Abstract: A prefabricated concrete form with vertical spacers between fill forming cladding with cut-outs in the spacers having horizontal rebar received therethrough and received therein. Stand-offs are provided between the vertical spacers with vertical rebar received on the stand-offs. In one version, the stand-offs are attached to the horizontal rebar. In other versions, the stand-offs are attached to the spacers. A cut-out is formed in one of the claddings to form an auxiliary fill space on the outside of the cladding, which when filled with concrete, upon hardening, forms a ledge for supporting a stair structure.

Abstract: Control of an electric water heater based on a two-mass model may be provided. First, a reserve capacity of an Electric Water Heater (EWH) may be determined. Next, a safe deferred time for the EWH based on the determined reserve capacity may be determined. Then a grid service event initiation may be received. In response to receiving the grid service event initiation, the EWH may be caused to not heat water for the determined safe deferred time.

Abstract: Power grid management systems and methods include determining a power reference, and sending a first message from a first controller to each of a plurality of second controllers based on the power reference. Each of the plurality of second controllers is configured to control a plurality of associated distributed energy resources (DERs). Energy usage of the associated DERs is modified by each of the plurality of second controllers based on the first message. Each of the second controllers sends feedback data to the first controller message based on the modified energy usage of the associated DERs. The feedback data is aggregated by the first controller, and the aggregated feedback data is compared to the power reference. The first controller sends a second message to each of the plurality of second controllers based on the comparison.

Abstract: A system of communicating data to and between a client device in a residence and a utility network is provided. The system includes a proxy controller located at the residence and a first network configured to transmit and receive data between a central controller associated with the utility network and the proxy controller. The system further includes a second network configured to transmit and receive data between the proxy controller and the client device in the residence. The proxy controller is operative to receive data from the client device over the second network, aggregate the received data in a predefined format, store the aggregated data within the proxy controller, and send the aggregated data to a central controller over the first network.

Abstract: A technique for providing access to protected resources uses personal authentication tags (PATs) and enforces a requirement that a workstation sending an authentication request be trusted by a server that receives the request. Accordingly, the server allows an authentication request to proceed only when the request is received from a workstation having a trust relationship with the server. Otherwise, the server denies the authentication request. By restricting PAT-type authentication requests to trusted workstations, risks posed by malicious users are greatly reduced.

Abstract: A system identifies whether a mobile device is compromised. The system includes mobile devices, a communication network, and a server. Each mobile device includes a processor, a power supply, and a network interface. The processor executes an operating system and applications including a monitor application. The power supply indicates the power consumed by the mobile device during executing the operating system and the applications. The network interface transfers information to and from the mobile device via a communication network. This transferred information includes logs securely collected by the monitor application. The logs can include a log of the system calls, a log of the power consumed, and a log of network activity. The server receives the logs from the mobile devices and generates a correlation among the logs, and the server identifies at least one mobile device that is an outlier in the correlation as a compromised mobile device.

Abstract: A prefabricated concrete form with vertical spacers between fill forming cladding with cut-outs in the spacers having horizontal rebar received therethrough and received therein. Stand-offs are provided between the vertical spacers with vertical rebar received on the stand-offs. In one version, the stand-offs are attached to the horizontal rebar. In other versions, the stand-offs are attached to the spacers. A cut-out is formed in one of the claddings to form an auxiliary fill space on the outside of the cladding, which when filled with concrete, upon hardening, forms a ledge for supporting a stair structure.

Abstract: A prefabricated concrete form with vertical spacers between fill forming cladding with cut-outs in the spacers having horizontal rebar received therethrough and received therein. Stand-offs are provided between the vertical spacers with vertical rebar received on the stand-offs. In one version, the stand-offs are attached to the horizontal rebar. In other versions, the stand-offs are attached to the spacers. A cut-out is formed in one of the claddings to form an auxiliary fill space on the outside of the cladding, which when filled with concrete, upon hardening, forms a ledge for supporting a stair structure.

Abstract: A system identifies whether a mobile device is compromised. The system includes mobile devices, a communication network, and a server. Each mobile device includes a processor, a power supply, and a network interface. The processor executes an operating system and applications including a monitor application. The power supply indicates the power consumed by the mobile device during executing the operating system and the applications. The network interface transfers information to and from the mobile device via a communication network. This transferred information includes logs securely collected by the monitor application. The logs can include a log of the system calls, a log of the power consumed, and a log of network activity. The server receives the logs from the mobile devices and generates a correlation among the logs, and the server identifies at least one mobile device that is an outlier in the correlation as a compromised mobile device.

Abstract: A prefabricated concrete form with vertical spacers between fill forming cladding with cut-outs in the spacers having horizontal rebar received therethrough and received therein. Stand-offs are provided between the vertical spacers with vertical rebar received on the stand-offs. In one version, the stand-offs are attached to the horizontal rebar. In other versions, the stand-offs are attached to the spacers. A cut-out is formed in one of the claddings to form an auxiliary fill space on the outside of the cladding, which when filled with concrete, upon hardening, forms a ledge for supporting a stair structure.

Abstract: A technique for providing access to protected resources uses personal authentication tags (PATs) and enforces a requirement that a workstation sending an authentication request be trusted by a server that receives the request. Accordingly, the server allows an authentication request to proceed only when the request is received from a workstation having a trust relationship with the server. Otherwise, the server denies the authentication request. By restricting PAT-type authentication requests to trusted workstations, risks posed by malicious users are greatly reduced.

