Abstract: Hydraulic internal combustion engines having at least one combustion piston not mechanically connected to a crankshaft or any other combustion piston, but instead acting on hydraulic plungers through valving that is electronically controlled to control the piston position and velocity, typically through an intake stroke, a compression stroke, a combustion or power stroke and an exhaust stroke. Electronically controlled fuel injection and electronically controlled engine valves provided great flexibility in the operating cycles that may be used, with the engine pumping hydraulic fluid to a high pressure accumulator for use in hydraulic motors or other hydraulic equipment. Embodiments using high pressure air injection to sustain combustion are also disclosed.

Abstract: A power converter output stage provides acceptable current matching between sets or strings of solid state light sources (e.g., LEDs) with different forward voltages, and protects the sets or strings from excessive over-current in the case of a light source failing as a short. The sets or strings are electrically coupled across respective inductors of a secondary of a transformer, the sets or strings not electrically in parallel with one another. The secondary of the transformer essentially self balances. The embodiments described employ an LLC resonator converter topology, but could be implemented as part of a Flyback, LLC resonator or other switch mode topology.

Abstract: A system or method that has an air distribution system configured to provide nitrogen into a room to reduce an oxygen concentration level within the room below a desired oxygen concentration level such that the atmosphere in the room fails to provide sufficient oxygen to sustain combustion.

Abstract: A parameterized interleaver design process is provided, which optimizes the design for interleavers of any size, and can be completely specified using only a few design parameters. According to the parameterized interleaver design process an interleaver ?(i) of a length N is generated. A number of subpermutation masks are defined, and a first intermediate interleaver permutation is partitioned into a number of subgroups, wherein the number of subgroups corresponds with the number of subpermutation masks. Each of the subgroups of the first intermediate interleaver permutation is partitioned into a number of further subgroups, and each of the subpermutation masks is applied to each of the further subgroups of a corresponding subgroup of the first intermediate interleaver permutation, resulting in a corresponding portion of a second intermediate interleaver permutation. The resulting interleaver ?(i) is generated based at least in part on the first and second intermediate interleaver permutations.

Abstract: A number of systems and methods are disclosed which increase the replenishment interval for anti-knock fluid. This is especially important during activities which require a large amount of anti-knock fluid, such as towing. In some embodiments, the systems and methods are used to reduce anti-knock fluid consumption. For example, changes to engine operation, such as rich operation, spark retarding, upspeeding, and variable valve timing, all serve to reduce the amount of anti-knock fluid required to eliminate knocking. In other embodiments, the composition of the anti-knock fluid is modified, such as by using a higher octane fluid, or through the addition of water to the anti-knock fluid. In other embodiments, the replenishment interval is increased through a larger anti-knock fluid storage capacity. In one embodiment, a three tank system is used where the third tank can be used to store gasoline or anti-knock fluid, depending on the driving conditions.

Abstract: An actuator system and a method for assembling the same are provided. An actuator system includes a housing and a cap. The housing includes a cavity defined by the housing and an opening defined in a wall of the housing. The housing encases an actuator within the cavity. The cap is coupled to the housing to facilitate shielding the opening from a surrounding environment.

Abstract: Systems and methods for attaching and quick releasing from inside hurricane panels at an opening in a structure are provided, thus facilitating egress. Retaining pins may be located inside a panel, protecting them from potential object strikes, and eliminating the need for drilling additional holes in the panels and permitting manipulation from inside the structure. Human error or misuse is addressed, particularly the binding of pins that result from over tightening of nuts. Industry standard methods for installing hurricane panels may be employed or modestly modified as appropriate, and thus studded angle track, F-Track and direct mount systems utilizing either male or female hardware may be employed. Some of the embodiments can attach and quick release track, wherein the panels attached to the track are released when the track is released.

Abstract: An integrated grip and rail system is provided. Included is a firearm and the firearm grip. The grip is configured to be disposed in front of the magazine well and provide a stable grip point which does not allow a user's thumb or other appendage to be disposed between the grip and magazine well. The grip is configured so as to not interfere with the pivoting relationship between the weapon upper and weapon lower during partial or complete disassembly of the weapon. The rear region may also have a portion extending rearward along at least part of each side of the magazine well to form feed ramps as a part of the magazine well extension. Included is a magazine well extension mechanically coupled to a forearm rail system for mounting to the firearm.

Abstract: Communications system housings, assemblies, and related alignment features and methods are disclosed. In certain embodiments, communications cards and related assemblies and methods that include one or more alignment features are disclosed. In certain embodiments, at least one digital connector disposed in the communications card is configured to engage at least one complementary digital connector to align at least one RF connector also disposed in the communications card with at least one complementary RF connector. In other embodiments, printed circuit board (PCB) assemblies are disclosed that include a moveable standoff to provide an alignment feature. In other embodiments, distributed antenna systems and assemblies that include one or more alignment features are disclosed.

Abstract: A dust cap assembly includes a sleeve and a sealant that seals an end face portion of a fiber optic ferrule from contaminants and, upon removal, provides remedial cleaning of any foreign matter present on the ferrule when the dust cap assembly was initially installed along with methods of making the same. The sleeve of the dust cap assembly has a through bore and a distal end for receiving the sealant. Further, the sealant may optionally have advantageous mechanical and optical properties such that the dust cap assembly may function as a terminator for testing.

