Abstract:
An autonomous loading/unloading system and method for transferring material includes: a buoy for releasing onto water; a messenger line coupled to the buoy for being pulled; a carrier line loop coupled to the messenger line for being pulled, where a payload is coupled to the carrier loop for transferring the material to or from an unmanned ship; a fetch/release platform to fetch or release the payload from or onto the water; a loading/unloading dock for the payload; a plurality of line guides for guiding the carrier loop; and a platform-to-payload interconnect for autonomous loading or unloading of the material from/to the payload.
Abstract:
A sensing system including in-ground sensors not requiring battery power. A thermoelectric generator sensor rod includes an upper thermal contact and a lower thermal contact at or near its two ends. When the thermoelectric generator sensor rod is buried in the ground with one end buried more deeply than the other, a temperature gradient in the soil produces a temperature difference between the upper thermal contact and the lower thermal contact. The upper thermal contact and the lower thermal contact are thermally connected to a thermoelectric generator, e.g., by heat pipes or thermally conductive rods. Electrical power generated by the thermoelectric generator powers sensors for monitoring conditions in the ground, and circuitry for transmitting sensor data to a central data processing system.
Abstract:
A method for supplying power to detected devices coupled to a conductive backplane includes: supplying a plurality of sensing signals at a plurality of transmit impedance values to the conductive backplane; analyzing a plurality of return signals received from the conductive backplane, the return signals corresponding to the sensing signals; detecting the presence of a sink device coupled to the conductive backplane based on the analyzed return signals; and supplying power from a power supply to the sink device via the conductive backplane after detecting the presence of the sink device.
Abstract:
An autonomous loading/unloading system and method for transferring material includes: a buoy for releasing onto water; a messenger line coupled to the buoy for being pulled; a carrier line loop coupled to the messenger line for being pulled, where a payload is coupled to the carrier loop for transferring the material to or from an unmanned ship; a fetch/release platform to fetch or release the payload from or onto the water; a loading/unloading dock for the payload; a plurality of line guides for guiding the carrier loop; and a platform-to-payload interconnect for autonomous loading or unloading of the material from/to the payload.
Abstract:
A sensing system including in-ground sensors not requiring battery power. A thermoelectric generator sensor rod includes an upper thermal contact and a lower thermal contact at or near its two ends. When the thermoelectric generator sensor rod is buried in the ground with one end buried more deeply than the other, a temperature gradient in the soil produces a temperature difference between the upper thermal contact and the lower thermal contact. The upper thermal contact and the lower thermal contact are thermally connected to a thermoelectric generator, e.g., by heat pipes or thermally conductive rods. Electrical power generated by the thermoelectric generator powers sensors for monitoring conditions in the ground, and circuitry for transmitting sensor data to a central data processing system.
Abstract:
A system for charging rechargeable devices. A landing surface includes a plurality of conductive patches, and a rechargeable device includes a plurality of contacts. The configurations of the conductive patches and of the contacts are selected to establish, when the contacts of the rechargeable device come into contact with the landing surface, a plurality of separate conductive paths between a charger and the rechargeable device.
Abstract:
An autonomous loading/unloading system and method for transferring material includes: a buoy for releasing onto water; a messenger line coupled to the buoy for being pulled; a carrier line loop coupled to the messenger line for being pulled, where a payload is coupled to the carrier loop for transferring the material to or from an unmanned ship; a fetch/release platform to fetch or release the payload from or onto the water; a loading/unloading dock for the payload; a plurality of line guides for guiding the carrier loop; and a platform-to-payload interconnect for autonomous loading or unloading of the material from/to the payload.
Abstract:
A system for charging rechargeable devices. A landing surface includes a plurality of conductive patches, and a rechargeable device includes a plurality of contacts. The configurations of the conductive patches and of the contacts are selected to establish, when the contacts of the rechargeable device come into contact with the landing surface, a plurality of separate conductive paths between a charger and the rechargeable device.
Abstract:
A method for supplying power to detected devices coupled to a conductive backplane includes: supplying a plurality of sensing signals at a plurality of transmit impedance values to the conductive backplane; analyzing a plurality of return signals received from the conductive backplane, the return signals corresponding to the sensing signals; detecting the presence of a sink device coupled to the conductive backplane based on the analyzed return signals; and supplying power from a power supply to the sink device via the conductive backplane after detecting the presence of the sink device.