Abstract: The inventive disclosures described herein generally pertain to an improved runtime-calibratable analog-computing system. In many embodiments, the improved analog-computing system comprises at least two analog computers, wherein after initial calibration, the system is designed to stagger the runtime calibration modes of each of the at least two analog-computers such that at least one of the analog computers is always in service, thus preventing any downtime for the overall system. In other words, a system user sees one initial calibration, and computing by the overall system is never interrupted.

Abstract: The inventive disclosures described herein generally pertain to an improved runtime-calibratable analog-computing system. In many embodiments, the improved analog-computing system comprises at least two analog computers, wherein after initial calibration, the system is designed to stagger the runtime calibration modes of each of the at least two analog-computers such that at least one of the analog computers is always in service, thus preventing any downtime for the overall system. In other words, a system user sees one initial calibration, and computing by the overall system is never interrupted.

Abstract: A system and method are described permitting a sophisticated control of a battery composed of a multiplicity of three-terminal electrochemical cells. Each cell has first and second terminals, connected with respective electrodes, one of which is a positive terminal and one of which is a negative terminal. Each cell has a third terminal connected with a grid electrode. A battery is composed of N cells. For each of the N cells, there is provided a respective capacitor switchably coupled to the second and third terminals thereof. A controller is connected through a switching matrix to the capacitors. In operation, the controller is connected sequentially to each capacitor among the multiplicity of capacitors, during which time the capacitor is momentarily uncoupled from its respective cell. When the controller is connected to one of the capacitors, it measures the voltage thereupon. The controller can then charge up or discharge the capacitor to drive it to a desired voltage level.

Abstract: A system and method are described permitting a sophisticated control of a battery composed of a multiplicity of three-terminal electrochemical cells. Each cell has first and second terminals, connected with respective electrodes, one of which is a positive terminal and one of which is a negative terminal. Each cell has a third terminal connected with a grid electrode. A battery is composed of N cells. For each of the N cells, there is provided a respective capacitor switchably coupled to the second and third terminals thereof. A controller is connected through a switching matrix to the capacitors. In operation, the controller is connected sequentially to each capacitor among the multiplicity of capacitors, during which time the capacitor is momentarily uncoupled from its respective cell. When the controller is connected to one of the capacitors, it measures the voltage thereupon. The controller can then charge up or discharge the capacitor to drive it to a desired voltage level.

Abstract: A system and method are described permitting a sophisticated control of a battery composed of a multiplicity of three-terminal electrochemical cells. Each cell has first and second terminals, connected with respective electrodes, one of which is a positive terminal and one of which is a negative terminal. Each cell has a third terminal connected with a grid electrode. A battery is composed of N cells. For each of the N cells, there is provided a respective capacitor switchably coupled to the second and third terminals thereof. A controller is connected through a switching matrix to the capacitors. In operation, the controller is connected sequentially to each capacitor among the multiplicity of capacitors, during which time the capacitor is momentarily uncoupled from its respective cell. When the controller is connected to one of the capacitors, it measures the voltage thereupon. The controller can then charge up or discharge the capacitor to drive it to a desired voltage level.

Abstract: A system and method are described permitting a sophisticated control of a battery composed of a multiplicity of three-terminal electrochemical cells. Each cell has first and second terminals, connected with respective electrodes, one of which is a positive terminal and one of which is a negative terminal. Each cell has a third terminal connected with a grid electrode. A battery is composed of N cells. For each of the N cells, there is provided a respective capacitor switchably coupled to the second and third terminals thereof. A controller is connected through a switching matrix to the capacitors. In operation, the controller is connected sequentially to each capacitor among the multiplicity of capacitors, during which time the capacitor is momentarily uncoupled from its respective cell. When the controller is connected to one of the capacitors, it measures the voltage thereupon. The controller can then charge up or discharge the capacitor to drive it to a desired voltage level.

Abstract: Electrochemical test cells are made with precision and accuracy by adhering an electrically resistive sheet having a bound opening to a first electrically conductive sheet. A notching opening is then punched through the electrically resistive sheet and the first electrically conductive sheet. The notching opening intersects the first bound opening in the electrically resistive sheet, and transforms the first bound opening into a notch in the electrically resistive sheet. A second electrically conductive sheet is punched to have a notching opening corresponding to that of first electrically conductive sheet, and this is adhered to the other side of the electrically resistive sheet such that the notching openings are aligned. This structure is cleaved from surrounding material to form an electrochemical cell that has a sample space for receiving a sample defined by the first and second conductive sheets and the notch in the electrically resistive sheet.