Abstract: Apparatus, methods and computer program products for creating and modifying labels for use by pharmaceutical dispensing machines are provided. A pharmaceutical dispensing apparatus includes a touch screen, a processor, memory coupled to the processor, and a computer program residing in the memory that is executable by the processor for guiding a user through a process of designing a label via the touch screen. The computer program displays a label template adapted to receive a plurality of data fields inputted by a user therein, wherein each data field is adapted to receive and display respective data. The computer program includes a label wizard that guides a user through the process of designing a label within the label template.

Abstract: A deck block adapted to be interconnected with other deck blocks to form an insulating deck for casting concrete. The deck block comprising a foam panel at least one hole extending into the panel from the one end toward an opposing end such that the hole has an open end and a closed end. At least one protrusion extends from the panel and the protrusion is matingly receivable in at least a portion of a hole of a like panel to interconnect the panels in an end-to-end relationship. The panel has a vertical groove extending from a bottom surface and intersecting the opening of the panel to provide a fluid flow channel from the opening to the bottom surface of the panel when the like panels are interconnected. The protrusion has a horizontal groove extending along a lower end thereof from a distal end of the protrusion to a proximal end thereof so as to intersect the vertical groove.

Abstract: A latching valve system includes a housing, a supply port defined in the housing, a delivery port defined in the housing, an exhaust port defined in the housing, an apply port defined in the housing, and a release port defined in the housing. The apply port is sealingly fluidly isolated from the supply port, the delivery port, and the exhaust port. The release port is sealingly fluidly isolated from the supply port, the delivery port, and the exhaust port. An apply valve supplies an apply pilot pressure to the apply port as a function of a state of the apply valve. A release valve supplies a release pilot pressure to the release port as a function of a state of the release valve. A bore, defined in the housing, fluidly communicates with the supply port, the delivery port, the exhaust port, the apply port, and the release port.

Abstract: On-demand protection and authorization of playback of media assets includes receiving digital media at a server computer, storing intermediary data in a data store, and receiving a request from a client for the digital media. The method also includes generating a protected copy of the digital media from the digital media and the intermediary data. The method also includes storing a description of the protected copy in a database and sending the protected copy to the client. The method also includes receiving a request from the client to access the digital media and reading the description from the database based on information in the request. The method also includes sending a response to the client, the response indicating whether the client is authorized to access the digital media, and the response including cryptographic data to decrypt the protected digital media if the client is authorized to access the digital media.

Abstract: Methods of monitoring acceptance criteria of pharmaceutical manufacturing processes are disclosed herein. The methods described herein provide an ability to control and monitor pharmaceutical manufacturing processes (for example, finishing and packaging of pharmaceuticals) and can ensure data and product integrity and ultimately minimize overall manufacturing cost.

Abstract: A vertebral body replacement device includes a body member and a central rod member having two threaded portions and configured to be operatively associated with the body member. The device also includes a first end member and a second end member with the end members configured to threadingly engage the threaded portions of the central rod member. The body member and the two end members are further constructed to inhibit rotational movement of the two end members when the device is positioned within a space within a spine as the two end members will engage the adjacent respective vertebral bodies following rotational actuation of the central rod member causing the end members to move in an axial direction relative to the body member, thereby allowing the two end members to apply a force to the two vertebral bodies. A surgical instrument and method for using the device are also disclosed.

Abstract: An actuator having a first actuating channel, having a first motor, and a second actuating channel having a second motor where the output of the first actuating channel and the output of the second actuating channel are synchronized and methods of mechanically synchronizing two outputs of a two channel actuator.

Abstract: A battery system comprises a first battery unit; a DC voltage bus; a second battery unit electrically connected to the DC voltage bus; a current-limiting component; and switching circuitry for connecting the first battery unit to the DC voltage bus, where the switching circuitry is configured to electrically connect the first battery unit to the DC voltage bus either directly or through a current-limiting component, depending on an operating parameter of the first battery unit.

Abstract: A system and method of construction of unique word sets together with an efficient method of implementing correlation with the members of the set is presented. The set of UWs is constructed by breaking a UW sequence in to equal length segments, and then multiplying this vector by an orthogonal matrix. First an arbitrary vector U is chosen of length K for a set of N UWs. Then a matrix H of size N×N is chosen. The columns of H are then repeated L times to form a matrix H?. The set of N UW consists of the rows of H?UT. N sub-correlations of the N segments of the vector U with the segments of the (suitably delayed) received signal is performed at the receiver. Then the N different outputs are obtained as Z=HCT, where C=[C0 . . . CN-1] is the vector of correlated outputs. The receiver only requires N correlators, each of length L, instead of length K, which provides a less complex and more efficient solution for detection of UW sets.

Abstract: A reliability unit is provided for determining a reliability value for at least one bit decision. The disclosed reliability unit comprises one or more functional elements, wherein each of the functional elements comprises at least four functional units and at least two registers, wherein each functional unit comprises a comparator and a multiplexer, and wherein an output of the comparator and an equivalence bit control the multiplexer. Generally, the reliability unit determines a reliability value for a bit decision associated with a maximum-likelihood path through a multiple-step trellis.