Abstract: A leak detector apparatus and system for use with a drop ceiling having a grid-work of ceiling tiles. The leak detector apparatus includes an electrically non-conducting tile body that is shaped and dimensioned to rest on top of a ceiling tile. The tile body comprises multiple layers of non-conducting closed cell-foam and has a plurality of water collector cups formed or positioned therein. Spaced-apart sensor wires are provided and form an electrical grid that extends between the multiple layers of the tile body and the sensor wires generally extend through the water collector cups. The sensor wires are operative to sense the presence of water in the cups. An electronics module is provided at each tile body and is associated with the sensor wires and electrically coupled to the sensor wires for triggering an alert in response to the presence of water in one or more of the cups. A master controller is in communication with the local processors for monitoring the function and operation of each local processor.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of the detection, analysis and/or determination of matter or particles suspended in fluid. In one particular form, the present invention relates to smoke detectors, which detect unwanted pyrolysis or combustion of material. In another form, the present Invention relates to smoke detectors of the early detection type, and which may be applied to ventilation, air-conditioning or duct monitoring of a particular area. In yet another form, the present invention relates to surveillance monitoring, such as building, fire or security monitoring. in still another form, the present invention relates to environment monitoring, such as monitoring, detection and/or analysis of a fluid, zone, area and/or ambient environment, including commercial and Industrial environments.

Abstract: An electrical apparatus has an indicator for indicating a voltage drop across an electrical system. The electrical apparatus includes a core, a sense lead, and an indicator. The core transmits electrical current from a source to a load. The sense lead electrically connects to the core for sensing a voltage drop between a source end and a sink end of the core. The indicator is operably connected to the sense lead and provides an indication when the voltage drop exceeds a predetermined limit.

Abstract: A light emitting diode (LED) end cap warning signal assembly is disclosed. The end cap warning signal assembly includes a controller for generating a warning signal that simulates a rotating warning light signal. The end cap warning signal assembly further includes an integer number of M-LEDs arranged in an integer number of N-LED groups, with each LED having a duty cycle and at least 6 states.

Abstract: An electronics system includes a television set and a plurality of external electronic devices connected to the television set. Each of the external electronic devices forms a two-dimensional positive synchronization signal, control codes for controlling the device, and icon data corresponding to the control codes, synthesizes the formed signal, control codes, and icon data with a video signal, and sends the synthesized video signal to the television set. The television set separates the control codes from the video signal, forms a control menu from the control codes, and displays the control menu. A user manipulates a remote controller of the television set to select an item in the control menu. The television set generates a remote control code corresponding to the selected item and sends the remote control code to remote controllers of the external electronic devices, thereby controlling an objective one of the external electronic devices.

Abstract: The claimed subject matter provides a system and/or a method that facilitates utilizing a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag associated with an object. An RFID component can receive extended data from the RFID tag that identifies an operation. An automation device can then manipulate the object based at least in part upon the extended data and the identified operation. Moreover, a controller can be utilized to control the automation device, wherein the controller utilizes an internal database and/or data store to provide efficient access to specific information.

Abstract: A subsea communication system includes addressable nodes in a wellbore and addressable nodes on a floor, where the nodes in the wellbore and on the floor are able to communicate wirelessly with each other, such as through a formation.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a portable container for a user including a container housing and a speaker attached to a portion of the housing. The area in the interior of the container at least adjacent to the speaker includes a compressible material. The housing is configured to carry a consumable substance. In one embodiment, the container further includes a memory device that is configured to store information that is related to the substance, and/or that is specific to the user. The speaker can output a message based on the information under a predetermined condition. Further, the speaker has a first surface and a second surface, with one of the surfaces directing at the interior of the container housing. Then as the speaker vibrates to generate sound waves, at least a portion of the sound waves from that surface of the speaker are directed towards the interior of the container housing, which improves the quality of the sound waves generated by the speaker and received by the user.

