Abstract: This invention relates to an emergency locator transmitter (ELT) that transmits an emergency signal to a global navigational satellite system (GNSS) indicating an aircraft crash location, or an aircraft distress tracker event signal that triggers the ELT to provide location of the aircraft, the ELT including a GNSS RF receiver. The invention ELT includes 406 MHz RF signal blanking switch, a GNSS high pass filter, RF radiator and EMI filter protection for the GNSS receiver to protect the GNSS receiver from 406 MHz emergency signals, unintentional RF radiators and electromagnetic interference (EMI) typically found in aircraft.

Abstract: A container that includes a microwave interactive web at least partially overlying and joined to a three-dimensional support, wherein the three-dimensional support may be formed prior to having the microwave interactive web mounted thereto. The three-dimensional support may be a preformed container that is sufficiently rigid and dimensionally stable for use in containing food.

Abstract: A method for finish a drilling operation by reducing the amount of pressure needed to pull a pipe through a borehole is provided. The method generally uses a lubricating clay composition that has a stable volume when exposed to water. The systems generally used to carry out the method comprise various boring machines, pumps, and mixing devices. The lubricating clay composition is added to water to create a drilling fluid, which may be used to lubricate the borehole and reduce the amount of wear on the boring machine as well as speed the progress of the job, especially during the completion, or pulling, phase.

Abstract: A protective metal enclosure box for lithium batteries that includes batteries subject to fire and explosion comprising a rigid metal covered box that includes an aluminum honeycomb grid core mesh that can receive multiple individual batteries spaced apart from each other and protected from each other thermally and from explosion. The protective battery pack box includes a pair of printed circuit boards for interacting with the batteries for transmitting voltage and amperage outside of said battery pack.

Abstract: An improved D.C. power supply for an emergency locator transmitter ELT mounted on an aircraft that does not require lithium batteries but instead uses conventional alkaline batteries in conjunction with a supercapacitor network to provide a reliable power source even when the ELT that is airborne is subjected to extreme cold temperatures that can affect the alkaline battery operation. Alkaline battery pack with a 12 V output is connected to a supercapacitor network board. The supercapacitors are charged when the ELT is activated ON using the comparator network.

Abstract: An improved D.C. power supply for an emergency locator transmitter ELT mounted on an aircraft that does not require lithium batteries but instead uses conventional alkaline batteries in conjunction with a supercapacitor network to provide a reliable power source even when the ELT that is airborne is subjected to extreme cold temperatures that can affect the alkaline battery operation. Alkaline battery pack with a 12 V output is connected to a supercapacitor network board. The supercapacitors are charged when the ELT is activated ON using the comparator network.

Abstract: An external battery pack for protecting against a battery fire or battery explosion, said battery pack connectable to an emergency locator transmitter (ELT) typically mounted in an aircraft. The external replaceable battery pack has a protective metal enclosure and a removable metal cover. The box includes an aluminum honeycomb grid core mesh with passages, each sized to receive a single battery and a pair of printed circuit boards on top and bottom to receive battery power, voltage and current, from multiple batteries for use with an ELT. By using smaller and more batteries together, the possibility of a catastrophic failure is greatly eliminated or reduced in that a smaller battery have a lesser fire or explosion potential. The batteries are isolated from each other from excessive heat or destruction by explosion.

Abstract: A container that includes a microwave interactive web at least partially overlying and joined to a three-dimensional support, wherein the three-dimensional support may be formed prior to having the microwave interactive web mounted thereto. The three-dimensional support may be a preformed container that is sufficiently rigid and dimensionally stable for use in containing food.

Abstract: A container that includes a microwave interactive web at least partially overlying and joined to a three-dimensional support, wherein the three-dimensional support may be formed prior to having the microwave interactive web mounted thereto. The three-dimensional support may be a preformed container that is sufficiently rigid and dimensionally stable for use in containing food.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for emergency communications using dual satellite communication systems for redundancy and a means of providing additional information to rescue services support emergency response. The system combines the Cospas-Sarsat emergency system for 406 beacons with a secondary means of distress alerting over a commercial satellite system as well as permitting the government agencies responsible for emergency services to directly interface with the person in distress to know about his/her location and to communicate with him or her to resolve the emergency in the best possible way.

Abstract: A dual-satellite emergency locator beacon and method for programming and updating such emergency locator beacons over the air. The system uses a second commercial satellite as the carrier for the data back to the beacon together with the means of coupling these parts together. The system can be manually updated or can be part of a registration system that gets automatically updated. In a second embodiment a method and apparatus for implementing emergency locator beacon registration is provided. The system provides data concerning the user into a backend service which can be utilized to provide all necessary information needed to register the emergency beacon.

