Abstract: A deployment system for illumination devices, including: a holding mechanism for engaging at least one illumination device; and a deploying mechanism for causing the at least one illumination device to exit the system. In the preferred embodiment, the deploying mechanism is at least one solenoid, where the at least one solenoid extends to cause the illumination device to exit the system. The system allows a user or an automated system to deploy illumination devices without being exposed to dangerous conditions. For example, the system can be mounted internally or externally to a law enforcement, road crew, or utility company vehicle. The user may then deploy the illumination devices to mark the road without being subjected to the dangers of oncoming traffic.

Abstract: An illumination device, including: a shell with a plurality of sides, where the device can be positioned upon a surface or attached or suspended at any of the plurality of sides; and at least one light-emitting device within the shell, where when the device is positioned upon a surface or attached or suspended at any of the plurality of sides of the shell, light from the at least one light-emitting device emits through each of the plurality of sides of the shell. The device is thus easy to deploy and use. Its design is compatible with outsourced manufacturing, allowing for cost savings. The device can be reused many times. The device can also emit light for many hours longer and has ruggedness that far exceeds conventional devices. The device can also be used where conventional devices and other lighting devices cannot, including underwater.

Abstract: A sensor device and method for finding the location of a conductor such as a wire, having an alternating voltage and which is not readily visible, i.e. hidden in the wall of a structure or buried. The detector device has four plates in two balanced pairs and arranged in a quadrilateral with a central reference plate. This reference plate provides a common mode rejection of the background electric field typically present for instance on the wall, which is induced by the alternating voltage in the wire. A sharp signal peak is detectable immediately over the wire from a differential signal of a pair of the balanced plates, when the plates of the pair are located on either side of the wire. Also a determination based on the sum and difference of the signals from the two plates allows one to determine the relative phase induced in the two plates of each pair, which indicates the direction in which the sensor device should be moved in order for the plates to be immediately over the target wire.

Abstract: A pulse width modulation analog to digital converter can accommodate both wide band AC analog input signals and DC analog input signals. If the frequency of the input signal is much higher than the conversion rate of the PWM analog to digital converter, then the output digital pulse is of constant width versus the analog input signal amplitude. If the frequency of the analog input signal is lower than the conversion rate, then the output digital signal is a train of variable width pulses whose width tracks the amplitude of the analog input signal.

Abstract: A metal detector includes a receive coil and a transmit coil connected in an inductive bridge. To overcome imbalances in the bridge due for instance to misalignment of the coils or the presence of mineralization in the medium which is being examined, the metal detector automatically produces a nulling (bucking) signal to cancel out the effects of any unwanted receive coil signals detected during calibration. This nulling signal is a nulling current both in terms of level and phase, and its level and phase are determined during a calibration process prior to actual metal detection. By inclusion in the metal detector of a microprocessor (microcontroller) operating at a much higher frequency than the variations in the magnetic field used to detect metal, the nulling signal generation is performed with a high degree of time resolution, resulting a precision metal detector which adaptively ignores any unwanted signals.

Abstract: An electromagnetic field sensing apparatus used for locating and determining the distance to buried conductive conduits including at least two receptor means, each adapted to receive a signal from the conduit and produce an output voltage proportional to the signal received, and also including a calibrating coil, with known relative coupling to the receptor means, and capable of inducing calibrating signals therein. Computing means are employed to calculate the relative sensitivities of each said receptor means using the voltage signals induced therein by the calibrating coil, and said known relative coupling relationships. The computing means further uses the output voltages from said receptor means, induced therein by the signal radiating from the conductive conduit, and said relative sensitivities to calculate the distance to and location of the conduit. Display means are provided to indicate this distance and location.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for controlling a characteristic of an optical image generated by a video projection system of the type wherein illumination light is passed through a polarizing means and then directed to a light modulation device which receives a light image and provides an polarization modulated optical image as outgoing light, the outgoing light being passed through a projection lens to display the optical image. According to the present invention, a portion of the outgoing light is sampled and the sampled portion is directed to a detector which detects characteristics of the outgoing light. The detected characteristics are then compared with the corresponding desired characteristics exhibited by a test pattern image. The differences between the detected characteristics and the desired characteristics are measured and the measured differences are utilized to generate correction factors for controlling the outgoing light such that the outgoing light exhibits the desired characteristics.