Abstract: An apparatus and system for secure packaging, shipment, receipt and storage of mail, parcels and parcels is described. The apparatus includes an appliqué with a multitude of sensitized residue within that surround the parcel; the residue in the media forms a unique optical fingerprint, which is an exemplar image data for comparison. Substantial damage to one or more fibers alters the optical fingerprint pattern. The data is read and independently verified at waypoints and the destination. Comparing the current image data to the exemplar image data indicates damage or tampering.

Abstract: A system for autonomous protection from fires and electrical shock of components used in construction of photovoltaic arrays is disclosed. The system detects conditions that left unattended will result in conflagration of combustible materials and unwanted electrification. The disclosed system provides an active control mechanism that operates to take defective components off line and thus provide protection from fire and electrification hazards that otherwise could arise. The system also provides means for annunciation and notification when actions are taken. The system can be used, for example, to determine that a photovoltaic (PV) module is at risk of conflagration of its flammable structural elements due to intense heat of plasma produced by a direct current (DC) arc at a point in the grid of conductors that collect and carry current from photovoltaic cells exposed to solar irradiation.

Abstract: A system that provides detection, annunciation, mitigation, and alleviation of stress attacks by executing algorithms based on measurement of intensity of light. The system determines to execute algorithms to take programmed action based on potential effects of a detected stress attack. The system can be used, for example, to determine the position of potential attacks to conduits that transport electricity, oil, gas, foodstuffs, water, people, and materials.

Abstract: An image detector comprises a plurality of photosensitive detector unit cells interconnected to a plurality of integrated circuits by a plurality of direct bond interconnects. Each unit cell includes an absorber layer and a separation layer. The absorber layer absorbs incident photons such that the absorbed photons excite photocurrent comprising first charged carriers and second charged carriers having opposite polarities. The separation layer separates the first charged carriers for collection at one or more first contacts and the second charged carriers for collection at one or more second contacts. The first and second contacts include the direct bond interconnects to conduct the first charged carriers and the second charged carriers from the unit cells in order to facilitate image processing.

Abstract: An adsorber material element is used relieve a vacuum that results from cooling of heated contents in a sealed container. An interior volume of that container may be filled or partially filled with a heated material. After the at least partially filled container is sealed, one or more gases may be released from an adsorber material and into the interior volume of the sealed container. As the contents of the container cool, the release of gas(es) from the adsorber material relieves vacuum that would otherwise develop.

Abstract: A unit cell for use in an imaging system may include an absorber layer of semiconductor material formed on a semiconductor substrate, at least one contact including semiconductor material formed on the semiconductor substrate and electrically coupled to the absorber layer, and a cap layer of semiconductor material formed on the semiconductor substrate and electrically coupled to and formed between the absorber layer and the at least one contact. The absorber layer may be configured to absorb incident photons such that the absorbed photons excite electrons in the absorber layer to generate a photocurrent. The at least one contact may be configured to conduct the photocurrent to one or more electrical components external to the unit cell. The cap layer may be configured to conduct the photocurrent between the absorber layer and the at least one contact.

Abstract: An enhanced riser control system may employ electrical tensioners coupled to a drilling riser by wires. The electrical tensioners may provide quick response to a tension controller to handle positioning of the drilling riser. The electrical tensioners of the enhanced riser control system may be combined with hydro-pneumatic tensioners in a riser hybrid tensioning system. A controller within the enhanced riser control system may be configured to distribute tension to electrical tensioners and to control electrical tensioners to adjust the length of the first and second wires. The electrical tensioners may be used, for example, to suppress vortex-induced-vibration (VIV) and control drilling riser recoil.

Abstract: A system and method for monitoring for a distressed sound is disclosed. The system comprises a noise detection module configured to monitor ambient noise through a microphone on a digital telephony device operating in an idle state and determine an ambient noise level. A sound processing module is configured to process sounds received from the microphone that have an amplitude a selected amount greater than an amplitude of the ambient noise and determine if the processed sounds match a predetermined statistical model of a distressed sound. An assistance request module is configured to send a request for assistance via the digital telephony device for processed sounds that match the predetermined statistical model of the distressed sound.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of producing a HPV polypeptides and/or an influenza virus H5 polypeptide in a plant comprising the steps of cloning a HPV gene; and/or an influenza virus H5 gene or nucleic acid encoding their functional equivalents into a vector adapted to target components present in the plant, infiltrating at least a portion of the plant with the vector or transforming plant tissue with the vector so as to transiently express the HPV polypeptides and/or an influenza virus H5 polypeptide, and/or to create a transgenic plant; and recovering the HPV polypeptides and/or an influenza virus H5 polypeptide expressed by the plant. The invention further relates to vectors, transgenic plants or parts thereof and the progeny of such plants used in or which come about as a result of the method.

Abstract: An image detector comprises a plurality of photosensitive detector unit cells interconnected to a plurality of integrated circuits by a plurality of direct bond interconnects. Each unit cell includes an absorber layer and a separation layer. The absorber layer absorbs incident photons such that the absorbed photons excite photocurrent comprising first charged carriers and second charged carriers having opposite polarities. The separation layer separates the first charged carriers for collection at one or more first contacts and the second charged carriers for collection at one or more second contacts. The first and second contacts include the direct bond interconnects to conduct the first charged carriers and the second charged carriers from the unit cells in order to facilitate image processing.

