Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed herein for monitoring tire aging with respect to a motor vehicle and/or across vehicle fleets. A computing device (e.g., cloud server) is linked to vehicle-mounted data acquisition devices which provide signals corresponding to ambient temperature and contained air temperatures for respective tires. The computing device ascertains oxidative aging characteristics for the tires, based on at least the collected ambient temperature and respective contained air temperature, and respective rates of accumulation thereof with respect to time and/or distance traveled, and further ascertains the oxidative aging characteristics for each tire with respect to a fixed reference ambient temperature, and respective rates of accumulation thereof with respect to time and/or distance traveled. Selectively generated output signals correspond to monitored characteristics and respective rates of accumulation thereof for the respective tires.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of depositing a coating comprising zinc oxide on a substrate; to a chemical vapour deposition precursor mixture for use in same and to a coated glass article and a photovoltaic cell prepared with a zinc oxide coating prepared using the method which comprises: providing a substrate, providing a precursor mixture comprising an alkyl zinc compound and a phosphorus source, the phosphorus source comprising a compound of formula OnP(OR)3, wherein n is 0 or 1 and each R is hydrocarbyl, and delivering the precursor mixture to a surface of the substrate.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus for brain tractography by shading fiber bundles. In one aspect, a method includes forwarding patient brain data for presentation to a user; receiving, from the user, a selection of a brain parcel in response to presentation of the patient brain data; forwarding, for display to the user, tract health data comprising i) tract data for tracts connected to the brain parcel and ii) at least one metric for the tracts, the metric reflecting the health of the tracts; and taking an action in response to forwarding the tract health data.

Abstract: A real time tire pressure sensing system includes sensors to collectively generate signals corresponding to a contained tire air temperature, a contained inflation pressure, and an ambient temperature associated with a tire mounted on a vehicle. A processor determines an effective tire inflation pressure based on the generated signals and further at least on a calculated moving average of the ambient temperature (e.g., over a defined time period such as 24 hours) and generates real time notifications associated with the determined effective tire inflation pressure to specified user interfaces. At least one sensor may be an inflation pressure sensor configured to generate event-based signals corresponding to detected changes per unit pressure. The processor may further generate real time feedback control signals to an automatic tire inflation device, based on the determined effective tire inflation pressure, or enable and prompt manual control of the tire inflation device via the user interface.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for re-calibrating an in-service Optical Multiplex Section (OMS) while it is operating in an optical system. A method, according to one implementation, includes a step of analyzing a state of at least one component of the in-service OMS in an optical network, whereby the at least component may include, among other things, one or more fiber spans. Based on a need to re-calibrate the at least one component of the OMS, the method also includes the step of transitioning the OMS from an in-service mode to a maintenance mode to prepare the OMS for re-calibration. At this point, a re-calibration procedure can be performed. In response to completing the re-calibration procedure, the method includes the step of transitioning the OMS from the maintenance mode back to the in-service mode.

Abstract: A real time tire pressure sensing system includes sensors to collectively generate signals corresponding to a contained tire air temperature, a contained inflation pressure, and an ambient temperature associated with a tire mounted on a vehicle. A processor determines an effective tire inflation pressure based on the generated signals and further at least on a calculated moving average of the ambient temperature (e.g., over a defined time period such as 24 hours) and generates real time notifications associated with the determined effective tire inflation pressure to specified user interfaces. At least one sensor may be an inflation pressure sensor configured to generate event-based signals corresponding to detected changes per unit pressure. The processor may further generate real time feedback control signals to an automatic tire inflation device, based on the determined effective tire inflation pressure, or enable and prompt manual control of the tire inflation device via the user interface.

Abstract: An optical waveguide modulator with automatic bias control is disclosed. A dither signal is applied to the modulator bias and its signature detected in light tapped from an output of the modulator using a phase sensitive dither detector such as a lock-in amplifier. The detected signal is processed using pre-recorded information defining the direction of the detected signal change relative to a change in the modulator bias, and the bias is adjusted in the direction determined using the information. An IQ bias of a quadrature modulator is controlled by dithering bias settings of two inner modulators at different dither frequencies, and detecting an oscillation at a sum frequency.

Abstract: A method to market real estate includes providing a graphical user interface to a user for installation on a remote computer, receiving a street address at a server for a particular piece of real estate from the remote computer, and receiving digital photographs at the server of the particular piece of real estate. The server includes a microprocessor and a memory that stores user preferences for a marketing format and the street address, where the microprocessor formats the digital photographs in accordance with the user preferences and the marketing format, and generates a plurality of physical marketing items for the particular piece of real estate in accordance with the user preferences. The plurality of physical marketing items includes at least one of a door hangtag, a postcard, a thank you card, and a sign. The method also includes assembling the plurality of physical marketing items into a display box.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a walking robot includes a robot body, multiple legs attached to and extending from the body, at least one leg including a pivot joint having an initial zero position and a foot that is adapted to contact a ground surface, wherein force applied to the foot because of contact with the ground causes the leg to pivot about the pivot joint, and an angular position sensor associated with the pivot joint and configured to measure a pivot angle through which the leg has pivoted about the pivot joint, the angle being related to the force applied to the foot.

