Abstract: A spirometer is provided which has an air flow path comprising a mouthpiece, filter (such as an air filter or biostatic filter), and an air pathway in which a multiblade transparent windmill rotor rotates when air travels through same. Tips of the rotor are used to detect the rate of rotation providing a train of pulses linearly proportional to the volume of air flowing through the cylindrical air path.

Abstract: A system for identifying a house includes a display unit mounted outside the house, the display unit housing a plurality of bulbs for back lighting a translucent panel, with numbers affixed thereto. A combined control module/power pack within the house and in electrical communication with the display unit. The power pack includes an electronic control circuit for selectively providing a plurality of modes of operation, including an automatic operation (e.g. the display unit goes on at dusk and off at dawn), manual operation, blinking white display, and blinking red display, plus an override in any mode, including an off mode. The blinking display signals an emergency condition. A separate status display enables a home owner to give a status signal to a person outside the house to give warning of such thing as the presence of a home invader, for example.

Abstract: A spirometer is provided having an air flow path with a housing extending between the ends of a container. A paddle wheel rotor rotates within a cavity and partially cuts across the flow path to define an air gap. The ratio of the cross sectional area of the air gap to the inlet to the flow path is approximately 1:3. A light source/detector is activated by a chopper wheel coaxially mounted with the rotor and adapted to rotate therewith. The detector generates a train of pulses proportional to the rotation of the rotor which in turn is proportional to the volume of air flowing through the air path.

Abstract: A photoelectric sensor circuit may be provided for a soft drink dispenser for indicating when a supply tank within the dispenser has run dry of fluid. Said circuit employs preferably an orthogonal reflection photosensor for sighting through the supply line for triggering an electronic relay which operates audio and visual alarms and for triggering additional control signals to the dispensing machine control box for altering the operation of the dispensing machine when it has been determined that the supply line is empty.

Abstract: A terminal at a data acquisition site and a terminal adapter at a computer site for efficiently acquiring, formatting, and communicating data to a computer for processing, for controlling the computer, and for receiving and responding to processed or responsive data from the computer. The terminal includes a plurality of input channels for receiving data (both acquired data and control signals), and a plurality of output channels for responding to processed data, each of such channels being assigned a unique digital address. Communication between the terminal and the terminal adapter is accomplished in a serial fashion, utilizing compound digital words including both data and address. Means are provided at both the terminal and terminal adapter for routing data within a received compound word to its addressed location.