Abstract: An antenna array that utilizes ground guard rings and metamaterial structures is disclosed. In certain embodiments, the antenna array is constructed from a plurality of antenna unit cells, wherein each antenna unit cell is identical. The antenna unit cell comprises a top surface, that contains a patch antenna and a ground guard ring. A reactive impedance surface (RIS) layer is disposed beneath the top surface and contains the metamaterial structures. The metamaterial structures are configured to present an inductance to the patch antennas, thereby allowing the patch antennas to be smaller than would otherwise be possible. In some embodiments, the metamaterial structures comprise hollow square frames. An antenna array constructed using this antenna unit cell has less coupling than conventional antenna arrays, which results in better performance. Furthermore, this new antenna array also requires less space than conventional antenna arrays.

Abstract: A wireless transceiver including a receiver circuit coupled to an RF transceiver node, a tunable notch filter coupled between the RF transceiver node and a reference node, and a controller that programs the tunable notch filter with a selected blocker frequency and that selectively enables the tunable notch filter to attenuate at least one blocker signal. The tunable notch filter may include a variable capacitor and an inductor coupled in series between the RF transceiver node and ground. The inductor of the tunable notch filter may include a bondwire coupled between a semiconductor die and a semiconductor package. The inductance may include a physical inductor mounted on the package or a printed circuit board. The tunable notch filter may be enabled by a switch selectively coupling the filter to either the RF transceiver node or ground. The variable capacitor may be digitally programmed with digital values stored in a memory.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for exchanging electrode tips, e.g., electrode tips used in resistance spot welding, and disposing of used/unusable electrode tips. Used/unusable electrode tips may be collected, e.g., while within an assembly line. Such used/unusable electrode tips may be routed to a receptacle(s) reside outside the assembly line. Accordingly, disposing or removing of the used/unusable electrode tips can be accomplished without stopping the assembly line, and decreasing any chance for safety events.

Abstract: The instant invention is directed to a leading edge cleaning device which comprises a concave internal surface which is complementary to an airfoil shaped body profile over a selected percentage of the airfoil chord measured from the leading edge. The complimentary shape of the leading edge cleaning device serves to maintain contact with the airfoil leading edge during the cleaning process that removes surface contamination that causes roughness that can result in undesired detachment of the air flowing around the airfoil during operation. Removing airfoil surface roughness and restoring a smooth airfoil surface by cleaning spanwise along the leading edge over a selected percentage of the airfoil chord measured from the leading edge with the instant invention provides for increased overall performance, reduced drag and increased effective lift through restoring laminar flow around the leading edge of the airfoil as compared to an airfoil with surface roughness.

Abstract: There is provided an aerosol delivery device including a power source and controller, the controller being configured to control delivery of power from the power source to an aerosol-generator during a single aerosol-generation event according to a first power delivery profile and a subsequent power delivery profile having a different profile to the first power delivery profile, wherein the first power delivery profile has a predetermined output based on the voltage of the power supply.

Abstract: Devices, methods, and systems for securing elongate items including but not limited to a device comprising a grabber portion having a loading zone and a sliding member; an actuator connected to the sliding member; and an extension portion comprising a pole; where the sliding member is biased toward the loading zone in an unactuated state, and the actuator is configured to move the sliding member so that the loading zone is open to receive an elongate item while the sliding member is in an actuated state.

Abstract: A pre-termination module box and an optical fiber distribution box using same are provided, twelve groups of MDC adapters configured at a front end of a box body and arranged in a horizontal, single row. Each group of the twelve groups of MDC adapters adopts at least one two-core MDC connector, and a plurality of groups of MPO adapters configured at a rear end of the box body and arranged in a horizontal single row to connect with the twelve groups of MDC adapters. A receiving room is formed in the box body for receiving patch cords that are connected between the MDC and MPO adapters, a locking member arranged at the rear end and configured to lock the pre-termination module box in the optical fiber distribution box, which has high wiring capacity and is conducive to reducing a floor area of a central machine room and saving costs.

