Abstract: The heat pump system and method for operating a heat pump system includes a first Shape-Memory Alloy (SMA) or Negative Thermal Expansion (NTE) core that is adapted to convert movement of the core into energy in response to a temperature change. A second Shape-Memory Alloy (SMA) or Negative Thermal Expansion (NTE) core is in fluid communication with the first core and adapted to convert movement of the second core into energy. A third Shape-Memory Alloy (SMA) or Negative Thermal Expansion (NTE) or elastocaloric core is in fluid communication with the first and second cores and adapted to convert movement of the third core into energy. The first core, second core and the third core are arranged in series and a control system provides waste pressure from the first core to the second core and/or third core.

Abstract: The invention provides heat pump system a Shape-Memory Alloy (SMA) or Negative Thermal Expansion (NTE) or elastocaloric material core positioned in a housing and adapted to absorb thermal heat and store energy in response to a first fluid inputted at a first temperature. The housing is configured to receive the fluid at the first temperature via an inlet to cause the SMA or NTE or elastocaloric material core to change state. A device is configured to apply stress on the SMA or NTE or elastocaloric core in the housing to cause the SMA or NTE or elastocaloric core to change state. A support system is configured to engage with the material in the core to prevent the material buckling when the stress is applied wherein the support system comprises a series of buckling supports positioned along at least one length of the SMA or NTE or elastocaloric material core. The support system provides a mechanical buckling support and heat transfer optimisation for fluid flow in a SMA heat pump during compression.

Abstract: Energy recovery device and method for recovering energy comprising an engine comprising a plurality of elongated Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) elements or Negative Thermal Expansion (NTE) elements configured as a core and connected to a drive mechanism; an immersion chamber adapted for housing the engine and adapted to be sequentially filled with fluid to allow a heating cycle and a cooling cycle of the SMA elements or NTE elements to expand and contract the SMA elements or NTE elements; and a compression device configured to apply a compressive mechanical force to at least one of the SMA elements or at least one of the NTE elements. The applied compressive mechanical force compresses the at least one SMA element or the at least one NTE element further during the cooling cycle.

Abstract: The invention provides a heat pump system and method heat pump system comprising a first Shape-Memory Alloy (SMA) or Negative Thermal Expansion (NTE) elastocaloric material core positioned in a housing and adapted to change state in response a temperature change supplied by a fluid. A second Shape-Memory Alloy (SMA) or Negative Thermal Expansion (NTE) elastocaloric material core positioned in a housing and adapted to change state in response a temperature change supplied by the fluid. A pump mechanism connected in a fluid communication with the first core and second core and adapted to control delivery of the fluid to the first and second core.

Abstract: The invention provides a heat pump system and method comprising a first Shape-Memory Alloy (SMA) or Negative Thermal Expansion (NTE) elastocaloric core positioned in a housing and adapted to absorb heat and store energy in response to a first fluid inputted at a first temperature. The housing is configured to receive the first fluid at a first temperature via an inlet to cause the first SMA or NTE elastocaloric core to change state. A device is configured to apply stress on the first SMA or NTE core in the housing to cause the SMA or NTE elastocaloric core to change state, releasing heat/energy and causing the SMA/NTE to heat up. A second fluid at a higher temperature is inputted and then subsequently heated further as a result of heat transfer. A second Shape-Memory Alloy (SMA) or Negative Thermal Expansion (NTE) or elastocaloric core is positioned in a cascade arrangement with the first core, but exhibiting a higher activation temperature.

Abstract: Radiation monitoring devices and associated methods are described. According to one aspect, a radiation monitoring device includes a housing configured to pass radiation emitted from a radiological source located in proximity to the radiation monitoring device, a radiation detector configured to receive the radiation emitted from the radiological source and to generate information regarding the radiation, and communications circuitry configured to communicate the information regarding the radiation in a plurality of communications at a plurality of different moments in time externally of the radiation monitoring device.

