Abstract: An automotive vehicle body includes a floor structure, a roof structure and a door opening panel welded to the floor and roof structure. The door opening panel is formed from a tailor welded metal blank furnishing a first thickness of metal for a lower portion of the door opening panel and a second thickness of material for an upper portion of the door opening panel. The lower and upper portions of the door opening panel are joined at an approximately horizontal weld line which is concealed by a passenger door, and in one embodiment, a pickup box.

Abstract: Provided are a system and method for many-to-many layer 2 aggregation for SONET paths in a communications environment. In one example, the method includes receiving the data unit from either a layer 2 mapped data port or a SONET path, and classifying the data unit based on information within the data unit to identify which one of multiple logical flows is associated with the data unit. Each of the logical flows connects a data port with a SONET path and vice versa, and the data ports and SONET paths do not have a one-to-one correspondence. The data unit is directed to an outgoing SONET path associated with the logical flow if the data unit was received from the data port and to an outgoing data port associated with the logical flow if the data unit was received from a SONET path.

Abstract: Provided are a system and method for transferring management channel information (inband or using path overhead) over a synchronous optical network (SONET). In one example using inband management information, the method includes encapsulating management information in an internet protocol (IP) packet and encapsulating the IP packet in an Ethernet frame. The Ethernet frame is tagged with a management tag to differentiate the frame from the data traffic sent via the network.

Abstract: Telecommunication equipment includes a TDM interface operable to receive STS-n data, and a packet interface operable to receive packet/cell data and filling a STS-MC payload with the packet/cell data. An n×n cross-connect is coupled to the TDM interface and operable to switch and assign the STS-n data to any one of n STS-1 time slots. A multiplexer is coupled to the cross-connect and the packet interface and operable to combine the switched STS-n data and the STS-MC packet/cell data into an STS-N payload for transport, where N is the sum of n and M.

Abstract: A vehicle roof structure including a front header, a pillar support member, a side roof rail, and a roof rail outer front member. The front header has a substantially box-shaped cross-section. The pillar support member has an elongated member extending between a windshield opening and a door opening, a short first member at one end of the elongated member extending along the windshield opening, and a short second member at the end extending along the door opening. The first member includes a first edge adjoining an end of the front header. The side roof rail has a substantially box-shaped cross-section and adjoins a second edge of the pillar support second member. The roof rail outer front member is affixed to the pillar support member. The roof rail outer front member adjoins the end of the front header in a region of the first edge, adjoins the side roof rail in a region of the second edge, and extends along at least a portion of the elongated member of the pillar support member.

Abstract: An internet Tibetan prayer wheel and method of operation are disclosed. The device contains a Tibetan prayer wheel, an electric motor, a motor controller and a power supply. The motor controller is connected to a personal computer. The personal computer is connected to the internet through standard means. A remote computer on the internet sends a wheel turning signal to a server. The signal is later received by the personal computer to which the Tibetan prayer wheel is attached, causing the Tibetan prayer wheel to turn. The device enables creation of an internet web site where visitors may turn remotely-sited prayer wheels.

Abstract: In a plurality of working interface circuits (12-19), each circuit has at least one transmitter (86) and at least one receiver (88). A spare interface circuit (35) has at least one transmitter (158) and at least one receiver (154). A switch circuit (21) is coupled to the working interface circuits (12-19) and the spare interface circuit (35) and includes a plurality of switches (110-117; 109; 122, 138, 130, 150) which are operable to create a selected one of at least two data paths. A first of these data paths may be selectively formed from a selected one of the working interface circuits (12-19) to the spare interface circuit (35) to monitor the operation of the selected one of the working interface circuits (12-19) without affecting any communications signal transmitted by that working interface circuit. Another data path may be selectively established from a malfunctioning one of the working interface circuits (12-19) to the spare interface circuit (35).

Abstract: High speed telecommunications interface circuitry (10) receives a plurality of incoming telecommunication channels (11), and includes a plurality of working receivers (88) each having an input (83-85) connected to a respective one of the incoming channels (11) . A switching circuit (21) has a plurality of working circuit ports (112-116) each connected to an input (83-85) of a respective one of the working receivers (88). The switching circuit has a spare circuit port (33), and is operable to create a data path between the selected one of the working circuit ports (112-116) and the spare circuit port (33). A spare receiver (88) has an input (128) connected to the spare circuit port (33) of the switching circuit (21). Preferably, a switch card (21) of the switching circuit also includes a plurality of series-connected switches (254-268) which are operable to create a single switching path from a selected one of a plurality of working circuit output ports on the switch card (21) to a spare circuit port (36).

Abstract: A hot water system for connection to a water supply and a local hot water usage system, comprising a plurality of series-connected reserve tanks and demand tanks for receiving water from the water supply, heating the received water to a desired temperature within the reserve and demand tanks, and supplying the heated water to the local hot water usage system as it is demanded. A controlling device is provided for sequencing the operation of the reserve and demand tanks relative to peak power consumption hours and off-peak hours. Specifically, each of the tanks is provided with one or more thermostats which are selectively enabled or disabled by the controlling device at predetermined times. The one or more thermostats are, in turn, connected to one or more heating coils or maintenance coils. The reserve tanks and demand tanks may be operated under control of the controlling device in any of three modes, as follows: maintenance mode, enable mode, and disable mode.