Abstract: A roadway vehicle sensor includes a coextrusion having a linear conductive section and a linear non-conductive section forming a vehicle deformable closed housing. The linear conductive section has an inwardly projecting conductive plunger along the length thereof which is fused to wedge removal arms. The linear non-conductive section has a pair of inwardly projecting insulating wings having wing tips spaced apart a distance defining a plunger gap. The insulating wings also define a contact chamber into which the plunger protrudes only upon deformation of the vehicle deformable housing by a vehicle. Preferably, the vehicle deformable housing has a flat side on the exterior for engagement with a roadway surface. A contact assembly in the contact chamber has one or more flat conductive lane switch segment, each flat conductor lane switch segment having a width which avoids phantom switch closures.

Abstract: A residual charge traffic sensor for monitoring the number and speed of vehicles traveling in multiple lanes of a roadway includes a housing containing a cavity, a conductive mounting bar adapted to fit within the cavity, at least two sensing elements mounted on the mounting bar which generate a signal when impacted by a vehicle tire, a transmission cable connected with the sensing elements for transmitting the electric signals generated by the sensing elements, and analyzing equipment for evaluating, displaying, and recording the data generated by the sensing elements. Signals are transmitted through every other wire of the transmission cable to minimize cross-talk between the signal carrying wires.

Abstract: The naturally occurring residual charge of a dielectric is utilized to establish a static electric field adapted to be disturbed by a conductive member upon occurrence of an event, such as, for example, the passage of a vehicle tire over the conductive member. Disturbance of the electric field results in the generation of a pulse that can be monitored. A traffic sensor for monitoring the number and speed of vehicles traveling in multiple lanes of a roadway employing dielectrics with naturally occurring residual charge includes a housing containing a cavity, a conductive mounting bar adapted to fit within the cavity, at least two sensing elements including the dielectrics mounted on the mounting bar so as to generate a signal when impacted by a vehicle tire. A transmission cable connects with the sensing elements for transmitting the electric signals generated by the sensing elements to analyzing equipment for evaluating, displaying, and recording the data generated by the sensing elements.

Abstract: A linear roadway vehicle sensor for sensing vehicular traffic thereover includes a flexible carrier comprising an elongated flat elastomeric member having upper and lower surfaces and at least one groove in one of the surfaces. An elongated pressure sensor is carried in the one groove and a linear weight is distributed along and secured to the length of said flexible carrier. The weight has a weight per unit length which is sufficient to maintain said sensor on said roadway and substantially immune to lifting from the roadway because of air flow effects and turbulence caused by vehicles.

Abstract: A linear roadway vehicle sensor for sensing vehicular traffic thereover includes a flexible carrier member comprising an elongated flat elastomeric member having upper and lower surfaces, a recess formed in the lower surface. The recess has a first top surface and a linear weight is distributed along the length of the flexible carrier. An adhesive secures the linear weight in the recess in said flexible carrier. The weight has a second top surface and a weight per unit length which is sufficient to maintain the sensor on said roadway and substantially immune to lifting from the roadway because of air flow effects and turbulence caused by vehicles, and one or more sensor grooves formed in the top surfaces and an elongated sensor in the one or more sensor grooves and between the elastomeric member and the linear weight means.

Abstract: A linear roadway sensor in which a distributed weight member has a weight per unit length which is sufficient to maintain the sensor on the roadway and substantially immune to air effects generated by vehicular traffic on the roadway. A method of safely installing the sensor is to pivot one end at the edge of the roadway and then swing the sensor on an arc then allowing the weight to maintain the sensor on the roadway.

Abstract: An interrogator-responder communication system in which responders are carried by vehicles (such as railroad vehicles) travelling along a route and in which an interrogating station situated along the route operates each passing responder to recall data from a memory in the passing responder. In one embodiment, the responder is equipped to receive data transmitted from a transmit station and to store the received data, for later recall, in a non-volatile, electrically erasable read/write memory.

Abstract: An information collection and storage system and method wherein pulses representing sensed information are counted and wherein resulting pulse counts are written into a volatile random access memory which forms a part of a detachable battery powered memory pack. The memory pack is selectively removable from the system and has a rechargeable battery which supplies the sole source of operating power for preserving the data stored in the volatile memory both when the memory pack is connected in the system and removed from the system for transit to a data read-out center.

Abstract: A system and method for character recognition in which each of a plurality of characters is recognized both magnetically and optically. If the magnetic reader fails to recognize a character while the optical reader is successful in recognizing it, a character identification signal corresponding to the character recognized by the optical reader is generated while if the optical reader fails to recognize a character and the magnetic reader is successful in recognizing it, an identification signal corresponding to the character recognized by the magnetic reader is generated. Where the magnetic and topical readers provide signals indicative of different characters while attempting to read the same character, depending on the parameters of the system an identification signal corresponding to one or the other recognition signals, or a reject signal is generated.