Ground operations and advanced runway awareness and advisory system

US Patent 7,890,248
February 15, 2011
A device, method and computer program product for locating aircraft with respect to airport runways and taxiways, determining if a conflict exists between an aircraft having operating the invention and another aircraft, and generating and annunciating conflict awareness advisories as a function of determining that a conflict exists.

Radar target processing reduction systems and methods using cooperative surveillance sources

US Patent 7,889,114
February 15, 2011
Systems and methods for reducing radar target processing. The systems include a processor configured to receive a first input from a cooperative surveillance source and a second input from a radar device. The first input includes cooperative target information, the second input includes cooperative and non-cooperative target information, and the processor is configured to process the first and second inputs to remove cooperative target information from the second input based on the first input to generate a modified radar output for use by an output device. The methods include receiving a first input including cooperative target information from a cooperative surveillance source, receiving a second input including cooperative and non-cooperative target information from a radar device, processing the first and second inputs to remove cooperative target information from the second input based on the first input, and generating a modified radar output based on the processed first and second inputs.

Durable digital writing and sketching instrument

US Patent 7,884,811
February 8, 2011
A hand-holdable, durable digital writing and sketching device or assembly having rugged construction that houses an on-board camera with a view through an optical window of a writing surface brought in view by a user moving the device. The device is rugged, sealed, and is capable of withstanding dropping, water submersion, abrasive incursions, and resistance to chemical and fungal degradation. The optical window and optic channel to the camera is protected by a durable and replaceable light-transmitting shield that provides a sealed barrier to the environmental elements harmful to the functioning of the device. The writing and sketching device oscillates between a stowed and a deployed state. The deployed state includes the camera being in view the writing surface and the stowed state includes the camera being either masked from viewing the writing surface or aimed internally from viewing the writing surface. Other versions of the digital writing and sketching device include replaceable styli and pens that are removable and interchangeable with a sealed chamber in the device. The stylus point or pen ends are substantially in view of the on-board device camera. Signal transmissions communicated from the digital writing and sketching device convey pressures experienced by the inserted stylus or pens and are represented in proportion to a microprocessor based display that conveys changing field of view experienced by the on-board camera.

Repetitive fence for cross-cutting materials

US Patent 7,882,772
February 8, 2011
A repetitive fence utilizes a plurality of telescoping arms driven by a metal tape of the tape measure type to position a stop member at a desired location from a saw blade. A user can position a work piece, such as board lumber against the stop member to repeatedly position the work piece at a desired cut dimension with respect to a saw blade. The repetitive fence preferably employs a plurality of telescoping arms to position the stop member at the desired location, and an electronic read-out provided to indicate to the user the position of the stop member with respect to the saw blade. The telescoping arms can be motivated by electronic devices, such as an electric motor, or by a manual crank.

Putter

US Patent D631,925
February 1, 2011
The ornamental design for a putter, as shown and described.

System and method for dynamically configuring wireless network geographic coverage or service levels

US Patent 7,877,088
January 25, 2011
A system and a method for facilitating communication between a remote station and a service network are disclosed. A remote station is associated with a first communicator configured to communicate over a first communication network and a second communicator configured to communicate over a second communication network. A communication controller associated with the remote station and coupled with the first communicator and the second communicator is operable to transmit a first set of signals using the first communicator a second set of signals using the second communicator. A mobile network access point is directable to within a communication range of the second communicator of the remote station when the remote station is outside of an existing communication range of the second communication network and the first set of signals includes a resource request for the second communication network.

Vehicle seat with a deformable backrest

US Patent 7,874,618
January 25, 2011
The invention relates to a vehicle seat with a backrest (1) and a seat part (2a), wherein the seat part (2a) can be displaced in the forward and backward direction (4) with respect to a base frame (3, 11) and the backrest (1) has a lumbar spine region (14) which can be deformed in the forward and backward direction (13), wherein a rocker-like element (8) is provided which is arranged in the lumbar spine region (14) such that it can pivot about a horizontally running pivot axle (9), said rocker-like element extending at least partially along the longitudinal direction of the backrest, wherein the pivot axle (9) can be displaced together with the seat part (2a) in the forward and backward direction (4) and a pivotable section (8b) of the rocker-like element (8) is attached to the base frame (3, 11) in a backrest region of the base frame (3, 11).

Field-reversible cabinet latch lock

US Patent 7,874,189
January 25, 2011
A four-way, field-reversible self-latching cabinet lock includes a cylinder and plug assembly shell that is rotatable with respect to a bolt housing cover for the lock. A locking device is provided to fix the cylinder and plug assembly shell in one of four orthogonal positions with respect to the bolt housing cover. The bolt housing cover is receivable by a bolt housing and conventional self-latching latch bolt. In this manner, pins in the cylinder and plug assembly may be retained in a desirable vertical position while a throw of the bolt can be adjusted to vertical, inverted, left-hand, and right-hand positions in the field without special tools or additional parts.

Composite avionics chassis

US Patent 7,869,216
January 11, 2011
An avionics chassis for protecting against damage, dust, dirt and incidental moisture over an extended temperature range, EMI shielding to prevent radiation of internal circuit energy and preventing the entrance of external EMI. The chassis provides lower weight, lower levels of radiated emissions and improved resistance to incident external radiation. Electric and magnetic shielding is also provided.

Thin-part feeding device

US Patent 7,861,889
January 4, 2011
A thin-part feeding device is provided which is compact and efficient. The device has a funnel portion with a feeding opening at the bottom thereof, a take-out tube for taking out thin parts from the funnel portion, and a receiving portion with separate opening for receiving thin parts from the discharge opening. The receiving portion is movable, and the receiving opening is sized to receive only one thin part. The device is operative to repeat a state where the receiving opening faces the discharge opening, and a state where the receiving opening is away from the discharge opening to enable thin parts to be taken out from the receiving opening. The device also features a novel, posture-correcting portion to correct vertical posture of thin parts, a delivery portion for receiving posture-corrected thin parts, and a transporting portion as described.