Abstract: In one embodiment, an improved circuit breaker module is installed in an electrical panel of a customer structure that receives power from a solar cell module and a utility company. The circuit breaker module may include a current sensor for sensing electrical current drawn by the customer structure from the utility company. The circuit breaker module may further include a current processing unit for capturing sensed electrical current values to generate energy consumption data and a data transmitter for transmitting energy consumption data to a remotely located data collection computer. The circuit breaker module may transmit energy consumption data over a wired or wireless data link. The circuit breaker module advantageously allows for relatively low cost and easy installation, encouraging installation of solar cell modules even in existing customer structures.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a system and method for preventing, protecting OLTC from fire and/or preventing, protecting and/or detecting explosion and/or resulting fire of electrical transformer (30) in advance before decomposition of combustible coolant fluid (11)/dielectric oil.

Abstract: Ripple of an input voltage is used to modulate a switching operation frequency of a switch mode power supply. A sensing voltage corresponding to the input voltage is received, a current ripple that is proportional to a difference between a peak value of the sensing voltage and the sensing voltage is generated, and a modulation control signal that is variable by the current ripple is generated. A switching frequency is modulated using an oscillator signal that is variable by the modulation control signal, and reduces the output voltage ripple.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a protection circuit, a resonance converter having the same, and a protection method thereof. A resonance converter having high-side and low-side switches senses a current flowing through the low-side switch and determines a zero voltage switching failure by using a width of a current flowing to a negative direction of the low-side switch.

Abstract: An interlock circuit includes an input delay unit and an output suppressing unit. The input delay unit delays a plurality of input signals, provides a plurality of delayed input signals, and provides a plurality of exclusive input signals by performing a logical operation on the plurality of delayed input signals. The output suppressing unit provides a plurality of output signals, which are not simultaneously enabled, based on the plurality of exclusive input signals and the plurality of input signals.

Abstract: The formation of solar cell contacts using a laser is described. A method of fabricating a back-contact solar cell includes forming a poly-crystalline material layer above a single-crystalline substrate. The method also includes forming a dielectric material stack above the poly-crystalline material layer. The method also includes forming, by laser ablation, a plurality of contacts holes in the dielectric material stack, each of the contact holes exposing a portion of the poly-crystalline material layer; and forming conductive contacts in the plurality of contact holes.

Abstract: A non-contact edge coating apparatus includes an applicator for applying a coating material on an edge of a solar cell substrate and a control system configured to drive the applicator. The control system may drive the applicator along an axis to maintain a distance with an edge of the substrate as the substrate is rotated to have the edge coated with a coating material. The applicator may include a recessed portion into which the edge of the substrate is received for edge coating. For example, the applicator may be a roller with a groove. Coating material may be introduced into the groove for application onto the edge of the substrate. A variety of coating materials may be employed with the apparatus including hot melt ink and UV curable plating resist.

Abstract: A system (and a method) is disclosed to extract entity values from texts. The system receives, at a first tier entity recognition engine, an input data string having a plurality of entities. The first tier entity recognition engine marks entities of the plurality of entities that are regular expression and transmits the input data stream with the marked entities to a second tier entity recognition engine. The second tier entity recognition engine receives the input data stream and identifies unmarked entities in the input data stream received at the second tier entity recognition engine. The second tier entity recognition engine determines whether the unmarked entities comprise a predetermined data format, and if so, outputs those unmarked entities of the plurality of entities that comprise the predetermined data format.

Abstract: There is described an electronic data communication system in which encrypted mail messages for a recipient are sent in two parts: message data encrypted by a symmetric encryption algorithm using a session key and session key data encrypted by an asymmetric encryption algorithm using a public key associated with the recipient. If the recipient uses a webmail service to access the encrypted electronic mail message, the encrypted session key data is sent to a trusted third party server which has access to the private key of the user. The trusted third party server decrypts the encrypted session key using the private key of the user, and then sends the decrypted session key to a remote network device for decryption of the encrypted message. In this way, although the trusted third party has access to the private key of the user, the trusted third party does not have access to any decrypted message.

Abstract: One embodiment relates to a substrate carrier for use in electroplating a plurality of substrates. The substrate carrier comprises a non-conductive carrier body on which the substrates are to be held. Electrically-conductive lines are embedded within the carrier body, and a plurality of contact clips are coupled to the electrically-conductive lines embedded within the carrier body. The contact clips hold the substrates in place and electrically couple the substrates to the electrically-conductive lines. The non-conductive carrier body is continuous so as to be impermeable to flow of electroplating solution through the non-conductive carrier body. Other embodiments, aspects and features are also disclosed.

