Abstract: A mobility securement system, and method configured to secure a wheelchair or other mobility device, and its passenger, within a public or private vehicle. In various embodiments, the system includes one or two attachment members, one or two vehicle anchor assemblies and, potentially, at least one fixed or moveable bumper, and may further include a barrier. A tensioning assembly is operably connected to at least one attachment member and vehicle anchor assembly. One or more moveable bumpers are configured to articulate to apply a force against the mobility device, and one attachment member may be hidden behind a stored position of a moveable bumper.

Abstract: A mobility securement system, and method configured to secure a wheelchair or other mobility device, and its passenger, within a public or private vehicle. In various embodiments, the system includes one or two attachment members, one or two vehicle anchor assemblies and, potentially, at least one fixed or moveable bumper, and may further include a barrier. A tensioning assembly is operably connected to at least one attachment member and vehicle anchor assembly. One or more moveable bumpers are configured to articulate to apply a force against the mobility device, and one attachment member may be hidden behind a stored position of a moveable bumper.

Abstract: A mobility securement system, and method for securing a wheelchair or other mobility device, and its passenger, within a public or private vehicle. In various embodiments, the system includes one or two attachment members, one or two vehicle anchor assemblies and, potentially, at least one fixed or moveable bumper, and may further include a barrier. A tensioning assembly is operably connected to at least one attachment member and vehicle anchor assembly. One or more moveable bumpers may articulate to apply a force against the mobility device, and one attachment member may be hidden behind a stored position of a moveable bumper.

Abstract: A mobility securement system, and method for securing a wheelchair or other mobility device, and its passenger, within a public or private vehicle. In various embodiments, the system includes one or two attachment members, one or two vehicle anchor assemblies and, potentially, at least one fixed or moveable bumper, and may further include a barrier. A tensioning assembly is operably connected to at least one attachment member and vehicle anchor assembly. One or more moveable bumpers may articulate to apply a force against the mobility device, and one attachment member may be hidden behind a stored position of a moveable bumper.

Abstract: A system for generating electricity from steam power, which includes a steam source communicated with a steam load, the steam load requiring steam at a load pressure lower than the steam source; a pressure reduction valve communicated between the steam source and the steam load, and adapted to reduce steam pressure to the load pressure; and a pressure reduction valve bypass circuit including a steam turbine for converting steam to electric power, the turbine being communicated with an electric power load to provide power to the load. The turbine is advantageously positioned vertically above a motor.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods which provide techniques providing account setup, management and transaction authorization determinations in real-time using transaction interrupt messaging. Embodiments preferably take into consideration the quality of one or more parties to the transaction and the means by which charges may be rendered to them when making account setup, management, and/or transaction authorization determinations. Accordingly, transactions, such as collect calls, meeting at least some minimal risk threshold may be completed on a first call attempt, even where a pre-arranged billing agreement or other business relationship is not previously in place.

Abstract: A system for generating electricity from steam power, which includes a steam source communicated with a steam load, the steam load requiring steam at a load pressure lower than the steam source; a pressure reduction valve communicated between the steam source and the steam load, and adapted to reduce steam pressure to the load pressure; and a pressure reduction valve bypass circuit including a steam turbine for converting steam to electric power, the turbine being communicated with an electric power load to provide power to the load. The turbine is advantageously positioned vertically above a motor.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods which provide techniques providing account setup, management and transaction authorization determinations in real-time using transaction interrupt messaging. Embodiments preferably take into consideration the quality of one or more parties to the transaction and the means by which charges may be rendered to them when making account setup, management, and/or transaction authorization determinations. Accordingly, transactions, such as collect calls, meeting at least some minimal risk threshold may be completed on a first call attempt, even where a pre-arranged billing agreement or other business relationship is not previously in place.

Abstract: A bus structure for interconnecting the modules of an industrial automation controller includes DATA lines and associated control lines that enable interface circuits on each module to transfer frames of data. The interface circuit includes a flow control circuit for managing resources within the receiving module, and thus controlling the flow of data over the backplane bus. As soon as a message begins to be received, the flow control circuit makes a determination as to the availability of resources within the module to successfully receive the data frame. If sufficient resources are not available, a busy indication is returned to the transmitting module, and the transmitting module then aborts the transmission.

Abstract: A bus structure for interconnecting the modules of an industrial automation controller includes DATA lines and associated control lines that enable interface circuits on each module to transfer frames of data. Modules connected to the bus structure support data transfers of differing widths and differing speeds, and interface circuits within each module automatically adapt to data width and speed differences between communicating modules. During a first bus cycle of each transfer, sending and receiving modules negotiate a bus width and clock speed to be used for the transfer by asserting their respective width and speed codes onto a set of wired-or status lines. After the first bus cycle, the status lines are then used for communicating alternate functions between the participating modules.

