Abstract: A self-powered sensor (e.g., 100, 180, 220, 400) can wake-up systems requiring a trigger signal to wake-up circuits or systems in power-sleep mode, conserving the battery power for emergency computations and communications. In a humidity sensor embodiment 100, radioisotope generated voltage biases are employed to power sensor capacitors to realize self-powered sensors. A first self-powered capacitor biasing architecture 160 is based on changes in the leakage resistance of the polymer capacitor 110, and a second self-powered capacitor biasing architecture 140 uses changes in the capacitance of the polymer capacitor. Another sensor embodiment uses changes in the capacitance or leakage resistance of the sensor capacitor to modulate conductance of a MOSFET 114, realizing an easily readable electronic output signal. A temperature sensor embodiment 180 and a MEMS cantilever structure based fissile material proximity sensor embodiment 400 are also disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an electrical wiring device that includes an actuator assembly that is responsive to the fault detection signal. The actuator assembly includes a breaker coil configured to generate an actuation force in response to being energized. A circuit interrupter includes four sets of movable contacts configured to be driven into a reset state in response to a reset stimulus, the four sets of movable contacts being configured to be driven into a tripped state in response to the actuation force. A self-test circuit is coupled to the plurality of line terminals or the at least one sensor. The self-test circuit is configured to automatically generate a test signal from time to time during a predetermined portion of an AC power line cycle. The self-test circuit is configured such that the test signal is sensed by the at least one sensor when the at least one sensor is operational, the sensor output signal being a function of the test signal.

Abstract: A method of using a discriminant analysis and Kalman filter cascade to improve the accuracy of point of origin solutions. Tracking information about a potential target is utilized by an initial discrimination function to classify the target as a projectile. Using that information, the output of a first Kalman filter is fed into an additional discrimination function to further classify the type or sub-class of the projectile. A second Kalman filter can employ type-specific information to obtain a point of origin solution with increased efficiency and accuracy.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an electrical wiring device that includes a plurality of line terminals including a line hot terminal and a line neutral terminal, and a plurality of load terminals including a load hot terminal and a load neutral terminal. An interrupting contact assembly includes four sets of interrupting contacts configured to provide electrical continuity at least between the line hot terminal and the load hot terminal and the line neutral terminal and the load neutral terminal in a reset state. The four sets of interrupting contacts are open in a tripped state. A miswire prevention arrangement is configured to prevent the interrupting contact assembly from maintaining the reset state when the load hot terminal and the load neutral terminal are connected to a source of AC power.

Abstract: Plastic microfluidic structures having a substantially rigid diaphragm that actuates between a relaxed state wherein the diaphragm sits against the surface of a substrate and an actuated state wherein the diaphragm is moved away from the substrate. As will be seen from the following description, the microfluidic structures formed with this diaphragm provide easy to manufacture and robust systems, as well readily made components such as valves and pumps.

Abstract: A PCLC flake/fluid host suspension that enables dual-frequency, reverse drive reorientation and relaxation of the PCLC flakes is composed of a fluid host that is a mixture of: 94 to 99.5 wt % of a non-aqueous fluid medium having a dielectric constant value ?, where 1<?<7, a conductivity value ?, where 10?9>?>10?7 Siemens per meter (S/m), and a resistivity r, where 107>r>1010 ohm-meters (?-m), and which is optically transparent in a selected wavelength range ??; 0.0025 to 0.25 wt % of an inorganic chloride salt; 0.0475 to 4.75 wt % water; and 0.25 to 2 wt % of an anionic surfactant; and 1 to 5 wt % of PCLC flakes suspended in the fluid host mixture. Various encapsulation forms and methods are disclosed including a Basic test cell, a Microwell, a Microcube, Direct encapsulation (I), Direct encapsulation (II), and Coacervation encapsulation. Applications to display devices are disclosed.

Abstract: A password protected machine where a primary alternative password and a secondary alternative password are assigned, but the secondary alternative password cannot be used to gain access unless and until the primary alternative password has been deactivated. Also, a password protected machine where a user is assigned at least two alternative passwords, and where the use of one alternative password will automatically deactivate the other password. Preferably, there is a primary password and a secondary password such that: (i) the use of the primary password does not deactivate the secondary password, but (ii) the use of the secondary password does deactivate the primary password.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a radar system that includes an antenna array having a plurality of antenna elements and a plurality of transmit antenna phase centers. A transmitter portion is configured to transmit a plurality of transmit beams characterized by a transmit beam pattern. The transmit beam pattern has a predetermined transmit beamwidth that is a function of the number of orthogonal transmit waveforms. The number of orthogonal transmit waveforms is less than the plurality of antenna elements. A receiver portion is also coupled to the antenna array and is configured to extract a plurality of orthogonal receive signal components from a received signal provided by the antenna array. A plurality of extracted orthogonal receive signal components are digitally beam formed to implement a virtual antenna array and generate a receive signal having a receive beamwidth.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a protective device configured to be disposed in an electrical distribution system between a source of electrical power and an electrical load. The electrical distribution system includes at least one line hot conductor, a line neutral conductor, and a line ground conductor. The line neutral conductor is connected to the line ground conductor at a termination point in the electrical distribution system. The electrical load includes at least one load hot conductor, a load neutral conductor, and a load ground conductor, the device comprises a conditioning circuit configured to monitor a differential current flowing through the plurality of line termination elements and configured to generate a conditioning signal in response thereto. The conditioning signal propagates in a path formed by the line neutral conductor and the line ground conductor to thereby reduce a differential current propagating in the at least one line hot conductor and the line neutral conductor.

