Abstract: A secure system for control of at least one unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), includes a cloud service and a ground control station. The cloud service includes a cloud-based management service having processing circuitry configured to control communications between the cloud service, the ground control station and the at least one UAV, and control and monitor the at least one UAV by way of a corresponding at least one UAV client device. The UAV client device receives messages from the at least one UAV, sends commands to the at least one UAV, verifies the sender of each of the received messages, creates a new block for each received message and sent commands as new transactions, including performs a consensus algorithm for the new block, determines a consensus to validate the new block, and updates a blockchain with the validated new block.

Abstract: A Internet protocol-based unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) management system and method is disclosed that includes UAVs including a communication chip, a user computer, a cloud-based service for performing a virtual UAV. The method includes storing a plurality of pre-planned missions, controlling communication between the UAV and the user computer, mapping the UAV to the virtual UAV, assigning a mission to include multiple waypoints, and allocating the task at the multiple waypoints. Dynamic mission planning of the assigned mission is performed to generate planned paths for performing the task. Operation of the UAV is controlled by way of the corresponding virtual UAV including receiving messages and commands for the mission from the user computer, sending control commands to the UAV, receiving data signals from the UAV, and transmitting location and status of performance of the task for the UAV. The cloud-based service performs image processing using the received data signals.

Abstract: A system, method, and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium to perform a search and rescue mission according to a Layered Search and Rescue (LSAR) methodology using a plurality of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) communicatively connected to a remote server. The LSAR methodology can involve receiving data corresponding to a center of an area corresponding to an adverse/disaster event potentially having survivors at unknown locations; dividing the area into a set of numbered box-shaped layers within the area; calculating a thickness of the box-shaped layers based on a total number of the Unmanned Aerial Vehicles; exclusively assigning one or more of the Unmanned Aerial Vehicles to each box-shaped layer; and controlling the Unmanned Aerial Vehicles to perform the search and rescue mission by selectively switching one or more of the Unmanned Aerial Vehicles between a searcher mode and a rescuer mode.

Abstract: A DC-DC voltage converter includes an input circuit, a parallel linked leg (PLL), an output circuit and a controller. The PLL includes an active leg switch, a leg inductor, a leg capacitor and a leg diode. The controller is configured to i) turn on the active input switch and the active leg switches while maintaining the active output switch at a turn off state for the first duty cycle period ii) turn off the active input switch and the active leg switches, and turn on the active output switch for a second duty cycle period following the first duty cycle period, and iii) turn off the active output switch while maintaining also turn off states of the active input switch and the active leg switches for a remaining period following the second duty cycle period. A method of controlling the DC-DC converter includes steps of i) to iii).

Abstract: A DC-DC voltage converter includes an input circuit, a parallel linked leg (PLL), an output circuit and a controller. The PLL includes an active leg switch, a leg inductor, a leg capacitor and a leg diode. The controller is configured to i) turn on the active input switch and the active leg switches while maintaining the active output switch at a turn off state for the first duty cycle period ii) turn off the active input switch and the active leg switches, and turn on the active output switch for a second duty cycle period following the first duty cycle period, and iii) turn off the active output switch while maintaining also turn off states of the active input switch and the active leg switches for a remaining period following the second duty cycle period. A method of controlling the DC-DC converter includes steps of i) to iii).

Abstract: A cascaded H-bridge (CHB) inverter for higher rated power conditioning systems which operates at medium voltages while providing high power quality and low dv/dt. By incorporating battery energy storage, the power conditioning system operates at night to provide power to a load or grid and stabilizes the system during sudden changes in climatic conditions. Various energy storage system (ESS) configurations such as AC side coupled ESS, dual active bridge based ESS, and chopper based ESS configurations for cascaded H-bridge inverters are described. A comparison of these configurations on the basis of cost, control complexity, controller hardware requirements was performed and the advantages of chopper based ESS configurations over other ESS configurations was demonstrated. A control algorithm for the chopper based configurations was developed to operate the system in standalone and grid-connected modes of operation.

Abstract: A wireless sensor network node selection that efficiently manages active nodes using a Tabu heuristic coupled with minimum spanning tree routing protocol (TNS-MST) is presented. Nodal energy consumption is balanced to ensure all nodes are operating at the same energy level. To balance the energy consumption, nodes with high energy depletion are removed from routing by placing on them a Tabu list, which prevents the most used nodes, such as nodes close to a base station, from draining before their neighbors. The nodes in the Tabu lists are dynamically active according to the energy level of neighboring nodes. The Tabu list combined with Minimum Spanning Tree routing protocol, TNS-MST, greatly increases network lifetime by optimally balancing the energy of the sensor nodes.

