Abstract: An avalanche photodiode detector is provided with a substrate including an array of avalanche photodiodes. An optical interface surface of the substrate is arranged for accepting external input radiation. There is provided at least one cross-talk blocking layer of material including apertures positioned to allow external input radiation to reach photodiodes and including material regions positioned for attenuating radiation in the substrate that is produced by photodiodes in the array. Alternatively at least one cross-talk blocking layer of material is disposed on the optical interface surface of the substrate to allow external input radiation to reach photodiodes and attenuate radiation in the substrate that is produced by photodiodes in the array. At least one cross-talk filter layer of material can be disposed in the substrate adjacent to the photodiode structures, including a material that absorbs radiation in the substrate that is produced by photodiodes in the array.

Abstract: An actuator in a HVAC system includes a motor and a drive device driven by the motor. The drive device is coupled to a movable HVAC component for driving the movable HVAC component between multiple positions. The actuator further includes a main actuator controller. The main actuator controller includes end stop location memory that stores one or more end stop locations indicating expected locations of the one or more end stops. The main actuator controller further includes an end stop location recalibrator that runs an automatic recalibration process to determine and set recalibrated end stop locations. The end stop location recalibrator runs the automatic calibration process in response to detecting that the drive device has unexpectedly stalled at a location other than a stored end stop location.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a steering metallic ball joint mechanism which eliminates undesirable ball socket separation resulting in complete loss of vehicle control. Further, the present invention aims to improve the ball socket separation force in the steering ball joint mechanism subsequently improving vehicle safety. In one aspect, the steering ball joint mechanism is provided with an integral retainer seat on a ball stud to improve ball socket separation force, said ball stud and integral retainer seat forms a single entity. In another aspect, the steering ball joint mechanism is provided with retainer seat positioned in between ball pin and top of bearing cup. The simple construction and application of the retainer seat on a ball joint mechanism aides to retain defined steering linkage configuration even when undesirable excess wear has occurred which can be identified by the user before ball socket separation occurs.

Abstract: An actuator in a HVAC system includes a housing, a mechanical transducer, and an input connection configured to receive a voltage signal having a power supply line voltage. The actuator includes a voltage divider circuit having a capacitor disposed in series between the input connection and the mechanical transducer. The capacitor has a capacitance value based on an electrical impedance of the mechanical transducer. The voltage divider circuit is configured to receive the line voltage from the input connection, to use the capacitor to reduce the line voltage to a reduced voltage, and to provide the reduced voltage to the mechanical transducer.

Abstract: An actuator in a HVAC system includes a mechanical transducer, an input data connection, a feedback data connection, and a processing circuit. The processing circuit is configured to use a master-slave detection signal communicated via the feedback data connection to select an operating mode for the actuator from a set of multiple potential operating modes including a master operating mode and a slave operating mode. The processing circuit is configured to operate the mechanical transducer in response to a control signal received via the input data connection according to the selected operating mode.

Abstract: A actuator in a HVAC system includes a motor and a drive device driven by the motor. The drive device is coupled to a movable HVAC component for driving the movable HVAC component between multiple positions. The actuator further includes a main actuator controller that determines when the drive device is approaching an end stop and a pulse width modulation (PWM) speed controller that generates a PWM speed output for controlling a speed of the motor. The PWM speed controller sets the PWM speed output to zero in response to a determination that the drive device is approaching the end stop. The PWM speed controller then increases the PWM speed output until the end stop is reached, thereby causing the speed of the motor to increase as the drive device approaches the end stop.

Abstract: An actuator in an HVAC system includes a housing, a motor, a hub configured to receive a shaft, and a processing circuit. The processing circuit is configured to operate the actuator in at least a first speed mode and a second speed mode that is faster than the first speed mode. The processing circuit is further configured to perform a calibration process for the actuator. The calibration process includes temporarily shifting the actuator from the first speed mode to the second speed mode and driving the shaft through a predetermined sequence of positions with the actuator in the second speed mode.

Abstract: In a self-organizing wireless multihop network, each node device selects operation among short-range (SR) and long-range (LR) communication modes, among which the SR mode uses a higher data rate than the LR mode. Each node device advertises connectivity link availability for neighboring node devices, and selectively initiates a link in response to connectivity availability advertised by at least one neighboring node device. The availability advertising is performed in the SR and the LR communication modes, according to a periodicity that is dynamically-variable in response to prevailing circumstances in the local neighborhood. The link initiation is selectively performed in one of either the SR or the LR communication mode based on selection criteria that include data throughput performance associated with different neighboring node devices with which connectivity is available via a certain communication mode.

Abstract: An actuator for moving a component of an HVAC system includes a housing, a motor, and a hub configured to receive a shaft. The actuator also includes a processing circuit configured to temporarily shift the actuator from a first speed mode to a second speed mode that is different than the first speed mode upon receiving an input signal.

