Abstract: Methods and systems for providing electromagnetic protection of optical equipment are disclosed. One assembly includes an optical device and an electromagnetically shielding enclosure including a plurality of shielding surfaces, the enclosure defining an interior volume containing the optical device. The assembly further includes a waveguide beyond cutoff extending through a shielding surface of the electromagnetically shielding enclosure. The assembly also includes a first lens located on a first side of the shielding surface, and positioned and oriented to focus light through the waveguide beyond cutoff. The assembly further includes a second lens located on a second side of the shielding surface opposite the first side, positioned and oriented to receive light transmitted through the waveguide beyond cutoff.

Abstract: As banking transactions are processed by a bank teller, all of the relevant information with respect to the transaction (e.g., dollar amount) is captured in an electronic file. Each of the electronic files from the various branches of the bank are forwarded to a central back office processing center where the electronic files are combined into a single Transaction Repository. At the end of the branch day, all of the paper associated with the transactions is forwarded from the branches to the back office processing center. The paper transactions are imaged in the conventional manner and the Magnetic Ink Character Recognition (MICR) data is read from the paper. The present invention then automatically correlates the images and MICR data captured from the paper with the complete transaction record contained in the Transaction Repository. Most of the conventional back office processing can now be performed without the need to perform character recognition and without the need for excess human intervention.

Abstract: An accessory for a portable electronic device having a speaker uses an acoustic wave guide to passively amplify and direct the output of the device's speaker. The accessory has a housing with a docking cavity formed therein. The docking cavity has supportive sidewalls that are adapted to receive and support the portable electronic device in an upright position. A cable access channel is formed in the docking cavity that allows a connector and cable to be coupled to the portable electronic device when the portable electronic device is mounted in the docking cavity. An acoustic waveguide having a spiral shaped acoustic chamber is positioned in the housing such that an entrance to the acoustic waveguide corresponds to a hole in the docking cavity that is positioned to correspond to the location of the speaker of the device when the device is mounted in the docking chamber. The exit of the acoustic chamber corresponds to an exterior opening in a sidewall of the housing and the hole in the docking cavity.

Abstract: Self-watering plant container includes a container used to hold a living plant and soil and a container to hold a pool of water or nutrient solution underneath the plant/soil container where the water may be absorbed by the living plant through a permeable bottom in the plant/soil container. Self-watering plant container includes an airspace layer located between the bottom of the plant/soil container and the top of the water or nutrient solution pool in order to prevent excessive moisture or water from being absorbed into the plant/soil container, thereby preventing root rot. Self-watering plant container achieves this partly by special funnel shaped root-pruning aeration apertures in the bottom of its plant/soil container that allow very small roots and root hairs to grow through the bottom of plant/soil container and into the water reservoir below, while forcing larger roots back into the plant/soil container, and also allowing for aeration of the plant/soil container.

Abstract: The invention is a plant container with a rigidly reversibly attachable canopy training rack. Plant container and canopy training rack are specifically designed to maximize fruit or vegetable production from a plant, where maximization is done through setting the size and shape of the canopy and root systems of the plant. Further, plant container and canopy training rack are design to create a plant that is sized to be about the maximum size plant that can be easily managed and moved by one average sized adult person. Canopy training rack is reversibly and rigidly attachable to the plant container. The invention provides the capability to grow plants in an area that is without access to ground soil, such as a balcony, porch, patio, sidewalk, deck, or other. Invention does not include soil or growing material. Invention does not include a light source so the plant must be placed in a sunny area or other lighted area in order for the plant to grow.

Abstract: Camera arrangements that can include electromagnetic protection, such as from EMP/IEMI events, is disclosed. One example camera arrangement includes a camera including a viewfinder having a lens, and an electromagnetically shielded enclosure defining an interior volume containing the camera and configured to include at least one opening aligned with the lens. The camera arrangement includes an electromagnetically dampening barrier disposed across the at least one opening, the barrier configured to shield the interior volume of the enclosure from electromagnetic signals while exposing an optical path between the lens and objects external to the enclosure.

Abstract: Electromagnetically shielded portable storage devices are disclosed. One such device includes an electromagnetically shielded enclosure having an interior volume, the electromagnetically shielded enclosure including a plurality of shielded walls and sized to be manually carried by a person. The interior volume of the enclosure is isolated from high-frequency electromagnetic energy generated external to the enclosure. The device includes at least one storage device positioned within the interior volume, and at least one communicative connection extending from the at least one storage device to a communicative socket accessible external to the electromagnetically shielded enclosure. The at least one communicative connection is configured to allow access to the storage device by a computing system external to the electromagnetically shielded enclosure.

Abstract: A water removal system for removing water from an elevator pit that includes a sump, a pump, a pump input tube, a pump output tube and a switching mechanism. The sump at least partially extends below a lower surface of the elevator pit. The plump mounted outside of the elevator pit. The pump input line is operably connected to the sump and the pump. The pump output line is operably connected to the pump. The switching mechanism is mounted outside of the sump and is operably connected to the pump and the sump.

Abstract: An electromagnetically shielded power module and data center including such a module are disclosed. In one example, the electromagnetically shielded power module includes an electromagnetically shielded enclosure including a shell and at least one door, the enclosure surrounding and providing electromagnetic shielding for an interior volume. The electromagnetically shielded power module also includes a power delivery control module positioned within the interior volume and configured to monitor filtered power received into the interior volume of the electromagnetically shielded enclosure. The electromagnetically shielded power module further includes a plurality of power distribution units positioned within the interior volume and configured to receive filtered power from the power delivery control module and route power to one or more computing systems.

