Abstract: A fluid sensor for sensing a concentration or composition of a fluid, the sensor comprising a first temperature sensing element located on or within a first dielectric membrane and a second temperature sensing element located on or within a second dielectric membrane. An output circuit is configured to measure a differential signal between the first temperature sensing element and the second temperature sensing element. The fluid sensor comprises a first region configured to be exposed to the fluid, and a second region configured to be isolated from the fluid, where the first dielectric membrane is located in the first region, such that in use, the first dielectric membrane is exposed to the fluid, and wherein the second dielectric membrane is located in the second region such that in use, the second dielectric membrane is isolated from the fluid.

Abstract: A laser device comprises a first optical cavity comprising a first gain medium and a second optical cavity comprising a second gain medium. The first gain medium and the second gain medium generate light at respective different ranges of wavelengths. A synchronizer is optically coupled to both the first optical cavity and the second optical cavity and is configured to synchronize and mode-lock light from the first optical cavity and the second optical cavity. The laser device also includes a first optical filter and a second optical filter to filter the light from the first optical cavity and the second optical cavity respectively to output first filtered light pulses at a first predetermined range of wavelengths and second filtered light pulses at a second predetermined range of wavelengths.

Abstract: A method and load-handling device for lifting and moving containers are disclosed, the load-handling device including: a body having an upper portion and a lower portion, the upper portion being configured to house one or more operation components, the lower portion being arranged beneath the upper portion, the lower portion including a container-receiving space for accommodating at least part of a container; and a container-lifting mechanism including a container-gripping assembly configured to releasably grip a container and a raising and lowering assembly configured to raise and lower the container-gripping assembly, wherein the raising and lowering assembly including a single motor configured to raise and lower the container-gripping assembly.

Abstract: A load-handling device is provided for lifting and moving containers stacked in stacks in a storage system. The load-handling device includes a body; a wheel assembly arranged to support the body; a container-lifting mechanism configured to lift a container into or out of the body; and a wheel-positioning mechanism with wheel-engaging functionality for selectively engaging either a first set of wheels of the wheel assembly with a first set of rails or tracks of the storage system, or a second set of wheels of the wheel assembly with a second set of rails or tracks of the storage system. A wheel-engaging device can include at least one non-vertically-orientated linear actuator and/or at least one eccentric-rotation-based wheel-engaging device.

Abstract: A laser device for outputting filtered light pulses for inducing coherent Raman scattering in a sample. The laser device comprises a first optical cavity comprising a first gain medium; and a second optical cavity comprising a second gain medium different to the first gain medium. The first gain medium and the second gain medium are each excitable by a pump light source to generate light at respective different ranges of wavelengths. A synchronizer is optically coupled to both the first optical cavity and the second optical cavity. The synchronizer is configured to synchronize and mode-lock light from the first optical cavity and the second optical cavity. The laser device also includes a first optical filter and a second optical filter.

Abstract: A new device is deployed to an area in which a network is provided. The new device may join the network using a single handshake via a neighboring device that is a member of the network and register with a network management system managing the network. If the network is overloaded or has limited bandwidth remaining, the network may refuse to admit the new device, or if the new device is isolated, may force some devices that are members of the network to leave or migrate from the network to allow the isolated device to join the network.

Abstract: A new device is deployed to an area in which a network is provided. The new device may join the network using a single handshake via a neighboring device that is a member of the network and register with a network management system managing the network. If the network is overloaded or has limited bandwidth remaining, the network may refuse to admit the new device, or if the new device is isolated, may force some devices that are members of the network to leave or migrate from the network to allow the isolated device to join the network.

Abstract: A new device is deployed to an area in which a network is provided. The new device may join the network using a single handshake via a neighboring device that is a member of the network and register with a network management system managing the network. If the network is overloaded or has limited bandwidth remaining, the network may refuse to admit the new device, or if the new device is isolated, may force some devices that are members of the network to leave or migrate from the network to allow the isolated device to join the network.

Abstract: A new device is deployed to an area in which a network is provided. The new device may join the network using a single handshake via a neighboring device that is a member of the network and register with a network management system managing the network. If the network is overloaded or has limited bandwidth remaining, the network may refuse to admit the new device, or if the new device is isolated, may force some devices that are members of the network to leave or migrate from the network to allow the isolated device to join the network.

Abstract: Techniques for utilizing near field communications (NFC) with utility meters are described herein. In one example, a meter is configured for operation, either in a stand-alone or utility network capacity. The example meter may include a processor in communication with a memory device and a tag device configured for near field communication (NFC). In operation, the processor operates the tag device to read from the memory device to obtain data for transmission via NFC and/or write data obtained via NFC to the memory device.

Abstract: A new device is deployed to an area in which a network is provided. The new device may join the network using a single handshake via a neighboring device that is a member of the network and register with a network management system managing the network. If the network is overloaded or has limited bandwidth remaining, the network may refuse to admit the new device, or if the new device is isolated, may force some devices that are members of the network to leave or migrate from the network to allow the isolated device to join the network.

