Barium, strontium, tantalum and lanthanum precursor compositions useful for atomic layer deposition (ALD) and chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of titanate thin films. The precursors have the formula M(Cp)2, wherein M is strontium, barium, tantalum or lanthanum, and Cp is cyclopentadienyl, of the formula wherein each of R1-R5 is the same as or different from one another, with each being independently selected from among hydrogen, C1-C12 alkyl, C1-C12 amino, C6-C10 aryl, C1-C12 alkoxy, C3-C6 alkylsilyl, C2-C12 alkenyl, R1R2R3NNR3, wherein R1, R2 and R3 may be the same as or different from one another and each is independently selected from hydrogen and C1-C6 alkyl, and pendant ligands including functional group(s) providing further coordination to the metal center M. The precursors of the above formula are useful to achieve uniform coating of high dielectric constant materials in the manufacture of flash memory and other microelectronic devices.

A device and method for creating multiple punch holes during a finishing process of paper sheets and other sheet materials. The improved sheet punch including two rotatable punches set at different angles such that when one intersects the sheet path, the other clears the sheet path. The speed of rotation is controlled such that the non-selected punch intersects the sheet path in a space between pitches.

A method for creating multiple punch holes during a finishing process of paper sheets and other sheet materials. A highlight of the present invention is the ability to select between at least two configurations of punch holes automatically, without manual adjustment, and “on-the-fly” without interruption of the sheet or paper flow. The perforation method utilizes two rotatable punches set at different angles such that when one intersects the sheet path, the other clears the sheet path. The speed of rotation is controlled such that the non-selected punch intersects the sheet path in a space between pitches.

An automatic hole punch is disclosed for creating holes in a sheave of sheet material. The automatic hole punch is preferably user-selectable between punching modes, such as two-hole and three-hole modes. A motor is coupled to a camshaft by a gear train. The cam shaft carries a plurality of cams each having an associated punch. As the camshaft rotates, the cams sequentially drive corresponding punches. However, depending on the selected modality, one or more punches may be idle by not being engaged with their respective cams, thus resulting in varying combinations of driven punches resulting in different hole patterns. Finally, a spacer can be inserted into a material receiving slot for adjusting the relative positioning of the material to the punches to properly position the hole pattern along an edge of the material to be punched.

An integrated control valve body and hydraulic pump for an automatic transmission includes a control valve body having a plurality of control valves and passageways and an internal cavity having an inlet and an outlet, a pump rotor received within the internal cavity and having a plurality of radially and axially extending slots, radially moveable vanes and a shaft, and a device for transferring drive energy from a drive shaft extending between an output of a torque converter and an input of the transmission to the shaft of the hydraulic pump. The device for transferring drive energy may be a pair of chain sprockets and a chain, a pair of spur or helical gears or other inter-axis power transfer components and may affect a speed increase or reduction.

The present invention relates to a system and method for creating customized products using a product identification device. In some embodiments, the process involves receiving an aggregate order for yearbooks, creating a master list associated with the aggregate order and including single orders, associating at least one number with each single order, manufacturing a first portion of a yearbook for each single order with a first identifier associated with that portion and also being associated with the at least one number, manufacturing a second portion of the yearbook for the single order with a second identifier associated with that portion and also being associated with the at least one number, and combining the first portion with the second portion.

Methods for creating customized children's storybooks with fingerprint art using fingerprint-ready templates stored in association with a software application on a desktop computer, a tablet computer, or a smart phone. The methods include the use of preconfigured templates and prompted discussions that elicit responses from the child to create text for the storybook. The text may be generated by speech recognition software processing digital audio recordings of the child's responses. A digital image of the child's fingerprint is acquired and the fingerprint image and/or the storybook scenes are scaled to fit each other. Fingerprint-ready image templates are used to facilitate the creation of fingerprint art. A completed page image is formed by digitally inserting a fingerprint into the fingerprint-shaped area, and if desired, coloring the image or drawing a scene around the image. When the scenes are completed the software application compiles the book pages and prints the same.

An automatic lock affixed to a cargo container for interconnecting two stacked containers, and for automatically locking and unlocking without reliance upon the overcoming of a friction force to release the device.

