Abstract: An apparatus comprising a heater configured to heat smokeable material to volatilize at least one component of the smokeable material, wherein the heater is elongate and comprises a plurality of independently controllable heating regions arranged sequentially along a longitudinal axis of the heater.

Abstract: Thermal insulation including a boundary having a first boundary section, a second boundary section and a third boundary section which connects the first and second boundary sections together; and an internal insulating region inside the boundary and configured to thermally insulate the first boundary section from the second boundary section; wherein the third boundary section follows an indirect path between the first and second boundary sections. An apparatus configured to volatilize components of smokeable material including the insulation is also described.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising a heater configured to heat smokable material to volatilize at least one component of the smokable material, wherein the heater is elongate and comprises a plurality of independently controllable heating regions arranged sequentially along a longitudinal axis of the heater.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising a heater configured to heat smokeable material to volatilize at least one component of the smokeable material, wherein the heater is elongate and comprises a plurality of independently controllable heating regions arranged sequentially along a longitudinal axis of the heater.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising a heater configured to heat smokeable material to volatilize at least one component of the smokeable material, wherein the heater is elongate and comprises a plurality of independently controllable heating regions arranged sequentially along a longitudinal axis of the heater.

Abstract: Thermal insulation comprising a boundary comprising a first boundary section, a second boundary section and a third boundary section which connects the first and second boundary sections together; and an internal insulating region inside the boundary and configured to thermally insulate the first boundary section from the second boundary section; wherein the third boundary section follows an indirect path between the first and second boundary sections. An apparatus configured to volatilize components of smokable material, comprising the insulation, is also described.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising a heater configured to heat smokeable material to volatilize at least one component of the smokeable material, wherein the heater is elongate and comprises a plurality of independently controllable heating regions arranged sequentially along a longitudinal axis of the heater.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for initiating and maintaining an abnormal glow volumetric sonoplasma discharge (VSPD). With certain parameters of the electrical discharge and of the intensity of elastic vibrations, it is possible to initiate VSPD within a cavitating liquid medium. The mechanism for the initiation of VSPD is related to the breakdown of gas phase microchannels formed by growth cavitation bubbles. The method for continuous processing uses elastic vibrations in the frequency range 1-100 kHz with enough intensity for the development of cavitation phenomena; these vibrations are introduced into the liquid phase working medium, and a source of direct, alternating, high frequency and ultrahigh frequency electric field in liquid provides the initiation and stable glow of VSPD. Resulting VSPD is characterized by volumetric glow in the frequency range of visible light and ultraviolet radiation in the entire cavitational-electric field and has a rising volt-ampere characteristic curve.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for initiating and maintaining an abnormal glow volumetric sonoplasma discharge (VSPD). With certain parameters of the electrical discharge and of the intensity of elastic vibrations, it is possible to initiate VSPD within a cavitating liquid medium. The mechanism for the initiation of VSPD is related to the breakdown of gas phase microchannels formed by growth cavitation bubbles. The method for continuous processing uses elastic vibrations in the frequency range 1-100 kHz with enough intensity for the development of cavitation phenomena; these vibrations are introduced into the liquid phase working medium, and a source of direct, alternating, high frequency and ultrahigh frequency electric field in liquid provides the initiation and stable glow of VSPD. Resulting VSPD is characterized by volumetric glow in the frequency range of visible light and ultraviolet radiation in the entire cavitational-electric field and has a rising volt-ampere characteristic curve.

Abstract: The invention relates to antenna systems used in local wireless communications networks. The antenna system includes planar directional antennas (1), each of which is made as a dielectric plate (2), with an active element (5) of the antenna (1) mounted on said plate. The surface of the plate (2) that faces the active element is metallized and serves as a reflector (6) of the antenna (1). The plates (2) are interconnected along their edges in such a way as to form lateral facets of a hollow frame (9) of the device. The end face (10) is made as a dielectric plate (11) with the external surface metallized and can also contain an active element (12) of the antenna (13). An antenna commutation switch (14) connected to a switch control unit (16) and to active elements (5) of the antennas (1) is mounted on the inner surface of the end face (10) of the frame (9). Active element (5) is mounted on said plate by means of pins cut in the body of the active element (5) and bent during mounting.

Abstract: The invention is related to antenna systems and transceiving equipment for network portable computers. The antenna system comprises a flat substrate (2), carrying at least two directional flat antennas oriented in a fan-like fashion (3), and a commutation switch (6) to control the directional pattern of the antenna system. The commutation switch is made so as to make it possible to switch on to one or two or more antennas simultaneously. The transceiving device comprises the antenna system (1), a reception/transmission switch (12), a transmitter (14), a receiver (16), an antenna system operation control unit (18) to control the operation of the antenna system in omnidirectional mode, directional scanning mode or stationary directional mode, and a controller (17). It can also be supplemented with a signal quality evaluation unit (20) and a signal identification unit (21). The network portable computer incorporates the transceiving device, the antenna system for which is fixed to the computer case by a hinge.

