Abstract: An item may include fabric having insulating and conductive yarns or other strands of material. The conductive strands may form signal paths. Electrical components can be mounted to the fabric. Each electrical component may have an electrical device such as a semiconductor die that is mounted on an interposer substrate. The interposer may have contacts that are soldered to the conductive strands. A protective cover may encapsulate portions of the electrical component. To create a robust connection between the electrical component and the fabric, the conductive strands may be threaded through recesses in the electrical component. The recesses may be formed in the interposer or may be formed in a protective cover on the interposer. Conductive material in the recess may be used to electrically and/or mechanically connect the conductive strand to a bond pad in the recess. Thermoplastic material may be used to seal the solder joint.

Abstract: An item may include fabric having insulating and conductive yarns or other strands of material. The conductive strands may form signal paths. Electrical components can be mounted to the fabric. Each electrical component may have an electrical device such as a semiconductor die that is mounted on an interposer substrate. The interposer may have contacts that are soldered to the conductive strands. A protective cover may encapsulate portions of the electrical component. To create a robust connection between the electrical component and the fabric, the conductive strands may be threaded through recesses in the electrical component. The recesses may be formed in the interposer or may be formed in a protective cover on the interposer. Conductive material in the recess may be used to electrically and/or mechanically connect the conductive strand to a bond pad in the recess. Thermoplastic material may be used to seal the solder joint.

Abstract: The present invention relates primarily to the field of air-to-air refueling of aircraft using an engagement between a tanker (or donor) aircraft and a receiver aircraft so that fuel may be delivered to the receiver aircraft via a fueling conduit, such as a hose or boom. The invention may also find application in other air-to-air engagement activities, such as recharging of an electric powered aircraft by delivery of an electrical recharging current to batteries of the aircraft via an electrical cable. In accordance with one aspect of the invention there is provided a drogue assembly for towing behind a donor aircraft, which drogue assembly comprises a reception coupling for engaging with a probe provided on a receiver aircraft and a drogue chute for stabilising the reception coupling when towed, wherein the drogue assembly further comprises at least one LiDAR sensor, a controller for the LiDAR and a data processor in data communication with the LiDAR for processing the sensed LiDAR data.

Abstract: An item may include fabric having insulating and conductive yarns or other strands of material. The conductive strands may form signal paths. Electrical components can be mounted to the fabric. Each electrical component may have an electrical device such as a semiconductor die that is mounted on an interposer substrate. The interposer may have contacts that are soldered to the conductive strands. A protective cover may encapsulate portions of the electrical component. To create a robust connection between the electrical component and the fabric, the conductive strands may be threaded through recesses in the electrical component. The recesses may be formed in the interposer or may be formed in a protective cover on the interposer. Conductive material in the recess may be used to electrically and/or mechanically connect the conductive strand to a bond pad in the recess. Thermoplastic material may be used to seal the solder joint.

Abstract: An item may include fabric having insulating and conductive yarns or other strands of material. The conductive strands may form signal paths. Electrical components can be mounted to the fabric. Each electrical component may have an electrical device such as a semiconductor die that is mounted on an interposer substrate. The interposer may have contacts that are soldered to the conductive strands. A protective cover may encapsulate portions of the electrical component. To create a robust connection between the electrical component and the fabric, the conductive strands may be threaded through recesses in the electrical component. The recesses may be formed in the interposer or may be formed in a protective cover on the interposer. Conductive material in the recess may be used to electrically and/or mechanically connect the conductive strand to a bond pad in the recess. Thermoplastic material may be used to seal the solder joint.

Abstract: An item may include fabric having insulating and conductive yarns or other strands of material. The conductive strands may form signal paths. Electrical components can be mounted to the fabric. Each electrical component may have an electrical device such as a semiconductor die that is mounted on an interposer substrate. The interposer may have contacts that are soldered to the conductive strands. A protective cover may encapsulate portions of the electrical component. To create a robust connection between the electrical component and the fabric, the conductive strands may be threaded through recesses in the electrical component. The recesses may be formed in the interposer or may be formed in a protective cover on the interposer. Conductive material in the recess may be used to electrically and/or mechanically connect the conductive strand to a bond pad in the recess. Thermoplastic material may be used to seal the solder joint.

