Abstract: A hybrid electric aircraft propulsion system at least includes a motor with induction effect to drive a propeller or propulsion fan. The motor is directly supplied from the electrical output of a generator. The generator is driven by a variable speed engine and as such the generator has a output frequency proportional to the speed of the engine. A controller is operatively coupled to the motor, the generator and the engine. The controller is operable to control a speed of the engine and the excitation of the generator to provide an output at a target voltage and frequency to drive the motor at a desired torque and speed.

Abstract: The present invention includes refrigerant composition, including trifluoroiodomethane (CF3I); 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoropropene (HFO-1234yf); difluoromethane (HFC-32); and pentafluoroethane (HFC-125), for use in a heat exchange system, including refrigeration applications and in particular aspects to the use of such compositions as a replacement of the refrigerant R-404A for heating and cooling applications and to retrofitting heat exchange systems, including systems designed for use with R-404A.

Abstract: A stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) gyroscope comprises a resonator; a first laser in communication with the resonator and configured to emit a first optical signal propagating in a first direction, the first optical signal producing a first SBS signal counter-propagating in a second direction; a second laser in communication with the resonator and configured to emit a second optical signal propagating in the first direction, the second optical signal producing a second SBS signal counter-propagating in the second direction; a third laser in communication with the resonator and configured to emit a third optical signal propagating in the second direction, the third optical signal producing a third SBS signal counter-propagating in the first direction. At least one photodetector is coupled to the resonator and receives the SBS signals, which are combined in the photodetector to produce electrical signals that include rotational rate information encoded in frequencies of the electrical signals.

Abstract: Devices, methods, systems, and computer-readable media for building data consolidation are described herein. One or more embodiments include a method for building data consolidation, comprising: receiving a plurality of representative drawings that comprise a portion of a building, determining a boundary and a location of each of the plurality of representative drawings, wherein the boundary and the location correspond to the building, and stitching the plurality of representative drawings into a combined representative drawing of the building based on the boundary and the location.

Abstract: An accessory system for a gas turbine engine having a driveshaft with an axis of rotation is provided. The system includes a towershaft coupled to the driveshaft and rotatable about a towershaft axis of rotation. The towershaft includes a towershaft bevel gear. The system includes a primary shaft including a first bevel gear and a second bevel gear that each revolve about a primary shaft axis of rotation. The first bevel gear is coupled to the towershaft bevel gear. The system includes a secondary shaft including a third bevel gear and a fourth bevel gear that each revolve about a secondary shaft axis of rotation. The third bevel gear is coupled to the second bevel gear. The system includes a tertiary shaft including a fifth bevel gear that revolves about a tertiary shaft axis of rotation. The fifth bevel gear is coupled to the fourth bevel gear.

Abstract: Variable stator vane assemblies and stator vanes thereof having a local swept leading edge are provided. The variable stator vane comprises an airfoil disposed between spaced apart inner and outer buttons centered about a rotational axis. The inner and outer buttons each having a button forward edge portion and the airfoil including leading and trailing edges, pressure and suction sides, and a root and a tip. The leading edge, at least a portion of which extends forward of the buttons, includes a local aft sweep at the tip, thereby forming a locally swept tip of the leading edge thereat. The button forward edge portion of the outer button is substantially vertically aligned with the locally swept tip of the leading edge. Methods are also provided for minimizing endwall leakage in the variable stator vane assembly using the same.

Abstract: Coins or other value articles contain magnetic particles for changing the electromagnetic signature of the article and frustrate a counterfeiter's attempt to fake the article.

Abstract: A fall detection/fall indicator device that automatically senses when a user of fall protection equipment, such as a fall harness, has experienced an arrested fall, the fall harness having an electrical circuit that is a closed circuit in a first state and an open circuit in a second state after an arrested fall, and an alert device that is automatically responsive to the open circuit to emit an alert/alarm to other personnel that an arrested fall has been experienced.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing an article, including: providing a three-dimensional computer model of the article; providing a Al—Fe—V—Si metal alloy in powdered form comprising a plurality of powder particles; coating the plurality of powder particles with a coating of silicon using a chemical vapor deposition process; at a powder bed additive manufacturing apparatus, supplying the coated metal alloy and loading the three-dimensional model; and using the powder bed additive manufacturing apparatus, manufacturing the article in accordance with the loaded three-dimensional model in a layer-by-layer manner with the supplied coated metal alloy.

Abstract: A turbine section for a gas turbine engine is annular about a longitudinal axis. The turbine section includes a first turbine with a first outlet, and a second turbine with a second inlet. The turbine section includes an inter-turbine duct extending from the first outlet to the second inlet and configured to direct a flow along a flow direction. The inter-turbine duct is defined by a hub and a shroud. The turbine section includes at least a first splitter blade positioned between the hub and the shroud. The first splitter blade includes a pressure side, a suction side, and at least one vortex generating structure having a leading end opposite a trailing end positioned on the suction side such that a first angle is defined between the vortex generating structure and the flow direction. The vortex generating structure extends in a radial direction from the suction side toward the hub.

