Abstract: One or more first switches coupled to one of a primary transformer winding and a secondary transformer winding are controlled based on a first switch control reference clock signal. A reflected voltage across the other of the primary and secondary windings is sensed, and a second switch control reference clock signal is synchronized to the first switch control reference clock signal based on the reflected voltage. One or more second switches coupled to the other of the primary and secondary windings are controlled based on the second switch control reference clock signal. A digital isolator could instead be used to transfer a switch control reference signal across an isolation boundary. Switch control signals for controlling a set of switches on one side of the isolation boundary may be derived from a switch control reference signal that is synchronized with the transferred switch control reference clock signal.

Abstract: Near-to-eye displays within head mounted devices offer both users with and without visual impairments enhanced visual experiences either by improving or augmenting their visual perception. Unless the user directly views the display without intermediate optical elements then the designer must consider chromatic as well as other aberrations. Within the prior art the optical train is either complex through additional corrective elements adding to weight, cost, and size or through image processing. However, real time applications with mobile users require low latency to avoid physical side effects. Accordingly, it would be beneficial to provide near-to-eye displays mitigating these distortions and chromatic aberrations through pre-distortion based electronic processing techniques in conjunction with design optimization of the optical train with low weight, low volume, low complexity, and low cost.

Abstract: An electrical power source includes a power converter and either an electrical generator or an electrical energy storage device. Power flow is controlled through control of the power converter based on a voltage source and resistance model of the electrical power source. A power converter for an electrical generator is controlled to synthesize a constant voltage of the voltage source and a variable value of the resistance. The resistance value is controlled to deliver a maximum available output power to the electrical microgrid over a range of microgrid voltages up to a voltage below a maximum allowable voltage of the electrical microgrid. For an electrical energy storage device, the power converter is controlled to synthesize a resistance value of the resistance that is dependent upon a phase angle between the voltage at the microgrid side of the electrical power source and current of the electrical energy storage device.

Abstract: Power converter communications, including power converter communication methods and power converters that can communicate information, are disclosed. A control variable of a power converter is modulated, to modulate an output of the power converter for communicating information. Modulation of voltage or current on a circuit path to which the power converter is coupled could be detected, by another power converter, for example. Such modulation could be detected by sensors that are also used in controlling the power converter. Either or both of transmission and reception could therefore be provided without requiring any additional hardware at a power converter.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to non-planar inductive electrical elements in semiconductor package lead frames. A non-planar inductive element is formed from a lead frame in a semiconductor package. The semiconductor package also includes at least one semiconductor die coupled to the lead frame. The non-planar inductive element could be formed by deforming portions of a patterned planar lead frame blank to form the non-planar inductive element in a deformed lead frame blank. The deformed lead frame blank and the at least one semiconductor die could then be packaged into a semiconductor package. A setting tool could be used to deform the lead frame blank. A configurable lead frame blank could be configurable into any of a variety of inductive elements, through interconnection of lead frame segments using wire bonds, for example.

Abstract: One or more first switches coupled to one of a primary transformer winding and a secondary transformer winding are controlled based on a first switch control reference clock signal. A reflected voltage across the other of the primary and secondary windings is sensed, and a second switch control reference clock signal is synchronized to the first switch control reference clock signal based on the reflected voltage. One or more second switches coupled to the other of the primary and secondary windings are controlled based on the second switch control reference clock signal. A digital isolator could instead be used to transfer a switch control reference signal across an isolation boundary. Switch control signals for controlling a set of switches on one side of the isolation boundary may be derived from a switch control reference signal that is synchronized with the transferred switch control reference clock signal.

Abstract: A chassis comprises a backplane comprising a switch fabric compatible with peripheral component interconnect express (PCI-E) and configured to support communication between a plurality of module slots, a module slot compatible with PCI-E and disposed on the backplane, a cavity disposed adjacent to the module slot and having a width greater than or equal to a width of the module slot and a height greater than or equal to a height of the module slot, and a device connection interface located in the cavity and configured to support connection of at least one PCI-E compatible module to the switch fabric via the module slot.