Abstract: An employee incentive game overlies a sales application used with POS terminals. The game includes a back office portion and a front end employee interface portion. The game parameters, which are set up on the back office portion, identify a start time, a stop time, and a predetermined sales item which is the subject of the game. Each time the predetermined item is sold, the selling cashier receives a point. The front end interface portion informs the cashier of the predetermined sales item, identifies the game parameters, and graphically displays a score card whenever prompted to do so. The score card also shows the standings of the other cashiers in the game. The standings are updated in real time via the POS terminal data gathered by the sales application. At the end of the game, the cashier with the most points is recognized.

Abstract: A light fixture including a turbine generator having one or more vertical-axis wind turbines (VAWTs) for generating energy and a plate located above and/or below each turbine for focusing and converging the wind inwardly. The plate is aerodynamically-designed to converge the wind onto the turbine and provide a strong wind current. The turbine generator is incorporated into a light fixture to provide self-sustaining light energy. Solar panels may be provided in conjunction with the turbine generator to provide an additional source of energy and a controller is included to manage the flow of electricity and ensure that the light fixture is powered during periods of darkness.

Abstract: Three-dimensional grating device includes two (crossed) diffraction gratings, exhibits diffraction efficiency substantially independent of the incident polarization inside an optical communication spectral window from 1.5-1.6 ?m. The gratings are characterized by different periods in two directions, chosen to support only one dispersive diffraction order in addition to the zero-(specular) order. Gratings may be orthogonal. Exemplary grating profiles include but are not limited to sinusoidal and truncated pyramidal (trapezoidal) profiles. A method for diffracting polarization independent light with 90% or higher efficiency. Applications include various wavelength control devices particularly useful in telecommunications.

Abstract: A method and system for managing email between a sender and a recipient wherein the method and system provide the recipient with control over routing an email message, wherein the control includes predefining directions to be executed upon the receipt of an email message, and wherein the directions are dependent upon the properties of the email message. The recipient may enable or disable the control at any time.

Abstract: A method and system for filtering tags in a collaborative bookmarking system wherein the collaborative bookmarking system includes confidential and/or proprietary information, whereby tag filters prevent access to certain confidential and/or proprietary information by permitting a user access to the collaborative bookmarking system, authenticating the user, permitting the user to submit a search request to the collaborative bookmarking system, whereby the search request retrieves search result tags, and filtering the search result tags to provide only authorized tags to the user.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a semiconductor device that includes at least one p-n junction including a p-type material, an n-type material, and a depletion region. The at least one p-n junction is configured to generate bulk photocurrent in response to incident light. The at least one p-n junction is characterized by a conduction band energy level, a valence band energy level and a surface Fermi energy level. The surface Fermi energy level is pinned either near or above the conduction band energy level or near or below the valence band energy level. A unipolar barrier structure is disposed in a predetermined region within the at least one p-n junction.

Abstract: A method and system for providing immunity to a computer system wherein the system includes an immunity module, a recovery module, a maintenance module, an assessment module, and a decision module, wherein the immunity module, the recovery module, the maintenance module and the assessment module are each linked to the decision module. The maintenance module monitors the system for errors and sends an error alert message to the assessment module, which determines the severity of the error and the type of package required to fix the error. The assessment module sends a request regarding the type of package required to fix the error to the recovery module. The recovery module sends the package required to fix the error to the maintenance module, which fixes the error in the system.

Abstract: Vibration sources are applied to a body or other object to image a region of interest. The mechanical vibrations introduced by the sources interfere in the region of interest to produce a crawling wave, which is detected by an ultrasound probe A relationship between crawling wave phase derivatives and local shear wave velocity is derived with phase derivatives estimated using either one-dimensional (1D) or two-dimensional (2D) autocorrelation-based techniques to image the region of interest.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an electrical wiring system for use in an AC electrical power distribution circuit including at least one first AC power conductor disposed between an upstream AC power element and a device box and at least one second AC power conductor disposed between the device box and a downstream AC power element. The at least one first AC power conductor and the at least one second AC power conductor are routed into an interior portion of the device box and accessible via a front open face of the device box. The system includes a connector device including a connector housing having a plurality of connector contacts disposed therein. The plurality of connector contacts are coupled to termination structures configured to couple the at least one first AC power conductor and the at least one second AC power conductor to corresponding contacts of the plurality of connector contacts. An electrical wiring device includes a device housing having a front portion and a rear portion.