Abstract: A method of electricity production using water thermal energy includes compressing an enclosed working fluid at a first vertical position relative to a surface of a body of water to cause the fluid to move to a second vertical position relative to the surface and subsequently move to the first position in a closed loop, an external environment at the second position having a greater temperature than an external environment at the first position such that the fluid transitions between a liquid phase at the first position and a vapor phase at the second position, the compressing using power from a battery, and expanding the fluid at the second position to generate electricity to charge the battery. The first and second positions may be two depths of the body of water or a height of an atmosphere above the body of water and a depth of the body of water.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a data storage system, and processes and computer programs for such data storage system, for example including processing of: managing one or more metadata tree structures for storing data to one or more storage devices of the data storage system in units of blocks, each metadata tree structure including a root node pointing directly and/or indirectly to blocks, and a leaf tree level having one or more direct nodes pointing to blocks, and optionally including one or more intermediate tree levels having one or more indirect nodes pointing to indirect nodes and/or direct nodes of the respective metadata tree structure; maintaining the root node and/or nodes of at least one tree level of each of at least one metadata structure in a cache memory; and managing I/O access to data based on the one or more metadata structures, including obtaining the root node and/or nodes of the at least one tree level of the metadata structure maintained in the cache memory from the cache memory an

Abstract: A storage and carrying case comprises an upper housing and a lower housing connected by a locking hinge mechanism.

Abstract: A method of electricity production using water thermal energy includes compressing an enclosed working fluid at a first vertical position relative to a surface of a body of water to cause the fluid to move to a second vertical position relative to the surface and subsequently move to the first position in a closed loop, an external environment at the second position having a greater temperature than an external environment at the first position such that the fluid transitions between a liquid phase at the first position and a vapor phase at the second position, the compressing using power from a battery, and expanding the fluid at the second position to generate electricity to charge the battery. The first and second positions may be two depths of the body of water or a height of an atmosphere above the body of water and a depth of the body of water.

Abstract: A method of electricity production using water thermal energy includes compressing an enclosed working fluid at a first vertical position relative to a surface of a body of water to cause the fluid to move to a second vertical position relative to the surface and subsequently move to the first position in a closed loop, an external environment at the second position having a greater temperature than an external environment at the first position such that the fluid transitions between a liquid phase at the first position and a vapor phase at the second position, the compressing using power from a battery, and expanding the fluid at the second position to generate electricity to charge the battery. The first and second positions may be two depths of the body of water or a height of an atmosphere above the body of water and a depth of the body of water.

Abstract: The data storage system includes one or more storage apparatuses and a file system server connected to the one or more storage apparatuses and to one or more host computers. Write operations are controlled by providing a free space object which stores a plurality of indicators, each indicator being associated with one of a plurality of storage units for storing data units in the one or more storage apparatuses and each indicator indicating whether the associated storage unit is free or used, executing a read-ahead examination which comprises examining a set of indicators of the free space object for identifying one or more used storage units associated with indicators of the set, in particular for observing a fragmentation status of the storage units associated with the indicators of the set, and executing an allocation examination which comprises examining one or more indicators.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a data storage system, and processes and computer programs for such data storage system, for example including processing of: managing one or more metadata tree structures for storing data to one or more storage devices of the data storage system in units of blocks, each metadata tree structure including a root node pointing directly and/or indirectly to blocks, and a leaf tree level having one or more direct nodes pointing to blocks, and optionally including one or more intermediate tree levels having one or more indirect nodes pointing to indirect nodes and/or direct nodes of the respective metadata tree structure; maintaining the root node and/or nodes of at least one tree level of each of at least one metadata structure in a cache memory; and managing I/O access to data based on the one or more metadata structures, including obtaining the root node and/or nodes of the at least one tree level of the metadata structure maintained in the cache memory from the cache memory an

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a data storage system, and processes and computer programs for such data storage system, for example including processing of: managing one or more metadata tree structures for storing data to one or more storage devices of the data storage system in units of blocks, each metadata tree structure including a root node pointing directly and/or indirectly to blocks, and a leaf tree level having one or more direct nodes pointing to blocks, and optionally including one or more intermediate tree levels having one or more indirect nodes pointing to indirect nodes and/or direct nodes of the respective metadata tree structure; maintaining the root node and/or nodes of at least one tree level of each of at least one metadata structure in a cache memory; and managing I/O access to data based on the one or more metadata structures.

