Abstract: An electrically conductive brickwork module configured to be used in an electrically heated thermal energy storage system and/or a resistive heating system to heat a fluid flowing across a dimension of the electrically conductive brickwork module from an input to an output. The module includes a plurality of electrically interconnected sets of electrically conductive bricks configured to be heated when electricity flows there through and a plurality of electrically insulating bricks separating each pair of adjacent sets of the plurality of electrically interconnected sets. There are and a plurality of flow paths defined by the plurality of electrically insulating and physically separated from the electrically conductive bricks to direct a fluid flowing from the input to the output.

Abstract: A gas turbine generator system configured to be electrically interconnected to an electrical grid via a first circuit breaker. The gas turbine generator system includes a compressor configured to output a pressurized gas flow to an electrically heated thermal energy storage system which outputs a heated and pressurized gas flow to a gas turbine to cause the gas turbine to rotate and drive an electrical generator. The electrical generator outputs electric power to the electrical grid via the first circuit breaker, operating in a normally closed position. There is a controller to detect an opening of the first circuit breaker and to close a first switch, in response to the opening of the first circuit breaker. The first switch is connected to the output of the electrical generator and to the electrical input of the electrically heated thermal energy storage system, connecting the generator to the thermal energy storage system.

Abstract: An electrically conductive brickwork module is used in a resistive heating or thermal energy storage system. The brickwork module includes an electrode constructed with metallic chromium physically and electrically connected to one or more electrically conductive bricks. The electrode is operational at temperatures in excess of 1300 C, or in some instances in excess of 1500 C. In some instances the electrodes are constructed of ceramic bricks having internally incorporated metallic agglomerates.

Abstract: An assembly configured to be used in an electric resistive heating system or an electrically heated thermal energy storage system to heat air or gas, the assembly comprising an electrically insulating brick. The electrically insulating brick including a solid portion; and a hollow interior region. There is an electrically conductive brick, configured to be disposed within the hollow interior region of the electrically insulating brick.

Abstract: A connector includes a dielectric having a mating face, an inner contact disposed in the dielectric, and a conductive layer disposed on or within the mating face. The conductive layer is electrically isolated from the inner contact.

Abstract: A shield of a connector system includes an outer contact and a diecast disposed around the outer contact. The diecast has a first diecast half and a second diecast half that are attached together around the outer contact in a terminated position of the diecast. The first diecast half and the second diecast half deform a beam of the outer contact between the first diecast half and the second diecast half in the terminated position. A first bottoming surface of the first diecast half abuts a second bottoming surface of the second diecast half in the terminated position.

Abstract: A connector includes a dielectric having a body and a latching feature extending from the body, a shield disposed around the body of the dielectric, and a housing having a receiving passageway and a latch extending into the receiving passageway. The latching feature extends through the shield. The latch engages the latching feature of the dielectric to secure the dielectric and the shield in the receiving passageway of the housing.

Abstract: A housing includes a dielectric body having a plurality of terminal receiving passageways extending through the dielectric body along a longitudinal direction. The dielectric body has a latch section in which a plurality of walls of the dielectric body that each define one of the terminal receiving passageways are separated from one another by a gap in a lateral direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. The walls in the latch section are deflectable toward one another in the lateral direction into the gap.

Abstract: A terminal system includes a first terminal assembly, a sleeve disposed around the first terminal assembly, and a second terminal assembly matable with the first terminal assembly along a longitudinal direction. The sleeve is movable with respect to the first terminal assembly from an insertion position to an end position along the longitudinal direction toward the second terminal assembly while the first terminal assembly remains stationary in a mated position with the second terminal assembly.

Abstract: A housing includes a dielectric body having a plurality of terminal receiving passageways extending through the dielectric body along a longitudinal direction. The dielectric body has a latch section in which a plurality of walls of the dielectric body that each define one of the terminal receiving passageways are separated from one another by a gap in a lateral direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. The walls in the latch section are deflectable toward one another in the lateral direction into the gap.

Abstract: A controller of a QCCD-based quantum computer is configured to perform arbitrary angle two-qubit gates using global single-qubit gates and rotations of arbitrary angles and/or individual single-qubit gates that include two-qubit gate primitives, such as a phase-independent anti-symmetric two-qubit gate, and that are not individually addressed.

Abstract: A terminal system includes a first terminal assembly, a sleeve disposed around the first terminal assembly, and a second terminal assembly matable with the first terminal assembly along a longitudinal direction. The sleeve is movable with respect to the first terminal assembly from an insertion position to an end position along the longitudinal direction toward the second terminal assembly while the first terminal assembly remains stationary in a mated position with the second terminal assembly.

Abstract: A cable harness assembly includes a cable having a pair of wires and a connector assembly including an inner ferrule formed of a conductive material. Each of the wires has a conductor and a insulation disposed around the conductor. The pair of wires have a twisted region and an untwisted region. The inner ferrule has a cable passageway extending through the inner ferrule and a separator disposed within the cable passageway. The untwisted region is disposed in the inner ferrule and the separator is disposed between the wires in the untwisted region.

Abstract: A cable harness assembly includes a cable having a pair of wires and a connector assembly including an inner ferrule formed of a conductive material. Each of the wires has a conductor and a insulation disposed around the conductor. The pair of wires have a twisted region and an untwisted region. The inner ferrule has a cable passageway extending through the inner ferrule and a separator disposed within the cable passageway. The untwisted region is disposed in the inner ferrule and the separator is disposed between the wires in the untwisted region.

Abstract: A quantum computing D-state AC-Stark shift gate system comprises at least one gate manipulation source and one or more ions trapped in an ion trap. The at least one gate manipulation source is configured to generate a first gate manipulation signal and a second gate manipulation signal. The first and second gate manipulation signals couple an ion between a set of S-states and a set of D-states. The first and second gate manipulation signals apply a force to an ion of the one or more ions that is dependent on the internal state of the ion. The first and second gate manipulation signals are configured to couple internal states of the ions to their motional state without appreciably altering a population of the ions within the set of S-states.

Abstract: A quantum cryptography apparatus and system includes a photon emitter, a photon receiver, a first photodetector, a second photodetector, a first polarization optic, and a second polarization optic. The photon emitter is configured to emit a photon at a wavelength, wherein the photon emitter is coupled to the photon receiver by at least one quantum channel. The photon receiver includes the first polarization optic configured to output a polarization state of the emitted photon. The first photodetector is configured to detect the photon emitted from the output of the first polarization optic. The second photodetector is configured to detect a backflash from the first photodetector. The second polarization optic is between the first photodetector and the second photodetector. The quantum cryptography apparatus may be a quantum key distribution system for characterizing backflashes.

Abstract: The invention provides combretastatin A-4 like compounds that are modified to have enhanced tubulin binding activity and in some embodiments the ability to promote accumulation in the vasculature undergoing angiogenesis (homing activity). The compounds are based on the combretastatin A-4 skeletal structure having a tubulin-binding pharmacophore comprising two fused rings (A and B rings) in which the B ring is substituted with (a) an aromatic ring structure (C ring) and (b) a second substituent/functional group that comes off the B ring. The aromatic ring structure is typically a six membered ring phenolic or aniline structure, or may also be a fused ring structure such as a substituted or unsubstituted naphthalene.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for generating switch-initiated trespass commands. In an exemplary embodiment, a method includes recognizing that a first switch has a first path to a first target, which is coupled to a logical unit, and a second path to a second target, recognizing that a second switch has a first path to the first target and a second path to the second target, the second target being coupled to the logical unit, and determining whether the first switch should issue a trespass command.