Abstract: A trapped vortex combustor for use in a gas turbine engine includes an outer vortex chamber wall and a dome attached to, or formed integrally with, the outer vortex chamber wall. The dome, the outer vortex chamber wall, or both define at least in part an outer trapped vortex chamber and a channel. The channel extends along the circumferential direction at a forward end of the outer vortex chamber wall, the channel configured to receive an airflow through or around the outer vortex chamber wall, the dome, or both and provide such airflow as a continuous annular airflow to the inner surface of the outer vortex chamber wall. The dome further defines a fuel nozzle opening, with all openings in the dome outward of the fuel nozzle opening along the radial direction, excepting any effusion cooling holes having a diameter less than about 0.035 inches, being in airflow communication with the channel.

Abstract: A tool for making contoured composite hat stringers allows control of stringer wrinkling. The tool includes a set of first openings that allow the tool to flex during contouring of the stringer, and a set of second openings into which portions of the composite charge may strain during the contouring.

Abstract: A tool is configured to form a composite charge into a stringer having a net shape with at least one out-of-place feature. The out-of-plane feature is formed by a shim removably attached to the tool. A family of the shims may be used to form a range of out-of-plane features having varying characteristics.

Abstract: Cap wrinkling in a contoured composite hat stringer is reduced by constraining the cap as the hat stringer is being formed from a flat composite charge. The cap is constrained by an inflatable bladder placed in a tool set used to form the composite charge.

Abstract: A computer includes a processor and a memory, the memory storing instructions executable by the processor to identify an initial lateral distance and an initial longitudinal distance of a host vehicle in a turn at an initiation of the turn, predict a heading angle of the host vehicle at a specified time after the initiation of the turn, predict a final lateral distance and a final longitudinal distance between the host vehicle and a target at the specified time based on the identified lateral distance, the identified longitudinal position, and the predicted heading angle, determine a lateral offset at a longitudinal time to collision based on the final lateral distance and the final longitudinal distance, and actuate a brake of the host vehicle according to a threat assessment based on the lateral offset.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an optical fiber, the method including drawing a bare optical fiber from an optical fiber preform along a draw pathway. The method further includes during the drawing step, moving a first fluid bearing from a first position to a second position, the first position being removed from the draw pathway and the second position being disposed in the draw pathway such that the movement of the first fluid bearing to the second position causes at least a first portion of the draw pathway to change direction.

Abstract: A trapped vortex combustor for use in a gas turbine engine includes an outer vortex chamber wall and a dome attached to, or formed integrally with, the outer vortex chamber wall. The dome, the outer vortex chamber wall, or both define at least in part an outer trapped vortex chamber and a channel. The channel extends along the circumferential direction at a forward end of the outer vortex chamber wall, the channel configured to receive an airflow through or around the outer vortex chamber wall, the dome, or both and provide such airflow as a continuous annular airflow to the inner surface of the outer vortex chamber wall. The dome further defines a fuel nozzle opening, with all openings in the dome outward of the fuel nozzle opening along the radial direction, excepting any effusion cooling holes having a diameter less than about 0.035 inches, being in airflow communication with the channel.

Abstract: A transmitter can include a laser operable to output an optical signal; a digital signal processor operable to receive data and provide a plurality of electrical signals based on the data; and a modulator operable to modulate the optical signal to provide a plurality of optical subcarriers based on the plurality of electrical signals. One of the plurality of subcarriers carries first information indicative of a first portion of the data in a first time slot and second information indicative of a second portion of the data in a second time slot. The first information is associated with a first node remote from the transmitter and the second information is associated with a second node remote from the transmitter. A receiver as well as a system also are described.

Abstract: An odometer verification method includes capturing an odometer image at a threshold date, calculating a first and a second mileage using OCR, determining whether the first and the second mileage match, and updating a user profile associated with the insurance policy. A non-transitory, tangible computer-readable medium stores machine readable instructions in a mobile computing device, that when executed by a processor, cause the processor to capture an odometer image at a threshold date, calculate a first and a second mileage using OCR, determine whether the first and the second mileage match, and update a user profile. A mobile computing device includes an image capture unit configured to capture an odometer image at a threshold date, perform a first and a second OCR, determine whether the first and the second mileage match, and update the insurance policy user profile of the vehicle.

Abstract: Optical network systems and components are disclosed including a transmitter comprising a digital signal processor receiving a plurality of independent data streams, the digital signal processor supplying outputs based on the plurality of independent data streams, the digital signal processor comprising a plurality of pulse shape filters corresponding to the plurality of independent data streams, the plurality of pulse shape filters configured to filter the independent data streams to produce a first subcarrier having a first frequency bandwidth and a second subcarrier having a second frequency bandwidth different than the first frequency bandwidth for the outputs.

Abstract: Systems, device and techniques are disclosed for performing a media action such as a democratic skip action based on input from one or more users that are part of a media group. One or more users within a media group may provide preference indicators (e.g., skip, keep, null) and, upon reaching a threshold number of preference indicators, a media action (e.g., skip song) may be taken. The preference indicators may be weighed based on one or more factors such as a user or media item.

