Abstract: A vane assembly includes first and second annular metal rings configured to accept a compressed gas flow therebetween. The first and second annular rings each include a cutout portion. The assembly further includes a ceramic matrix composite vane configured as an airfoil having a blunt rounded nose and a flattened and tapered tail. A first radial end of the vane is rigidly disposed on the first annular ring and a second radial end of the vane is slidably disposed within the cutout portion of the second annular ring such that the vane is encompassed by the first and second annular rings. The vane includes a hollow through opening portion extending radially therethrough. Still further, the assembly includes a metallic elongated member disposed within and extending through the hollow portion of vane and through the cutout portion of the first annular ring.

Abstract: A method for designating a class of data content for determining how the content will be handled by a content delivery network (CDN) into one of: a transport designation by which content is transported from an entrance node to one or more edge nodes; a caching designation by which the content is stored at one or more edge nodes; and a hybrid designation by which content is stored at a node in the CDN for subsequent transport to one or more edge nodes in the CDN, the method comprising: determining a set of one or more transport designation options; determining a set of one or more caching designation options; determining a set of one or more hybrid designation options; determining a normalised measure resource requirement for each of the transport, caching and hybrid designation options; and selecting one designation option for the class of content from all of the transport, caching and hybrid designation options by an optimisation function for selecting the designation option based on the determined normalise

Abstract: This invention relates to methods and systems for controlling appliances, particularly climate control appliances such as air conditioning units used in buildings. Embodiments of the invention provide methods and systems which provide a framework of semi-autonomous sensors and actuators which can achieve climate control without the need for centralised or explicit coordination. In certain embodiments, the climate control system is capable of identifying suitable pairings of sensors and actuators and taking into account actions of other actuators. The embodiments have particular application in buildings where large numbers of individual sensors and actuators are deployed in an ad-hoc or unplanned manner over time, but can communicate with each other. The embodiments of the invention can provide improved efficiency, reduced infrastructure costs, improved flexibility and can be deployed across multiple sites.

Abstract: This invention relates to methods and systems for controlling appliances, particularly climate control appliances such as air conditioning units used in buildings. Embodiments of the invention provide methods and systems which provide a framework of semi-autonomous sensors and actuators which can achieve climate control without the need for centralised or explicit coordination. In certain embodiments, the climate control system is capable of identifying suitable pairings of sensors and actuators and taking into account actions of other actuators. The embodiments have particular application in buildings where large numbers of individual sensors and actuators are deployed in an ad-hoc or unplanned manner over time, to but can communicate with each other. The embodiments of the invention can provide improved efficiency, reduced infrastructure costs, improved flexibility and can be deployed across multiple sites.

Abstract: This invention relates to methods and systems for monitoring mobile service quality in a mobile network and also for determining parts of a mobile network which need expansion or upgrade. Embodiments of the invention monitor the market impact and/or service quality, and determine an expansion ranking. The market impact, service quality and/or expansion ranking may view the network from a plurality of perspectives, including a location perspective, an historical time perspective, a future time perspective and/or a network element type perspective. The results of the monitoring and determining can be acted on by predetermined rules and/or actions to derive a list of prioritized expansion tasks for the network.

Abstract: A method for designating a class of data content for determining how the content will be handled by a content delivery network (CDN) into one of: a transport designation by which content is transported from an entrance node to one or more edge nodes; a caching designation by which the content is stored at one or more edge nodes; and a hybrid designation by which content is stored at a node in the CDN for subsequent transport to one or more edge nodes in the CDN, the method comprising: determining a set of one or more transport designation options; determining a set of one or more caching designation options; determining a set of one or more hybrid designation options; determining a normalised measure resource requirement for each of the transport, caching and hybrid designation options; and selecting one designation option for the class of content from all of the transport, caching and hybrid designation options by an optimisation function for selecting the designation option based on the determined normalise

Abstract: This invention relates to methods and systems for monitoring mobile service quality in a mobile network and also for determining parts of a mobile network which need expansion or upgrade. Embodiments of the invention monitor the market impact and/or service quality, and determine an expansion ranking. The market impact, service quality and/or expansion ranking may view the network from a plurality of perspectives, including a location perspective, an historical time perspective, a future time perspective and/or a network element type perspective. The results of the monitoring and determining can be acted on by predetermined rules and/or actions to derive a list of prioritized expansion tasks for the network.

