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: Disclosed herein are preconnectorized cable assemblies and methods of making by cable segmentation. One method includes making cable assemblies by adding jacket segments around a cable bundle including a plurality of cable units having at least one optical fiber, and then attaching the plurality of jacket segments together. Another method includes making cable assemblies by inserting jacket segments between base jacket portions. The method includes circumferentially cutting a ring cut in a base jacket surrounding a cable bundle having a plurality of subunit cables with at least one optical fiber. An insert jacket segment is then positioned around the cable bundle and inserted within an access window in the base jacket. The insert jacket segment is joined along a longitudinal slit and ends of the insert jacket segment are attached to the base jacket. A subunit cable of the cable bundle extends through the first side opening.

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 of threading a metal substrate on a rolling mill include receiving a coil of the metal substrate. The method also includes uncoiling the metal substrate from the coil while the coil and guiding the metal substrate to a work stand of the rolling mill with a threading system.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are preconnectorized cable assemblies and methods of making using a pull string. One embodiment of the disclosure relates to a method of manufacturing a distribution cable assembly using a pull string fed through a jacket of a distribution cable. Subunit cables are attached to the pull string through openings in the jacket of the distribution cable, and then pulled, via the pull string, through the jacket until drawn through a distribution end opening of the jacket. Another embodiment relates to a distribution cable assembly including junction shells covering side openings in the jacket. The junction shell includes a first half shell attached to a second half shell by a fastener. The first half shell includes stops proximate ends of a side opening to fix the junction shell along an axis of the jacket.

Abstract: The subject of this disclosure is a method for manufacturing a footwear article comprising providing of a first knitted tubular part comprising at least one fusible portion, at least one sole part, at least one flattening opening of unitary knitted construction with the first knitted tubular part and extending at least in the sole part, and providing one or more functional components, disposing, at least partly, the first tubular part substantially flat using the flattening opening; functionalizing the first knitted tubular part, at least partly, substantially flat with one or more functional components to form a footwear assembly; and transforming the footwear assembly on a preform having the foot shape in an upper, transforming the footwear assembly comprising thermoforming the footwear assembly to follow the foot shape of the preform.

Abstract: A method includes pulsating a magnetic field at a first location associated with an external surface of a wall containing magnetic material. The method also includes measuring at least one characteristic of the pulsating magnetic field at a second location associated with the external surface of the wall. The at least one characteristic changes based on corrosion on an internal surface the wall between the first and second locations. The magnetic field could be pulsated by applying an AC signal to a conductive coil or by vibrating a magnet. The method could also include analyzing the at least one measured characteristic to identify an amount of the corrosion and/or a change in the amount of the corrosion. Use of the internal surface the wall could be modified based on the amount or change of the corrosion.

Abstract: An integrated force sensing element includes a piezoelectric sensor formed in an integrated circuit (IC) chip and a strain gauge at least partially overlying the piezoelectric sensor, where the piezoelectric sensor is able to flex. A human-machine interface using the integrated force sensing element is also disclosed and may include a conditioning circuit, temperature gauge, FRAM and a processor core.

Abstract: An interconnect system is provided that involves pre-installing a connector housing an optical connector in an adapter and a ferrule of the same optical connector on a cable. The ferrule terminates one or more groups of optical fibers, and a ferrule push component is also pre-installed on the same group(s) of optical fibers. The connector housing is configured to receive and retain the ferrule and ferrule push component without being removed from the adapter to simultaneously form the optical connector and install the optical connector in the adapter. Embodiments such an interconnect system involving high fiber-count cables and related installation methods involving many optical connections are disclosed.

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: A deck for a treadmill includes a continuous belt, and a plurality of rollers engaging the continuous belt. The continuous belt and rollers at least partly define cavity of the deck. The deck also includes a first motor configured to modify a position of the deck relative to a support surface on which the deck is supported, and a second motor configured to modify a speed of rotation of the track. The first motor and the second motor are disposed within the cavity.