An atomic oscillator includes: a gas cell which includes two window portions having a light transmissive property and in which metal atoms are sealed; a light emitting portion that emits excitation light to excite the metal atoms in the gas cell; a light detecting portion that detects the excitation light transmitted through the gas cell; a heater that generates heat; and a connection member that thermally connects the heater and each window portion of the gas cell to each other.

Methods, systems, and structures for detecting residual material on semiconductor wafers are provided. A method includes scanning a test structure including topographic features on a surface of a semiconductor wafer. The method further includes determining, based on the scanning, that the test structure includes an amount of a residual material of a sacrificial layer that exceeds a predetermined threshold.

A vehicle seat has a longitudinal adjuster, a pair of seat rails, a releasable latching device having at least one actuating pin that projects over the second seat rail, a pivotably arranged actuating lever, and a Bowden cable. A holder is fixed on a rail and supports the actuating lever such as to be pivotable about a pivot axis at one end, and a contact surface is formed on the actuating lever, on which surface the core of the Bowden cable rests in a subarea between the end of the sheath and the end of the core. The holder secures the end of the core of the Bowden cable, and the actuating lever has a Bowden cable support on which the sheath of the Bowden cable is supported directly or indirectly.

Communication between a retailer and a customer is disclosed. A payment card and a communication identifier addressing a wireless transceiver of a mobile apparatus are registered to an electronic service. The mobile apparatus receives, with the wireless transceiver, a plurality of packets relating to payments with the payment card of a plurality of trades of various commodities between the user and a plurality of various retailers, from the electronic service, extracts from the received plurality of the packets transaction information relating to the payments and supplementary information, and communicates, with a user interface, the extracted transaction information and the supplementary information to the user.

The doors of railroad passenger cars swing inward and toward the front of the car when opened for entry or exit by the passenger. An automatic locking device is described which may be mounted on the exterior surface of the door close to its trailing edge. When the railroad car is in motion, the pressure of the relative wind on an air foil acts to rotate the locking device to a position that prevents the door from opening. When the train slows and stops, the relative wind decreases and the locking mechanism returns to it's original position permitting the door to be opened.

Automated banking machines operate to cause financial transfers responsive to data read from data bearing records. Each of the automated banking machines includes a card reader that is operative to read data from user cards corresponding to financial accounts. Transactions are authorized responsive at least in part to correspondence between card data and stored data corresponding to authorized users. Entities responsible for operating the automated banking machines may receive messages that include information or update code items for software or firmware usable in the banking machines for which they have operational responsibility.

A catch for securing a door to an object includes an engagement member connected to the door engaging a receiving member of a mount on the object. The door includes a first arm with an oblong hole for pivoting about a pin connected to the mount, and an engagement pin. Moving the door from a closed position causes the engagement pin to rotate with the door about the pivot pin. The door slides downward along the pivot pin as the pivot pin travels within the oblong opening, and the engagement pin makes contact with the receiving member, thereby retaining the door in an open position. Moving the door upward moves the pivot pin downward within the oblong opening disengaging the engagement pin from the receiving member, allowing the door to rotate to a closed position. A latch opposite the first arm retains the door in a closed position.

Methods and devices for milling a channel-shaped cavity by a five-axis computer numerical control (CNC) machine by selecting a workpiece to be machined, determining cutting tool flow along the channel-shaped cavity, determining cutting tool in-depth penetration, determining a trochoid path, and determining auxiliary movements.

A self-service, fully-automatic kiosk for duplicating keys includes a kiosk housing having a customer interface for receiving payment from a customer for the purchase of at least one duplicate of the customer's key. A key-receiving entry in the housing receives at least a portion of the customer's key to be duplicated, and a key analysis system within the housing analyzes the blade of a key inserted in the key-receiving entry to determine whether the inserted key matches one of a group of preselected key types and, if so, which preselected key type is matched. A key blank magazine within the housing stores key blanks for each of the preselected key types. A key blank extraction system extracts from the magazine a key blank for the preselected key type matched by the blade of the key inserted in the key-receiving entry. Then a key duplicating system within the kiosk replicates the tooth pattern of the blade of the key inserted in the key-receiving entry, on the blade of the extracted key blank.

