Abstract: A method and apparatus for ensuring and tracking electrostatic discharge (ESD) safety and compliance via electronics that gather information and parameters from wearable electronics, such as a wrist strap, worn by each user at a company's electronics-manufacturing plant or similar facility that indicate whether and when a functional ESD ground is established and continually maintained between each respective user and each workstation at which each respective user locates, wherein a system monitor is configured to receive on a continual or periodic basis whether each user is complying with the ESD policy of the company. In some embodiments, the parts worked on at each workstation, billing and job numbers, and/or employee work hours are also tracked by a computer server that aggregates data from one or more system monitors and generates compliance reports for each part, job, and/or employee.

Abstract: A light emitting diode (LED) lighting system and method is inherently configurable into a variety of new and retrofit lamp applications. This reduces fixture costs by incorporating the heat removal method, light guide system, and a chassis into one easy to assemble and install structure. It also allows for configuration of a lighting system for determining overall height, overall inner and outer radii, light directivity, lighting intensity, and thermal performance. In retrofit applications, the lighting system can be configured to minimize installation costs. In a preferred embodiment, a LED lighting system is comprised of sub assemblies of LED circuit strips or arrays conjoined to create a multifaceted structure. Each sub-assembly has LEDs mounted on a circuit substrate with conductors to electrically connect the LEDs. These circuits are thermally interfaced and attached to thermally conductive material selected, treated, or processed to obtain desired light reflecting properties.

Abstract: This application relates to the systems and methods for networking and control of lighting systems. In particular, this application relates to the addressing and control of light emitting diodes (LEDs) connected serially on a bus within a network of serially bussed LEDs. The approaches described in this application simplify and lower the cost of control by distributing the control functions between a serial bus controller and controllers associated with individual LEDs or LED circuits on the serial bus. Hardware intensive decoding of predefined addresses, or time consuming address processing and determining algorithms, are not employed. Instead, the addressing method disclosed both simplifies the system by reducing hardware requirements and improves the speed of the data packets and reduces packet latency moving down the serial bus.

Abstract: A workflow manager system provides computer-assisted, graphical tools for defining and managing complex processes in terms of a workflow. A workflow includes a number of steps having step encapsulations and dependency relationships. Step encapsulations define the work to be performed by a step in a work flow such as launching a design tool. The dependency relationships represent the conditions that must be satisfied before a step can be performed and can be expressed in terms of boolean relationships using step and data states or data values as arguments. The workflow system manages the state of a workflow including the state of steps and data, and makes the workflow and its related data accessible to multiple users.

Abstract: A system and method for organizing design data in a computer system so that multiple data files can be represented and manipulated as a single entity, referred to herein as a design object. Each design object is represented graphically by a symbol on a computer display screen. Associated with the multiple data files of a design object is a software design tool such as a text editor or schematic editor. The tool may be applied to work on the data files of the design object when the design object is opened. Opening a design object is typically done by positioning the screen cursor over the symbol and then using a mouse or keyboard to open the symbol and thereby the data files and tool. Data files grouped in a design object are thus much simpler to manage than separate data files that a user must first identify, retrieve and collect before applying a tool.

Abstract: A battery powered cardioverter or defibrillator employing a DC-DC converter for charging high voltage output capacitors and for delivering biphasic cardioversion or defibrillation pulses through a bridge circuit including high and low side drive circuits under the control of a microprocessor controlled arrhythmia detection system. Upon the detection of an arrhythmia and the selection of cardioversion/defibrillation therapy, the charging of the high voltage output capacitors is commenced and the capacitor voltage enables a regulated voltage source for the high and low side drive circuits for the high power IGTs of each branch of the bridge circuit. High voltage switching transients are suppressed from re-triggering or otherwise affecting operation of the drive circuits. Fail safe circuitry disables operation of the drive circuits in the event that the first and second control signals are inadvertently provided simultaneously or overlap.

Abstract: Method and apparatus estimates fault coverage of a set of test vectors to be applied to a circuit containing sequential elements. The apparatus permits sequential elements to be represented as functional blocks rather than combinational circuits with feedback. This is accomplished by taking into account the external state of the sequential element during circuit simulation. The apparatus also takes into account high impedance as possible inputs and outputs.

Abstract: A board to board interconnect assembly is installed between a first multilayer circuit board and a second multilayer circuit board. The assembly is comprised of a first housing member carrying electrical contacts and a second housing member carrying electrical contacts which mateably engage with the contacts of the first housing member. The first and second circuit boards have corresponding arrays of plated through apertures selectively connected to the circuit layers of the respective boards. Socket carrying contacts are frictionally engaged in certain of the plated through conductive apertures of the first and second circuit boards to secure the first housing member to the first circuit board and the second housing member to the second circuit board. Flex contacts are installed in conductive plated through apertures of the boards opposite each of the socket contacts and are frictionally engaged with the socket contacts.

Abstract: A PC board supported by a frame has an electronic chip secured thereto. The chip has a pair of heat exchange fins. Each fin projects through a groove and into a channel of a cooling module intermediate a cooling surface of the cooling module and an expansible conduit. Each expansible conduit is totally contained within one of the channels of the cooling module and has an expanded condition and a collapsed condition. When the conduits are in their collapsed condition, the fins can be inserted through the grooves and moved along the channels of the cooling module. When the conduits are in their expanded condition, they press against the fins to force the fins against the cooling surfaces of the cooling module to cool the chip. When the expansible conduits are collapsed, the fins can be withdrawn from the cooling module channels as the PC board is withdrawn from the frame.