287results about How to "Implemented cost-effectively" patented technology

A data communication system and an associated network node implementation is disclosed that, in certain embodiments, uses single-channel bi-directional communication links between nodes to send frames of data. The network nodes can be connected together in a ring or daisy chain topology with data frames sent in alternating directions through the bi-directional links. Such networks initially configured in a physical ring topology can tolerate single point failures by automatically switching to a logical daisy chain topology.

Output control system and method includes calculating gain for an input signal, detecting a predetermined condition, and modifying the gain calculation in accordance with one or more kneepoints to provide a varying output signal. A companding ratio is then established in accordance with the kneepoints. System gain is then adjusted, and the companding ratio may be further adjusted by adjusting one of the kneepoints relative to another.

A data processing apparatus maps input symbols to be communicated onto a predetermined number of carrier signals of an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexed (OFDM) symbol. The data processor includes an interleaver memory which reads-in the predetermined number of data symbols for mapping onto the OFDM carrier signals. The interleaver memory reads-out the data symbols on to the OFDM carriers to effect the mapping, the read-out being in a different order than the read-in, the order being determined from a set of addresses, with the effect that the data symbols are interleaved on to the carrier signals. The set of addresses are generated from an address generator which comprises a linear feedback shift register and a permutation circuit. In order to provide a 4 k mode for an OFDM modulated system such as a Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB) standard such as DVB-Terrestrial (DVB-T) or DVB-Handheld (DVB-H) standards, a generator polynomial for the linear feedback shift register of Ri'[10]=Ri-1'[0]⊕Ri-1'[2] is provided with a permutation order which has been established by simulation analysis to optimise communication performance via typical radio channels.

Systems and methods for visible light communication are disclosed. In part, illumination devices and related systems and methods are disclosed that can be used for general illumination, lighting control systems, or other applications. The illumination devices synchronize preferentially to the AC mains to produce time division multiplexed channels in which control information can be communicated optically by the same light source that is producing illumination. Such illumination devices preferentially comprise LEDs for producing illumination, transmitting data, detecting ambient light, and receiving data, however, other light sources and detectors can be used. The physical layer can be used with a variety of protocols, such as ZigBee, from the Media ACcess (MAC) layer and higher.

A luminaire diagnostic system including a lamp and a photocontroller for automatically turning the lamp on during periods of darkness and off during periods of daylight wherein the photocontroller includes detector circuitry for detecting the load drawn by the lamp, a microprocessor, responsive to detected load and programmed to predict a condition of the lamp such as a cycling event and/or lamp out condition based on the load drawn by the lamp, and an indicator such as a visual alarm for indicating the occurrence of the condition detected and/or a transmitter for transmitting the detected condition to a remote location. Also, upon cycle detection, the lamp may be turned off to prevent damage to fixture components.

An optical distribution device has first connector points for the connection of incoming light waveguide cables, second connector points for the connection of outgoing light waveguide cables and at least one light waveguide connector cable having at least one connecting device on one or both ends for connecting at least one of the first connector points to at least one of the second connector points. Each connection device is provided with an electrical code memory device for storing an identification code and each of the first and second connector points are provided with an electrical code reader device connected to the associated code memory device for reading the identification code when the associated connector device is connected to one of the connector points. A controller is connected to the code reader device for evaluating the identification code to identify the optical connection effected by the light waveguide connector cable.

Tracking forms allow tracking of the completion status and implemented quality standards of a building construction project. A tracking form is prepared for one or more tasks requiring completion at the construction site. Each task is assigned two components on its tracking form: a quality control indicator form, which contains one or more quality control indicators indicating whether certain quality standards are met; and a completion indicator, which indicates the completion status of a task. The completion status may be a discrete binary value, or may instead be a continuous value. Preferably, the workers performing the tasks complete each task's quality control indicator form and completion indicator during design and construction as milestones relating to the task are completed, or at the end of some predetermined time period. The completion indicators relating to the tasks are logged so that the completion status of the project may be monitored, and the information recorded on the quality control indicator forms may be sampled and checked to verify that construction quality standards are being met.

The thermal management and method for large scale processing of CIS and/or CIGS based thin film overlaying glass substrates. According to an embodiment, the present invention provides a method for fabricating a copper indium diselenide semiconductor film. The method includes providing a plurality of substrates, each of the substrates having a copper and indium composite structure. The method also includes transferring the plurality of substrates into a furnace, each of the plurality of substrates provided in a vertical orientation with respect to a direction of gravity, the plurality of substrates being defined by a number N, where N is greater than 5. The method further includes introducing a gaseous species including a selenide species and a carrier gas into the furnace and transferring thermal energy into the furnace to increase a temperature from a first temperature to a second temperature, the second temperature ranging from about 350° C. to about 450° C. to at least initiate formation of a copper indium diselenide film from the copper and indium composite structure on each of the substrates.

A photocontroller diagnostic system including a photocontroller with a sensor for determining the presence of daylight, and a relay, responsive to the sensor, for de-energizing a lamp during periods of daylight. The diagnostic subsystem is responsive to the photocontroller, and includes a microprocessor programmed to verify the operability of the relay and/or the sensor and programmed to transmit a signal representative of the operability of the relay or the sensor.

