or Method and Apparatus for Tuning USB Power Delivery Signals By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Thu, 22 Jun 2017 08:00:00 EDT A USB interface to provide power delivery negotiated through a dedicated transmission channel includes a transmitter circuit including a digital-to-analog converter having an output coupled with an input of a transmission filter, a receiver circuit including an analog-to-digital converter having an input coupled with an output of a receiving filter, and a switching circuit configured in an operating mode of the USB interface to connect an output of the transmission filter and an input of the receiving filter to a connection node of the dedicated transmission channel. Full Article
or ARCHITECTURE FOR SOFTWARE DEFINED INTERCONNECT SWITCH By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Thu, 22 Jun 2017 08:00:00 EDT An interconnect switch is provided including switching logic executable to facilitate a Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIe)-based interconnect, and further including a control host embedded in the switch to provide one or more enhanced routing capabilities. The control host includes a processor device, memory, and software executable by the processor device to process traffic received at one or more ports of the switch to redirect at least a portion of the traffic to provide the one or more enhanced routing capabilities. Full Article
or METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SWITCHING STATE By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Thu, 22 Jun 2017 08:00:00 EDT A method of switching an apparatus state of a first apparatus having a first universal serial bus (USB) interface connected via a connecting wire with a second USB interface of a second apparatus is provided. The method may include receiving a state switching instruction, setting a level of a configuration channel (CC) in a USB interface circuit corresponding to the first USB interface from a first high level to a first low level via a logic controller of the first apparatus when the state switching instruction instructs the first apparatus to perform a master-to-slave switch, and setting the level of the CC in the USB interface circuit corresponding to the first USB interface from the first low level to the first high level via the logic controller of the first apparatus when the state switching instruction instructs the first apparatus to perform a slave-to-master switch. Full Article
or BUS SERIALIZATION FOR DEVICES WITHOUT MULTI-DEVICE SUPPORT By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Thu, 22 Jun 2017 08:00:00 EDT A serial bus is provided with a device (sometimes herein referred to as an I2C serializer device) including circuitry and machine logic that operates as follows: when one of the master devices is using the bus for data communication, then the other master(s) will receive a wait signal until the bus becomes available again. This wait signal allows the master devices to wait as a “hardware response,” rather than requiring the master devices to be equipped with software and/or firmware to control the operation of waiting until the serial bus is available. In some embodiments, the use of the I2C serializer device allows a bus operating under a bus serialization protocol (for example, I2C) to be simultaneously connected to multiple master devices even in the case that one, or more, master device(s) do not include any currently conventional form of multi-master support. Full Article
or CHIPS INCLUDING CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM COMPUTING PROCESSORS By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Thu, 22 Jun 2017 08:00:00 EDT An apparatus includes a substrate, a classical computing processor formed on the substrate, a quantum computing processor formed on the substrate, and one or more coupling components between the classical computing processor and the quantum computing processor, the one or more coupling components being formed on the substrate and being configured to allow data exchange between the classical computing processor and the quantum computing processor. Full Article
or PHYSICAL LAYER NETWORK INTERFACE MODULE (PHY-NIM) ADAPTATION SYSTEM By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Thu, 22 Jun 2017 08:00:00 EDT A physical layer network interface module (PHY-NIM) adaptation system provides a PHY-NIM device and an attachable media access control (MAC) device. The PHY-NIM device interconnects with the attachable MAC device and the attachable MAC device interconnects to a network appliance to provide at least one of network switch capabilities and MAC device capabilities for use by the network appliance. The PHY-NIM device interconnects directly to the network appliance where the network appliance has at least one of an internal network switch and an internal MAC device in a southbridge input/output (I/O) interface chip of the network appliance. Full Article
or ADAPTER FOR TRANSMITTING SIGNALS By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Thu, 22 Jun 2017 08:00:00 EDT Examples of adapters for transmitting signals are disclosed. In one example implementation according to aspects of the present disclosure, an adapter may include a first connector communicatively couplable to PCIe port of a computing system via a first plurality of pins and a second connecter communicatively couplable to an electronic device via a second plurality of pins. The first plurality of pins is communicatively coupled to the second plurality of pins. Additionally, signals of a first type are transmittable between the computing system and the electronic device via a first subset of the first and the second pluralities of pins and signals of a second type are transmittable between the computing system and the electronic device via a second subset of the first and the second pluralities of pins. The second subset of the first plurality of pins and the second plurality of pins conforms to the SFF 8639 standard. Full Article