Abstract: An item may include fabric having insulating and conductive yarns or other strands of material. The conductive strands may form signal paths. Electrical components can be mounted to the fabric. Each electrical component may have an electrical device such as a semiconductor die that is mounted on an interposer substrate. The interposer may have contacts that are soldered to the conductive strands. A protective cover may encapsulate portions of the electrical component. To create a robust connection between the electrical component and the fabric, the conductive strands may be threaded through recesses in the electrical component. The recesses may be formed in the interposer or may be formed in a protective cover on the interposer. Conductive material in the recess may be used to electrically and/or mechanically connect the conductive strand to a bond pad in the recess. Thermoplastic material may be used to seal the solder joint.

Abstract: An item may include fabric having insulating and conductive yarns or other strands of material. The conductive strands may form signal paths. Electrical components can be mounted to the fabric. Each electrical component may have an electrical device such as a semiconductor die that is mounted on an interposer substrate. The interposer may have contacts that are soldered to the conductive strands. A protective cover may encapsulate portions of the electrical component. To create a robust connection between the electrical component and the fabric, the conductive strands may be threaded through recesses in the electrical component. The recesses may be formed in the interposer or may be formed in a protective cover on the interposer. Conductive material in the recess may be used to electrically and/or mechanically connect the conductive strand to a bond pad in the recess. Thermoplastic material may be used to seal the solder joint.

Abstract: An item may include fabric having insulating and conductive yarns or other strands of material. The conductive strands may form signal paths. Electrical components can be mounted to the fabric. Each electrical component may have an electrical device such as a semiconductor die that is mounted on an interposer substrate. The interposer may have contacts that are soldered to the conductive strands. A protective cover may encapsulate portions of the electrical component. To create a robust connection between the electrical component and the fabric, the conductive strands may be threaded through recesses in the electrical component. The recesses may be formed in the interposer or may be formed in a protective cover on the interposer. Conductive material in the recess may be used to electrically and/or mechanically connect the conductive strand to a bond pad in the recess. Thermoplastic material may be used to seal the solder joint.

Abstract: A method of operating a vapor recovery system that recovers vapors expelled from a vehicle during refueling at a fuel dispensing point and returns the vapors to an underground storage tank through a vapor flow path that is in fluid communication with an air to liquid regulator valve and a vapor pump. The method includes dispensing fuel into the vehicle through the fuel dispensing point, regulating an amount of vapor that is recovered through the fuel dispensing point with the air to liquid regulator valve in proportion to the fuel dispensed into the vehicle, detecting a parameter of the vapor recovery system, and maintaining a substantially constant pressure level in a first portion of the vapor return path that is disposed between the vapor pump and the air to liquid regulator valve.

Abstract: An air to liquid regulator valve for use with a vapor recovery system that recovers vapors expelled from a vehicle receiving fuel through a fuel supply passage and returns the vapors to an underground storage tank through a vapor return passage in a service station environment. The regulator valve includes a housing defining a fuel flow path in fluid communication with the fuel supply passage and a vapor return path in fluid communication with the vapor return passage, a vapor return orifice defined by the housing and disposed between a first portion and a second portion of the vapor return path, and a vapor flow bypass in fluid communication with the first portion and the second portion of the vapor return path such that the flow of vapors through both the vapor flow bypass and the vapor return orifice is possible.

Abstract: An air to liquid regulator valve for use with a vapor recovery system that recovers vapors expelled from a vehicle receiving fuel through a fuel supply passage and returns the vapors to an underground storage tank through a vapor return passage in a service station environment. The regulator valve includes a housing defining a fuel flow path in fluid communication with the fuel supply passage and a vapor return path in fluid communication with the vapor return passage, a vapor return orifice defined by the housing and disposed between a first portion and a second portion of the vapor return path, and a vapor flow bypass in fluid communication with the first portion and the second portion of the vapor return path such that the flow of vapors through both the vapor flow bypass and the vapor return orifice is possible.