Abstract: In response to requests for their use of the resources by the applications, resources are first allocated to “inelastic” requests specified for performance at a specific time slot. A baseline allocation of resources is then determined which is the minimum amount of capacity that has to be used for efficient operation of the resources required to meet the requests. This baseline will include some additional capacity as the minimum efficient capacity is less than the maximum capacity. “Elastic” requests, specified for performance within a predetermined time range comprising two or more of the set of time slots, are then allocated so as to prioritize the use of this spare capacity, bringing actual usage up to at least the baseline allocation of resources. If further capacity is required to meet all the inelastic requests, further capacity is allocated and the baseline redefined to include it.

Abstract: In response to requests for their use of the resources by the applications, resources are first allocated to “inelastic” requests specified for performance at a specific time slot. A baseline allocation of resources is then determined which is the minimum amount of capacity that has to be used for efficient operation of the resources required to meet the requests. This baseline will include some additional capacity as the minimum efficient capacity is less than the maximum capacity. “Elastic” requests, specified for performance within a predetermined time range comprising two or more of the set of time slots, are then allocated so as to prioritise the use of this spare capacity, bringing actual usage up to at least the baseline allocation of resources. If further capacity is required to meet all the inelastic requests, further capacity is allocated and the baseline redefined to include it.

Abstract: This invention relates to methods and devices for entropy-based location fingerprinting, in particular for use over wireless local-area networks (WLANs). The invention has particular application in localization for indoor environments. In embodiments of the invention, an entropy-based fingerprint is determined at a number of predetermined locations within the desired area of localization during an off-line phase and subsequently used in an on-line mode to determine the location of a receiver. In particular embodiments, the fingerprint is a vector of entropy estimates of the channel transfer function (CTF) between a mobile terminal and all access points within coverage. The invention seeks to provide a fingerprinting localization solution that has a simplicity of structure, leading to advantages in storage and pattern recognition requirements, and robustness by proving a unique measure of information that is related to the channel experienced at the location of the mobile terminal.

Abstract: An impeller or axial stage compressor disk backface shroud for use with a gas turbine engine is disclosed. The backface shroud includes, but is not limited to, a substantially funnel shaped body having a surface. The substantially funnel shaped body is configured to be statically mounted to the gas turbine engine substantially coaxially with the impeller or axial stage compressor disk. The surface and a backface of the impeller or axial stage compressor disk form a cavity that guides an airflow portion to a turbine when the substantially funnel shaped body is mounted coaxially with the impeller or axial stage compressor disk and axially spaced apart therefrom. The airflow portion has a tangential velocity and a recessed groove in the surface of the backface shroud is oriented generally transversely to the tangential velocity to at least partially interfere with the airflow portion, thus affecting static pressure in the cavity.

Abstract: A turbine blade includes a first side wall including a first tip edge, a second side wall opposite the first side wall and including a second tip edge, a tip wall between the first and second side walls, the tip wall recessed from the first tip edge of the first side wall and the second tip edge of the second side wall forming a coolant cavity, a tip recess cavity, a first parapet wall on the first side wall, and a second parapet wall on the second side wall, the coolant cavity defined by the tip wall, and the tip recess cavity defined by the tip wall, and the first and second parapet walls, a step formed between the first tip edge and the tip wall, a cooling hole through the first parapet wall, the step, and the tip wall, the cooling hole including an open and a closed channel section.

Abstract: This invention relates to methods and devices for entropy-based location fingerprinting, in particular for use over wireless local-area networks (WLANs). The invention has particular application in localization for indoor environments. In embodiments of the invention, an entropy-based fingerprint is determined at a number of predetermined locations within the desired area of localization during an off-line phase and subsequently used in an on-line mode to determine the location of a receiver. In particular embodiments, the fingerprint is a vector of entropy estimates of the channel transfer function (CTF) between a mobile terminal and all access points within coverage. The invention seeks to provide a fingerprinting localization solution that has a simplicity of structure, leading to advantages in storage and pattern recognition requirements, and robustness by proving a unique measure of information that is related to the channel experienced at the location of the mobile terminal.

