Abstract: A method of using a system to apply liquid over a selected area includes providing a source of liquid, a first tube for transporting liquid from the source through the system, a connector, a check valve and a spray device. The connector includes a projection extending into the first tube. The projection has an inlet in fluid communication with the first tube. The connector further includes an outlet and a passageway in fluid communication with the inlet of the projection and the outlet of the connector. The check valve has an inlet in fluid communication with the outlet of the connector and an outlet. The check valve is operable to permit the passage of liquid from the inlet to the outlet upon pressurization of the liquid above a threshold pressurization level.

Abstract: A system and method for accurately and efficiently testing a HEPA filter in a sterile environment, such as a clean room, by creating a closed-loop system. The system includes a multi-port interface including at least a challenge port and a verification port, each port being in communication with an area upstream from the HEPA filter. Through the challenge port, test substances are introduced to a supply air duct that is in communication with a HEPA filter. Through the verification port, a concentration of the test substances can be measured for comparison with a concentration that passed through the HEPA filter, i.e. downstream from the HEPA filter. As such, test substances can be dispersed throughout the air conditioning system before interacting with the HEPA filter, and accurately measured. The closed loop between the ports provides an accurate measurement of the concentration of test substances to test the HEPA filter.

Abstract: A shared bandwidth network system to communicate network traffic between terminals and an external network is disclosed. The system includes: a point of presence (POP) for the external network; Radio Frequency Gateways (RFGWs) wherein each RFGW of the RFGWs provides one or more Radio Frequency (RF) paths, and each of the RF paths links a respective RFGW of the RFGWs with one or more terminals of the terminals; an RF path state manager to manage a RF path state for each of the RF paths; a Satellite Network Core (SNC); a Software Defined Network (SDN) controller to maintain a topology based on the RF path states, wherein the topology includes the POP, the RFGWs and the SNC; and a network layer to route network traffic between the POP, the RFGWs and the SNC based on the topology.

Abstract: A system and method for providing irrigation management services is disclosed. The system may include a plurality of controllers, where each controller controls application of water by an irrigation system associated with the controller. A central computer that is remote from each of the controllers may be configured to implement an irrigation management plan that is individualized to each location and based, at least in part, upon one or more characteristics of the location as determined by an on-site visit. The irrigation manager may guarantee that the system will provide a return on investment within a predefined period of time. The system may also detect faults in the irrigation systems using water usage data from the controllers and diagnose the faults. A technician may be notified and dispatched to repair the faults.

Abstract: Lighting assemblies principally for swimming pools and/or spas are disclosed herein, as well as related methods. The assemblies may be used to retrofit incandescent luminaires with light emitting diodes (LEDs). No need exists to move (or remove) elongated power cords associated with the luminaires, nor to replace any Edison-style plugs of the luminaires.

Abstract: A system and method for controlling the temperature setpoints in a furnace such that a random mixture of slabs with different compositions, sizes, initial temperatures, temperature requirements, and anticipated residence times are all discharged at an appropriate temperature, with emphasis upon ensuring that no slab is insufficiently heated (rejected) per rolling and quality requirements. This is to be accomplished with minimized fuel use. This system can be implemented in a graphical programming environment, where real-time tuning, configuration, logic changes, model replacement, model retraining and other programming changes can be made without interruption of control.

Abstract: The present invention provides transseptal puncture devices configured to access structures on the left side of the heart from the right side of the heart without requiring open-heart surgery. The devices have adjustable stiffness to enter the vasculature in a flexible, atraumatic fashion, then become rigid once in place to provide a stable platform for penetration of the fossa ovalis. The devices are further configured to controllably and stably extend a needle to puncture the FO. The devices include an indwelling blunt stylus that can extend perpendicularly from the device to increase the accuracy of placement near the fossa ovalis.