Abstract: A system for controlling information relating to a vehicle (10), including information relating to criteria the vehicle must meet according the regulations in force, in which a chip card may be read by any authorised person (14) in order to control static and/or dynamic information relating to the vehicle using a data input device. The chip card is a contactless chip card (12) permanently arranged inside the vehicle and the data input device (16) includes a contactless card reader for remotely reading information stored in the card and a display screen on which input information is displayed.

Abstract: This invention is to provide a tunnel detection technique, which is hardly affected by external circumstance at each time. A roadway type judgment method according to the invention includes: calculating, with respect to image data from a camera mounted in or on a vehicle or image data obtained by carrying out a specified conversion on the image data from the camera, a feature amount of at least one component among plural components in a specified color space of the image and storing the calculated feature amount into a feature amount data storage; determining whether or not the feature amount stored in the feature amount data storage satisfies a predetermined condition; based on a determination result at the determining, judging whether or not the vehicle travels inside a tunnel.

Abstract: The identification of safe havens for hazardous material transports is provided. Safe havens include locations at which a hazardous material transport is less susceptible to an event that may result in a hazardous material release and/or a location at which the impact of a hazardous material release is reduced. When an event occurs indicating that hazardous material transports should be moved to safe havens, the locations of hazardous material transports are determined. Safe havens may then be determined for each hazardous material transport. In some cases, safe havens may be selected from a group of predetermined locations designated as safe havens. In some cases, locations may be dynamically designated as safe havens for hazardous material transports after the occurrence of an event. The hazardous material transports are then moved to the selected safe havens, thereby reducing their susceptibility to events and/or minimizing the impact of an event that involves a hazardous material transport.

Abstract: An automated, location-based, dynamic notification system comprises a mobile unit hardware device and a control center computer facility with communication capabilities. The mobile unit comprises a position module, a location processor, an action processor, a data module, and an I/O module. The control center comprises a system processor, a communication module, and a master database. The system provides notifications of arriving, approaching, leaving, entering, and any other types of location-related notifications, which are issued in an automatic, unattended manner. The illustrated embodiments of the invention are based on location and thus are used in a dynamic routing situation where both route patterns and stop locations change frequently while the object is moving.

Abstract: A wireless communication device includes a direction detector. When a user makes a request to the wireless communication device to detect a direction, the wireless communication device detects the direction and then indicates the direction by displaying the direction on a display. By incorporating the direction detector into the wireless communication device, the wireless communication device can help its user to find a direction easily.

Abstract: A method of secure communication includes encoding a communication by separating the communication into at least two communication parts, such that each of the at least two communication parts comprises at least a portion of the communication. The communication parts may further be encoded with random or pseudo-random data. The at least two communication parts are transmitted over separate wired communication channels, and subsequently decoded to reconstruct the communication.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the computing method and Huffman computing circuits for improving the correctness and efficiency of the nonlinear inverse quantization when the MPEG-2 AAC (Advanced Audio Coding) or MPEG-4 AAC algorithm which is used as an audio compression algorithm in multi-channel high-quality audio systems is implemented on programmable processors. In accordance with the present invention, while the architecture of the existing digital signal processor is reused, the performance can be improved by means of the addition of Huffman decoder and bit processing architecture. Accordingly, to design and change the programmable processor can be facilitated.

Abstract: In one aspect, code-words of variable lengths are decoded using a multi-stage decoding approach, with different stages being of different sizes (and thus accepting input data of corresponding number of bits). According to another aspect, the same bit positions are used for storing symbol information and offset value in case of hit and miss results respectively, thereby reducing the width of the entries of the decoding table. According to yet another aspect, conditional processing is avoided by providing a common arithmetic operation when decoding code-words in various escape modes, but using neutral operand values in case the operation is not required.

Abstract: An image coding apparatus provides a run-length encoding unit RLE1 that subjects quantized coefficients which are obtained by quantizing frequency components of an image signal to a variable length coding process by using a run value Run that indicates the number of successive zero coefficients and a level value Lev that indicates a value of a non-zero coefficient following the zero coefficients.

