Abstract: Mobile wireless device(s) roam within and between premises and a vehicle or other mobile platform and interface to wireless local area networks within the premises or vehicle. When using the intra-vehicular network, a communication relay within the vehicle routes communications from the wireless device to a wide area wireless network such as cellular network or satellite network. This allows the power consumption of the mobile wireless device to be greatly reduced as the mobile device need only communicate with the local intra-vehicular WLAN. The vehicle acts as the power supply for the relay. When the coverage area of the intra-vehicular WLAN overlaps that of another WLAN, seamless handoff allows continuous data or voice connectivity between the overlapping wireless networks.

Abstract: Mobile wireless device(s) roam within and between premises and a vehicle or other mobile platform and interface to wireless local area networks within the premises or vehicle. When using the intra-vehicular network, a communication relay within the vehicle routes communications from the wireless device to a wide area wireless network such as cellular network or satellite network. This allows the power consumption of the mobile wireless device to be greatly reduced as the mobile device need only communicate with the local intra-vehicular WLAN. The vehicle acts as the power supply for the relay. When the coverage area of the intra-vehicular WLAN overlaps that of another WLAN, seamless handoff allows continuous data or voice connectivity between the overlapping wireless networks.

Abstract: A variable displacement sliding vane pump comprising a pump body, inlet and outlet ports formed in said pump body, a drive shaft rotatably mounted in said pump body, a rotor driven by said drive shaft and co-axially aligned therewith, a plurality of radially extending vanes slidably disposed in said rotor, a pivot disposed in said pump body, a slide pivotally disposed on said pivot in said pump body and having a central axis eccentric to the axis of said rotor, a plurality of fluid chambers defined by said rotor, said vanes, and said slide that are successively connected to said inlet and outlet ports, a spring acting on said slide to urge said slide in one direction, a first chamber and a second chamber, each suitable for receiving a fluid pressure and each disposed between said pump body and an outer surface of said slide, the first chamber in fluid communication with a pump outlet discharge pressure, and a valve operable to selectively pressurize and depressurize the second chamber.

Abstract: A gapped ground safety device is provided to protect workers on de-energized underground distribution cable from ground faults or accidental energization. The device comprises a combination precision gap and an MOV surge arrester.

Abstract: A dual plunger valve having nested inner and outer plungers seated within a bore in the valve housing. The valve housing has an inlet port and an outlet port fluidly connected by the bore and sealed from one another by the plungers which are biased towards respective sealing surfaces by a pair of nested biasing elements located between the inlet port and the outlet port. The outer plunger is slidable within the bore and has a lip extending inwardly therefrom. The inner plunger is slidable within the outer plunger between a sealed position and a second position wherein it is in contact with the lip. Pressure in the inlet port which is high enough to overcome the force of the biasing elements causes the inner plunger to slide within the outer plunger to its second position wherein the outer plunger will then begin to slide within the bore to remove the seal between the inlet port and the outlet port.

Abstract: A decoder (10) decodes compressed data. A memory (44) stores the compressed data and stores operating data and operating code for a plurality of decompression algorithms requiring different amounts of memory for the operating data and operating code and requiring different amounts of memory to store compressed data corresponding to a predetermined amount of uncompressed data. A processor (42) is arranged to select one of the decompression algorithms, to allocate an amount of the memory for storing compressed data and operating data and operating code depending on the decompression algorithm selected and to decode the compressed data stored in the allocated amount of memory.

Abstract: An apparatus for an a method of closing a fixed gap in an activity surface such as a turfed race-track is described. The apparatus comprises a movable turf tray having an upper surface with the same characteristics as the activity surface and means for guiding the tray into the gap so as to wedge the tray releasably in the gap and thereby to provide a substantially continuous activity surface. The apparatus can be used to provide a reconfigurable racetrack crossing with the permanent road gap in the racetrack being closeable by means of the movable turf tray. Overlapping edges of the turf tray provide a weight wedging action which provides reliable pressure joins. This also has application for creating reconfigurable turfed activity surfaces such as are used in sports stadia and the like.

Abstract: Certain embodiments of the invention provide a method and system for allocating memory during encoding of an uncompressed information stream. A method for allocating memory during encoding of a uncompressed information stream may include allocating at least a portion of a device memory for storing at least one of an operating data corresponding to the uncompressed information stream and an operating code corresponding to at least one of a plurality of compression algorithms. At least one of the operating data and the operating code may be stored in at least a portion of the allocated device memory. The method may provide selecting at least one of the compression algorithms and encoding at least a portion of the operating data using the selected compression algorithm, resulting in the creation of a compressed information stream.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for tracking a thermally floating wavelength signal channel grid generated at an optical transmitter (Tx) in an optical transmission system or optical network where the wavelengths of the individual Tx signal channels may move in wavelength due to, for example, changes in ambient temperature at the optical transmitter but the channel spacing between Tx signal channels along the thermally floating Tx wavelength grid remains constant.