Abstract: A method of electricity production using water thermal energy includes compressing an enclosed working fluid at a first vertical position relative to a surface of a body of water to cause the fluid to move to a second vertical position relative to the surface and subsequently move to the first position in a closed loop, an external environment at the second position having a greater temperature than an external environment at the first position such that the fluid transitions between a liquid phase at the first position and a vapor phase at the second position, the compressing using power from a battery, and expanding the fluid at the second position to generate electricity to charge the battery. The first and second positions may be two depths of the body of water or a height of an atmosphere above the body of water and a depth of the body of water.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a data storage system, and processes and computer programs for such data storage system, for example including processing of: managing one or more metadata tree structures for storing data to one or more storage devices of the data storage system in units of blocks, each metadata tree structure including a root node pointing directly and/or indirectly to blocks, and a leaf tree level having one or more direct nodes pointing to blocks, and optionally including one or more intermediate tree levels having one or more indirect nodes pointing to indirect nodes and/or direct nodes of the respective metadata tree structure; maintaining the root node and/or nodes of at least one tree level of each of at least one metadata structure in a cache memory; and managing I/O access to data based on the one or more metadata structures.

Abstract: The data storage system includes one or more storage apparatuses and a file system server connected to the one or more storage apparatuses and to one or more host computers. Write operations are controlled by providing a free space object which stores a plurality of indicators, each indicator being associated with one of a plurality of storage units for storing data units in the one or more storage apparatuses and each indicator indicating whether the associated storage unit is free or used, executing a read-ahead examination which comprises examining a set of indicators of the free space object for identifying one or more used storage units associated with indicators of the set, in particular for observing a fragmentation status of the storage units associated with the indicators of the set, and executing an allocation examination which comprises examining one or more indicators.

Abstract: This invention relates to portable area denial systems and to related methods. We describe an intruder deterrent system, the system comprising a plurality of nodes, each said node having a strobe light, and at least one of said nodes having an intruder-detecting sensor, wherein the system is configured to flash at least one of said strobe lights on detection of an intruder by said sensor to deter said intruder.

Abstract: This invention relates to portable area denial systems and to related methods. We describe an intruder deterrent system, the system comprising a plurality of nodes, each said node having a strobe light, and at least one of said nodes having an intruder-detecting sensor, wherein the system is configured to flash at least one of said strobe lights on detection of an intruder by said sensor to deter said intruder.

Abstract: A method and a means comprising a card with an encoded magnetic stripe or microprocessor that allows funds to be transferred from the card issuer to a medical service provider. The card would allow an insured person to prepay funds to be used for medical services rendered.

Abstract: A method and a means comprising a card with an encoded magnetic stripe or microprocessor that allows funds to be transferred from the card issuer to a medical service provider. The card would allow an insured person to prepay funds to be used for medical services rendered.

Abstract: Provisioned wireless service (PWS) authentication apparatus and method simplifies determination of PWS authentication state by dual mode access point (DMAP) receiving an identifying credential from supplicant dual mode mobile station (DMMS) within predefined authentication period and comparing with authentication credential. DMMS is provisioned PWS upon authentication. DMAP having multiple BSSID remotely configurable to differentiate between provisioned services (e.g., voice, VoIP) and standard wireline/fixed wireless services. DMAP and DMMS are each identifiable by respective unique provisioned service BSSID. Identifying credential can be pass code supplied to DMMS user by DMAP operator to facilitate authenticated association and to deter wireless channel interlopers.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for dynamically managing non-volatile memory items in a wireless device, the method comprising the steps of: checking the non-volatile memory items for a unique identifier item; if the unique identifier item exists, comparing an identifier stored within the unique identifier item with a software identifier located in software on the wireless device; and if the unique identifier item does not exist or if the identifier is different from the software identifier, performing the steps of: updating the non-volatile memory items; and writing the software identifier to the unique identifier item. The method may further include a rollback scheme for previous software versions.

Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, a provisioning method for establishing a telecommunications service including the operations of sending a resynchronization message to a user terminal unit, redirecting the resynchronization message to a customer premises equipment (CPE) unit, acquiring the configuration server network address from the resynchronization message, connecting the CPE unit through the network to a configuration server specified in the configuration server network address, receiving subscriber configuration data from the configuration server; and initializing the CPE unit with the received subscriber configuration data to establish service between the CPE unit and the telecommunications service provider.