Did You Know...
...that Charles Goodyear performed some of his experiments on rubber while in debtor's prison? He was there so often he referred to it as his "hotel". Chronically in debt because of poor business sense and ill health, Goodyear depended on the generosity of friends and family. Even after he unlocked the secret to vulcanizing rubber, he was unable to improve his financial situation. When he died, his estate was $200,000 in debt.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8183508 | Pyrotechnic fin deployment and retention mechanism A fin retention and deployment mechanism includes a detent in each of a plurality of fins, a mechanism that engages the detent, and at least one spring clip that maintains each of the fins in a non-deployed position. The mechanism also includes a gas generator, a ma... | 05/22/2012 |
| 8131420 | Vehicle health and usage monitoring system and method A health and usage monitoring system (HUMS) and method for monitoring the health and/or usage of one or more components of a vehicle. In various embodiments, the present invention uses a plurality of wireless sensors configured, when activated by a vibration of the ... | 03/06/2012 |
| 8117909 | Icing resistant sensor port for a fuel tank environment A system for an icing resistant sensor port assembly includes shaped and patterned features for resisting the formation and propagation of ice around a sensor port, such as for a pressure sensor in an aircraft fuel tank. Water may be present in fuel tanks due to con... | 02/21/2012 |
| 8071926 | Stability multiplexed autopilot Rolling airframe projectile guidance and stability systems are disclosed. Flight control surfaces, such as canards and/or tail fins are attached to a projectile airframe that is designed to roll during flight. Stepper motors are attached to the flight control surfac... | 12/06/2011 |
| 8023443 | Wireless sensor system Providing wireless communication between an access point and a wireless device includes the wireless device operating in a first reduced power mode for a first period of time, where the wireless device does not receive communications while operating in the first red... | 09/20/2011 |
| 7965948 | Power and data transmitted over a single optical fiber Transmitting power and data to electronic components using a single optical fiber includes receiving a light power signal via the single fiber optic, converting the power light signal to electrical energy, at least a portion of which may be stored in an energy stora... | 06/21/2011 |
| 7963442 | Spin stabilized projectile trajectory control A Reconfigurable Nose Control System (RNCS) is designed to adjust the flight path of spin-stabilized artillery projectiles. The RNCS uses the surface of a projectile nose cone as a trim tab. The nose cone may be despun by the action of aerodynamic surfaces, to zero ... | 06/21/2011 |
| 7937343 | Method and apparatus for randomized verification of neural nets Described are techniques for using statistical analysis to reduce the number of samples required in accordance with statistical analysis confidence intervals to verify correctness of a component. These techniques may be used in verification of a neural network or ot... | 05/03/2011 |
| 7903720 | Alternative direct sequence spread spectrum symbol to chip mappings and methods for generating the same Alternative direct sequence spread spectrum symbol to chip mappings and methods for generating the same for use in a direct sequence spread spectrum wireless protocol and embedded in a transceiver chip used by wireless subsystems are provided. The present invention ... | 03/08/2011 |
| 7729510 | Method for distinguishing a smoke condition from a dust condition using video images Detecting video phenomena, such as fire in an aircraft cargo bay, includes receiving a plurality of video images from a plurality of sources, compensating the images to provide enhanced images, extracting features from the enhanced images, and combining the features... | 06/01/2010 |
| 7684936 | Method, apparatus and computer program product for determining a future time of a component A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided for determining a future time associated with a component, where the future time can be indicative that some action can be taken with respect to the component. In some embodiments, the future time can be ... | 03/23/2010 |
| 7683521 | Radio frequency surface acoustic wave proximity detector A proximity sensor for determining a position of an object. The proximity sensor includes a SAW device having a load end and an input end for receiving an input pulse. A sensing section connects to the load end of the SAW device. When the object is in a first positi... | 03/23/2010 |