Abstract: A fiber optic cable assembly includes a fiber optic cable carrying a plurality of optical fibers and a plurality of distribution housings attached to the fiber optic cable at spaced locations along a length of the fiber optic cable. A subset of the plurality of optical fibers carried by the fiber optic cable is terminated at each of the plurality of distribution housings. Each of the plurality of distribution housings includes at least one port interface attached to the respective distribution housing for accessing the subset of optical fibers terminated at the respective distribution housing. The distribution housings are in-line with the cable and have a low-profile for ease of installation. A method of using and making such a fiber optic cable assembly is also disclosed.

Abstract: A cartridge for a vapor provision system including the cartridge and a control unit, wherein the cartridge includes a housing part having a mouthpiece end and an interface end, wherein the mouthpiece end includes a vapor outlet for the cartridge and the interface end includes an interface for coupling the cartridge to a control unit; an air channel extending from an air inlet in the housing part to the vapor outlet; a reservoir within the housing part containing liquid for vaporization, wherein an end of the reservoir at the interface end of the housing part is sealed by a resilient plug, wherein the reservoir includes a dividing wall between a first reservoir region on a side of the dividing wall facing the mouth piece end of the housing part and a second reservoir region on a side of the dividing wall facing the interface end of the housing part, wherein the dividing wall includes at least one fluid communication opening to provide fluid communication between the first reservoir region and the second reserv

Abstract: A communication method is configured to increase speed of messages reception over a bandwidth limited channel such as high frequency (HF) radio. User data arriving from a high-speed network is transformed into a format suitable for transmission over the radio channel. Message packets that will take longer to reach a destination via the radio channel as compared to alternative channels, such as a fiber optic network, are rejected for radio transmission. When the packet is received, the receiver deduces message length by using information from various error handling techniques, such as forward error correction (FEC) and cyclic redundancy check (CRC) techniques. Fill data is transmitted between message packets when no data is available. The FEC and CRC information for the fill data is modified so that the fill data will fail FEC and CRC checks at the receiving station.

Abstract: A method and communication system has been developed to increase the number of messages sent over a bandwidth limited channel and/or under noisy conditions by using a variable message length encoding and decoding scheme. With this technique, the messages having a higher probability of being sent are shorter as compared to the messages that are less likely to be sent under the current conditions. With this technique, a higher number of transactions per unit of time can be communicated and/or executed over a given bandwidth limited channel. When the transmitted message is received, the receiver does not know the message length, but the receiver deduces the length by using information from various error detection and correction techniques, such as forward error correction (FEC) and cyclic redundancy check (CRC) techniques.

Abstract: A gear shifting technique has been developed in which modulation and equalization are shifted to achieve optional performance. In one form, two or more equalizers, each associated with a demodulator and message decoder, determine if the modulation being used can be increased in complexity in order to increase the channel throughput or determine if the modulation method should be reduced in complexity in order to improve the receiver error performance. The quality metrics can based on which equalizer-demodulator-decoder is set to first detect a valid message. Other factors can be considered with this technique such as a packet-error ratio and a signal-to-noise ratio. In a financial trading system, message erasures can be favored over errored messages by limiting the number of bit or symbol corrections permitted per message to less than the maximum possible for the selected decoding schemes.

Abstract: A pre-termination module box and an optical fiber distribution box using same are provided, twelve groups of MDC adapters configured at a front end of a box body and arranged in a horizontal single row. Each group of the twelve groups of MDC adapters adopts at least one two-core MDC connector, and a plurality of groups of MPO adapters configured at a rear end of the box body and arranged in a horizontal single row to connect with the twelve groups of MDC adapters. A receiving room is formed in the box body for receiving patch cords that are connected between the MDC and MPO adapters, a locking member arranged at the rear end and configured to lock the pre-termination module box in the optical fiber distribution box, which has high wiring capacity and is conducive to reducing a floor area of a central machine room and saving costs.

