Abstract: A coating composition comprising: (a) at least one coating agent comprising a perfluoropolyether-modified al-kyloxysilane polymer; and (b) a carrier composition comprising monochloro, trilluoropropene, wherein the carrier is present in an amount effective to at least partially solvate or at least partially emulsify the coating agent. Such compositions may optionally contain one or more other co-carriers or additives. Also disclosed are methods of coating substrates, in particular substrates having a hard surface such as ceramics or glass, to render them water, oil and/or dirt repellent.

Abstract: A coating composition comprising: (a) at least one coating agent comprising a perfluoropolyether-modified al-kyloxysilane polymer; and (b) a carrier composition comprising monochloro, trilluoropropene, wherein the carrier is present in an amount effective to at least partially solvate or at least partially emulsify the coating agent. Such compositions may optionally contain one or more other co-carriers or additives. Also disclosed are methods of coating substrates, in particular substrates having a hard surface such as ceramics or glass, to render them water, oil and/or dirt repellent.

Abstract: Poly fluorine-containing siloxane coatings having improved hydrophobic and oleophobic properties and solutions for creating such coatings are provided. In some embodiments, the coating includes a polymer having a plurality of Si—O—Si linkages; and at least two fluorine-containing moieties, each attached to at least one of the Si—O—Si linkages. Each fluorine-containing moiety independently includes a linking portion attached to a silicon of one of the Si—O—Si linkages, wherein the linking portion is of a formula selected from the group consisting of: —[CH2]a— where a is an integer from 1 to 10 and —[CH2]bCONH[CH2]c— where b and c are independently an integer from 0 to 10. Each fluorine-containing moiety also independently includes a fluorinated portion attached to the linking portion, wherein the fluorinated portion is selected from a fluorinated-alkyl group having 1-10 carbon atoms and a perfluoro-ether containing organic group.

Abstract: A coated substrate includes a sapphire substrate and an anti-reflective coating comprising a silicon-based material, wherein the anti-reflective coating has refractive index of 1.23 to 1.45 and a Mohs hardness of at least 4. A method of coating a sapphire substrate with an anti-reflective coating includes applying a liquid formulation to a sapphire substrate to form a coated substrate, and curing the coated substrate at a temperature of at least 500° C. to form an anti-reflective layer on the sapphire substrate.

Abstract: A coated substrate includes a sapphire substrate and an anti-reflective coating comprising a silicon-based material, wherein the anti-reflective coating has refractive index of 1.23 to 1.45 and a Mohs hardness of at least 4. A method of coating a sapphire substrate with an anti-reflective coating includes applying a liquid formulation to a sapphire substrate to form a coated substrate, and curing the coated substrate at a temperature of at least 500° C. to form an anti-reflective layer on the sapphire substrate.

Abstract: Poly fluorine-containing siloxane coatings having improved hydrophobic and oleophobic properties and solutions for creating such coatings are provided. In some embodiments, the coating includes a polymer having a plurality of Si—O—Si linkages; and at least two fluorine-containing moieties, each attached to at least one of the Si—O—Si linkages. Each fluorine-containing moiety independently includes a linking portion attached to a silicon of one of the Si—O—Si linkages, wherein the linking portion is of a formula selected from the group consisting of: —[CH2]a— where a is an integer from 1 to 10 and —[CH2]bCONH[CH2]c— where b and c are independently an integer from 0 to 10. Each fluorine-containing moiety also independently includes a fluorinated portion attached to the linking portion, wherein the fluorinated portion is selected from a fluorinated-alkyl group having 1-10 carbon atoms and a perfluoro-ether containing organic group.

Abstract: A coating composition comprising: (a) at least one coating agent comprising a perfluoropolyether-modified alkyloxysilane polymer; and (b) a carrier composition comprising monochloro, trifluoropropene, wherein the carrier is present in an amount effective to at least partially solvate or at least partially emulsify the coating agent. Such compositions may optionally contain one or more other co-carriers or additives. Also disclosed are methods of coating substrates, in particular substrates having a hard surface such as ceramics or glass, to render them water, oil and/or dirt repellent.

Abstract: Polymeric fibers may be tested for optical properties; such as transparency in a manner that provides reproducible test results. A holder be used that is configured to hold polymeric fibers in a stacked, single file manner in which the polymeric fibers are held closely together. The fibers may be tested using an optical apparatus employing an integrating sphere.

Abstract: Scheduling methods and apparatus for use with optical switches with hybrid architectures are provided. An exemplary distributed scheduling process achieves 100% throughput for any admissible Bernoulli arrival traffic. The exemplary distributed scheduling process may be easily adapted to work for any finite round trip time, without sacrificing any throughput. Simulation results also showed that this distributed scheduling process can provide very good delay performance for different traffic patterns and for different round trip times associated with current switches.

Abstract: Disclosed is a paper battery that includes a cellulosic substrate having absorbed thereon an electrolyte material and first and second barrier substrates disposed on opposite sides of the cellulosic substrate. Each of the first and second barrier substrates have an electrode printed thereon. At least one of the first and second barrier substrates includes first and second polymer layers. Further disclosed is a method of manufacturing a paper battery that includes the steps of absorbing an electrolyte material onto a cellulosic substrate and disposing on opposite sides of the cellulosic substrate first and second barrier substrates. Each of the first and second barrier substrates have an electrode printed thereon. At least one of the first and second barrier substrates includes first and second polymer layers.