| 7638750 | Optical power for electronic circuits using a single photovoltaic component Optical power uses light to run remote, isolated circuits without metallic wires. An optical power system may include a single photovoltaic component that supplies a first voltage in response to impingement of light on the photovoltaic component. A voltage booster r... | 12/29/2009 |
| 7512503 | Wire fault detection Described are techniques used in a wire diagnostics system to detect events, such as defects, that may occur within a wire or cable under test. An incident voltage signal is sent out on the wire and a measured voltage signal is obtained which includes the incident v... | 03/31/2009 |
| 7512463 | Reducing vibration using QR decomposition and unconstrained optimization for a multi-rotor aircraft Determining adjustments to decrease vibrations caused by rotating blades from a plurality of rotors includes determining a first plurality of adjustment normalization values for a plurality of possible adjustments of blades of a first one of the plurality of rotors,... | 03/31/2009 |
| 7360294 | Method of assembling an inductive proximity sensor A method of assembling an inductive proximity sensor maintains inductive coil wound bobbins in fixed relation to an inductive core within a housing. The method includes configuring two inductive coil wound bobbins with an integral ledge cantilevered from an inside s... | 04/22/2008 |
| 7358720 | Proximity sensor interface A first measured value is determined which is associated with the proximity of a target to an inductive sensor. A first voltage signal having a first amplitude is generated. The first voltage signal is provided as a driving signal to the inductive sensor. A sensor c... | 04/15/2008 |
| 7355392 | Printed circuit card-based proximity sensor and associated method of detecting a proximity of an object A proximity sensor assembly includes a multilayer printed wiring board proximity sensor, the proximity sensor being operable as either a variable-reluctance sensor or an eddy current loss sensor. The proximity sensor includes a plurality of layers configured to form... | 04/08/2008 |
| 7321102 | Float switch transient suppression device A float switch system for limiting to desirable levels current and energy entering a tank of combustible liquid comprises: a float switch disposed within the tank; an interface circuit external to the tank and coupled through wiring to the float switch; a passive tr... | 01/22/2008 |
| 7302101 | Viewing a compartment Detecting video phenomena, such as fire in an aircraft cargo bay, includes receiving a plurality of video images from a plurality of sources, compensating the images to provide enhanced images, extracting features from the enhanced images, and combining the features... | 11/27/2007 |
| 7296006 | Method of inferring rotorcraft gross weight Described are systems and methods for determining the gross weight of an aircraft. A flight regime is determined based on one or more inputs. A neural net is selected based on a flight regime. The neural net inputs may include derived values. A first estimate of the... | 11/13/2007 |
| 7280696 | Video detection/verification system Detecting video phenomena, such as fire in an aircraft cargo bay, includes receiving a plurality of video images from a plurality of sources, compensating the images to provide enhanced images, extracting features from the enhanced images, and combining the features... | 10/09/2007 |
| 7272513 | Optimal shaft balance using integer programing to handle discrete adjustment Determining a shaft balance adjustment includes measuring an initial vibration of the shaft, determining if the initial vibration is greater than a predetermined value, and, if the initial vibration is greater than the predetermined value, determining an adjustment ... | 09/18/2007 |
| 7271585 | Method of fabricating a multilayer wiring board proximity sensor A method of fabricating a multilayer wiring board proximity sensor includes forming a laminate, and fabricating a plurality of through-conductors through the layers of the laminate. The laminate has a plurality of layers including one or more core layers and a plura... | 09/18/2007 |
| 7262595 | Segmented core for an inductive proximity sensor An inductive proximity sensor for sensing the presence of target based on a change of inductance in the sensor. The sensor includes a coil and a core formed of a permeable material so as to form an electromagnetic field when the coil is electrically driven. The core... | 08/28/2007 |
| 7256818 | Detecting fire using cameras Detecting a fire, such as a fire in an aircraft cargo bay, includes receiving a plurality of frames of video information, determining an energy indicator for each of a subset of the plurality of frames, and detecting the presence of fire in response to the energy in... | 08/14/2007 |
