Abstract: The present invention can facilitate the coupling between electrical components and a circuit board after the circuit board is inserted into a housing of an electronic device. An electrical component can be integrated with a flexible circuit of another electrical component. The flexible circuit can be electrically and mechanically coupled to the circuit board after the circuit board is inserted into the housing. Alternatively, electrical contacts can be disposed on a body of the electrical component and a complementary set of electrical contacts can be disposed on the circuit board. When the circuit board is disposed within a receptacle of the electrical component, the electrical contacts on the electrical component are coupled directly to the electrical contacts on the circuit board.

Abstract: The present invention can relate to an electronic device having one or more support tabs that protect a circuit board disposed inside the device from externally applied compressive forces. In particular, when a force is applied to a housing of the device, the support tabs can buttress the housing of the device, either directly or through other intervening components disposed within the device, to reduce the likelihood that the housing or intervening components will contact and damage the circuit board. The present invention also can relate to methods for manufacturing such an electronic device.

Abstract: The present invention can relate to multiple-connector assemblies for use in, for example, electronic devices. Each of the connectors are constrained to another connector by aligning one or more complementary sets of reference features. A locating bracket may be used to couple multiple connectors together. Alternatively, the connectors may be coupled to each other directly. The electronic device also may include a retainer coupled to the connectors (either directly or indirectly through the locating bracket). The retainer and a surface of one of the connectors may form a single plane to which an end cap of the housing may be coupled, thereby accurately locating the end cap with respect to the connectors. The present invention also can relate to methods of manufacturing such an electronic device.

Abstract: A method of reducing stress in a turbine bucket having an internal cooling circuit formed by a casting core having laterally extending support pins of square or rectangular cross section includes: (a) redesigning the support pins to have a round cross section; or (b) removing the cross-over holes between adjacent cooling passages.

Abstract: A method and system for proving a solenoid drive circuit. An exemplary solenoid drive circuit comprises a solenoid drive circuit input coupled to a primary switch. The primary switch comprises a first set of contacts residing in a first stable position. A remote control switch is coupled to an output of the primary switch and the remote control switch comprises a solenoid drive circuit having a predetermined delay. The predetermined delay energizes a solenoid after the primary switch contact transitions from a first stable position to a second stable position.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a turbine blade includes (a) supporting a turbine blade internal core support at opposite ends such that radially inner and outer ends of the turbine blade remain open during casting; (b) casting the blade including the airfoil portion, wherein the radially outer edge of the airfoil portion is inclined relative to horizontal; (c) machining the radially outer edge of the airfoil portion to form a peripheral shoulder about a radially outer opening in the airfoil portion; and (d) seating a tip cap on the peripheral shoulder and fixing the tip cap to the airfoil portion of the blade.

Abstract: A method for the cryogenic separation of air having defined temperatures for condensed feed air passed into a double column system relative to liquid oxygen and preferably to shelf vapor, and wherein kettle liquid is not subcooled from the higher pressure column to the lower pressure column.

Abstract: The present channel acquisition system rapidly acquires and decodes digital media streams that are broadcast to customers, such as the digital media streams delivered by streaming media and traditional broadcast media services like cable, satellite, and broadcast television. When the decoding unit makes a channel change or initiates reception of a selected channel, the decoding unit receives the necessary Reference Frames and Dependent Frames on a separate channel such that it can start decoding faster than if it waited for those frames to arrive on the selected channel via the broadcast stream. There are several embodiments of the channel acquisition system which provide various forms of data on the separate channel to enable the rapid acquisition of the selected channel by the decoding unit.

Abstract: The present open standard conditional access system uses an open standard protocol for authenticating devices, selectively enabling services, and revoking service on cable and satellite content distribution networks. This system uses a two-way communication protocol between devices in the home and security system servers in the cable network. This allows for security information to be sent only to those devices that need the security information. A two-way communication protocol also allows the end device to request security information instead of waiting for it to be broadcast as in a one-way protocol. The present open standard conditional access system uses the security system already present in most DOCSIS cable modems to protect both IP data and MPEG content.

Abstract: A protective sheath for tools to prevent marring of finished surfaces when the tool is being used. The sheath is integrally formed as a one-piece elastomeric body that is applied to the exterior surface of the tool, with at least one end of the sheath projecting slightly beyond an end of the tool. In one embodiment the sheath projects at both ends beyond the ends of the tool. One of the projecting ends functions to contact the finished surface and prevent contact between the tool and finished surface, and the other projecting end functions to span the coupling between the tool and another tool. The elastomeric body is freely rotatable relative to the tool and fixed axially relative thereto, and provides a non-rotating surface that may be grasped by a user to support and guide the tool.

Abstract: A cryogenic rectification system employing a phase separator, which may include one or more trays, in conjunction with a double column air separation plant, wherein some shelf liquid is subcooled and phase separated to produce crude neon vapor, and the remaining liquid is used to reflux the lower pressure column of the double column plant.

Abstract: The present system for preventing the removal of advertising from digital television bitstreams detects the various advertising-specific factors, including: the time-wise predictability of advertisements, anomalies in the bitstream caused by the advertisement insertion process, and differences in the characteristics of advertisements versus the digital media content, then eliminates these characteristics from the digital media content bitstream. By eliminating the advertising-specific characteristics, there are no identifiable discontinuities in the digital media content bitstream that can be used to locate advertisements and therefore enable their removal from the digital media content bitstream.

Abstract: The hierarchical encryption key system uses multiple encryption processes for encrypting digital media content in a manner that supports both broadcast and delayed or time-shifted modes of content delivery. The hierarchical encryption key system uses a hierarchical series of encryption keys wherein each subsequent key in the hierarchy encrypts successively increasing time periods of the content that is transmitted from the Cable Modem Termination System to the consumer device. In addition, at one of the layers, the keys are aggregated into a collection or table of keys. The aggregation of keys facilitates the playback of recorded digital content (as opposed to broadcast or streaming digital content) by aggregating keys required for the duration of the content separately. The different layers are linked in a manner to make it difficult to use a brute force attack in an attempt to determine the keys.

Abstract: A coating composition comprising a binder of a. poly-isocyanate crosslinking agent; b. an isocyanate-reactive component having at least one compound having the following formula: wherein X is an aliphatic or cycloaliphatic group, R1 and R2 are the same or different organic groups that are inert to isocyanate groups, and n is 2 to 4, and c.

Abstract: The present wireless interface for removable digital content security devices adds a wireless interface to the Removable Digital Content Security Device so that content can be sent over a limited range transmission to other televisions or consumer electronics devices that may be located a short distance from the first television or consumer electronics device, or do not have compatible connectors with the first device.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an air filter for removing contaminants from air. Such a filter is useful in removing particulate matter, as well as volatile organic compounds (VOC's). In particular, the air filter of the present invention includes a reticulated foam substrate having a gel applied thereto. The substrate may be used alone or in combination with an electrostatic filter, which helps to trap smaller particles (i.e., less than 3 microns in diameter). The substrate itself may trap larger particles (i.e., greater than 3 microns in diameter).