Abstract: A highly conductive thermoplastic elastomer gap filler having superior durability and EMI shielding properties. According to the preferred embodiment, the TPE comprises graphite fiber having a nickel-copper-nickel coating formed thereabout that is suspended within an elastomer, which preferably comprises polyvinylchloride. The TPE of the present invention is particularly well-suited for reducing radio frequency electromagnetic radiation reflected by gaps formed between adjacent panels of a structure, and is particularly well-suited for the maintenance and repair of low observable aircraft. The TPE of the present invention may further be modified to include carbon black filler.

Abstract: Highly conductive elastomeric sheet. Preferably, the conductive elastomeric sheet comprises a conductive wire mesh loaded into an elastomeric matrix from which is also loaded with a conductive particulate. Preferably, the particulate comprises carbon particulate having a sub-micron size, and is present in an amount between ten percent (10%) to twenty percent (20%) by volume. The conductive elastomeric materials are exceptionally durable and retain a high degree of conductivity well-after ten thousand (10,000) fatigue performance cycles.

Abstract: A highly conductive thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) gap filler having superior durability and EMI shielding properties. According to the preferred embodiment, the TPE comprises graphite fiber having a nickel-copper-nickel coating formed thereabout that is suspended within an elastomer, which preferably comprises polyvinylchloride (PVC). The TPE of the present invention is particularly well-suited for reducing radio frequency electromagnetic radiation reflected by gaps formed between adjacent panels of a structure, and is particularly well-suited for the maintenance and repair of LO aircraft. The TPE of the present invention may further be modified to include carbon black filler.

Abstract: A telephony-support module capable of responding to heartbeat messages and identifying itself as operational over one bus or both buses of a redundant-pair control bus. The module also has a reprogrammable, nonvolatile memory associated with it from which the module can run its operating system. The module can also transfer the operating system into another memory, allowing it to make updates to the operating system stored in the nonvolatile memory without interrupting its execution of its run-time operating code.

Abstract: Described is a system and method for transcoding and rate-adapting between information channels having a first rate and signal-encoding scheme and information channels having a second rate and second signal-encoding scheme. Further described is a system and method for determining when a signal-processing module has failed or been removed or inserted into an operating telecommunications switching platform. Also described is a system and method for efficient power-up, to allow for more efficient system power-up, the signal-processing modules of the present invention preferably have their operating systems stored in a nonvolatile memory that can be reprogrammed without removing it from the system. A switching module is further capable of responding to heartbeat messages and identifying itself as operational over one bus or both buses of a redundant-pair control bus. The module also has a reprogrammable, nonvolatile memory associated with it from which the module can run its operating system.