Abstract: A system to detect a position of a pipe with respect to a BOP includes a casing disposed around an outer surface of a section of the pipe. The system further includes sensing devices that are disposed on the casing and arranged to form a plurality of arrays and configured to generate position signals. The arrays are disposed circumferentially around the casing and spaced from one another along the length of the casing. The system includes a processing unit configured to compute distance between the pipe and each sensing device. The processing unit generates a first alert when the distance between the pipe and at least one sensing device is different from a reference distance. The processing unit generates a second alert when the distance between the pipe and each sensing device of at least one array of sensing devices is different from the reference distance.

Abstract: A battery pack including a heat sink for improved heat dissipation.

Abstract: Systems and methods for producing sounds in musical instruments are provided. In one approach, a musical instrument includes: a primary sound producing mechanism; a primary sound producing surface, wherein movement of the primary sound producing mechanism by a user causes the primary sound producing surface to produce a sound; a secondary device contacting the primary sound producing surface; and a controller operatively connected to the secondary device and configured to cause the secondary device to vibrate the primary sound producing surface to produce a sound by the musical instrument.

Abstract: A phase digitizing system includes an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), multiple phase accumulators and a processing device. The ADC generates sample segments of digital signal waveform samples based on an analog composite input signal received in a measurement channel, the composite input signal includes a first signal having a first frequency F1 and a second signal imported from a reference channel having a second frequency F2. The processing device is coupled to the phase accumulators, and digitally processes each sample segment with outputs of the phase accumulators, and continually generates digital phase data The processing device further provides increment values to each of the phase accumulators based on the digital phase data, causing an output of a first phase accumulator to represent an instantaneous phase of the first signal, and an output of a second phase accumulator to represent an instantaneous phase of the second signal.

Abstract: A phase digitizing system includes an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), multiple phase accumulators and a processing device. The ADC generates sample segments of digital signal waveform samples based on an analog composite input signal received in a measurement channel, the composite input signal includes a first signal having a first frequency F1 and a second signal imported from a reference channel having a second frequency F2. The processing device is coupled to the phase accumulators, and digitally processes each sample segment with outputs of the phase accumulators, and continually generates digital phase data The processing device further provides increment values to each of the phase accumulators based on the digital phase data, causing an output of a first phase accumulator to represent an instantaneous phase of the first signal, and an output of a second phase accumulator to represent an instantaneous phase of the second signal.

Abstract: A creep life management system includes at least one sensor apparatus coupled to a first component. The at least one sensor apparatus is configured with a unique identifier. The creep life management system also includes at least one reader unit coupled to a second component. The at least one reader unit is configured to transmit an interrogation request signal to the at least one sensor apparatus and receive a measurement response signal transmitted from the at least one sensor apparatus. The creep life management system further includes at least one processor programmed to determine a real-time creep profile of the first component as a function of the measurement response signal transmitted from the at least one sensor apparatus.

Abstract: A device for use in determining a location of a component of a system includes a communication interface configured to transmit at least one signal to the component, a display, and a processor coupled to the communication interface and to the display. The processor is programmed to display a representation of the system on the display, display an expected location of the component within the representation, and transmit the at least one signal to the component using the communication interface for use in determining an actual location of the component.

Abstract: A system for locating and presenting video content. A search is done for events of interest to a user. When events of interest are identified, a search for video content covering the events is done. When video content is found, it is recorded. Then the video content is transmitted to a mobile device of the user. In one form of the invention, the search is of the conceptual type, and not a key-word search formulated by the user.

Abstract: A method transmitting a message over at least one of a plurality of channels of a communications network is provided. The method comprises the steps of detecting a presence of jamming pulses in the at least one of the plurality of channels. The characteristics of the jamming pulses in the at least one of the plurality of channels is determined wherein the determined characteristics define at least interstices between the jamming pulses. The message is transmitted over the at least one of the plurality of channels wherein the message is transmitted within the interstices of the jamming pulse determined from the step of determining characteristics of the jamming pulses.

Abstract: This invention provides, inter alia, communication devices for contactless underwater data transmission and reception. In one embodiment the present invention provides a transmitting device comprising (a) a water-tight housing; (b) a radiative element disposed outside of the housing, said radiative element comprising at least two antennae, wherein the radiative element is configured to propagate an electric field signal through water; and (c) a communications section disposed within the housing, said communications section being coupled to said radiative element, said communications section comprising at least one transmitter, wherein the communications section is configured to transmit digitally modulated data as an electric field signal propagated by the radiative element. Also provided are similarly constituted receiving devices, transceiving devices, systems containing such devices and methods of using such devices and systems.

Abstract: A device and process for softening, freshening, preventing static and de-wrinkling clothes in a timely and non-labor-intensive manner. The device includes a generally spherical holder with an exterior support with an exterior support surface, generally bounding the interior of the holder. Absorbent material is in the interior of the holder. The exterior support surface has one or more retainers to secure a fabric softener sheet on the outside of the holder. The absorbent material may also include a chamber to hold a nested stack or roll of fabric softener sheets. The fabric softener sheets are dispensed through an opening in the chamber and then through an opening in the exterior support. A user moistens the holder with water, dispenses a fabric softener sheet and secures the sheet to the outside of the holder using the at least one retainer. He then places the holder in the laundry dryer with wrinkled, stale or staticky clothes and operates the laundry dryer.