Abstract: A method of operating a wireless access point having a configurable antenna system includes determining a transmission signal quality metric for a first station with the configurable antenna system in a first configuration, determining a transmission signal quality metric for a second station with the configurable antenna system in the first configuration, determining a transmission signal quality metric for a first station with the configurable antenna system in a second configuration, determining a transmission signal quality metric for a second station with the configurable antenna system in the second configuration, determining a viable set of antenna configurations for which the signal quality metric of each of the stations meets a minimum criteria and configuring the configurable antenna system to a configuration in the viable set when the wireless access point is not transmitting.

Abstract: Systems and methods for a wireless communication device having a switched multi-beam antenna and methods for manufacturing the same are described. One system and method includes a plurality of antenna of elements. Groups of the antenna elements cooperate to form active one or more antenna elements while other groups of the antenna elements cooperate to form a reflector for the active antenna elements. This creates a directed transmission or direction of positive gain for the antenna system. The same group of antenna elements can be switched so that other antenna elements cooperate to form the active element while another group forms a reflector for the active elements thereby providing a different direction of positive gain. The system can be used for various wireless communication protocols and at various frequency ranges.

Abstract: A method for radio communication in a wireless local area network including at least one transceiver equipped with an antenna with a controlled directivity pattern, according to which, in addition to the assignment in advance of the threshold value of communication quality H0 corresponding to the minimum pre-specified communication quality, the current value of communication quality Qcur is periodically determined based on the signal being received, the threshold value of the communication quality Hmax (corresponding to the pre-specified maximum communication quality) is also additionally assigned in advance.

Abstract: A wireless communications network includes a plurality of wireless devices equipped with direction- agile antenna systems to allow the wireless devices to establish and maintain wireless data links with each other.

Abstract: An electro acoustic device and related method for increasing the production capacity of wells that contains oil, gas and/or water is disclosed. The electro acoustic device is submerged in the well producing zone, and includes an electric generator, one or more electro acoustic transducers, and one or more wave guide systems (sonotrodes) that include radiators which transmit vibrations into the medium under treatment. The electro acoustic device produces vibrations that stimulate the occurrence of mass transfer processes within the well. According to one or more embodiments, shear vibrations are produced in the well bore region due to the phase displacement of mechanical vibrations produced along the axis of the well, achieving alternate tension and pressure due to the superposition of longitudinal and shear waves.

Abstract: In the oil-producing industry, an apparatus can be used to increase the yield of oil wells developed by conventional methods during production of high viscosity oils. Use of the apparatus results in an increase in the permeability of a reservoir and a reduction in the viscosity of oil, added to an increase in environmental safety by avoiding use of chemical reagents and steam generators. The apparatus applies a high power ultrasonic field in the well bottom zone that reduces viscosity of oil, also heating the well bottom zone. The apparatus comprises a surface ultrasonic generator and at least one ultrasonic magnetostrictive radiator placed at the end of oil well tubing, using high frequency currents that warm the tubing and maintain the viscosity of oil during transport to the surface.

Abstract: An electro acoustic device and related method increase production capacity of wells that contain oil, gas and/or water. The electro acoustic device produces vibrations stimulating occurrences of mass transfer processes within the well. The resultant acoustic flow generated in porous media, produced by superposition of longitudinal and shear waves, is developed over a characteristic frequency threshold value specific to water, normal oil and heavy oil, with an acoustic energy density capable of establishing higher fluidity zones in the porous media, promoting mobility and recovery of desired fluid and formation damage reduction in a wellbore.

Abstract: An electro acoustic device and related method for increasing production capacity of wells that contain oil, gas and/or water is disclosed. The electro acoustic device produces vibrations stimulating occurrence of mass transfer processes within the well. The resultant acoustic flow generated in porous media, produced by superposition of longitudinal and shear waves, is developed over a characteristic frequency threshold value specific to water, normal oil and heavy oil, with an acoustic energy density capable of establishing higher fluidity zones in the porous media, promoting mobility and recovery of desired fluid and formation damage reduction in a wellbore. The down hole electro acoustic device is a submerged unit placed in the well producing zone, and consists of an electric generator, one or more electro acoustic transducers, and one or more waveguide systems (sonotrodes) that include tubular type radiators which provide transmission of elastic vibrations into the medium under treatment.

Abstract: An antenna assembly includes a common reflector and multiple monopole type antenna elements positioned on a ground plane and fed with a switch assembly. The switch assembly is capable of feeding individual antennas as well as combining multiple antennas for improved radiation pattern coverage. Multiple antenna elements are placed around the common reflector to cover sectors of space around the antenna assembly to provide transmission and reception of radio frequency (RF) signals for mobile communication devices in a wireless network. The ground plane can be grounded or capacitively coupled to an existing circuit board or metal surface, allowing for reduced ground plane dimensions.