Abstract: Electrochemical test cells are made with precision and accuracy by adhering an electrically resistive sheet having a bound opening to a first electrically conductive sheet. A notching opening is then punched through the electrically resistive sheet and the first electrically conductive sheet. The notching opening intersects the first bound opening in the electrically resistive sheet, and transforms the first bound opening into a notch in the electrically resistive sheet. A second electrically conductive sheet is punched to have a notching opening corresponding to that of first electrically conductive sheet, and this is adhered to the other side of the electrically resistive sheet such that the notching openings are aligned. This structure is cleaved from surrounding material to form an electrochemical cell that has a sample space for receiving a sample defined by the first and second conductive sheets and the notch in the electrically resistive sheet.

Abstract: Electrochemical test cells are made with precision and accuracy by adhering an electrically resistive sheet having a bound opening to a first electrically conductive sheet. A notching opening is then punched through the electrically resistive sheet and the first electrically conductive sheet. The notching opening intersects the first bound opening in the electrically resistive sheet, and transforms the first bound opening into a notch in the electrically resistive sheet. A second electrically conductive sheet is punched to have a notching opening corresponding to that of first electrically conductive sheet, and this is adhered to the other side of the electrically resistive sheet such that the notching openings are aligned. This structure is cleaved from surrounding material to form an electrochemical cell that has a sample space for receiving a sample defined by the first and second conductive sheets and the notch in the electrically resistive sheet.

Abstract: A box 14 having a body 13 is used with a transparent flexible bag containing a liquid such as an IV bag. First and second faces 12 are positioned relative to each other. The faces each have therewithin an end or fiber optic port 11 of a respective light path. A light source is optically coupled with the light path of the first face and a spectrometer is optically coupled with the light path of the second face. The light paths are coaxial and are disposed so that the transparent flexible bag is positionable therebetween. The spectrometer is disposed to detect an anomaly in the liquid within the transparent flexible bag, and to annunciate the anomaly to a human user. The box defines a reproducible light path length through the liquid. A caliper 29 having a body 22 may be used in spectrometric analysis of a transparent tube containing a liquid such as a syringe or an IV line. The caliper has finger pads 27 which permit opening the spring-loaded caliper as needed.

Abstract: Electrochemical test cells are made with precision and accuracy by adhering an electrically resistive sheet having a bound opening to a first electrically conductive sheet. A notching opening is then punched through the electrically resistive sheet and the first electrically conductive sheet. The notching opening intersects the first bound opening in the electrically resistive sheet, and transforms the first bound opening into a notch in the electrically resistive sheet. A second electrically conductive sheet is punched to have a notching opening corresponding to that of first electrically conductive sheet, and this is adhered to the other side of the electrically resistive sheet such that the notching openings are aligned. This structure is cleaved from surrounding material to form an electrochemical cell that has a sample space for receiving a sample defined by the first and second conductive sheets and the notch in the electrically resistive sheet.

Abstract: A box 14 having a body 13 is used with a transparent flexible bag containing a liquid such as an IV bag. First and second faces 12 are positioned relative to each other. The faces each have therewithin an end or fiber optic port 11 of a respective light path. A light source is optically coupled with the light path of the first face and a spectrometer is optically coupled with the light path of the second face. The light paths are coaxial and are disposed so that the transparent flexible bag is positionable therebetween. The spectrometer is disposed to detect an anomaly in the liquid within the transparent flexible bag, and to annunciate the anomaly to a human user. The box defines a reproducible light path length through the liquid. A caliper 29 having a body 22 may be used in spectrometric analysis of a transparent tube containing a liquid such as a syringe or an IV line. The caliper has finger pads 27 which permit opening the spring-loaded caliper as needed.

Abstract: A box 14 having a body 13 is used with a transparent flexible bag containing a liquid such as an IV bag. First and second faces 12 are positioned relative to each other. The faces each have therewithin an end or fiber optic port 11 of a respective light path. A light source is optically coupled with the light path of the first face and a spectrometer is optically coupled with the light path of the second face. The light paths are coaxial and are disposed so that the transparent flexible bag is positionable therebetween. The spectrometer is disposed to detect an anomaly in the liquid within the transparent flexible bag, and to annunciate the anomaly to a human user. The box defines a reproducible light path length through the liquid. A caliper 29 having a body 22 may be used in spectrometric analysis of a transparent tube containing a liquid such as a syringe or an IV line. The caliper has finger pads 27 which permit opening the spring-loaded caliper as needed.

