Abstract: A method of providing high density expansion of a USB network, the method comprising: attaching a plurality of USB hubs to adjacent slots in a PXI instrumentation chassis; configuring one of the USB hubs as a primary USB Hub; connecting an upstream port of the primary USB Hub to a USB network; configuring a first downstream port of the primary USB Hub to communicate across a first PXI Local Bus to a first adjacent USB Hub of the USB Hubs other than the primary USB Hub, the first adjacent USB Hub being adjacent to the primary USB Hub; configuring a plurality of other downstream ports of the primary USB Hub to provide expansion of the primary USB Hub; connecting an upstream port of the first adjacent USB Hub to the first PXI Local Bus, wherein the first PXI Local Bus is in the direction of the primary USB Hub; configuring a first downstream port of the first adjacent USB Hub to communicate across a second PXI Local Bus to a second adjacent USB Hub of the USB Hubs other than the primary USB Hub, the second adjac

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a disk for reducing scour around a pile, such as a monopole, installed in the seabed. The disk has a pile opening through which the pile protrudes. The disk includes a peripheral skirt for embedding into the seabed below the portion of the disk installed above the seabed. The disk can include partitions for segmenting chambers of the disk. The disk can include mesh on the top, bottom, or both surfaces with one or more fill bags installed in the chambers. The disk can include chambers that can be filled with fluidized fill material, such as grout or concrete. The fill material can be inserted into the fill bags through conduits with valves that can be remotely operated with an ROV. The fill material can also be injected below the disk using the conduits for support on the seabed.

Abstract: A method is described for packing variable-length entropy coded data into a fixed rate data stream along with resolution enhancement data, the method providing tightly constrained propagation of transmission channel errors and graceful degradation of signal resolution as entropy-coded data rate increases. An application to a multiband ADPCM audio codec is also described.

Abstract: The disclosure provides a vessel with a double pontoon arrangement joined together with a central bridge creating an offset “H” arrangement. The bridge spans the pontoons and includes a gantry structure on top of which sits a lifting system. Articulated tugs provide accommodation, propulsion, and power to the main part of the installation vessel. Additional lifting devices can be installed within the gantry to provide further lifting capability. At least two stabilizing legs are provided along each pontoon. Once set up onsite, the stabilizing legs can be deployed to the seabed to lift the installation vessel up a short distance to apply load stability during lifting operations. Seabed piles, mast elements, and turbine elements are delivered by barges that are temporarily moored between the pontoons for offloading and installation. Empty barges are relocated, and successive barges bring remaining elements for offloading and installation to complete the wind turbine installation.

Abstract: A synchronization apparatus, comprising: a USB device having a USB microcontroller, circuitry for observing USB traffic, and circuitry for decoding from a USB data stream a periodic data structure (such as a clock carrier signal) containing information about a distributed clock frequency and phase and outputting a decoded carrier signal; and circuitry for receiving the decoded carrier signal, for generating a software interrupt upon receipt of a predefined data packet (such as a SOF packet) and for passing the software interrupt to the USB microcontroller; wherein the USB microcontroller is configured to respond to the software interrupt (such as with an interrupt service routine provided therein) by generating an output signal adapted to be used as a synchronization reference signal.

Abstract: Integrated photo detector receptor with Memristor Memory cell to perform simultaneous image capture and image matching as part of meta-security camera.

Abstract: In lossy data compression of a signal using ADPCM, an adaptive decorrelation or “prediction” filter is used to reduce the amplitude of the signal, the spectral dynamic range of the signal also being reduced. This latter reduction is effected in a nonuniform manner, if known techniques are used, with regions of high spectral density being compressed more than regions of low spectral density. The present invention recognises that using a uniform compression ratio results in a better tradeoff between compression and robustness to transmission channel errors. A method is described for obtaining a uniform compression ratio by adjusting coefficients of the decorrelation filter in dependence on coefficients of an adaptive training filter that is fed from the output of the decorrelation filter. A reverse method is also provided along with encoder, decoder and codec implementing the techniques.

Abstract: A non-volatile Content Addressable Memory element including a non volatile memristor memory element; a data bus for applying a data signal to be programmed into the memristor memory element; a search bus for applying a search term; an output or match bus; logic to selectively enable the search bus and the data bus; wherein the logic is configurable to set the logic state of the memristor according to a logic signal applied to the data bus, and configurable to enable the logic state of the memristor to be compared to a logic state on the search bus with the match bus signaling a true logic state upon matching.

Abstract: In a computer implemented method for management of materials on a construction site, a status of a project which uses at least one material is determined by a computer system. A report is generated by the computer system. The report identifies a vehicle, from a vehicle pool, to be utilized to move the material and defines a load of the material which is to be moved by the vehicle, according to a mass haul plan, from a first location to a second location. The vehicle is identified based on results of a simulation. The status of the project is automatically updated by the computer system based on an actual size and an actual drop-off location of the load of the material moved by the vehicle. The computer system updates the report based on the updating of the status of the project.

