is fabricated from a plurality of ferromagnetic plates and is formed in the general shape of a FIG. 8. The central leg of the core has a cross-sectional area that is larger than the cross-sectional area of other parts of the core. The core gap, in which a Hall-effect sensor is located, has gap faces with chamfered or rounded over edges to reduce fringing and bypassing effects. The core is formed without discontinuous corners that can result in local saturation and, in use, accommodates electrical power conductors in an over-under looping relationship through the openings of the core to provide a more homogeneous magnetic flux within the core and thus more reliable metering. The overall result is a core with a higher saturation point and thus a wider dynamic range than prior art cores.

Abstract: An electricity meter and method for measuring VA power consumption. The electricity meter comprises a transducer circuit receiving line current and line voltage and producing a first signal corresponding to active power on the line, and a level shifting circuit responsive to the first signal for producing a second signal corresponding to apparent power.

Abstract: An air-coupled current transformer is provided with a primary current conductor and two secondary coils connected such that the emf induced in each coil by an external disturbing magnetic flux is subtractive, whereas the emf induced by the current in the primary is additive. Two ferromagnetic core pieces enhance the rejection of the emf induced by the disturbing flux. Ceramic spacers are inserted into air gaps between the core pieces for maintaining the gaps fixed to keep the scale factor of the transformer independent of temperature.

Abstract: An emulator which is able to operate on a standard single phase 120 VAC line, generates simulated three-phase alternating current in order to demonstrate the operation of a polyphase electricity meter. The emulator is also capable of demonstrating the operation of the polyphase electricity meter which has been incorrectly wired into the polyphase circuit, i.e., with incorrect or missing connections to the current transformers; or in which there are problems with the phasing of the polyphase circuit, i.e., incorrect phase differences between circuits or between the currents and voltages within any of the phases.

Abstract: An optical sensor for monitoring position of a movable object comprising a LED and a phototransistor is provided with control circuitry, which is responsive to an output signal generated by the phototransistor for causing the LED to suspend radiation of light. When the light reflected from a reflective area of the object falls on the phototransistor, the control circuitry turns off the LED as soon as the output of the phototransistor goes below a threshold level signifying that the phototransistor has been turned on. When the light is absorbed by a non-reflective area of the object and the phototransistor is not turned on, the control circuitry turns off the LED after a predetermined time period, which is chosen to be slightly larger than the response time of the phototransistor.

Abstract: DC magnetic flux bias imposed on a magnetic core of a current transformer is compensated in response to an indication of the amplitude and duration of opposite polarity secondary winding current components. In a second embodiment, the magnetic bias is compensated by responding to the integral of the secondary current. The integral of the secondary current is a measure of the magnetic core flux variations. The durations of the positive and negative flux variations are compared.

Abstract: Tampering with an optically encoded meter display register or metering mechanism can be readily detected by comparing the quantity shown by the meter display with the encoded values of the optical encoders. A discrepancy is indicative of tampering with the register display. Any tampering with the optical encoders or the metering mechanism can be detected by comparing the present position of the encoders with that of a previous position and generating a signal indicative of tampering when these positions have a predetermined relationship to each other.

Abstract: An optical shaft encoder includes an optical shutter mounted to a shaft, the shutter bearing light transmissive and light reflective areas, at least a first light emitter and a first light detector arranged adjacent one another on one side of the optical shutter, and at least a second light emitter and a second light detector arranged adjacent one another on a second side of the optical shutter and opposite the first light emitter and first light detector. The optical shutter comprises a disk or drum having the reflective and transmissive areas arranged in a predetermined pattern on its surface. The light emitters are alternately energized and the outputs of the two light detectors, which are dependent on the arrangement of reflective and transmissive areas of the optical shutter, are then detected and compared with a predetermined pattern of such outputs representative of the various angular positions the optical shutter and shaft can take. With this arrangement up to 16 different output states are possible.

Abstract: The disclosure is directed to an improved apparatus and method for generating a specified statistical distribution. Digital bits having properties of randomness are produced. In response to a group of the digital bits, a signal is generated which approximates the specified statistical distribution. When a particular characteristic of a group of digital bits is sensed, the generated signal is modified so as to obtain a statistical distribution that more closely approaches the specified statistical distribution.

Abstract: The disclosure is directed to an apparatus and method for generating noise having characteristics of repeatability and reproducibility. A pseudo-random bit generator is responsive to clock pulses for simultaneously generating, at each clock pulse, a plurality of parallel pseudo-random digital bits which are successive bits of a pseudo-random sequence. In particular each new plurality of parallel bits is a successive group from the same pseudo-random sequence, thereby insuring a maximum number of totally uncorrelated groups. The bits generated at each clock pulse are operated on to produce an output noise signal as a function of the plurality of pseudo-random parallel bits generated at that clock pulse. In an embodiment of the invention, the operation on the plurality of bits comprises summing the value of the bits to produce a noise signal, the noise signal exhibiting a substantially Gaussian distribution with time.