Abstract: An inkjet printer having an array of nozzles from which ink drops are emitted further includes a mechanism adapted to detect fluid levels in an ink supply tank to the inkjet printer while the printer is in idle mode, and shut down the printer when ink usage exceeds a predetermined volume.

Abstract: Cooling apparatuses and methods are provided for cooling an assembly including a planar support structure supporting multiple electronics components. The cooling apparatus includes: multiple discrete cold plates, each having a coolant inlet, coolant outlet and at least one coolant carrying channel disposed therebetween; and a manifold for distributing coolant to and exhausting coolant from the cold plates. The cooling apparatus also includes multiple flexible hoses connecting the coolant inlets of the cold plates to the manifold, as well as the coolant outlets to the manifold, with each hose segment being disposed between a respective cold plate and the manifold. A biasing mechanism biases the cold plates away from the manifold and towards the electronics components, and at least one fastener secures the manifold to the support structure, compressing the biasing mechanism, and thereby forcing the parallel coupled cold plates towards their respective electronics components to ensure good thermal interface.

Abstract: Cooling apparatuses and methods are provided for cooling an assembly including a substrate supporting multiple electronics components. The cooling apparatus includes: multiple discrete cold plates, each having a coolant inlet, a coolant outlet and at least one coolant chamber disposed therebetween; and multiple coolant-carrying tubes, each tube extending from a respective cold plate and being in fluid communication with the coolant inlet or outlet of the cold plate. An enclosure is provided having a perimeter region which engages the substrate to form a cavity with the electronics components and cold plates being disposed within the cavity. The enclosure is configured with multiple bores, each bore being sized and located to receive a respective coolant-carrying tube of the tubes extending from the cold plates. Further, the enclosure is configured with a manifold in fluid communication with the tubes for distributing coolant in parallel to the cold plates.

Abstract: Apparatus and method are provided for facilitating cooling of an electronics rack employing an air delivery structure coupled to the electronics rack. The air delivery structure delivers air flow at a location external to the electronics rack and in a direction to facilitate mixing thereof with re-circulating exhausted inlet-to-outlet air flow from the air outlet side of the electronics rack to the air inlet side thereof. The delivered air flow is cooler than the re-circulating exhausted inlet-to-outlet air flow and when mixed with the re-circulating air flow facilitates lowering air inlet temperature at a portion of the air inlet side of the electronics rack, thereby enhancing cooling of the electronics rack.

Abstract: Apparatus and method are provided for facilitating cooling of an electronics rack employing a closed loop heat exchange system. The closed loop heat exchange system includes a first heat exchanger, a second heat exchanger, and a coolant distribution loop connecting the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger. When operational, the coolant distribution loop allows coolant to circulate between the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger. The closed loop heat exchange system couples to the electronics rack with the first heat exchanger disposed at an air inlet side of the electronics rack, and the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger disposed in different inlet-to-outlet air flow paths through the electronics rack to reduce an imbalance in air flow temperature of the different inlet-to-outlet air flow paths through the electronics rack.

Abstract: A cooling apparatus and method of fabrication are provided for facilitating removal of heat from a heat generating electronic device. The cooling apparatus includes a plurality of thermally conductive fins coupled to and projecting away from a surface to be cooled. The fins facilitate transfer of heat from the surface to be cooled. The apparatus further includes an integrated manifold having a plurality of inlet orifices for injecting coolant onto the surface to be cooled, and a plurality of outlet openings for exhausting coolant after impinging on the surface to be cooled. The inlet orifices and the outlet openings are interspersed in a common surface of the integrated manifold. Further, the integrated manifold and the surface to be cooled are disposed with the common surface of the manifold and the surface to be cooled in spaced, opposing relation, and with the plurality of thermally conductive fins disposed therebetween.

Abstract: A cooling apparatus and method of fabrication are provided for facilitating removal of heat from a heat generating electronic device. The cooling apparatus includes an integrated coolant inlet and outlet manifold having a plurality of inlet orifices for injecting coolant onto a surface to be cooled, and a plurality of outlet openings for exhausting coolant after impinging on the surface to be cooled. The inlet orifices and the outlet openings are interspersed in a common surface of the integrated manifold. A plurality of exit openings are also provided on at least one edge surface of the manifold. These exit openings are in fluid communication through the manifold with the outlet openings to facilitate exhausting of coolant through the outlet openings and minimize pressure drop through the manifold. At least one surface plane projection of the at least one edge surface intersects a surface plane projection of the common surface.