Abstract: A method of operating a vapor recovery system that recovers vapors expelled from a vehicle during refueling at a fuel dispensing point and returns the vapors to an underground storage tank through a vapor flow path that is in fluid communication with an air to liquid regulator valve and a vapor pump. The method includes dispensing fuel into the vehicle through the fuel dispensing point, regulating an amount of vapor that is recovered through the fuel dispensing point with the air to liquid regulator valve in proportion to the fuel dispensed into the vehicle, detecting a parameter of the vapor recovery system, and maintaining a substantially constant pressure level in a first portion of the vapor return path that is disposed between the vapor pump and the air to liquid regulator valve.

Abstract: A sensor for a height control system uses a transducer to detect changes in position of an arm relative to a vehicle and sends a proportional signal to a microprocessor that, in turn, actuates a pneumatic valve operably connected to an air spring between the arm and the vehicle. The transducer includes an optical bridge, a variable capacitor, or a flexible variable resistor.

Abstract: A method is provided that minimizes the seek time necessary for relocating bad sectors found during data processing. During standard data processing in the prime disk area, identified bad sectors are saved in memory until after all of the data processing has been completed. The bad sectors are then relocated from memory in a batch process, thereby requiring only a single seek command to the defect management area. This procedure reduces the time penalty in the number of relocations to a near constant time and avoids a linear time penalty.

Abstract: A trailing arm suspension for a vehicle. The trailing arm suspension having a height control system for controlling the ride height of the suspension relative to the vehicle. The height control system preferably comprises a motor driven height control valve.

Abstract: A control system, primarily for use with a vehicle, which increases ride stability and minimizes cycling of the control system during normal operation of the vehicle by utilization of a restriction valve to restrict the fluid introduced into or exhausted from a fluid bag in response to a received control signal.

Abstract: Data protection and security is provided by incorporating a data shredding operation which renders data previously stored on storage media unrecoverable. In the shredding operation of the present invention, certain overhead portions of a data storage sector remain unchanged, while the data area is overwritten with a predetermined pattern. By maintaining the overhead portions of the sectors (addressing, verify and protect, error correction codes, etc.) the sectors can be easily identified as being previously shredded, thus not providing a source of possible confusion to the data storage device. Further, the data becomes unrecoverable as it has been overwritten by the predetermined pattern, which thus eliminates all previously existing transitions which contained the encoded data.

Abstract: A redundant vacuum-generating source system and method for generating and/or maintaining a vacuum level in a secondarily contained fuel-handling component that is monitored for leaks. The vacuum-generating source is coupled to upstream fuel-handling components to draw a vacuum level in their interstitial spaces. Other downstream fuel-handling components are drawn under a vacuum by tapping off of the upstream fuel-handling component's interstitial spaces for convenience. A series of valves control which upstream fuel-handling component's interstitial spaces are coupled to a downstream fuel-handling component interstitial space. In the event that an upstream fuel-handling component contains a leak, a control system can control the valves to switch the vacuum generation of a downstream fuel-handling component to another upstream fuel-handling component that does not contain a leak so that a sufficient vacuum level can be generated in downstream fuel-handling component(s) to monitor it for leaks.

Abstract: An end-of-zone or line sensor placed at the end of a secondarily contained fuel piping(s) or network(s). The interstitial space of the piping network is coupled to a vacuum-generating source that draws a vacuum level in the interstitial space to monitor for leaks or breaches in the piping network. The end-of-zone sensors are coupled to the interstitial space at the far end of the piping network and vacuum-generating source. The end-of-zone sensors actuate when a sufficient vacuum level is detected. A control system monitors the status of the end-of-zone switches. If the vacuum-generating source is activated to draw a vacuum level, and the end-of-zone sensors react to indicate the vacuum level has reached the sensor, the control system knows that there is no blockage over the entire span of the piping network, and thus entire piping network can be properly monitored for leaks.