Abstract: An image coding apparatus provides a run-length encoding unit RLE1 that subjects quantized coefficients which are obtained by quantizing frequency components of an image signal to a variable length coding process by using a run value Run that indicates the number of successive zero coefficients and a level value Lev that indicates a value of a non-zero coefficient following the zero coefficients.

Abstract: Disclosed is a pre-emphasis circuit including a first parallel-to-serial converter, a second parallel-to-serial converter, a mixing circuit and a clock generating circuit. The first parallel-to-serial converter converts parallel data into first serial data, and the second parallel-to-serial converter converts the parallel data into second serial data. The mixing circuit receives the first serial data from the first parallel-to-serial converter and the second serial data from the second parallel-to-serial converter to output a signal emphasizing a change point of the first serial data. The clock generating circuit outputs a first set of clocks made up of clocks having mutually different phases and a second set of clocks made up of clocks having mutually different phases to the first and second parallel-to-serial converters, respectively. The first phase clock of the second set of clocks corresponds to the second phase clock of the first set of clocks.

Abstract: There is provided a method and apparatus for demodulating a received hard limited DPSK signal, which may be an intermediate frequency (IF) signal. The apparatus comprises: a digital down converter for generating an in-phase component I and a quadrature component Q of a received signal; at least one decimator for reducing sampling frequency of the received signal; at least one filter for reducing noise outside a required bandwidth; and a differential decoder for performing differential detection of I and Q over a given symbol span. The method comprises the steps of: generating an in-phase component I and a quadrature component Q from a received signal; reducing sampling frequency of the received signal; reducing noise outside a required bandwidth; and performing differential detection of I and Q over a given symbol span.

Abstract: An information recording processing apparatus includes a modulating portion operable to modulate write data on an information recording medium and to create code data thereby; and a DC level calculating portion operable to calculate a DC level corresponding to a given run length based on a coefficient defined in accordance with the run length of a component bit of the code data, wherein DC-controlled code data is created or selected based on a DC level addition result based on the DC level corresponding to the given run length, and the created or selected data is defined as write data onto the information recording medium.

Abstract: A digital-to-analog converter has a plurality of current cells. Each of the current cells has a level shifter and a current source. The level shifter connects to a first power terminal and a second power terminal to convert a first input signal and a second input signal into a first output signal and a second output signal. The current source has two cascaded MOS transistors connected to the first power terminal in series, a first MOS switch having a gate for receiving the first output signal, and a second MOS switch having a gate for receiving the second output signal. A voltage level of the first power terminal is greater than a voltage level of the second power terminal. When one of the current cells operates, one of the first MOS stitch and the second MOS switch of the current source is turned on and operates in a saturation region.

Abstract: A digital/analog converter contains an input for supplying a first digital word having a first word length. A noise shaper is coupled to the input and is designed to convert the first digital word into a second digital word having a second word length and to output this digital word to an output. The output of the noise shaper has a filter device coupled to it which is designed to reject signal components in the second digital word. Finally, a conversion device is connected to the output of the filter device. The conversion device is designed to convert the second digital word into an analog signal and to provide the analog signal for an output. By filtering the signal which is output by the noise shaper, the noise components contained in the noise-shaped second digital word are rejected.

Abstract: A method and a corresponding system for converting a digital signal to an analog signal using a plurality of signal sources, preferably current sources, at least two of the signal sources being equal output signal magnitude sources, said method including controlling the equal output signal magnitude sources by a logic circuit, providing a digital input signal to the logic circuit, the digital input signal being derived from the digital signal to be converted, filtering the digital input signal using a filter, the filter having a filter order being adaptable by the logic unit in response to needs concerning bandwidth of the conversion, and summing the outputs of the equal output signal magnitude sources to contribute to the analog signal.

Abstract: A method for converting a digital signal to an analog signal, said method including a plurality of signal sources, preferably current sources, one or more of said signal sources being variable output signal magnitude sources, said method including the steps of setting the output signal magnitudes of the one or more variable output signal magnitude sources by individual setting signals being input signals for said respective variable output signal magnitude sources, wherein said conversion is adaptable on a per signal basis in response to needs concerning bandwidth and/or accuracy for achieving a trade-off between sample-rate and resolution of said conversion.

