Abstract: Systems and methods for designing and controlling distributed generation resources are disclosed. Monolithic or distributed controllers control the power requests sent to each distributed generation resource to achieve optimal efficiency using rule-based and/or fuzzy logic-based control techniques. High-impedance fault (HIF) detection circuitry allows power export to the utility grid in normal operating circumstances, and when an islanding condition is detected, ceases that export within two seconds and prevents further export until the condition is cleared.

Abstract: A material in particular for use in electrochemical cells or supercapacitors comprises a poorly conducting active material of relatively low conductivity having regular or irregular passages having average cross-sectional dimensions generally in the size range from 5 ?m to 200 nm and interconnected mesopores having average cross-sectional dimensions in the size range from 2 to 50 nm. The active material is covered with a network of an electronically conductive metal oxide of relatively high conductivity extending into said mesopores. Also claimed is a method of manufacturing such a material.

Abstract: An extremely high-performance polyaniline electrode was prepared by potentiostatic deposition of aniline on hierarchically porous carbon monolith (HPCM), which was carbonized from mesophase pitch. A capacitance value of 2200 F g?1 of polyaniline was obtained at a power density of 0.47 kW kg?1 and an energy density of 300 Wh kg?1. This active material deposited on HPCM also has an advantageous high stability. These superior advantages can be attributed to the backbone role of HPCM. This method also has the advantages of not introducing any binder, thus contributing to the increase of ionic conductivity and power density. High specific capacitance, high power and energy density, high stability, and low cost of active material make it very promising for supercapacitors.

Abstract: In testing HGAs used in a hard disk drive, to facilitate contact between a test prober and a HGA termination pad, read head termination pads may be provided with extensions along the tail of the HGA, and/or a sawtooth-shaped prober may be used.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to a porous electrically conductive carbon material having interconnected pores in first and second size ranges from 10 ?m to 100 nm and from less than 100 nm to 3 nm and a graphene structure and to diverse uses of the material such as an electrode in a lithium-ion battery and a catalyst support, e.g. for the oxidation of methanol in a fuel cell. The carbon material has been heat treated to effect conversion to non-graphitic carbon with the required degree of order at a temperature in the range from 600° C. to 1000° C. A lithium-ion battery and an electrode for a lithium-ion battery are also claimed.

Abstract: Disclosed is an integrated multi-view surveillance system which integrates multiple surveillance camera images of an area into a large-coverage image of the area in order to monitor the area. The system includes a first camera, a second camera, a third camera, an image processing device, and a display device. The image processing device includes a first defining component, a first synthesis component, a second defining component, an adjusting component, a transforming component, a third defining component, and a second synthesis component.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an image synthesis system for a vehicle to provide the driver with a downward-facing image of the car's 360° surrounding view. The system includes: a first camera, which is used to shoot a first image of the periphery of the vehicle; a second camera, which is used to shoot a second image of the periphery of said vehicle, wherein the second image and the first image have an overlap region; an image processing device comprising a defining component and a synthesis component, which is used to synthesize the first image and the second image and output a third image; a display device, which is used to display the third image.

Abstract: In testing HGAs used in a hard disk drive, to facilitate contact between a test prober and a HGA termination pad, read head termination pads may be provided with extensions along the tail of the HGA, and/or a sawtooth-shaped prober may be used.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for transmitting real-time streaming data are provided. The apparatus has a first terminal, a second terminal, and a relay server. Real-time streaming transmission paths between the first terminal and the relay server as well as between the second terminal and the relay server are established, and the first and the second terminals can obtain information from each other. Whether the first and the second terminals are directly connectable or tested. When the first and the second terminals can be connected directly, the first terminal alters the real-time streaming transmission path directly to the second terminal without passing through the relay server. When the second terminal can be connected directly to the first terminal, the second terminal alters the real-time streaming data transmission path directly to the first terminal with passing through the relay server.

Abstract: Provided is scissors comprising a movable first handle unit; a stationary second handle unit including a bifurcated jaw, a pivotal blade in the jaw, a spring biased pivotal plate member in the jaw and including teeth, a gear and ratchet wheel assembly, and a spring biased pivotal pawl; and a spring biased lever including a pawl member engaged with the ratchet wheel. Continuously pivoting the first handle unit about the second handle unit by moving the first handle unit alternately back and forth in each action of pivoting the first handle unit toward the second handle unit will pivot the first and second protrusions counterclockwise, rotate the gear and ratchet assembly clockwise, and pivot the teeth counterclockwise to cut a pipe anchored in the mouth.