Abstract: A bus structure for interconnecting the modules of an industrial automation controller includes DATA lines and associated control lines that enable interface circuits on each module to send and receive frames of data. An arbitration circuit in each module employs arbitration lines in the bus structure to conduct a two phase competition to determine which module receives the next bus mastership. The arbitration lines include a set of wired-or weight code lines and a single arbitration strobe line. Modules desiring control of the bus structure assert a local weight code onto the weight code lines and determine which module is asserting the numerically greatest local weight code. Arbitration is conducted separately on the bus structure and a winning module is ready to transfer its data frame as soon as the previous winner completes its transfer and relinquishes control of the bus structure.

Abstract: Disclosed is an autonomous rendezvous and docking system and method therefor used for the rendezvous and docking of spacecraft. The autonomous rendezvous and docking system allows spacecraft rendezvous, proximity maneuvering, and docking between a chase spacecraft and a target spacecraft by determining the relative position between the two spacecrafts. The relative position is determined based on the location of target reflections from a reflective target positioned on the target spacecraft. The target reflections are identified by intensity, shape, size and location from various other spurious reflections. This ultimately allows the autonomous rendezvous and docking system to determine the x, y, z, roll, pitch and yaw positions of the target spacecraft in relation to the chase spacecraft.

Abstract: The attitude of a body 12 is determined, or refined, by illuminating it with a direct beam and one or more indirect beams which are reflected from a scattering surface SS, all of the beams being radiated from the same or adjacent sources. The directions of arrival of the beams are determined to allow the attitude to be determined or refined.

Abstract: A spring-biased system for suspending a reactor tube in a reactor (e.g. a hydrogen reforming furnace) which allows the tension in each reactor tube to be easily monitored while the reactor is in operation. The suspension system includes high precision springs, the compression of which is adjusted to pre-tension a respective reactor tube so that abnormal expansion of that tube during heat-up will be readily apparent from any change in length (i.e. compression) of the springs.

Abstract: A DC input circuit provides a digital output dependent on an input voltage spanning a low range and a high range. A first transistor current source provides a bounded leakage current for a low range voltage. A parallel transistor current source in series with a voltage breakdown diode provides a second constant current path for high range voltages through a current sensitive switch. The total input current is thus limited, thereby reducing heat dissipation.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for alignment and mounting in position of a drill stem provided at one end with a cutting tool for use in removing coke from a coke drum. The drill stem is provided in the vicinity of the cutting tool with a drill stem guide carried on a slidably mounted plate. A flange on the drill stem is provided to prevent movement of the plate below a particular point. In a preferred embodiment, automatic clamping means are provided to attach the plate to an end flange on the coke drum when the drill stem guide has been lowered into the coke drum a sufficient distance so that the flange on the drill stem is disengaged from direct or indirect contact with the plate and/or connecting elements of the clamping means provided on an upper surface of the plate.

Abstract: An inter-processor communication module is inserted into a slot of an equipment rack of the type used to connect I/O modules to system processors in a programmable controller. Using two of the inter-processor communication modules in two respective racks, a supervisory processor is connected to two respective local area processors in a distributed control system. The inter-processor communication module has a serial channel controller that connects to the supervisory processor through a serial I/O port and a serial communication channel to communicate blocks of I/O status data. The serial channel controller is coupled to a backplane controller through a common memory and arbitration circuitry to exchange blocks of I/O status data. The backplane controller, which is also a part of the inter-processor communication module, plugs into the backplane of the rack and exchanges blocks of I/O status data with a local area processor.

Abstract: The capacity of programmable controllers with a processor module and I/O modules connected in a single equipment rack is expanded by connecting an I/O expansion module in one of the positions normally occupied by a conventional I/O module. The I/O expansion module communicates with the processor module through the rack backplane and also communicates with other racks of I/O modules and with node I/O modules through a serial data channel. Data for I/O modules on the serial data channel are stored in a bulk storage area in the processor module to expand the effective size of an image table of I/O status data that is maintained by the processor module. The processor module is programmed to operate with a backplane controller in the I/O expansion module to transfer data in or out of the bulk storage area.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for access to a programmable controller at a remote location. A peripheral device with a peripheral processor is connected to a port on an I/O module. Blocks of discrete and block transfer data are transferred to and from a common memory in the I/O module where the data is accessible to a serial communication controller that interfaces the module to a high speed serial data channel. Asynchronous communication is provided between the serial communication controller and the peripheral device using a circular buffer in the common memory. Timing considerations are also disclosed.