Abstract: A method of determining a rate of penetration of a drill bit using acoustic technology. The method comprises providing a drill string including a drill bit configured to drill through a subterranean formation in a wellbore and operably coupling an array of acoustic transducers to a member of the drill string. Acoustic waves are emitted toward a wall of the wellbore with at least one acoustic transducer and a frequency of the acoustic waves reflected from the wall of the wellbore are measured with at least one acoustic transducer. The array of acoustic transducers is operably coupled to a controller comprising a memory and a processor to determine a frequency shift between the emitted acoustic waves and the reflected acoustic waves. A rate of penetration of the drill bit is determined with the processor based at least in part on the frequency shift. Downhole acoustic systems for determining a rate of penetration of a drill string are also disclosed.

Abstract: A handheld split keyboard system includes first and second keyboard sections, each including a body and a plurality of front mounted keys; such that the keyboard sections are configured to be held in first and second hands of a user who types with first and second thumbs. Additionally, the keyboard sections can include rear mounted keys for typing with index and middle fingers. The keyboard sections can be removably attachable to a tablet or laptop computer, and they can be joinable to each other. Also disclosed is a method for using a handheld keyboard system, including holding first and second keyboard sections, and typing on the keyboard sections to transmit keystroke information to a computer device.

Abstract: A system and method to determine health prognostics for selection and management of a tool for deployment in a downhole environment are described. The system includes a database to store life cycle information of the tool, the life cycle information including environmental and operational parameters associated with use of the tool. The system also includes a memory device to store statistical equations to determine the health prognostics of the tool, and a processor to calibrate the statistical equations and build a time-to-failure model of the tool based on a first portion of the life cycle information in the database.

Abstract: A drill bit is disclosed that in one embodiment includes a bit body having a cutting section, a shank attached to the cutting section and a neck section and at least one sensor in contact with a surface of the shank and wherein the at least one sensor provides a signal in response to a bending moment.

Abstract: A drill bit is disclosed that in one embodiment includes a bit body having a cutting section, a shank attached to the cutting section and a neck section and at least one sensor in contact with a surface of the shank and wherein the at least one sensor provides a signal in response to a bending moment.

Abstract: A drill bit is disclosed that in one embodiment includes a bit body having a cutting section, a shank attached to the cutting section and a neck section and at least one sensor in contact with a surface of the shank and wherein the at least one sensor provides a signal in response to a bending moment.

Abstract: A system and method to determine health prognostics for selection and management of a tool for deployment in a downhole environment are described. The system includes a database to store life cycle information of the tool, the life cycle information including environmental and operational parameters associated with use of the tool. The system also includes a memory device to store statistical equations to determine the health prognostics of the tool, and a processor to calibrate the statistical equations and build a time-to-failure model of the tool based on a first portion of the life cycle information in the database.

Abstract: A dual keyboard system is presented for use with a tablet computer. Each keyboard is attached to a suction cup via a hinge. The suction cups attach to the display face of the tablet computer. The keyboards can be rotated about the hinge to allow viewing of the full display of the tablet computer without detaching the keyboards. In one embodiment, the hinge is separable, allowing removal of the keyboards completely while leaving the suction cups attached to the tablet computer. In another embodiment, a master keyboard receives keystrokes directly from a slave keyboard as well as from keys located on the master keyboard. The tablet computer communicates only with the master keyboard via a radio frequency link. The slave keyboard communicates with the master keyboard via a radio frequency or infrared link.

Abstract: A drill bit is disclosed that in one embodiment includes a bit body having a cutting section, a shank attached to the cutting section and a neck section and at least one sensor in contact with a surface of the shank and wherein the at least one sensor provides a signal in response to a bending moment.

Abstract: A dual keyboard system is presented for use with a tablet computer. Each keyboard is attached to a suction cup via a hinge. The suction cups attach to the display face of the tablet computer. The keyboards can be rotated about the hinge to allow viewing of the full display of the tablet computer without detaching the keyboards. In one embodiment, the hinge is separable, allowing removal of the keyboards completely while leaving the suction cups attached to the tablet computer. In another embodiment, a master keyboard receives keystrokes directly from a slave keyboard as well as from keys located on the master keyboard. The tablet computer communicates only with the master keyboard via a radio frequency link. The slave keyboard communicates with the master keyboard via a radio frequency or infrared link.

Abstract: A dual keyboard system is presented for use with a tablet computer. Each keyboard is attached to a suction cup via a hinge. The suction cups attach to the display face of the tablet computer. The keyboards can be rotated about the hinge to allow viewing of the full display of the tablet computer without detaching the keyboards. In one embodiment, the hinge is separable, allowing removal of the keyboards completely while leaving the suction cups attached to the tablet computer. In another embodiment, a master keyboard receives keystrokes directly from a slave keyboard as well as from keys located on the master keyboard. The tablet computer communicates only with the master keyboard via a radio frequency link. The slave keyboard communicates with the master keyboard via a radio frequency or infrared link.

Abstract: This application describes tools for online tracking of life-limited parts. These tools may support methods that include receiving queries, and searching databases in response to the queries. These methods may integrate results of the searches into reports that provide comprehensive histories of life-limited parts for installation within vehicles, and may report these integrated results. To build these databases, other methods may receive information relating to the life-limited parts from a variety of sources, load the information into suitable databases, and integrate this information as provided by the various sources. Other methods may also evaluate whether the parts have any permitted life remaining. These tools may also provide databases that store serial numbers associated with the parts, store physical locations of the parts at various times, indicate who owned the parts at different times, and include remaining life records that indicate any permitted life remaining for the parts.

