Abstract: The invention relates to methods and devices comprising a nanostructure (2;4,4a) for improving the optical behavior of components and apparatuses and/or improving the behavior of sensors by increasing the active surface area. The nanostructure (2) is produced by means of a special RIE etching process, can be modified regarding the composition of the materials thereof, and can be provided with adequate coatings. The amount of material used for the base layer (3) can be reduced by supplying a buffer layer (406). Many applications are disclosed.

Abstract: A method for forming at least one rib and a step shoulder bottom of a can body in a single drawing operation from a redrawn cup or preform which has a closed end with an inwardly tapering annular periphery that includes sufficient material to enable formation of the step shoulder bottom without having the at least one rib drawn into the step shoulder bottom.

Abstract: A storage compartment comprises a container defining an access aperture closable by a closure that can be sealed to the container around the aperture and that can be opened by relative movement between the container and the closure in a lateral direction with respect to the aperture, the container having a first sealing loop around the aperture and the closure having a second sealing loop co-operable by alignment with the first sealing loop to maintain a seal when the closure closes the aperture. The sealing loops are moved into and out of mutual alignment by said relative movement between the container and the closure and at least one of the sealing loops includes magnetic means for attracting the other of the sealing loops to maintain a seal when the sealing loops are mutually aligned.

Abstract: An electronic device 1 includes an electrical conductivity changeable body 2 whose electrical conductivity changes according to an electric field and an electric field applying device 3 that applies an electric field to the electrical conductivity changeable body 2. The electrical conductivity changeable body 2 contains RFe2O4, and its electrical conductivity changes due to a state of internal electrons being changed according to an electric field 4 applied from the outside by the electric field applying device 3. Thereby, an electronic device capable of changing its electrical conductivity in accordance with application of a small electric field is realized.

Abstract: A deployment modeling platform enables a user to model application characteristics of target software and to associate application modeling parameters to the modeled application characteristics. A user may also model environment characteristics of a target deployment environment and to associate environment modeling parameters to the modeled deployment environment characteristics. Still further, a user may create a deployment model that associates and maps selected parameters of the modeled application characteristics of the target software to associated parameters of the modeled environment characteristics of the deployment environment, and to verify that each parameter that relates to a requirement is mapped to and is fulfilled by an associated parameter that relates to a corresponding capability to determine whether validation problems exist in order to deploy the target software in the associated deployment environment.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus associated with monitoring and controlling streetlights include monitoring light levels and voltage levels at corresponding streetlights and controlling the streetlights to set or maintain a particular light output at the respective streetlights or providing power consumption estimates for respective streetlights (streetlight specific metering) based on the voltage levels and light levels. A streetlight controller for a streetlight includes a microcontroller; a first sensor to sense a light level from a lamp within the streetlight; a second sensor operative to sense a voltage level on a power supply for the streetlight; and a switching network coupled with the microcontroller and operative to adjust the light level of the lamp. Methods includes monitoring a light level and voltage level and adjusting a light level, estimating power consumption, or facilitating maintenance in accordance with the light level and voltage level.

Abstract: A fuel dispensing nozzle includes a main body that receives fuel from a fuel source for dispensing the fuel into a fuel tank, an operating lever associated with the main body, a locking device, and a locking device release mechanism. The operating lever is adapted to be actuated by an operator to dispense fuel from the nozzle. The locking device is associated with the operating lever for maintaining the operating lever in a hold open position such that the nozzle continues to dispense fuel without continued actuation of the operating lever by the operator. The locking device release mechanism is associated with the locking device and is adapted to release the operating lever from the hold open position upon the nozzle being stowed in an associated fuel pump cradle.

Abstract: A method for providing a three-dimensional model of a reservoir includes: dividing the reservoir into grid elements, each of the grid elements being delimited by boundary surfaces, storing reservoir properties associated with each of the grid elements in a computer memory, dividing boundary surfaces of each of the grid elements into sub-surfaces, calculating fluxes across each of the sub-surfaces of each of the grid elements, the fluxes being calculated based on a reservoir type and applying the fluxes to each of the grid elements to provide pressure and production status throughout the reservoir.