Abstract: A device for securing and displaying a saw blade, the device including a body portion having a first through hole adapted to receive a hanger, a cavity for housing a security device, and a locating profile. The device also includes a cover including a second through hole. The body portion and the cover are one structure coupled by a hinge such that the post extends from one of said body portion or said cover, and an aperture in the other of said body portion and said cover. The post is also adapted to extend through the saw blade into the aperture to secure the saw blade to the device. The through holes are aligned when the post extends through the aperture and the aligned through holes are adapted to house a security hanger.

Abstract: A sensor data collection system includes a plurality of sensors operatively coupled to a corresponding set of endpoints, the endpoints configured to communicate sensor data to a central data collection point via a data communication protocol. A proxy service-enabled endpoint facilitates interoperability with the data collection system for the benefit of endpoints that are otherwise incompatible with the data communication protocol. The endpoint includes a remote endpoint interface module configured to receive communications from at least one of the incompatible endpoints containing incompatible endpoint sensor data. A remote endpoint virtualization module operatively coupled to the remote endpoint interface module and associated with the at least one of the incompatible endpoints.

Abstract: Endpoint device, central data collection point, and associated methods for collecting data over a communication network between endpoints and the central collection point. Actual measurements from a sensor are obtained by the endpoint device at a relatively fine time granularity. The endpoint device generates reports for receipt by a central data collection point. The reports include regular reports containing a portion of the actual measurements representing sensor measurements at a relatively coarse time granularity, and exception reports, containing information representing one or more of the actual measurements that differ in frequency or granularity of regular report measurements. Each of the exception reports is generated in response to a determination that at least one of the actual measurements differs from a predicted value for that at least one of the one or more actual measurements by an amount that exceeds a pre-established limit.

Abstract: A system described herein can include a first node within an advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) network. The first node can be configured to be installed within a portion of a meter device. The system can also include an adapter configured to function as a second node within the AMI network. The adapter can be configured to translate a signal defined based on a platform of a premise network into a signal defined based on a platform of the AMI network. The adapter can be configured to be a meter-independent device.

Abstract: A device for securing and displaying a saw blade, the device including a body portion having a first through hole adapted to receive a hanger, a cavity for housing a security device, and a locating profile. The device also includes a cover including a second through hole. The body portion and the cover are one structure coupled by a hinge such that the post extends from one of said body portion or said cover, and an aperture in the other of said body portion and said cover. The post is also adapted to extend through the saw blade into the aperture to secure the saw blade to the device. The through holes are aligned when the post extends through the aperture and the aligned through holes are adapted to house a security hanger.

Abstract: An actuator for moving a component of an HVAC system includes a housing, a motor, and a hub configured to receive a shaft. The actuator also includes a processing circuit configured to temporarily shift the actuator from a first speed mode to a second speed mode that is different than the first speed mode upon receiving an input signal.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the disclosure relates to a method for locating a mobile terminal in a communication network. The method includes: receiving a request data frame for locating the mobile terminal; uniquely encoding at least a portion of the request data frame (at an LCS client); determining the location of the mobile terminal (by a PDE); communicating the location information of the mobile terminal in a response data frame having an encrypted portion; and decrypting the location information of the mobile terminal (at the LCS client).

Abstract: An avalanche photodiode detector is provided with a substrate including an array of avalanche photodiodes. An optical interface surface of the substrate is arranged for accepting external input radiation. There is provided at least one cross-talk blocking layer of material including apertures positioned to allow external input radiation to reach photodiodes and including material regions positioned for attenuating radiation in the substrate that is produced by photodiodes in the array. Alternatively at least one cross-talk blocking layer of material is disposed on the optical interface surface of the substrate to allow external input radiation to reach photodiodes and attenuate radiation in the substrate that is produced by photodiodes in the array. At least one cross-talk filter layer of material can be disposed in the substrate adjacent to the photodiode structures, including a material that absorbs radiation in the substrate that is produced by photodiodes in the array.

Abstract: A system described herein can include a first node within an advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) network. The first node can be configured to be installed within a portion of a meter device. The system can also include an adapter configured to function as a second node within the AMI network. The adapter can be configured to translate a signal defined based on a platform of a premise network into a signal defined based on a platform of the AMI network. The adapter can be configured to be a meter-independent device.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the disclosure relates to a method for locating a mobile terminal in a communication network. The method includes: receiving a request data frame for locating the mobile terminal; uniquely encoding at least a portion of the request data frame (at an LCS client); determining the location of the mobile terminal (by a PDE); communicating the location information of the mobile terminal in a response data frame having an encrypted portion; and decrypting the location information of the mobile terminal (at the LCS client).