or COMMUNICATION SYSTEM WITH SERIAL PORTS FOR AUTOMATICALLY IDENTIFYING DEVICE TYPES AND COMMUNICATION PROTOCOLS AND METHOD THEREOF By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Thu, 22 Jun 2017 08:00:00 EDT A communication system with serial ports for automatically identifying device types and communication protocols and method thereof are described. The communication system and method are capable of automatically identifying the device types and communication protocols of interface devices with different serial device numbers which are disposed in the serial port architecture. Furthermore, the drivers are capable of performing a serial communication based on the serial port architecture for matching the device types and communication protocols correspondingly, thereby reducing the development and manufacturing costs of communication system. Moreover, the user of an application program module only needs to provide the device numbers and data control information without the cooperation of hardware circuits and manufacturing technique of the interface devices to complete the automatic control and monitoring tasks of the interface devices to increase the utilization convenience. Full Article
or DOWNSTREAM DEVICE SERVICE LATENCY REPORTING FOR POWER MANAGEMENT By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Thu, 22 Jun 2017 08:00:00 EDT An apparatus is provided that includes a processor, a memory controller coupled to the processor to provide access to a system memory, and an interface controller to communicate with an endpoint device. The interface controller is coupled to the processor and configured to access a register of the endpoint device, the register to be mapped into a memory space of the system, the register to store a service latency tolerance value of the endpoint device. The endpoint device has a service latency tolerance value for a first state and a service latency tolerance value for a second state. The service latency tolerance value for the first state is greater than the service latency tolerance value for the second state. Full Article
or METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROTECTING A PCI DEVICE CONTROLLER FROM MASQUERADE ATTACKS BY MALWARE By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Thu, 22 Jun 2017 08:00:00 EDT A technique allows for protecting a PCI device controller from a PCI BDF masquerade attack from Ring-0 and Ring-3 malware. The technique may use Virtualization technologies to create guest virtual machines that can use a hypervisor to allocate ACPI information from ACPI tables to a secure VM and using extended page tables (EPT) and VT-d policies to protect the MMIO memory range during illegal runtime events. Full Article
or DEVICE WITH MAGNET(S) FOR ENGAGING WITH ANOTHER DEVICE By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Thu, 22 Jun 2017 08:00:00 EDT In one aspect, a first device includes a housing, at least one system component housed by the housing, a connector coupled to the housing that engages with a second device for exchange, between the first device and the second device, of at least one of data and power, and a first magnet coupled to the housing. The first magnet is coupled to the housing so that a first pole of the first magnet faces away from the first device to repel a first pole of a second magnet coupled to the second device when the first device is juxtaposed next to the second device in a first orientation relative to the second device. Full Article
or Providing Orientation Support in Receptacles By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Thu, 22 Jun 2017 08:00:00 EDT A method of receiving a plug at a receptacle is disclosed. The method may include receiving a plug at a receptacle, the receptacle including contacts disposed with a rotational symmetry about a center point of the receptacle. The method may also include determining, via detection circuitry, any orientation of the plug inserted into the receptacle. The method may also include changing, via selection control circuitry, a connection path coupled to the contacts based on the orientation of the plug. Full Article
or METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR SYNCHRONIZING AN INDEX OF DATA BLOCKS STORED IN A STORAGE SYSTEM USING A SHARED STORAGE MODULE By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Thu, 29 Jun 2017 08:00:00 EDT A storage system includes a first and second control modules (CMs) connected to a client and a storage module over a communication fabric. In response to a data fragment written to the storage module, the first CM is to create a table of contents (TOC) entry in a TOC page maintained in a first storage partition of the storage module, update its FTL map, determine whether the TOC page contains a predetermined number of TOC entries, and in response to determining that the TOC page contains the predetermined number of TOC entries, send a control signal to the second CM via an inter-processor link. In response to the control signal received from the first CM via the inter-processor link, the second CM is to copy the TOC page from the first storage partition to a memory associated with the second CM to allow the second CM to update its FTL map. Full Article
