Author: claimsbot

1. A method comprising:
acquiring a plurality of supply voltages supplied to an electrical component;
acquiring a plurality of temperatures of the electrical component;
determining a margin, which reflects reliability of the electrical component and is allowed by current workload and environment conditions, wherein the determining comprises
comparing the plurality of supply voltages to a maximum supply voltage allowed;
comparing the plurality of temperatures to a maximum temperature allowed; and
creating a reliability trending of the electrical component based on the plurality of supply voltages and the plurality of temperatures; and

altering one or more operational parameters of the electrical component based on the determined margin.
2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the one or more operational parameters comprise at least one of a frequency of operation, a body bias, a supply voltage, or a workload.
3. A method according to claim 1, wherein altering the one or more operational parameters of the electrical component comprises:
increasing a frequency of operation of the electrical component if the margin exceeds a predetermined threshold; and
decreasing the frequency of operation if the margin is below the predetermined threshold.
4. A method according to claim 1, wherein altering the one or more operational parameters of the electrical component comprises dynamically scaling at least one of a frequency of operation of or a supply voltage to the electrical component to optimize power consumption by and a performance requirement from the electrical component.
5. A method according to claim 1, wherein determining the margin comprises determining an extent to which an operational life of the electrical component has been depleted.
6. An apparatus comprising:
a voltage sensor to determine a plurality of supply voltages supplied to an electrical component;
a temperature sensor to determine a plurality of temperatures of the electrical component; and
a control unit to determine a margin, which reflects reliability of the electrical component and is allowed by current workload and environment conditions, and to alter one or more operational parameters of the electrical component based on the determined margin, wherein the determining comprises
comparing the plurality of supply voltages to a maximum supply voltage allowed; and
comparing the plurality of temperatures to a maximum temperature allowed, wherein the control unit further creates a reliability trending of the electrical component based on the plurality of supply voltages and the plurality of temperatures.
7. An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the one or more operational parameters comprise at least one of a frequency of operation, a body bias, a supply voltage, or a workload.
8. An apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising:
a memory to store the plurality of supply voltages and the plurality of temperatures from the temperature sensor, and to provide the plurality of supply voltages and the plurality of temperatures to the control unit.
9. An apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising:
a body bias circuit coupled to the control unit, the body bias circuit to receive an instruction from the control unit to change a body bias voltage of the electrical component.
10. An apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising:
a voltage regulator coupled to the control unit, the voltage regulator to receive an instruction from the control unit to change a supply voltage supplied to the electrical component.
11. An apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising:
a clocking unit coupled to the control unit, the clocking unit to receive an instruction from the control unit to change a frequency of operation of the electrical component.
12. An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the control unit increases a frequency of operation of the electrical component if the margin exceeds a predetermined threshold, and decreases the frequency of operation if the margin is below the predetermined threshold.
13. An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the control unit dynamically scales at least one of a frequency of operation of or a supply voltage to the electrical component to optimize power consumption by and a performance requirement from the electrical component.
14. An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the control unit determines an extent to which an operational life of the electrical component has been depleted.
15. A system comprising:
a microprocessor comprising:
a voltage sensor to determine a plurality of supply voltages supplied to the microprocessor;
a temperature sensor to determine a plurality of temperatures of the microprocessor; and
a control unit to determine a margin, which reflects reliability of the electrical component and is allowed by current workload and environment conditions, and to alter one or more operational parameters of the electrical component based on the determined margin, wherein the determining comprises
comparing the plurality of supply voltages to a maximum supply voltage allowed; and
comparing the plurality of temperatures to a maximum temperature allowed, wherein the control unit further creates a reliability trending of the electrical component based on the plurality of supply voltages and the plurality of temperatures; and

a double data rate memory coupled to the microprocessor.
16. A system according to claim 15, wherein the one or more operational parameters comprise at least one of a frequency of operation, a supply voltage, or a workload.
17. A system according to claim 15, wherein the control unit dynamically scales at least one of a frequency of operation of or a supply voltage to the electrical component to optimize power consumption by and a performance requirement from the electrical component.
18. A system according to claim 15, wherein the control unit determines an extent to which an operational life of the electrical component has been depleted.
19. A medium storing program code, the program code comprising:
code to acquire a plurality of supply voltages supplied to an electrical component;
code to acquire a plurality of temperatures of the electrical component;
code to determine a margin, which reflects reliability of the electrical component and is allowed by current workload and environment conditions, wherein the determining comprises
comparing the plurality of supply voltages to a maximum supply voltage allowed;
comparing the plurality of temperatures to a maximum temperature allowed; and
creating a reliability trending of the electrical component based on the plurality of supply voltages and the plurality of temperatures; and

code to alter one or more operational parameters of the electrical component based on the determined margin.