Abstract: Scheduling methods and apparatus are provided for an input-queued switch. The exemplary distributed scheduling process achieves 100% throughput for any admissible Bernoulli arrival traffic. The exemplary distributed scheduling process includes scheduling variable size packets. The exemplary distributed scheduling process may be easily implemented with a low-rate control or by sacrificing the throughput by a small amount. Simulation results also showed that this distributed scheduling process can provide very good delay performance for different traffic patterns. The exemplary distributed scheduling process may therefore be a good candidate large-scale high-speed switching systems.

Abstract: Scheduling methods and apparatus are provided for buffered crossbar switches with a crosspoint buffer size as small as one and no speedup. An exemplary distributed scheduling process achieves 100% throughput for any admissible Bernoulli arrival traffic. Simulation results also showed that this distributed scheduling process can provide very good delay performance for different traffic patterns. The simulation results also showed that packet delay is very weakly dependent on the switch size, which implies that the exemplary distributed scheduling process can scale with the number of switch ports.

Abstract: MD-FEC is considered an efficient way to generate a large number of descriptions. However, typically, MD-FEC introduces significant redundancy across streams. MD-FEC encoded streams (descriptions) are adapted based on feedback. Specifically, the bits sent in each description by a supplying peer are adapted based on the number of available descriptions in its receiving peer. The adaptive delivery eliminates unnecessary bits in the original MD-FEC streams (descriptions), and significantly reduces the consumed uplink bandwidth at supplying peers. The saved bandwidth can be used to accommodate more video sessions or for other applications.

Abstract: Scheduling methods and apparatus for use with optical switches with hybrid architectures are provided. An exemplary distributed scheduling process achieves 100% throughput for any admissible Bernoulli arrival traffic. The exemplary distributed scheduling process may be easily adapted to work for any finite round trip time, without sacrificing any throughput. Simulation results also showed that this distributed scheduling process can provide very good delay performance for different traffic patterns and for different round trip times associated with current switches.

Abstract: Scheduling methods and apparatus are provided for an input-queued switch. The exemplary distributed scheduling process achieves 100% throughput for any admissible Bernoulli arrival traffic. The exemplary distributed scheduling process includes scheduling variable size packets. The exemplary distributed scheduling process may be easily implemented with a low-rate control or by sacrificing the throughput by a small amount. Simulation results also showed that this distributed scheduling process can provide very good delay performance for different traffic patterns. The exemplary distributed scheduling process may therefore be a good candidate large-scale high-speed switching systems.

Abstract: Scheduling methods and apparatus are provided for buffered crossbar switches with a crosspoint buffer size as small as one and no speedup. An exemplary distributed scheduling process achieves 100% throughput for any admissible Bernoulli arrival traffic. Simulation results also showed that this distributed scheduling process can provide very good delay performance for different traffic patterns. The simulation results also showed that packet delay is very weakly dependent on the switch size, which implies that the exemplary distributed scheduling process can scale with the number of switch ports.

Abstract: Scheduling techniques for use with buffered crossbar switches, without speedup, which can provide 100% throughput are described. Each input/output may keep track of the previously served VOQ/crosspoint buffer. The queue lengths of such VOQs and the queue lengths of VOQs corresponding to a uniform probability selection output (e.g., from a Hamiltonian walk schedule) are used to improve the schedule at each time slot.

Abstract: A distributed incentive mechanism is provided for peer-to-peer (P2P) streaming networks, such as mesh-pull P2P live streaming networks. Video (or audio) may be encoded into multiple sub-streams such as layered coding and multiple description coding. The system is heterogeneous with peers having different uplink bandwidths. Peers that upload more data (to a peer) receive more substreams (from that peer) and consequently better video quality. Unlike previous approaches in which each peer receives the same video quality no matter how much bandwidth it contributes to the system, differentiated video quality, commensurate with a peer's contribution to other peers, is provided, thereby discouraging free-riders.

Abstract: MD-FEC is considered an efficient way to generate a large number of descriptions. However, typically, MD-FEC introduces significant redundancy across streams. MD-FEC encoded streams (descriptions) are adapted based on feedback. Specifically, the bits sent in each description by a supplying peer are adapted based on the number of available descriptions in its receiving peer. The adaptive delivery eliminates unnecessary bits in the original MD-FEC streams (descriptions), and significantly reduces the consumed uplink bandwidth at supplying peers. The saved bandwidth can be used to accommodate more video sessions or for other applications.

Abstract: Scheduling techniques for use with buffered crossbar switches, without speedup, which can provide 100% throughput are described. Each input/output may keep track of the previously served VOQ/crosspoint buffer. The queue lengths of such VOQs and the queue lengths of VOQs corresponding to a uniform probability selection output (e.g., from a Hamiltonian walk schedule) are used to improve the schedule at each time slot.