Abstract: A method of locating a fault on an electricity transmission line is disclosed. The transmission line has a known line impedance and is operable to transport electricity at one or more system frequencies. The method comprises using measurements of the current and voltage made on the line at one or more frequencies which are different to the system frequency and the known line impedance (Z) to determine a distance to the fault. The method may include monitoring the voltage and the current on the transmission line at the one or more non-system frequencies, and determining from the presence of signals at a non-system frequency on the transmission line that a fault has occurred.

Abstract: A method of locating a fault on an electricity transmission line is disclosed. The transmission line has a known line impedance and is operable to transport electricity at one or more system frequencies. The method comprises using measurements of the current and voltage made on the line at one or more frequencies which are different to the system frequency and the known line impedance (Z) to determine a distance to the fault. The method may include monitoring the voltage and the current on the transmission line at the one or more non-system frequencies, and determining from the presence of signals at a non-system frequency on the transmission line that a fault has occurred.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses of for detecting lint are disclosed. In one embodiment, a light is directed to a plate. The light can be being emitted by a light source. A reflectometer is calibrated to a specific thermal emissivity of the plate. The thermal emission resulting from the light directed to the plate is received at the reflectometer. Lint is permitted to deposit on the plate. A change in thermal emission is detected if lint deposits on the plate. The change in thermal emission can be detected by the reflectometer. An indication that lint is present within the clothes dryer is provided if a change in thermal emission is detected by the reflectometer.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses of for detecting lint are disclosed. In one embodiment, a light is directed to a plate. The light can be being emitted by a light source. A reflectometer is calibrated to a specific thermal emissivity of the plate. The thermal emission resulting from the light directed the plate is received at the reflectometer. Lint is permitted to deposit on the plate. A change in thermal emission is detected if lint deposits on the plate. The change in thermal emission can be detected by the reflectometer. An indication that lint is present within the clothes dryer is provided if a change in thermal emission is detected by the reflectometer.

Abstract: A device and method for detecting lint in a clothes dryer are disclosed. A lint detector is positioned within the clothes dryer. A light source is also positioned within the clothes dryer. The lint detector has a surface that receives light emitted by the light source. Further, the lint detector has a photocell that receives light reflected from the surface if lint covers the surface. A determination is made as to whether a threshold amount of light has been received. An indication such as the activation of a warning light can be provided if the threshold amount of light is received. Another response is shutting the clothes dryer down.

Abstract: A method for thermal driven placement begins by first computing thermal response functions for individual components for several locations on a placement surface as a preprocessing step to placement. The thermal response functions can then be used to compute junction temperatures of components quickly and accurately during placement of the components in a layout. For a given component location, the component's junction temperature is computed by summing the contributions of neighboring components with the component's own contribution. The difference between predefined junction temperatures for the components and the calculated junction temperatures can then be used to assess the merits of the placement.

Abstract: A computer-assisted method for routing breakouts includes finding a matching for a group of pins and vias, and then routing paths between matching pin-via pairs. The matching is computed efficiently and quickly by creating convex hull data structures to represent the pins and vias, and then computing a common tangent from these convex hull structures. The endpoints of the common tangent comprise matching pin-via pairs. A matching pair is routed to find a path between a pin and via pair that achieves predefined design constraints. The method can be extended to routing wire bond connections as well.

Abstract: An improved multi-step process for the production of 2-.beta.-D-ribofuranosylthiazole-4-carboxamide.