Abstract: A method for determining the operating status of a MV switching device (1), which comprises one or more electric poles, each comprising a movable contact and a fixed, contact adapted to be coupled or uncoupled during the switching operations of said switching device, and an electromagnetic actuator comprising a magnetic core, a test coil wound around said magnetic core and a movable plunger operatively coupled to the movable contact of each electric pole.

Abstract: A method controls a switching device having at least one phase comprising at least one couple of contacts which can be actuated for switching between a closed condition and an open condition. The method provides control means for controlling the actuation of the at least one couple of contacts, such control means being adapted to operate using time cycles; set the time cycles with a predetermined time duration; detects a difference of a value of a parameter associated to the phase with respect a preset value.

Abstract: A power and control unit for low and medium voltage applications, operatively couplable to one or more circuit elements of a low or medium voltage apparatus, is provided. The unit includes an internal self-diagnostic circuit element operatively coupled to a signal-generating circuit element, a binary input operatively coupled to the internal self-diagnostic circuit element, and a low-impedance variable load connectable in parallel to the binary input. The binary input includes a control circuit element operatively connected to the low-impedance variable load and also operatively connected, through a signal-detecting circuit element, to the internal self-diagnostic circuit element and to the one or more circuit elements of the low or medium voltage apparatus.

Abstract: A Trip Circuit Supervision (TCS) relay for Low and Medium Voltage applications operatively connectable to a trip circuit of a Low or Medium Voltage apparatus, said TCS relay comprising first means for detecting the current circulating in said trip circuit, second means for detecting the continuous component of the current circulating in said trip circuit, third means for detecting the presence of pulses in the current circulating in said trip circuit, first enabling means for enabling said third means for detecting the presence of pulses in the current circulating in said trip circuit, signal generating means connected in input to said second and third means for detecting, respectively, the continuous component of and the presence of pulses in the current circulating in said trip circuit, and connected in output to control means operatively connectable to alarm generating means.

Abstract: An electronic system is disclosed for an associated electrical apparatus, the system having at least a binary input adapted to receive one or more candidate signals; at least an electronic active load having one or more electronic active devices and operatively connected to the binary input; and a controller operatively associated to the binary input and to the active load. The controller can detect application of a candidate signal to the binary input and electrically drive the active load upon such detection; and after absorption of a predetermined amount of energy, validate the candidate signal if its residual content of energy exceeds a predetermined threshold.

Abstract: An exemplary mechanically operated switching device includes at least one movable contact and an operating mechanism for coupling/separating the movable contact to/from a corresponding fixed contact. The operating mechanism includes first elastic mechanism for, upon release, providing the energy to separate the movable and fixed contacts. At least one shunt release having: a member movable between first and second stable positions, wherein movement from the first stable position to the second stable position releases the first elastic mechanism; at least a permanent magnet generating a force for holding the movable member in the first stable position, wherein the movable member held in the first stable position compresses a second elastic mechanism; and at least one electrical winding associated with the movable member and the electronic mechanism, which is configured to electrically drive the winding to generate a magnetic force that releases of the compressed second elastic mechanism.

Abstract: A method and apparatus to control the pickup on an uphill slope of an automotive vehicle provided with an automatic or robotized gearbox provide the definition of a control strategy of the gear box operation, also according to the gradient of the uphill slope, which is preferably calculated based on a longitudinal acceleration value of the automotive vehicle, and based on the altitude at which the automotive vehicle can be found, which is preferably calculated based on a detected atmospheric pressure value. In this way, it is also possible to consider the reduction in the engine torque due to the reduction in the air density with altitude.

Abstract: A power and control unit for low and medium voltage applications, operatively couplable to one or more functions of a low or medium voltage apparatus, comprising: an internal self-diagnostic function operatively coupled to a signal-generating function; a binary input operatively coupled to said internal self-diagnostic function; a low-impedance variable load connectable in parallel to said binary input, said binary input comprising a control function operatively connected to said low-impedance variable load and also operatively connected, through a signal-detecting function, to said internal self-diagnostic function and to said one or more functions of said low or medium voltage apparatus.

Abstract: A Trip Circuit Supervision (TCS) relay for Low and Medium Voltage applications operatively connectable to a trip circuit of a Low or Medium Voltage apparatus, said TCS relay comprising first means for detecting the current circulating in said trip circuit, second means for detecting the continuous component of the current circulating in said trip circuit, third means for detecting the presence of pulses in the current circulating in said trip circuit, first enabling means for enabling said third means for detecting the presence of pulses in the current circulating in said trip circuit, signal generating means connected in input to said second and third means for detecting, respectively, the continuous component of and the presence of pulses in the current circulating in said trip circuit, and connected in output to control means operatively connectable to alarm generating means.

Abstract: A method and apparatus to control the pickup on an uphill slope of an automotive vehicle provided with an automatic or robotised gearbox provide the definition of a control strategy of the gear box operation, also according to the gradient of the uphill slope, which is preferably calculated based on a longitudinal acceleration value of the automotive vehicle, and based on the altitude at which the automotive vehicle can be found, which is preferably calculated based on a detected atmospheric pressure value. In this way, it is also possible to consider the reduction in the engine torque due to the reduction in the air density with altitude.

Abstract: A process to make a dyed fiber which has the steps of mixing a dye capable of changing color and a polymer into a solution at a temperature below the temperature at which the dye or polymer degrades to form a polymer dye solution and electrospinning said polymer dye solution to form a fiber wherein the dye penetrates more than the surface of the fiber. The invention also relates to the fiber and use of the fiber.

Abstract: Switch requests within a packet switch are allocated by processing switch request data for each input port to generate request data for each input port-output port pairing; and generating an allocation plan by sorting the request data relating to each of the input/output pairs in terms of their queue length, and for each such pair, considered in the sorted order, allocating as many of the requests in the queue as can be accommodated in the remaining time slots.

Abstract: In a packet switch, a switch request allocation plan is generated by reducing the number of queue requests VOQ relating to each of one or both sets of ports I1 .IN, O1 .ON, by a value such that the number of requests relating to each member of the set or sets of ports is no greater than the number of requests (frame value F) that can be handled by the switch (10). This reduction may be individually done for each queue. Alternatively all queues relating to a given port, or to any port, may have their length reduced by a single value determined by the size of the longest queue. A further stage may then apply other allocation rules to allocate requests remaining unallocated by the previous stage.

Abstract: In a packet switch, a switch request allocation plan is generated by reducing the number of queue requests VOQ relating to each of one or both sets of ports I1 . . . IN, O1 . . . ON, by a value such that the number of requests relating to each member of the set or sets of ports is no greater than the number of requests (frame value F) that can be handled by the switch (10). This reduction may be individually done for each queue. Alternatively all queues relating to a given port, or to any port, may have their length reduced by a single value determined by the size of the longest queue. A further stage may then apply other allocation rules to allocate requests remaining unallocated by the previous stage.