Abstract:
A retractable deflector to deflect birds and debris from an air intake duct of an aircraft jet engine. The duct has a forward opening for air receipt. The deflector includes a plurality of elongate members disposed on the duct in spaced relation to each other, each member having two end segments and a central segment disposed between the two end segments; and a plurality of guiding members, each mounted for movement along the perimeter of the duct and coupled to one end segment of an elongate member. The central segment of each elongate member extends between a pair of guiding members such that the elongate member is movable by a respective pair of guiding members between a retracted position and a deployed position in front of the duct. When in the deployed position, the central segments are situated to impede the ingress of debris into the duct.
Abstract:
Methods of, and apparatus for, storing and transporting a hazardous fluid, such as a combustible fuel, include methods and means, respectively, for: (a) treating the fluid to reduce its hazardous condition; (b) storing and/or transporting the treated fluid in such a manner that the risk of its hazardous condition remains reduced; (c) thereafter retreating the fluid to restore it to its original hazardous condition so that the fluid may be used in its restored condition. The hazardous fluid may be treated by adding a substance to, or removing a substance from, the fluid, or by changing the state of the fluid. For example, if the fluid is a fuel, it may be treated by cooling it to near or below its freezing temperature to reduce its combustibility, volatility, explosivity and/or ease of ignition.
Abstract:
Medical monitoring and treatment apparatus, which is controlled by a plurality of control sources, includes a “personal medical device” (PMD) or an “implantable medical device” (IMD), respectively carried by, or implanted in, a patient. The PMD/IMD is alternatively self-controlled or controlled by one or more local external control stations, at or near the location of the patient, and/or one or more remote external control stations, remote from the patient. Either or both of the local and remote stations may be operated by a person, such as the patient, a patient facilitator and/or a medical professional, or the stations may operate automatically. Since the device is controlled by multiple sources, hierarchies are used to select the source of control.
Abstract:
A method for policing and managing the operation of a flying, unmanned aircraft in the event of usurpation of control of, malfunction of, or ill-intentioned use of, this aircraft includes the steps of (a) detecting inappropriate operation of the aircraft; (b) transmitting a takeover command to the aircraft to interrupt control of the operation of this aircraft by a first pilot and relinquish control of the aircraft to a second pilot; and (c) transmitting control commands to the aircraft to control its operation by the second pilot, until the need for alternate pilot control of the aircraft has ended or until the aircraft has landed safely.
Abstract:
An electronic medical monitoring and treatment apparatus allows a person access to a medical professional (MP) who can monitor, diagnose and treat the person from a remote site. The apparatus includes a medical monitoring and treatment device (MMTD) coupled to an electronic adapter designed to communicate with a local, first transmitting/receiving (T/R) device which, in turn, is adapted to electronically communicate with a remote, second transmitting/receiving (T/R) device used by the MP. The MMTD may comprise a cardiac treatment circuit for effecting cardiac pacing and/or defibrillation and a cardiac signal circuit for receiving cardiac signals. The cardiac signals are (1) transmitted from the signal circuit to the second T/R device for evaluation by the MP, (2) the MP may transmit a control signal to the treatment circuit, and (3), in response thereto, the treatment circuit may generate one or more electrical pulses for treatment of the person.
Abstract:
System and method for monitoring and controlling, defibrillation and pacing which allows a victim of a cardiac rhythm abnormality immediate access to a medical professional at a central station, who will remotely monitor, diagnose and treat the victim at one of a plurality of remote sites in accordance with the following steps: (1) providing a plurality of contact electrodes for a victim at a remote site for the receipt of ECG signals and for the application of electrical pulses to the victim; (2) transmitting the signals from the remote site to a central station and displaying them for review by the medical professional; (3) the medical professional selecting from a menu of defibrillation and pacing pulses, if the application thereof is appropriate; (4) transmitting the selection results to the remote site; and (5) receiving the selection results at the remote site and applying the selected pulses to the victim.
Abstract:
A method and apparatus for controlling the flight of an aircraft in the event of an in-flight emergency is disclosed. The apparatus includes: (a) a remote flight control, located separate and apart from said aircraft, for remote flight control of said aircraft by a remote human pilot; (b) an onboard manual flight control on the aircraft for manual flight control of the aircraft by an onboard human pilot; (c) an onboard autopilot on the aircraft for automatic flight control of the aircraft; (d) a device for detecting an in-flight emergency on board the aircraft, when the onboard pilot is incapable of properly manually flying said first aircraft due to an attack upon the aircraft or its occupants, including its onboard human pilots, or due to any other incapacity of the onboard human pilots, and producing an in-flight emergency signal in response thereto; and (e) an onboard remote piloting device on the aircraft for receiving the in-flight emergency control signal and control signals from said remote flight control device and allowing the control of the aircraft by the remote human pilot and preventing flight control by any person on board the aircraft.
Abstract:
The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for: 1) displaying all vital central station (CS) information and controls on a single screen; 2) linking peripheral central stations (pCSs) to a master central station (mCS); 3) operating the system disclosed in U.S. Ser. No. 10/460,458, without medical professionals (MPs) in the mCS or without any mCS; 4) linking a remote controlled defibrillator (RCD™) unit to an arrest sensor; 5) operating an RCD unit in a motor vehicle and linking an RCD unit to a vehicle communications system; 6) linking an RCD unit to a CS through a network of: a) non-vehicle-based stationary units (SUs), b) vehicle-based SUs/vehicle communication systems, or c) non-vehicle-based SUs and vehicle-based SUs/vehicle communication systems; 7) using an RCD unit with a chest compression device; 8) using the network of RCD units and MPs for disaster monitoring; and 9) monitoring and treating hospital patients and motor vehicle passengers.
Abstract:
A method and apparatus for identifying the writer of a document, where identifying information for each of a plurality of registered human individuals is stored in a database, calls for capturing local images of an individual making writings and/or keyboard entries and determining whether the individual making these writings and/or keyboard entries is the same as one of the registered individuals whose identifying information is stored in the database. The identifying information stored in the database includes both an alphanumeric identifier and an image of a unique, visually observable biologic identifier on a body portion of each registered individual. The local images include both:(i) the making of the writings and/or keyboard entries by the individual whose identifying information may be stored in the database; and(ii) a body portion of this same individual on which is visible the biologic identifier.
Abstract:
A system for supervising the landing of an aircraft by a supervisor in a control station, each of the aircraft being incapable of being controlled by any personnel onboard, the system comprises a control station and onboard aircraft control apparatus. The station includes an input device, responsive to the supervisor, for producing a control signal for controlling the landing of the aircraft; and a transmitting device, coupled to the input device, for communication with the aircraft. The aircraft apparatus includes a receiving device for communication with the station; a logic device, coupled to the receiving device, for controlling the aircraft which is programmed to pilot the aircraft to the vicinity of the airfield. The control signal is selected by the supervisor, based on the supervisor's observations of the aircraft and is transmitted to the logic device; in response thereto, the logic device controls the aircraft.