Abstract: Lighting systems having unique configurations are provided. For instance, the lighting system may include a light source, a thermal management system and driver electronics, each contained within a housing structure. The light source is configured to provide illumination visible through an opening in the housing structure. The thermal management system is configured to provide an air flow, such as a unidirectional air flow, through the housing structure in order to cool the light source. The driver electronics are configured to provide power to each of the light source and the thermal management system.

Abstract: Lighting systems having unique configurations are provided. For instance, the lighting system may include a light source, a thermal management system and driver electronics, each contained within a housing structure. The light source is configured to provide illumination visible through an opening in the housing structure. The thermal management system is configured to provide an air flow, such as a unidirectional air flow, through the housing structure in order to cool the light source. The driver electronics are configured to provide power to each of the light source and the thermal management system.

Abstract: A system to monitor the health of a structure, health monitoring sensor nodes, program product, and associated methods, are provided. The system includes an array of health monitoring sensor nodes connected to or embedded within a structure to monitor the health of the structure. Each health monitoring sensor node includes sensor elements positioned to sense parameters of the structure and to provide data related to the parameters to a health monitoring sensor node interrogator. Each health monitoring sensor node includes a processor or other means to reduce raw sensor data to thereby reduce communication bandwidth requirements and data collisions, and can include memory or other storage for storing the reduced data and an antenna arrangement for providing the reduced data to the health monitoring sensor node interrogator.

Abstract: Systems and methods for determining the inspection schedule of a plurality of machines based on at least one operating condition including a monitoring system for determining at least one operating condition for a plurality of machines and a microprocessor programmed to analyze the at least one operating condition to identify whether a machine is unhealthy based on the analysis of at least one operating condition monitored and programmed to determine an optimal schedule for inspecting the plurality of machines using a PDC device.

Abstract: A system and method for monitoring the vibrations of a machine that includes a reflective patch affixed to the machine and a vibration detection unit including an optics module. The optics module may be positioned remotely from the machine such that the optics module transmits an electromagnetic beam to the reflective patch and reflected from the reflective patch to the optics module. The optics module demodulates the electromagnetic beam to determine the vibration of the machine.

Abstract: A system to monitor the health of a structure, health monitoring sensor nodes, program product, and associated methods are provided. The system includes an array of health monitoring sensor nodes connected to or embedded within a structure to monitor the health of the structure. Each health monitoring sensor node includes sensor elements positioned to sense parameters of the structure and to provide data related to the parameters to a health monitoring sensor node interrogator. Each health monitoring sensor node includes a processor or other means reducing raw sensor data to thereby reduce communication bandwidth requirements, and can include memory or other storage for storing the reduced data and an antenna arrangement for providing the reduced data to the health monitoring sensor node interrogator.

Abstract: An electrical power generation system comprises a variable capacitor and a power source. The electrical power generation system is configured to generate electric power via movements of the rail. The power source is used in the form of a generator to prime the variable capacitor that effectively multiplies the priming energy of the power source by extracting energy from the passing vehicle. By alternately priming the variable capacitor using charge from the power source and discharging it at a later time in a cyclic manner to change the capacitance, a significantly large amount of electrical energy is produced due to change in capacitance than from the power source itself.

Abstract: System and method for self powered wayside railway signaling and sensing. The system includes a power scavenging module and a power utilizing module. The power scavenging module is configured to convert an excitation of a rail into electrical power. The power utilizing module is powered by the electrical power and is configured to detect a predetermined characteristic in relation to the rail, a train moving on the rail or an environment of the railroad and to communicate data in relation to the predetermined characteristic.

Abstract: A control valve assembly includes an inlet for receiving a gas flow and an outlet for providing the gas flow to a gas burner. The assembly also includes a positive-shutoff valve for interrupting the gas flow from the inlet. A micro electromechanical system (MEMS) valve is coupled in series to the positive-shutoff value between the inlet and the outlet for regulating the gas flow from the inlet to the outlet.

Abstract: A current sensing system comprises a current transformer; a burden resistor connected across a secondary of the current transformer; a piezo-optic sensor coupled to the burden resistor, comprising a piezoelectric transducer, an optical fiber and a first optical filter with a first bandwidth; and an optical interrogator, configured for sending an originating signal to the first bandwidth optical filter and receiving a resulting data signal and a second optical filter with a second bandwidth for filtering the resulting data signal.

Abstract: A micro piezo-optic composite transducer comprises: dielectric material; electrodes situated over opposing surfaces of the dielectric material; an optical fiber embedded in the dielectric material, the optical fiber configured to have a wavelength response as a function of material strain; and piezoelectric fibers embedded in the dielectric material and situated on opposing sides of the optical fiber.

Abstract: Disclosed are a piezoelectric actuator operable over a temperature range, and a method of operating a piezoelectric actuator. The piezoelectric actuator, generally, comprises a support structure, a piezoelectric material supported by the support structure, and an insert disposed between the support structure and the piezoelectric material. The piezoelectric material and the insert are positioned in series, the piezoelectric material and the insert each have a respective length, and together the piezoelectric material and the insert have a combined length. The length of the piezoelectric material changes in response to a voltage applied to the piezoelectric material. Also, the respective lengths of the piezoelectric material and the insert change, in opposite directions, in response to the same change in temperature, and, in this way, the insert mitigates changes in the combined length of the insert and the piezoelectric material due to temperature changes.

Abstract: A piezoelectric microvalve and method for controlling a fluid flow through a piezoelectric microvalve are provided. The microvalve includes an inlet plenum and a flow directing structure for directing a fluid flow, wherein a first side of the structure is in fluid communication with the inlet plenum. The microvalve also includes a piezoelectric bending actuator comprising a flap portion responsive to a command signal for controlling a fluid flow through the flow directing structure. The microvalve further includes an outlet plenum in fluid communication with a second side of the flow directing structure.

Abstract: An electronically controlled gas burner system and method using a micro-electro-mechanical (MEMS) valve. The system includes at least one gas burner and MEMS valves comprising an array of microvalves in fluid communication with the gas burner. The system also includes a microvalve controller for controlling the opening of each of the microvalves in the MEMS valve. The MEMS valve may be positioned remote from, or within, the gas burner. A method for controlling microvalves in a MEMS valve for firing a gas burner may include issuing a command for a desired gas flow and controlling an opening of at least some of the microvalves in the array to provide the desired gas flow corresponding to the command.

Abstract: A high-performance, high-reliable backplane bus has a simple configuration and operation. An error reporting network (ERN) provides an inexpensive approach to collecting the error state of a whole system in a uniform and consistent way. The uniformity allows for simpler interface software and for standardized hardware handling of classes of errors. In a preferred embodiment, serial error registers are used, minimizing implementation cost and making the software interface to the serial registers much easier. Serial error information is transferred over a separate data path from the main parallel bus, decreasing the chance of the original error corrupting the error information. Each CPU is provided with a local copy of the entire body of error information. The redundancy minimizes the impact of a possible CPU failure and allows the CPUs to coordinate error recovery.