Abstract: A setup and calibration unit for a barrier operator is operable to communicate with the operator's own controller. The calibration unit includes a control circuit connected to a visual display and to a set of switches controlled by switch actuators for placing the operator controller in a controller run mode or calibration mode, scrolling through selected actions displayed on the display in one direction or the other, a set/clear function and display backlighting for user interaction with the setup and calibration unit. The setup and calibration unit is particularly adapted for use with upward acting sectional and roll-up doors and other types of barriers movable between open and closed positions by motorized operators. The calibration unit may be operably connected to the operator controller via hard wiring, a radio frequency link or an infrared or visible light transmission link.

Abstract: An image sensor has a per-column ADC arrangement including first and second capacitors allowing a comparator circuit to perform correlated double sampling. The capacitors are continuously connected to, respectively, the analog pixel signal and a ramp signal without use of a hold operation. The comparator circuit comprises a differential input being connected to the junction of the two capacitors and being biased by a reference signal. The reference signal is preferably sampled and held from a reference voltage. The use of a differential input as first stage of the comparator addresses problems arising from ground voltage bounce when a large pixel array images a scene with low contrast. Connectivity of the differential input stage allows the ramp signal to see a constant capacitive load thus reduce image artifacts referred to as smear.

Abstract: A single-stage integrated circuit drives LED sources in a constant power mode to eliminate the need for LED current sensing, while reshaping the waveform of the inductor current near line zero crossing to achieve high power factor. The integrated circuit achieves substantially constant input power by maintaining a constant voltage at a power factor corrector controller through an input voltage feedforward system. Accordingly, the disclosed circuit provides a high power factor, high efficiency, simple, and cost-effective solution with substantially consistent input power for both isolated and non-isolated offline LED applications.

Abstract: A MOEMS apparatus for scanning an optical beam is formed from a double active layer silicon on insulator (DSOI) substrate that includes two active layers separated by an insulating layer. The apparatus includes an electro-static comb drive having a stator formed in a first of the two active layers and a rotor formed in a second of the two active layers. The electro-static comb drive is operative to impart a tilting motion to a micro-mirror formed in the second active layer. The MOEMS apparatus is designed such that: a) at least one of the distances created between a tooth belonging to the rotor and an adjacent tooth belonging to the stator is less than 7 ?m; and the aspect ratio of the apparatus is higher than 1:20.

Abstract: A lens mounting assembly includes a lens barrel with a first lens assembly. A lens mount includes an image sensor, and the lens barrel matingly connects with the lens mount in a manner which allows the first lens assembly to be moved along an optical axis to adjust a focus on the image sensor. A second lens assembly is provided for adjusting the focus on the image sensor during use of the lens. An alignment projection is provided on at least one of the first or second lens assemblies, the alignment projection being adapted to mate with a portion of the other of the first or second lens assemblies in order to directly optically align the first and second lens assemblies with the image sensor.

Abstract: A region is locally modified so as to create a zone that extends as far as at least part of the surface of the region and is formed from a material that can be removed selectively with respect to the material of the region. The region is then covered with an insulating material. An orifice is formed in the insulating material emerging at the surface of the zone. The selectively removable material is removed from the zone through the orifice so as to form a cavity in place of the zone. The cavity and the orifice are then filled with at least one electrically conducting material so as to form a contact pad.

Abstract: A feed container for storing hardened livestock feed is disclosed. The feed container has a storage area defined by a bottom wall and a sidewall for retaining animal feed within the storage area when the feed is in a solid phase and the feed container is in a non-upward resting position or is on its sidewall. Also disclosed is a method for utilizing a feed container, having said storage area, for retaining animal feed within the storage area when the feed is in a solid phase and the feed container is in a non-upward resting position or is on its sidewall.

Abstract: An enhanced sensitivity radio frequency (RF) front end circuit includes a transformer configured to convert a balanced transmit signal to an unbalanced transmit signal and to convert a second filtered receive signal to a balanced receive signal. A switch in a first state receives the unbalanced transmit signal from the transformer and transfers the unbalanced transmit signal to an amplifier circuit and receives an amplified transmit signal from the amplifier circuit and transfers the amplified transmit signal to a filter. In a second state, the switch receives a first filtered receive signal from the filter and transfers the first filtered receive signal to the amplifier circuit and receives a second filtered receive signal from the amplifier circuit and transfers the second filtered receive signal to the transformer.

Abstract: A charge, close, trip device with a solenoid on a frame or a motor. The frame can include supports, beams, and handles. The motor can be mounted on a mount with a bracket that can be attached to the frame. A solenoid can be mounted on a bracket that can be mounted to the frame. The solenoid can have a plunger for engaging buttons on equipment. A gear assembly can be in a gear box attached to the motor mount bracket. The gear assembly can have a collar that can connect to a shaft. The shaft can include a key in a shaft key way. The gear box can include a gear box key way and a shaft housing for engaging the shaft. The motor can be connected to the gear box. Magnet housings can be connected to the frame with extendable magnets disposed inside.