or Automated detection of high performance interconnect coupling By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Thu, 29 Jun 2017 08:00:00 EDT A port of a first device includes remote device detection logic to detect, on a link, a remote second device, determine, from a voltage generated at the port, whether the second device is direct current (DC)-coupled or alternating current (AC)-coupled to the link, and select one of first settings or second settings to be applied at the port in communications over the link with the second device based on whether the second device is DC-coupled or AC-coupled. Full Article
or METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING ACCESS OF A STORAGE SYSTEM USING A SHARED STORAGE MODULE AS A TRANSPORT MECHANISM By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Thu, 29 Jun 2017 08:00:00 EDT According to one embodiment, a first control module (CM) of a storage system receives a first request from a client device to read first data stored in a second storage location of a storage module, where the second storage location is associated with a second CM. The first CM includes a first processor and the second CM includes a second processor. The first CM transmits a first control signal the second CM via the inter-processor link to request the second CM to copy the first data from the second storage location to a first memory location associated with the first CM. The first CM initiates a first data transaction to transmit the first data from the first memory location to the client device through a communication fabric without having to go through the second CM. Full Article
or SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF CIRCUITS AND A BUS CONNECTING THE CIRCUITS TO ONE ANOTHER, AND METHOD OF OPERATING THE SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Thu, 29 Jun 2017 08:00:00 EDT A semiconductor device includes a plurality of circuits, a general bus configured to be connected to each of the plurality of circuits and to provide a general channel among the plurality of circuits, and a designated bus configured to be connected to a subgroup of circuits from among the plurality of circuits and to provide a designated channel among the subgroup of circuits. Full Article
or PTM for USB retimers By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Thu, 29 Jun 2017 08:00:00 EDT A system and method of conducting precision time management in a universal serial bus system with a retimer. The method includes initiating, from the retimer, a link delay management request on an upstream-facing port of the retimer. The method further includes receiving, at a downstream-facing port of the retimer, a link delay management request and responding to the request received on the downstream-facing port. Full Article
or Encapsulated Accelerator By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Thu, 29 Jun 2017 08:00:00 EDT A data processing system comprising: a host computer system supporting a software entity and a receive queue for the software entity; a network interface device having a controller unit configured to provide a data port for receiving data packets from a network and a data bus interface for connection to a host computer system, the network interface device being connected to the host computer system by means of the data bus interface; and an accelerator module arranged between the controller unit and a network and having a first medium access controller for connection to the network and a second medium access controller coupled to the data port of the controller unit, the accelerator module being configured to: on behalf of the software entity, process incoming data packets received from the network in one or more streams associated with a first set of one or more network endpoints; encapsulate data resulting from said processing in network data packets directed to the software entity; and deliver the network data packets to the data port of the controller unit so as to cause the network data packets to be written to the receive queue of the software entity. Full Article
or Configuration arbiter for multiple controllers sharing a link interface By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Thu, 29 Jun 2017 08:00:00 EDT In a system where multiple controllers share a link interface but are not all (1) compatible with the same configuration of the physical layer or (2) using the same clocking, a configuration arbitration subsystem intercepts, organizes, and re-clocks configuration-access requests from the various controller agents. Priorities are assigned according to stored policies. The configuration arbiter grants configuration access to the top-priority agent, synchronizing the agent's message with the arbiter's clock. Lower-priority agents' messages are stored in command queues until they ascend to top priority. Besides preventing timing conflicts and streamlining the coordination of clocks, the configuration arbiter may provide access to physical-layer registers beyond the controllers' built-in capabilities to further optimize configuration. Full Article
or SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PREVENTING TIME OUT IN INPUT/OUTPUT SYSTEMS By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Thu, 29 Jun 2017 08:00:00 EDT Described is a computer-implemented method for preventing time out during data transfer to an input/output device. Dummy data is generated and transferred to the input/output device at a time during data transfer, such as when a time out event may occur that would end the data transfer. The transfer of dummy data prevents a time out event from occurring. Full Article
