The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for generating force from the thermal motion of gas molecules impacting on an article, such as, a plate. It utilizes different surface of the plate, thereby creating differential force between the two different surfaces under the impact of thermal motion of gas molecules around the article. One of the two surfaces is a high loss surface, and the other is a low loss surface so that the article so treated may produce the differential force between two surfaces of the article through the impact of the thermal motion of the gas molecules around the article. Therefore, the differential force between the two surfaces is generated passively through the high loss surface with respect to the other low loss surface of the article.

Methods and systems for sending multicast messages are disclosed. A multicast message is received to be transmitted to a plurality of access terminals at a radio access network (RAN), the received multicast message having a first format. The first format may correspond to a conventional multicast message format. The RAN determines whether the received multicast message requires special handling. If the RAN determines the received multicast message requires special handling, the radio access network converts the received multicast message from the first format into a second format. The RAN transmits the converted multicast message with the second format (e.g., a data over signaling (DOS) message) on a control channel to at least one of the plurality of access terminals. The access terminals receiving the converted multicast message interpret the message as a multicast message.

In some examples, a device includes a charging circuit with a thermoelectric generator and a kinetic energy generator. An embedded controller (EC) monitors a level of a battery in the device. If the level falls below a threshold, the EC may determine, using an accelerometer, whether the device is in motion. If the device is in motion, the EC may use the kinetic energy generator to charge the battery. If the device is not in motion, the EC may determine, using a temperature sensor, whether there is a temperature difference between two portions of the device. If there is a temperature difference, then the EC may use the thermoelectric generator to charge the battery. If the EC determines that the device is not in motion and there is no temperature difference between the two portions, then the EC may instruct the user to charge the device.

Disclosed are devices, systems, and methods for compact energy conversion. In one aspect, the compact energy conversion device includes a transport medium comprising a nanoparticle suspended in a dielectric. The transport medium has a first side and a second side, with the first side opposing the second side. The nanoparticle comprises a conductive metal. The conductive metal is at least partially covered by a monolayer film. The monolayer film is less conductive than the conductive metal. The compact energy conversion device includes a first surface disposed at the first side of the transport medium, and a second surface disposed at the second side of the transport medium. The first side of the transport medium has a work function lower than the second side.

Disclosed are devices, systems, and methods for compact energy conversion. In one aspect, the compact energy conversion device includes a transport medium comprising a nanoparticle suspended in a dielectric. The transport medium has a first side and a second side, with the first side opposing the second side. The nanoparticle comprises a conductive metal. The conductive metal is at least partially covered by a monolayer film. The monolayer film is less conductive than the conductive metal. The compact energy conversion device includes a first surface disposed at the first side of the transport medium, and a second surface disposed at the second side of the transport medium. The first side of the transport medium has a work function lower than the second side. The compact energy conversion device is configured to power an application device coupled to the energy conversion device.

An electrical power production system including a plurality of generator assemblies having: at least one piezoelectric generator for generating electrical power in response to a mechanical force applied onto said first generator, an actuator for applying a mechanical force onto the generator when said actuator is biased, a rotatable cam having a cam surface, a follower means for following the cam surface, a lever connected to the follower means, said lever being mounted as a lever arm and engaging with the actuator so as to bias said actuator when the cam is rotated and the cam surface exerts a mechanical force on the follower means, a rotatable wheel rotated by a power source and coupled to the cams so that setting said rotatable wheel in rotation at a rotation speed causes the rotation of said cams at another rotation speed, which is greater than that of said rotatable wheel.

A kinetic energy generator, system and method of transmitting data are described. The kinetic energy generator includes a piezoelectric element that receives kinetic energy initiated by a user, a rectifier connected with the piezoelectric element that rectifies voltage from the piezoelectric element, a capacitive system of capacitors formed from different materials connected with the piezoelectric element through the rectifier, a short-range transceiver connected with the capacitive system and activated in response to energy storage in the capacitive system reaching a threshold level, and a non-volatile memory that provides at least some of the data transmitted by the transceiver in response to a request from the transceiver. Below an inflection point, the capacitive system stores more energy than one system of one capacitor type and less energy than another system of another capacitor type arranged in the same manner as the capacitive system, and the reverse above the inflection point.

A kinetic energy generator, system and method of transmitting data are described. The kinetic energy generator includes a piezoelectric element that receives kinetic energy initiated by a user, a rectifier connected with the piezoelectric element that rectifies voltage from the piezoelectric element, a capacitive system of capacitors formed from different materials connected with the piezoelectric element through the rectifier, a short-range transceiver connected with the capacitive system and activated in response to energy storage in the capacitive system reaching a threshold level, and a non-volatile memory that provides at least some of the data transmitted by the transceiver in response to a request from the transceiver. Below an inflection point, the capacitive system stores more energy than one system of one capacitor type and less energy than another system of another capacitor type arranged in the same manner as the capacitive system, and the reverse above the inflection point.

A system for harvesting energy from a lubrication event includes a fluid pump, a fluid injector, an energy harvesting device, a wireless transmitter, and a controller unit. The fluid injector receives fluid from the fluid pump. The fluid injector is connected to the energy harvesting device, which is configured to produce electrical energy in response to a firing of the fluid injector. Electrical energy produced by the energy harvesting device powers the wireless transmitter, which is configured to transmit a wireless signal. The wireless signal indicates that the fluid injector fired. The wireless signal is received by the controller unit, which controls the fluid pump.

A method for detecting hardened bunkers within a target, the method including: producing a first output from a sensor fired to travel through the hardened bunkers, the first output being different from a second output when the sensor travels in a void between the hardened bunkers or encounters other objects outside of the hardened bunkers; and determining one or more of the number of hardened bunkers, a thickness of the hardened bunkers and a strength of the hardened bunkers based on the first and second outputs of the sensor over time. The sensor can include one of a piezoelectric generator for producing a voltage output and a circuit input by the voltage output or an accelerometer having a locking member for locking a proof mass during periods of impact with the one or more hardened bunkers.