Abstract: A dual-satellite emergency locator beacon including a first satellite communications transmitter, a second satellite communications transmitter, a first microprocessor and a second microprocessor. The first microprocessor controls the first transmitter and the second microprocessor controls the second transmitter. The first transmitter is configured to communicate over a first satellite communications system, such as the Cospas-Sarsat 406 MHz system, and the second transmitter is configured to communicate over a second satellite communications system, such as a commercial satellite communications system. The beacon includes a shared section comprising an antenna system comprising a first and second antenna, the first for the 406 Mhz transmitter and the second for the commercial satellite transmitter. The first and second microprocessors of the beacon are interconnected to permit data transfer between the two sections of the beacon.

Abstract: An emergency locator beacon device that includes sending a test signal from a first satellite transmitter of the device to a Cospas-Sarsat emergency monitoring service; receiving from a beacon testing service a test confirmation signal corresponding to the test signal, the confirmation signal being received on a second satellite receiver of the beacon; wherein the emergency monitoring service and the beacon testing service are in communication over the Internet. The first satellite transmitter comprises a 406 MHz emergency transmitter configured to communicate with a Cospas-Sarsat satellite system. The second satellite receiver comprises a SEND receiver configured to communicate with a commercial satellite system. The emergency monitoring service is in communication with a rescue coordination center and the rescue coordination center is further in communication with the beacon testing service by way of the Internet.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for emergency communications using dual satellite communication systems for redundancy and a means of providing additional information to rescue services support emergency response. The system combines the Cospas-Sarsat emergency system for 406 beacons with a secondary means of distress alerting over a commercial satellite system as well as permitting the government agencies responsible for emergency services to directly interface with the person in distress to know about his/her location and to communicate with him or her to resolve the emergency in the best possible way.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods for determining the presence of immobilized nucleic acid employing unsymmetrical cyanine dyes that are derivatives of thiazole orange, a staining solution and select fluorogenic compounds that are characterized as being essentially non-genotoxic. The methods comprise immobilizing nucleic acid, single or double stranded DNA, RNA or a combination thereof, on a solid or semi solid support, contacting the immobilized nucleic acid with an unsymmetrical cyanine dye compound and then illuminating the immobilized nucleic acid with an appropriate wavelength whereby the presence of the nucleic acid is determined. The cyanine dye compounds are typically present in an aqueous staining solution comprising the dye compound and a tris acetate or tris borate buffer wherein the solution facilitates the contact of the dye compound and the immobilized nucleic acid.

Abstract: An emergency locating communications device that includes an emergency locator beacon that transmits emergency signals at 406 MHz and a SEND commercial satellite transmitter and receiver is provided. The communications device can be identified for both 406 MHz originator and SEND capable emergency locator device to an emergency services provider by sending a first message to the emergency services provider including a unique identity number of the 406 MHz transmitter of the device and. sending a second message to the emergency services providing including an International Mobile Equipment Identity number of the SEND transmitter of the device. The second message further includes at least a portion of the unique identity number of the 406 MHz transmitter of said device such that the emergency services provider can process the first and second messages to identify both the 406 MHz transmitter and the SEND transmitter of said emergency locator device.

Abstract: A dual-satellite emergency locator beacon and method for programming and updating such emergency locator beacons over the air. The system uses a second commercial satellite as the carrier for the data back to the beacon together with the means of coupling these parts together. The system can be manually updated or can be part of a registration system that gets automatically updated. In a second embodiment a method and apparatus for implementing emergency locator beacon registration is provided. The system provides data concerning the user into a backend service which can be utilized to provide all necessary information needed to register the emergency beacon.

Abstract: One aspect of the present invention is a container that includes a microwave interactive web at least partially overlying and joined to a three-dimensional support, wherein the three-dimensional support may be formed prior to having the microwave interactive web mounted thereto. The three-dimensional support may be a preformed container that is sufficiently rigid and dimensionally stable for use in containing food.

Abstract: A container includes a microwave interactive web at least partially overlying and joined to a three-dimensional support, wherein the three-dimensional support may be formed prior to having the microwave interactive web mounted thereto. The three-dimensional support may be a preformed container that is sufficiently rigid and dimensionally stable for use in containing food.

Abstract: A semiconductor device having a plurality of layers and a capacitor array that includes a plurality of individual capacitors. At least one of the plurality of layers in the semiconductor device may be a via layer configured to determine the connections and capacitances of the plurality of individual capacitors in the capacitor array. The semiconductor device may include a metal structure disposed within the device to provide an electromagnetic shield for at least one of the plurality of individual capacitors in the capacitor array.