Abstract: An improved system is provided for authentication of mail pieces bearing bar-coded indicia. The system comprises first and second bar-code readers, the first and second bar-code readers differing in that the first bar-code reader has a lower rate of successful reading of bar-coded indicia than the second bar-code reader. The system collates a mail piece bearing an indicium in a second paper path in the event of a successful reading of the bar-coded indicium by said first bar-code reader, and collates mail pieces in a third paper path in the event of an unsuccessful reading of the bar-coded indicium by the first bar-code reader. The third paper path leads to the second bar-code reader, and the system collates mail pieces in a fourth paper path in the event of a successful reading of the bar-coded indicium by the second bar-code reader. The system collates mail pieces in a fifth paper path in the event of an unsuccessful reading of the bar-coded indicium by the second bar-code reader.

Abstract: Electrochemical test cells are made with precision and accuracy by adhering an electrically resistive sheet having a bound opening to a first electrically conductive sheet. A notching opening is then punched through the electrically resistive sheet and the first electrically conductive sheet. The notching opening intersects the first bound opening in the electrically resistive sheet, and transforms the first bound opening into a notch in the electrically resistive sheet. A second electrically conductive sheet is punched to have a notching opening corresponding to that of first electrically conductive sheet, and this is adhered to the other side of the electrically resistive sheet such that the notching openings are aligned. This structure is cleaved from surrounding material to form an electrochemical cell that has a sample space for receiving a sample defined by the first and second conductive sheets and the notch in the electrically resistive sheet.

Abstract: A method and apparatus reports alarm events detected by an alarm system having a plurality of users, each user having a name and identified by an identifier other than the name. The system detects an event of interest relating to a user, creates a data stream indicative of the event and indicative of the identifier of the user, extracts from the data stream the identifier of the user, determines the name of the user based upon the identifier of the user, selects a message recipient based upon the event of interest, creates a text message addressed to the selected message recipient, the text message communicating the name of the user and communicating information indicative of the event of interest, and transmits the text message via a global communications network.

Abstract: A method is described for use with a server serving requested records among a multiplicity of records, and with a predetermined list of record identifiers, and with a first file containing information about records corresponding to the record identifiers. The method comprises the steps of: selecting at least two of the record identifiers from the list; for each one record identifier of the record identifiers: presenting a request to the server with respect to the record identifier; receiving a record from the server, said record corresponding to the record identifier; parsing the record, thereby deriving received information of interest from the record; comparing the received information of interest with corresponding information in the first file; and annunciating any difference between the received information of interest and the corresponding information in the first file.

Abstract: A method is described for use with a server serving requested records among a multiplicity of records, and with a predetermined list of record identifiers, and with a first file containing information about records corresponding to the record identifiers. The method comprises the steps of: selecting at least two of the record identifiers from the list; for each one record identifier of the record identifiers: presenting a request to the server with respect to the record identifier; receiving a record from the server, said record corresponding to the record identifier; parsing the record, thereby deriving received information of interest from the record; comparing the received information of interest with corresponding information in the first file; and annunciating any difference between the received information of interest and the corresponding information in the first file.

Abstract: A method and apparatus reports alarm events detected by an alarm system having a plurality of users, each user having a name and identified by an identifier other than the name. The system detects an event of interest relating to a user, creates a data stream indicative of the event and indicative of the identifier of the user, extracts from the data stream the identifier of the user, determines the name of the user based upon the identifier of the user, selects a message recipient based upon the event of interest, creates a text message addressed to the selected message recipient, the text message communicating the name of the user and communicating information indicative of the event of interest, and transmits the text message via a global communications network.

Abstract: A controller contains software which, when triggered in some prearranged way such as assertion of an input to the controller, calculates a digital signature for the contents of the protected memory of the controller. The digital signature is preferably extracted from the contents of the memory by means of a function that varies greatly with even small changes to the memory contents. The function preferably is such that one cannot easily determine from the output what input generated the output. The function is preferably such that one cannot easily create a data set for input that yields any particular predetermined output. The circuitry generating the signature may be embedded in hardware of the controller so that its digital signature function is unknown even to the programmer writing the main body of code to be stored in the protected memory. With such a hardware configuration, it is possible to have a very high degree of confidence that the memory contents are what they are expected to be.