or METHOD FOR USING SHARED DEVICE AND RESOURCE SHARING SYSTEM By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Thu, 29 Jun 2017 08:00:00 EDT A method for using a shared device and a resource sharing system are provided. An arbitrator node sets an initial weight of each of processors based on identification information. The arbitrator node calculates a priority score for each processor based on an initial weight of each of the processors and state diagnostic codes recorded by each processor to establish a priority sequence. When the arbitrator node simultaneously receives a request for requesting an access right of the shared device transmitted by each of two or more processors, the arbitrator node determines one of the processors having the access right of the shared device based on the priority sequence. Full Article
or METHOD FOR ASSIGNING ADDRESSES TO NODES OF A BUS SYSTEM, AND INSTALLATION By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Thu, 29 Jun 2017 08:00:00 EDT A method for assigning addresses to nodes of a bus system, and installation, bus nodes being furnished with an identical delivery address, where (i) an assigning entity, particularly a central computer, start-up computer or bus node sends information to the delivery address via the bus system, (ii) the information includes a first address, (iii) an action is performed whose effect is detected by a first bus node, (iv) the first bus node accepts the first address, (v) the first bus node sends a response to the assigning entity, and (vi) steps (i) through (v) are repeated, each time with a further address for a further bus node. Full Article
or FABRIC FOR MODULAR SOLID-STATE STORAGE SYSTEMS By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Thu, 29 Jun 2017 08:00:00 EDT A storage system including a hardware module slot, configured to mechanically accommodate a first hardware module. The hardware module slot includes a hardware module data connector configured to electrically interface with the first hardware module inserted into the hardware module slot. The storage system further includes a fabric that includes a first switch. The first switch includes a first protocol interface to the hardware module data connector and is configured to enable first protocol communications between the first hardware module and a second hardware module. The fabric also includes a second switch that includes a second protocol interface to the hardware module data connector and is configured to enable second protocol communications between the first hardware module and the second hardware module. Full Article
or METHOD FOR INCREASING THE COMPATIBILITY OF DISPLAYPORT By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Thu, 29 Jun 2017 08:00:00 EDT A method for increasing compatibility of DisplayPort includes: providing a first source device, a second source device, a controller, and a sink device, wherein the first source device is connected to the controller; the first source device transmitting a first image signal to the sink device via a main link for displaying the first image signal on the sink device; causing the controller to disconnect from the first source device and connect to the second source device; executing a simulation process to generate a DC level variation on an auxiliary channel between the controller and the sink device; the second source device transmitting auxiliary data to the sink device; the sink device transmitting link data back to the second source device; and the second source device transmitting a second image signal to the sink device via a second main link for displaying the second image signal on the sink device. Full Article
or INPUT/OUTPUT MODULE FOR A BUS SYSTEM By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Thu, 29 Jun 2017 08:00:00 EDT An input/output module is provided for a bus system having a socket, the five contact cups of which each may comprise an electrical contact, and a measuring device for detecting a connector of a four-wire data cable. The measuring device can be configured to detect, when a connector is inserted into the socket, whether the connector comprises four or five electrical contact pins which are each plugged into one of the contact cups and are electrically connected to the respective electrical contact of the contact cups. The measuring device may be configured to close a first and a second switching device only when five electrical contact pins are detected in order to apply a respective supply voltage from two DC voltage supplies to the corresponding plugged contact pins of the connector plugged into the socket via the respective electrical contacts of the contact cups. Full Article
or Platform Environment Control Interface Tunneling Via Enhanced Serial Peripheral Interface By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Thu, 29 Jun 2017 08:00:00 EDT An embedded controller is provided for a computer, including a processor, first one or more logic elements providing a serial peripheral interface (SPI) module to communicatively couple the embedded controller to an SPI bus as an SPI slave, and second one or more logic elements providing a platform environment control interface (PECI)-over-SPI engine, to build an SPI packet providing an encapsulated PECI command and send a notification to an SPI master that the packet is available. Full Article
