Abstract: A tidally driven electricity generator (1) has a series of turbines (2), each of which is mounted under water in an offshore location. Each turbine (2) has blades (3) which are rotated by tidal flow of water, to power a respective generator (4), which outputs AC electrical power via a respective transformer (5) to a cable (6) and appropriate switchgear (7). The cable (6) is connected to a further transformer (8) located onshore, and the transformer (8) is connected to two AC inputs of a drive (9) containing an AC/DC converter, one input (10) of which is connected via a cable to a control feedback device (11). The control feedback device (11) may be a flow meter which determines the velocity of the tidal flow, or may contain look-up tables containing information relating to the velocity of tidal flow at any particular time. The drive (9) outputs DC electrical signals along cabling (13) to DC/AC converter (14), which outputs AC electrical powervia transformer (15) to a fixed frequency local supply grid (16).

Abstract: A docking station advantageously provides a location identifier to a portable processing device which processes the location identifier to determine docking station location (and other information) and to upload settings and configuration information related to an identified location which is retained until a different docking station location is encountered. In a system for use in a docking station suitable for attaching to a portable patient monitoring device for processing signal parameters acquired from a patient, a power coupler couples power to provide electrical power to a portable processing device. An adaptive communication interface, in a first mode of operation, communicates an identifier associated with a particular docking station to the portable processing device, and in a second mode of operation, establishes connection of the portable processing device to a network.

Abstract: An electrically isolated, combined power and signal coupler, for a patient connected device, is disclosed. A docking station and a portable device, capable of docking with the docking station each include a power coupler and an electrically isolated data transducer. The respective power couplers include a magnetically permeable element including a central pole and a peripheral pole and a printed circuit board with an opening through which the central pole protrudes. The printed circuit board includes windings surrounding the central pole opening: a primary winding in the docking station and a secondary winding in the portable device. When the portable device is docked with the docking station, the magnetically permeable element in the portable device and the magnetically permeable element in the docking station are arranged to form a magnetic circuit, and the data transducer in the portable device and the data transducer in the docking station are arranged to exchange data.

Abstract: A fully automated apparatus and system for processing shellfish such as shrimp and crawfish including the cooking, drying and peeling thereof. The present invention utilizes excessive heat generated by boilers to heat the dryers. The product is cooked in a brine mix that once used is transferred to a broth processing system to make a seafood flavored broth and is also injected as a fine mist into a furnace where it crystallizes into a solid product to be used as a seafood flavored salt.