Abstract: A germicidal absorptive material for use in surgical packings, wound bandages, sanitary tampons and bed sore prevention and/or treatment uses is provided by a foam-like matrix of hydrophilic polyurethane polymer to which application-specific loads of a germicidal disinfectant dye have been made. Polyurethane polymer of various densities and thicknesses exhibits an exceptional ability to absorb different levels of a number of disinfectant dyes, both basic and acidic, such as gentian violet and methylene blue, respectively. The relationship between dye-load and application-specific uses permits a totally-bound gentian violet pad to be used as a conventional bandage or pad on a surface wound with the capability of preventing the incursion of external pathogens from entering the wound through the pad, where the pathogens are killed by the bound-dye. The wound exudate is absorbed safely by the pad, where wound-originating pathogens are also killed.

Abstract: A method transmitting a message over at least one of a plurality of channels of a communications network is provided. The method comprises the steps of detecting a presence of jamming pulses in the at least one of the plurality of channels. The characteristics of the jamming pulses in the at least one of the plurality of channels is determined wherein the determined characteristics define at least interstices between the jamming pulses. The message is transmitted over the at least one of the plurality of channels wherein the message is transmitted within the interstices of the jamming pulse determined from the step of determining characteristics of the jamming pulses.

Abstract: A method and system for monitoring and controlling a power distribution system is provided. The system includes a plurality of circuit breakers and a plurality of node electronic units. Each node electronic unit is mounted remotely from an associated circuit breaker that is electrically coupled with one of the node electronic units. The system also includes a first digital network, and a first central control unit. The first central control unit and the plurality of node electronic units are communicatively coupled to the first digital network. The method includes receiving digital signals from each node electronic unit at the central control unit, determining an operational state of the power distribution system from the digital signal, and transmitting digital signals to the plurality of node electronic units such that the circuit breakers are operable from the first central control unit.

Abstract: A remote sensing system comprises a micro-electromechanical sensor (MEMS) device comprising a sensing element, an exciting element to resonate the sensing element at resonant frequency from a remote location by transmitting signals comprising any of acoustic signals, optical signals, radio frequency signals, or magnetic induction signals, and a reader circuitry to read an original frequency of the sensing element from a remote location for determining a condition to which the MEMS device is exposed using signals comprising any of acoustic signals, optical signals, radio frequency signals, or magnetic induction signals.

Abstract: An infant monitoring system includes an incubation chamber configured to house an infant. Furthermore, the infant monitoring system includes a data reception interface configured to receive a wireless signal indicative of a vital sign. The infant monitoring system may be configured to communicate wirelessly with a LAN or a remote monitoring system.

Abstract: Systems and techniques are provided for a directional antenna system that employs a wireless link between x-ray apparatus. The system includes a host computer, an x-ray tube with an emission scan channel, a first directional antenna connected to the x-ray tube and with an orientation parallel to the emission channel, a second antenna wirelessly communicating with the first directional antenna, an x-ray detector wirelessly communicating with the x-ray tube, and a rigid panel supporting the second antenna and the x-ray detector being in contact with the emission scan channel. Specific techniques are employed to manage antenna direction and transmission.

Abstract: A method of prioritizing messages on a Local Area Network comprises receiving a digitized incoming message, comparing a message signature of the incoming message with a stored priority message signature, passing non-priority messages to a standard Ethernet protocol stack for processing, storing priority messages temporarily, preventing priority messages from being processed in the standard Ethernet protocol stack, and handling priority messages using a simplified protocol stack designed to process a specific data packet type. This method may be performed by an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) inserted between an Ethernet PHY layer and Ethernet MAC layer on a Network Interface Card of a host device. In particular, automated machinery control systems using the Ethernet protocol for networking are intended to benefit from the prioritizing method and implementation.

Abstract: A pack that includes a bottom, a front side, a back side, and a top opening for allowing insertion of articles to, and removable from, inside the pack. The front and back sides of the pack are adjacently affixed to each other at their left and right edges. The pack further includes a closure arrangement to close the top opening, such closure arrangement including an upper front flap, adjacently connected to the front side and an upper back flap adjacently connected to the back side. The pack is closed when the upper front flap and the upper back flap are pressed against each other and then rolled down together along the pack until a rolled state of the upper front flap and the upper back flap is reached.

Abstract: A secure framework for wireless sensor networks. The framework provides a system and method for providing network device authentication. The system and method comprises installing a unique device key in a network device and creating a chain of keys, wherein each subsequent key is encrypted using the previous key. The method executes an authentication process for storing and issuing keys, wherein the authentication process uses a unique device key to install a device site key in the network device and uses the device site key and the unique device key to authenticate the network device for communicating with a wireless network router, wherein the wireless network router creates a unique network-device-router key. The unique network-device-router key is used to authenticate the network device for communicating over the wireless network using an encrypted network session key and allows secure encrypted link-layer communications over the wireless network.