Smiths Industries Aerospace & Defense Systems, Inc.

Checkpoint LLC

Michael D Olinger

Jerry L Page

Mohammad Aslam

Joseph G Mickley

Gerald L Vossler

Lyle A Reibling

An automatic guided vehicle (AGV) system for automatically transporting loads along a predetermined path is provided that includes a plurality of magnets distant from one another, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of magnets represent a positioning point, and a plurality of AGVs, wherein at least one of the plurality of AGVs includes a drive assembly and a sensor system configured to determine guidance information. The sensor system includes a circuit board, a two-dimensional array of giant magneto resistive (GMR) sensors along a surface of the circuit board, the GMR sensors configured to detect at least one of the plurality of embedded magnets when the GMR sensors are proximate thereto, and an electromagnetic coil extending around the circuit board and at least a portion of the GMR sensors, the electromagnetic coil configured to polarize the GMR sensors.

Automatic guided vehicle sensor system and method of using same

A force detecting microsensor comprises a single crystal Si substrate, a single crystal cone formed on the substrate and a resilient electrode mounted above the tip of the Si cone. The space between the tip of the Si cone and the resilient electrode is maintained in a vacuum environment and the distance between the tip and the resilient anode is in the order of a few atomic diameters. The tunneling effect of electrons occurs between the tip of the Si cone and the resilient electrode when a potential is applied to the resilient electrode and the Si cone tip. The resilient electrode deflects as a result of the force acting on the microsensor. The deflection of the resilient electrode alters the electrical characteristics between the resilient electrode and the Si cone tip. The changes in the electrical characteristics can be measured to determine the level of force acting on the microsensor. The process for making the microsensor according to the invention comprises the steps of forming an insulating layer and support layer on the substrate, forming a recess in the insulating layer and aperture in the support layer, depositing a single crystal Si cone on the substrate and fully enclosing the Si cone within the recess of the support layer and the insulating layer.

Force detecting sensor and method of making

Method of making a force detecting sensor

An optical rotation sensor comprises a light amplification stimulated emission ring laser formed in a solid medium is provided with phase modulator devices which produce push-pull phase modulation of counterpropagating optical waves in the ring thereby enhancing bidirectional lasing in single longitudinal modes in each direction. A frequency selective output coupler couples a predetermined portion of the optical energy at the lasing frequency from the ring to an output waveguide. A substantially U-shaped output waveguide having legs extending away from the ring in opposite directions and toward a common position. Clockwise and counterclockwise light waves are coupled from the ring to the two separate legs of the output waveguide and are directed to the common position to create an interfering light pattern on photodetector apparatus. The interfering light pattern is indicative of the rate of rotation, as defined by the Sagnac effect. Signal processing circuitry connected to the detector derives navigation and flight control information from the detector. In one embodiment, the ring laser and input and output couplers are implemented in a rare earth-doped lithium niobate substrate. In another embodiment, the ring laser and the input and output waveguides are implemented in rare earth-doped optical fibers. In a further embodiment, the ring laser and input and output couplers as well as the phase modulators and the photodetector apparatus are implemented in a single semiconductor substrate and gain electrically supplied to the ring laser.

Solid medium optical ring laser rotation sensor

A network structure for path generation includes an operational amplifier circuit (200) implementation. The circuit (200) implements a finite difference approximation template for computing the weighted sum of its four 'neighbors.' The circuit implementation (200) includes a series of five output operational amplifiers (202, 204, 206, 208 and 210). Each of the output amplifiers includes a feedback path (212) having a feedback resistance, and is connected to the output terminal of its respective operational amplifier and to the negative input terminal (214) of the corresponding amplifier. The positive input terminal (216) of each of the output operational amplifiers is connected to a ground (218). The circuit implementation (200) further includes a series of input operational amplifiers (220, 222, 224, 226 and 228). The output terminals (230) of each of the input operational amplifiers are connected to respective ones of the input terminals (214) of the output operational amplifiers through input impedances. The input amplifiers include conductive feedback paths (232) having feedback resistances and connected to negative input terminals (234) of each of the input operational amplifiers. A positive input terminal (236) of each of the operational amplifiers is connected to a ground (238). Each of the negative input terminals (234) of each of the input operational amplifiers is connected to a series of four input impedances. Each of the input amplifiers includes reference voltage inputs.

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Kentwood, MI, United States of America

Michael D Olinger