Abstract: A cementitious composite article incorporating a powder coating on at least one surface is provided. The composite article includes a surface treatment adapted to facilitate application of the powder coating onto the article. The surface treatment can include modifications to surface porosity, surface, and/or application of a sealer to the surface so as to make the cementitious surface more conducive to powder coating. One method of manufacturing the cementitious composite article includes first applying a sealer coating to a surface of a fiber cement substrate, partially curing the substrate to a gel-like state, applying a powder coating to the article, processing the article to a curing device in which the powder coating and sealer coating are co-cured to form a hardened film.

Abstract: A cementitious product and method of modifying the properties of a low or medium density FRC product by providing a predetermined pore size distribution. The pore size distribution is obtained such that in critical zones of the distribution, the pore volume is substantially equivalent to or less than the pore volume in a respective critical zone of a conventional high density FRC product. The resultant material provides improved properties over conventional medium density FRC products, in particular improved freeze/thaw durability and/or improved workability.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of processing messages. The method includes the step of obtaining a subscriber message, from a subscriber communication device over a telecommunications network, the subscriber message representing a voice message from a subscriber. The subscriber message is stored in computer memory and then presented in an audio form to a human operator. A data file is composed which is derived from the subscriber message and the data file transmitted to a subscriber computing device and/or the subscriber communication device. The invention provides a related system for processing messages.

Abstract: A method of managing voice messages using a mobile telephone, comprising the steps of: (a) a graphical user interface (GUI) being opened on the mobile telephone, the GUI individually listing remotely stored voice messages in a menu list, the voice messages being meant for a user of the mobile telephone; (b) enabling the user to select a voice message from the list to initiate playback on the mobile telephone. The present invention hence supplants the current approach of retrieving voice messages (based on listening to various options spoken by a synthetic voice, such as “press (1) to reply”, “press (2) to delete”, “press (3) to repeat”) with a GUI based system; this system individually lists voice messages in a menu list, making it very simple for an end-user to select a message to initiate playback of the voice message.

Abstract: In the oil industry, the acoustic sounding method is a well-known technique for taking the depth measurements of particular attributes of an oil well or borehole. The method involves sending a short, sharp, clear, loud bang sound down a borehole, normally between the inside wall of the borehole casing, commonly referred to as the annulus and the outside of the production tubing string, and recording the echoes generated. One device for generating the sound needed in the acoustic sounding method is an air or gas pressurized chamber which is discharged at or near the wellhead of the borehole. The sound being generated by this device, commonly known as an acoustic generator, comes from the energy released by the equilibration of the different gas pressures. The current invention is an acoustic generator with an improved microphone and microphone unit design for more efficient and effective echo detection.

Abstract: In the oil industry, the acoustic sounding method is a well-known technique for taking the depth measurements of particular attributes of an oil well or borehole. The method involves sending a short, sharp, clear, loud bang sound down a borehole and recording the echoes generated. One device for generating the sound needed in the acoustic sounding method is an air or gas pressurized chamber which is discharged at or near the wellhead. The sound being generated by this device, commonly known as an acoustic generator, comes from the energy released by the equilibration of the different gas pressures. The current invention is an acoustic generator and its control unit that uses several new and novel features to improve the quality of the sound generated and echoes detected in the acoustic sounding method including a unique and novel design and configuration of the portal between the pressurized chamber and the borehole.

Abstract: In the oil industry, the acoustic sounding method is a well-known technique for taking the depth measurements of particular attributes of an oil well or borehole. The method involves sending a short, sharp, clear, loud bang sound down a borehole, normally between the inside wall of the borehole casing, commonly referred to as the annulus and the outside of the production tubing string, and recording the echoes generated. One device for generating the sound needed in the acoustic sounding method is an air or gas pressurized chamber which is discharged at or near the wellhead of the borehole. The sound being generated by this device, commonly known as an acoustic generator, comes from the energy released by the equilibration of the different gas pressures.