Abstract: An effective spacing is calculated for each physical spacing between two or more neighbor nets of a target net. Segment boundaries are determined based on the calculated effective spacing to define segments for the target net and one of the segments is selected. A metal configuration for the selected segment is identified and a table of capacitance per-unit-length is accessed for the identified metal configuration to return an above capacitance value, a below capacitance value, a left-side capacitance value, and a right-side capacitance value for the corresponding segment, the table comprising at least a two-dimensional (2D) table. The capacitance values are scaled based on a corresponding segment length determined from the calculated effective spacing. The selecting, identifying, accessing and scaling operations are repeated for each remaining segment of the target net. Optionally, the above, below, left, and right capacitance values for all segments of the target net are summed.

Abstract: Consistent with the present disclosure, a local oscillator is provided in a receiver. The local oscillator laser a first and second mirrors and phase section and heaters are provided adjacent each portion of the laser, such that the temperature and thus the frequency of light output from the local oscillator laser may be tuned. Applying electrical power, such as a current or voltage to the phase section may result in rapid frequency tuning of light output from the local oscillator laser but over a limited frequency range. Temperature changes to the mirror sections, however, may afford frequency tuning over a wider range, but frequency tuning the mirror sections requires more time than that required to tune the phase section. Consistent with the present disclosure, a tuning method and apparatus is provided that optimizes laser tuning by selectively tuning the phase and mirror sections.

Abstract: A column for removal of a component from a fluid is disclosed. The column has a compartment with a cross sectional area. The compartment contains beads having a diameter. A ligand selected to bind to the component is coupled to the beads. The cross-sectional area and bead diameter are selected to maintain a flow velocity of the fluid within the compartment below a first threshold, thereby reducing leaching of the ligand into the fluid. Also described herein is an adsorbent comprising a ligand that is attached to a substrate by an amine bond, wherein the ligand is resistant to dissociation from the substrate.

Abstract: An example apparatus includes an optical transmitter, an optical splitter, lenses, and mirrors. The optical splitter has an input and several outputs. The input of the optical splitter is optically coupled to the transmitter, such that each of the outputs of the optical splitter is operable to supply a corresponding one of a plurality of modulated optical signals, each of which includes a plurality of optical subcarriers. Each of the lenses is optically coupled to a respective one of the outputs of the optical splitter. Each of the lenses is operable to receive a corresponding one of the modulated optical signals. Each of the mirrors is optically coupled to a corresponding one of the lenses, such that each of the mirrors is operable to direct a respective one of the modulated optical signals for transmission through free space.

Abstract: Consistent the present disclosure, a network or system is provided in which a hub or primary node may communication with a plurality of leaf or secondary nodes. The hub node may operate or have a capacity that may be greater than that of the leaf nodes. Accordingly, relatively inexpensive leaf nodes may be deployed that receive data carrying optical signals from and supply data carrying optical signals to the hub node. One or more connections may couple each leaf node to the hub node, whereby each connection may include one or more spans or segments of optical fibers, optical amplifiers, and optical add/drop multiplexer, for example. Consistent with an aspect of the present disclosure, optical subcarriers may be transmitted over such connections. The subcarriers may be generated by a combination of a laser and a modulator, such that multiple lasers and modulators are not required, and costs may be reduced.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for processing a stream of incoming messages sent from a specific input message source and validating each incoming message of that stream before sending them to a specific target system.

Abstract: Provided is a cable lock including a locking clasp including first and second clasp components having first and second security cable connection arms. The locking clasp includes at least one groove. The at least one groove is configured to receive at least one device cable. The cable lock includes a security cable having a wire rope and a vinyl coating. The wire rope includes a plurality of wire strings arranged in a plurality of clusters. The first and second security cable connection arms of the locking clasp are coupled to a first end of the security cable. First and second stop sleeves are disposed on opposite sides of the first and second security cable connection arms. A device connection means is disposed at a second end of the security cable opposite the first end of the security cable.

Abstract: A method for obtaining query response data by a relational database management system (RDBMS) is provided. The method receives a user input query, by a processor associated with the RDBMS, wherein the user input query comprises a query request for a set of data; formats the user input query into a second query language suitable for communication between the RDBMS and a query response interface associated with a second data storage external to the RDBMS, by the processor, to generate a reformatted user input query, wherein the RDBMS is configured to perform query operations using an n-ary tree format, and wherein the query response interface is configured to perform query operations using a binary tree format consisting of two child nodes per non-terminal node of a binary tree; and transmits the reformatted user input query to the query response interface, via a communication device communicatively coupled to the processor.

Abstract: An example method is performed by a terrestrial control system communicatively coupled to a constellation of satellites. According to the method, instructions are transmitted to a first satellite of the constellation to transmit a plurality of first groups of optical subcarriers to a plurality of second satellites of the constellation via free-space optical communication. The first groups of optical subcarriers carry first data and each of the first groups of optical subcarriers is associated, respectively, with a different communications module of the second satellites. Further, instructions are transmitted to the second satellites to transmit a plurality of second optical subcarriers to the first satellite via free-space optical communication. The second groups of optical subcarriers carry second data and each of the second groups of optical subcarriers is associated, respectively, with a different communications module of the second satellites.