Abstract: An extendible belt conveyor includes a penultimate section, a boom mounted for pivotal movement with respect to the penultimate section, and a transfer plate spanning between the belt of the boom and the belt of the penultimate section. The transfer plate includes a plurality of first components and a plurality of second components that each include a base member mounted on and rotatable with respect to a rod, and a flange member extending from the base member and positioned adjacent to one of the belts of the boom or penultimate section, with a distal edge of the flange member extending over the belt. As the boom pivots, an upper surface of the plurality of first components remains substantially parallel to the belt of the boom, and an upper surface of the plurality of second components remains substantially parallel to the belt of the penultimate section.

Abstract: An apparatus determining network health comprising base stations in bidirectional communication with radios, each having an identifier and transmitting a signal including the identifier. First and second health determining devices each receive the signal during normal over-the-air operation of radio and determine if the radio is authorized and, if so, determine the identifier, time-separated signal waveforms that are compared, operating characteristics from the compared waveforms, and a current location of the radio. Each of the devices determine health of the radio based on packet sniffing, a frequency deviation, or a range of deviations by analyzing the operating characteristics. After analysis results sent to the master controller from the devices indicate that the authorized radio is healthy, the master controller determines from the analysis results that a geographically unhealthy location of the network exists within the geographic area from which the authorized healthy radio transmitted the signal.

Abstract: An end treatment for use with an ultrasonic gas flow meter includes an attenuation section having a pipe extending in a longitudinal direction and containing alternating sets of laterally spaced and vertically oriented first and second solid wall plates located between an inlet end and an outlet end of the pipe. One plate includes a first end connected to an inside wall of the pipe and another plate includes a second end that extends past a longitudinal centerline of the pipe to define a gap between the end of the plate and a respective opposing inside wall of the pipe. As the gas traverses the plates by flowing through the gaps, the ultrasonic waves are prevented from reflecting back to the flow meter.

Abstract: A latching valve has a valve body defining a fluid chamber and supply, delivery, and exhaust ports. A solenoid within the chamber includes a pole piece defining a fluid passage between the chamber and exhaust port and having one end facing the exhaust port and another end defining a first valve seat. A coil is disposed about the pole piece. A housing has a portion radially outward of the coil and portions extending radially inwardly on opposite sides of the coil radially aligned with the pole piece and an armature. The armature has one end configured for engagement with the first valve seat and another end configured for engagement with a second valve seat formed in the valve body between the fluid chamber and supply port. A return spring biases the armature towards the second valve seat. A magnet ring is disposed about the armature in contact with the housing.

Abstract: Techniques for gunshot detection in an indoor environment are disclosed. A gunshot sensor is placed in the indoor environment. The gunshot sensor includes multiple individual sensors, including, but not limited to, an acoustic sensor and an infrared sensor. A firearm typically emits energy within the infrared spectrum when fired. This energy is detected by the infrared sensor. A firearm also typically emits an acoustic pressure wave when fired. The acoustic sensor detects the acoustic pressure wave. A strobe from a fire alarm occurring near in time to the gunshot can cause false gunshot detection. The infrared sensor information and the acoustic sensor information are analyzed to determine that a gunshot has occurred. The gunshot determination takes place independently of the location of the gunshot sensor. The strobe occurrence is evaluated to provide gunshot false alert detection. Reverberations are not used in the determination of a gunshot false alert.

Abstract: A system and method for user interaction includes a network, a server connected to the network, a supervisor device receiving information from a global positioning system and connected to the network, a user device receiving information from the global positioning system and connected to the network. The supervisor, having the supervisor device, defines a set of virtual geographic zones, sub-zones, and micro-zones in which the user device is tracked, and saves the set of virtual geographic zones and sub-zones to a supervisor account on the server. The user downloads a user application, sets-up a user account, and downloads the set of virtual geographic zones and sub-zones. As the user, having the user device, moves through the virtual geographic zones, sub-zones and micro-zones the location of the user device is determined and a set of supervisor-defined actions are executed on the user device based on the location of the user device.