Abstract: An application circuit and method for shaping noises are provided. In an embodiment, an analog-to-digital converter converts a first analog signal into an n-bit digital signal for an encoder to generate a p-bit digital signal. Then a control circuit generates a plurality of control signals based on the p-bit digital signal, wherein p is two to the power of n minus one, and n is an integer greater than one. Each of the (2n?1) unit elements with element mismatch in an internal n-bit digital-to-analog converter executes the digital to analog conversion in response to the corresponding control signal, thereby generating a second analog signal, and an adder outputs the first analog signal based on the second analog signal and a third analog signal.

Abstract: Multi-step sub-ranging analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) utilize a plurality of converter modules to generate sub-ranges of bits for a digital output signal during a multi-phase conversion cycle. Each subsequent converter utilizes reference voltage levels corresponding to conversions performed by prior converters during the timing phases of the conversion cycle. Settling time for these reference voltages, which limits the speed and/or accuracy of each conversion, may be reduced by pre-charging the reference input nodes of the subsequent converters using the analog input signal during a timing phase in which a prior converter is converting the analog input signal to generate one of the sub-ranges for the digital output signal.

Abstract: Providing a substantially constant reference voltage to a component from a reference buffer connected by a path. The load that would be offered to the reference buffer in desired durations is estimated, and a dummy load is added to the path such that the aggregate load on the path is approximately constant. In case of the stages of an ADC, the sub-code generated by each stage during a sampling phase is used to estimate the load that would be offered, and the dummy load is added in the hold phase to keep the reference voltage constant in the hold phase, as desired.

Abstract: The present invention relates to intuitive based control elements and interfaces and devices using said intuitive based control elements. In certain embodiments, machine interfaces such as remote control devices for operation of various devices are provided. More specifically, machine interfaces according to embodiments of the invention herein include one or more control elements in the form of shapes and/or positioned indicia to facilitate operation by users. Control elements provided herein having intuitive shapes and/or positions described above as associated with the man-machine interfaces may also be provided integral with various devices. For example, personal electronic devices, personal care devices, personal healthcare devices, communications devices and personal comfort devices may benefit from control elements having intuitive shapes and/or positions associated with the function as described herein.

Abstract: A multi-tone CW radar (14) is used to project signals from an antenna (22) and to receive returns with the same antenna. The phase differences between the outgoing signals and the returns are analyzed to determine the existence of motion and the range to a moving object (10). A model is made which has range as its major parameter. A waveform associated with the phase difference between outgoing signals and returns for one of the tones is compared to templates produced by the model to determine which has a range that most closely matches. By varying the range parameters, when a match is detected the range to the object can be obtained even if its motion is pseudorandom. If the range is measured with multiple units it is possible to measure the location of the object. This can be done assuming a grid and algorithmically combining the ranges from the units.

Abstract: A CW radar (10) is used to detect motion of objects (22) behind a wall (20) by projecting a radar beam through the wall and by measuring the returns from the objects behind the wall, with a change in the phase difference between the transmitted and received CW signals providing an indication of motion behind the wall and thus the presence of an individual.

Abstract: Methods and systems for using ground penetrating radar (GPR) to obtain subsurface images. The depression angle, frequency, and polarization can all be adjusted for the soil conditions at hand. In particular, the depression angle is set at the “pseudo-Brewster angle” for improved ground penetration.

Abstract: A method and system for controlling the graphical display of stored user supplied tabular data as a chart in a system stores the data for display on a display device. In response to user selection of a style of representation, the tabular data is converted to a form corresponding to the selected style and displayed as a chart. Additionally, auxiliary data having a plurality of components each of which is associated with a respective component of the converted tabular data is produced and displayed as an auxiliary graphic concurrently with the chart on the display device. The auxiliary graphic is made interactive so that, in response to user selection and interactive manipulation of components of the auxiliary graphic by means of a pointing device, the conversion of the tabular data is controlled such that, when the chart is displayed, its components are modified in accordance with the interactive manipulation of the auxiliary graphic components.

