Abstract: Capacitors are commonly used in design and manufacturing of PCBs, which may exhibit a vibration effect, such as a piezoelectric effect. This vibration may induce acoustic noise. PCB capacitor-induced acoustic noise mitigation may include receiving an AC input that is converted and applied to a voltage rail, which may be used by first capacitor set. An additional capacitor set may receive and invert the voltage rail signal and oscillate (e.g., vibrate) out of phase with the first capacitor set, such that the second capacitor set mitigates or cancels the acoustic noise generated by the first capacitor set.

Abstract: A first circuit to receive from a sensor a thermal condition of a voltage regulator while circuitry comprising the voltage regulator is to regulate delivery of power to a power domain having first and second components. The circuitry is to control a first power consumption rate of the first component based on a first parameter and control a second power consumption rate of the second component based on a second parameter. The first circuit monitors the thermal condition and generates an evaluation result based on a test criterion. A second circuit receives from the first circuit a signal based on the evaluation result. Based on the signal, the second circuit is to signal the circuitry to change the first parameter. An amount of any change to the second parameter based on the evaluation result is different than an amount of change to the first parameter based on the evaluation result.

Abstract: An air mover external to a mobile computing device provides enhanced cooling to the device by generating forced air delivered to the device via cooling channels connected to openings in the device chassis. If the mobile computing device is passively cooled (is a fanless device), the enhanced cooling can enable the device or device components to operate at a higher power consumption level without exceeding device/component thermal limits or for features that consume high amounts of power (e.g., fast charging) to be incorporated into the device. The air mover can be integrated into or attached to a cable that provides power to the mobile computing device. The air mover can be powered by the cable. The air mover can dynamically adjust the flow rate of the forced air based on device/component performance information (temperature, power consumption, current consumption) or operational state information of the device.

Abstract: A workload dependent load-sharing mechanism in a multi-battery system. The mechanism is an energy management system that operates in three modes—energy saving mode, balancer mode, and turbo mode. The energy saving mode is a normal mode where the multiple batteries provide power to their own set of loads with least resistive dissipation. In balancing mode, the batteries are connected through switches operating in active mode so that the current shared is inversely proportion to the corresponding battery state-of-charge. In turbo mode, both batteries are connected in parallel through switches (e.g., on-switches) to provide maximum power to a processor or load. A controller optimizes the sequence and charging rate for a hybrid battery to maximize both the charging current and charging speed of the battery, while enabling longer battery life. The hybrid battery comprises a fast charging battery and a high-energy density battery.

Abstract: A monitoring system for an aircraft.

Abstract: A monitoring system for monitoring one or more operating conditions of a structure such as an aircraft, method of operating a system for monitoring one or more operating conditions of the structure, and a sensor node for use in a monitoring system for monitoring one or more operating conditions of the structure, are provided. An example of a monitoring system can include a plurality of sensor nodes coupled to the structure and a controller for monitoring the sensor nodes. Each sensor node can include a communications interface including memory storing a plurality of sensor node communication protocol attributes used for communicating with the controller.

Abstract: Monitoring systems, sensor nodes, and methods of operating a system for monitoring one or more operating conditions of a structure, are provided. An exemplary monitoring system includes one or more sensor nodes each including a power supply, a sensor configured to sense whether or not the power level of the power supply, and a communications interlace for communicating sensed operating conditions. The system also includes a controller in communication with the sensor nodes through a communication network to monitor the sensor nodes.

Abstract: A system and method to monitor the condition of a structure is provided. In one embodiment, a sensor node can include a power supply that can scavenge available energy, a sensor for sensing conditions in the immediate environment, and a communications interface for communicating the sensed operating conditions. Readers can be used to acquire data from the sensor nodes. In one embodiment, the readers can determine if the data from the sensor nodes is an exception and, if so, determine whether trend data is sufficient.

Abstract: A monitoring system for an aircraft.

Abstract: A distributed monitoring system for a structure.

Abstract: A monitoring system for an aircraft.

Abstract: A monitoring system for an aircraft.

Abstract: A broad band energy harvesting system to harvest energy from a structure and associated methods are provided. The system includes a structure carrying a plurality of environmentally produced vibration frequencies extending over a frequency range and an energy harvesting apparatus positioned in vibration receiving communication with the structure to harvest energy from the structure. Each energy harvesting apparatus includes broadly tuned energy harvesting generators having relatively low quality factor and corresponding relatively wide bandwidth. The energy harvesting generators collectively provide energy harvesting over multiple modes to thereby provide energy harvesting over a substantial portion of the frequency range. Each energy harvesting generator can include a cantilevered beam connected to a common backbone comprised of a resilient material configured to transfer energy between adjacent generators to further enhance energy harvesting.

Abstract: A broad band energy harvesting system to harvest energy from a structure and associated methods are provided. The system includes a structure carrying a plurality of environmentally produced vibration frequencies extending over a frequency range and an energy harvesting apparatus positioned in vibration receiving communication with the structure to harvest energy from the structure. Each energy harvesting apparatus includes broadly tuned energy harvesting generators having relatively low quality factor and corresponding relatively wide bandwidth. The energy harvesting generators collectively provide energy harvesting over multiple modes to thereby provide energy harvesting over a substantial portion of the frequency range. Each energy harvesting generator can include a cantilevered beam connected to a common backbone comprised of a resilient material configured to transfer energy between adjacent generators to further enhance energy harvesting.

Abstract: A system to monitor the health of a structure, health monitoring sensor nodes, program product, and associated methods are provided. The system includes an array of health monitoring sensor nodes connected to or embedded within a structure to monitor the health of the structure. Each health monitoring sensor node includes sensor elements positioned to sense parameters of the structure and to provide data related to the parameters to a health monitoring sensor node interrogator. Each health monitoring sensor node has a tunable antenna arrangement individually tunable to minimize data collisions between each other of the health monitoring sensor nodes. Each health monitoring sensor node also includes a processor and memory in communication with the processor storing a parameter processing program product adapted to control tuning the antenna arrangement and providing data to the health monitoring sensor node interrogator.

Abstract: A system to monitor the health of a structure, health monitoring sensor nodes, program product, and associated methods are provided. The system includes an array of health monitoring sensor nodes connected to or embedded within a structure to monitor the health of the structure. Each health monitoring sensor node includes sensor elements positioned to sense parameters of the structure and to provide data related to the parameters to a health monitoring sensor node interrogator. Each health monitoring sensor node has a tunable antenna arrangement individually tunable to minimize data collisions between each other of the health monitoring sensor nodes. Each health monitoring sensor node also includes a processor and memory in communication with the processor storing a parameter processing program product adapted to control tuning the antenna arrangement and providing data to the health monitoring sensor node interrogator.

Abstract: A protection system for a power distribution system is provided. The protection system includes a central computer, a plurality of data modules, and a data network. The data modules are each in communication with a different circuit breaker of the power distribution system. The data network communicates between the central computer and the plurality of data modules. The central computer sends an instruction to the plurality of data modules over the data network to aid in synchronization of sampling of a power condition at the plurality of data modules.