Abstract: Disclosed is a tangential on-board injector (TOBI) system that includes an annulus and a plurality of cooling airflow passages disposed about the annulus. Each cooling airflow passage of the plurality of cooling airflow passages includes an inlet opening having a polygonal inlet cross-section, the inlet opening having an inlet cross-sectional area. Each cooling airflow passage of the plurality of cooling airflow passages further includes an outlet opening having an outlet cross-section and an outlet cross-sectional area. The inlet cross-sectional area is greater in magnitude than the outlet cross-sectional area. Also disclosed are additive manufacturing methods for manufacturing the tangential on-board injector system and gas turbine engines that incorporate the tangential on-board injector system.

Abstract: A method for controlling a searchlight onboard a vehicle to search for a target using an illuminated area. The method obtains position data (including at least a current azimuth value) and attitude data (including at least a current elevation value) for the searchlight; calculates a point of interest (POI) for the searchlight and a defined search area to search for the target, based on the current azimuth value and the current elevation value, the POI comprising a searchlight center point of impact or a moving target location; optimizes a searchlight coverage area for the defined search area, based on the POI; computes an adjustment to current parameters of the searchlight for generating the optimized searchlight coverage area, wherein the set of adjusted parameters comprises at least one of an adjusted illumination area and an adjusted illumination density value; and initiates operation of the searchlight using the set of adjusted parameters.

Abstract: Embodiments relate generally to systems and methods for completing processes on a gas detector device using near-field communication between the gas detector device and an NFC tag. The NFC tag may communicate instructions or information to the gas detector device. The NFC tag may be located on or near a gas testing system, comprising gas deliver tube(s), gas tank(s), as well as other elements. In some embodiments, the gas detector device may comprise a single button to simplify interactions with the user.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided that can include receiving a plurality of cause and effect rules for a security system that protects a secured area, simulating a plurality of cause and effect rules responsive to user input identifying an emergency event in one of a plurality of zones of the secured area, and during simulation, displaying on a graphical user interface a first indicator that identifies a first output of a first of the plurality of cause and effect rules within a first of the plurality of zones.

Abstract: Various embodiments disclosed relate to an alloy. The alloy includes elemental silver. The alloy further includes a metal oxide phase in the elemental silver. The metal oxide phase includes a wetting agent layer that coats the metal oxide phase.

Abstract: A method for using an airfield Light Fidelity (LiFi) system in an airfield to exchange optical wireless data communications with an aircraft. The method (i) detects aircraft exterior lights including aircraft LED lamps, via a plurality of airfield photo detectors, wherein the airfield LiFi system comprises the plurality of airfield photo detectors positioned at intervals along a runway of the airfield; (ii) in response to detecting the aircraft exterior lights, establishes a communication connection to an aircraft LiFi system comprising the aircraft LED lamps and aircraft photo detectors, by the airfield LiFi system; and (iii) exchanges the optical wireless data communications via the communication connection, by the airfield LiFi system, by: receiving communications from aircraft LED lamps, via airfield photo detectors; transmitting communications to aircraft photo detectors, via airfield LED lamps; and presenting ground station notifications.

Abstract: Embodiments relate generally to systems and methods for determining the location of a gas detector device, wherein the location may be within a predefined location zone, and automatically configuring the gas detector device based on the location zone. Each location zone in a facility may be associated with a configuration for the gas detector device. The location of the gas detector device may be monitored by a central station, and when it is determined that a gas detector device has moved from one location zone to another, the configuration of the gas detector device may be updated accordingly. Additionally, other parameters may be monitored by the central station and/or the gas detector device to determine the appropriate configuration of the gas detector device.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a radio altimeter tracking filter is provided. The filter comprises: a wireless radio interface; a processor coupled to the wireless radio interface; a memory coupled to the wireless radio interface; wherein the wireless radio interface is configured to wirelessly receive a radio altimeter signal and convert the radio altimeter signal to a baseband frequency signal, wherein the a radio altimeter signal sweeps across a first frequency spectrum between a first frequency and a second frequency; wherein the processor is configured to pass the baseband frequency signal through a filter executed by the processor, the filter comprising a passband having a first bandwidth, and wherein the filter outputs a plurality of spectral chirps in response to the baseband frequency signal passing through the first bandwidth; wherein the processor is configured to process the plurality of spectral chirps to output characteristic parameters that characterize the radio altimeter signal.

Abstract: Systems and methods of crowd sourcing data are provided. In one embodiment, a method of crowd sourcing data comprises: receiving data region boundary information from an aggregation system, the data region boundary information defines boundaries of data regions; determining membership in a data group for a vehicle based on position of the vehicle within a region; determining whether another member of the data group has been selected as data source; determining whether the vehicle can provide information to the data aggregation system; broadcasting a self-nomination message for the information to members of the data group, wherein the self-nomination message self-selects the vehicle as data source for the information; wherein the self-nomination message identifies the type of information; and transmitting the information from the data source to the data aggregation system via a communication link, wherein only the data source transmits the information to the data aggregation system for the data group.

Abstract: A method for preventing the collapse of patterned, high aspect ratio features formed in semiconductor substrates upon removal of an initial fluid of the type used to clean etch residues from the spaces between the features. In the present method, the spaces are at least partially filled with a displacement solution, such as via spin coating, to substantially displace the initial fluid. The displacement solution includes at least one solvent and at least one, or combination of, a first fill material in the form of a phenol-formaldehyde polymer and/or a second fill material in the form of a polyalkene carbonate (PAC). The solvent is then volatized to deposit the fill materials in substantially solid form within the spaces. The fill materials may be removed by known plasma etch process via a high etch rate as compared to use of current fill materials, which prevents or mitigates silicon loss.