Abstract: A method and apparatus for dynamically balancing a tire/wheel assembly of a motor vehicle is provided. The wheel of the tire/wheel assembly has raceways along the circumference of the wheel containing balancing media that provide dynamic rotational harmonic center of moment compensation for manufacturing imperfections. Balancing media may be solid bearings, fluid, or a combination thereof, and the balancing media moves along the raceways to certain areas of the wheel to compensate for the mass imbalances on the correspondingly opposing side of the wheel. The raceways have any combination of mathematically-described geometric cross-sectional area shapes, and the balancing media may be shaped accordingly. In another embodiment, the raceways may be noncontiguous and may have different orientations throughout the wheel. The present invention also provides sensors for real-time management of the balancing media to inform the driver of sudden changes in the state of the tire/wheel assembly.

Abstract: A device, such as a heated seat cushion device, is provided. Circuitry and other components are used to regulate, control and/or switch electrical power to an electrical element, such as a heating element, of the device. The device may regulate the energy delivered to the electrical element by a processor on an intelligent energy management platform. Accordingly, power may be routed to the electrical element of the heated device in a controlled manner. Control may include turning on and off the power, providing pulsed power, and modulating the power and/or pulsed power delivered to the electrical element.

Abstract: A battery charger with a fixed frequency charging signal at or near the resonant frequency of the battery to be charged is presented. The present invention utilizes a microprocessor to modulate a current source at or near the resonant frequency of the battery to be charged without the use of a PLL. To simplify conventional modulated battery chargers, the PLL or other methods of phase correction are removed, reducing most of the calculation requirements for adjusting the phase angle, thereby reducing the piece count and ultimately cost and complexity. The result is a solution wherein charging occurs at or near the resonant frequency of the battery, and although suboptimal, the results are superior to traditional charging methods.

Abstract: A battery charger with a self-contained power source which provides a current charging signal at or near the resonant frequency of the battery to be charged when no other power supply is readily available. A storage energy device, for example a battery, delivers a current charging signal modulated at or near the resonant frequency of a load, or stores energy from a source.

Abstract: A system and method adapted to rejuvenate batteries at or near the resonant frequency of the battery. The present invention takes a battery and applies a modulated current charging signal to increase battery performance. A resonant signal is adapted to re-train and adjust battery materials for proper operation. By repeated charge/discharge cycling, battery memory decreases and/or battery capacity increases, thereby improving the battery capacity.

Abstract: A signature connector adapter adapted to provide additional capabilities for a battery charger beyond not only charge batteries, but performing other user-friendly functions is presented. One embodiment utilizes a resistor disposed within a signature charger adapter to detect battery type and communicate the battery type to the battery charger. The signature connector adapter provides information such as, but not limited to, battery chemistry, battery voltage, charging capabilities, and thermal limits. The battery charger can then optimize charging performance. The signature connector adapter allows a plurality of household, construction, medical and military devices to be charged and/or powered via the battery charger.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for acquiring battery temperature measurements using stereographic thermal imaging sensors or a simple single thermal imaging sensor which can detect increases in battery heat within the field of view of any single thermal sensor, or any combination of a plurality of thermal imaging sensors is presented. Infrared Detection (ID) using the thermal imaging sensor (pyrometer) is used to focus on certain parts of a housing thereby providing an ability to “see through” or “partially see through” the battery housing to battery cells enclosed by the battery housing. Advantageously, this affords the unique capability of measuring the battery temperature before heat propagates from an individual battery cell or a plurality of battery cells to the battery housing, allowing faster heat gradient detection. Moreover, universality of battery temperature monitoring is achieved by elimination of proprietary communication between the manufacturer of the battery and the charger.

Abstract: A battery charger with a fixed frequency charging signal at or near the resonant frequency of the battery to be charged is presented. The present invention utilizes a microprocessor to modulate a current source at or near the resonant frequency of the battery to be charged without the use of a PLL. To simplify conventional modulated battery chargers, the PLL or other methods of phase correction are removed, reducing most of the calculation requirements for adjusting the phase angle, thereby reducing the piece count and ultimately cost and complexity. The result is a solution wherein charging occurs at or near the resonant frequency of the battery, and although suboptimal, the results are superior to traditional charging methods.

Abstract: Optical communication apparatuses and optical communication methods are provided. According to one aspect, an optical communication apparatus includes a communication path configured to communicate a first signal; a signal generator configured to provide a second signal; a combiner configured to combine the first signal with the second signal to provide a composite signal; and a light source coupled with the combiner and configured to receive the composite signal and to output an optical signal corresponding to the composite signal to an optical conduit, wherein the signal generator is configured to monitor the application of the optical signal to the optical conduit and to alter the second signal responsive to the monitoring.

