General Electric Company

Lockheed Martin Corporation

Martin Marietta Corporation

General Electirc Company

Michael Paul Weir

Kenneth Brakeley Welles

Irfan Ali

Hunt Adams Sutherland

Matthew Douglas Marple

Jung Yoon Park

Nataniel Barbosa Vicente

Laurie Satsue Hiyakumoto

John Erik Hershey

Gary Jude Saulnier

Stephen Michael Hladik

John Anderson Ross

A linking process allows a head-end unit (HEU) of a railroad train to determine the sequence of cars in the train using wireless links between nodes on the cars, and requires no physical connection between the nodes or cars. Each car in the train is equipped with a wireless communication device which models an oscillator i. Each oscillator is phase-variable, the phase .theta..sub.i linearly increasing from 0 to 1 such that, when the i.sup.th oscillator 'fires', transmitting a packet, and phase .theta..sub.i then jumps back to zero. When a car receives the transmission of another car, it changes the phase of its oscillator according to a phase-response curve function, setting up a wave pattern of transmission from nodes, from one end of the train to the other end. The wave pattern, along with protocol logic, enables each car to determine the sequence in which cars are arranged in its vicinity. The protocol logic also enables each car to forward or relay this 'local map' from all cars to the HEU, allowing the HEU to construct the entire train map which is the sequence of cars in the train. The compiled train map is compared with consist information and the operator is notified of any discrepancy.

Automatic serialization of an array of wireless nodes based on coupled

A pressure sensor having structure for generating a magnetic force to balance forces on opposing sides of a flexible diaphragm centered within a pressure chamber allows fluid pressure to be introduced into the chamber on one side of the diaphragm. A first magnetic coil is positioned on another side of the diaphragm and a second coil is mounted to the diaphragm. When fluid pressure is introduced into the pressure chamber, the diaphragm deflects, and the magnitude of current required to generate a recentering magnetic force which causes the diaphragm to be recentered constitutes a measure of the fluid pressure. Since the recentering magnetic force is substantially unaffected by temperature, the fluid pressure measurement obtained is substantially independent of temperature.

Pressure sensors

A low complexity and low cost transmitted reference spread spectrum communications system provides several methods of generating a suitable wideband carrier, a method for combining the wideband carrier with a narrowband modulated wideband carrier, and a number of implementations of a simple, inexpensive receiver for the transmitted reference communications system. The transmitter includes a balanced modulator for modulating a wideband spreading signal with a narrowband message signal to generate a wideband carrier. A signal combiner combines the wideband carrier with a narrowband modulated wideband carrier to generate a transmitted reference spread spectrum signal. The receiver includes a selectable time delay device having a plurality of taps for receiving a detected received signal from the transmitter. A tap selector selects a delayed signal from the selectable time delay device. A mixer combines output signals of the selectable time delay device and the tap selector, and a leaky integrator receives the mixer output signal and controls the tap selector. The leaky detector generates the narrowband message signal.

Transmitted reference spread spectrum communications system

A general absolute value circuit for developing a true, symmetric or bipolar, absolute value output signal from an input charge signal, compact enough to be used on a sensor chip incorporated into (or used in combination with) a pixel processor of the type used in imaging and other systems that collect electromagnetic radiation as part of on-chip circuitry, includes a balanced differential amplifier combined with a merged dual shelf transistor structure. The balanced differential amplifier, in response to an input charge signal, drives the merged dual shelf transistor structure which in turn generates the desired true absolute value output signal. Such circuitry may be used in imaging systems to implement focal-plane processing algorithms or may be used for performing a single read true absolute value computation by a pixel processor located on a sensor chip. The merged dual shelf transistor structure enhances performance and speed of the processor in which it is incorporated.

General absolute value circuit

Electronic control module controller

Electronic control module display

Apparatus for electrically coupling a motor to a power source and providing overload protection to the motor includes a controller having a programmable module for periodically computing data indicative of motor temperature based upon motor current. The controller supplies an output signal based at least upon the computed motor temperature data. A contactor, responsive to the controller output signal, deenergizes the motor whenever any last-computed motor temperature data reaches or exceeds a threshold temperature. The last-computed motor temperature data is stored in a memory prior to the motor being deenergized. A signal from a timer circuit indicative of elapsed time after the motor is deenergized, together with the stored motor temperature data, enable the programmable module to compute fresh date indicative of motor temperature subsequent to the motor being deenergized. The programmable module, upon initialization with the fresh motor temperature data, can readily resume periodic computation of motor temperature data based upon current now drawn by the motor.

Apparatus and method for motor overload protection using an elapsed-time

A system for testing the integrity of critical circuitry, lines and wires employs a differential amplifier having an input resistance R.sub.in and a feedback loop with a resistance R.sub.fb. The critical wires being tested must be a signal wire series connected to a resistance R.sub.S, which is in turn series connected to a return wire. A test voltage source is connected to the noninverting input of the differential amplifier. The signal wire is connected to the inverting input of the differential amplifier. The test voltage source is activated by a test control unit. When activated, the test voltage source provides two distinct outputs allowing computation of a test gain in the presence of other functional signals. The test control unit measures the output V.sub.out of the differential amplifier and computes the value of the test gain. A break in either the signal wire or the return wire will result in a test gain of 1. If the signal and return wires are shorted, the test gain will be 1+R.sub.fb /R.sub.in. If the wires are undamaged, the test gain will be 1+R.sub.fb /(R.sub.in +R.sub.S). The test control unit then activates an appropriate output device in the event of a fault. In an alternate embodiment, a second amplifier is employed to synthesize a second signal which is subtracted out of the V.sub.out signal to remove the effects on the signal introduced from testing.

Method for in-place circuit integrity testing

A system for testing the integrity of critical circuitry, lines and wires employs a differential amplifier having an input resistance R.sub.in and a feedback loop with a resistance R.sub.fb. The critical wires being tested must be a signal wire series connected to a resistance R.sub.s, which is in turn series connected to a return wire. A test voltage source is connected to the noninverting input of the differential amplifier. The signal wire is connected to the inverting input of the differential amplifier. The test voltage source is activated by a test control unit. When activated, the test voltage source provides two distinct outputs allowing computation of a test gain in the presence of other functional signals. The test control unit measures the output V.sub.out of the differential amplifier and computes the value of the test gain. A break in either the signal wire or the return wire will result in a test gain of 1. If the signal and return wires are shorted, the test gain will be 1+R.sub.fb /R.sub.in. If the wires are undamaged, the test gain will be 1+R.sub.fb /(R.sub.in +R.sub. s). The test control unit then activates an appropriate output device in the event of a fault. In an alternate embodiment, a second amplifier is employed to synthesize a second signal which is subtracted out of the V.sub.out signal to remove the effects on the signal introduced from testing.

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Ballston Lake, NY, United States of America

Michael Paul Weir