Electrical power systems and methods of controlling electrical power systems are described. One such electrical power system comprises: a first ac bus and a first generator set configured to supply the first ac bus with ac electrical power; a second ac bus and a second generator set, configured to supply the second ac bus with ac electrical power; an interconnecting transformer connected between the first and second ac busses; a primary electrical load connected to both the first and second ac busses via a converter arrangement; an auxiliary load connected to the first ac bus; and a controller configured to control the first generator set according to a first droop control profile and to control the second generator set according to a second droop control profile, the first and second droop control profiles relating respective generator operating frequencies of the first and second generator sets to respective output powers of the first and second generator sets.

An electricity generation system includes an internal combustion engine and at least one electricity generation motor that generates electricity upon an input shaft thereof being rotated by the internal combustion engine, wherein the internal combustion engine includes: a piston reciprocable in a cylinder; a valve actuating mechanism that actuates an intake valve and exhaust valve; a supercharger that compresses intake air to be delivered into the cylinder; and a fuel feeder, and wherein while the piston reciprocates once by starting from a top dead center and returning to the top dead center, the valve actuating mechanism actuates the intake and exhaust valves in such a manner as to provide a valve overlap period, the fuel feeder feeds fuel into the cylinder after closing of the exhaust valve, and an air-fuel mixture inside the cylinder is burned during a period in which both of the intake and exhaust valves are closed.

A system for detecting and verifying an environmental anomaly within a shipping container (transported on a transit vehicle having an external transceiver) has wireless sensor-based ID nodes at different locations within the container and multiple command nodes mounted to the container. A first command node is programmatically configured to be operative to detect the sensor data broadcasted from the ID nodes; responsively identify the anomaly based upon the sensor data detected by that command node; and transmit a validation request to another command node. The other command node is configured to be operative to also detect the sensor data broadcasted from the ID nodes; receive the validation request from the first command node; verify the anomaly in response to the validation request and based upon the sensor data detected by the second command node; and broadcast a verification message based upon whether the anomaly for the shipping container is verified.

A windshield wiper system includes a pivoting wiper arm (110), a wiper blade (120) for wiping a surface (102), and a connector assembly (130) coupling the pivoting wiper arm (110) to the wiper blade (120). The connector system (130) includes a first connecting member (140) directly coupled to the wiper arm (110) and a second connecting member (150) directly coupled to the wiper blade (120). The first connecting member (140) and the second connecting member (150) are movably coupled to each other, wherein a position of the first connecting member (140) relative to the second connecting member (150) is based on an angular position of the pivoting wiper arm (110).

Fuel isolation systems, apparatuses and methods are described. In some embodiments, a system comprises a fuel tank, a fuel pump, an engine, a firewall, a fuel line from the fuel tank to the engine, a connector coupled inline with the fuel line on a cold side of the fuel line, a valve coupled to the connector, an air feed line coupled to an air source and to the valve. In the event of an engine fire condition, a control unit outputs signaling to turn off the fuel pump and operate the valve to introduce air from the air source into the fuel line. The introduced air provides a siphon break in the fuel line such that the only fuel that can pass the firewall is the remaining fuel in the fuel line downstream of the connector and the introduced air.

An enhanced shipping container apparatus that maintains packages is described having integrated fire suppression. The apparatus has a container base supporting the packages, multiple container walls coupled to the container base, and a container top coupled to each of the container walls. A fire suppression panel is integrated as part of one or more of the walls and top portion, and has a support sheet of fire resistant material; an interior exposed sheet of temperature sensitive material; a sealed boundary connecting the support sheet and interior exposed sheet on peripheral edges (where the sealed boundary, support sheet and interior exposed sheet define a holding cavity), and integrated fire suppression material in the holding cavity. The temperature sensitive material of the interior exposed sheet releases the integrated fire suppressant material from within the holding cavity when the temperature sensitive material of the interior exposed sheet is exposed to a threshold temperature.

A powertrain including an engine; a main drive shaft assembly; a primary clutch mechanism coupled to the engine and the a main drive shaft assembly, the primary clutch mechanism being operable to connect or disconnect the main drive shaft assembly and the engine; an axle shaft coupled transversely to the main drive shaft assembly; a secondary clutch mechanism having a driving member coupled to an end of the axle shaft; a drive wheel coupled to a first driven member of the secondary clutch mechanism; and an air propulsion unit coupled to a second driven member of the secondary clutch mechanism. The secondary clutch mechanism being operable to engage or disengage the first driven member and/or the second driven member to the driving member so as to connect or disconnect the drive wheel and/or the air propulsion unit to the axle shaft. A vehicle including the powertrain.

A system and method in a building or vehicle for an actuator operation in response to a sensor according to a control logic, the system comprising a router or a gateway communicating with a device associated with the sensor and a device associated with the actuator over in-building or in-vehicle networks, and an external Internet-connected control server associated with the control logic implementing a PID closed linear control loop and communicating with the router over external network for controlling the in-building or in-vehicle phenomenon. The sensor may be a microphone or a camera, and the system may include voice or image processing as part of the control logic. A redundancy is used by using multiple sensors or actuators, or by using multiple data paths over the building or vehicle internal or external communication. The networks may be wired or wireless, and may be BAN, PAN, LAN, WAN, or home networks.

An improved system detects an environmental anomaly in a shipping container and initiates a mediation response through a generated layered alert notification. The system includes sensor-based ID nodes associated with packages within the container, and a command node mounted to the container communicating with the ID nodes and an external transceiver on a vehicle transporting the container. The command node is programmed to detect sensor data from the ID nodes; compare the sensor data to package environmental thresholds in context data related to each ID node; detect the environmental anomaly when the comparison indicates an environmental condition for at least one package exceeds its environmental threshold; responsively generate a layered alert notification identifying a mediation recipient and mediation action, and establishing a mediation response priority based upon the comparison; and transmit the layered alert notification to the transceiver unit to initiate a mediation response related to the mediation action.

Systems and methods are described for detecting and initiating a response to an environmental anomaly in a shipping container. Generally, a system includes two sets of ID nodes within and outside the container and a command node mounted to the container. The command node is specially adapted to monitor the different sets of ID nodes for unanticipated non-broadcasting according to communication profiles for respective ID nodes in each set and detect an unresponsive group of ID nodes and what set of ID nodes the unresponsive ones are in. The command node identifies the anomaly when the number of unresponsive ID nodes exceeds a threshold setting, automatically generates an alert notification on the anomaly with an alert level setting based upon whether the unresponsive ID nodes are in the first and/or second set of ID nodes, and initiates a mediation response by transmitting the notification to the transit vehicle transceiver.