Abstract: A modular charge, close, trip device with a charge portion having a charging arm operated by a motor is described herein. A close trip portion can include at least one solenoid that can be mounted on a bracket that can be mounted to a charging arm. The solenoid can have a plunger for engaging buttons on equipment enabling the closing or tripping of switch gear. Magnets can be used to affix the charge portion and the close trip portion to metal surrounding equipment to be charged, closed, or tripped. The modular components can each be operated independently by a remote switch operator, enabling the operator to maintain a position outside an arc flash hazard zone.

Abstract: A routing system is improved by performing three steps sequentially to complete an execution process. The first step estimates a normalized criticality score for each design net. The second step arranges the scores for each design net in descending order. Third step rips up and reroutes the design so as to make it more feasible.

Abstract: A flag arrangement with an integral counterweight for an internal halyard flagpole having a longitudinal axis, the counterweight having a flexible segment and opposed ends with first and second attachment means and a surrounding sheath where the first attachment means is in connection to a halyard having an external end. In some aspects, the first attachment means engages a secondary linkage having a rotatable swivel attached to the halyard external end, wherein the first and second attachment means are in cooperating relationship with a flag attachment means. In another aspect, the first attachment means engages a secondary linkage having a rotatable swivel attached to the halyard external end.

Abstract: An actuator device for varying the attitude of a spacecraft includes a reversible conversion chain of electrical energy to mechanical rotation energy of a flywheel. The electrical energy is stored in a capacitive element that may be a supercapacitor. The actuator device also includes an electrical power converter, connected, on one hand, to the capacitive element and intended to be connected, on the other hand, to the spacecraft power bus. The converter makes it possible to compensate for losses to keep a total energy of the actuator device constant.

Abstract: The quality of music output from audio systems is improved by simulating the effect of low frequency signals in the human ear. This thus allows listeners to perceive the lower frequency signals, even though the speakers may be incapable of providing such low frequency outputs. A method is provided for processing enhancing bass effect in audio signals. The method also results in the bass enhancement being computationally less intensive. The bass effect enhancement techniques are based on the response of sine and cosine transfer functions and on the directional independence of low frequency components. The human ear is unable to resolve directions from low frequency components. The bass effect enhancement technique alternatively is based on the response of an exponential transfer function.

Abstract: A MOS transistor includes an etch stop layer presenting a density of less than a determined threshold value, below which the material of said stop layer is permeable to molecules of dihydrogen and/or water. The material may comprise a nitride. A material used for the etch stop layer preferably has a density value of less than about 2.4 g/cm3.

Abstract: A charge pump circuit includes a first power transistor selectively actuated by a first control signal to deliver relatively higher amounts of current to a capacitor and a second non-power transistor connected in parallel with the first power transistor and selectively actuated by a second control signal to deliver relatively lower amounts of current to the capacitor. The charge pump circuit includes a pumped voltage output that is sensed to generate a sensed voltage output. A comparison circuit compares the sensed voltage output to a threshold voltage. A logic circuit receives an output of the comparison circuit and enables the first power transistor and disables the second non-power transistor in a first mode of operation if the comparison is not satisfied. The logic circuit further disables the first power transistor and enables the second non-power transistor in a second mode of operation if the comparison is satisfied.

Abstract: An optical sensor includes an infra red LED, a photodetector and a lock in charge amplifier. The photodetector passes charge to a feedback capacitor of the charge amplifier following an illumination cycle during which the LED is emitting and also following an illumination cycle during which the LED does not emit. An amplifier presents an output indicative of the difference between the charge generated at the photodetector during the illuminated and non-illuminated cycles.

Abstract: A cyclic digital-to-analog converter includes a first capacitor and a second capacitor. Switching circuitry is selectively configurable to connect the first and second capacitors is at least two modes of operation, wherein a first mode uses the first capacitor during conversion of a bit as a sampling capacitor and uses the second capacitor during conversion of that bit as a holding capacitor, and wherein a second mode uses the second capacitor during conversion of a bit as a sampling capacitor and uses the first capacitor during conversion of that bit as a holding capacitor. A controller swaps converter operation between the first and second modes based on the bit values of a digital word to be converted. If adjacent bits of the digital word to be converted have different logical values, the converter swaps from the first mode to the second mode (or from the second mode to the first mode). Otherwise, the converted remains in the current first or second mode.

Abstract: An imaging system includes a plurality of pixels. A pixel readout circuit produces a plurality of first image frames from those pixels. An image output circuit produces a plurality of second image frames and operates to produce a second image frame from more than one of the first image frames. The pixel readout circuit is enabled to produce the first images frames at a rate faster than the image output circuit produces the second image frames. Through combining first image frames, by averaging or other statistical combinations, the photon shot noise of second image frames is reduced. Photon shot noise affects images with high light levels more than those with low light levels and, as such, the system processing alters the rate of first image frames dependent on the current light levels.

Abstract: For coarse resistor string DACs, a resistor string is placed in an array of columns and rows, each resistor tap is connected to a switch network, and a decoder is used to select switches to be closed such that sub-DAC voltage comes from the resistor taps connected to the selected switches. The voltages from each row are fed into multiplexers, wherein the multiplexers produce output voltages. DAC circuit designs extend the resolution of the output voltages by feeding them into a voltage interpolation amplifier. A method and apparatus are disclosed for implementing Gray code to design coarse DAC architecture for voltage interpolation such that the number of switches required by the circuit is significantly reduced, thereby decreasing required surface area, and improving glitch performance without increasing design complexity.