Abstract: A lighting arrangement constituted of: a power factor correction circuit; a lighting controller operative at an electrical potential consonant with the electric potential of the output of the power factor correction circuit; a switching network, coupled to the output of the power factor correction circuit and to respective outputs of the lighting controller; a transformer, a primary winding of the transformer coupled to the output of the switching network; and at least one luminaire coupled to at least one secondary winding of the transformer and arranged to be driven by the at least one secondary winding, the lighting controller operative to control the switching network via the respective outputs to switchably pass current from the power factor correction circuit through the primary winding, thereby powering the at least one luminaire.

Abstract: A system providing enhanced security for device based transactions, constituted of: a server associated with a network address; a first device associated with a user, the first device in communication with the server over a first communication channel responsive to an obtained server network address; a second device associated with the user arranged to obtain the server network address from the first device; and a mobile device server in communication with the second device over a second communication channel, the mobile device server in communication with the server via a third communication channel, the mobile device server arranged to: obtain the server network address from the second device over the second communication channel; obtain the server network address from a trusted source; and authorize to the server over third communication channel a transaction only in the event that the server network addresses are consonant.

Abstract: A synchronizer constituted of a first and second set of three serially coupled latches coupled to a common clocking signal, the first and the ultimate latch of the first set responsive to a first edge of a common clocking signal and the penultimate latch responsive to an opposing edge of the common clocking signal, the second set being respectively responsive to the respective complementary edges of the clocking signal; an input lead arranged to receive a signal to be synchronized, the input lead coupled to the input of the first latch of the first set and to the input of the first latch of the second set; and a filter arranged to pass the output of each of the first set and the second set responsive to the penultimate latch of the set exhibiting a consistent output for two consecutive opposing edges.

Abstract: A method of color control for a backlight utilizing colored light emitting diodes (LEDs), the method constituted of: providing a plurality of colored LED strings constituted of at least three different colors; lighting each of the plurality of colored LED strings to provide a backlight; providing a period wherein none of the colored LED strings are lit; obtaining during the provided period when none of the colored LED strings are lit, an indication of an ambient light; obtaining during the provided period when the colored LED strings are lit, an indication of the optical output of the colored LED strings; and controlling the lighting of the provided plurality of colored LED strings responsive to the received indication of ambient light and the received indication of the output of the colored LED strings. Preferably, the method is performed in cooperation with an on-board color sensor.

Abstract: A computer implemented method of determining a view impact of a target structure, the method constituted of: loading a 3D scene; determining a view point and direction of interest of the loaded 3D scene; rendering, without the target structure, a plane of the loaded 3D scene image perpendicular to the determined view point and direction of interest at a distance from the view point distal of the target structure; counting the number of pixels for the rendered plane without the target structure; rendering, with the target structure, a plane of the loaded 3D scene image perpendicular to the determined view point and direction of interest at the distance from the view point distal of the target structure; counting the number of pixels for the rendered plane with the target structure; and calculating the difference between the counted pixels with the target structure and the counted pixels without the target structure.

Abstract: An integrated circuit transimpedance amplifier arrangement constituted of: a plurality of internal matched resistors; a current multiplier arranged to output a signal whose value is a function of an input current signal, an external resistor and a first set of the plurality of internal matched resistors; and an output transimpedance amplifier coupled to the output of the current multiplier, the output transimpedance amplifier exhibiting a gain whose value is a function of a second set of the plurality of internal matched resistors, wherein the output of the output transimpedance amplifier is a function of the input current signal, the external resistor, the first set of the plurality of internal matched resistors and the second set of the plurality of internal matched resistors, wherein the variations with temperature of the first set of the plurality of internal matched resistors and the second set of the plurality of internal matched resistors cancel.

