Abstract: A fluid end assembly comprising a housing having multiple conduits formed therein. A tubular sleeve is installed within one of the conduits and is configured to house a plurality of packing seals. A seal is installed within a groove formed in the walls of the housing surrounding the tubular sleeve such that the seal engages an outer surface of the tubular sleeve.

Abstract: A high pressure pump comprising a fluid end mechanically coupled to a power end. The power end is modular and comprises a crankshaft section, a crosshead section, and a connector section coupled together by a first set of stay rods. The fluid end comprises a plurality of fluid end sections positioned in a side-by-side relationship. Each of the plurality of fluid end sections are attached to the power end using a plurality of second set of stay rods.

Abstract: An automatic level control (ALC) circuit includes an input configured to receive a radio frequency (RF) input signal, a level control circuit coupled to the input and configured to control a level of the RF input signal in response to a feedback signal, and an output coupled to the level control circuit and configured to output a level-controlled RF output signal. The ALC circuit further includes a feedback path coupled to the output and configured to sample the level-controlled RF output signal to determine an error detected in the level-controlled RF output signal, and to generate the feedback signal in accordance with the error. The ALC circuit still further includes a feedforward path coupled to the input and configured to emulate a frequency response in the feedback path and to adjust the error determined in the feedback path according to the emulated frequency response.

Abstract: A switchable transmit and receive phased array antenna (“STRPAA”) is disclosed. The STRPAA includes a housing, a plurality of radiating elements, and a plurality of transmit and receive (“T/R”) modules. The STRPAA may also include either a first multilayer printed wiring board (“MLPWB”) configured to produce a first elliptical polarization or a second MLPWB configured to produce a second elliptical polarization within the housing.

Abstract: Embodiments of a sensor network system provide surveillance capabilities in multiple contexts/environments (e.g., military, commercial, scientific, civic, urban, wilderness, etc.). Network nodes may include devices such as sensors, network routers, network controllers, etc. Network sensors may be configured so that power management objectives are maximized. Network sensors (both individually and as a group) may be capable of intelligent and cooperative information gathering, so that the output of the sensor network does not contain high levels of irrelevant information. The network nodes may communicate among one another via one or more communication links, and in some cases, multiple routes between any two network nodes may be available. The sensor network may include aspects of both high data rate and low data rate network features.

Abstract: A boarding/disembarking apparatus is removably attached to a vessel to assist in boarding and disembarking from the vessel. An upper end of the apparatus engages the vessel's gunwale or transom and the lower end of the apparatus defines a step or platform, and a hull plate rests against the hull. In a first embodiment the hull plate is hinged to conform to the angular hull of the vessel. In a second embodiment the hull brace allows adjustment of the position of the apparatus relative to the boat.

Abstract: A switchable transmit and receive phased array antenna (“STRPAA”) is disclosed. The STRPAA includes a housing, a plurality of radiating elements, and a plurality of transmit and receive (“T/R”) modules. The STRPAA may also include either a first multilayer printed wiring board (“MLPWB”) configured to produce a first elliptical polarization or a second MLPWB configured to produce a second elliptical polarization within the housing.

Abstract: A direct digital synthesizer (DDS) includes a phase increment calculator that determines a phase increment for a selected frequency; a phase accumulator that accumulates the phase increment over time and provides an accumulated phase value; a converter that converts the accumulated phase value to an analog signal at the selected frequency; and a phase preset calculator that determines a phase preset value for the selected frequency. The phase accumulator resets the accumulated phase value to the phase preset value at a transition to the selected frequency in a phase coherent mode.

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure provide methods, apparatus, and articles allowing two nodes to communicate in a slot-based direct sequencing spreading communication system. Both a preamble sequence and a payload data spreading PN sequence are generated from the Time of Day and a given user code. Generated sequences are synchronized between two communicating nodes to allow slot-based DSSS communication to take place. Generated sequences also change dynamically from slot to slot to provide waveform security.

Abstract: Embodiments of a sensor network system provide surveillance capabilities in multiple contexts/environments (e.g., military, commercial, scientific, civic, urban, wilderness, etc.). Network nodes may include devices such as sensors, network routers, network controllers, etc. Network sensors may be configured so that power management objectives are maximized. Network sensors (both individually and as a group) may be capable of intelligent and cooperative information gathering, so that the output of the sensor network does not contain high levels of irrelevant information. The network nodes may communicate among one another via one or more communication links, and in some cases, multiple routes between any two network nodes may be available. The sensor network may include aspects of both high data rate and low data rate network features.