20. A medium according to claim 19, wherein the one or more operational parameters comprise at least one of a frequency of operation, a supply voltage, or a workload.
21. A medium according to claim 19, wherein the code to determine the margin comprises code to determine an extent to which an operational life of the electrical component has been depleted.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A method for making an article having an electronic device embedded therein comprising:
providing a substrate having first and second opposing broad planar surfaces;
forming an elongated electrical conductor on the first broad planar surface of the substrate;
attaching an electronic device to the first broad planar surface of the substrate;
providing a layer of melt-flowable adhesive proximate the first broad planar surface of the substrate, wherein the layer of melt-fiowable adhesive has a thickness that is substantially uniform and sufficient to cover the electronic device; and
melt flowing the melt-flowable adhesive to the first broad planar surface of the substrate to encapsulate the electronic device thereto in the substantially uniform thickness layer of melt-flowable adhesive;
wherein said forming an elongated electrical conductor includes depositing a loop antenna pattern of a conductive adhesive on the first broad planar surface of the substrate, and wherein said attaching an electrical device includes attaching at least one contact on the electronic device to one contact of the loop antenna pattern of conductive adhesive.
2. A method for making an article having an electronic device embedded therein comprising:
providing a substrate having first and second opposing broad planar surfaces;
attaching an electronic device to the first broad planar surface of the substrate;
providing a layer of melt-flowable adhesive proximate the first broad planar surface of the substrate, wherein the layer of melt-flowable adhesive has a thickness that is substantially uniform and sufficient to cover the electronic device; and
melt flowing the melt-flowable adhesive to the first broad planar surface of the substrate to encapsulate the electronic device thereto in the substantially uniform thickness layer of melt-flowable adhesive,
wherein said melt flowing includes heating the melt-flowable adhesive to a melt-flow temperature, which melt-flow temperature is less than a deformation temperature of the substrate and the card blank.
3. The method of claim 1 or 2 wherein said attaching an electronic device includes forming electrical connections between contact pads on the substrate and corresponding contact pads on the electronic device.
4. The method of claim 3 wherein said forming electrical connections includes at least one of forming a solder connection, forming a conductive adhesive connection and forming a flexible conductive adhesive connection.
5. The method of claim 3 wherein said forming electrical connections includes depositing a pattern of electrically conductive adhesive contact features corresponding to the pattern of contact pads of the electronic device onto the first broad planar surface of the substrate.
6. The method of claim 5 wherein said attaching an electronic device includes placing the contact pads of the electronic device against the corresponding contact features at a time when the conductive adhesive thereof is wet.
7. The method of claim 5 wherein said attaching an electronic device includes placing the contact pads of the electronic device against the corresponding contact features at a time after the conductive adhesive thereof is one of dried and B-staged.
8. The method of claim 1 or 2 wherein said providing a layer of melt-flowable adhesive includes forming the layer of melt-flowable adhesive on the first broad planar surface of the substrate after the electronic device is attached thereto.
9. The method of claim 8 wherein said forming the layer of melt-flowable adhesive includes one of sheet laminating, roll coating, screen printing, stenciling, masking, and ink-jet printing the melt-flowable adhesive.
10. The method of claim 2 further comprising forming an elongated electrical conductor on the first broad planar surface of the substrate.
11. The method of claim 10 wherein said forming an elongated electrical conductor includes depositing a pattern of a conductive adhesive on the first broad planar surface of the substrate.
12. The method of claim 11 wherein said attaching an electrical device includes attaching at least one contact on the electronic device to a location on the pattern of conductive adhesive.
13. The method of claim 1 or 2 wherein said melt flowing the melt-flowable adhesive comprises:
placing a card blank against the layer of melt-flowable adhesive; and
melt flowing the melt-flowable adhesive to attach the card blank to the substrate with the electronic device therebetween.
14. The method of claim 13 wherein said placing a card blank includes positioning a card blank having a cavity adapted for receiving an electronic device therein in a position with the cavity opposite the electronic device.
15. The method of claim 14 wherein said melt flowing includes pressing the substrate and the card blank together to position the electronic device in the cavity in the card blank.
16. The method of claim 1 or 2 wherein providing a substrate includes providing one of a strip and a panel of a plurality of substrates.
