Abstract: The invention relates to an improved miter box for guiding a handheld portable circular saw. The miter box facilitates several conventional workpiece trim cuts using a handheld portable circular saw, including 45 degree and 90 degree straightcuts, as well as 45 and 90 degree straightcuts with a 45 degree undercut. The invention includes an I-beam that is formed from a rigid base plate having opposing first and second base plate edges disposed along its elongated length. A first and second flange can be respectively attached to the opposing first and second base plate edges. Each of the flanges can include a pair of opposing support faces. One or more transverse guide members can extend either 45, 135, or 90 degrees from one support face of the first flange to another support face of the second flange. The transverse guide member(s) and the support faces provide a friction reduced medium by which the bottom of a handheld portable circular saw's shoe can glide with greater ease and stability.

Abstract: A toroidal inductor, including a substrate (100), a toroidal core region (434) defined within the substrate, and a toroidal coil including a first plurality of turns formed about the toroidal core region and a second plurality of turns formed about the toroidal core region. The second plurality of turns can define a cross sectional area (440) greater than a cross sectional area (442) defined by the first plurality of turns. The substrate and the toroidal coil can be formed in a co-firing process to form an integral substrate structure with the toroidal coil at least partially embedded therein. The first and second plurality of turns can be disposed in alternating succession. The toroidal core region can be formed of a substrate material having a permeability greater than at least one other portion of the substrate.

Abstract: Embedded capacitors and a method for manufacturing the embedded capacitors. The method can include the steps of forming at least one bore (115) in a dielectric substrate (100). The dielectric substrate can be mechanically punched or laser cut to form the bore. The bore can be filled with a conductive material (250) to form a first electrode (470). A conductor (360) can be formed on the dielectric substrate, the conductor not being electrically continuous with the first electrode. A depth and/or cross sectional area of the bore can be selected to provide a desired amount of capacitive coupling between the electrode and the conductor. At least a second bore can be formed in the dielectric substrate and filled with a conductive material to form a second electrode. The second electrode can be electrically connected to the first electrode.

Abstract: A method for high speed interprocess communications comprises four steps. Initially, first and second processes can be attached to a message buffer in a shared region of user memory. In addition, each process can have a corresponding message queue. In a preferred embodiment, the attaching step comprises the step of attaching first and second processes to a message buffer in a shared region of user memory exclusive of operating system kernel space. Second, message data from the first process can be accumulated in a location in the message buffer. Third, a memory offset corresponding to the location in the message buffer can be placed in the message queue of the second process. Finally, the accumulated data at the location corresponding to the offset can be used in the second process. Consequently, the accumulated message data is transferred from the first process to the second process with minimal data transfer overhead.

Abstract: A method of tracking an entity (130) through a plurality of tracking stations (205, 210, 215, 220) in a wireless ad-hoc network. A unique identifier (250) can be assigned to the entity at a first (205) of the plurality of tracking stations and wirelessly transmitted to at least a second tracking station (210). The number of the tracking stations can be dynamically varied on an ad-hoc basis responsive to variations in a tracking environment. The unique identifier can be selectively communicated to at least a second tracking station based on a predicted transit scenario of the entity. The identifier can be stored on a datastore, such as a radio frequency identification tag (125) attached to the entity. A biometric scan of the entity can be performed. For example, a facial scan, an iris scan, a fingerprinting, or palm printing can be performed to assign a unique identifier.

Abstract: A vibration isolation system (100) for a payload (102). The vibration isolation system provides a level of vibration isolation for all vibration translational and rotational components, while minimizing the moment of the payload mass relative to the isolation system. The system includes a base (104) and a plurality of vibration isolators (114). Each vibration isolator includes a semi-rigid first support member (202) having first portion (204) positioned below the base and an opposing second portion (206) positioned above the base, and a second support member (208) having a first portion (210) fixed to the base and an opposing second portion (212) extending above the base. An elastomeric coupling (228) couples the first support member to the second support member at a height that is approximately equal to a height of a center of gravity (302) of a combined mass of the base and the payload above the base.

Abstract: A coaxial connector (100) which includes first and second contact pins (104, 106), an outer contact member (102) and an inner alignment member (320). The inner alignment member can be electrically conductive and coaxially positioned within the outer contact member. The inner alignment member can include at least one substantially tubular portion (322) with opposing first and second end portions (324, 326). Each of the contact pins can include a first end portion (336, 338) contained within the substantially tubular portion, and a second end portion (344, 346) which extends beyond a respective end portion (324,326) of the inner alignment member. A spring (356) can be disposed between the first end portions of the respective contact pins to resiliently bias the contact pins in opposing directions.