Abstract: A dry refractory mix and a method for apply the dry refractory mix to a surface. One aspect of the invention utilizes gunning mixes without cement. The dry refractory mix also may include a setting agent that is homogeneously blended with the refractory mix. In operation, when used with pneumatic systems, dry refractory material is fed into a hopper of a gunnite machine, introduced into an air flow, and conveyed by air through one or more hoses to a nozzle. A liquid binder is introduced into the air flow for mixing with the suspended dry refractory material at or before the nozzle. A fitting, such as a water ring with holes, may be used for injecting the binder into the air flow containing the dry refractory material. The mixed refractory/binder material is discharged through the nozzle for application to a surface.

Abstract: A flexible mandrel 100 has a plurality of flexible elements 130 extending between two spaced flanges 110, 120. A means for adjusting the radial position of each of the flexible elements 130 along the length of the mandrel 100 between the flanges 130 enables the plurality of flexible elements 130 to be configured in a variety of symmetrical and asymmetrical forms. Conventional composite fiber or tape laying techniques may then be used to form one-piece, revolute, composite components. The flexible mandrel 100 can then be collapsed and withdrawn from the interior volume 202 of the formed component.

Abstract: Visualization of relatively complex data sets and the simultaneous synchronization of such data sets across both a network and to different areas having different capabilities is disclosed, especially in connection with session structure, synchronization, synchronized control of imagery, and restoring synchronization to a predefined tour.

Abstract: The invention provides a pipe coupling configured for coupling pipes over a range of diameters including a gripping and sealing assembly comprising a ring of circumferentially linked carrier members (1) the circumferentially discontinuous members are interlinked by means of a tongue and groove connection between a groove (2) on a first member and a tongue (3) on an adjacent member, the opening of the groove which receives the tongue facing in a plane not in alignment with a tangent of the circumferential plane of the carrier and each tongue is attached to its member by a resiliency deformable arm whereby to provide stability of the circumferential links in the absence of any additional support.

Abstract: A dry refractory mix and a method for apply the dry refractory mix to a surface. One aspect of the invention utilizes gunning mixes without cement. The dry refractory mix also may include a setting agent that is homogeneously blended with the refractory mix. In operation, when used with pneumatic systems, dry refractory material is fed into a hopper of a gunnite machine, introduced into an air flow, and conveyed by air through one or more hoses to a nozzle. A liquid binder is introduced into the air flow for mixing with the suspended dry refractory material at or before the nozzle. A fitting, such as a water ring with holes, may be used for injecting the binder into the air flow containing the dry refractory material. The mixed refractory/binder material is discharged through the nozzle for application to a surface.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for distributed measurement of chromatic dispersion in an optical network is disclosed. The network comprises optical switching nodes interconnected by optical links. An optical link may comprise multiple spans, each span ending in a transport module which comprises signal-processing components. At least one optical switching node has a probing signal generator transmitting an optical probing signal along a selected path in the network. Probing-signal detectors placed at selected transport modules determine chromatic-dispersion values and send results to a processing unit which determines appropriate placement of compensators or appropriate adjustments of compensators placed along the path. A preferred probing signal has the form of wavelength modulated optical carrier which is further intensity modulated by a periodic, preferably sinusoidal, probing tone.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for distributed measurement of chromatic dispersion in an optical network is disclosed. The network comprises optical switching nodes interconnected by optical links. An optical link may comprise multiple spans, each span ending in a transport module which comprises signal-processing components. At least one optical switching node has a probing signal generator transmitting an optical probing signal along a selected path in the network. Probing-signal detectors placed at selected transport modules determine chromatic-dispersion values and send results to a processing unit which determines appropriate placement of compensators or appropriate adjustments of compensators placed along the path. A preferred probing signal has the form of wavelength modulated optical carrier which is further intensity modulated by a periodic, preferably sinusoidal, probing tone.