Abstract: A system and method for determine the spatial position of a network device is disclosed. A locator device having an antenna array is used to perform an AoX calculation to find the direction to the network device. The AoX calculation utilizes a plurality of the antennas in the antenna array. The locator device also performs a high accuracy distance measurement (HADM). In certain embodiments, only one antenna in the antenna array is used for the HADM calculation. Using the direction and the distance to the network device, the locator is able to determine the spatial position of the network device. In some embodiments, the antenna array may a rotational symmetry array having a plurality of outer antenna elements and one central antenna element.

Abstract: A fiber optic cable includes an outer jacket, a plurality of optical fibers within the outer jacket, and a pull grip at an end of the fiber optic cable for pulling the cable through a pathway during installation of the cable. The pulling of the fiber optic cable through the pathway causes a tensile load to be imposed on the fiber optic cable. To accommodate the tensile load, the fiber optic cable further includes a load distribution member coupled to the pull grip and to the plurality of optical fibers. The load distribution member distributes the tensile load on the fiber optic cable over the plurality of optical fibers such that the plurality of optical fibers collectively provides the tensile strength to support the tensile load during routing of the fiber optic cable through the pathway. In this way, strength members may be omitted from the design of the cable and more optical fibers may fit within existing pathways. A method of making and a method of using such a fiber optic cable is also disclosed.

Abstract: A system can include an aerosol provision cartridge; and a body to which the aerosol provision cartridge is attachable, wherein the cartridge comprises: a refillable chamber for aerosolizable material, the refillable chamber comprising an opening for insertion of aerosolizable material into the refillable chamber, an aerosol generating component comprising a heater, and closure means for preventing access to the opening, wherein the closure means is moveable from a first position in which access to the opening is prevented, and a second position in which access to the opening is possible, wherein the closure means is prevented by the body from moving to the second position when the aerosol provision cartridge is attached to the body, and wherein the closure means is covered by the body when the aerosol provision cartridge is attached to the housing; wherein the aerosol provision cartridge is attachable to the body by being inserted into a recessed end of the body, and wherein the closure means is configured t

Abstract: A rotor includes a rotor winding that includes core recesses that are defined through the rotor winding. Raised protrusions are located on a top surface of the rotor winding and positioned adjacent to the core recesses. A core is fit at least partially into each of the core recesses, and a force is applied on the top surface of the rotor winding and the top surface of the cores to fit the cores within the core recesses. As the force is applied to the top surface of the rotor winding, the raised protrusions adjacent to the core recesses are deformed so that the material from the raised protrusion flows into the adjacent core recess. This extra material helps to secure the core within the core recess.

Abstract: An equalization method has been developed for low latency, low bandwidth wireless communication channel environments. With this method, an exact copy, nearly exact copy, or some facsimile of a message (or associated information), which was transmitted via a low latency, low bandwidth wireless communication channel, is also sent via a backend communication channel such as a fiber optic network. Equalization is generally performed by comparing the originally received message to the copy sent via the backend channel. The original message can incorporate an added channel delay to compensate for the time delay between the primary wireless channel and the backend channel.

Abstract: A cartridge for a vapor provision system including the cartridge and a control unit, wherein the cartridge includes a housing part having a mouthpiece end and an interface end, wherein the mouthpiece end includes a vapor outlet for the cartridge and the interface end includes an interface for coupling the cartridge to a control unit; an air channel extending from an air inlet in the housing part to the vapor outlet; a reservoir within the housing part containing liquid for vaporization, wherein an end of the reservoir at the interface end of the housing part is sealed by a resilient plug, wherein the reservoir includes a dividing wall between a first reservoir region on a side of the dividing wall facing the mouth piece end of the housing part and a second reservoir region on a side of the dividing wall facing the interface end of the housing part, wherein the dividing wall includes at least one fluid communication opening to provide fluid communication between the first reservoir region and the second reserv

Abstract: An optical fiber carrying structure that includes a jacket and a rip cord is provided. Optical fiber cables are used to transmit data over distance. Generally, large distribution cables that carry a multitude of optical fibers from a hub are sub-divided at network nodes into subunits. To remove a jacket of a subunit, the subunit may be provided with an access feature such as a rip cord. Described herein is a rip cord for use with optical fiber carrying structures.