| 7250857 | Multiplexer method and system for intrinsically safe applications and a multiplexer switch for use therein A multiplexing system is provided for a plurality of sensors disposed in a tank containing a potentially explosive environment and excited from a common excitation circuit outside of the tank through a corresponding plurality of signal lines that penetrate the tank.... | 07/31/2007 |
| 7245315 | Distinguishing between fire and non-fire conditions using cameras Detecting fire and non-fire conditions includes receiving a plurality of frames of video information, determining an energy indicator for each of a subset of the plurality of frames, detecting a fire condition in response to the energy indicator for each of the subs... | 07/17/2007 |
| 7203716 | Method and apparatus for fast interpolation of multi-dimensional functions with non-rectangular data sets Interpolation techniques are described for use with data that may not be uniform and may be characterized as scattered. Such data may be obtained in instances where data acquisition may not be easily controlled such as in obtaining experimental data for use with mod... | 04/10/2007 |
| 7176398 | Transient suppression device and method of packaging the same A transient suppression device for limiting to desirable levels current and energy entering a fuel tank of an aircraft over interface wiring that penetrates a wall of the fuel tank comprises: an elongated, hollow, conductive housing capped at one end and open at ano... | 02/13/2007 |
| 7170385 | Inductive proximity sensor and method of assembling the same An inductive proximity sensor comprises: a housing including an opening on one side; an inductive core including two legs, each core leg including a foot portion; an inductive coil wound bobbin disposed about each leg of the core, each bobbin including an integral l... | 01/30/2007 |
| 7139668 | Wire event detection Classifying a portion of an electrical signal propagating through a conductor includes digitizing the electrical signal to provide a digitized signal, providing a plurality of stored digitized signals, wherein each stored digitized signal corresponds to a type of fa... | 11/21/2006 |
| 7136794 | Method and apparatus for estimating values for condition indicators Disclosed are techniques used in connection with determining a health indicator (HI) of a component, such as that of an aircraft component. The HI is determined using condition indicators (CIs) which parameterize characteristics about a component minimizing possibil... | 11/14/2006 |
| 7129701 | Method of inductive proximity sensing A method of non-intrusive, inductive proximity sensing of a target through a conductive barrier comprises the steps of: disposing an inductive proximity sensor on one side of a barrier of conductive material; disposing a target on the other side of the barrier; dete... | 10/31/2006 |
| 7120563 | Wire fault detection Described are techniques used in a wire diagnostics system to detect events, such as defects, that may occur within a wire or cable under test. An incident voltage signal is sent out on the wire and a measured voltage signal is obtained which includes the incident v... | 10/10/2006 |
| 7100865 | Method and apparatus for stowing and deploying control surfaces of a guided air vehicle Apparatus for stowing and deploying a plurality of control surfaces of a guided air vehicle comprises: a housing including: a plurality of slotted openings along an outside surface thereof; and a corresponding plurality of cavities within the housing, each cavity ex... | 09/05/2006 |
| 6957582 | Ultrasonic system and method of gauging aircraft fuel and detecting battle damage An aircraft ultrasonic system for fuel gauging and battle damage detection comprises: at least one ultrasonic transducer disposed at a fuel tank of the aircraft; a first circuit for exciting the at least one ultrasonic transducer to transmit an acoustic pulse toward... | 10/25/2005 |
| 6950763 | Optimal shaft balance using integer programming to handle discrete adjustment Determining a shaft balance adjustment includes measuring an initial vibration of the shaft, determining if the initial vibration is greater than a predetermined value, and, if the initial vibration is greater than the predetermined value, determining an adjustment ... | 09/27/2005 |
| 6847917 | Method and apparatus for selecting condition indicators in determining the health of a component Disclosed are techniques used in connection with determining a health indicator (HI) of a component, such as that of an aircraft component. The HI is determined using condition indicators (CIs) which parameterize characteristics about a component minimizing possibil... | 01/25/2005 |
| 6754569 | Method and apparatus for normalizing condition indicators Disclosed are techniques used in connection with determining a health indicator (HI) of a component, such as that of an aircraft component. The HI is determined using condition indicators (CIs) which parameterize characteristics about a component minimizing possibil... | 06/22/2004 |