Abstract: An alternating current motor control system constituted of: a control unit; a cycloconverter functionality; a phase control functionality; and a semiconductor switching unit comprising a plurality of electronically controlled semiconductor switches each associated with a particular winding of a target alternating current motor and each independently responsive to the control unit. In one embodiment the semiconductor switching unit is arranged to connect the windings of the target alternating current motor to a three phase power input in one of a star and a delta configuration responsive to the control unit.

Abstract: A color manager for use with a luminaire constituted of a plurality of different colored light emitting diode based sub-luminaires arranged to produce a combined light. The color manager is constituted of a sampler arranged to output an electrical representation of the optical output of the luminaire, a converter coupled to the output of said sampler and operatively associated with a current selector arranged to select the driving current level of the luminaire from a plurality of current levels. The converter is arranged to convert said electrical representation to a pre-determined calorimetric system in cooperation with a calibration matrix whose values are selected responsive to the selected driving current level. The color manager further comprises a driver operatively associated with the luminaire, the converter and current selector and arranged to drive the luminaire in accordance with the driving current level as selected by the selector.

Abstract: A midspan unit arranged to supply power to a powered device over data communication cabling constituted of a signal conditioner exhibiting a transfer function with a gain of not less than ?0.4 dB as compared with: (K1*(s+R/L1+a)^m)/((s+R/L2+b)^n) over a predetermined frequency range associated with the data transmitted from the powered device. s represents 2*?*(??1)*f, wherein f represents the predetermined frequency range associated with the data terminal equipment to be powered. R represents the signal source impedance in parallel with the load termination impedance. L1 represents the effective inductance of a data transformer winding of the data transmitter of the powered device, the effective inductance determined responsive to power received by the powered device from the power sourcing equipment; and L2 represents the effective inductance of the data transformer winding of the data transmitter of the powered device expected by a receiver of the switch or hub equipment.

Abstract: A computer implemented method of visualizing an infrastructure comprising: acquiring a cross section definition, the definition comprising points defining a link and link information, each of the points exhibiting a type; creating at least one three dimensional face linking points of a same type; assigning a face rendering for each of the created at least one three dimensional faces with a material definitional associated with the link information; and displaying the faces with the rendering. The invention also provides for a computing system operable to: acquire a cross section definition, the definition comprising points defining a link and link information, each of the points exhibiting a type; create at least one three dimensional face linking points of a same type; and assign a face rendering for each of the created at least one three dimensional faces with a material definitional associated with the link information.

Abstract: A driving arrangement for a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs), the driving arrangement constituted of: a plurality of serially connected first LEDs coupled to a source voltage; a plurality of first electronically controlled switches, each associated with a particular one of the plurality of serially connected first LEDs and arranged to provide, when closed, a bypass current path for the associated first LED; and a control circuitry coupled to a control terminal of each of the plurality of first electronically controlled switches, the control circuitry operative to close a number of the plurality of first electronic switches, the number responsive to a voltage level of the source voltage.

Abstract: A low voltage drop unidirectional electronic valve constituted of: a first terminal; a second terminal; a first electronically controlled switch coupled between the first terminal and the second terminal; and a first charge pump arranged to close the first electronically controlled switch when the voltage potential at the first terminal is greater than the voltage potential at the second terminal by a first value. The first charge pump is arranged in a closed loop with the first electronically controlled switch so as to continuously maintain the voltage potential at the first terminal greater than the voltage potential at the second terminal by the first value.

Abstract: A chipset for powering and controlling a plurality of light emitting diode (LED) strings. The chipset includes a controller having a pulse width modulating (PWM) functionality and a data transfer interface circuitry; and at least one dissipative active element array comprising a plurality of dissipative active elements. The dissipative active element array(s) are packaged to be thermally separate from the controller. The PWM functionality is arranged to individually pulse width modulate a current flow through each of the LED strings. Each of the plurality of dissipative active elements is associated with a particular one of the plurality of LED strings and is arranged to limit the current flow of the pulse width modulated current that flows through the particular LED string to a value, the value being responsive to a value output by the controller via the data transfer interface circuitry.