Abstract: Apparatus and method are provided for facilitating cooling of an electronics rack employing a heat exchange assembly mounted to an outlet door cover hingedly affixed to an air outlet side of the rack. The heat exchange assembly includes a support frame, an air-to-liquid heat exchanger, and first and second perforated planar surfaces covering first and second main sides, respectively, of the air-to-liquid heat exchanger. The heat exchanger is supported by the support frame and includes inlet and outlet plenums disposed adjacent to the edge of the outlet door cover hingedly mounted to the rack. Each plenum is in fluid communication with a respective connect coupling, and the heat exchanger further includes multiple horizontally-oriented heat exchange tube sections each having serpentine cooling channel with an inlet and an outlet coupled to the inlet plenum and outlet plenum, respectively. Fins extend from the heat exchange tube sections.

Abstract: A system for facilitating interoperability between a plurality of disjoint radio systems across a digital network includes one or more local gateways communicating with a network operations center. Each of the local gateways is associated with at least one radio system, and includes an interface to the digital network, a transceiver receiving wireless communications on the associated radio system, and a router configured to route at least some of the data received from the transceiver on the digital network. The network operations center processes data received from the various local gateways and forwards the processed data to the local gateways associated with the appropriate recipients. Local gateways may also be configured to convert legacy communications to digital formats, and/or may provide digital access to multiple disjoint wireless systems. The network operations center may further provide access security, network management, key management and/or other features.

Abstract: A method and system for reading endpoints used for tracking consumption of a utility may allow the sequencing of meters/endpoints in a meter reading route, such as a mobile automatic meter reading route. The sequencing may include receiving an indication of a collection of endpoints comprising a meter reading route, wherein each endpoint stores utility consumption data, then executing the meter reading route. Executing the meter reading route may include identifying and reading a first endpoint on the meter reading route, receiving input used in identifying a next endpoint to be read on the meter reading route, identifying a next endpoint to be read on the meter reading route based on the received input, and reading the identified next endpoint. One or more of these tasks may be performed repeatedly until all the endpoints on the meter reading route are read or otherwise acknowledged as unreadable, etc.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for personalizing information content for delivery to a requesting user is provided. With the method and apparatus, a set of actions needed to retrieve and organize requested content for a particular content request are selected and executed based on the concept of classifying the current situation, e.g., the requesting user attributes and the current system setting, along any number of predefined dimensions. The definition of what dimensions of classification there are and what distinctions are drawn during the process of classification is defined by the business application administrator. Once a classification definition is in place, it may be used and reused, along with other classifications, to be associated with actions that select the appropriate content.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a bar-shaped preform. The present invention further relates to a method for manufacturing optical fibers using the manufactured bar-shaped preform.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing an optical fiber, which method comprises the following steps: i) providing a hollow substrate tube, ii) passing doped or undoped reactive, glass-forming gases through the interior of the hollow substrate tube, iii) creating such conditions in the interior of the hollow substrate tube that deposition of glass layers onto the interior of the hollow substrate tube takes place, wherein a non-isothermal plasma is reciprocated between two reversal points along the substrate tube, wherein the velocity of movement of the plasma decreases to zero at each reversal point, iv) collapsing the substrate tube thus obtained so as to form a solid preform, and v) drawing an optical fiber from said solid preform. In addition to that, the present invention relates to a preform for manufacturing an optical fiber, as well as to an optical fiber.

Abstract: A coolant flow drive apparatus is provided for facilitating removal of heat from a cooling structure coupled to a heat generating electronics component. The coolant flow drive apparatus includes a turbine in fluid communication with a primary coolant flowing within a primary coolant flow loop, and a pump in fluid communication with a secondary coolant within a secondary coolant flow path. The secondary fluid flow path is separate from the primary coolant flow path. The flow drive apparatus further includes a magnetic coupling between the turbine and the pump, wherein the turbine drives the pump through the magnetic coupling to pump secondary coolant through the secondary coolant flow path.