Abstract: A car reversing radar sensor having a fine-tuning function includes a cylinder, a sensor module, a front cover, a packing block and a back cover. The sensor module is fitted in the cylinder and a sensing angle thereof can be adjusted. The packing block includes a push part a brake part, and a stick part. The packing block is mounted on the cylinder for securing the sensor module at a desired sensing position.

Abstract: A radar signal processor has observation means, for receiving a reflected wave from a target and for outputting a predetermined observation signal, means for extracting distance component, for extracting a distance component corresponding to a distance from the each observation signal, means for estimating, for collecting respective distance components and for computing and estimating an estimated value of a corresponding correlation matrix with a forgetting factor as a parameter by a method for estimating correlation matrix with exponential smoothing, means for estimating a presence of a target or a movement state of the target on the basis of the respective estimated values of the correlation matrices, and means for determining forgetting factor, for respectively computing and determining the forgetting factors corresponding to the distances, and for respectively outputting the computed and determined.

Abstract: A pulse radar system includes: a pulse output circuit that outputs a periodic transmission pulse and a gate pulse having a cycle which is a rational multiple of a cycle of the transmission pulse and is different from a cycle of the transmission pulse; a transmission circuit that generates and sends a transmission pulse wave based on a transmission pulse from the transmission circuit; a transmission antenna that radiates a transmission pulse wave from the transmission circuit; a reception antenna that receives a reception pulse wave reflected from an object in transmission pulse waves from the transmission antenna; a reception circuit that demodulates a reception pulse wave from the reception antenna and outputs a reception pulse; and an extracting circuit that extracts and outputs a reception pulse synchronizing with a gate pulse from the pulse output circuit, among reception pulses from the reception circuit.

Abstract: A system and method for target classification for an aircraft surveillance radar is provided. In one implementation, the track classifier provides tracks with an updated probability value based on its likelihood to conform to aircraft and non-aircraft target behavior. The track classifier identifies false tracks that may arise from weather and biological targets, and can detect aircrafts lacking Secondary Surveillance Radar (SSR) data. Various features and combinations of features are evaluated using a proposed clustering performance index (CPI) and used to discriminate between aircrafts and false tracks.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for detecting the type of Selective Availability (SA) engine in a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver. The apparatus reverse computes a User Equivalent Range Error (UERE) value and filters it. The filtered value is run through a hysteresis to determine the GPS engine type. The engine type determination is used to adjust values used by other systems.

Abstract: Sequential GPS Doppler carrier phase count measurements are used for precision sequential determination of position and velocity of a GPS receiver, such as for orbit determination and geolocation, with minimum throughput time. Real-time orbit determination and geolocation performance is enabled with an optimal sequential filter, and near-real-time performance is enabled with an optimal fixed-lag smoother. Many problems associated with prior art orbit determination are eliminated by addressing the “cycle slip” problem, the unknown initial range problem with RANGECP measurement representations, the problem of serial correlation in the measurements due to reprocessing of overlapping thermal noise. Also, the present invention significantly attenuates the carrier signal phase variation due to rotation of receiver antenna relative to transmitter antenna because the sequential phase count time intervals are sufficiently short.

Abstract: A navigation signal receiving apparatus for determining a position based on a navigation signal sent from an artificial satellite, the apparatus includes (a) a positioning unit sampling range data from the navigation signal at a first time interval, (b) an averaging unit averaging the range data at a second time interval of a lower rate than the first time interval, and (c) a positioning process unit calculating a position based on the range data averaged by the averaging unit.

Abstract: A mobile communication device (202) outside the service area of a communications network 210 in need of satellite positioning assistance information to perform a location determination (308). The mobile communication device receives the assistance information from a peer mobile communication device (204, 206) over a direct link.