A circular buffer in a video delivery server tracks a second copy of a live video stream to provide instant replay capability. When an end-user initiates the instant replay function, the circular buffer is copied to an instant-replay buffer, from which a replay of the video is sent to the end-user. During replay the end-user can use playback functions such as pause, slow-play, freeze frame, etc. Upon leaving the replay function the end user rejoins the live stream. The circular buffer also enables transmission of delayed copies of the live stream, time-shifted by predetermined intervals, which copies are multicasted to end-users. Upon request, an end-user may join a delayed version of interest. This allows the user to replay interesting content by jumping to a time-delayed version without missing the show and to catch up with real-time during e.g. commercial breaks.

In accordance with a method for single-carrier and multi-carrier reception, the following steps are executed: downconverting a received RF signal to in-phase (I) and quadrature (Q) channel signals each containing a plurality of sub-carriers at a low intermediate frequency (low-IF) and, if required, one sub-carrier or a single carrier centered around 0 Hz; filtering interfering signals outside of a frequency band of interest with analog lowpass filters in the I and Q channels; converting the I and Q channel signals to digital representations thereof; in the multi-carrier reception case, separating sub-carriers that are images of one another by quadrature downmixing the digital representations of the I and Q channel signals to baseband in the digital domain; and digitally adding or subtracting resulting I and Q signals to obtain one or both of an upper sideband and a lower sideband containing desired ones of the multi-carriers. For a symmetric multi-carrier reception case the step of downconverting includes a step of tuning a local oscillator to a center frequency of a group of sub-carriers, while for an asymmetric multi-carrier reception case the step of downconverting includes a step of tuning a local oscillator between a middlemost sub-carrier and its interfering adjacent channel.

A system (22) for orienting an object (28) relative to a base (24) to which the object (28) is rotatably coupled includes a braking surface (46) in fixed relation with the base (24). A brake (48) is engaged with the braking surface (46). A linear actuator (82) has a body (86) in fixed attachment with the object (28) via a strap member (84) and a coupling element (80). The linear actuator (82) also includes a rod (88) in fixed communication with the brake (48) through an elongate member (90) that flexes in response to a braking force (66) imposed on the braking surface (46) by the brake (48). The linear actuator is activated to generate linear motion (120) of the rod (88). The linear motion (120) of the rod (88) causes rotational motion (122) of the object (28). The strap member (84) is enabled to flex as the object (28) rotates.

A two-mode, compound-split, electromechanical transmission utilizes an input member for receiving power from an engine, and an output member for delivering power from the transmission. First and second motor/generators are operatively connected to an energy storage device through a control for interchanging electrical power among the storage device. The transmission employs three planetary gear sets that cooperate with a plurality of torque transmitting devices to provide two distinct gear trains or power paths corresponding to two modes of electrically variable operation in which the speed ratio between the input member and the output member varies with the speed of at least one of the motor/generators. The torque transmitting devices are selectively engageable to provide six discrete, fixed speed ratios.

According to an embodiment, the present invention provide method for fabricating a copper indium diselenide semiconductor film. The method includes providing a plurality of substrates, each of the substrates having a copper and indium composite structure, each of the substrate including a peripheral region, the peripheral region including a plurality of openings, the plurality of openings including at least a first opening and a second opening. The also includes transferring the plurality of substrates into a furnace, each of the plurality of substrates provided in a vertical orientation with respect to a direction of gravity, the plurality of substrates being defined by a number N, where N is greater than 5, the furnace including a holding apparatus, the holding apparatus including a first elongated member being configured to hang each of the substrates using at least the first opening. The method further includes introducing a gaseous species including a hydrogen species and a selenide species and a carrier gas into the furnace and transferring thermal energy into the furnace to increase a temperature from a first temperature to a second temperature, the second temperature ranging from about 350° C. to about 450° C. to at least initiate formation of a copper indium diselenide film from the copper and indium composite structure on each of the substrates.

An improved system and method for capturing and uploading pertinent information related to a motor vehicle that is accurate, simple to use, and may be implemented on a wide-array of mobile devices in a cost-effective manner. Methods are also disclosed for users of the mobile devices to send identifying information to a database, where the identifying information is compared to other motor vehicle identifying information located the database.

Systems and methods for producing an acceleration structure provide for subdividing a 3-D scene into a plurality of volumetric portions, which have different sizes, each being addressable using a multipart address indicating a location and a relative size of each volumetric portion. A stream of primitives is processed by characterizing each according to one or more criteria, selecting a relative size of volumetric portions for use in bounding the primitive, and finding a set of volumetric portions of that relative size which bound the primitive. A primitive ID is stored in each location of a cache associated with each volumetric portion of the set of volumetric portions. A cache location is selected for eviction, responsive to each cache eviction decision made during the processing. An element of an acceleration structure according to the contents of the evicted cache location is generated, responsive to the evicted cache location.

A method for coordinating control of exhaust gas recirculation (18) in a turbocharged internal combustion engine (10) with control of engine boost. When actual boost deviates from a desired boost set-point developed by a boost control strategy (32), such as during a sudden acceleration or deceleration, the EGR control strategy (34) provides a prompt adjustment of exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) seeking to null out the boost disparity.

A method for integrating photovoltaic module includes providing a cover plate having a first surface and a second surface opposed to the first surface and supplying photovoltaic devices respectively formed on substrates. The photovoltaic devices include photovoltaic cells electrically coupled to each other, and each cell is characterized by a thin-film photovoltaic layer sandwiched between a first electrode material and a second electrode material. The first electrode material overlies the substrate and the second electrode material overlies the thin-film photovoltaic layer. The method further includes disposing the solar devices side by side to laminate with the cover plate by means of a first organic material filled between the second electrode material and the second surface. Each of the solar devices has a peripheral edge region being sealed by a second organic material. The method further includes electrically coupling the solar devices to each other.