17. The method of claim 16 including separating the one of a strip and a panel of a plurality of substrates into a plurality of separate substrates after said melt flowing the melt-flowable adhesive.
18. A method for making an article having an electronic device embedded therein comprising:
providing a substrate having first and second opposing broad planar surfaces comprising one of a strip and a panel of a plurality of substrates;
attaching an electronic device to the first broad planar surface of the substrate;
providing a layer of melt-flowable adhesive proximate the first broad planar surface of the substrate, wherein the layer of melt-flowable adhesive has a thickness that is substantially uniform and sufficient to cover the electronic device; and
melt flowing the melt-flowable adhesive to the first broad planar surface of the substrate to encapsulate the electronic device thereto in the substantially uniform thickness layer of melt-flowable adhesive;
wherein said providing a layer of melt-flowable adhesive includes forming the layer of melt-flowable adhesive on the first broad planar surface of the provided one of a strip and a panel of substrates after the electronic device is attached thereto, and further including separating the provided one of a strip and a panel of a plurality of substrates into a plurality of separate substrates after said forming the layer of melt-flowable adhesive on the first broad planar surface thereof.
19. A method for making a plurality of articles each having an electronic device embedded therein comprising:
providing substrate material having first and second opposing broad planar surfaces, wherein the substrate material has a plurality of contact patterns on the first broad planar surface thereof;
attaching an electronic device having contacts to each of the plurality of contact patterns on the first broad planar surface of the substrate material;
providing a layer of melt-flowable adhesive proximate the first broad planar surface of the substrate material, wherein the layer of melt-flowable adhesive has a thickness that is substantially uniform and is sufficient to cover the plurality of electronic devices;
melt flowing the layer of melt-flowable adhesive to the first broad planar surface of the substrate material to encapsulate the electronic device thereto in the substantially uniform thickness layer of melt-flowable adhesive; and
after said melt flowing the melt-flowable adhesive, separating the broad planar substrate material into a plurality of separate articles wherein each separate article includes at least one of the plurality of electronic devices encapsulated to a substrate by a portion of the melt-flowed layer of melt-flowable adhesive.
20. The method of claim 19 further comprising:
placing plastic blank material opposing the layer of melt-flowable adhesive and the first surface of the broad planar substrate material with the electronic device between the substrate material and the plastic blank material; and wherein said melting the melt-flowable adhesive comprises:
attaching the plastic blank material and the broad planar substrate material with the layer of melt-flowable adhesive substantially filling the space therebetween to substantially encapsulate the electronic device,
wherein each separate article incldes at least one of the plurality of electronic devices encasulated on a substrate and a portion of the plastic blank material.
21. The method of claim 19 wherein said attaching an electronic device includes, for each electronic device, at least one of:
making electrical connections of the contacts of the electronic device to a loop antenna disposed on either the first or the second broad planar surface of the substrate material via one of the plurality of contact patterns on the first broad planar surface of the substrate material; and
making electrical connections of the contacts of the electronic device to a pattern of external contacts on the second broad planar surface of the substrate material via one of the plurality of contact patterns on the first broad planar surface of the substrate material.
22. The method of claim 21 wherein said making electrical connections includes at least one of forming a solder connection, forming a conductive adhesive connection and forming a flexible conductive adhesive connection.
23. The method of claim 19 wherein said providing a layer of melt-flowable adhesive includes one of sheet laminating, roll coating, screen printing, stenciling, masking, and ink-jet printing the melt-flowable adhesive on the first broad planar surface of the substrate material.

1. A modular thermal panel comprising:
a thermal mass unit having a top and bottom surface and a plurality of outer edges with a central region disposed centrally between the outer edges;
a heat exchanger having connected top and bottom panels with channels formed there between for receiving a heat exchange fluid, the top panel of the heat exchanger being coupled to the bottom surface of the thermal mass unit, the heat exchanger having a channel inlet and a channel outlet which are positioned near the central region of the thermal mass, such that the channel inlet and the channel outlet are offset from the edges of the thermal mass;
an insulation layer having a top surface and a bottom surface, the top surface of the insulation layer being coupled to the bottom surface of the heat exchanger, and such that the heat exchanger is effectively sandwiched between the thermal mass unit and the insulation layer, with groves formed into the bottom surface of the insulation layer;
inlet and outlet tubes coupled to the channel inlet and the channel outlet of the heat exchanger, respectively, for feeding heat exchange fluid to and from the heat exchanger, the inlet and outlet tubes being positioned within the groves formed into the bottom surface of the insulation layer;
wherein the edges of the heat exchanger are substantially aligned with the edges of the thermal mass;
wherein the heat exchanger is made of thermally transmissive material including polymers, stainless steel, aluminium, or copper; and
wherein the thermal mass unit is made of a material which includes modular or formed in place concrete, cement, gypsum concrete, or stone.