Abstract: A computer implemented method and computer system for management of materials on a construction site. In one embodiment, at least one cost scenario is defined for moving at least one material with a vehicle pool. A status of a project which uses the material is then determined. A report is generated which identifies a vehicle of the vehicle pool and defines a load of the material which is to be moved by the vehicle from a first location to a second location.

Abstract: The invention provides a method and apparatus for providing a synchronized multichannel universal serial bus, the method in one aspect comprising supplementing the signal channels in the USB specification to provide synchronization information from an external source, and in another aspect comprising observing USB traffic and locking a local clock signal of a USB device to a periodic signal contained in USB data traffic, wherein the locking is in respect of phase and/or frequency.

Abstract: The present invention provides processes useful for preparing 5-lipoxygenase activating protein (FLAP) inhibitors and their intermediates. In particular, processes for preparing 3-[3-(tert-butylsulfanyl)-1-[4-(6-ethoxy-pyridin-3-yl)benzyl]-5-(5-methyl-pyridin-2-yl-methoxy)-1H-indol-2-yl]-2,2-dimethyl-propionic acid, the anhydrous Form C polymorph of sodium 3-[3-(tert-butylsulfanyl)-1-[4-(6-ethoxy-pyridin-3-yl)benzyl]-5-(5-methyl-pyridin-2-yl-methoxy)-1H-indol-2-yl]-2,2-dimethyl-propionate, and intermediates useful in said processes are provided.

Abstract: The disclosure provides a wind energy system with one or more floating modules having at least two vertical wind turbines mounted thereon. A multipoint mooring system couples the floating module to a seabed, the mooring system having at least two mooring points with at least two lines positioned at location s around the floating module with the wind turbines. A rotation system is coupled to the floating module and adapted to twist the floating module relative to wind direction while the multipoint mooring system is coupled between the seabed and the floating module. The rotation system can include induced gyroscopic torque from counter-rotating wind turbines and a self-adjusting induced gyroscopic torque differential from varying wind directions. Other rotation systems can include winches and translating assemblies that can be activated to tighten or loosen mooring lines in the multipoint mooring system coupled to the floating module in a catenary manner.

Abstract: A method of reducing jitter in a local clock of a synchronised USB device attached to a USB Hub, the USB Hub having a local clock and repeater circuitry, comprising: observing a USB data stream with the USB Hub, the data stream having a data stream bit rate; the USB Hub decoding a periodic signal structure in the USB data stream; the USB Hub generating an event signal in response to decoding of the periodic signal structure; and the USB Hub locking a frequency of the local clock of the USB Hub to the periodic event signal. The local clock of the USB Hub is adapted to be a clocking source for the repeater circuitry of the USB Hub at substantially an integer multiple of a frequency of the data stream bit rate.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a disk for reducing scour around a pile, such as a monopole, installed in the seabed. The disk has a pile opening through which the pile protrudes. The disk includes a peripheral skirt for embedding into the seabed below the portion of the disk installed above the seabed. The disk can include partitions for segmenting chambers of the disk. The disk can include mesh on the top, bottom, or both surfaces with one or more fill bags installed in the chambers. The disk can include chambers that can be filled with fluidized fill material, such as grout or concrete. The fill material can be inserted into the fill bags through conduits with valves that can be remotely operated with an ROV. The fill material can also be injected below the disk using the conduits for support on the seabed.

Abstract: A method for automatically tracking compliance in a clinical trials process involving one or more operations comprising selecting a container; associating an identifier with the container, the identifier having a unique signature data item thereon; reading the unique signature data item to a relational database; performing a first operation relating to the container; checking the performance of the first operation against a compliance standard; following the successful completion of the first operation, writing an associated compliance data item to the relational database; optionally performing one or more further operations relating to the container; and following the successful completion of each optional further operation or a package thereof, writing an associated compliance data item to the database.

Abstract: A method of synchronising a compound Super Speed USB device, comprising: providing data communication between a host computing device and the compound Super Speed USB device across the Super Speed USB communication channel; establishing a Super Speed USB communication channel to a Super Speed USB function of the compound USB device; establishing a non-Super Speed synchronisation channel to a non-Super Speed USB function of the compound USB device; and synchronising a local clock of the compound USB device to a periodic data structure within a data stream in the non-Super Speed synchronisation channel so that the local clock can enable synchronous operation of the compound USB device with one or more comparable USB devices.

Abstract: A system for synchronising the operation of a measurement instrument having a microcontroller, a local oscillator and function circuitry to an external timebase is provided. The system includes a USB Host Controller; an interrupt generator adapted to respond to ITPs by generating respective interrupts and passing the interrupts to the microcontroller; and a timer for measuring an interval between receptions of the ITPs in a time domain of the local oscillator.