Abstract: An adjustable size inlet duct system for a ducted fan propulsion system may change its inlet profile to enhance thrust levels in low-speed and hovering flight conditions and may change its inlet profile to reduce drag to permit faster flight speeds at higher operating speeds. The adjustable size inlet duct system may include duct petals and associated actuators. During slow speed flight, the petals may expand to generate a rounded large inlet area bellmouth profile. At higher flight speeds, the petals may contract to reduce the profile drag of the duct in forward flight. An optional exterior bypass duct may be included to provide additional thrust in excess of the thrust provided by the ducted fan. An optional annular electric motor housed in the exterior bypass duct may be included to generate still more excess thrust.

Abstract: A client request originating from a client device and destined for a server via a network is intercepted. The server is configured to perform a service in response to the client request. A determination is made of whether the request action and the request resource of the client request matches a pattern action and a pattern resource of a pattern in a rule. Based on a determination there is a match, a determination is made of whether a threshold trigger condition in the rule is satisfied based. In response to the threshold trigger condition being satisfied, a determination is made of whether a reset condition in the rule is not satisfied. In response to the reset condition not being satisfied, at least one rule action associated with the pattern is performed, wherein performing the at least one rule action comprises returning an errored response back to the client device.

Abstract: A client request originating from a client device and destined for a server via a network is intercepted. The server is configured to perform a service in response to the client request. A determination is made of whether the request action and the request resource of the client request matches a pattern action and a pattern resource of a pattern in a rule. Based on a determination there is a match, a determination is made of whether a threshold trigger condition in the rule is satisfied based. In response to the threshold trigger condition being satisfied, a determination is made of whether a reset condition in the rule is not satisfied. In response to the reset condition not being satisfied, at least one rule action associated with the pattern is performed, wherein performing the at least one rule action comprises returning an errored response back to the client device.

Abstract: An adjustable size inlet duct system for a ducted fan propulsion system may change its inlet profile to enhance thrust levels in low-speed and hovering flight conditions and may change its inlet profile to reduce drag to permit faster flight speeds at higher operating speeds. The adjustable size inlet duct system may include duct petals and associated actuators. During slow speed flight, the petals may expand to generate a rounded large inlet area bellmouth profile. At higher flight speeds, the petals may contract to reduce the profile drag of the duct in forward flight. An optional exterior bypass duct may be included to provide additional thrust in excess of the thrust provided by the ducted fan. An optional annular electric motor housed in the exterior bypass duct may be included to generate still more excess thrust.

Abstract: Metal surfaces may be cleaned using a dry ice (CO2) blasting processes. Once cleaned, the surfaces are ready to be painted. The process of this invention is especially useful on ships where there are numerous metal surfaces that are subject to dirt and corrosions. The proper operating parameters for each of the types of metal surfaces require exacting conditions. These parameters include the size of the dry ice pellets, the discharge rate of the ice pellets, the type of nozzle being used and the flow rate of the pellets, the pressure of the pellets leaving the nozzle. The dry ice cleaning processes of the present invention eliminates secondary waste streams and moisture, leaving the treated surfaces immediately ready for painting. Only the dirt, loose paint, debris and other surface contaminants removed during the dry ice cleaning process need to be cleaned up prior to preservation and/or painting and return to service.

Abstract: A Modbus data protocol register formatting system and method are disclosed. The system and method provide for the Modbus communications protocol request and recall of data stored in a register in the data base native format, and the conversion of the data into a different requested format. The system and method similarly provide for the writing of data into a device register from a known variable format into the data base native format. The ability to convert the data by a format converter after recalling the data, or before storing the data, obviates the need to store or write data in different or multiple formats. The inventive method uses a modified register mapping that comprises defined mapping elements identifying the data address location, the requested data format, along with the data variable. The register mapping is fully variable to provide for a wide range of data formats and data address formats.

Abstract: A Modbus data protocol register formatting system and method are disclosed. The system and method provide for the Modbus communications protocol request and recall of data stored in a register in the data base native format, and the conversion of the data into a different requested format. The system and method similarly provide for the writing of data into a device register from a known variable format into the data base native format. The ability to convert the data by a format converter after recalling the data, or before storing the data, obviates the need to store or write data in different or multiple formats. The inventive method uses a modified register mapping that comprises defined mapping elements identifying the data address location, the requested data format, along with the data variable. The register mapping is fully variable to provide for a wide range of data formats and data address formats.

Abstract: An aircraft is provided having a fuselage and a pair of main wings. Each main wing includes a lift fan segment, a generally circular duct defined within the lift fan segment and a fan mounted within the duct. A tip extender is coupled with the tip of at least one of the fan blades and contacts the duct sidewall so that flow leakage of air between the tip of the fan and duct sidewall is reduced and the thrust efficiency increased. In another aspect of the invention, an elongated duct extender is coupled with the wings of the aircraft. When extended, the effective depth of the duct is increased to improve thrust efficiency. In another aspect of the invention, a number of outlet control vanes are located over the outlet of the duct. The outlet control vanes located near the center of the duct are operable independently of the remainder of the outlet control vanes to limit airflow through the center of the duct and prevent the inducement of a vortex ring state.