Abstract: The invention provides energy recovery or heat pump system comprising a plurality of Shape-Memory Alloy (SMAs) or Negative Thermal Expansion (NTE) elements arranged to define a core and housed in an immersion chamber. A first fluid can be introduced into the chamber provides a first temperature change to activate the core from a first state to a second state and a second fluid is introduced at a second temperature to activate the core from the second state to the first state. A controlled gas is inserted into the chamber between the first fluid and the second fluid. The advantage of the invention is that increased efficiency and power production from the SMA/NTE engine is achieved, or increased CoP within the SMA/NTE heat pump. By eliminating energy destruction via the mixing of fluids, the power production cycle can either operate faster, which means the same quantity of SMA/NTE material can produce more power, or a lower number of NTE strands can be used to create the same power that allow mixing to occur.

Abstract: The invention provides an energy recovery system comprising a plurality of Shape-Memory Alloy (SMAs) or Negative Thermal Expansion (NTE) elements arranged to define a core and housed in an immersion chamber. A first fluid is introduced into the chamber and provides a first temperature change to activate the core from a first state to a second state and a second fluid is introduced at a second temperature to activate the core from the second state to the first state. A gas is inserted into the chamber between the first fluid and the second fluid. The advantage of the invention is that increased efficiency and power production from the SMA/NTE engine is achieved.

Abstract: An energy-recovery device comprises an engine, an immersion chamber, a drive, and a power module. The engine comprises a core comprising a core element that comprises working material, the core element comprising a fixed first end and a second end that is connected to the drive. The immersion chamber houses the engine and is configured to be sequentially filled with fluid to expand and contract the core element. The power module applies a controlled stress to the core element during at least one of a heating phase and a cooling phase of a power cycle carried out by the engine.

Abstract: Aspects of a storage device including a master chip controller and a slave chip processor and memory including a plurality of memory locations are provided which allow for simplified processing of descriptors associated with host commands in the slave chip based on an adaptive context metadata message from the master chip. When the controller receives a host command, the controller in the master chip provides to the processor in the slave chip a descriptor associated with a host command, an instruction to store the descriptor in the one of the memory locations, and the adaptive context metadata message mapping a type of the descriptor to the one of the memory locations. The processor may then process the descriptor stored in the one of the memory locations based on the message, for example, by refraining from identifying certain information indicated in the descriptor. Reduced latency in command execution may thereby result.

Abstract: Aspects of a storage device including a memory and a controller are provided which allow for detection of dropped commands based on a die status (ready/busy status) of a command received from a host device. The memory may include dies controlled by chip-enables (CE). After selecting a die using CE, the controller waits between a minimum and maximum time after receiving the command to query the die status, where the minimum time is the time by which the command is expected to begin execution and the maximum time is the shortest time by which the command is expected to complete execution. The controller queries the die status after waiting the time period. If the die status is ready when it should have read busy, the controller detects that the command associated with the data is dropped and requests the host device to reissue the command.

Abstract: Aspects of a storage device including a memory and an encryption core are provided. The storage device may be configured for providing secure data storage, as well as one or more post-processing operations to be performed with the data. The encryption core, which may be configured to decrypt data, may control execution of one or more post-processing operations using the data. A read command received from a host device may include a tag associated with data identified by the read command. When encrypted data is retrieved from memory according to the read command, the encryption core may decrypt the encrypted data and provide the decrypted data for post-processing based on the tag. A corresponding post-processing operation may return a result when executed using the decrypted data. Rather than raw data identified by the read command, the result may be delivered to the host device in response to the read command.

Abstract: A method includes receiving, from a computing device of a customer, a request that specifies allocation of an insurance premium to a plurality of locations of the customer. The method includes generating, in response to the request and by an invoice distribution server, one or more rules to implement the request. The method also includes receiving, by the invoice distribution system, an amount of the insurance premium. The method also includes executing the one or more rules to allocate the insurance premium to the plurality of locations of the customer in accordance with the request. The method further includes generating a plurality of invoices indicative of the allocation of the insurance premium.

Abstract: The invention provides a heat pump system and method comprising a Shape-Memory Alloy (SMA) or Negative Thermal Expansion (NTE) core (2a, 2b) positioned in a housing and adapted to absorb heat and store energy in response to a first fluid inputted at a first temperature. The housing is configured to receive a second fluid via an inlet wherein a device changes pressure in the housing to cause the SMA or NTE core to change state to release the heat absorbed into the second fluid. An outlet is adapted to output the second fluid at a higher temperature than the first temperature.

