Abstract: A surge protection cartridge is disclosed which is compact, allows for surge protection devices to be inserted and removed by hand, is rugged, is easy to use and is economical. The cartridge includes a plastic housing, a series of tip and ring terminals mounted to the housing, a ground bar mounted within the housing, a guide strip frictionally mounted to the housing, two attachment clips and a cover. The guide strip is partitioned and includes surge protection device pads with three holes and funnel-like bordering surfaces around each hole to facilitate installation of the devices. The side walls of the housing are shortened to allow hand installation and removal of devices and the cover is used to protect the devices and maintain their connection even when the cartridge is roughly handled. The attachment clips connect to the housing, to a standard telecommunication frame and to a modular terminal block assembly.

Abstract: A valve for a vent. The valve includes an inner leaf having a closed state which covers the vent and blocks gas flow through the vent in a first direction, and an open state which opens the vent and allows gas flow through the vent in a second direction. The valve includes an outer leaf opposing the inner leaf. A method for controlling gas flow through a vent. The method includes the steps of moving an inner leaf and an outer leaf opposing the inner leaf on the vent from a closed state which covers the vent and blocks gas flow through the vent in a first direction to an open state which opens the vent and allows gas flow through the vent in a second direction with gas flow moving in the second direction through the vent. Then there is the step of stopping the gas flow in the second direction allowing the inner leaf and the outer leaf to each move to the closed state.

Abstract: A switch for switching data from a source to a destination along a network, at least a portion of which is optically based. The switch a plurality of input and output ports of optical transceivers. The switch an element connected to the input and output ports in which the data is reflected as many times as necessary until a desired output port is available for the data to be sent out to the destination. A method for transferring data in a telecommunications network. The method the steps of receiving data at a chassis of an optical switch in the network. There is the step of reflecting the data in the chassis until an output port of the switch becomes available to the data. There is the step of sending the data out the output port onto the network.

Abstract: A flame suppression cabinet for printed circuit boards includes intumescent material that expands at an elevated temperature to block ventilation openings in a top panel. Fire suppression plates are positioned between adjacent ones of a plurality of printed circuit boards positioned vertically on a shelf rack in side-by-side spaced-apart parallel relationship to prevent fire from spreading between the circuit boards.

Abstract: An apparatus for supporting a plurality of densely arranged electrically shielded communication panels includes a rack that supports at least two panels. The panels are supported adjacent to each other by the rack, and each panel includes at least two sides with a printed circuit on one side and a conductive sheet on the other side. In addition, the conductive sheet on each of the panels is coupled to an electrical connection point on the rack when the panel is placed in the rack. The two panels are placed in the rack such that the printed circuit of one of the panels is electrically shielded by the conductive sheet on another, closely aligned other one of the panels.

Abstract: A method which extends the useful life of a lead-acid type battery by applying conductive cooling or heating directly to the bottom surface of the battery to maintain the battery at a constant temperature of about 25° C. regardless of the ambient temperature surrounding the battery. The method for thermally managing the battery comprises the steps of providing an equipment cabinet having an equipment chamber, providing the cabinet with a battery compartment exposed to ambient temperature changes, providing the battery, placing the battery in the battery compartment, providing a cold plate having a surface substantially coextensive with the surface of the battery, placing the surface of the cold plate in direct contact with the surface of the battery, providing a heating pad, placing the heating pad in direct contact with the cold plate, providing an insulation pad, and placing the insulation pad between the heating pad and a mounting for the cabinet.

Abstract: Circuitry for controlling a diode optically coupled to an optical fiber suitable for transmitting digital light signals therethrough. The circuitry includes a temperature compensated driver when operating in the transmit mode and receiving circuitry for conditioning and amplifying electrical signals generated by the diode when it operates in a photodetection mode. A sweep circuit is provided for isolating amplifiers in the receiving circuitry and for discharging residual charge left in the diode during the transmission mode thereby reducing the signal-to-noise ratio.

Abstract: A switch. The switch includes a plurality of port cards. Each port card having an unstriper having a plurality of internal FIFOs which produces a back pressure signal whenever any one of the plurality of internal FIFOs has a predetermined amount of data of fragments of packets. The switch includes a plurality of fabrics. Each fabric is connected to each port card. Each fabric having a separator which sends fragments of a packet to an associated unstriper and which stops sending fragments of the packets when the separator receives a back pressure signal. The separator delay is greater than any back pressure propagation delay between any one of the plurality of unstripers and any one of the plurality of separators so all separators stop sending companion fragments of the same fragment at the same. A method for switching packets.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and code product for estimating labor costs associated with producing a printed circuit board assembly.

Abstract: A vented non-metallic cap for equipment pedestals having high heat generating components is disclosed. The cap is constructed of a plastic base and a plastic top cover with a stainless steel insect screen between these elements. The base includes a central opening to allow the interior of a covered pedestal to vent heated air generated by newer equipment, and yet the appearance of the vented cap is similar to existing metal pedestal top covers, but has far superior thermal performance.