Abstract: A system and method system for determining when an object detected by a collision avoidance sensor on one member of an articulated vehicle comprises another member of the vehicle are provided. The system includes a collision avoidance sensor disposed on a first member of the vehicle and configured to detect an object within a field of view of the sensor on a side of the first member of the vehicle. The system further includes a controller configured to determine an articulation angle between the first member of the vehicle and a second member of the vehicle and to determine in response to the articulation angle, whether the second member of the vehicle is the object within the field of view of the collision avoidance sensor on the first member of the vehicle.

Abstract: Methods are devices are provided for preventing fracture of a fluid-filled chamber or tank. In general an anti-fracture expansion device can be disposed internally within a fluid-filled chamber such that during a freeze event displaced fluid can compress or flow into the anti-fracture expansion device, thereby reducing the likelihood that the chamber will rupture. The internal disposition of the expansion device prevents it from interfering with other components that may be connected to or adjacent to the fluid chamber, thereby conserving space. In certain embodiments, the expansion device can have a dual function wherein it can act as a flow control valve in addition to functioning as an anti-fracture expansion device.

Abstract: A pool or spa control system includes a sensor system with one or more sensors in contact with a main body of water. The sensor system measures water condition data of the body of water and is mounted on a wall submerged in the main body of water. The pool or spa control system also includes a modem that facilitates data communications between the sensor system and communication equipment positioned at a different location from the main body of water.

Abstract: Automatically diagnosing operation of a communication network, including collecting, during multiple time periods spanning multiple days, a plurality of Layer-4 statistics for Layer-4 network connections on the network; determining, for each time period in the multiple time periods, a first Layer-4 condition metric for the time period based on the Layer-4 protocol statistics collected during the time period; determining a network performance indicator, based on a number of the time periods that a first threshold condition is met by the first Layer-4 condition metric; determining whether the communication network has experienced a performance issue based on the network performance indicator meeting a second threshold condition; and causing a diagnostic action, a corrective action, or a maintenance action to be performed based on the determination whether the communication network has experienced a performance issue.

Abstract: The systems and methods described herein may automatically sense varying environmental factors in an area of interest managed by a climate management system. The systems and methods described herein may adaptively control motors, inlets, outlets, other components of the climate control system, time delay(s), hours of operation, etc. to optimize the performance of the climate control system for the environmental factors. In some implementations, the systems and methods described herein may allow a user full control of climate management systems based on external sensors, building and/or other operational requirements for specific applications/contexts, etc. The systems and methods described herein may support one or more present sequences of operations used for various applications/contexts, and/or may allow users to customize various aspects of operation.

Abstract: Systems and method are disclosed and among these is a method for mitigation of interference local to remote terminals, and it can include detecting reception of a packet having one of the remote terminals as a destination terminal and, in response, selecting a sub-carrier among the sub-carriers that are not identified as receiving local interference at the destination terminal, and loading, into a queue for the selected sub-carrier, a coded data from which a content of the packet can be derived, and transmitting the queued coded data on the selected sub-carrier. Among disclosed features is a receiving of an interference report that carries an information indicative of a new local interference and, in response, updating the data identifying sub-carriers having local interference at the destination terminal.

Abstract: An “extension ready” spinal support system that enables the extension to be accomplished with minimal disturbance to an existing spinal support structure to which the extension system is coupled. In some embodiments, the existing spinal support rod and pedicle screws can remain intact while extension subassemblies are mounted directly to the existing base rod receptacles. The extension subassemblies include a skirt portion that surrounds and engages the existing base receptacle to prevent splaying of the base receptacle. Additional resistance to splaying may be provided by a canted thread arrangement between the skirt and the base receptacle. In some embodiments, the extension receptacle is provided with a low profile (i.e., shortened axial length from the base rod receptacle) by providing a monoaxial rotation structure that rotates about but does not pitch relative to the extension axis and is shorter relative to polyaxial rotation structures.