Abstract: A decoder (10) decodes compressed data. A memory (44) stores the compressed data and stores operating data and operating code for a plurality of decompression algorithms requiring different amounts of memory for the operating data and operating code and requiring different amounts of memory to store compressed data corresponding to a predetermined amount of uncompressed data. A processor (42) is arranged to select one of the decompression algorithms, to allocate an amount of the memory for storing compressed data and operating data and operating code depending on the decompression algorithm selected and to decode the compressed data stored in the allocated amount of memory.

Abstract: A decoder (10) decodes compressed data. A memory (44) stores the compressed data and stores operating data and operating code for a plurality of decompression algorithms requiring different amounts of memory for the operating data and operating code and requiring different amounts of memory to store compressed data corresponding to a predetermined amount of uncompressed data. A processor (42) is arranged to select one of the decompression algorithms, to allocate an amount of the memory for storing compressed data and operating data and operating code depending on the decompression algorithm selected and to decode the compressed data stored in the allocated amount of memory.

Abstract: Mobile wireless device(s) roam within and between premises and a vehicle or other mobile platform and interface to wireless local area networks within the premises or vehicle. When using the intra-vehicular network, a communication relay within the vehicle routes communications from the wireless device to a wide area wireless network such as cellular network or satellite network. This allows the power consumption of the mobile wireless device to be greatly reduced as the mobile device need only communicate with the local intra-vehicular WLAN. The vehicle acts as the power supply for the relay. When the coverage area of the intra-vehicular WLAN overlaps that of another WLAN, seamless handoff allows continuous data or voice connectivity between the overlapping wireless networks.

Abstract: A gapped ground safety device is provided to protect workers on de-energized underground distribution cable from ground faults or accidental energization. The device comprises a combination precision gap and an MOV surge arrester.

Abstract: Aspects of the invention provide a method and system for allocating memory during the encoding of an uncompressed datastream. An embodiment of the invention provides dynamic resizing of a packet buffer utilized for packet encoding based on a selected voice or data compression algorithm. Accordingly, an amount of memory allocated for a compression algorithm operating data, operating code and/or compressed data may be dynamically changed depending on a currently utilized encoding or compression algorithm. For example, dynamic memory allocation may be utilized during an existing telephone call depending on factors such as existing bandwidth requirements of a network over which the compressed voice or data may be delivered. A congested network will likely switch to a lower bit rate encoder such as a G.729, at the expense of voice quality, in order to reduce network traffic.

Abstract: A decoder (10) decodes compressed data. A memory (44) stores the compressed data and stores operating data and operating code for a plurality of decompression algorithms requiring different amounts of memory for the operating data and operating code and requiring different amounts of memory to store compressed data corresponding to a predetermined amount of uncompressed data. A processor (42) is arranged to select one of the decompression algorithms, to allocate an amount of the memory for storing compressed data and operating data and operating code depending on the decompression algorithm selected and to decode the compressed data stored in the allocated amount of memory.

Abstract: An optical device is provided which locks the wavelength output of a laser transmitter in an optical transmission system as well as preventing the propagation of unwanted signals generated by the laser transmitter prior to the transmitter reaching the desired operating wavelength thereby reducing crosstalk between channels within a wavelength division multiplexed communication system.

Abstract: An add/drop multiplexer includes first and second fiber grating connected to a four-port optical circulator having first and second input/output ports, an add port, and a drop port, wherein the first fiber grating is connected to the first input/output port and the second fiber grating is connected to the second input/output port. Add signals provided to the add port of the circulator are reflected by the first fiber grating back to the optical circulator and propagate, along with one or more input optical signals, to the second fiber grating. One or more of the input optical signals are reflected by the second fiber grating back to the optical circulator and propagate to the drop port of the circulator.

Abstract: An optical pulse source includes a semiconductor diode laser, an external optical cavity, and a source of a modulated drive current such that the laser can be actively mode-locked. The external cavity includes an optical fiber and a distributed Bragg reflector. In preferred embodiments, the optical pulse source can produce pulses having a time-bandwidth product within about 20% of the transform limit, such that soliton pulses can be transmitted.