Abstract: Identification of optical channels in wavelength division multiplex (WDM) optical networks may be confounded by unwanted noise tones interfering with pilot/dither tones used for identifying optical channels. The invention describes a method of selecting pilot/dither tones that are selectively restricted to avoid allocating dither/pilot tone frequencies that appear as noise tones along the path of an optical channel in the optical network.

Abstract: This invention provides a method for commissioning and upgrading an optical ring network using its internal amplifiers as Automatic Spontaneous Emission sources of light that are used in making measurements. A modular segmented approach is adopted and the network is commissioned segment by segment. A flexible method is used for upgrading a commissioned network by adding or deleting a node or changing the internal configuration of a node. The method uses techniques for the correction of the Optical Signal to Noise Ratio induced error as well as the Spectral Filtering Error during the loss computation required for adjusting the gains of the amplifiers at each network node to an appropriate value. Since the method does not require an external laser source that needs to be moved manually from node to node it greatly reduces the commissioning time. Since it uses only the components of the network itself and does not deploy any additional device it also leads to a significant saving in cost.

Abstract: A filtering apparatus (50) for removing noxious gases from an environment including: a source of compressed gas (60) connected to a regulating valve (62) to regulate a supply of compressed gas; at least one airflow device (5) including a compressed gas inlet (10) for receiving gas from the supply of compressed gas at greater than ambient atmospheric pressure, the gas inlet (10) being operably connected to the regulating valve (62); and a permeable noxious gas filter (55) arranged in gaseous communication with the airflow device (5); wherein the supply of compressed gas to the airflow device (5) causes the airflow device (5) to draw ambient air (64) from the environment through a primary intake (42), thereby generating a flow of air through the noxious gas filter (55) and causing the substantial removal of noxious gases from the flow of air.

Abstract: A system for disposing of medical waste is generally configured to sort waste items into a plurality of containers according to applicable rules and regulations governing the handling and/or disposal of such items. In some embodiments, a system comprises sorting stations each of which houses a number of disposable containers. Each station can identify an item of waste, determine the most appropriate container for the item, and facilitate disposal of the item in the appropriate container. In some embodiments, a detection system for determining a presence and/or a quantity of waste items within a container is also provided. In some embodiments, access to discarded waste items is restricted once the waste items have been placed in a container.

Abstract: Ethernet packets are transmitted in full duplex mode over a single coaxial cable, such as RG6 and RG59. Symmetrical full duplex operation is achieved by separating the upstream and downstream signals in the frequency domain whereby a 100BaseT signal is transmitted unmodified in one direction while the other is modulated upon a high frequency carrier to be transmitted in the other direction. In a second embodiment, the separation is in the time domain whereby the signals are sampled in blocks, each block compressed in time and transmitted at a higher rate, thus allowing for the interleaving of upstream and downstream blocks on the same coaxial cable. In a third embodiment, different rate upstream and downstream signals are separated in the frequency domain, but without modulation. The resulting asymmetrical 1000/100 Mb/s Ethernet over coax link is valuable in network architectures where asymmetry in the up and down traffic loads is expected.

Abstract: A system for disposing of medical waste is generally configured to sort waste items into a plurality of containers according to applicable rules and regulations governing the handling and/or disposal of such items. In one embodiment, at least one of the medical waste items is a regulated drug that is regulated by, for example, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). The regulated drug is inaccessible once disposed in the container. In some embodiments, a system comprises sorting stations each of which houses a number of disposable containers. Each station can identify an item of waste, determine the most appropriate container for the item, and facilitate disposal of the item in the appropriate container. In some embodiments, a detection system for determining a presence and/or a quantity of waste items within a container is also provided. In some embodiments, access to discarded waste items is restricted once the waste items have been placed in a container.