Abstract: A pulsed pressure, heat recovery system includes a pressure vessel for holding a vaporisable first fluid. The vessel contains a heat exchanger, and provides communication to the heat exchanger for flow of a heated second fluid. The heat exchanger enables heat transfer from the second fluid to vaporise the first fluid. The system also includes a flow loop for the first fluid extending from an outlet of the vessel to an inlet to the vessel, having in series: a first non-return valve, a turbine and a second non-return valve. The first non-return valve allows the vaporised first fluid to flow from the vessel to the turbine when the pressure of the vaporised first fluid in the vessel exceeds a predetermined limit. The turbine extracts energy from expansion of the vaporised first fluid. The second non-return valve prevents flow reversal around flow loop between the turbine and the inlet.

Abstract: Indirect fire protocol according to several embodiments of the present invention can include the initial step establishing a grid and locating a forward observer (FO) and a firing unit (FU) in the grid. The FO can estimate the bearing and range to a High Value Target (HVT) within the grid, and can homomorphically encrypting said HVT estimated position data. FO can then transmit the encrypted HVT estimated position data over cloud network architecture to a Fire Direction Center (FDC), using the FDC's Keypublic. The FDC can outsource the calculation of an absolute position of said HVT in said grid to non-secure internet cloud architecture, but with encrypted HVT estimation data and the FO position data in the grid (which the FDC knows). Once calculated, the HVT encrypted absolute position data can be decrypted, and then transmitted from FDC to a FU, using the FU's Keypublic.

Abstract: Indirect fire protocol according to several embodiments of the present invention can include the initial step establishing a grid and locating a forward observer (FO) and a firing unit (FU) in the grid. The FO can estimate the bearing and range to a High Value Target (HVT) within the grid, and can homomorphically encrypting said HVT estimated position data. FO can then transmit the encrypted HVT estimated position data over cloud network architecture to a Fire Direction Center (FDC), using the FDC's Keypublic. The FDC can outsource the calculation of an absolute position of said HVT in said grid to non-secure internet cloud architecture, but with encrypted HVT estimation data and the FO position data in the grid (which the FDC knows). Once calculated, the HVT encrypted absolute position data can be decrypted, and then transmitted from FDC to a FU, using the FU's Keypublic.

Abstract: A pulsed pressure, heat recovery system includes a pressure vessel for holding a vaporisable first fluid. The vessel contains a heat exchanger, and provides communication to the heat exchanger for flow of a heated second fluid. The heat exchanger enables heat transfer from the second fluid to vaporise the first fluid. The system also includes a flow loop for the first fluid extending from an outlet of the vessel to an inlet to the vessel, having in series: a first non-return valve, a turbine and a second non-return valve. The first non-return valve allows the vaporised first fluid to flow from the vessel to the turbine when the pressure of the vaporised first fluid in the vessel exceeds a predetermined limit. The turbine extracts energy from expansion of the vaporised first fluid. The second non-return valve prevents flow reversal around flow loop between the turbine and the inlet.

Abstract: In a wireless multihop network having node devices within communication range neighboring node devices in a corresponding local neighborhood, the node devices initiate repeated message broadcasts of a first message as a connection-less broadcast into the local neighborhood. Initiation of message broadcasts is governed such that the message broadcasts are permitted only at specified transmission times within a plurality of transmission time windows. Each of the node devices determines whether any of the connection-less-broadcasted messages are duplicates of the first message, and generate a count of those duplicates received during each of the transmission windows. Based on counts of the duplicates, initiation of a message broadcast of the first message in a current transmission window is suppressed in response to a corresponding count of duplicates of the first message received during the first transmission window exceeding a suppression limit.

Abstract: In a wireless multihop network having node devices within communication range neighboring node devices in a corresponding local neighborhood, the node devices generate visibility messages to be transmitted via connection-less broadcast. The visibility messages include at least an identifier of the corresponding node device. Visibility messages received by each of the node devices from the one or more neighboring node devices are processed to determine a measure of density of the local neighborhood. This measure of density also accounts for the heterogeneous transmit power capabilities of node devices and is used for updating of one or more operational parameter of the node device relating to utilization of the radio communications medium by that node device. A degree of utilization of the medium through the control of transmission data rate and power is adjusted based on an inverse relation to the measure of density determined from the received visibility messages.

Abstract: In a wireless multi-hop network, packet routing paths are determined for a first node device based on passive measurement of data messages over a wireless link formed between the first node device and a neighboring second node device. The first node device transmits a first data message to the second node device via the wireless link. At least one of the first node device and the second node device monitors at least one transmission performance parameter corresponding to only a selected subset of frames of the first data message. The selected subset of frames has structural similarity to selected subsets of frames of other data messages communicated and monitored by other node devices of the network. A link cost associated with the wireless link is determined based on at least one transmission performance parameter value produced as a result of the monitoring, which can be used to update the packet routing paths.

Abstract: In a wireless multihop network having node devices within communication range neighboring node devices in a corresponding local neighborhood, the node devices initiate repeated message broadcasts of a first message as a connection-less broadcast into the local neighborhood. Initiation of message broadcasts is governed such that the message broadcasts are permitted only at specified transmission times within a plurality of transmission time windows. Each of the node devices determines whether any of the connection-less-broadcasted messages are duplicates of the first message, and generate a count of those duplicates received during each of the transmission windows. Based on counts of the duplicates, initiation of a message broadcast of the first message in a current transmission window is suppressed in response to a corresponding count of duplicates of the first message received during the first transmission window exceeding a suppression limit.