Abstract: A photonic integrated circuit for an optical transceiver includes an optical Rx circuit, an optical Tx circuit, and an integrated optical loopback circuit configured to switchably direct a loopback optical signal from an output of the optical Tx circuit to an input of the optical Rx circuit. The integrated optical loopback circuit enables in-field testing of the optical transceiver. The integrated optical loopback circuit may include an optical mixer for mixing polarization channels in dual-polarization embodiments of the optical transceiver. A phase tuner may be provided for tuning the optical phase of local oscillator light for mixing I and Q channels of the loopback optical signals in embodiments operating with quadrature modulated signals.

Abstract: A transceiver having an improved transmitter optical signal to noise ratio, and methods of making and using the same.

Abstract: A photonic integrated circuit for an optical transceiver includes an optical Rx circuit, an optical Tx circuit, and an integrated optical loopback circuit configured to switchably direct a loopback optical signal from an output of the optical Tx circuit to an input of the optical Rx circuit. The integrated optical loopback circuit enables in-field testing of the optical transceiver. The integrated optical loopback circuit may include an optical mixer for mixing polarization channels in dual-polarization embodiments of the optical transceiver. A phase tuner may be provided for tuning the optical phase of local oscillator light for mixing I and Q channels of the loopback optical signals in embodiments operating with quadrature modulated signals.

Abstract: A transceiver having an improved transmitter optical signal to noise ratio, and methods of making and using the same.

Abstract: An optical waveguide modulator with automatic bias control is disclosed. A dither signal is applied to the modulator bias and its signature detected in light tapped from an output of the modulator using a phase sensitive dither detector such as a lock-in amplifier. The detected signal is processed using pre-recorded information defining the direction of the detected signal change relative to a change in the modulator bias, and the bias is adjusted in the direction determined using the information. An IQ bias of a quadrature modulator is controlled by dithering bias settings of two inner modulators at different dither frequencies, and detecting an oscillation at a sum frequency.

Abstract: The mechanical technology of converting oscillatory motion, into one direction of rotation, as described and claimed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,881,609, while being efficient, useful and having numerous applications, has its disadvantage of not being able to function unless user employs both hands; one hand to apply oscillatory motion to an input, while opposite hand immobilizes the axial rotation of the converting gear-train, in order for the conversion to be activated. Hence, the goal of this documentation, is to teach several different means, that maintain the immobility of axial rotation of the dual-drive gear train in order to activate the dual-drive feature, without the use of either of user's hands, thereby conveniently leaving one of user's hands available for holding a work piece.

Abstract: An optical waveguide modulator with automatic bias control is disclosed. A dither signal is applied to the modulator bias and its signature detected in light tapped from an output of the modulator using a phase sensitive dither detector such as a lock-in amplifier. The detected signal is processed using pre-recorded information defining the direction of the detected signal change relative to a change in the modulator bias, and the bias is adjusted in the direction determined using the information. An IQ bias of a quadrature modulator is controlled by dithering bias settings of two inner modulators at different dither frequencies, and detecting an oscillation at a sum frequency.

Abstract: A transceiver having an improved transmitter optical signal to noise ratio, and methods of making and using the same.

Abstract: A tire having an indicator device that visually indicates exposure of the tire to a pre-selected temperature is provided, and an indicator device that may be positioned on a tire, for indicating that the tire has been exposed to a pre-selected temperature. The device includes expandable graphite dispersed within a pouch or binder. Also described is a method for detecting that a tire has been exposed to excessive temperature. The method includes providing a tire that includes at least one indicator device that contains a pouch or binder and expandable graphite dispersed in the pouch or binder. Visual inspection of the tire to detect a change in the appearance, shape, volume or texture of the indicator device can indicate that the tire has been exposed to a temperature that meets or exceeds a pre-selected temperature.

Abstract: A transceiver having an improved transmitter optical signal to noise ratio, and methods of making and using the same.

Abstract: The mechanical technology of converting oscillatory motion, into one direction of rotation, as described and claimed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,881,609, while being efficient, useful and having numerous applications, has its disadvantage of not being able to function unless user employs both hands; one hand to apply oscillatory motion to an input, while opposite hand immobilizes the axial rotation of the converting gear-train, in order for the conversion to be activated. Hence, the goal of this documentation, is to teach several different means, that maintain the immobility of axial rotation of the dual-drive gear train in order to activate the dual-drive feature, without the use of either of user's hands, thereby conveniently leaving one of user's hands available for holding a work piece.