Abstract: An aerosol provision cartridge (30) for an aerosol provision system (10). The cartridge (30) comprises a refillable chamber (100) for aerosol precursor material, the chamber (100) comprising a first opening (102) and a second opening (104), each opening (102;104) allowing for access into the chamber (100). Each opening (102;104) is covered by a respective cap (130;132) which is configured to be uncoupled from the chamber (100) for allowing access to the opening (102;104). The cartridge (30) is configured such that each cap (130;132), when coupled to the chamber (100), requires at least two different actions (A1;A2) to be uncoupled from the chamber (100). The first or second action (A1;A2) may each include, but are not limited, to: rotating; pulling; pushing; or unlatching.

Abstract: A wireless device including a receiver circuit coupled to a radio frequency receiver node, a frequency selective attenuator including an inductor and a first capacitor coupled in series to the radio frequency receiver node, and a second capacitor coupled in parallel with the first capacitor. The first capacitor has a first capacitance based on a blocker frequency and the second capacitor has a second capacitance that linearizes the frequency selective attenuator. A method of linearizing a frequency selective attenuator including detecting presence of a blocker signal, activating and programming a capacitor of the frequency selective attenuator to reduce a strength of the blocker signal, determining a frequency difference between the blocker signal and a receive frequency, and coupling a second capacitor to the frequency selective attenuator to linearize the frequency selective attenuator when the frequency difference is no more than an attenuation threshold.

Abstract: Systems and methods of threading a metal substrate on a rolling mill include receiving a coil of the metal substrate. The method also includes uncoiling the metal substrate from the coil while the coil and guiding the metal substrate to a work stand of the rolling mill with a threading system.

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 system and method for one-way ranging is disclosed. The system comprises a transmitter, also referred to as a tag, transmitting a packet having a sounding sequence. The receiver, also referred to as the locator, receives the sounding sequence. The receiver measures and saves the phase at a plurality of points in time. The sounding sequence has two frequencies, which are additive inverses of one another. A discrete Fourier transform is performed on the plurality of phase measurements to determine the phase of each of the two frequencies. The difference between these two frequencies is related to the time that the packet traveled. Additionally, a calibration of the transmit path and/or receive path may be performed to improve the accuracy of the results.

Abstract: Embodiments of a modular sign system with a wireless backplane and related methods are generally described herein. Many embodiments include a sign system. In some embodiments, the sign system can comprise a plurality of units, a wireless communication system configured to transfer information between the plurality of units, and a control device configured to transmit information to at least one unit of the plurality of units. In many embodiments, each unit of the plurality of units comprises a display of a plurality displays, a controller of a plurality of controllers, and a transceiver of a plurality of transceivers. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.

Abstract: An interconnect system for a building includes a pre-terminated trunk cable assembly that has different groups of optical fibers carried by subunits and terminated by ferrules. The interconnect system also includes trays for managing interconnections with the ferrules. A plurality of adapters are disposed on each tray and arranged in a direction along a longitudinal axis of the tray. The adapters may be oriented at an angle relative to the longitudinal axis to facilitate routing of the optical fibers. At least one tray mount receiver may also be provided on each tray to cooperate with a tray mount that can secure a select subunit to the tray.

Abstract: A fiber optic cable assembly comprises: a cable jacket; distinct groups of optical fibers carried within the cable jacket and extending beyond a first end of the cable jacket; a furcation body positioned on the first end of the cable jacket such that the distinct groups of optical fibers have respective fiber end sections extending beyond the furcation body; and a pulling grip assembly protecting the fiber end sections. The pulling grip assembly includes a pulling band releasably secured to the cable jacket by a clamp, and is configured to withstand significant tensile loads despite being easily removable.

Abstract: A system includes a battery and a monitoring circuit coupled to the battery. The monitoring circuit includes a sense circuit and a peripheral device coupled to the sense circuit. The peripheral device includes a universal asynchronous receiver-transmitter (UART) receiver having an adaptive sample timing circuit with a numerically-controlled oscillator (NCO) circuit. The peripheral device also includes memory coupled to the UART receiver and configured to store battery monitoring data.