Abstract: This application describes tools for online tracking of life-limited parts. These tools may support methods that include receiving queries, and searching databases in response to the queries. These methods may integrate results of the searches into reports that provide comprehensive histories of life-limited parts for installation within vehicles, and may report these integrated results. To build these databases, other methods may receive information relating to the life-limited parts from a variety of sources, load the information into suitable databases, and integrate this information as provided by the various sources. Other methods may also evaluate whether the parts have any permitted life remaining. These tools may also provide databases that store serial numbers associated with the parts, store physical locations of the parts at various times, indicate who owned the parts at different times, and include remaining life records that indicate any permitted life remaining for the parts.

Abstract: A system and method for improved vertical handoff between different types of wireless network. Network allocation vector occupation and packet collision probability are used as quality of service measures, enabling vertical handoffs to be delayed until actually beneficial to quality of service. Improved wireless network cell boundary detection in vertical handoff scenarios is achieved with a Fourier-based technique in conjunction with an adaptively determined minimum operating signal strength threshold. Improved wireless network cell boundary detection enables vertical handoffs from high quality of service networks to be delayed as long as possible. Together, practical wireless network quality of service measures and improved detection of wireless network cell boundaries in vertical handoff scenarios reduce the rate of unnecessary vertical handoff resulting in higher overall quality of service experienced by a mobile computing device roaming between wireless network types.

Abstract: A system and method for improved vertical handoff between different types of wireless network. Network allocation vector occupation and packet collision probability are used as quality of service measures, enabling vertical handoffs to be delayed until actually beneficial to quality of service. Improved wireless network cell boundary detection in vertical handoff scenarios is achieved with a Fourier-based technique in conjunction with an adaptively determined minimum operating signal strength threshold. Improved wireless network cell boundary detection enables vertical handoffs from high quality of service networks to be delayed as long as possible. Together, practical wireless network quality of service measures and improved detection of wireless network cell boundaries in vertical handoff scenarios reduce the rate of unnecessary vertical handoff resulting in higher overall quality of service experienced by a mobile computing device roaming between wireless network types.

Abstract: Adaptive acknowledgement delay entails adaptively adjusting an acknowledgement delay period responsive to channel quality. A destination device is enabled to set the acknowledgment delay period between two successive acknowledgments that acknowledge blocks received from a source device over a wireless channel. In a described implementation, the acknowledgment delay period is decreased if the wireless channel quality is poor. Otherwise, the acknowledgment delay period is increased as bounded by a maximum acknowledgment delay period setting and a remaining number of unreceived blocks of a current suprablock. The quality of the wireless channel may be reflected by, for example, blocks that are received erroneously. The duration of the acknowledgment delay may be set in terms of number of blocks received at the destination device.

Abstract: A power management technique for a network including a plurality of computing devices. The power management technique includes identifying an order in which one or more devices of the plurality of computing devices can transmit data within the prescribed time period. In one aspect, the number of wakeups are reduced for the computing devices within the network by increasing a number of adjacent channel time allocation periods within a prescribed time period that share a common computing device.

Abstract: A portable ultra wideband device wirelessly connects to personal computers and other computing or consumer devices with an ultra-high speed link. The ultra wideband device provides data storage and retrieval functionalities. Data or information is formatted for ultra wideband wireless transmission at a transmitting device. The data is transmitted from an ultra wideband communication interface of the transmitting device over a wireless medium to the receiving device. The data transmission is transparent to the receiving device. An ultra wideband communication interface on the receiving device processes the data according to an ultra wideband protocol. The original data is parsed from the file and translated into its original format which is supported by an application on the receiving device. The original data is used to execute a read/write action on a storage device of the receiving device such that the translated data is automatically available to the receiving device.

Abstract: A system and method for improved vertical handoff between different types of wireless network. Network allocation vector occupation and packet collision probability are used as quality of service measures, enabling vertical handoffs to be delayed until actually beneficial to quality of service. Improved wireless network cell boundary detection in vertical handoff scenarios is achieved with a Fourier-based technique in conjunction with an adaptively determined minimum operating signal strength threshold. Improved wireless network cell boundary detection enables vertical handoffs from high quality of service networks to be delayed as long as possible. Together, practical wireless network quality of service measures and improved detection of wireless network cell boundaries in vertical handoff scenarios reduce the rate of unnecessary vertical handoff resulting in higher overall quality of service experienced by a mobile computing device roaming between wireless network types.

Abstract: Computer-implemented methods for power management of network interface devices are disclosed. Such methods may include dividing a time period into a plurality of time slots, determining an amount of data received by the network interface device during a first of the time slots, and determining whether the amount of data received exceeds a predefined threshold. If the amount of data received exceeds the predefined threshold, then the network interface device is caused to be awake during a subsequent time slot. The network interface device is caused to go to sleep during the subsequent time slot unless the amount of data received exceeds the predefined threshold. A number of the time slots may be defined as wakeup time slots during which the network interface device is awake. The number of time slots during the time period in which one or more packets were received by the network interface device may be compared to the number of wakeup time slots during the time period.