Abstract: An intrinsically safe (IS) multi-drop communication hub operable in a hazardous environment, including a power contact; a controller and a first signal input contact; a multiplexer communicatively connected to the controller; and a communication port communicatively connected to the controller to transmit the signal data provided by the multiplexer, wherein when the controller causes the multiplexer to supply power in a predetermined sequence to a first of the IS devices during a first time interval to generate a signal from the first of the IS devices and, after the first time interval, to a second of the IS devices during a second time interval, which does not overlap in time with the first time interval, to generate a signal from the second of the IS devices.

Abstract: A hydroponic water treatment system incudes a supply tank configured to receive water having contaminants dissolved therein. An irrigation pump is in fluid communication with the supply tank. The irrigation pump is configured to pump the water out of the supply tank. One or more above ground first containerized plant systems include a first growing container. A first plant having a first root system is disposed in a substrate contained in the first growing container. A first holding container is configured to contain the first growing container therein. The first holding container includes a fluid connection. The fluid connection is in fluid communication with the supply tank. The first root system is configured to receive a first portion of the water from the irrigation pump via drip irrigation and the fluid connection is configured to return a second portion of the water to the supply tank.

Abstract: A personal protection guard having a guard portion and mounting portion. The guard portion has a hard shell and resilient inner. pad. The inner pad includes, a padding layer and an exterior facing fastening layer having a mass of fastening loops. The mounting strip has an adhesive strip layer and an engaging member having a hook layer that cooperates with the mass of fastening loops for attaching the guard portion to the mounting portion. The adhesive strip layer includes a removable release layer that when removed exposes the adhesive substance upon the adhesiver strip layer, for attaching the mounting strip to a portion of a person use of the personal protection guard. The guard portion may also include elastic mounting straps coupled to the opposite side of the shell.

Abstract: A radio-frequency (RF) redundancy method includes designating a plurality of RF gateways as initial primary RF gateways and designating an additional RF gateway as an initial backup RF gateway for the satellite communication system. A fault condition is detected in a first initial primary RF gateway, and a first switchover process is performed to switch the first initial primary RF gateway to a current backup RF gateway and to switch the initial backup RF gateway to a first current primary RF gateway. When a second initial primary RF gateway has the fault condition, a second switchover process is performed to switch the current backup RF gateway to a second current primary RF gateway and to switch the second initial primary RF gateway to the current backup RF gateway.

Abstract: An air disc brake system includes a carrier having a mounting feature and a guide pin having a longitudinally extending relief passage. A caliper includes a longitudinally extending bore having spaced apart first and second ends, wherein the guide pin is received in the bore, and wherein the caliper is slidably mounted on the guide pin with the relief passage in fluid communication with the first and second ends of the bore. A fastener couples the guide pin to the carrier. A cap is coupled to the caliper and closes a second end of the bore. Methods of using and assembling the air disc brake system are also provided.

Abstract: In general, intelligent fuel dispensers are provided. In at least some implementations, an intelligent fuel dispenser can determine customer identities and/or other characteristics and provide customized fueling sessions based on the determined customer identities and/or other characteristics. In at least some implementations, the fuel dispenser includes a touchless interface allowing customers to complete fueling sessions with minimal physical contact with the fuel dispenser.

Abstract: In general, intelligent fuel dispensers are provided. In at least some implementations, an intelligent fuel dispenser can determine customer identities and/or other characteristics and provide customized fueling sessions based on the determined customer identities and/or other characteristics. In at least some implementations, the fuel dispenser includes a touchless interface allowing customers to complete fueling sessions with minimal physical contact with the fuel dispenser.

Abstract: Devices and methods are disclosed for the treatment or repair of regurgitant cardiac valves, such as a mitral valve and/or tricuspid valve. An illustrative annuloplasty device can be placed in the coronary sinus to reshape the mitral valve and reduce mitral valve regurgitation as well as tricuspid regurgitation. The disclosure also provides improved techniques for cardiac pacing.

Abstract: A method of automatically determining fulfillment of services performed by a first entity, the method including at a management server, determining one or more first entities having one or more service agreement obligations to one or more second entities, and extracting content data from one or more websites and/or servers hosting the one or more websites. The content data includes one or more separate and distinct event datasets, each event dataset being generated by a particular first entity of the one or more first entities. Determining, for each event dataset, whether the event dataset includes an indication of a particular second entity. Determining whether the particular first entity and particular second entity have service agreement specific information, and in response to determining that the particular first entity and particular second entity are indicated in the service agreement specific information, automatically determining that a service agreement obligation has been fulfilled.

