Other

Oak Industries, Inc.

Cubic Defense Systems, Inc.

Spectrum Concepts, Inc.

Michael L Tentler

Gerald L Wheeler

Mark E Bonebright

Mircho A Davidov

Bernard Berkowitz

William F McNaul

Michael L Hightower

The differential-pressure-sensing and variable-area-occluding fundtions within variable-area flowmeters and flow regulators are performed by separate, but mechanically connected, elements. A housing defines a channel for guiding fluid flow from an upstream to a downstream location. A differential pressure sensor moves in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of fluid flow in response to a differential fluid pressure between the upstream and downstream locations. Because the movement of the pressure sensor is substantially perpendicular to the flowing fluid with which it comes in contact, it is substantially insensitive to fluid friction and to changes in fluid viscosity. A flow obstructor connects to the sensor and moves therewith to variably obstruct the channel and its flow of fluid from the upstream to the downstream location. Fluid frictional forces on the movement of the flow obstructor vary with changes in fluid viscosity. However the ratio of the area of the flow obstructor to the area of the pressure sensor, which ratio substantially equals the ratio of the fluid frictional forces to the pressure force, is consistently low, typically 1:100. Consequently the overall flowmeter or flow regulator is relatively insensitive to changes in fluid viscosity. It typically exhibits less than .+-.1% deviation in an indicated, or regulated, flow rate for variations in fluid viscosity on the order of .times.20.

Viscosity-insensitive mechanical fluid flow regulator

The flow rate of fluid components, typically water and syrup, is sensed by a flowmeter that is substantially insensitive to variations in fluid pressure and/or viscosity. A feedback circuit which may be either analog or digital permits the regulation of fluid flows to be in a precisely prescribed relative proportion. This proportion may be changed by varying the amplification gain of the feedback circuit in the analog configurations, or by programming a new ratio quantity in the digital configuration of the control circuit. The digital control circuit integrates the total fluid flow, and maintains historical records of the total fluid volume and portions dispensed. The dispensed volume of any particular portion may be predetermined by manually demarking the time interval over which such volume is flowed. The historical records of dispensing activity are securely stored and may be inspected in order to compare such activity to receipts derived from sale of the dispensed beverage only by an authorized interrogation device.

Precision dispensing of varying viscosity fluids in a prescribed mix

The differential-pressure-sensing and variable-area-occluding functions of a variable-area flowmeter, or rotameter, are performed by separate, but mechanically connected, means. A housing defines a channel for flowing fluid from an upstream to a downstream location. A differential pressure sensor moves in a direction substantially perpendicular to the flowing fluid in response to the differential fluid pressure between the upstream and downstream locations. Because its movement is perpendicular to the flowing fluid, the pressure sensor is substantially insensitive to fluid friction and changes in fluid viscosity. A flow obstructor connects to the sensor and moves therewith to variably obstruct the channel and the flow of fluid from the upstream to the downstream location. Fluid frictional forces on the movement of the flow obstructor vary with changes in fluid viscosity. However the ratio of the area of the flow obstructor to the area of the pressure sensor, which ratio substantially equals the ratio of the fluid frictional forces to the pressure force, is low, typically 1:100. Consequently the overall flowmeter is relatively insensitive to changes in fluid viscosity. It typically exhibits less than .+-.1% deviation in indicated flow rate for viscosity variations on the order of .times.20. A viscosity-insensitive flow regulator functions equivalently.

Viscosity-insensitive variable-area flowmeter

A system for correcting phase errors in a space based radar system utilizing probes located in front of an array of lens elements of a phased array antenna. Included is a mechanism for supplying a stored perfect value signal indicative of the distance between the probes and lens elements for a perfect, nondeformed array, and the mechanism for receiving radiated pilot signals to supply an actual value signal indicative of the actual distance between the probes and the lens elements to determine an amount of structural deformation. A mechanism is provided for measuring the difference in phase between the perfect value signal and the actual value signal to supply a deformation phase correction signal to adjust the beam steering command to correct for phase error introduced as a result of the measured structural deformation. Further disclosed is a system and method for effecting phase coherence across the array by utilizing a radiated reference pilot frequency pulse to each lens element. Any difference in phase between the measured reference pilot frequency pulse and a stored value is utilized to command a phase correction at each lens element utilizing a feedback loop for effecting phase coherence for the array, both on transmit as well as receive. Further disclosed is a method and system incorporating a digitally synthesized phase error correcting module with each lens element. In one embodiment, the correcting modules are dispersed among the lens elements utilizing an interpolation method for phase error correction.

Digitally synthesized phase error correcting system

A telephone device, typically a terminal, that receives a.c. communication signals and that sinks d.c. current to provide the off-hook signal is powered from (i) the telephone lines and, if line voltage is less than 7.4 v.d.c., from (ii) a 6 v.d.c. battery. Connection to telephone lines of voltage greater than 7.4 v.d.c. recharges the battery. The terminal further contains a CMOS microprocessor that may be declocked and placed in standby mode to conserve power. When so placed, the microprocessor maintains some of its signal lines at a logic High, 6 v.d.c., condition. In order to both unpower circuits such as a display, a memory, a DTMF dialer, and a modem to which the microprocessor signal lines connect, and to (ii) disrupt current leakage paths from the signal lines to ground through the unpowered circuits, the ground is removed from the circuits. This removal, controlled by a signal from the standby microprocessor, is performed by a transistor switch.

Power management in a microprocessor-controlled battery-powered

A hybrid TV frequency modulation feedback loop (FMFB) remote volume control includes an RF input and an intercarrier audio detector circuit connected thereto to provide a baseband audio signal. An amplitude control is provided for the audio signal. There are means for using the video carrier at the RF input to provide a signal representative of common mode spurious deviation (CMSD). There are circuit means for combining the common mode spurious deviation signal the amplitude controlled baseband audio signal, from the intercarrier audio detector and for providing an aural carrier signal having common mode spurious deviation and amplitude controlled audio.

Growing community of inventors

San Diego, CA, United States of America

Michael L Tentler