Abstract: According to an embodiment, a method includes a Delay Tolerant Network (DTN) software overlay residing in a first plane of a node of the network is used to define hierarchical forwarding behavior for data being generated in the first plane. In a second plane of the network, local buffering and data retransmission is performed in response to at least one intermittent network outage. Communication between the first and second planes is performed to manage the transmission of data between the first and second planes as needed in the event of at network outage that is longer in duration than the at least one intermittent network outage, to thus prevent the loss of data.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a signal control system has a signal output and includes: 1) a phase-locked loop (PLL) having a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO), a phase error detector, an oscillating output coupled to the signal output of the signal control system, and a programmable frequency divider coupled in a feedback path between the oscillating output and the phase error detector; 2) at least one automatic level controller (ALC), coupled to the oscillating output; and 3) a plurality of switchable integrators, including first and second switchable integrators that are respectively coupled between the phase error detector and the VCO, and in the at least one ALC. Each of the switchable integrators is switchable between a narrow bandwidth mode that provides for stable operation of the signal control system, and a wide bandwidth mode that enables fast signal transitions at the signal output.

Abstract: According to an embodiment, a method includes a Delay Tolerant Network (DTN) software overlay residing in a first plane of a node of the network is used to define hierarchical forwarding behavior for data being generated in the first plane. In a second plane of the network, local buffering and data retransmission is performed in response to at least one intermittent network outage. Communication between the first and second planes is performed to manage the transmission of data between the first and second planes as needed in the event of at network outage that is longer in duration than the at least one intermittent network outage, to thus prevent the loss of data.

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure provide methods, apparatus, and articles allowing two nodes to communicate in a slot-based direct sequencing spreading communication system. Both a preamble sequence and a payload data spreading PN sequence are generated from the Time of Day and a given user code. Generated sequences are synchronized between two communicating nodes to allow slot-based DSSS communication to take place. Generated sequences also change dynamically from slot to slot to provide waveform security.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a signal control system has a signal output and includes: 1) a phase-locked loop (PLL) having a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO), a phase error detector, an oscillating output coupled to the signal output of the signal control system, and a programmable frequency divider coupled in a feedback path between the oscillating output and the phase error detector; 2) at least one automatic level controller (ALC), coupled to the oscillating output; and 3) a plurality of switchable integrators, including first and second switchable integrators that are respectively coupled between the phase error detector and the VCO, and in the at least one ALC. Each of the switchable integrators is switchable between a narrow bandwidth mode that provides for stable operation of the signal control system, and a wide bandwidth mode that enables fast signal transitions at the signal output.

Abstract: Techniques for communicating data through a network so as to satisfy various Quality Of Service (“QOS”) levels are described. The QOS levels may be selected based on a determined type of the data or the data communication, such as by a network manager after the data communication is registered, and QOS communication parameters are selected for the data communication to ensure that the QOS levels are achieved. Other techniques may also be used to ensure that a selected QOS level is achieved, including selecting an appropriate path through the network, controlling other data communications that use some or all of the selected path, and/or enabling preemption of such other data communications. QOS levels that are actually achieved may also be monitored, and the QOS communication parameters and/or path for a data communication may be dynamically modified based on differences between actual achieved QOS levels and desired QOS levels.

Abstract: A method and system for managing an interconnect fabric that connects nodes. A network manager manages an interconnect fabric or network of routing devices (e.g., interconnect fabric modules, switches, or routers) to allow source nodes to transmit data to destination nodes. The network manager receives registration requests from source nodes to send data to destination nodes, configures the routing devices of the network to establish a path from each source node to its destination node, and provides a virtual address to each source node. The virtual address identifies a path from the source node to the destination node. The source node sends the data to its destination node by providing the data along with the virtual address to a routing device of the network.

Abstract: An interconnect fabric module (“IFM”) with high-speed switching capabilities. An interconnect fabric module can be dynamically configured to interconnect its communications ports so that data can be transmitted through the interconnected ports. Multiple interconnect fabric modules can be connected to form an interconnect fabric through which nodes (e.g., computer systems) can be interconnected. In one embodiment, data is transmitted through the interconnect fabric as frames such as those defined by the Fibre Channel and InfiniBand standards. The interconnect fabric module allows the creation of an interconnect fabric that is especially well suited for interconnecting devices utilizing multiple information types such as might be required by the devices of an enterprise data network (“EDN”).

Abstract: A method, system, and computer-readable medium for integrating multiple techniques for processing data communications is described in which the processing steps shared by multiple of the techniques do not have to be duplicated by each of the techniques. In some situations, some or all of the multiple processing techniques are performed in parallel, such as on different processors. In some situations, a Multi-Protocol Edge Switch (“MPEX”) is used to integrate multiple processing techniques for received data communications that are to be forwarded to a destination, such as by performing protocol translation, performing load balancing between multiple alternative destinations on one or more of the networks to which the MPEX belongs, performing firewall and other content-based analysis for any or all of the nodes on one or more of the networks to which the MPEX belongs, and/or providing content-based routing of data communications in order to identify appropriate destinations.

Abstract: A Non-Scanning Computed Tomography Imaging Spectropolarimeter (NS-CTISP) measures all spatial, spectral and polarimetric information simultaneously in an image scene allowing measurement of dynamically changing scenes. In particular, NS-CTISP uses division of aperture to polarimetrically analyze each divided image, all of which are thereafter diffracted to measure irradiance on a focal plane array. The Stokes object cube data for each voxel is thereafter estimated from an inverse of the voxel polarimetric calibration matrix for the optical components.