2. The modular thermal panel of claim 1 wherein, when the thermal mass unit is coupled to a pedestal:
corners of the insulation layer are removed to expose corners of the heat exchanger;
a corner alignment ring is located between a pedestal and a corner of the thermal mass unit and contacts a corner of the heat exchanger; and
the insulation layer is coupled to the bottom panel of the heat exchanger.
3. The modular thermal panel of claim 2 wherein the corner alignment ring is made of polymers, stainless steel, copper, aluminum or rubber.
4. The modular thermal panel of claim 3 wherein the insulator layer is made of expanded or extruded polystyrene, icynene, urethane or isocyanurate.
5. The modular thermal panel of claim 3 wherein the corner alignment ring located at the corner of the thermal mass unit hold the thermal mass unit in place laterally.
6. The modular thermal panel of claim 5 wherein the corner alignment ring includes vertical alignment tabs for aligning and securing one or more adjacent thermal mass unit in place relative to each other.
7. The modular thermal panel of claim 6 wherein the corner alignment ring includes slots for facilitating cutting of the corner alignment ring into halves or quarters.
8. The modular thermal panel of claim 7 wherein the corner alignment ring has a center boss with a pre-formed hole for receiving a fastener which allows the corner alignment ring to be fastened mechanically to a pedestal or substrate.
9. The modular thermal mass unit of claim 8 wherein the corner alignment ring allows the transfer of weight of the thermal mass unit to be transferred to an underlying pedestal.
10. The modular thermal panel of claim 1 wherein at least one of the inlet or outlet tubes to the heat exchanger is coupled to a connector.
11. The modular thermal panel of claim 10 wherein the connector comprises an O ring that creates a waterproof seal.
12. The modular thermal panel of claim 11 wherein the connector is at least one of a union connector, a friction fit connector, a soldered connector, a brazed connector or a welded connector.
13. The modular thermal panel of claim 1 wherein the inlet and outlet tubes of the heat exchanger are round.
14. The modular thermal panel of claim 13 wherein a coating of thermal mastic is sandwiched between the top panel of the heat exchanger and the bottom surface of the thermal mass unit.
15. The modular thermal panel of claim 14 wherein a membrane interface is located between the thermal mass unit and the heat exchanger.
16. The modular thermal panel of claim 1 wherein the thermal mass unit is an architectural paver with a thickness of three inches or less.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. An obstruction lighting system, comprising:
a printed wiring board having a generally planar surface;
a plurality of light emitting diodes mounted to the planar surface of the printed wiring board, a central light emitting axis of the light emitting diodes being oriented generally perpendicularly away from the planar surface;
a reflector coupled to the printed wiring board, the reflector having a first side, a second, opposing side, and an outer surface extending between the first and second sides, the outer surface having the shape of a rotated conic section,
the first side of the reflector facing toward the printed wiring board and the second side of the reflector facing away from the printed wiring board,
the outer surface of the reflector having an optical axis generally perpendicular to the central light emitting axis of the light emitting diodes; and
an auxiliary lighting assembly proximate the second side of the reflector, the auxiliary lighting assembly being configured with an infrared light source such that at least a portion of the infrared light emitted from the obstruction lighting system is generally perpendicular to the printed wiring board.
2. The obstruction lighting system of claim 1 wherein the light emitting diodes are surface-mounted to the printed wiring board.
3. The obstruction lighting system of claim 1 wherein the printed wiring board is configured to block light emissions from the light emitting diodes in a downwardly direction from the obstruction lighting system.
4. The obstruction lighting system of claim 1, further including a power supply configured to operate from an AC power source, the power supply having an electrical input, a first AC-to-DC converter, a DC-to-regulated AC converter, and a second AC-to-DC converter.
5. The obstruction lighting system of claim 1, further including a power supply configured to operate from a DC power source, the power supply having an electrical input, a DC-to-regulated AC converter, and an AC-to-DC converter.
6. The obstruction lighting system of claim 1 wherein the reflector further includes a generally hollow interior portion.
7. The obstruction lighting system of claim 1 wherein the reflector has a developed-shape rotated conic section.
8. The obstruction lighting system of claim 1 wherein the auxiliary lighting assembly is disposed within an interior portion of the reflector.