Abstract: A cooling apparatus for an electronics assembly having a substrate and one or more electronics devices includes an enclosure sealably engaging the substrate to form a cavity, with the electronics devices and a heat exchange assembly being disposed within the cavity. The heat exchange assembly defines a primary coolant flow path and a separate, secondary coolant flow path. The primary coolant flow path includes first and second chambers in fluid communication, and the secondary flow path includes a third chamber disposed between the first and second chambers. The heat exchange assembly provides a first thermal conduction path between primary coolant in the first chamber and secondary coolant in the third chamber, and a second thermal conduction path between primary coolant in the second chamber and secondary coolant in the third chamber. The heat exchange assembly further includes coolant nozzles to direct primary coolant towards the electronics devices.

Abstract: A cooling apparatus and method of fabrication are provided for facilitating removal of heat from a heat generating electronic device. The cooling apparatus includes a thermally conductive base having a substantially planar main surface, and a plurality of thermally conductive pin fins wire-bonded to the main surface of the thermally conductive base and disposed to facilitate the transfer of heat from the thermally conductive base. The thermally conductive base can be a portion of the electronic device to be cooled or a separate structure coupled to the electronic device to be cooled. If a separate structure, the thermally conductive base has a coefficient of thermal expansion within a defined range of a coefficient of thermal expansion of the electronic device. In one implementation, the wire-bonded pin fins are discrete, looped pin fins separately wire-bonded to the main surface and spaced less than 300 micrometers apart in an array.

Abstract: A garment-concealable jewelry case having a front opening with a front cover panel portion that can be either moved or configured to reveal a plurality of parallel-running isolated storage compartments each having an interior storage space which is accessible through a front opening revealed when the front cover panel is removed or reconfigured. Through the front opening of each storage compartment, one or more necklaces, pendants, bracelets or other strands of jewelry can be securely hung on a pair of jewelry support posts adapted for spatial separation on the back wall portion of the storage compartment in order to accommodate the length of jewelry strands being supported.

Abstract: Systems and methods for effecting online financial transactions between individuals or between individuals and entities such as banks, merchants and other companies. Each user accesses a fund exchange server to establish an online account, which is used to transfer funds to and from other entities' online accounts. To fund an online account, funds can be transferred to the online account from a credit card account or from another online account. To withdraw funds, money can be transferred to a credit card account or other bank account. Any user may initiate a send money transaction or a request payment transaction with any other entity provided that entity has an e-mail address. For a send money transaction, the user sending money (payor) enters an amount of funds to be transferred and an e-mail address of the recipient of the funds (payee). The system sends an e-mail message to the payee at the address provided indicating that the amount of funds has been “received” on the payee's behalf.

Abstract: An isolation valve assembly, a coolant connect/disconnect assembly, a cooled multi-blade electronics center, and methods of fabrication thereof are provided employing an isolation valve and actuation mechanism. The isolation valve is disposed within at least one of a coolant supply or return line providing liquid coolant to the electronics subsystem. The actuation member is coupled to the isolation valve to automatically translate a linear motion, resulting from insertion of the electronics subsystem into the operational position within the electronics housing, into a rotational motion to open the isolation valve and allow coolant to pass. The actuation mechanism, which operates to automatically close the isolation valve when the liquid cooled electronics subsystem is withdrawn from the operational position, can be employed in combination with a compression valve coupling, with one fitting of the compression valve coupling being disposed serially in fluid communication with the isolation valve.

Abstract: A cooling approach is provided for cooling an electronics subsystem, such as an electronics rack. The cooling approach includes a coolant conditioning unit and a thermal capacitor unit. The coolant conditioning unit has a heat exchanger, a first cooling loop and a second cooling loop. The first cooling loop receives facility coolant from a facility coolant source and passes at least a portion thereof to the heat exchanger. The second cooling loop provides system coolant to the electronics subsystem, and expels heat in the heat exchanger from the electronics subsystem to the facility coolant in the first cooling loop. The thermal capacitor unit is in fluid communication with the second cooling loop to maintain temperature of the system coolant within a defined range for a period of time upon shutdown or failure of the facility coolant in the first cooling loop, thereby allowing continued operation of the electronics subsystem.