or Technologies for automatic timing calibration in an inter-integrated circuit data bus By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Thu, 29 Jun 2017 08:00:00 EDT Technologies for controlling timing calibration of a dedicated inter-integrated circuit data bus by a primary microcontroller are disclosed. The primary microcontroller performs a data transfer with a secondary integrated circuit using the dedicated inter-integrated circuit data bus, and determines a duration of the data transfer. If the duration is outside of an acceptable range, the primary microcontroller updates one or more data transfer timing parameters so that the duration of future data transfers are closer to the acceptable range. Full Article
or Sportsmans EZ grill By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 21 Apr 2015 08:00:00 EDT The foldable Sportsman EZ grill is described. The Sportsman EZ portable grill has a grill member and a frame. The frame supports the Sportsman EZ grill on a support surface, keeping the front legs away from the fire/heat source, extending outwardly and in an arch from the frame. The support arms have a distal end and a proximal end. The distal end is joined to the support structure which connects to the grill member. Full Article
or Solar collector based on carbon nanotubes and solar heating system using the same By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 21 Apr 2015 08:00:00 EDT A solar collector includes a substrate having a top surface and a bottom surface opposite to the upper surface, a sidewall, a transparent cover, and a heat-absorbing layer. The sidewall is arranged on the periphery of the top surface of the substrate. The transparent cover is disposed on the sidewall opposite to the substrate to form a sealed chamber. The heat-absorbing layer is disposed on the upper surface of the substrate and includes a carbon nanotube film having a plurality of carbon nanotubes. The carbon nanotubes in the carbon nanotube film are joined end-to-end. Full Article
or Window mounting for thermal expansion in an oven appliance By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 28 Apr 2015 08:00:00 EDT Mounting for a window in an oven appliance is provided so as to allow for thermal expansion during oven use. More particularly, an expansion zone is provided around the window such that, during heating of the window from oven operation, the window is allowed to expand without restraint that could cause cracking or shattering. Space can be allowed for both lateral and longitudinal expansion of the window. Full Article
or System for discretely actuated solar mirrors By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 28 Apr 2015 08:00:00 EDT System for establishing a surface shape. The system includes a compliant substrate including the surface and having a reverse side, and a plurality of discrete actuators engaging the reverse side and arranged in a selected pattern to control the surface shape as individual discrete activators are activated. It is preferred that the actuators have multiple discrete stable states of elongation. A particularly preferred embodiment uses actuators that are binary with two stable states of elongation. Full Article
or Countertop oven and accessories By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 05 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A combination oven and cutting board has a front opening door and a metal upper surface with features that cooperate with the cutting board. The oven may have an internal heating cavity and a front opening door that incorporates a magnet that is used to pull a rack out of the oven. Full Article
or Linear Fresnel solar arrays and drives therefor By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 05 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT Described herein are solar energy collector systems, components for solar energy collector systems, and methods for installing solar energy collector systems. The components for solar energy collector systems include but are not limited to solar radiation absorbers, receivers, drives, drive systems, reflectors, and various support structures. The solar energy collection systems, solar radiation absorbers, receivers, drives, drive systems, reflectors, support structures, and/or methods may be used, for example, in LFR solar arrays. Drives and drive systems are described herein that may provide improved rotational positioning, movement, and/or rotational positional sensing. For example, drives and drive systems are provided which allow operation through a variable frequency drive. The components and methods described herein may be used together in any combination in a solar collector system, or they may be used separately in different solar collector systems. Full Article
or Racking assemblies for solar panel installations By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 05 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT Racking assemblies for solar panel installations are provided. The racking assemblies may include a series of posts arranged in two parallel rows and anchored to the ground or other suitable surface. Purlins may be coupled to and may span the posts of each row. Specialized clamps may be used to attach the purlins to a series of mounting rails. The mounting rails, in turn, may support an array of solar modules. Full Article