Abstract: A method for processing weak indoor signals in presence of cross-correlation or continuous wave interference and associated GPS receiver are provided. The method comprises providing a two-dimensional delay-Doppler accumulated power pattern having a plurality of accumulated powers corresponding to frequency and time; for a predetermined frequency, determining an average value of accumulated powers of the two-dimensional delay-Doppler accumulated power pattern over a plurality of times; and subtracting the average value from the accumulated powers used in determining the average at the frequency over the plurality of times to generate a delay-Doppler accumulated power pattern with suppressed interference effect.

Abstract: The invention provides a GPS device that resolves timing errors as applicable to an AGPS navigation solution. A single state algorithm provides rapid convergence, typical with standard Newton-Raphson performance. Problems due to ill-conditioning of the input matrix are identified by an augmented DOP calculation procedure, which may be used to identify unreliable results or to estimate the errors for those results.

Abstract: Multi-function apparatus and related method integrated with positioning/orientation mechanism. The apparatus of the invention works under a forward mode for recording reference coordinates/altitudes of a departure point and passing points along a track which a user moves. When the user wants to trace back, the apparatus works under a backward mode for comparing each of the recorded reference coordinates/altitudes with a current coordinate/altitude of the user, and providing direction/altitude orientation for the user so that the user can trace back to the original departure and/or passing points.

Abstract: A communications device includes an antenna array for receiving different summations of source signals from a plurality of signal sources, a receiver coupled to the antenna array for receiving the different summations of source signals, and a signal separation processor coupled to the receiver Processing by the signal separation processor includes creating a matrix based upon the different summations of source signals, with the matrix being defined by linear independent equations with fewer equations than unknowns. The matrix is underdetermined, and parameters associated with the matrix are modified based upon different sets of parameter values, and respective matrix quality factors associated with the different sets of parameter values are determined. The matrix is then biased with a preferred set of parameter values so that the solution space may be narrowed for obtaining a solution.

Abstract: An antenna structure comprises a substrate, a first conductive element, a feed point, a first extending element, two first radiation elements, two second radiation elements, a ground element, a signal line, and a ground line. The first conductive element is disposed on the substrate and extends in a first direction. The feed point is connected to an end of the first conductive element. The first extending element is connected to another end of the first conductive element opposite to the feed point and extends in the second direction. The first radiation elements are connected to two ends of the first extending element and extend in the first direction. The second radiation elements are connected to the first extending element, near the first radiation elements and extend in the first direction. The ground element is disposed on the substrate. The signal line is coupled to the feed point. The ground line is coupled to the ground element.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first level layer, a transmitting antenna provided on the first level layer and extending in a first direction, a receiving antenna provided on the first level layer and extending in the first direction, and a plurality of first wiring portions provided on the first level layer and extending in a second direction that makes an angle of 45 to 90 degrees with respect to the first direction.

Abstract: A patch antenna for operation within a high temperature environment. The patent antenna typically includes an antenna radiating element, a housing and a microwave transmission medium, such as a high temperature microwave cable. The antenna radiating element typically comprises a metallization (or solid metal) element in contact with a dielectric element. The antenna radiating element can include a dielectric window comprising a flame spray coating or a solid dielectric material placed in front of the radiating element. The antenna element is typically inserted into a housing that mechanically captures the antenna and provides a ground plane for the antenna. Orifices or passages can be added to the housing to improve high temperature performance and may direct cooling air for cooling the antenna.

Abstract: A plurality of high-frequency beam-forming RF antenna arrays are used to enable parallel data transmission at multi-Gigabit per second data rates. In one embodiment, the 60 GHz band is used for parallel transmission of data from an antenna array printed on the substrate or packaging of an integrated circuit.

Abstract: In an antenna device of the present invention, a plurality of antennas 21 are connected to a radio module 41 through respective coaxial cables 22, and one or more of the antennas 21 in good communication conditions can be selected by the radio module 41. An upper cabinet 2 is pivoted to a lower cabinet 4 through a three-dimensional joint 3. The radio module 41 is contained in the lower cabinet 4, while the plurality of antennas 21 are contained in the upper cabinet 2. The plurality of coaxial cables 22 extending from the plurality of antennas 21 are tied in a bundle to pass through a through hole 34 provided in the three-dimensional joint 3, and are connected to the radio module 41.