Abstract: A weight management mat for passively and automatically monitoring weight for one or more individuals in a household. The weight management mat generally includes a housing having an upper mat and a lower mat between which is sealed a pair of perpendicular sensor arrays. Each sensor array includes fiber optic cables laid out in a grid pattern. One or more microbend inducers act to induce detectable microbends in the fiber optic cables when an individual steps on the upper mat. The change in light intensity caused by these microbends is recorded by photodetectors and processed by a microcontroller. The present invention may be utilized to identify each unique individual stepping on the present invention by the pressure map of their feet. Thus, recorded weight measurements may be tracked to aid in weight management.

Abstract: An exemplary circuit includes a tracking circuit, a current estimator, a switch control logic, and a switching load circuit. The tracking circuit tracks a digital output signal of a delta-sigma modulator (DSM) and provides a tracking signal representing an average of the digital output signal during a time period. The current estimator determines an amount of loading to be applied to positive and negative reference voltages based on the tracking signal. The switching load circuit is coupled to positive and negative reference voltages of the DSM, the switching load circuit connects a selected amount of loading to the positive and negative reference voltages in response to a control signal to balance a reference load current applied to the DSM. The switch control logic provides the control signal to the switching load circuit based on the determined amount of loading to be applied to the positive and negative reference voltages.

Abstract: A method of determining stability of a camera comprises capturing an image with the camera and then (A) determining a magnitude of motion for each region of a current sub-division of the image. A step (B) then determines a number of the magnitudes of motion not larger than a magnitude threshold associated with the current sub-division, and where the determined number is greater than or equal to a region threshold associated with the number of regions in the current sub-division, (i) determining the camera to be stable, or otherwise (ii) dividing the current sub-division of the image into a further sub-division and repeating steps (A) and (B) upon the further sub-division.

Abstract: A method of open-switch fault detection in a two-level voltage source power converter comprises the steps of: i. acquiring the waveforms of three-phase alternating current of the two-level voltage source power converter; ii. calculating at least a first time derivative of each acquired waveform; and iii. using the at least first time derivatives to determine whether an open-switch fault is present in the two-level voltage source power converter.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of classifying visual elements in a region of a video as either foreground or background. The method classifies each visual element in the region as either foreground or background using a first classifier, and expands spatially at least one of the visual elements classified as foreground to form a spatially expanded area. The method then classifies the visual elements in the spatially expanded area as either foreground or background using a second classifier that is more sensitive to foreground than the first classifier.

Abstract: A method of detecting a diode fault in an AC signal rectifier circuit, the AC signal rectifier circuit including a plurality of diodes, and being arranged to supply a rectified output voltage to a load, wherein the method includes the steps of deriving an operating value indicative of the ratio of the voltage magnitudes of a first harmonic frequency and another harmonic frequency of the rectified output voltage across the load; and determining whether a fault has occurred in one or more diodes on the basis of the derived operating value. The first harmonic frequency is preferably the fundamental harmonic frequency, and/or the another harmonic frequency is preferably the 6th harmonic frequency.

Abstract: A method of updating a scene model for a foreground segmentation of an input image captured from a camera, is disclosed. One or more visual elements of the input image are determined. A spatial relationship between at least one of the visual elements and the scene model for a foreground segmentation of the input image is determined. The method updates the scene model for determining the foreground segmentation of the input image based on the determined spatial relationship.

Abstract: A dual delta-sigma modulator includes a first modulator, a second modulator, and a shared amplifier coupled to the first and second modulators. The first modulator includes an integrator configured to generate a first modulator output signal. The second modulator includes a second integrator configured to generate a second modulator output signal. The shared amplifier is configured to assist the first integrator integrating a difference between a first analog input signal and a first modulator output signal from the first modulator during a first period of time and to assist the second integrator integrate a difference between a second analog input signal and a second modulator output signal from the second modulator during a second period of time.

Abstract: An operational amplifier includes an output stage, an input stage, a first auxiliary amplifier, and a second auxiliary amplifier. The output stage includes a first output transistor and a second output transistor. The input stage is configured to drive the output stage. The first auxiliary amplifier is coupled to an output of the input stage and to an input of the first output transistor. The first auxiliary amplifier is configured to bias the first output transistor for class AB operation and to isolate the input stage from a bias voltage applied to the first output transistor. The second auxiliary amplifier is coupled to the output of the input stage and to an input of the second output transistor. The second auxiliary amplifier is configured to bias the second output transistor for class AB operation, and to isolate the input stage from a bias voltage applied to the second output transistor.

Abstract: A method of monitoring the health of a semiconductor power electronic switch such as an insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) is provided. The method having the steps of: measuring one or more parameters selected from the group consisting of: a rate of change of voltage ( dV dt ) across the switch; a rate of change of current ( di dt ) through the switch, a charge present on a gate of the switch (QG), a peak overshoot voltage (VPO) across the switch, and a peak overshoot or reverse recovery current (IRR) through the switch; and estimating the health of the switch based on the measured parameter(s).