or Dual fuel control device with auxiliary backline pressure regulator By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 05 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A heater assembly can be used with a gas appliance. The gas appliance can be a dual fuel appliance for use with one of a first fuel type or a second fuel type different than the first. The heater assembly can include a fuel regulator valve including a main pressure regulator to regulate the fuel pressure, at least one auxiliary pressure regulator, a first fuel source connection for connecting the first fuel type to the heater assembly, and a second fuel source connection for connecting the second fuel type to the heater assembly. The one or more auxiliary pressure regulators introduce a backline pressure to the main pressure regulator, thereby adjusting the fuel pressure to fall within a predetermined range. Full Article
or Radiant heat reflector and heat converter By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 05 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A system may include a tube through which hot fluid is transported from one end to another, wherein the tube radiates heat energy and transfers heat energy to surrounding air by convection. The system may also include a reflector that reflects the radiated heat and a hood that captures the heat energy from the surrounding air through convection, wherein the hood radiates the captured heat energy. The reflector may include a bi-involute curved surface. Full Article
or Protective grill for an infrared heater By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 12 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A protective grill is provided for a portable infrared heater which reduces the possibility of a person from coming into contact with the radiation disk of the heater. The protective grill of this invention may be selectively detachably secured to the wheeled frame of a heater wherein the radiation disk thereof is positioned at one side of the wheeled frame or which may be selectively secured to the wheeled frame of the heater wherein the radiation disk of the heater is positioned at one end of the heater. Full Article
or Solar collector positioning apparatus By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 12 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A solar collector positioning apparatus including a base structure and an intermediate frame connected to the base structure by at least two base support legs. The base support legs have a hinged connection to the base structure and a hinged connection to the intermediate frame, thereby constraining the movement of the intermediate frame to a plane substantially orthogonal to a plane occupied by the base structure. A solar collector support frame is connected to the intermediate frame by at least two intermediate support legs. The intermediate support legs have a hinged connection to the solar collector support frame and a hinged connection to the intermediate frame, thereby constraining the movement of the solar collector support frame to a plane substantially orthogonal to a plane occupied by the intermediate frame. Full Article
or Improvements for solar collector receiver tubes By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 12 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A solar collector receiver tube containing an improved getter system is described. The solar collector receiver tube has a base, pills of getter material that are uniform in height, and a containment metallic mesh having a non-uniform height and presenting at least one depression. Full Article
or Self-contained, multi-fluid energy conversion and management system for converting solar energy to electric and thermal energy By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 12 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT The teachings generally relate to a system for converting solar energy into electrical energy and thermal energy using a self-contained system having a plurality of channels for the heat transfer using a respective plurality of fluids. Full Article
or Gas pressure control for warm air furnaces By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 19 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT Systems, methods, and controllers for controlling gas-fired appliances such as warm air furnaces are disclosed. An illustrative furnace system can include a burner unit in communication with a combustion air flow conduit and heat exchanger, a variable speed inducer fan or blower adapted to provide a flow of combustion air to the burner unit, a furnace controller and motor speed control unit adapted to regulate the speed of the inducer fan or blower, and a pneumatically modulated gas valve adapted to variably output gas pressure to the burner unit based at least in part on the combustion air flow. Full Article
or Device for concentrating solar radiation in an absorber By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 19 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A device (1) for concentrating solar radiation in an absorber (2), an anchoring frame (8) and an inflatable concentrator pad (3), which has a light-transmissive entry window (4) for coupling in the solar radiation and a reflector film (5) subdividing the concentrator pad (3) into at least two cavities (6, 7), wherein the reflector film (5) is designed to concentrate the solar radiation in the absorber (2) which is arranged in the cavity (6) of the concentrator pad (3), and with an anchoring frame (8), arranged outside of the concentrator pad (3), for anchoring the concentrator pad (3), wherein the absorber (2) is attached to the anchoring frame (8) by means of an absorber mount (15) and the concentrator pad (3) has at least one attachment opening (26) for the absorber mount (15) to pass through. Full Article
