Abstract: A stacked backplane assembly, including two or more backplanes or midplanes having different functionality and combined together so as to form an integral unit, is provided. The backplanes forming the assembly are manufactured with prime and secondary manufacturing holes to enable alignment, so that the resulting tolerance build-up of the assembly is similar to that of a single backplane. Connectors can be arranged on the backplanes of the assembly so that an electronic or optical card can be simultaneously plugged in to one or more of the backplanes that comprise the stacked backplane assembly. The stacked backplane assembly of the embodiments of the invention is illustrated by having power and signal backplanes and midplanes, but can be equally applied to backplanes that provide other types of functionality.

Abstract: A lithium/fluorinated carbon electrochemical cell having the CFx material supported on a titanium current collector screen sputter coated with a noble metal is described. The gold, iridium, palladium, platinum, rhodium and ruthenium-coated titanium current collector provides the cell with higher rate capability, even after exposure to high temperatures, in comparison to cells of a similar chemistry having the CFx contacted to a titanium current collector painted with a carbon coating.

Abstract: An interconnection module for holding and interconnecting optoelectronic cards is provided. It includes an optical midplane which accommodates and flexibly interconnects N optoelectronic cards on one side of the midplane and M cards on the other side of the midplane. Optical connectors, which are arranged on the midplane and on the cards, provide arrangement of cards on the midplane in one of the two positions, in the first position the cards on opposite sides of the midplane being parallel to each other, and in the second position the cards being perpendicular to each other. Preferably, each of the N cards on one side is connected to a subset of cards on the other side, the number of cards in the subset being variable for each of the N cards and less or equal to M in total. Additionally, a backplane section of the module, having a plurality of connectors joined via laminated strands, may be added as an extension of the midplane to interconnect any required number of cards on same side of the midplane.

Abstract: A stacked backplane assembly, including two or more backplanes or midplanes having different functionality and combined together so as to form an integral unit, is provided. The backplanes forming the assembly are manufactured with prime and secondary manufacturing holes to enable alignment, so that the resulting tolerance build-up of the assembly is similar to that of a single backplane. Connectors can be arranged on the backplanes of the assembly so that an electronic or optical card can be simultaneously plugged in to one or more of the backplanes that comprise the stacked backplane assembly. The stacked backplane assembly of the embodiments of the invention is illustrated by having power and signal backplanes and midplanes, but can be equally applied to backplanes that provide other types of functionality.

Abstract: An interconnection module for holding and interconnecting optoelectronic cards is provided. It includes an optical midplane which accommodates and flexibly interconnects N optoelectronic cards on one side of the midplane and M cards on the other side of the midplane. Optical connectors, which are arranged on the midplane and on the cards, provide arrangement of cards on the midplane in one of the two positions, in the first position the cards on opposite sides of the midplane being parallel to each other, and in the second position the cards being perpendicular to each other. Preferably, each of the N cards on one side is connected to a subset of cards on the other side, the number of cards in the subset being variable for each of the N cards and less or equal to M in total. Additionally, a backplane section of the module, having a plurality of connectors joined via laminated strands, may be added as an extension of the midplane to interconnect any required number of cards on same side of the midplane.

Abstract: A computer system includes a computation process. The computation process includes a client process to produce a computation request with the computation request being invoked by a command line executable. The system also includes a server process to process the computation request. The server process includes a remote computation manager process to manage computations and a dispatcher process responsive to the computation request, to invoke the remote computation manager process.

Abstract: A computer system includes a computation process. The computation process includes a client process to produce a computation request with the computation request being invoked by a command line executable. The system also includes a server process to process the computation request. The server process includes a remote computation manager process to manage computations and a dispatcher process responsive to the computation request, to invoke the remote computation manager process.

Abstract: A dielectrically-loaded antenna for operation at frequencies in excess of 200 MHz includes an antenna element structure disposed on a high dielectric constant core, which element structure comprises a pair of laterally opposed groups, of helical antenna elements. Each group comprises first and second mutually adjacent elements, of different thicknesses providing looped conductive paths on the antenna, formed by the first elements of each group and the second elements of each group respectively, which resonate at differing respective resonant frequencies to yield a relatively wide operating bandwidth. The helical elements of each group define, between them, part of an elongate channel which has an overall electrical length in the region of n&lgr;/2 within the operating frequency band to provide isolation between the looped conductive paths. The major part of each such channel is located between the elements so as to minimise intrusion with other parts of the antenna.

Abstract: An inexpensive mechanical indicator for measuring low pressure in an inflating bag includes a pair of sides connected to each other at one edge and pivotally connected at spaced parallel locations on the bag. A spring biases the sides towards each other in opposition to tension in the inflating bag. The distance between the sides is indicative of the pressure in the bag. The device is accurate at pressures below 0.05 psi.

Abstract: A flexible integrated circuit package for mounting on a substrate is disclosed. The package consists of a tape film having layers of dielectric and conductive material, a semiconductor die and an array of conductive leads. A molded body covers the die, and absorbs the majority of the pressure applied when compressing the package between a heatsink and a printed circuit board (PCB). Rigid removable support material surrounds the molded body to keep the package flat while it is being mounted to the PCB. The support material is removed after soldering of the package to the PCB. The invention permits the package to be tightly compressed between a heatsink and a substrate without causing degradation of the conductive connections. Reliability of the connections is further increased since the tape film is flexible enough to accommodate bending of the substrate to which the package is connected.