Abstract: An automated method of controlling a power managed system, such as a power over Ethernet system. The method is constituted of: establishing a power consumption budget for a plurality of loads; defining an overbudget limit and an associated time window; monitoring power consumption of the plurality of loads; determining, at a plurality of time intervals over the associated time window, an indication of excess power consumption for each of the plurality of time intervals, the indication of excess power consumption being a function of the monitored power consumption and the defined power consumption budget; and in the event that an integral over the associated time window of a function of the determined indications of excess power consumption exceeds the overbudget limit, disabling at least one load from consuming power.

Abstract: A control element for a luminaire constituted of a first and a second manually variable non-momentary impedance and a first and a second time dependent gating circuit, each responsive to a respective manually variable non-momentary impedance and operative to provide a time dependent gating of a respective polarity of an alternating current power signal, the amount of time of the gating reflecting the present value of the respective manually variable non-momentary impedance, wherein the first time dependent gating circuit and the second time dependent gating circuit are restrained to maintain a minimum predetermined power towards the solid state lighting unit.

Abstract: A PSE configured to determine the end of the start up phase at the PD responsive to a condition of the voltage at the PSE output. In one particular embodiment, the startup phase end is determined responsive to a PSE output voltage within a predetermined range of the PSE input voltage. In another particular embodiment, the startup phase end is determined responsive to the voltage drop associated with the PSE current limiter being lower than a predetermined maximum. In yet another particular embodiment, the startup phase end is determined responsive to the absolute value of the rate of change of the PSE output voltage being lower than a predetermined value. In yet another particular embodiment, the startup phase end is determined responsive to the absolute value of the rate of change of the voltage drop associated with the PSE current limiter being lower than a predetermined value.

Abstract: A computer implemented method of providing a photo-realistic view on demand of a real-time interactive three dimensional simulation, the method comprising: providing a real-time interactive three dimensional simulation; selecting a camera position; and ray tracing the provided real-time interactive three dimensional simulation as a function of the selected camera position, the ray tracing providing the photo-realistic view.

Abstract: A power converter constituted of: a control circuitry; a first electric coil; a first electronically controlled switch associated with the first electric coil and responsive to the control circuitry, the first electronically controlled switch arranged to charge the first electric coil responsive to a closed state of the first electronically switch; and a second electronically controlled switch arranged to present a substantially short circuit across the first electric coil when the second electronically controlled switch is closed, the second electronically controlled switch responsive to the control circuitry and not arranged to either charge or discharge the first electric coil.

Abstract: A cold cathode fluorescent lamp controller constituted of a pulse generator exhibiting a cycle period; a burst dimming control operative to set a burst dimming duty cycle for the pulse generator; a comparator arranged to receive a signal indicative of the value of current through a load driven by the pulse generator and compare the received signal to a reference signal; an error detection circuit operative to shut down the pulse generator responsive to an output of the comparator indicating that the received signal is less than the reference signal for a predetermined number of cycles of the pulse generator; and a disable circuit arranged to prevent, when the set burst dimming duty cycle is less than a predetermined value, the shut down of the pulse generator responsive to the output of the comparator indicating the received signal is less than the reference signal.

Abstract: An ophthalmic apparatus exhibiting a first position and a second position related by a rotation of 180° about a longitudinal axis. Automatic detection of the position is preferably provided, and the results of the detection are communicated to a computing unit portion of the ophthalmic apparatus. The ophthalmic apparatus exhibits: a first formation for receiving a user's head in the first position, which is in one embodiment a generally curved formation approximating the shape of the user's lower forehead preferably with an indent portion for receiving the user's nose when the ophthalmic apparatus in the second position; and a second formation for receiving a user's head in the second position, which is in one embodiment a generally curved formation approximating the shape of the user's lower forehead preferably with an indent portion for receiving the user's nose when the ophthalmic apparatus in the first position.