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for allocating tasks to computing nodes using multiple resource allocators. One of the methods includes providing, by each resource allocator of a plurality of resource allocators, a first request to compute a first score to each computing node of a plurality of computing nodes, the first score representing a measure of availability for the computing node to take a particular task. A first score is received from each of the plurality of computing nodes and the nodes are ranked according to the first scores. A second request is provided to a highest-ranked computing node to compute a second score. If the difference between the first score and the second score satisfies a threshold, assigning the task to the highest-ranked computing node if and only if the difference between the first score and the second score satisfies the threshold.

Abstract: An approach is provided for battery management in route navigation. A battery management module determines a request to calculate at least one navigation route. The battery module then determines battery charging information associated with presenting guidance information via at least one application of at least one device during the at least one navigation route. Further, the battery management module causes, at least in part, a presentation of the battery charging information on at least one user interface of the at least one device. In one embodiment, the charging information can be updated based on selecting one or more segments of the at least one navigation route to hibernate. In yet another embodiment, alternative content that is less battery intensive can be presented during the hibernated segments in place of active navigation information.

Abstract: A method for operating a power generation system coupled to a power grid during a grid unbalance event, a method for determining an injection current to be supplied into a power grid by a power generation system, and a method for addressing an asymmetric grid fault in a power grid connected to a power generation system are provided. The methods may be carried out based on a reactive or an active power/current priority.

Abstract: A dual delta-sigma modulator includes a first modulator, a second modulator, and a shared amplifier coupled to the first and second modulators. The first modulator includes an integrator configured to generate a first modulator output signal. The second modulator includes a second integrator configured to generate a second modulator output signal. The shared amplifier is configured to assist the first integrator integrating a difference between a first analog input signal and a first modulator output signal from the first modulator during a first period of time and to assist the second integrator integrate a difference between a second analog input signal and a second modulator output signal from the second modulator during a second period of time.

Abstract: Disclosed are a method and apparatus for adjusting a set of luminance values associated with a set of visual elements in a current frame (310) of a video sequence for object detection (370). The method determines (410,430,450), for each of a plurality of scenarios (SO, SI, S2), a set of adjusted luminance values based on a corresponding luminance compensation value, and accumulates (460), for each scenario, a set of brightness counts and darkness counts of the current frame based on the set of adjusted luminance values. A metric (470) is calculated for each scenario based on the set of brightness counts and darkness counts and one of scenarios is selected based on the calculated metric. The method then selects (350) the adjusted luminance value associated with the selected scenario as an adjusted set of luminance values associated with the current frame of the video sequence.

Abstract: A dual delta-sigma modulator includes a first modulator, a second modulator, and a shared amplifier coupled to the first and second modulators. The first modulator includes an integrator configured to generate a first modulator output signal. The second modulator includes a second integrator configured to generate a second modulator output signal. The shared amplifier is configured to assist the first integrator integrating a difference between a first analog input signal and a first modulator output signal from the first modulator during a first period of time and to assist the second integrator integrate a difference between a second analog input signal and a second modulator output signal from the second modulator during a second period of time.

Abstract: A wind turbine generator is disclosed herein. In a described embodiment, the wind turbine generator comprises an electrical generator 101 configured to generate AC signals, a plurality of power converters 110,112,111 operated by a gating signal with each power converter configured to convert the AC signals from the electrical generator 101 into fixed frequency AC signals. The wind turbine generator further comprises a controller configured to enter a fault mode when a grid voltage falls outside an acceptable threshold, and during the fault mode the controller is configured to provide a reactive current reference dependant on a grid voltage distant from the wind turbine generator. A method of controlling a wind turbine generator is also disclosed.

Abstract: A power dissipating arrangement for dissipating power from a generator in a wind turbine is provided. The generator comprises a plurality of output terminals corresponding to a multi-phase output. The power dissipating arrangement comprises a plurality of dissipating units, a plurality of semiconductor switches, a trigger circuit for switching the semiconductor switches and a control unit for controlling the operation of the trigger circuit, thereby controlling the switching of the semiconductor switches.

Abstract: An operational amplifier includes an output stage, an input stage, a first auxiliary amplifier, and a second auxiliary amplifier. The output stage includes a first output transistor and a second output transistor. The input stage is configured to drive the output stage. The first auxiliary amplifier is coupled to an output of the input stage and to an input of the first output transistor. The first auxiliary amplifier is configured to bias the first output transistor for class AB operation and to isolate the input stage from a bias voltage applied to the first output transistor. The second auxiliary amplifier is coupled to the output of the input stage and to an input of the second output transistor. The second auxiliary amplifier is configured to bias the second output transistor for class AB operation, and to isolate the input stage from a bias voltage applied to the second output transistor.

Abstract: A dual delta-sigma modulator includes a first modulator, a second modulator, and a shared amplifier coupled to the first and second modulators. The first modulator includes an integrator configured to generate a first modulator output signal. The second modulator includes a second integrator configured to generate a second modulator output signal. The shared amplifier is configured to assist the first integrator integrating a difference between a first analog input signal and a first modulator output signal from the first modulator during a first period of time and to assist the second integrator integrate a difference between a second analog input signal and a second modulator output signal from the second modulator during a second period of time.