Abstract: Aspects of a storage device including a memory and a controller are provided that allow for storage of tags identifying data types and sequence numbers with data to facilitate data recovery and system integrity checks following a power failure or other system failure event. The controller is configured during a write operation to include a tag in the data identifying the data type as a host write, a recycle write, or another internal write. Following a system failure event, the controller is configured to read the tags to identify the data type in the write. Based on the tags, the controller is configured to properly rebuild or update a logical-to-physical (L2P) table of the storage device to assign correct logical addresses to the most recent data during data recovery, as well as to verify correct logical addresses during system integrity checks.

Abstract: Aspects of a storage device including a master chip controller and a slave chip processor and memory including a plurality of memory locations are provided which allow for simplified processing of descriptors associated with host commands in the slave chip based on an adaptive context metadata message from the master chip. When the controller receives a host command, the controller in the master chip provides to the processor in the slave chip a descriptor associated with a host command, an instruction to store the descriptor in the one of the memory locations, and the adaptive context metadata message mapping a type of the descriptor to the one of the memory locations. The processor may then process the descriptor stored in the one of the memory locations based on the message, for example, by refraining from identifying certain information indicated in the descriptor. Reduced latency in command execution may thereby result.

Abstract: The invention provides a heat pump system and method heat pump system comprising a first Shape-Memory Alloy (SMA) or Negative Thermal Expansion (NTE) elastocaloric material core positioned in a housing and adapted to change state in response a temperature change supplied by a fluid. A second Shape-Memory Alloy (SMA) or Negative Thermal Expansion (NTE) elastocaloric material core positioned in a housing and adapted to change state in response a temperature change supplied by the fluid. A pump mechanism connected in a fluid communication with the first core and second core and adapted to control delivery of the fluid to the first and second core.

Abstract: The invention provides a heat pump system and method heat pump system comprising a first Shape-Memory Alloy (SMA) or Negative Thermal Expansion (NTE) core and adapted to convert movement of the core into energy in response to a temper-reature change. A second Shape-Memory Alloy (SMA) or Negative Thermal Expansion (NTE) core in fluid communication with the first core and adapted to convert movement of the second core into energy. A third Shape-Memory Alloy (SMA) or Negative Thermal Expansion (NTE) or elastocaloric core in fluid communication with the first and second cores and adapted to convert movement of the third core into energy. The first core, second core and the third core are arranged in series and a control system provides waste pressure from the first core to the second core and/or third core.

Abstract: Aspects of a storage device including a master chip controller and a slave chip processor and memory including a plurality of memory locations are provided which allow for simplified processing of descriptors associated with host commands in the slave chip based on an adaptive context metadata message from the master chip. When the controller receives a host command, the controller in the master chip provides to the processor in the slave chip a descriptor associated with a host command, an instruction to store the descriptor in the one of the memory locations, and the adaptive context metadata message mapping a type of the descriptor to the one of the memory locations. The processor may then process the descriptor stored in the one of the memory locations based on the message, for example, by refraining from identifying certain information indicated in the descriptor. Reduced latency in command execution may thereby result.

Abstract: The invention provides a heat pump system and method comprising a first Shape-Memory Alloy (SMA) or Negative Thermal Expansion (NTE) elastocaloric core positioned in a housing and adapted to absorb heat and store energy in response to a first fluid inputted at a first temperature. The housing is configured to receive the first fluid at a first temperature via an inlet to cause the first SMA or NTE elastocaloric core to change state. A device is configured to apply stress on the first SMA or NTE core in the housing to cause the SMA or NTE elastocaloric core to change state, releasing heat/energy and causing the SMA/NTE to heat up. A second fluid at a higher temperature is inputted and then subsequently heated further as a result of heat transfer. A second Shape-Memory Alloy (SMA) or Negative Thermal Expansion (NTE) or elastocaloric core is positioned in a cascade arrangement with the first core, but exhibiting a higher activation temperature.