Abstract: A solar power system for supplying concentrated solar energy. The system includes a cylindrical absorber tube carrying the working fluid and a concentrator assembly, which includes an array of linear lenses such as Fresnel lenses. The concentrator assembly includes a planar optical wafer paired with each of the linear lenses to direct light, which the lenses focus on a first edge of the wafers, onto the collector via a second or output edge of the wafers. Each of the optical wafers is formed from a light transmissive material and acts as a light “pipe.” The lens array is spaced apart a distance from the first edges of the optical wafers. This distance or lens array height is periodically adjusted to account for seasonal changes in the Sun's position, such that the focal point of each linear lens remains upon the first edge of one of the optical wafers yearlong.

Abstract: A sewing template and associated method to aid in the production of components for a quilt are provided. The sewing template may include a needle position indicator and a center guide line passing through the needle position indicator. The sewing template may be constructed from a material that is operable to cling to a work surface, such as an acrylic sewing table. The sewing template may include color-coded regions to assist a quilter in producing components with various patterns. The sewing template may further include features to assist in initially aligning the template with a sewing machine and/or a sewing work surface.

Abstract: A solder return apparatus for a wave solder machine that collects solder exiting a nozzle and returns the solder to a solder reservoir while limiting the degree to which the solder can splash onto electronic substrates (e.g., printed circuit boards), components of the wave solder machine, and/or the like. The apparatus includes a mounting section that may be placed over an upper surface of the nozzle and a collection section that collects the solder and returns the solder to the solder reservoir. The collection section includes a trough having an opening in a bottom wall of the trough and a flow control member that can adjust a quantity of solder exiting the trough as well as the velocity of the solder exiting the trough. One or more deflection plates can be mounted so as to extend from the trough into solder in the solder reservoir to further contain the solder and limit the degree to which splashing solder can reach unintended locations.

Abstract: An electronics assembly (48) is disclosed that utilizes a filter (24) within a plenum (50). The filter (24) may be electrically isolated from at least certain portions of the electronics assembly (48) by an electrical insulator (64). The electronics assembly (48) furthermore alleviates the need for a separate filter tray, and in this regard it may be such that only a first filter end (80) and a second filter end (82) of the filter (24) are supported within the electronics assembly (48).

Abstract: A computer implemented distributed workflow system includes a central server containing a management module and a datastore for storing workflow modules each having identifiable allocatable tasks requiring user input to complete. The management module is configured to define the workflow and manage the creation and distribution of the identifiable allocated tasks to one or more remote users, each having an associated handheld device and a locally stored application executable on the handheld device. Processing by the remote user of the identifiable allocated task is in response to a task initiation communication from the central server, which communicates with the remote handheld devices over a communications network. A user interface on the handheld device which facilitates data entry when the user completes the allocated task.

Abstract: A fluid effects apparatus to produce a fluid display or effect. The apparatus includes a base with a center point gimbal. A fluid outlet manifold is provided with an inlet for receiving fluid and an outlet device such as a nozzle for dispersing the received fluid. The fluid outlet manifold is supported upon the center point gimbal to pivot with the gimbal in all directions. A drive assembly is provided with first and second drive mechanisms such as submersible servos that each drive input arms attached to the fluid outlet manifold at an angular offset such as about 120 degrees. The drive mechanisms are separately and concurrently operable to move the input arms to pivot the fluid outlet manifold on the center point gimbal to selectively position the outlet device such as to articulate it in arcs of 110 degrees or more in all directions about a nozzle center axis.

Abstract: Techniques for assuring thread rendezvous for a plurality of threads executing in a computing system are disclosed. Techniques can be used to assure thread rendezvous for read-only code in a manner that is more efficient than polling techniques. A Light-weight, Yet Trappable On Demand (LYTOD) instruction can be generated for code that is executed by one or more threads. Typically, a LYTOD instruction is generated at critical points of the code in order to assure safe-point thread rendezvous. The LYTOD is a lightweight instruction that can change its behavior from a lightweight instruction to an instruction that causes a trap when executed. The LYTOD can, for example, be implemented as a read-from-memory instruction that operates to load a register with a content of a valid memory location.

Abstract: A system for tracking locations of portable data storage media. The system includes media with a wireless tag storing metadata pertaining to its stored data. The tag is adapted to respond to an interrogatory signal by wirelessly transmitting a signal comprising the metadata, e.g., is a high frequency radio frequency identification (RFID) tag powered inductively to transmit contents of its memory. The system includes a stationary and mobile locators that includes tag readers transmitting the interrogatory signals to the media and receiving the metadata signals from the wireless tags. Mobile ones of the locators include a communication module receiving location data (e.g., Global Positioning System (GPS) data) and sending wireless signals made up of the received location data and the received metadata signals. The system includes a media tracker that receives signals from the mobile locator and determines and stores locations of the media typically along with a time stamp.

Abstract: A method and system for im porting database information or data is disclosed. Generally, the method includes the steps of receiving first information relating to the first database, extracting from the first database second information, processing the second information to provide at least a first expanded name relating to a first item of the second information, and storing the first expanded name, for example in a database structure, such as a Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (“LDAP”) directory. Thereafter, the method may include the step of processing a query directed to obtaining information from distributed database, including the first database.