Abstract: A vehicle system for a host vehicle includes a braking controller for implementing service braking on a host vehicle in response to a brake request message and a lane keep assist controller for transmitting a message indicative of the host vehicle departing from an identified lane of travel of a roadway and transmitting a message for maintaining the host vehicle in the identified lane of travel. The system also includes an automatic emergency braking controller for detecting a first vehicle in front of the host vehicle and tracking the first vehicle as a primary target. The automatic emergency braking controller discontinues tracking the first vehicle as the primary target in order to suppress alerts in response to the lane keep assist controller being active and the first vehicle traveling in a different lane of the roadway than the identified lane of travel of the host vehicle.

Abstract: A method and corresponding system for providing patient data to a patient data server following an offline network condition are described. In one arrangement, a healthcare information analysis and presentation system includes a client logic device disposed in wireless communication with a patient data server. The healthcare information analysis and presentation system is configured with an offline functionality that stores patient data on the client logic device, even when not wirelessly connected to the patient data server. Further, the healthcare information analysis and presentation system is configured to allow the end user to begin patient data entry for a new patient, to document an existing case, and to resolve conflicting data following an offline network condition, all while preserving and protecting patient's privacy.

Abstract: A steel deck structure can comprise a first steel deck panel including an upturned male lip and a second steel deck panel including a downwardly directed U-shaped female channel that can extend over and receive the upturned male lip to form a side-lapped seam. A tool can be used to form an attachment within the side-lapped seam to attach the steel deck panels together. The attachment can comprise one or more slit openings extending through the side-lapped seam and a pair of semi-conical shaped lobes that bulge in an opposite transverse direction from the longitudinal center of the side-lap seam and extend longitudinally along the side-lapped seam in opposite directions from the one or more slit openings. The tool can be powered by a linear actuator and can include a control system that controls the linear actuator for automatically forming the attachments.

Abstract: A park brake controller with multiple communication channels and failsafe methods for use therewith are provided. In one embodiment, a park brake controller is provided comprising a plurality of transceivers. In response to at least one of the plurality of transceivers not being able to receive, from a communication network in a vehicle, a park brake request and vehicle sensor data, the park brake request and vehicle sensor data are sent in a different, more-robust form to be received by another one of the plurality of transceivers. Other embodiments are provided.

Abstract: Methods and systems for acoustic treatment of tissue are provided. Acoustic energy, for example ultrasound energy, under proper functional control can penetrate deeply and be controlled precisely in tissue. Some aspects provide a method configured for removal of at least a portion of targeted tissue, such as a scar, abscess, non-cancerous tumor, or fibrous knot, in a tissue of the body.

Abstract: This application is directed to a bias circuit. The bias circuit includes a biasing voltage reference circuit including at least a first transistor. The biasing voltage reference circuit is configured to output a first voltage that depends on a threshold voltage of the first transistor. The bias circuit also includes a differential input circuit coupled to the biasing voltage reference circuit and having two differential inputs. The differential input circuit is configured to receive the first voltage and a reference voltage and generate a second voltage based on a difference between the first voltage and the reference voltage. The bias circuit further includes a buffer circuit coupled to the differential input circuit. The buffer circuit is configured to receive the second voltage and generate a bias voltage based on the second voltage. The bias voltage depends on the threshold voltage of the first transistor.

Abstract: A passive cooling system for aircraft electronics includes an electronics chassis having a chassis exterior and defining a chassis interior; a heat spreader having a body located in the chassis interior; a heatsink located in the chassis interior; a cold plate operably coupled to the electronic chassis and thermally coupled to the heatsink; a first plurality of heat pipes thermally coupled with the cold plate; and a second plurality of heat pipes thermally coupling the heatsink with the heat spreader.

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.

Abstract: A vehicle controller programming system is provided for enabling a user to program a vehicle controller for a vehicle that is being retrofitted with the vehicle controller. The system comprises a data storage unit for storing a database of a plurality of configurators and a corresponding database of a plurality of vehicle product portfolios. Each configurator and its corresponding portfolio are associated with a specific vehicle specification. The system also comprises a user interface unit for (i) receiving a set of vehicle characteristics that is associated with the vehicle, (ii) selecting one of the configurators and its corresponding portfolio based upon the set of vehicle characteristics, and (iii) creating a job based upon the selected configurator and its corresponding portfolio to enable a user to execute the job to program the vehicle controller.

Abstract: A system having a radiating element is disclosed. The radiating element may include a plurality of higher order floquet mode scattering (HOFS) layers including at least a lowest layer unit cell, a middle layer unit cell, and a highest layer unit cell. The radiating element may also include a stripline feed layer having a ground plane layer. The ground plane layer is configured in at least one of a non-equilateral triangular grid unit cell or an equilateral triangular grid., one or more horizontal and vertical polarization stripline feeds, one or more horizontal and vertical polarization ground plane slots, and one or more ground vias to create an evanescent waveguide for resonance free stripline to radiating element coupling.