A method is provided for constructing a tomographic reconstruction through the application of statistical inversion. Unknowns associated with points of a reconstruction grid are represented with components of a vector-valued variable. A next version of the vector-valued variable is repeatedly created by drawing for each component a value from a conditional distribution. The components of a so generated version of the vector-valued variable are used as the tomographic reconstruction. The components are divided into sets, so that components in a set represent unknowns associated with mutually independent points of the reconstruction grid, or into independent collections. For at least two components of a set or at least two collections, the drawing of values from a conditional distribution is performed in parallel in a computer-implemented process.

A radio tomographic image generation device includes a reconstruction unit for generating a plurality of reconstructed images of different iteration numbers by a successive approximation process; a region segmentation unit for obtaining information about structure based on radiographic image signals, and segmenting, based on the information about structure, a region, of which the tomographic image is generated, into a plurality of segmented regions having different information about structure; and an image combining unit for generating partial tomographic images by using the reconstructed images of different iteration numbers for the individual segmented regions based on the information about structure of the individual segmented regions, and generating a tomographic image of a subject by using the generated partial tomographic images for the individual segmented regions.

The present invention pertains to a system and method for X-ray imaging wherein a targeted fluence at the detector for projection images can be achieved at a plurality of projection angles around the imaging subject by control of exposure times implemented during image acquisition. Exposure time for a second projection image may be determined by the fluence in a first projection image, and in a third projection image by the fluence in a second projection image, where projection images are acquired within two degrees of one another. An acquisition parameter calculation can be configured to calculate acquisition parameters, such as said exposure times, to achieve the targeted fluence in projection images and can be coupled to a rotation controller that implements the acquisition parameters by controlling a relative angle between the imaging subject and X-ray image acquisition device.

A method for obtaining multi-material decomposition images of an object is presented. The method includes acquiring an image pair from a dual energy computed tomography scan of the imaged object. The method then includes selecting a material basis for multi-material decomposition of the image pair. The method further includes applying a physicochemical model for the material basis. Also, the method includes performing multi-material decomposition using at least one constraint imposed by the physicochemical model.

A method of projection domain processing based on a local transform and shrinkage for use in reconstructing digital images from a set of projections, the method including providing a target image of a target object, providing projection data of the target object, producing filtered projection data by applying a sparsifying transform and a shrinkage function to the projection data, followed by an inverse of the sparsifying transform, producing a restored image by applying a reconstruction transform to the filtered projection data, comparing the restored image to the target image, and producing an optimized projection domain shrinkage function by adapting the shrinkage function to minimize differences between the restored image and the target image. Related apparatus and methods are also described.

A method is provided. The method includes acquiring a first dataset at a first energy spectrum and a second dataset at a second energy spectrum. The method also includes extracting a metal artifact correction signal using the first dataset and the second dataset or using a first reconstructed image and a second reconstructed image generated respectively from the first and the second datasets. The method further includes performing metal artifact correction on the first reconstructed image using the metal artifact correction signal to generate a first corrected image.

A method is disclosed for energy calibrating quantum-counting x-ray detectors in an x-ray installation including at least two x-ray systems turnable around a center of rotation. A target, for producing x-ray fluorescence radiation, is positioned between the first x-ray source and first x-ray detector and irradiated with x-radiation of the first x-ray source in such a way that x-ray fluorescence radiation which strikes the second x-ray detector from the target is produced by the x-radiation of the first x-ray source. The second x-ray detector is then energy calibrated by way of the x-ray fluorescence radiation of the target. The first x-ray detector can be energy calibrated in the same way with the aid of the x-radiation of the second x-ray source. With the proposed method, the x-ray detectors of a dual-source CT x-ray installation can be calibrated with little expenditure under conditions close to those of the system.

