Abstract: Plows and methods of fabricating plows are provided. The plow includes an elongated frame. One or more shear assemblies are affixed to the frame in a spaced relationship along a length of the frame, wherein each of the one or more shear assemblies includes a shearing blade disposed at a distal end of the shear assembly and configured to operate below the surface of the soil to sever the roots of planted vegetation as the plow is pulled through a field. One or more cylinder assemblies are rotatably affixed to the frame and positioned parallel to the one or more shear assemblies and configured to rotate as the plow is pulled through a field. The one or more cylinder assemblies include a plurality of radially extending cylinder blades configured to mulch the soil and press the severed vegetation into the soil.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention can include systems and methods for installing a hand guard on a firearm. In embodiments, a method of installing a hand guard on a firearm can be provided. The firearm includes a barrel, a barrel nut, and a delta ring. The delta ring is retracted away from the barrel nut. A number of hand guard members are positioned about the barrel. An annular groove associated with each hand guard member is mated with a portion of a flange of the barrel nut. The flange is secured within the annular groove of at least one hand guard member. The delta ring is advanced over a portion of some or all the hand guard members.

Abstract: Some or all of the needs above can be addressed by embodiments of the invention. According to embodiments of the invention, systems and methods for facilitating hydrogen storage using naturally occurring nanostructure assemblies can be implemented. In one embodiment, a method for storing hydrogen can be provided. The method can include providing diatoms comprising diatomaceous earth or diatoms from a predefined culture. In addition, the method can include heating the diatoms in a sealed environment in the presence of at least one of titanium, a transition metal, or a noble metal to provide a porous hydrogen storage medium. Furthermore, the method can include exposing the porous hydrogen storage medium to hydrogen. In addition, the method can include storing at least a portion of the hydrogen in the porous hydrogen storage medium.

Abstract: A flat wire extension cord includes an elongated cord, a first connected attached to a first end of the elongated cord, and a second connected attached to an opposite end of the elongated cord. The elongated cord includes at least one electrifiable conductor for delivering electrical power, first and second insulating layers formed on opposing sides of the at least one electrifiable conductor, and first and second return conductors formed on the first and second insulating layers, respectively, such that said at least one electrifiable conductor is at least substantially entrapped by said first and second return conductors. The first connector is operable to connect the conductors of the elongated cord to a line side input, and the second connector is operable to connect the conductors of the elongated cord to a load.

Abstract: When there are no network devices currently associated with a wireless network controller, the network controller may reduce power consumption by placing itself in a standby mode. In the standby mode, the network controller may place some of its components into a non-operational low power state, while keeping enough components in an operational state to receive and decode received communications requests from devices that may wish to become associated with it. This may involve placing the transmit chain, and in some cases the applications processor, into the low power state. When a communications request is detected, the network controller may restore the transmit chain and if necessary the applications processor to an operational state, and transmit a response to the communications request.

Abstract: The invention relates to high performance gellan gum compositions having a 0.1% curdmeter gel strength of at least about 117 g/cm2, i.e. from about 117 g/cm2 to about 400 g/cm2. The high performance gellan gums have a low acyl content but an increased molecular weight. One embodiment of the invention also relates to processes for producing high performance gellan gums having high clarity. The invention further relates to food and non-food industrial products comprising high performance gellan gums.

Abstract: Electrical vehicle profiles for power grid operation. Embodiments of the invention can provide systems and methods for collecting and storing electrical vehicle usage and charging information, which may enable the generation of usage and charging profiles. Additionally, these usage and charging profiles may be usable to operate electricity grids in areas where electrical vehicles are prevalent. Grid maintenance, as well as power allocation, may be controlled based at least in part on the usage and charging profiles.

Abstract: A hybrid rocket motor is manufactured by photopolymerizing the solid fuel grain in a stereolithography method, wherein fuel grains in a plastic matrix are deposited in layers for building a solid fuel rocket body in three dimensions for improved performance and for a compact design.

