Abstract: A method to identify phase is presented. The method includes obtaining electrical parameters at a node and a substation of an electrical grid, processing the electrical parameters of the node and the substation into processed electrical parameters comprising at least one of a voltage harmonic amplitude, a current harmonic amplitude, a geometric harmonic modulated signal, and a noise pattern. The method further includes comparing the processed electrical parameters from the node and the substation and identifying phase information of the node with respect to the substation.

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 of identifying energy consumption associated with at least one appliance is provided. The method includes measuring an energy consumption signal, obtaining publicly available information of a location of the at least one appliance and estimating a plurality of probabilities of energized appliances based on the energy consumption signal and the publicly available information. The method further includes generating a new combination of the estimated plurality of probabilities of energized appliances and decomposing the at least one energy consumption signal into constituent individual loads and corresponding energy consumption.

Abstract: A system (10) for monitoring an operating condition of an electrostatic precipitator rapper system (12) includes a rapper (24) configured to mechanically actuate to disengage pollutants from a plate of the electrostatic precipitator (12). The system also includes a sensor (38, 40) configured to obtain and transmit signals representative of vibration, motion, or current behavior of the rapper; and a processor (52) configured to receive the signals from the sensor and to detect whether the rapper is mechanically actuated.

Abstract: The present techniques provide systems and methods for modulation coding of data on optical disks, such as holographic data disks, and techniques for reading that data back from the disks. The techniques involve parsing a bit stream into a sequence of individual bit-patterns, and then using the individual bit patterns to select a symbol, or matrix, from a lookup table of previously selected matrices. The symbols are selected according to predetermined criteria that may help make the disk more resistant to interferences and errors, such as surface scratches, and the like. For example, criteria that may be used to select the symbols are the number of reflective and non-reflective regions within each matrix, and the number of sequential reflective regions, among others. The symbols may be written to the disk in a two-dimensional fashion, e.g., across adjacent tracks, or in a three-dimensional fashion, e.g., across adjacent data layers.

Abstract: A system and method for communication along a track implementing a channel equalizer is disclosed. The signaling system includes a track having a pair of rails spaced apart in a parallel orientation and a first signaling point electrically connected to the track. A second signaling point is electrically connected to the track and separated from the first signaling point such that the first and second signaling points are capable of communicating track data therebetween. The second signaling point includes therein a channel equalizer configured to filter the track data received from the first signaling point.

Abstract: A method and apparatus that provides quality of service in wireless or sensor networks is disclosed. The method may include determining a class of service for transmission of one or more messages, adjusting a maximum packet length based on the determined class of service, allocating message time slots based on the determined class of service, setting a guard band size and frequency of resynchronization, and transmitting one or more messages using the adjusted maximum packet length, the allocated message time slots, and the set guard band size and frequency of resynchronization.

Abstract: A system and method involve determining the location of objects within an area of interest using wireless signals. The system includes at least three base stations communicating with a central processor and a plurality of mobile devices. Further, at least one fixed beacon transmitter of known location may be provided. The mobile devices transmit a wireless signal to the base stations, which then determine a location of the mobile devices based on time difference of arrival information between the mobile devices measured at all the base stations.

Abstract: A non-intrusive physiological data measurement system and method, as well as an optically induced treatment system, are described. The measurement system includes a monitoring mechanism that includes light emitter modules capable of emitting light at at least two wavelengths. The light emitted from the light emitter modules is transmitted through a subject and to a light receiving mechanism, such as an optical sensor. Physiological data is taken from the received light. The system also can ascertain movement of the subject by obtaining an initial outline of the subject and comparing that outline with a subsequently obtained outline. A therapeutic optic system includes a non-adhering light emitting mechanism for providing light at therapeutic wavelengths.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes methods and systems for connecting passive signaling devices (“PSDs”) to a railroad track and using the PSDs to optimize the amplitude, modulation, coding, and frequency of waveforms that applied to the track (by signaling points) for at least three track circuit functions: detecting trains, detecting broken rails, and communicating between signaling points and PSDs.

Abstract: Systems and/or methods for relaying messages between nodes in a network (e.g. a wireless network) are provided. In accordance with certain exemplary embodiments, substantially simultaneous communications between nodes may be accomplished. At least one secondary message may be piggybacked onto a primary message. Messages in the network may be queued and sent from a transmitter to at least one receiver based at least in part on the signal-to-noise ratio(s) of the receiver nodes with respect to the transmitter. The queuing of the messages may be performed in dependence on a link set that indicates which messages are capable of piggyback communications. Thus, it may be possible to realize a network that reduces collision problems, reduces delays in communications, and/or increases throughput.