Abstract: Methods and structures for providing single-color or multi-color photo-detectors leveraging plasmon resonance for performance benefits. In one example, a radiation detector includes a semiconductor absorber layer having a first electrical conductivity type and an energy bandgap responsive to radiation in a first spectral region, a semiconductor collector layer coupled to the absorber layer and having a second electrical conductivity type, and a plasmonic resonator coupled to the collector layer and having a periodic structure including a plurality of features arranged in a regularly repeating pattern.

Abstract: A desktop network protocol telephone set has a network interface for connecting the telephone set to a local area network. An audio interface provides audio signals to and from a handset of the telephone set. A processing circuit is responsive to communications from the network interface. A control circuit coupled to the processing circuit is used for changing a driving frequency of the LCD panel.

Abstract: A spacer for use in spacing a cladding component from a building component has a support member, a base spaced apart from the support member, the base having a contact surface facing away from the support member, a web connected between the support member and the base, and a guide configured to locate the cladding component on the support member. A plurality of the spacers can be used by resiliently deforming them to accommodate and retain by restorative bias force a corresponding plurality of portions of the cladding component. Thereafter, the spacers are secured to the building component.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for enhancing expression of a transgene in a host cell, which includes the steps of inserting a capsid promoter element (Pcap), or a sequence comprising the reverse complement of the capsid promoter element (PcapR), into a mammalian expression cassette upstream (5?) of a cytomegalovirus immediate/early enhancer/promoter region (Pcmv); inserting the transgene into the expression cassette downstream (3?) of the cytomegalovirus immediate/early enhancer/promoter region; inserting a vector containing the expression cassette into the host organism; and causing expression of the transgene. The capsid promoter element (Pcap) is typically from a circovirus, parvovirus or anellovirus. The transgene is typically expressed at a higher level than when expressed by a vector containing the expression cassette without the transcriptional control element. An expression cassette, vector, DNA vaccine, pharmaceutical composition and method of treatment are also claimed.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an image detector comprises a plurality of photosensitive detector unit cells interconnected to a plurality of integrated circuits by a plurality of direct bond interconnects. Each unit cell includes an absorber layer and a separation layer. The absorber layer absorbs incident photons such that the absorbed photons excite photocurrent comprising first charged carriers and second charged carriers having opposite polarities. The separation layer separates the first charged carriers for collection at one or more first contacts and the second charged carriers for collection at one or more second contacts. The first and second contacts include the direct bond interconnects to conduct the first charged carriers and the second charged carriers from the unit cells in order to facilitate image processing.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an image detector comprises a plurality of photosensitive detector unit cells interconnected to a plurality of integrated circuits by a plurality of direct bond interconnects. Each unit cell includes an absorber layer and a separation layer. The absorber layer absorbs incident photons such that the absorbed photons excite photocurrent comprising first charged carriers and second charged carriers having opposite polarities. The separation layer separates the first charged carriers for collection at one or more first contacts and the second charged carriers for collection at one or more second contacts. The first and second contacts include the direct bond interconnects to conduct the first charged carriers and the second charged carriers from the unit cells in order to facilitate image processing.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a position sensitive detector (PSD) comprises a plurality of layers, including a substrate layer, an absorber layer, a barrier layer, a sheet layer, and a contact layer. The absorber layer absorbs incident photons such that the absorbed photons excite positive charges and negative charges in the absorber layer. The barrier layer collects a photocurrent from the absorber layer, the photocurrent comprising either the positive charges or the negative charges. The sheet layer provides resistance to control the flow of the photocurrent between a point of incidence of the photons and a plurality of interconnect contacts. The contact layer comprises the interconnect contacts, each interconnect contact operable to conduct the photocurrent to one or more electrical components external to the PSD. The position sensitive detector facilitates determining the point of incidence of the photons according to a relative amount of photocurrent associated with each interconnect contact.

Abstract: A method for producing a chimaeric human papillomavirus (HPV) L1 polypeptide containing a heterologous peptide, and in particular, a HPV L2 peptide comprising the steps of introducing a DNA sequence coding for the heterologous peptide into a DNA sequence coding for the L1 polypeptide; introducing the DNA sequence including the sequences for the L1 polypeptide and heterologous peptide into a host cell in which the DNA sequence can be expressed; causing expression of the DNA sequence; and recovering the resulting chimaeric L1 polypeptide which includes the heterologous peptide. The invention also describes a vector for use in the method, a host cell containing the vector, and a vaccine including the chimaeric HPV L1 polypeptide produced according to the method.

Abstract: A system and method for monitoring for a distressed sound is disclosed. The system comprises a noise detection module configured to monitor ambient noise through a microphone on a digital telephony device operating in an idle state and determine an ambient noise level. A sound processing module is configured to process sounds received from the microphone that have an amplitude a selected amount greater than an amplitude of the ambient noise and determine if the processed sounds match a predetermined statistical model of a distressed sound. An assistance request module is configured to send a request for assistance via the digital telephony device for processed sounds that match the predetermined statistical model of the distressed sound.