Abstract: Implementations of a convection heating system are provided. The convection heating system may be configured for use with an inhalation device (e.g., a vaporizer). The convection heating system is configured to vaporize (i.e., atomize) the active chemical(s) in a smokeable product using heated air so they can be inhaled by a user. A convection heating system may comprise an induction heating system having a thermally conductive porous fill material positioned to be indirectly, or directly, heated by a field coil(s) positioned thereabout. In some implementations, the thermally conductive porous fill material may be positioned to draw heat from a bowl of the induction heating system, the heat is transferred to air passing through the porous fill material. In another implementation, the thermally conductive porous fill material may be directly heated by the field coil(s) positioned thereabout, the heat is transferred to air passing through the porous fill material.

Abstract: Implementations of an induction heating system are provided. In some implementations, the induction heating system may be configured for use with a smoking pipe, water pipe, and/or vaporizer. In some implementations, the induction heating system may be used to vaporize the active chemical (e.g., nicotine) in a smokeable product (e.g., tobacco) without combustion. In this way, the aerosolized active chemical may then be inhaled by a user. In some implementations, an induction heating system comprises a bowl composed of a magnetically permeable material, a first current bearing wire (i.e., a field coil), a second current bearing wire (i.e., a field coil), a power source, and a first switch. In some implementations, the current bearing wires are wrapped about the cylindrical side wall of the bowl. In this way, the bowl is heated by eddy currents and/or magnetic hysteresis when current is passed through the current bearing wires.

Abstract: A non-resistive contact sensor assembly includes an electric field sensor device, including a dielectric component for receiving an electrical signal from an object of interest and a signal processing component for processing the electrical signal, a voltage regulator for controlling voltage to the dielectric component and the signal processing component, and a common ground reference for the dielectric component and the signal processing component.

Abstract: A non-resistive contact sensor assembly includes an electric field sensor device, including a dielectric component for receiving an electrical signal from an object of interest and a signal processing component for processing the electrical signal, a voltage regulator for controlling voltage to the dielectric component and the signal processing component, and a common ground reference for the dielectric component and the signal processing component.

Abstract: A non-resistive contact sensor assembly includes an electric field sensor device, including a dielectric component for receiving an electrical signal from an object of interest and a signal processing component for processing the electrical signal, a voltage regulator for controlling voltage to the dielectric component and the signal processing component, and a common ground reference for the dielectric component and the signal processing component.

Abstract: A non-resistive contact sensor assembly includes an electric field sensor device, including a dielectric component for receiving an electrical signal from an object of interest and a signal processing component for processing the electrical signal, a voltage regulator for controlling voltage to the dielectric component and the signal processing component, and a common ground reference for the dielectric component and the signal processing component.

Abstract: A non-resistive contact sensor assembly includes an electric field sensor device, including a dielectric component for receiving an electrical signal from an object of interest and a signal processing component for processing the electrical signal, a voltage regulator for controlling voltage to the dielectric component and the signal processing component, and a common ground reference for the dielectric component and the signal processing component.

Abstract: A digital repeater for use in a tree and branch communication network is disclosed. The digital repeater has first path for downstream data communications. The first path does not perform Viterbi decoding in order to minimize the delay for downstream communications. A second path with a Viterbi decoder is used to detect communications addressed to the digital repeater. The disclosure includes other related material including teachings on the integration of the digital repeater into a network including modifications to polling, discovery, and automatic gain control procedures.

Abstract: A distributed processing system including one or more modems connected to a server through a network, such as a cable network or other similar network for transporting data and/or voice. The processing applied to information to be transported to a public network, such as the Internet, is performed by the server rather than the modem. Voice services are provided to telephone equipment connected to a modem by digitizing the voice signals and forwarding the signals as packets to the server. The application of a network stack to the voice packets is performed by the server prior to sending the packets over the public network. Likewise, voice packets received from the public network include network stack formatting. The server removes this formatting prior to sending the voice packets to the modem. This significantly reduces the complexity and cost of the modems.