Phoenix Group, Inc.

Other

Richard Pandolfi

John J Mackey

Christopher J Brogan

A hard disk system having a disk housing shock mounted in an environmental housing employs a device to transfer heat from the disk housing while avoiding any mechanical connection that would impose significant rigidity between the disk housing and the environment housing so as to defeat the shock mounting. In one embodiment, a Peltier effect heat pump has a cold side in contact with the disk housing and a hot side in contact with heat-conducting spring fingers contacting the environmental housing. In another embodiment, a fan is positioned in a space between the outside of the disk housing and the inside of the environmental housing to circulate air around the disk housing, while a Peltier effect heat pump moves heat to the environmental housing. In yet another embodiment, the fan is positioned in the space between the disk housing and the environmental housing, and the Peltier effect heat pump has a cold side in contact with an exterior surface of the environmental housing and a hot side in contact with a heat sink. In still another embodiment, a flexible heat pipe comprising a shell containing a low vapor-point liquid is positioned in the space between the outside of the disk housing and the inside of the environmental housing with respective ends in contact with each of the housings.

Environmental system for rugged disk drive

One or more video cameras are mounted on the vehicle to make continuously a visual record of the scene in a region around the vehicle. Camera images during a time interval covering the current time and the recent past are stored on-board the vehicle, preferably, digitally recorded in a compressed format. In addition, data (e.g. one or more operating parameters such as speed, GPS data, engine, and/or brake operating parameters) from the vehicle's on-board embedded computers covering the present and recent past interval are also preferably digitally stored on-board the vehicle. An accident detector or detectors on-board the vehicle, for example a biaxial accelerometer, generate a trigger signal in response to an accident, such as the vehicle striking something or being struck by another vehicle. In response to an accident detector trigger signal, the data stored on-board the vehicle is automatically transmitted over a wireless link (e.g. public access links such as CDPD, satellite and Iredium or a private link) to a central data base. Data in the central data base is connected by a digital data network such as the Internet or a secured intranet and the data can be accessed via a computer terminal of an authorized party, such as an insurance adjuster for the company providing coverage to the vehicle, a self-insured entity, or a loss management facility.

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Melville, NY, United States of America

Richard Pandolfi