An image processing device of a computer tomography system includes an interface and a calibration data determiner. The interface is implemented to receive a first set of X-ray recordings of an object to be examined from first discrete recording angles and to receive a second set of X-ray recordings of the object to be examined from second discrete recording angles. The calibration data determiner is implemented to determine calibration data for the computer tomography system on the basis of the first set. The first set is further recorded during a first rotation run wherein the computer tomography system and the object to be examined rotate relative to each other, wherein the second set is recorded during at least a further rotation run after the first rotation run. On the basis of the calibration data and the first and second sets a computer tomography recording is reconstructable.

A compensation circuit 76 of an AEC unit 67 of an electronic cassette 13 defines the detection signal of a detection pixel 65 of the electronic cassette 13 as a detection signal corresponding to the detection signal of an old AEC sensor 25. The compensation circuit 76 performs compensation so as to exclude the influence on the detection signal due to a difference in the configuration of an intermediate member disposed between an X-ray source 10 and an FPD 35 of the electronic cassette 13 when the detection pixel 65 is used as an AEC sensor instead of the old AEC sensor 25. The detection signal is transmitted from a detection signal I/F 80 to a detection signal I/F 26 of a source control device 11 as it is (instantaneous value) or as an accumulated value obtained using an integration circuit 77.

The invention relates to an X-ray device comprising an x-ray sensitive camera for creating tomograms, especially panoramic tomograms. Means for creating 3D shots of a partial volume of the mandibular arch are also provided, said 3D shots being created especially by a second image receiver for creating a 2D shot and means for taking a plurality of 2D shots from different directions and creating a 3D shot therefrom, preferably according to conebeam technology with the associated reconstruction algorithms. The x-ray sensitive camera comprises a first x-ray sensitive image receiver for creating a tomogram, and a second x-ray sensitive image receiver for creating plane shots.

In one embodiment, an apparatus may receive metadata that is associated with content. The metadata includes event descriptors that describe events included in the content. The apparatus may generate a question based on at least one of the event descriptors.

A system and method are disclosed for correlating an electronic book with a narration. A correlation is determined between a first portion of the narration and a first segment of the text within the electronic book. The correlation is stored as instructions to present the first segment of the text with emphasis simultaneously with playback of the first the portion of the narration. A determination is made that a second portion of the audio recording, immediately following the first portion, does not match a second segment of the text that immediately follows the first segment. A correlation between the second portion and a component of the electronic book is determined and stored as instructions to present the component with emphasis simultaneously with playback of the second portion of the narration.

A printing device is provided with a print die storage rack, a pickup head, a print head, and a printing surface. The print die storage rack is adapted to hold a multitude of print dies. The pickup head is provided to move one or more print dies to and from the storage rack and the print head. The print head is adapted to hold one or more print dies and move them between the pickup head and the printing surface. The printing surface is provided to hold and secure print media. The device is capable of any form of printing, embossing, debossing, foil stamping and the like. A method of printing is also provided.

The present invention relates to a system, method, and apparatus that include a novel way of automatically assigning materials to 3D CAD models. A predefined material template specifies that a particular part or material name is assigned to a particular material such that all instances of the particular part name are assigned or modified automatically by the material template. By having a consistent naming convention for the parts in the CAD file, this material assignment can be performed automatically when the CAD file is imported or viewed.

A method for operating a driverless, mobile assembly and/or material transport unit as a driverless transport system (DTS) with fixed assembly and/or warehousing stations. In this method, a system control device is used for the entire assembly process. The driverless, mobile assembly and/or material transport units comprises a travel device for the traveling movement of the unit, a drive device for the travel device, an energy storage device for providing the energy for the drive device and a control device for controlling the traveling movement in coordination with the system control device.

Starting and stopping an engine is automatically controlled based on a load without using a relay. An inverter engine-driven power generator has an alternator, a rectifying circuit, a DC/DC converter, and an inverter circuit. A load detection circuit is connected to an output of the inverter circuit in parallel. A load detection line of the load detection circuit is connected to an output line of the inverter circuit in parallel via resistors. A power supply formed of a battery is connected to the load detection line. A decision circuit outputs a load detection signal when a current having a preset value or more flows through the load detection line. A drive/stop CPU starts the engine in response to the load detection. The resistors are set at a resistance value which does not influence a load to which a generator output is supplied.