9. The obstruction lighting system of claim 1, the infrared light source comprising at least one infrared light emitting diode.
10. The obstruction lighting system of claim 9 wherein the auxiliary lighting assembly further includes an auxiliary printed wiring board, the auxiliary light emitting diode being mounted to the auxiliary printed wiring board.
11. The obstruction lighting system of claim 10 wherein the auxiliary printed wiring board comprises a first surface and an opposing second surface, the first and second surfaces having thermally conductive elements, the auxiliary printed wiring board further including at least one thermal via extending between the first and second surfaces and thermally coupled to the thermally conductive elements of the first and second surfaces.
12. The obstruction lighting system of claim 11 wherein the at least one thermal via is located under the auxiliary light emitting diode.
13. The obstruction lighting system of claim 11 wherein the auxiliary lighting assembly is detachably coupled to the printed wiring board with a standoff, the standoff being thermally coupled to the thermally conductive elements of the auxiliary printed wiring board.
14. An obstruction lighting system, comprising:
a housing;
a lens;
a lens retainer intermediate the housing and the lens;
a printed wiring board having a generally planar surface, the printed wiring board being immediately adjacent the lens retainer and in thermal communication therewith;
a plurality of light emitting diodes mounted to the planar surface of the printed wiring board, a central light emitting axis of the light emitting diodes being oriented generally perpendicularly away from the planar surface;
a reflector coupled to the printed wiring board, the reflector having a first side, a second, opposing side, and an outer surface extending between the first and second sides, the outer surface having the shape of a conic cross section, the first side of the reflector facing toward the printed wiring board and the second side of the reflector facing away from the printed wiring board;
the outer surface of the reflector having an optical axis generally perpendicular to the central light emitting axis of the light emitting diodes; and
an auxiliary lighting assembly proximate the second side of the reflector, the auxiliary lighting assembly being configured with an infrared light source such that at least a portion of the infrared light emitted from the obstruction lighting system is generally perpendicular to the printed wiring board.
15. The obstruction lighting system of claim 14, the infrared light source comprising at least one auxiliary infrared light emitting diode.
16. A method for providing obstruction lighting, comprising the steps of:
obtaining a printed wiring board having a generally planar surface;
mounting a plurality of light emitting diodes to the planar surface of the printed wiring board, a central light emitting axis of the light emitting diodes being oriented generally perpendicularly away from the planar surface;
coupling a reflector to the printed wiring board, the reflector having a first side, a second, opposing side, and an outer surface extending between the first and second sides, the outer surface having the shape of a rotated conic section,
the first side of the reflector facing toward the printed wiring board and the second side of the reflector facing away from the printed wiring board,
the outer surface of the reflector having an optical axis generally perpendicular to the central light emitting axis of the light emitting diodes; and
mounting an auxiliary lighting assembly proximate the second side of the reflector, the auxiliary lighting assembly being configured with an infrared light source such that at least a portion of the infrared light emitted from the obstruction lighting system is generally perpendicular to the printed wiring board.
17. An obstruction lighting system, comprising:
a disc having a generally planar surface;
a plurality of light emitting diodes mounted to the planar surface of the disc, a central light emitting axis of the light emitting diodes being oriented generally perpendicularly away from the planar surface;
a reflector coupled to the disc, the reflector having a first side, a second, opposing side, and an outer surface in the shape of a rotated conic section, the outer surface of the reflector extending between the first and second sides and having an optical axis generally perpendicular to the central light emitting axis of the light emitting diodes;
the first side of the reflector facing toward the disc and the second side of the reflector facing away from the disc; and
an auxiliary lighting assembly proximate the second side of the reflector, the auxiliary lighting assembly being configured with an infrared light source such that at least a portion of the infrared light emitted from the obstruction lighting system is generally perpendicular to the disc.
18. The obstruction lighting system of claim 17 wherein:
the reflector includes an interior portion; and
the auxiliary lighting assembly is disposed within the interior portion of the reflector.
19. The obstruction lighting system of claim 1 wherein the printed wiring board is a disc.
20. The obstruction lighting system of claim 8, wherein:
the second side of the reflector includes a rim; and
the auxiliary lighting assembly is disposed within the interior portion of the reflector, below the rim.
21. The method of claim 16 wherein the infrared light source comprises at least one infrared light emitting diode.
22. The obstruction lighting system of claim 17 wherein the infrared light source comprises at least one infrared light emitting diode.