Abstract: A system, method, and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium to perform a search and rescue mission according to a Layered Search and Rescue (LSAR) methodology using a plurality of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) communicatively connected to a remote server. The LSAR methodology can involve receiving data corresponding to a center of an area corresponding to an adverse/disaster event potentially having survivors at unknown locations; dividing the area into a set of numbered box-shaped layers within the area; calculating a thickness of the box-shaped layers based on a total number of the Unmanned Aerial Vehicles; exclusively assigning one or more of the Unmanned Aerial Vehicles to each box-shaped layer; and controlling the Unmanned Aerial Vehicles to perform the search and rescue mission by selectively switching one or more of the Unmanned Aerial Vehicles between a searcher mode and a rescuer mode.

Abstract: A secure system for control of at least one unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), includes a cloud service and a ground control station. The cloud service includes a cloud-based management service having processing circuitry configured to control communications between the cloud service, the ground control station and the at least one UAV, and control and monitor the at least one UAV by way of a corresponding at least one UAV client device. The UAV client device receives messages from the at least one UAV, sends commands to the at least one UAV, verifies the sender of each of the received messages, creates a new block for each received message and sent commands as new transactions, including performs a consensus algorithm for the new block, determines a consensus to validate the new block, and updates a blockchain with the validated new block.

Abstract: A cascaded H-bridge (CHB) inverter for higher rated power conditioning systems which operates at medium voltages while providing high power quality and low dv/dt. By incorporating battery energy storage, the power conditioning system operates at night to provide power to a load or grid and stabilizes the system during sudden changes in climatic conditions. Various energy storage system (ESS) configurations such as AC side coupled ESS, dual active bridge based ESS, and chopper based ESS configurations for cascaded H-bridge inverters are described. A comparison of these configurations on the basis of cost, control complexity, controller hardware requirements was performed and the advantages of chopper based ESS configurations over other ESS configurations was demonstrated. A control algorithm for the chopper based configurations was developed to operate the system in standalone and grid-connected modes of operation.

Abstract: A wireless sensor network node selection that efficiently manages active nodes using a Tabu heuristic coupled with minimum spanning tree routing protocol (TNS-MST) is presented. Nodal energy consumption is balanced to ensure all nodes are operating at the same energy level. To balance the energy consumption, nodes with high energy depletion are removed from routing by placing on them a Tabu list, which prevents the most used nodes, such as nodes close to a base station, from draining before their neighbors. The nodes in the Tabu lists are dynamically active according to the energy level of neighboring nodes. The Tabu list combined with Minimum Spanning Tree routing protocol, TNS-MST, greatly increases network lifetime by optimally balancing the energy of the sensor nodes.

Abstract: A Internet protocol-based unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) management system and method is disclosed that includes UAVs including a communication chip, a user computer, a cloud-based service for performing a virtual UAV. The method includes storing a plurality of pre-planned missions, controlling communication between the UAV and the user computer, mapping the UAV to the virtual UAV, assigning a mission to include multiple waypoints, and allocating the task at the multiple waypoints. Dynamic mission planning of the assigned mission is performed to generate planned paths for performing the task. Operation of the UAV is controlled by way of the corresponding virtual UAV including receiving messages and commands for the mission from the user computer, sending control commands to the UAV, receiving data signals from the UAV, and transmitting location and status of performance of the task for the UAV. The cloud-based service performs image processing using the received data signals.

Abstract: Method and system for determining glucose flux profiles in plasma during meals using continuous glucose sensors and insulin delivery. A database of plausible glucose flux profiles is encoded in dictionaries using sparse dictionary learning. A constrained Lasso minimization problem is formed that integrates a transport model for a patient with the dictionaries for estimating the glucose fluxes. Meal carbohydrates consumed by a patient is incorporated in the minimization problem through convex constraints. The estimated glucose fluxes resulting from solving the constrained Lasso minimization problem are glucose rate of appearance from the intestine, endogenous glucose production from the liver and insulin dependent glucose utilization. A method for determining patient carbohydrate to insulin ratio at the time of the meal by calculating the area under the curve of the estimated insulin dependent glucose utilization.