Abstract: A method for controlling fluid flow. A fluid (560) can be communicated to a first fluid flow port (105) disposed adjacent to a first surface (196) of a rotatable disk (115) of a homopolar motor. The fluid can flow through at least one orifice (130) in the rotatable disk to a second fluid flow port (110). The rotation of the disk can be selectively controlled to vary a fluid flow rate. Further, the disk can be rotated to align a selected one of the orifices with at least one of the first and second fluid flow ports. In another arrangement, the shape of the orifice can have a radial width that increases in a circumferential direction.

Abstract: Method for dynamically optimizing radome (110) performance. The method can include the steps of sensing (405) at least one parameter defining a performance characteristic of the radome (110). At least one electrical characteristic of the radome (110) can responsively be varied to dynamically modify the performance characteristic. For example, the electrical characteristic can be varied by application of an energetic stimulus (440) to the radome (110).

Abstract: An antenna (100) for RF communications. The antenna includes a radiating member (102) which is substantially tubular so as to define a cavity (104) therein. The radiating member (102) is made of a conductive material having a non-conductive slot (106) extending from a first portion (108) of the radiating member (102) to a second portion (110). An impedance matching device (120) is electrically connected to the radiating member (102) via a conductor (134) to match an impedance of the radiating member (102) with an impedance of a signal source or an impedance of a load. The impedance matching device (120), the conductor (134), and at least a portion of the radiating member radiating element (102) can formed from a single conductive sheet, or molded or extruded as a single conductive structure.

Abstract: A reflector antenna (100) includes a reflector unit (191) having at least one cavity (192) disposed in the reflector unit, at least one fluidic dielectric (180) having a permittivity and a permeability, and at least one composition processor (101) adapted for dynamically changing a composition of the fluidic dielectric to vary at least the permittivity or permeability in at least one cavity for the purpose of dynamically altering the illumination taper of the reflector antenna. The antenna further comprises a controller (136) for controlling the composition processor in response to a control signal (137).

Abstract: A method (100) for amplitude equalization in transmit and receive levels in a base station wideband transceiver (50) includes the step of assigning (102) a plurality of transmit and receive carrier frequencies to the base station wideband transceiver and the step of flattening (104) the power in the plurality of transmit and receive carrier frequencies in the plurality of base wideband transceivers using software amplitude pre-distortion.

Abstract: A variable true time delay line (100) includes an RF transmission line (110) and at least one fluidic delay unit (108). The fluidic delay unit includes a fluidic dielectric contained in a cavity (109) and coupled to the RF transmission line (110) along at least a portion of a length thereof. At least one pump is provided for adding and removing the fluid dielectric to the cavity (109) in response to a time delay control signal. A propagation delay of the RF transmission line is selectively varied by adding and removing the fluid dielectric from the cavity.

Abstract: Laptop computer carrying case of a generally parallelepiped form for transporting laptop computers of small and oversized dimensions. The carrying/case includes a front panel, a rear panel spaced apart and opposed from the front panel and a pair of side panels attached to the front and rear panels along corresponding side edges of the front and rear panels. A base panel is attached to the front, rear and side panels. A cover flap is attached to the case and is adjustably latched to the case. One or more side straps protect oversized computers from damage.

Abstract: Embedded check-valve assembly (100, 600) for integration in a micro-fluidic system. The assembly can include a check-valve chamber (104, 604), an inlet port (106, 606) and an outlet port (108, 608) formed from at least one layer of liquid crystal polymer (LCP) film to form a substrate (102, 602). A plug (114, 614) is disposed within the check-valve chamber.

Abstract: A method for dynamically modifying electrical characteristics of a radome (110). The method can interpose a radome (110) in the path of a radio frequency signal (140). At least one electrical characteristic of the radome (110) can be selectively varied by applying an energetic stimulus to dynamically modify a performance characteristic of the radome (110). Electrical characteristic can include a permittivity, a permeability, a loss tangent, and/or a reflectivity. The energetic stimulus can include an electric stimulus, a photonic stimulus, a magnetic stimulus, and/or a thermal stimulus.

Abstract: The invention is directed to an article of upright rolling luggage including a luggage case having a bottom wall, a top wall opposed from the bottom wall, and a rear wall extending between a rear edge of the bottom wall and a rear edge of the top wall. The invention also includes one or more wheels rotatably mounted to a portion of the luggage case substantially at the rear edge of the bottom wall. One or more bases extend from the bottom wall and having at least one portion spaced apart from the wheel. One or more feet are movably mounted to the base where the foot is movable from a first position substantially adjacent to the bottom wall to a second position extending away from the bottom wall.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for steering an antenna beam using a periodic resonance structure (300). The method can include the step of electrically and magnetically coupling a first fluid dielectric (114) to a plurality of transmission line stubs (104) that are respectively coupled to a plurality of radiating elements (102) of a periodic resonance structure (300). The first fluid dielectric (114) is controlled to selectively vary an electrical length of each of the transmission line stubs (104). This permits directing an angle of a redirected RF beam produced by an incident RF signal (306) impinging on the periodic resonance structure (300).