Abstract: The proposed vibrational energy harvester comprises a frame (118), a mass (114) coupled to first and second primary flexures (110, 112) which are configured to flex and allow the mass to move in a first direction (130), a plurality of secondary flexures (120, 122) which are configured to flex and allow the mass to move in a different second direction (132), and a transduction assembly configured to convert movement of the mass and flexures into electrical energy, preferably of electrodynamic or piezoelectric type. Each of the primary flexures is coupled to a secondary flexure at a position spaced from the mass. The resonant frequency of torsional vibration modes can thereby be raised to a frequency higher than the frequency band of ambient vibrations, which effectively prevents the energy harvester from vibrating in undesirable torsional modes that would result in wear between components.

Abstract: There is provided a vibrational energy harvester comprising: a frame, a flexure assembly coupled to the frame, the flexure assembly comprising a flexure configured to flex in a first direction relative to the frame and a mass fixed to the flexure, wherein when the mass is displaced in the first direction from a rest position, the flexure provides a restoring force on the mass to bring the mass back to the rest position, and a transduction assembly configured to convert movement of the mass and flexure into electrical energy, wherein the frame comprises a cavity positioned so that, if the mass is displaced in the first direction beyond a threshold distance, a portion of the flexure assembly extends into the cavity so that compression or restriction of fluid in the cavity applies an additional force on the flexure assembly.

Abstract: There is disclosed an aircraft operation scheduling system, wherein: (a) the aircraft operation scheduling system includes a computing arrangement that computes a measure of contaminant exposure for estimating aircraft contamination, wherein the computing arrangement, when in operation, accesses a database of contamination data over location and time; (b) the computing arrangement receives when in operation schedule information related to a plurality of aircraft flights; (c) the computing arrangement receives aircraft data relating to an aircraft fleet being scheduled, and interrogates a database of contamination data to derive: (i) an estimated historical contamination for the aircraft or each aircraft engine of the aircraft to at least one contaminant; and (ii) an estimated expected contaminant exposure for the aircraft or each aircraft engine; and (d) the computing arrangement, when in operation: (i) identifies at least one aircraft engine with a higher estimated historical contaminant exposure or wit

Abstract: There is provided a flight trajectory system that estimates contaminant exposure experienced by a flight for scheduling of flight maintenance interventions, comprising: at least one input interface that receives at least one trajectory of a flight comprising flight track points; a storage medium containing executable instructions for executing a flight trajectory algorithm and a database of flight trajectory data; and a computing arrangement coupled to the at least one input interface and the storage medium, wherein the computing arrangement receives the at least one trajectory of the flight and interrogates the database of flight trajectory data to: validate the flight track points, wherein the flight track points are validated based on at least one performance of the flight, generate a fixed trajectory for the flight based on the validated flight track points and the flight trajectory algorithm, and analyze, using a flight trajectory model, the fixed trajectory of the flight to estimate contaminants exposur

Abstract: There is provided an aircraft flight control system comprising: a computing arrangement including an input interface and an output interface; wherein in operation the computing arrangement executes instructions to provide indications related to an estimated atmospheric contamination risk to at least one aircraft at selected locations and altitudes or pressures, by (i) receiving at least one aircraft flight plan data from the input interface; wherein at least one aircraft flight plan data includes at least one of time, a pressure or an altitude, a trajectory and a location representing at least one aircraft flight; (ii) determining the estimated atmospheric contamination risk using a measure of the at least one atmospheric contaminant for the at least one aircraft flight based upon a location, an altitude or pressure, a trajectory and a time information extracted from the at least one aircraft flight plan data; and (iii) providing, via the output interface, a resultant indication related to the estimated atmos

Abstract: The proposed vibrational energy harvester comprises a frame (118), a mass (114) coupled to first and second primary flexures (110, 112) which are configured to flex and allow the mass to move in a first direction (130), a plurality of secondary flexures (120, 122) which are configured to flex and allow the mass to move in a different second direction (132), and a transduction assembly configured to convert movement of the mass and flexures into electrical energy, preferably of electrodynamic or piezoelectric type. Each of the primary flexures is coupled to a secondary flexure at a position spaced from the mass. The resonant frequency of torsional vibration modes can thereby be raised to a frequency higher than the frequency band of ambient vibrations, which effectively prevents the energy harvester from vibrating in undesirable torsional modes that would result in wear between components.

Abstract: There is provided a vibrational energy harvester comprising: a frame, a flexure assembly coupled to the frame, the flexure assembly comprising a flexure configured to flex in a first direction relative to the frame and a mass fixed to the flexure, wherein when the mass is displaced in the first direction from a rest position, the flexure provides a restoring force on the mass to bring the mass back to the rest position, and a transduction assembly configured to convert movement of the mass and flexure into electrical energy, wherein the frame comprises a cavity positioned so that, if the mass is displaced in the first direction beyond a threshold distance, a portion of the flexure assembly extends into the cavity so that compression or restriction of fluid in the cavity applies an additional force on the flexure assembly.

Abstract: There is disclosed an aircraft operation scheduling system, wherein: (a) the aircraft operation scheduling system includes a computing arrangement that computes a measure of contaminant exposure for estimating aircraft contamination, wherein the computing arrangement, when in operation, accesses a database of contamination data over location and time; (b) the computing arrangement receives when in operation schedule information related to a plurality of aircraft flights; (c) the computing arrangement receives aircraft data relating to an aircraft fleet being scheduled, and interrogates a database of contamination data to derive: (i) an estimated historical contamination for the aircraft or each aircraft engine of the aircraft to at least one contaminant; and (ii) an estimated expected contaminant exposure for the aircraft or each aircraft engine; and (d) the computing arrangement, when in operation: (i) identifies at least one aircraft engine with a higher estimated historical contaminant exposure or wit

Abstract: A device comprising a receiver for receiving a broadcast; a processor for processing said broadcast to extract at least one data channel or service from said broadcast means for connecting said device to user equipment, said connecting means being arranged to establish a connection with said user equipment whereby said extracted data channel or service can be transferred securely to said user equipment.

Abstract: A method of provisioning a mobile communications device with a digital audio broadcast (DAB) application configured to run on the mobile communications device, the method comprising: generating a request for at least one component of the DAB application using a communications application of said mobile communications device; communicating the request over a bi-directional wireless communications network to a remote server; receiving the request at the remote server; processing the request to identify one or more DAB application components suitable for download to the mobile communications device; downloading said one or more DAB application components to the mobile communications device over said bi-directional wireless communications network; and installing said one or more DAB application components onto said mobile communications devices.

Abstract: In a mobile communications device, a method of processing data received from digital audio broadcast receiver hardware to generate an electronic programme guide for the content provided by a plurality of sub-channels received by said receiver, the method comprising: i) processing each file containing electronic programme information for a plurality of programmes within a predetermined period of time to extract at least one relevant informational element relating to a characteristic of each of said plurality of individual programmes; ii) generating a data record for each individual programme, the data record having a structure which includes at least one said informational element as a searchable index enabling subsequent retrieval of said information; iii) storing each said data record received in a data store, wherein said data store is configured to be searchable using said one or more indices.

Abstract: This invention relates to a speech quality assessment system.