Abstract: Optical communication apparatuses and optical communication methods are provided. According to one aspect, an optical communication apparatus includes a communication path configured to communicate a first signal; a signal generator configured to provide a second signal; a combiner configured to combine the first signal with the second signal to provide a composite signal; and a light source coupled with the combiner and configured to receive the composite signal and to output an optical signal corresponding to the composite signal to an optical conduit, wherein the signal generator is configured to monitor the application of the optical signal to the optical conduit and to alter the second signal responsive to the monitoring.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and system for providing a light source in an optical network. The method includes providing a multiple-wavelength light, and filtering the multiple-wavelength light into a plurality of separated wavelength bands for a plurality of channels. In the preferred embodiment, each of the separated wavelength bands is substantially centered about the wavelength of a respective one of a plurality of optical channels. The plurality of separated wavelength bands is stabilized and then provided to the optical network. The light source in accordance with the method and system of the present invention is designed to only output wavelengths that correspond to optical transmission channels while eliminating the rest. It suppresses possible mode hopping, thus maintaining the power stability of all channels.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and system for compensating for chromatic dispersion in an optical network. The method and system includes analyzing an optical signal at a first location in the optical network and determining if an eye of the optical signal has a desired shape at the first location. The method and system further includes automatically adjusting a dispersion of the optical signal at a second or at any location in the optical network if the optical signal does not have the desired shape; providing feedback concerning the shape of the adjusted optical signal at the first location; and automatically readjusting the dispersion of the optical signal at the second location based upon the feedback until the optical signal has the desired shape at the first location. The method and system of the present invention automatically compensates for dispersion in an optical system. This saves the network operator considerable time and raises the reliability.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and system for attenuating power in an optical signal. The method includes providing the optical signal to a reflective surface; tilting the reflective surface at a desired angle; and reflecting the optical signal into an optical fiber, wherein the reflected optical signal enters the optical fiber with a misalignment based upon the angle. The method and system utilizes a variable optical attenuator comprising a micro-machined movable support with a mirror coating. An optical signal is transferred onto the mirror coating, which is then reflected back. The movable support may be tilted at a desired angle such that the optical signal is reflected back into an output optical fiber with a controlled variable misalignment. The variable optical attenuator of the present invention is capable of precise and reproducible operation. It is capable of attenuating the optical signal in real time and in attenuating all of the channels in an optical signal simultaneously.

Abstract: A method and system for detecting optical faults by tapping a portion of a data signal from along a fiber network link at an optical switching site or node. The tapped data signal is evaluated to determine whether an optical fault exists along the fiber link. In this way, optical faults such as a fiber failure, cable cut, or nodal LTE failure occurring within a network path, are isolated to a specific fiber span or link. Network switch controllers can then take full advantage of optical switches provided between spans in an all-optical core network to restore end-to-end path communication. In one embodiment, a presence detector simply evaluates the magnitude of the tapped signal to determine an optical fault. In a second embodiment, a protocol analyzer evaluates selected bits or fields of the protocol used in the tapped data signal to determine an optical fault. Finally, in a third embodiment, a sub-carrier modulation signal is added to the high rate data signal prior to transport over the link.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and system for compensating for chromatic dispersion in an optical network. The method and system includes analyzing an optical signal at a first location in the optical network and determining if an eye of the optical signal has a desired shape at the first location. The method and system further includes automatically adjusting a dispersion of the optical signal at a second or at any location in the optical network if the optical signal does not have the desired shape; providing feedback concerning the shape of the adjusted optical signal at the first location; and automatically readjusting the dispersion of the optical signal at the second location based upon the feedback until the optical signal has the desired shape at the first location. The method and system of the present invention automatically compensates for dispersion in an optical system. This saves the network operator considerable time and raises the reliability.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and system for compensating for chromatic dispersion in an optical network. The method and system includes analyzing an optical signal at a first location in the optical network and determining if an eye of the optical signal has a desired shape at the first location. The method and system further includes automatically adjusting a dispersion of the optical signal at a second or at any location in the optical network if the optical signal does not have the desired shape; providing feedback concerning the shape of the adjusted optical signal at the first location; and automatically readjusting the dispersion of the optical signal at the second location based upon the feedback until the optical signal has the desired shape at the first location. The method and system of the present invention automatically compensates for dispersion in an optical system. This saves the network operator considerable time and raises the reliability.

Abstract: A method and system for restoration of a fiber communication network through optical tributary switching. Multi-port optical cross-switches switch traffic at the tributary side of lightwave terminal equipment in the event of a network failure. Optical tributary switching is implemented in a variety of all-optical core network architectures including separate disjoint path, link-based mesh, and path-based mesh configurations. Network resiliency is enhanced without introducing loss over a high-speed fiber line or trunk.