Abstract: A teleconference between at least two participants is evaluated by monitoring the teleconference and detecting a triggering event if more than one participant desires to speak at the same time. Upon detecting a triggering event, e.g., detecting an attempt of one or more participants to interrupt another participant, or detecting a request initiated by one or more participants to interrupt another participant, a dominant source is selected from among the ones of the participants attempting/requesting to speak based at least in part upon a determined hierarchal order of those participants attempting/requesting to speak. A participant is then selected from the participants to have the role of the dominant participant based upon the selected dominant source and only the speech of the dominant participant is conveyed to each participant through the teleconference system.

Abstract: A system for luminance characterization of a luminaire includes a ballast coil and a multi-tap capacitor connected in series with the ballast coil. The multi-tap capacitor has a plurality of tap capacitors integrated into a capacitor housing. A plurality of switches are each coupled to one of the plurality of tap capacitors for selectively coupling the tap capacitors together to produce a multi-tap capacitance corresponding to a configuration of the plurality of switches. A lamp is connected in series with the multi-tap capacitor and the ballast coil. A photometer is located to measure light intensity of the lamp and to produce a lumen output measurement. A memory is used to store a database having a plurality of lumen output measurements, each corresponding to a multi-tap capacitance corresponding to all configurations of the plurality of switches.

Abstract: The invention is a method and apparatus for facilitating facilitates load balancing in a server farm. In accordance with various aspects of the invention, all of the information about each server necessary for a load balancing program to define and execute a load balancing algorithm is stored at a predetermined URL for each server. The load balancer can query the predefined URL, which returns the necessary information. The load balancer then dynamically configures the load balancing algorithm in accordance with the returned information.

Abstract: Systems of hardware and software are provided for enabling mobile assets to communicate across a wireless network environment. Systems, computer-implemented methods and computer program products are also provided for leveraging wireless communication and/or processing capabilities of mobile assets against a robust software solution to implement enterprise wide asset management functions, to integrate mobile asset data into existing enterprise workflows and/or to enable trusted third party integration into the enterprise for enhanced asset and/or workflow management.

Abstract: A drive system for an illumination device includes a plurality of LEDs; an extra load; an illumination setting unit, for providing an illumination parameter such as a work cycle; a power supply unit, for providing a DC current; a microprocessor, for receiving the illumination parameter and generating a plurality of drive signals and a compensation signal according to the received illumination parameter; a plurality of first drive units, for driving the LEDs to receive the DC current in the high-level cycle for illumination; and a second drive unit, for receiving the compensation signal and outputting the DC current to the extra load according to the compensation signal.

Abstract: A system comprises a materials handling vehicle, an information linking device and a wireless transceiver. The materials handling vehicle comprises a controller area network (CAN) bus and at least one native control module coupled to the CAN bus that generates and sends the vehicle-related data over the CAN bus. The information linking device comprises a CAN-bus interface coupled to the CAN bus of the materials handling vehicle, which extracts the vehicle-related data off of the CAN bus, a memory device coupled to the CAN-bus interface, which stores the vehicle-related data extracted off of the CAN bus and an output interface coupled to the memory device. The wireless transceiver is coupled to the output interface of the information linking device. The wireless transceiver wirelessly sends and receives across a wireless network environment.

Abstract: A method of implementing an automated diagnostic checklist for materials handling vehicles comprises detecting, by a processor on a materials handling vehicle, an error in operation of the materials handling vehicle and initiating an automated diagnostic check of a component of the materials handling vehicle in response to detecting the error. The method also comprises obtaining error event information by the processor, from across a vehicle controller area network (CAN) bus, where the obtained error event information is related to at least one condition of the materials handling vehicle and wirelessly transmitting the obtained error event information to a server having software thereon for specifically monitoring materials handling vehicles. The error in operation of the materials handling vehicle is repaired in response to receiving the wirelessly transmitted error event information obtained automatically from the CAN bus.

Abstract: A control lever mechanism is provided for being mounted to a cowl of a main body of a materials handling vehicle. The control lever mechanism may comprise at least one lever structure including a control lever having a section which falls within or is approximately parallel with a lowermost view plane of a view zone of an operator, wherein the operator view zone includes at least one view plane positioned above the lowermost view plane, and apparatus for mounting the lever structure to the main body cowl.

Abstract: A method of detecting an intrusion into a computer. At least one communication to an application program is selectively evaluated by the application program accessing an intrusion detection service to evaluate the communication.