Abstract: A new device is deployed to an area in which a network is provided. The new device may join the network using a single handshake via a neighboring device that is a member of the network and register with a network management system managing the network. If the network is overloaded or has limited bandwidth remaining, the network may refuse to admit the new device, or if the new device is isolated, may force some devices that are members of the network to leave or migrate from the network to allow the isolated device to join the network.

Abstract: Techniques for communicating via a control channel, determining a particular data channel based on the communicating, and transferring data via the particular data channel are described. One or more messages are communicated via the control channel between first and second nodes. The one or more messages may indicate a particular data channel from multiple data channels that may be utilized to transfer data between the first and second nodes. The one or more messages may also indicate a modulation technique and/or data rate that may be implemented on the particular data channel. The one or more messages may be utilized to determine the particular data channel that will be utilized to transfer the data. The first and second nodes may switch to the particular data channel based on the determination and transfer the data via the particular data channel.

Abstract: A new device is deployed to an area in which a network is provided. The new device may join the network using a single handshake via a neighboring device that is a member of the network and register with a network management system managing the network. If the network is overloaded or has limited bandwidth remaining, the network may refuse to admit the new device, or if the new device is isolated, may force some devices that are members of the network to leave or migrate from the network to allow the isolated device to join the network.

Abstract: In a network environment, a node may measure and/or recognize network activity or congestion and send feedback to downstream nodes (i.e., higher rank nodes) in response. During periods of lower network activity, lower congestion and/or lower network load, the feedback may direct an upstream flow of packets to be transmitted at a quality of service (QoS) level that allows consumption of more bandwidth than is indicated by a QoS level associated with a service level agreement (SLA) of the upstream flow of packets. During periods of higher network activity, congestion and/or network load, the feedback may limit the upstream flow of packets to the QoS level associated with the SLA of the upstream flow of packets. Accordingly, an upstream node (e.g., a root node) may use feedback to regulate bandwidth used by one or more downstream nodes and/or flows of packets, in part using network activity, congestion and/or bandwidth availability.

Abstract: In a wireless and/or power line communication (PLC) network environment, techniques for multicast of data and management of multicast groups assist in regulating bandwidth consumption and provision of desired multicast data. Nodes indicate interest in multicast groups by transmission of reports upstream. Report transmission may be suppressed to balance bandwidth with need for multicast data. Multicast data packets may be retransmitted downstream to fulfill requests indicated by the reports at a rate and/or frequency based on multicast packet duplication or redundancy. Information, such as broken links or “leave” packets, may indicate that one or more downstream nodes should be removed from a forwarding state. However such removal may impact other nodes. A query may be transmitted downstream, to determine if retransmission/forwarding of multicast retransmissions should continue. Query transmission may be based on a balance between query bandwidth consumption and the needs of downstream nodes.

Abstract: Techniques for utilizing near field communications (NFC) with utility meters are described herein. In one example, a meter is configured for operation, either in a stand-alone or utility network capacity. The example meter may include a processor in communication with a memory device and a tag device configured for near field communication (NFC). In operation, the processor operates the tag device to read from the memory device to obtain data for transmission via NFC and/or write data obtained via NFC to the memory device.

Abstract: A new device is deployed to an area in which a network is provided. The new device may join the network using a single handshake via a neighboring device that is a member of the network and register with a network management system managing the network. If the network is overloaded or has limited bandwidth remaining, the network may refuse to admit the new device, or if the new device is isolated, may force some devices that are members of the network to leave or migrate from the network to allow the isolated device to join the network.

Abstract: Methodologies are provided for establishing peer-to-peer communications between nodes in a tree structured network having plural nodes including a root node. A source node seeking to send a message to a destination node will first request a most advantageous available path from the source to the destination node, and then the root node (or possibly another node within the network that has additional storage resources) will provide a routing path to one or both of the source and destination nodes. Messages may then be sent between the source and destination nodes that may or may not include addressing information in the packet headers without having to request routing information again for additional messages between the same nodes.

Abstract: In a network environment, a node may measure and/or recognize network activity or congestion and send feedback to downstream nodes (i.e., higher rank nodes) in response. During periods of lower network activity, lower congestion and/or lower network load, the feedback may direct an upstream flow of packets to be transmitted at a quality of service (QoS) level that allows consumption of more bandwidth than is indicated by a QoS level associated with a service level agreement (SLA) of the upstream flow of packets. During periods of higher network activity, congestion and/or network load, the feedback may limit the upstream flow of packets to the QoS level associated with the SLA of the upstream flow of packets. Accordingly, an upstream node (e.g., a root node) may use feedback to regulate bandwidth used by one or more downstream nodes and/or flows of packets, in part using network activity, congestion and/or bandwidth availability.