The present embodiments provide a control system and method that is able to automatically start and/or stop a portable engine-driven power source. For example, in one embodiment, a system includes an engine-driven power source having an engine, a compressor driven by the engine, a sensor configured to generate a first signal indicative of a demand for air pressure from the compressor and a second signal indicative of no demand for air pressure from the compressor. The engine-driven power source also includes a controller configured to stop the engine in response to the second signal.

A system, method and apparatus for automatically adapting power grid usage by controlling internal and/or external power-related assets of one or more users in response to power regulation and/or frequency regulation functions in a manner beneficial to both the power grid itself and the users of the power grid.

Controlling a power system in a mining truck includes receiving data indicative of an expected change in suitability of the mining truck for on-trolley operation, and outputting a control command to an actuating mechanism for a pantograph responsive to the data and prior to occurrence of the expected suitability change. A mining truck and power system are further provided, wherein a pantograph having an electrical contactor is adjusted between a first configuration contacting an overhead trolley line, and a rest configuration, responsive to data indicative of the expected suitability change.

An automatic vending machine for vending a product selected by a user includes: an automatic vending machine cabinet having an opening that is opened and closed by a door: a plurality of product racks that is provided in the automatic vending machine cabinet, each product rack including a plurality of product storage columns each storing products ordered in a line; and a product storage device that allows a user to take out one product at a time by holding a body of the product, when the door is opened to open the opening.

In a preferred embodiment, an Automated Pharmacy Admixture System (APAS) may include a manipulator system to transport medical containers such as bags, vials, or syringes in a compounding chamber regulated to a pressure below atmospheric pressure. In a preferred implementation, the manipulator system is configured to grasp and convey syringes, IV bags, and vials of varying shapes and sizes from a storage system in an adjacent chamber regulated at a pressure above atmospheric pressure. Various embodiments may include a controller adapted to actuate the manipulator system to bring a fill port of an IV bag, vial, or syringe into register with a filling port at a fluid transfer station in the chamber. A preferred implementation includes a sanitization system that can substantially sanitize a bung on a fill port of a vial or IV bag in preparation for transport to the fluid transfer station.

The invention is an apparatus for pre-plating railway ties, including switch ties of varying lengths. An infeed deck and singulator feeds individual ties, each provided with identifying indicia, to a pre-scanner. Using the scanned indicia, a control system accesses stored data to determine a preliminary drill pattern. A scanning and drilling station positions, secures and scans the tie. The scan results are combined with the stored data to produce a corrected optimal drill pattern, which is used to drill the tie. The drilled tie moves to a plate and screw loading station, where the proper plates and fasteners are attached. A fourth station inspects the assembled tie. If it is properly assembled, the screw spikes are tightened and the plated tie moves to an outfeed deck, where it is marked for identification and removed for storage and shipping.

An automated lumber handling system laser-scans the top profile of multiple stacks of lumber, each of which contain boards of a unique size. Based on the scanned profiles, the system determines the order in which individual boards from a chosen stack should be transferred to a numerically controlled saw. The saw cuts the boards to proper size, and in the proper sequence to facilitate orderly assembly of a roof truss or prefabricated wall. In some examples, the system lifts individual boards by driving two retractable screws, or some other piercing tool, down into the upward facing surface of the board. A track mounted cantilever, holding the screws and a laser unit, translates over the lumber stacks to retrieve and deliver individual boards and, while doing so, the laser repeatedly scans the stacked lumber profiles on-the-fly to continuously update the profiles. The open cantilever design facilitates replenishing the stacks of lumber.

A roller for a sheet product dispenser includes a roller shaft, a roller frame molded onto the roller shaft, and a plurality of flexible rubber portions overmolded onto the roller frame and spaced along a length of the roller frame. The rubber portions are configured to contact a sheet product for dispensing from the sheet product dispenser. A dispensing mechanism for a sheet product dispenser includes a chassis and a roller positioned within and coupled to the chassis. The roller includes a roller shaft, a roller frame molded onto the roller shaft, and a plurality of flexible rubber portions overmolded onto the roller frame and spaced along a length of the roller frame. The rubber portions are configured to contact a sheet product for dispensing from the sheet product dispenser.