Abstract: The wireless communication device contains at least one conductive tab that provides an antenna. The tab(s) form a pole antenna, and the tabs may also be attached across a slot to form a slot antenna. The tab(s) may be attached across a slot created in a package to form a slot antenna, or the tab(s) may be attached to a slot that is created as part of the wireless communication device to form a slot antenna. The tab(s) and/or the slot may also contain an adhesive material to attach the wireless communication device to a package, container or other material. More than one slot may be provided to form a circularly polarized antenna. The carrier may be a conductive material in which tabs are formed as part of the carrier before the wireless communication device is attached. The wireless communication device may have an asymmetrical antenna arrangement.

Abstract: A power distribution system is provided comprising a power regulator, a battery circuit, and a battery monitoring system. The power converter is provided for converting AC power to DC power and for providing DC power to a load. The battery circuit is coupled to the power regulator and the load and is operable to recharge by receiving DC power from the power regulator. The battery circuit is also operable to supply DC power to the load when there is an interruption of power from the load. The battery monitoring system comprises a field measurement device located in close proximity to the battery circuit, the field measurement device including an input mechanism for receiving current measurement data and an analog-to-digital converter for digitizing the received current measurement data. The battery monitoring system further comprises a monitor located remotely from the field measurement device, the monitor including a first communicator for receiving digitized data from the field measurement device.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for low cost upgrading on demand of an optical fiber communication system from a single communication channel at one frequency to two communication channel systems at two different frequencies.

Abstract: A battery control system for controlling the connection of a plurality of batteries to a load is provided. The system comprises a plurality of switches and a plurality of controllers. Each switch is operable to connect or disconnect one of the batteries from the load. Each controller is operatively coupled to one of the switches. Each controller is operative to cause one of the switches to disconnect one of the batteries from the load.

Abstract: A switch for switching data from a source to a destination along a network, at least a portion of which is optically based. The switch a plurality of input and output ports of optical transceivers. The switch an element connected to the input and output ports in which the data is reflected as many times as necessary until a desired output port is available for the data to be sent out to the destination. A method for transferring data in a telecommunications network. The method the steps of receiving data at a chassis of an optical switch in the network. There is the step of reflecting the data in the chassis until an output port of the switch becomes available to the data. There is the step of sending the data out the output port onto the network.

Abstract: A phase locked loop (PLL) is provided for synchronizing a PLL output signal to a plurality of reference clock signals and for aligning the PLL output signal with a distributed frame signal. The PLL includes a slew controlled frame aligner for controlling the phase deviation in the feedback signal of the PLL to thereby control the phase deviation of the PLL output so as to meet a particular phase deviation timing requirement. The slew controlled frame aligner includes a ramp generator for generating a plurality of digital add and skip pulses that are coupled to the feedback counter in the PLL to thereby control the equivalent analog phase added to or subtracted from the feedback signal.

Abstract: The invention relates to a wireless communication device that is capable of communicating using a pole antenna in a first mode and a slot antenna in a second mode. The wireless communication device contains at least one conductive tab that provide an antenna. The tab(s) form a pole antenna, and the tabs may also be attached across a slot to form a slot antenna. The wireless communication device can communicate at different frequencies using the pole antenna in a first mode and the slot antenna in a second mode. The tab(s) may be attached across a slot created in a package to form a slot antenna, or the tab(s) may be attached to a slot that is created as part of the wireless communication device to form a slot antenna. The tab(s) and/or the slot may also contain an adhesive material to attach the wireless communication device to a package, container or other material. More than one slot may be provided to form a circularly polarized antenna.

Abstract: A process for economically forming and assembling heat exchangers is disclosed. The process begins with a roll of synthetic resin which is heated and then impressed with a series of alternating panels and hinges. The hinges are formed so as to provide for an accordion fold. The formed strip of material is then cooled, trimmed, measured and cut. Thereafter, the strip of material is folded in an accordion fashion. The folded core may be bonded or constrained so as to form two sets of fluid flow passages in an alternating manner. Depending upon the design of the panels formed in the strip of material, the cores will either be counterflow or cross flow. In addition, a housing is thermo formed and then assembled with the core to complete the heat exchanger.

Abstract: A heat exchanger and a heat exchanger core are disclosed. The heat exchanger core is formed from a strip of synthetic resin molded into multiple panels which are accordion folded to form the heat exchanger core. One embodiment is a counterflow core in which sides of each panel parallel to the longitudinal axis of the strip are divided to form a closed portion and an open portion. The opposite longitudinal sides are similarly formed but the portions are reversed. The sides of each panel perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the strip are closed either by a hinge formed in the strip or by panel borders abutting each other. A second embodiment discloses a strip also formed into multiple panels and accordion folded. However, every second hinge has an opening so that when folded, a cross flow core is created. Both cores are mated with appropriately designed molded plastic housings to form effective but simple and economical heat exchangers.

Abstract: A power back-up unit is provided which includes a primary power source that is connected to a plurality of loads, including a critical load and a non-critical load. A secondary power source is also provided. A first low voltage disconnect is electrically connected to the secondary power source and the critical load. A second low voltage disconnect is electrically connected to the secondary power source and the non-critical load. In one embodiment, the second low voltage disconnect disconnects the non-critical load upon loss of the primary power source. In another embodiment, the second low voltage disconnect has a voltage threshold that is greater than the voltage threshold of the first low voltage disconnect such that the non-critical load is disconnected by the second low voltage disconnect prior to the critical load being disconnected by the first low voltage disconnect.