Abstract: Generalized circuit topology of voltage level multiplier modules (VLMMs) for use with multilevel inverters (MLIs) and power converter circuits comprising at least one VLMM and a MLI are described herein. The VLMM is configured to receive a first output voltage from the MLI having a first number of voltage levels and to generate a second output voltage having a second number of voltage levels. If the first number of voltage levels is M, and the VLMM is N-fold voltage level multiplier, then second number of voltage levels is M×N+1. Switching pattern generators for use with the VLMM and modulation methods for controlling switching elements of the VLMM are also described herein.

Abstract: There is described a system to measure the electrical consumption of a household. This system consists of a network of measuring devices that are attached to wires between electrical appliances and circuit breakers and of a communication and processing unit that receives measurement data from the measuring devices. Low precision sensors based on the Hall effect may be used for obtaining precise measurements of energy consumption by providing a casing for the measuring devices that ensures a fixed, known, and precise alignment with respect to the wire to which it is attached. Low precision sensors based on the Hall effect may also be used by performing a correction calibration of measured data.

Abstract: A sclerosing embolizing hydrogel comprising from about 0.1% by weight to about 4.0% by weight of chitosan; from about 0.01M to about 1M of hydrochloric acid; from 0% by volume to about 40% by volume of iopamidol; from 0.5% by weight to about 25% by weight of ?-glycerophosphate disodium salt; and from about 0.05% by weight to about 4% by weight of sodium tetradecyl sulphate. Also a kit for synthesizing the hydrogel and a method using the hydrogel to treat a vascular defect in a subject.

Abstract: There is described a system for measuring energy consumption of individual electrical devices amongst a plurality of electrical devices. The system is adapted to determine in real time energy consumption while reducing its own consumption of energy by adjusting a transmission rate to between status sensing devices and a consumption evaluation device. The transmission rate is adjusted as a function of learned energy consumption habits and/or consumption characteristics of individual electrical devices.

Abstract: There is described a multilevel electric power converter circuit comprising: Ns switching elements connected in series in a closed loop; NAE additional elements, the additional elements being one of a direct current source and at least one passive element, connected within the closed loop such that each additional element is connected to four of the switching elements, the ratio of a number of additional elements NAE to a number of switching elements NS corresponding to NS=2NAE+2; and one of a load and an alternating current source connected across the closed loop at nodes between adjacent switching elements that are separate from nodes to which the additional elements are connected.

Abstract: A sclerosing embolizing hydrogel comprising from about 0.1% by weight to about 4.0% by weight of chitosan; from about 0.01M to about 1M of hydrochloric acid; from 0% by volume to about 40% by volume of iopamidol; from 0.5% by weight to about 25% by weight of ?-glycerophosphate disodium salt; and from about 0.05% by weight to about 4% by weight of sodium tetradecyl sulphate. Also a kit for synthesizing the hydrogel and a method using the hydrogel to treat a vascular defect in a subject.

Abstract: A system and method for controlling a plant having a minimum phase transfer function P(s) and given an input signal u, the plant having an output y and a plant frequency range comprising a transfer function J(s) comprising the product of a high gain filter J1(s) having a gain k1 sufficient that ? J ? ( ? ) ? > [ 1 + 1 ? ] when |?|??1 and |1+J(?)|>1/M for all ? wherein ?1 is selected to obtain a desired time response, and a low pass filter J2(s) selected such that |1+J(?)|>1/M for all ? and J(s) is strictly proper, wherein ?<1 and M>1 and ? and M are selected to meet a desired sensitivity requirement. An error signal e is calculated comprising the difference between the system input signal u and the plant output signal y, and the error signal modified according to the transfer function C(s)=P?1(s)J1(s)J2(s) and inputting the error signal into the plant. The system and method can be extended to unstable invertible plants.

Abstract: There is described a method for allocating bandwidth in a satellite communication system comprising a plurality of terminals, the method comprising: at each one of the plurality of terminals: sending a local terminal bandwidth request to a centralized bandwidth manager and to all other terminals of the plurality of terminals via a satellite; receiving a centralized bandwidth allocation for a first group of applications from the centralized bandwidth manager; receiving other terminal bandwidth requests from the other terminals, extracting requests for a second group of applications, and generating a decentralized bandwidth allocation according to a set of bandwidth allocation rules common to all of the plurality of terminals; and generating a global bandwidth allocation using the centralized bandwidth allocation and the decentralized bandwidth allocation.

Abstract: A system and method for controlling a plant having a minimum phase transfer function P(s) and given an input signal u, the plant having an output y and a plant frequency range comprising a transfer function J(s) comprising the product of a high gain filter J1(s) having a gain k1 sufficient that ? J ? ( ? ) ? > [ 1 + 1 ? ] when |?|??1 and |1+J(?)|>1/M for all ? wherein ?1 is selected to obtain a desired time response, and a low pass filter J2(s) selected such that |1+J(?)|>1/M for all ? and J(s) is strictly proper, wherein ?<1 and M>1 and ? and M are selected to meet a desired sensitivity requirement. An error signal e is calculated comprising the difference between the system input signal u and the plant output signal y, and the error signal modified according to the transfer function C(s)=P?1(s)J1(s)J2(s) and inputting the error signal into the plant. The system and method can be extended to unstable invertible plants.

Abstract: A duplexer for a communication device having a transmission unit, a reception unit and a shared antenna is disclosed. The duplexer comprises a first signal path between the transmission unit and the reception unit, the first signal path comprises a filter unit filtering the reception signal, the filtering unit provides a filtered signal to the reception unit. The duplexer further comprises a second signal path between the transmission unit and the reception unit. The second signal path comprises a cancellation unit which receives a sample of the transmission signal and produces a compensation signal. The injection of the compensation signal to the first signal path reduces the leakage signal, thereby producing a substantially leakage-free reception signal.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for performing a multi-equalization of a transmitted signal on a channel having varying characteristics comprising equalizing the transmitted signal using a plurality of setting defining a plurality of equalizing functions to provide a corresponding plurality of symbol signal, synchronizing each of the plurality of symbol signals to provide a plurality of synchronized signals, selecting at least one of the plurality of synchronized signals according to at least one transmission performance criterion and providing the selected one of the plurality of synchronized signals.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for testing a reconfigurable logic block. Preferably, this invention is intended to be used with Field Programmable Gate Array. According to the invention, a test bus addressing unit and a test bus activation unit are used to perform a test on a logic block. Upon selection of a corresponding logic block, a test data is outputted on a test bus which enables a testing of the logic function.

Abstract: A digital parallelized Infinite Impulse Response (IIR) integrator filter comprising a first channel having a first input and second channel having a second input, a first adder to add the two channel inputs, an integrator to integrate the added channel inputs to provide a first channel output is described herein. The second input channel is adjacent in time to the first channel input. The second channel further comprises a second adder which adds the first output with the second channel input in order to produce a second output, adjacent in time with the first output. This configuration can be generalized to n inputs and m outputs.

Abstract: A method and system for measuring the energy of a signal in which samples of the signal are generated, analytical signals are produced from said samples of the signal, a convolution of an instantaneous autocorrelation function is computed from said analytical signals, and from a CB kernel derived from a Gaussian kernel and having compact support properties, and a time-frequency distribution of the energy of the signal from is determined from said instantaneous autocorrelation function.