Abstract: Multiple Tray Vermicomposter with Thermal Siphon Airflow is a vermiculture composting device that uses earthworms to create compost where worms eat and digest food to excrete compost. It is a multiple tray system with a base and a lid. New compost trays with freshly loaded food and bedding are stacked on top of older trays containing worms and compost to instigate a continuous upward migration of the worms thereby creating continuous compost production. Compost trays have permeable bottoms to allow worms to pass through. Compost production is accelerated from thermal siphon airflow to provide ample airflow to the worms without the requirement of a power source. Light-tight air-permeable connections between trays, lid, and base, also accelerate compost production by keeping the worms completely dark. If worms fall through the bottom compost tray, there exists a ramp to enable the fallen worms to climb back into the bottom compost tray.

Abstract: An electromagnetically shielded enclosure is disclosed. One such system includes a continuously welded shell having a top, a bottom, and a plurality of side walls cooperating to enclose an interior volume, the interior volume sized to receive electronic equipment and allow human entry. The enclosure is constructed from electromagnetically conductive materials and includes continuous welds along seams joining each material. The enclosure includes a sally port located within the enclosure. The sally port includes a first door in one of the plurality of side walls and constructed from electromagnetically conductive materials. The sally port also includes a second door constructed from electromagnetically conductive materials. The sally port defines a secondary interior volume within the enclosure sized to allow human entry through either the first or second door.

Abstract: A media content monitoring system uses a rack adapted to receive multiple carrier boards to improve the system's ability to be configured to specific applications. Each carrier board contains tuner modules for receiving AM/FM broadcasts, satellite radio broadcasts, TV audio broadcasts, HD, IBOC, DAB and DRM digital radio broadcasts, etc. The tuner modules produce a USB output that is combined by a USB hub on the carrier boards into a single USB output. The carrier board outputs are in turn combined by a rack based USB hub into single USB output that is provided to a host computer. The host computer includes content identification software that automatically identifies selected media content received by the tuner modules and stores the selected content in a database. The host computer can send control codes to the tuner modules to alter their reception parameters.

Abstract: The invention is a vermicomposter which is a composting device that uses earthworms or worms to accelerate the composting process. A multiple tray system is used to greatly increase compost production and for convenience of compost harvesting. The invention uses thermal siphon airflow and light-tight air permeable connections between its members to increase compost production. The vermicomposter comprises: a base with collection tray, at least one stacking tray, and a light-tight air-permeable lid. The upper surface of the base forms the collection tray which comprises: a set of sides, a bottom, a set of support ribs with notches, and is open on the top to form a liquid-tight container. Notches are sectioned out of the upper inner corner of each support rib. Each notch defines on the rib: a notch bottom surface, a notch side surface, a side vent distance, and a lower vent distance.

Abstract: Apparatus for treating a gaseous hydrocarbon fraction to obtain a gaseous fraction and a liquid fraction which apparatus comprises a shell-and-tube heat exchanger and a distillation column, wherein the shell-and-tube heat exchanger comprises an inlet and an outlet for cooling fluid which inlet and outlet are in fluid communication with the tube side of the heat exchanger, and an inlet for the gaseous hydrocarbon fraction at the upper end of the heat exchanger which inlet is in fluid communication with the shell side of the heat exchanger, and a conduit for guiding hydrocarbons from the heat exchanger to the distillation column which distillation column comprises an outlet for gas at its upper end and an outlet for liquid at its lower end, and process in which such apparatus is used.

Abstract: An accessory for a portable electronic device having a speaker uses an acoustic wave guide to passively amplify and direct the output of the device's speaker. The accessory has a housing with a docking cavity formed therein. The docking cavity has supportive sidewalls that are adapted to receive and support the portable electronic device in an upright position. A cable access channel is formed in the docking cavity that allows a connector and cable to be coupled to the portable electronic device when the portable electronic device is mounted in the docking cavity. An acoustic waveguide having a spiral shaped acoustic chamber is positioned in the housing such that an entrance to the acoustic waveguide corresponds to a hole in the docking cavity that is positioned to correspond to the location of the speaker of the device when the device is mounted in the docking chamber. The exit of the acoustic chamber corresponds to an exterior opening in a sidewall of the housing and the hole in the docking cavity.

Abstract: A water removal system for removing water from an elevator pit that includes a sump, a pump, a pump input tube, a pump output tube and a switching mechanism. The sump at least partially extends below a lower surface of the elevator pit. The plump mounted outside of the elevator pit. The pump input line is operably connected to the sump and the pump. The pump output line is operably connected to the pump. The switching mechanism is mounted outside of the sump and is operably connected to the pump and the sump.

Abstract: A method of controllably changing an intrinsic property of a quantum dot by using a biological entity, either attached or in close proximity to the quantum dot, and changing the state of biological entity with a controllable mechanism. The change in state of the biological entity controllably changes the intrinsic property of the quantum dot. The photoluminescence emission of quantum dots can be controlled by the present method. The methods disclosed include controlling the magnitude of QD photoluminescence as well as turning the photoluminescence on/off. The methods disclosed include using the same biological control architecture to control other intrinsic QD properties such as charge state, magnetic or other property.

Abstract: A method and device for testing a substantially cylindrical tool having an axis is performed by imparting a testing torque to the cylindrical tool. The tool is clamped in a vise. The tool has a driven end including a shank and a working end in opposed relation along the axis. The vise is configured to clamp the tool to prevent rotation of the tool about the axis. The shank is clamped in a chuck. The chuck has a adapter defining a void configured to engagingly receive a socket drive shaft. A torque wrench having a lever arm and a socket driver shaft is engaged by insertion of the socket drive shaft into the void. A torque is imparted to the cylindrical tool about its axis by suitably imparting a force on the lever arm. The quantum of torque imparted is measured based upon operation of the torque wrench.