A drilling control system monitors and compares drilling and completion operation sensor values and autonomously acts in response to conditions such as a kick or surge. Sensors in various combinations may monitor return fluid flow rate, fluid inflow rate, wellhead bore pressure, temperature of returning fluid, torque, rate of penetration and string weight change. The control system has corresponding control logic to monitor, warn and act based on the sensor inputs. The actions may include the warning of support personnel, closing an annular blowout preventer, shearing drill pipe using a ram shear, pumping heavier fluid down choke and kill lines, disconnecting the riser or various other actions.

Apparatus and method for automated drilling of a borehole in a subsurface formation. In one embodiment, a method includes selecting at least one control variable. A drilling performance objective having a value that is influenced by drilling of the borehole using the at least one control variable is defined. A first interval of the borehole is drilled maintaining the at least one control variable at a first value. A second interval of the borehole is drilled maintaining the at least one control variable at a second value. A third interval of the borehole is drilled maintaining the at least one control variable at a third value. The third value is selected based on a comparison of the values of the drilling performance objective while drilling the first interval and second interval to a predetermined optimal value of the drilling performance objective.

An approach is disclosed for acquiring multi-sector computed tomography scan data. The approach includes activating an X-ray source during heartbeats of a patient to acquire projection data over a limited angular range for each heartbeat. The projection data acquired over the different is combined. An image having good temporal resolution is reconstructed using the combined projection data.

An automatic circle forming apparatus adapted for automatically forming OPP (O-phenylphenol) plastic circles includes a lower equipment cabinet, a first base plate, a transmitting module, an automatic separating module, an automatic tearing film module, a sucking waste mechanism, a displacement module, an automatic forming module and an upper equipment cabinet. The upper equipment cabinet is positioned on the first base plate for installing the transmitting module, the automatic separating module, the automatic tearing film module, the sucking waste mechanism, the displacement module and the automatic forming module therein. The upper equipment cabinet is equipped with a man-machine control interface which connects with and controls the transmitting module, the automatic separating module, the automatic tearing film module, the sucking waste mechanism, the displacement module and the automatic forming module for automatically forming the OPP plastic circles so as to improve operation efficiency and save a human cost.

An automatically-adjusting tensioning mechanism for use in a roll-fed web media transport system, the tensioning mechanism adding tension to the web media, comprising a bracket assembly being adapted to freely pivot around a pivot axis, and first and second tensioning shoe having curved surfaces attached to the bracket assembly. The web media feeds through the tensioning mechanism in an S-shaped media path where the web media is wrapped around the first and second tensioning shoes. The pivot angle of the bracket assembly automatically adjusts in response to differences in a coefficient of friction between the web media and the tensioning shoes such that the tension in the web media has a reduced level of variability relative to configurations where the bracket assembly is held in a fixed position.

A radio frequency generator includes a power control module, a frequency control module and a pulse generating module. The power control module is configured to generate a power signal indicating power levels for target states of a power amplifier. The frequency control module is configured to generate a frequency signal indicating frequencies for the target states of the power amplifier. The pulse generating module is configured to (i) supply an output signal to the power amplifier, (ii) recall at least one of a latest power level or a latest frequency for one of the target states of the power amplifier, and (iii) adjust a current power level and a current frequency of the output signal from a first state to a second state based on the power signal, the frequency signal, and at least one of the latest power level and the latest frequency of the power amplifier.

An automatic antenna impedance matching method for a radiofrequency transmission circuit. An impedance matching network is inserted between an amplifier and an antenna. The output current and voltage of the amplifier and their phase difference are measured by a variable measurement impedance, and the complex load impedance of the amplifier is deduced from this; the impedance of the antenna is calculated as a function of this complex impedance and as a function of the known current values of the impedances of the matching network. Starting from the value found for the impedance of the antenna, new values of the matching network are calculated that allow the load to be matched to the nominal impedance of the amplifier. The measurement impedance has a value controllable by the calculation processor according to the application and notably as a function of the operating frequency and of the nominal impedance of the amplifier.