Abstract: One embodiment relates to an electron-beam apparatus for defect inspection and/or review of substrates or for measuring critical dimensions of features on substrates. The apparatus includes an electron gun and an electron column. The electron gun includes an electron source configured to generate electrons for an electron beam and an adjustable beam-limiting aperture which is configured to select and use one aperture size from a range of aperture sizes. Another embodiment relates to providing an electron beam in an apparatus. Advantageously, the disclosed apparatus and methods reduce spot blur while maintaining a high beam current so as to obtain both high sensitivity and high throughput.

Abstract: One embodiment relates to a network gateway apparatus configured for high-performance network content processing. The apparatus includes data storage configured to store computer-readable code and data, and a processor configured to execute computer-readable code and to access said data storage. Computer-readable code implements a plurality of packet processors, each packet processor being configured with different processing logic. Computer-readable code further implements a packet handler which is configured to send incoming packets in parallel to the plurality of packet processors. Another embodiment relates to a method for high-performance network content processing. Other embodiments, aspects and features are also disclosed.

Abstract: A novel technique is disclosed for varying a size of an aperture within a vacuum chamber. A drive mechanism within the vacuum chamber is used to adjust a partial horizontal overlap between at least two blades, wherein a perimeter of the aperture opening is defined by edges of said blades. In one embodiment, a variable aperture mechanism includes first and second blades attached to a first support, and third and fourth blades attached to a second support. The first blade is spaced vertically above the second blade on the first support; a second support, and the fourth blade is spaced vertically above the third blade on the second support. There is a partial horizontal overlap between the first and third blades and between the fourth and second blades, and the aperture opening has a perimeter defined by edges of the four blades. Other embodiments are also disclosed.

Abstract: A pulse width modulation (PWM) DC operating point of a voltage regulator is configured to be relatively independent of an input voltage and an output voltage of the regulator. A drive transistor of the regulator is periodically switched ON to couple the input voltage to an output capacitor to generate the output voltage. A ramp signal is generated by dividing a signal generated from the input voltage with another signal generated from the output voltage and using the resulting signal to charge a capacitor. The ramp signal is compared to an error voltage indicative of a level of the output voltage to determine when to switch OFF the drive transistor.

Abstract: A power supply circuit includes continuous conduction mode power factor correction (PFC). The PFC may be performed by generating a carrier signal voltage at a beginning of a switching cycle of the power supply, generating a sampling voltage indicative of drain current of a drive transistor, and detecting when the carrier signal voltage has decreased to the same level as the sampling voltage at an intersection time. The ON time of the drive transistor may be set to twice the intersection time.

Abstract: An inverter according to exemplary embodiment of the present invention generates a plurality of feedback voltages corresponding to driving voltages of discharge lamps. The inverter generates a first minimum voltage having a smaller feedback voltage of a plurality of feedback voltages and compares the first minimum voltage and a short circuit reference voltage to determine a short circuit of at least two discharge lamps. Also, the inverter generates a plurality of feedback voltages corresponding to driving currents of a plurality of discharge lamps, generates a second minimum voltage having a smaller feedback voltage of a plurality of the feedback voltages, and compares the second minimum voltage and an open circuit reference voltage to determine the open circuit of the at least two discharge lamps.

Abstract: A process of information leakage prevention for sensitive information in a database table. Content to be inspected is extracted at a deployment point. The content is processed by a first fingerprinting module to determine if the content matches fingerprint signatures generated from database cells between a first threshold size and a second threshold size which is larger than the first threshold size. The content is also processed by a second fingerprinting module to determine if the content matches fingerprint signatures generated from database cells larger than the second threshold size. The content may also be filtered, and the filtered content processed with an exact match module to determine if the filtered content exactly matches data from cells smaller than the first threshold size. Other embodiments, aspects and features are also disclosed.

Abstract: There is described a computer network system in which a computer is in network communication with a server. In order to install a software package on the computer, installation software forming part of the software package is executed which requests entry of an email address for the user of the software package on the computer. The entered email address is then transmitted to the server, which in response sends an email to the email address including a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) addressing a local web server forming part of the software package, with installation information being appended to the URL. When the user of the computer accesses the URL using a web browser, the local web server automatically sends the installation information to the installation software. In this way, it is established that the user of the software package has access to the entered email address.

Abstract: A method for automated content insertion into a video sequence. The video sequence comprising a sequence of frames is received. An automated determination is made of non-moving pixels in the sequence of frames. Thereafter, an automated identification is made of valid regions comprising the non-moving pixels which are suitable for unobtrusive content insertion. Other embodiments, aspects and features are also disclosed.

Abstract: A solar cell is formed using a solar cell ablation system. The ablation system includes a single laser source and several laser scanners. The laser scanners include a master laser scanner, with the rest of the laser scanners being slaved to the master laser scanner. A laser beam from the laser source is split into several laser beams, with the laser beams being scanned onto corresponding wafers using the laser scanners in accordance with one or more patterns. The laser beams may be scanned on the wafers using the same or different power levels of the laser source.