or Induced-draft low swirl burner for low NOx emissions By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 19 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A burner for use with an induced draft furnace and which satisfies reduced nitrous oxide (NOx) emission standards is disclosed. The burner may employ a mechanical swirler that introduces a rotational vector to the emitted air and fuel mixed by the burner. By introducing the rotational vector, the resulting flame is more stable and sustainable even with the relatively low air flow afforded by an induced system. Such flame stability can be enhanced by positioning the burner directly within an inlet to a heat exchanger and manufacturing the inlet with reception surfaces that form a frusto-conically shaped flame expansion zone. In doing so, a secondary source of air is avoided and NOx emissions are reduced. Full Article
or Mirror module By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 19 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT The invention relates to a mirror module of a Fresnel Solar Collector System with a plurality of mirror elements pivotably mounted on a carrier plate and extending in parallel, which focus the sun light upon a receiver unit mounted above the mirror module in a raised position. The mirror elements are pivotably mounted on the carrier plate at least along longitudinal sections. Full Article
or Thermal vector system for solar concentration power plant By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT The present invention relates to a thermal vector system for solar concentration plants, in particular for parabolic trough solar concentration plants, both for industrial and domestic use, comprising a solid state thermal vector. A preferred solar concentration plant comprises one or more solar collectors (1), an heat exchanger (3-5), a heat accumulator (2) and a connecting pipe circuit, in which a solid state thermal vector is pushed through said circuit by mechanical means (6). Full Article
or Flexible coupling of valve and control for a gas cooking appliance By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A coupling for connection of a valve and a control element in a gas cooking appliance is provided. More particularly, the present invention provides a flexible coupling to connect between a control element manipulated by the user and a gas valve that regulates the flow of fuel to a gas burner. By coupling the control and valve by a flexible coupling, options are created for the relative placement of the valve and control, which increases the space available in the interior of the appliance and can increase the space available upon its control panel. Full Article
or Condensate collector system for multi-poise gas furnace system By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A condensate collector system includes a condensate collector box having at least one condensate outlet port, and a condensate trap fluidly connected to the at least one condensate outlet port. The condensate trap is configured and disposed to be selectively positioned in multiple drain orientations relative to the condensate collector box to accommodate multiple installation configurations of the multi-poise gas furnace. Full Article
or Solar boiler tube panel supports By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A solar boiler includes a boiler support defining an axis along an inboard-outboard direction. A hanger rod is rotatably mounted to the boiler support. A bracket is rotatably mounted to the hanger rod, and a solar boiler panel is mounted to the bracket. The solar boiler panel defines a longitudinal axis that is substantially perpendicular with the axis of the boiler support. The hanger rod connects between the boiler support and the bracket to support the weight of the solar boiler panel from the boiler support. The hanger rod and bracket are configured and adapted to maintain a substantially constant orientation of the bracket during inboard and outboard movement of the bracket relative to the boiler support. Full Article
or Motor-driven unit for clearing mines from and securing a hazardous route By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 25 Mar 2014 08:00:00 EDT The present disclosure relates to a motor-driven unit for clearing mines from and securing a hazardous route. According to the present method, system and device, a marker apparatus for a secured route is a liquid material for marking on the ground, and comprising dispensing members for providing one axial marking and two side markings on either side of said axial marking, respectively, for said route. Full Article
or Precision water jet disruptor delivery system By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 25 Mar 2014 08:00:00 EDT A precision coaxial water jet disruption explosive device system that holds a blasting cap precisely to the surface of a cylindrically cut positioned plastic explosive that couples a detonation shock wave into water surrounding a hollow forming cavity. A pressure relief vent enables the water filled system to be assembled without deforming the thin walled hollow jet forming cavity, enabling forming repeatable supersonic jets on centerline axis. This system is positioned with two triangular pivot legs and aligned with two fan light beams or a line sight to define a projected jet route to deliver a water jet that can cut through over 1 inch of steel and disrupt target objects more than 9 feet away. This system is used to disable improvised explosive devices, and other dangerous objects, without detonating the targeted explosives and electronic devices such that the contents are destroyed without explosion sequences occurring. Full Article