Abstract: There is provided a method of monitoring a powder bed process in additive manufacturing, using at least one processor. The method including: obtaining a first image of a powder bed layer from scanning the powder bed layer in a first scanning direction using a first contact image sensor, the powder bed layer being formed by a powder re-coater arm in the powder bed process and the first contact image sensor being attached to the powder re-coater arm; determining a focus level property of the first image; and detecting non-uniformities in the powder bed layer based on the focus level property of the first image. There is also provided a corresponding system for monitoring a powder bed process.

Abstract: A method and system for reforming CO2 rich natural gases is disclosed which comprises: a cold plasma unit configured to convert CO2 rich natural gases into a plasma state; and a gas reforming reactor configured to reform said CO2 rich gas mixture at said plasma state into a syngas. The catalytic reforming reactor is separate and different from the DBD cold plasma unit. Means for latent heat of condensation, endothermic/exothermic reactions, and convection currents is used to achieve energy efficiency.

Abstract: A multi-stage DC-DC power converter includes a first switched-capacitor stage driven by an input voltage. A second switched-capacitor stage is coupled to the first switched-capacitor by an inductor coupling current source. A controller controls charging and discharging of a flying capacitor by the inductor coupling current source in each of the first and second switched-capacitor stages. The controller operates such that each of the flying capacitors of the first and second switched-capacitor stages is soft charged by the inductor coupling current source and a frequency of a switched voltage across the inductor coupling current source is maintained to be high enough to limit inductor current ripple to be negligible compared to its DC component and ensure average inductor current is effectively reduced by factor equal to a voltage conversion ratio of the second switched-capacitor stage.

Abstract: A method and system for reforming CO2 rich natural gases is disclosed which comprises: a cold plasma unit configured to convert CO2 rich natural gases into a plasma state; and a gas reforming reactor configured to reform said CO2 rich gas mixture at said plasma state into a syngas. The catalytic reforming reactor is separate and different from the DBD cold plasma unit. Means for latent heat of condensation, endothermic/exothermic reactions, and convection currents is used to achieve energy efficiency.

Abstract: Described are ergonomic passenger seats that may include monocoque or semi-monocoque seat backs, cellular suspension cushions, and tray tables with support arms that may be located within the interior volume of the monocoque or semi-monocoque seat backs when in their stowed positions. The passenger seats offer enhanced passenger comfort and space while providing a lightweight, simple to manufacture design. Monocoque and semi-monocoque seat backs may form integral parts of passenger seats to support additional loads without need for heavy, complex structures. The space within the monocoque or semi-monocoque seat back may then be used for storage or suspension cushions that offer improved comfort with a lighter seat frame. Monocoque and semi-monocoque seat backs may also facilitate the adoption of several other seating mechanisms, such as new seat mounts that allow for improved seat motion that allows for passenger recline with reduced impingement on other passengers' space.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods and circuits of multi-output hybrid voltage regulators that generate multiple lower level DC voltages lower than the magnitude of an input voltage provided to an input node of the regulator. The disclosed methods and circuits can be applied to today's Large conversion ratio DC-DC converters that allow them to support same power conversion functionality for multiple output voltages with one core switched capacitor network sharing passive components and switches with less voltage ratings, and therefore, reduce the implementation space to save cost as well as improve efficiency. Sample applications include, but are not limited to, PoL converters for data centers and telecommunication systems with better efficiency and compactness for higher conversion ratio.

Abstract: A method and system for renewing spent fluid catalytic cracking (SFCC) catalysts are disclosed which comprises: treating SFCC catalysts using a static reactor designed to uniformly distribute with an oxalic acid solution and its reflux to obtain leached SFCC catalysts; washing with aqueous solution and filtering to collect cleaned and treated SFCC catalyst; and c) executing the cleaned and treated SFCC catalyst with thermal treatment to obtain renewed FCC catalysts.

Abstract: There is provided a method of monitoring a powder bed process in additive manufacturing, using at least one processor. The method including: obtaining a first image of a powder bed layer from scanning the powder bed layer in a first scanning direction using a first contact image sensor, the powder bed layer being formed by a powder re-coater arm in the powder bed process and the first contact image sensor being attached to the powder re-coater arm; determining a focus level property of the first image; and detecting non-uniformities in the powder bed layer based on the focus level property of the first image. There is also provided a corresponding system for monitoring a powder bed process.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods and circuits of a hybrid converter family that allows using a combination of a switched multiple capacitor network and a number of inductors in order to a power conversion from an input to an output that may require a large conversion ratio, high output current, low output voltage, and/or high input voltage. The disclosed circuits and methods can be applied to today's switching regulators and allow them to provide the same power conversion function with less number of power conversion stages, smaller passive components, and less number of active components, and therefore, reduce the implementation space to save cost as well as improve efficiency. Sample applications include, but are not limited to, point-of-load power converters for data centers, telecommunication systems and other high-performance electronic systems.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods and circuits of a smart cable that allows using parasitic inductances available in any cable that has at least two wires for power connection in order to provide both power connection and power conversion capabilities. Application to switching regulators allow them to provide the same power conversion function with less passive components, and therefore, reduce the implementation space to save cost as well as improve efficiency. Sample applications include, but are not limited to, smart USB cables and smart power cables in computer systems such as a data center that can provide a power delivery function including both power connectivity and power conversion. The use of a cable as an inductor in a hybrid topology helps spread the inductor copper loss over the cable that much larger surface area for heat dissipation, and significantly reduce on-board thermal issues.

