An indication of altitude variation about a preselected altitude is provided from a real time altitude information input signal in response to an altitude alert control signal which is proportional to a pair of complementary sinusoidal functions, sine and cosine, of the altitude variation. The uncorrected altitude information and the preselected altitude information are both fed to fine and coarse transolvers which each provide the sine and cosine functions of the angular equivalent of the altitude variation. The relative magnitudes of these sinusoidal functions are compared to provide the alert control signal. The fine cosine signal is phase demodulated with the coarse cosine signal as a reference and the relative magnitude thereof compared with the relative magnitude of the fine sine signal in order to provide both an inner and an outer alert control signal for a logic network. The relative magnitudes of the coarse sine and cosine signals are also compared to provide an arming signal for the logic network. The logic network is responsive to the alert control signals to control both an aural and a visual alarm.
In an individual protective device for lobsters or similar crustaceans during their growth, a body, heavier than water, pierced with an elongated open cavity having a substantially elliptic cross-section the size of which gradually increases from the bottom of said cavity up to its opening, so that the young lobster or similar crustacean placed at the bottom of said cavity will be maintained in a natural position by said cavity and, during its successive casts of its shell, approach the opening.
Utilizing a three-wire input from a synchro, a signal representing the rate of rotation of the synchro shaft is generated by means of: summing amplifiers to generate signals representing the cosine of the shaft angle and the sine of the shaft angle; a circuit for generating a signal representing the tangent of the shaft angle; a circuit for generating the signal representing the cotangent of the shaft angle; feedback circuits for linearizing both the tangent and cotangent signals; a differentiator circuit for differentiating the tangent signal; a differentiator circuit for differentiating the cotangent signal; and a switching circuit for selecting the rate output from the differentiator with a linear output.
An apparatus and method for automatically and independently determining aircraft altitude and alerting the pilot to deviations from a target altitude exceeding a specified tolerance. The alerter comprises an altitude sensing means for sensing the present altitude of the aircraft. The invention discloses three sources for altitude information namely, a self-contined sensor such as a pressure transducer, a Global Positioning System receive, or an altitude encoder. A target entry means is used for entering the target altitude. An indicating means signals an altitude alerting condition upon the detection of a condition wherein the absolute difference is larger than the tolerance value. The altitude alerting apparatus may also comprise a display means for display of the present aircraft altitude information.
An aircraft instrument for warning the pilot that the aircraft is in an unsafe condition in proximity to the ground. The instrument has inputs representing aircraft configuration, flight condition with respect to the ground, and glide slope. Detector circuits process the inputs and give a warning of unsafe proximity to the ground. The boundary conditions for the warning are selected to avoid false warnings. A glide slope detector distinguishes between a valid glide slope signal and spurious signals, without need for pilot input.
A flight performance data system comprises a control and display unit operably connected to a computer. The computer has input means responsive to real air mass parameters and real aircraft dynamic measurements. The computer is programmed to respond to the incoming signals and automatically generate various output signals representing flight profile data. A mode selector is operably connected to the computer to direct the computer in different modes to determine the different flight profile data for the climb, cruise, descent and other modes of the aircraft. For various modes, a different flight schedule can be determined corresponding to the most fuel efficient flight, a long-range cruise flight, or the most economical flight. In addition, the computer produces output signals corresponding to the maximum rate of climb and the maximum rate of descent in the climb and descent modes, respectively. A display screen selectively displays the desired flight profile data. In addition, given desired variables can be supplied by the pilot to the computer and the computer automatically generates an output signal corresponding to the flight profile data consistent with the desired variables.