Abstract: Method for depositing a vapour deposition material on a base material, in particular for doping a semiconductor material, in which a vapour deposition batch, in which the vapour deposition material is enclosed in an air-tight manner by a shell, is introduced into a vapour deposition chamber and the shell is opened in the vapour deposition chamber, so that the vapour deposition material in the vapour deposition chamber then evaporates and is deposited on the base material, wherein the shell is opened by at least partially melting by heating a meltable shell material which at least partially forms the shell at a melting temperature which is lower than an evaporation temperature of the vapour deposition material.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention can provide systems, methods, and an apparatus for thermally isolating a turbine rotor wheel. According to one embodiment, a method for thermally isolating a turbine rotor wheel can be provided. The turbine rotor wheel can include a pair of blade posts, or shanks, supporting respective turbine rotor blades such that a shank cavity is formed between respective blade posts. To thermally isolate the turbine rotor wheel, at least one seal operable to partition the shank cavity into an upper region and a lower region can be provided. In addition, this seal can be inserted within the shank cavity to partition the shank cavity into an upper region and a lower region. In doing so, cooling air flow can be divided between the upper region and the lower region so that the lower region can be maintained at a lower temperature than the upper region.

Abstract: Methods and devices are provided such that electrical stimulation can be delivered to a patient's skeletal muscles in response to certain respiratory signals, such as when voluntary breathing is detected.

Abstract: A system receives account access information from a user. The account is then accessed using the received access information. Data is harvested from a web page associated with the account or received from another financial data source. The user's ability to access the account is authenticated based on the obtained information.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention can provide systems, methods, and apparatus for operating a power converter. According to one embodiment, a system for operating a power converter can be provided. The system can include a direct current (DC) power source with an output electrically coupled to an input of the power converter. The system can also include a controller operable to modify the performance of the DC power source through the power converter. As part of this modification, the controller can determine whether a low voltage ride (LVRT) event exists in a load and can adjust the DC power source when a LVRT event occurs.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods for monitoring an electrical wire. An appropriate safety device is utilized to monitor the electrical wire. The safety device includes a line side input configured to connect a line side power source and receive an electrical power signal from the line side power source. Additionally, the safety device includes a wire connection configured to connect to an electrical wire. The safety device further includes at least one relay or other suitable disconnection component configured to control the communication of the electrical power signal onto the electrical wire. The safety device also includes a control unit configured to test the electrical wire for at least one of miswires, wire faults, or abnormal conditions and, based at least in part on the results of the testing, to control the actuation of the at least one relay.

Abstract: Airfoils are provided for a wind turbine blade that is associated with a wind turbine hub. Each airfoil includes a blunt trailing edge, a substantially oval shaped suction side, and a substantially S-shaped pressure side. The airfoils decrease in cross-sectional area along the turbine blade in a direction extending away from the wind turbine hub.

Abstract: Systems and methods for protecting a series capacitor bank are provided. According to one exemplary embodiment of the invention, there is disclosed a capacitor protection circuit. The capacitor protection circuit may include a capacitor bank, a pilot circuit and a main commutation gap. The pilot circuit and the main commutation gap may be provided in parallel electrical communication with the capacitor bank. Additionally, one or more plasma injectors may be provided in series electrical communication with the pilot circuit. The plasma injectors may be operable to provide partially or completely ionized plasma across the main commutation gap to make conductive the main commutation gap.

Abstract: The stack-top dunnage can have a sheet having two opposite end sections and a center section therebetween; each end section being successively folded thus forming a thicker ledge portion. The stack-top protector can be placed on top of a stack and the ledges thence receive tie bands that tie the stack to a pallet for shipping.

Abstract: Among other things, this disclosure provides a method for exchanging cations in an aluminosilicate. The method includes combining, in an exchange solvent and under ion exchange conditions, an ion-exchangeable aluminosilicate having a first cation associated therewith as a counter ion and a second cation source, to provide a mixture that includes the ion-exchanged aluminosilicate which includes the second cation associated therewith as a counter ion. Suitable exchange solvents include polyalkylene oxide glycols, polyalkylene oxide glycol monoethers, polyalkylene oxide glycol diethers, or any combination thereof.

Abstract: Systems and methods may be provided for lookahead instruction fetching for processors. The systems and methods may include an L1 instruction cache, where the L1 instruction cache may include a plurality of lines of data, where each line of data may include one or more instructions. The systems and methods may also include a tagless hit instruction cache, where the tagless hit instruction cache may store a subset of the lines of data in the L1 instruction cache, where instructions in the lines of data stored in the tagless hit instruction cache may be stored with metadata indicative of whether a next instruction is guaranteed to reside in the tagless hit instruction cache, where an instruction fetcher may be arranged to have direct access to the L1 instruction cache and the tagless hit instruction cache, and where the tagless hit instruction cache may be arranged to have direct access to the L1 instruction cache.