Abstract: Gas turbine engines and methods for cooling components thereof with mid-impeller bleed (MIB) cooling air having a pressure are provided. The gas turbine engine has a compressor comprising an impeller body and an impeller shroud at least partially surrounding the impeller body. The impeller shroud has a plurality of MIB openings disposed therein. At least one edge treatment is provided thereto. The edge treatment substantially preserves pressure of the cooling air during entrance into and discharge out of the MIB opening. The plurality of MIB openings may be extended MIB openings in a thickened impeller shroud. The centerline of the MIB openings may be oriented to be substantially aligned with an averaged local absolute flow velocity vector of the cooling air at the inlet section of the MIB opening in order to extract cooling air in a direction that has a vector component in a tangential, an axial, and a radial flow direction.

Abstract: A turbine blade assembly includes an airfoil, a platform, and a first cover plate. A center flow path extends through the platform in communication with an internal cooling circuit of the airfoil, which extends from a first side of the platform. A second side of the platform is located opposite the platform from the first side. An edge of the platform extends between the first and second sides and, a first passage is formed between the first and second sides and includes a first inlet and a first outlet. The first passage extends from the center flow path toward the platform edge, and a first groove is formed on the second side of the platform and extends from the first outlet of the first passage toward the edge of the platform. The first cover plate is disposed over the second side of the platform covering the first groove.

Abstract: A turbine blade includes a convex suction side wall, a concave pressure side wall, a tip wall, an internal cooling circuit, and a plurality of tip edge channels. The tip wall is recessed from a first tip edge of the suction side wall and a second tip edge of the concave pressure side wall to define a suction side wall tip section and a pressure side wall tip section, and the suction side wall tip section is shorter than the pressure side wall tip section. The internal cooling circuit is formed at least partially between the convex suction side wall, the concave pressure side wall, and the tip wall. The plurality of tip edge channels formed through the first tip edge of the convex suction side wall extend to the internal cooling circuit. Methods of manufacturing turbine blades are also provided.

Abstract: A turbine blade includes a first side wall including a first tip edge, a second side wall opposite the first side wall and including a second tip edge, a tip wall between the first and second side walls, the tip wall recessed from the first tip edge of the first side wall and the second tip edge of the second side wall forming a coolant cavity, a tip recess cavity, a first parapet wall on the first side wall, and a second parapet wall on the second side wall, the coolant cavity defined by the tip wall, and the tip recess cavity defined by the tip wall, and the first and second parapet walls, a step formed between the first tip edge and the tip wall, a cooling hole through the first parapet wall, the step, and the tip wall, the cooling hole including an open and a closed channel section.

Abstract: An impeller or axial stage compressor disk backface shroud for use with a gas turbine engine is disclosed. The backface shroud includes, but is not limited to, a substantially funnel shaped body having a surface. The substantially funnel shaped body is configured to be statically mounted to the gas turbine engine substantially coaxially with the impeller or axial stage compressor disk. The surface and a backface of the impeller or axial stage compressor disk form a cavity that guides an airflow portion to a turbine when the substantially funnel shaped body is mounted coaxially with the impeller or axial stage compressor disk and axially spaced apart therefrom. The airflow portion has a tangential velocity and a recessed groove in the surface of the backface shroud is oriented generally transversely to the tangential velocity to at least partially interfere with the airflow portion, thus affecting static pressure in the cavity.

Abstract: A turbine blade assembly includes an airfoil, a platform, and a first cover plate. A center flow path extends through the platform in communication with an internal cooling circuit of the airfoil, which extends from a first side of the platform. A second side of the platform is located opposite the platform from the first side. An edge of the platform extends between the first and second sides and, a first passage is formed between the first and second sides and includes a first inlet and a first outlet. The first passage extends from the center flow path toward the platform edge, and a first groove is formed on the second side of the platform and extends from the first outlet of the first passage toward the edge of the platform. The first cover plate is disposed over the second side of the platform covering the first groove.

Abstract: An air-cooled turbine blade is provided having an airfoil shape defined by a convex suction side wall, a concave pressure side wall, a leading edge, a trailing edge, a root and a tip, the walls and the tip each including an interior surface that defines an interior with the root, the trailing edge including a plurality of slots formed thereon. The blade includes a suction side flow circuit formed therein comprising a forward and an aft flow circuit. The blade also includes a tip flow circuit extending along the tip interior surface to at least one of the trailing edge slots and including a first and a second opening, the first opening in flow communication with the suction side forward flow circuit outlet, and the second opening in flow communication with a cross-over hole of the suction side aft flow circuit. Methods of manufacturing the blade are also provided.