Abstract: A hybrid converter achieves high efficiency with an inductor positioned at the lower current path that significantly decreases inductor loss by having the DC component of inductor current reduced. The circuit also features reduced inductance requirement by reducing the voltage swing blocked by the inductor. As a result, it turns to benefit of both efficiency improvement and better integration. Less voltage stress for switches is also an important advantage to switching loss reduction and switching frequency increase which in turns enables passive component size reduction. The circuit in this invention can be realized for both step-down and step-up power conversion as well as bidirectional power flow is available. For simplicity and cost, some of switches can be replaced with passive switches such as diodes which highly simplifies the converter circuit implementation.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides an asymmetric switching capacitor regulator that is capable of providing an output voltage, covering a wide voltage range, with a high efficiency. The disclosed switching capacitor regulator is configured to generate a wide range of an output voltage by differentiating a voltage across one or more switching capacitors from a voltage across the rest of the switching capacitors in the switching capacitor regulator.

Abstract: The present disclosure shows a reconfigurable Dickson Star SC regulator that can support multiple conversion ratios by reconfiguring between various modes. The reconfigurable Dickson Star SC regulator is designed to reduce the number of redundant capacitors by reusing capacitors and switches across multiple modes of operation (across multiple conversion ratios). The present disclosure also shows a hybrid (e.g., two-stage) voltage regulator.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods and circuits of a hybrid converter family that allows using a combination of a switched multiple capacitor network and a number of inductors in order to a power conversion from an input to an output that may require a large conversion ratio, high output current, low output voltage, and/or high input voltage. The disclosed circuits and methods can be applied to today's switching regulators and allow them to provide the same power conversion function with less number of power conversion stages, smaller passive components, and less number of active components, and therefore, reduce the implementation space to save cost as well as improve efficiency. Sample applications include, but are not limited to, point-of-load power converters for data centers, telecommunication systems and other high-performance electronic systems.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods and circuits of multi-output hybrid voltage regulators that generate multiple lower level DC voltages lower than the magnitude of an input voltage provided to an input node of the regulator. The disclosed methods and circuits can be applied to today's Large conversion ratio DC-DC converters that allow them to support same power conversion functionality for multiple output voltages with one core switched capacitor network sharing passive components and switches with less voltage ratings, and therefore, reduce the implementation space to save cost as well as improve efficiency. Sample applications include, but are not limited to, PoL converters for data centers and telecommunication systems with better efficiency and compactness for higher conversion ratio.

Abstract: The present disclosure shows ways to use multiple “integrated voltage regulator (IVR) units” to offer IVRs that can cover a wide range of specifications without having to design separate IVRs for different specifications. Instead of designing separate IVRs and paying for separate mask sets for IVRs targeting different specifications (e.g., different design and mask sets for 1 A IVR, 5 A IVR), the disclosed embodiments present ways to design and fabricate large numbers of the same unit IVRs (e.g., 1 A IVR) and decide how many of them to use post-fabrication to deliver different current specifications (e.g., use five 1 A unit IVRs for 5 A, use ten 1 A unit IVRs for 10 A). These disclosed embodiments reduce the mask cost of fabricating IVRs for different specifications and reduce design time by focusing on a single unit IVR.

Abstract: Described are ergonomic passenger seats that may include monocoque or semi-monocoque seat backs, cellular suspension cushions, and tray tables with support arms that may be located within the interior volume of the monocoque or semi-monocoque seat backs when in their stowed positions. The passenger seats offer enhanced passenger comfort and space while providing a lightweight, simple to manufacture design. Monocoque and semi-monocoque seat backs may form integral parts of passenger seats to support additional loads without need for heavy, complex structures. The space within the monocoque or semi-monocoque seat back may then be used for storage or suspension cushions that offer improved comfort with a lighter seat frame. Monocoque and semi-monocoque seat backs may also facilitate the adoption of several other seating mechanisms, such as new seat mounts that allow for improved seat motion that allows for passenger recline with reduced impingement on other passengers' space.

Abstract: Circuits comprising: an inductor having a first side connected to VIN; a first switch having a first side connected to a second side of the inductor; a second switch having a first side connected to VIN; a first capacitor having a first side connected to a second side of the second switch; a third switch having a first side connected to a second side of the first switch; a fourth switch having a first side connected to a second side of the third switch; a fifth switch having a first side connected to a second side of the first capacitor and to a second side of the fourth switch, and having a second side coupled to a voltage source; and a second capacitor having a first side connected to the first side of the fourth switch, and having a second side connected to the second side of the fifth switch.

Abstract: Described are ergonomic passenger seats that may include monocoque or semi-monocoque seat backs, cellular suspension cushions, and tray tables with support arms that may be located within the interior volume of the monocoque or semi-monocoque seat backs when in their stowed positions. The passenger seats offer enhanced passenger comfort and space while providing a lightweight, simple to manufacture design. Monocoque and semi-monocoque seat backs may form integral parts of passenger seats to support additional loads without need for heavy, complex structures. The space within the monocoque or semi-monocoque seat back may then be used for storage or suspension cushions that offer improved comfort with a lighter seat frame. Monocoque and semi-monocoque seat backs may also facilitate the adoption of several other seating mechanisms, such as new seat mounts that allow for improved seat motion that allows for passenger recline with reduced impingement on other passengers' space.

Abstract: A feedback system that can control hybrid regulator topologies that have multiple converters or regulators connected in series is described. The hybrid regulator can include at least two regulators: a switched inductor regulator and a switched-capacitor regulator. The feedback system can simplify feedback design for the hybrid regulator that can include multiple converter stages and can control the feedback to improve the efficiency of a hybrid regulator.