Abstract: A non-intrusive physiological data measurement system and method, as well as an optically induced treatment system, are described. The measurement system includes a monitoring mechanism that includes light emitter modules capable of emitting light at at least two wavelengths. The light emitted from the light emitter modules is transmitted through a subject and to a light receiving mechanism, such as an optical sensor. Physiological data is taken from the received light. The system also can ascertain movement of the subject by obtaining an initial outline of the subject and comparing that outline with a subsequently obtained outline. A therapeutic optic system includes a non-adhering light emitting mechanism for providing light at therapeutic wavelengths.

Abstract: A system (10) for monitoring an operating condition of an electrostatic precipitator rapper system (12) includes a rapper (24) configured to mechanically actuate to disengage pollutants from a plate of the electrostatic precipitator (12). The system also includes a sensor (38, 40) configured to obtain and transmit signals representative of vibration, motion, or current behavior of the rapper; and a processor (52) configured to receive the signals from the sensor and to detect whether the rapper is mechanically actuated.

Abstract: A system and method involve tracking the location of objects within an area of interest using transmitted-reference ultra-wideband (TR-UWB) signals. The system includes at least three base stations communicating with a central processor, at least one mobile device and at least one fixed beacon transmitter of known location. The mobile device is equipped with a transmitter for transmitting a TR-UWB signal to a base station, which then determines a location of the mobile device based on time difference of arrival information between the beacon transmitters and mobile devices measured at all the base stations. Preferably, the area of interest includes a plurality of mobile devices each transmitting a delay-hopped TR-UWB signal according to a code-division multiple access scheme. The mobile devices may be attached to a patient and/or a medical asset within the hospital for tracking purposes.

Abstract: Circuits are provided for transmitted reference spread spectrum systems using a noise-like digital sequence with delayed replica. The circuits produce the digital spreading sequences at extremely high speed, and are capable of providing a great degree of signal spreading. A first embodiment is composed of a low speed section and a high-speed section. This embodiment allows for greater power efficiency without sacrificing sequence speed. In addition, the embodiment also allows shaping of the spectrum of the high-speed digital sequence. Further, this embodiment generates an m-sequence and its near delay by storing decimated pieces of the entire m-sequence over a plurality of end-around circulating shift registers or so-called ring counters. The ring counters can be run at low speed and there is no exclusive-oring operation. A time-delayed transmitted reference spread spectrum transmitter is provided using digital noise generators that are capable of very high speed operation.

Abstract: An electrical power generation system comprises a variable capacitor and a power source. The electrical power generation system is configured to generate electric power via movements of the rail. The power source is used in the form of a generator to prime the variable capacitor that effectively multiplies the priming energy of the power source by extracting energy from the passing vehicle. By alternately priming the variable capacitor using charge from the power source and discharging it at a later time in a cyclic manner to change the capacitance, a significantly large amount of electrical energy is produced due to change in capacitance than from the power source itself.

Abstract: An ultra-wideband (UWB) communications system combines the techniques of a transmitted reference (TR) and a multiple access scheme called delay hopping (DH). Combining these two techniques using UWB signaling using a continuous noise transmitted waveform avoids the synchronization difficulties associated with conventional approaches. This TR technique is combined with the DH multiple access technique to create a UWB communications scheme that has a greater multiple access capacity than does the UWB TR technique by itself.

Abstract: Surveillance systems and methods having both a radio frequency component and a video image are provided. The radio frequency component can determine the orientation and position of an RFID tag within a surveillance area. The orientation of the RFID tag is can be determined with respect to two or more orthogonal planes using inductance and a predetermined number of mutually orthogonal antenna loops.

Abstract: An ultra-wideband (UWB) communications system combines the techniques of a transmitted reference (TR) and a multiple access scheme called delay hopping (DH). Combining these two techniques using UWB signaling results in a penalty in signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) over conventional pulse position modulation (PPM) techniques but avoids the synchronization difficulties associated with conventional approaches. The signaling pulse waveforms are designed to insure that their power spectral densities, after any frequency translation to the center of an operating band, are essentially spectrally disjoint with frequencies that must be protected. This TR technique is combined with the DH multiple access technique to create a UWB communications scheme that has a greater multiple access capacity than does the UWB TR technique by itself.

Abstract: A telemeter for telemetry of diagnostic messages from a mobile asset to a remote station comprises a processor coupled to the output of one or more condition sensors. The processor converts the output of the condition sensors to a diagnostic message, and provides the diagnostic message at a processor output. A transmitter is coupled to the processor output. The transmitter is adapted to transmit the diagnostic messages in the Industrial, Scientific, Medical (ISM) frequency band. An exemplary embodiment of a telemetry system of the invention comprises a telemeter adapted to transmit diagnostic messages in the ISM frequency band, and a remote station including a receiver for receiving the diagnostic messages in the ISM band.