Abstract: A web camera has a light sensor, a digital signal processor (DSP), a driving circuit, and a light source. When the light sensor detects that the ambient illumination is lower than a predetermined amount, the DSP will command the driving circuit to power the light source to provide increased illumination.

Abstract: A flash unit charging-control circuit for a camera includes a voltage converter connected to a flash unit capacitor, a square-wave oscillator for causing current supplied by the voltage converter from a power supply battery to the flash unit capacitor that relieves a substantial burden on the MCU of the camera, and a current control circuit. When the battery voltage becomes low, the current control circuit will regulate the charging current so as to slow the decrease in battery voltage during charging.

Abstract: A keyboard has a processor, a scan matrix coupled to the processor, a first set of keys coupled to the scan matrix, a logic control circuit, and a second set of keys coupled to the logic control circuit. The processor decodes the identity of a pressed key from the second set of keys via the logic control circuit.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for dynamically controlling variation in an attribute of a light beam employing materials with unusually high electrooptical coefficients that are subject to optical damage from the light beam being controlled. The method includes providing a transmission medium composed of a high sensitivity electrooptic material transparent to the light beam and having a nonzero electrooptic coefficient, where the medium is adapted to receive, propagate, and output the light beam. The medium is subjected to an electric field, the strength of which is controlled to determine the amount of variation of the light beam attribute. The field is generated by electrodes appropriately enclosing the medium and inducing a voltage across the electrodes. The medium is illuminated by a suppressing light source, the illumination being intense enough to significantly reduce charge distribution inhomogeneity within the medium.

Abstract: A computer system has an e-mail server, a computer having an input device driving program coupled to the e-mail server, and an input device. The input device has a processor coupled to the input device driving program, and a notifying device coupled to the processor for notifying a user of the arrival of an e-mail that has been received at the e-mail server.

Abstract: A keyboard has a processor, a scan matrix coupled to the processor, a first set of keys coupled to the scan matrix, a logic control circuit, and a second set of keys coupled to the logic control circuit. The processor decodes the identity of a pressed key from the second set of keys via the logic control circuit.

Abstract: A light beam deflector comprises an initial beam deflector that imparts a small initial deflection, and a beam deflection amplifier that increases the initial small deflection by a multiplication factor. The first of two initial beam deflector embodiments employs highly-electro-optic-sensitive materials and provides methods for reducing and eliminating their photorefractive effects, including the use of a suppressing light source, external electric fields, and temperature control. The second embodiment employs a multi-layer, iterative prism structure, increasing the aperture without increasing the supply voltage. The first of five embodiments of the beam deflection amplifier is a Keplerian telescope lens first stage and a negative lens system second stage. The second is a Galilean telescope lens first stage and a negative lens system second stage. The third is either a Keplerian or Galilean telescope lens alone. The fourth replaces the single second lens of the first stage with a compound lens system.

Abstract: An optical switching system employing switching modules. Each module comprises (a) a source channel, (b) a transmitting element, (c) a receiving element, and (d) a destination channel. The transmitting element directs the source channel signal to a destination channel. The transmitting element includes an initial beam deflector and a beam deflection amplifier. The receiving element includes a beam deflection compressor and a beam aligner. One embodiment of the initial deflector is a pair of focusing lenses, one of which is displaced by a piezoelectric actuator. When one lens is displaced a distance d, the output light beam has a deflection angle &agr;=(f1+f2)/f2. The beam deflection amplifier multiplies the small angle &agr; by a transfer function F to result in a beam with a deflection angle F&agr;. The receiving element is the transmitting element in reverse. The first system configuration connects a single channel to one of a number of channels.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for wirelessly determining position and orientation of a first object relative to a second object in six dimensions, including one or more recording assemblies and one or more identification-coded or orientation-coded optical transponders. The positions of the recording assemblies are fixed relative to the first object and the transponders are fixed relative to the second object. A light source in each recording assembly emits light into space that is received, modulated, and retransmitted back by each transponder to a photodetector assembly in the recording assembly. The identification-coded optical transponder modulates the retransmitted light with a unique fixed code. The orientation-coded optical transponder modulates the retransmitted light with a unique fixed code that depends upon the direction of the incident light.