Abstract: A system and method for providing auxiliary power to a large diesel engine allowing shutdown of such large engine in all weather conditions. An auxiliary power unit made up of a secondary engine coupled to an electrical generator is provided. An automatic control system shuts down the primary engine after a period of idling and the auxiliary power unit provides electrical power for heating and air conditioning. In cold weather, the auxiliary power unit maintains the primary engine coolant and lube-oil warm to facilitate engine restart. The coolant system is kept warm using a heat exchanger and electrical heaters. The lube-oil system is kept warm using a recirculating pump and electrical heaters. In warm weather, the auxiliary power unit provides electrical power for air conditioning and other hotel loads. The auxiliary power unit isolates the primary engine batteries during operation and provides electrical power for hotel and non-vital loads.

Abstract: An optical system includes multiple cubic crystalline optical elements aligned along a common optical axis and having their crystal lattices oriented with respect to each other to minimize the effects of intrinsic birefringence and produce a system with reduced retardance. The optical system may be a refractive or catadioptric system having a high numerical aperture and using light with a wavelength at or below 248 nanometers. The net retardance of the system is less than the sum of the retardance contributions of the respective optical elements as the elements are oriented such that the intrinsic birefringences of the individual elements cancel each other out. In one embodiment, two [110] cubic crystalline optical elements are clocked with respect to one another and used in conjunction with a [100] cubic crystalline optical element to reduce retardance. Various birefringent elements, wave plates, and combinations thereof provide additional correction for residual retardance and wavefront aberrations.

Abstract: Process exhaust gas is sampled, and the components of the process exhaust gas are analyzed by a Fourier-transform infrared spectroscope (FT-IR) (26). The analysis result is compared with a reference analysis result obtained from an analysis of process exhaust gas generated in an operation performed under reference process conditions. If the amount of a gas component changes to an amount that is outside a predetermined range set around a reference value obtained from the reference analysis result, a signal indicating a process error is outputted. Instead of the output of the signal indicating a process error, the process conditions can be automatically adjusted.

Abstract: A system and method for adjusting an alarm/reminder activation time that takes into account a user-requested alarm/reminder time and unexpected conditions that are unknown to the user, or are realized after the user has entered the user-requested alarm time, is provided. User related information is used to gather present unexpected condition information relevant to the user from a content provider periodically. Based on the user related and configuration information and the unexpected condition information, an adjusted alarm time is determined periodically. An alarm signal is activated when the actual time reaches the adjusted alarm time.

Abstract: A system and method to reduce the time and complexity of IT classroom setup. The present invention leverages virtual machine technology to create a new learning platform. In one embodiment, the system includes a classroom computer having installed therein a virtual machine platform, virtual machines, and an exercise launcher. The system also includes a database for associating classroom exercises with one or more of the virtual machines. The launcher has a user interface that enables a student to select a classroom exercise. In response to the student selecting a classroom exercise, the exercise launcher determines the virtual machines associated with the selected exercise and requests the virtual machine platform to launch the determined virtual machines. In this way, the classroom computer is automatically configured to enable the student to perform the entire exercise.

Abstract: Systems and methods to remove or lessen the size of metal particles that have formed on, and to limit the rate at which metal particles form or grow on, workpiece surface influencing devices used during electrodeposition are presented. According to an exemplary method, the workpiece surface influencing device is occasionally placed in contact with a conditioning substrate coated with an inert material, and the bias applied to the electrodeposition system is reversed. According to another exemplary method, the workpiece surface influencing device is conditioned using mechanical contact members, such as brushes, and conditioning of the workpiece surface influencing device occurs, for example, through physical brushing of the workpiece surface influencing device with the brushes. According to a further exemplary method, the workpiece surface influencing device is rotated in different direction during electrodeposition.

Abstract: The invention provides a device for closing parachute packs, each of which has a plurality of flaps and a closing cord (36), the device (10) being characterised by a base (12) for bearing on a flap in one direction during the packing operation, and by a mechanism (18, 22) adapted to draw a pull cord (34) connectable to the closing cord (36) in substantially an opposite direction to allow the flaps to be secured relative to the closing cord (36) by a pin.

Abstract: A composition comprising water-dissipatable polyurethane, water, colorant, a water-miscible organic solvent and a water-immiscible organic solvent. The compositions are useful as inks for ink jet printers.

Abstract: The nanoscopic dimensions of polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes (POSS) and polyhedral oligomeric silicates (POS) materials ranges from 0.7 nm to 5.0 nm and enables the thermomechanical and physical properties of polymeric materials to be improved by providing nanoscopic reinforcement of polymer chains at a length scale that is not possible by physically smaller aromatic chemical systems or larger fillers and fibers. A simple and cost effective method for incorporating POSS/POS nanoreinforcements onto polymers via the reactive grafting of suitably functionalized POSS/POS entities with polymeric systems amenable to such processes is described. The method teaches that the resulting POSS-grafted-polymers are particularly well suited for alloying agents by nongrafted POSS entitles such as molecular silicas. The successful alloying of POSS-polymers is aided because their interfacial tensions are reduced relative to non-POSS containing systems.

Abstract: A system and method for statistical matching that determines statistical curves for data described in a data request and stored data that satisfies the request. The system may determine the statistical curves for each data type and determine whether any overlap exists between the statistical curves. A user may specify a particular acceptable percentage of data that may be used to satisfy the request. The data satisfying the request may be presented to the user or, alternatively, a match/no-match result may be presented indicating whether any data that satisfies the request exists.

Abstract: A system detects subscription fraud in connection with any consumer related service which requires continuous access and payment over time. According to one aspect, a method performed by the system includes determining a subscription fraudster or someone whom has not fulfilled previous payment obligations for access to service, at or soon after the point of service application, by comparing at least one biometric value against those on file which are associated with past payment default.

Abstract: A transfer material and method of use for transferring monochrome and full colour images produced by a xerographic process or dry toner printing onto a substrate. The process requires the use of film form polymethylpentene material as the transfer material which is used to transfer the xerographic or dry toner image onto the substrate with the application of heat and pressure.

Abstract: One embodiment of the invention relates to a microfluidic apparatus for performing two dimensional biomolecular separations. According to one aspect of the invention, after a first dimension separation in a first microchannel, the sample material is electrokinetically and simultaneously transferred to an array of microchannels in the second dimension (e.g., by changing the electric potentials at the reservoirs connected to the microchannels). Preferably any separation accomplished in the first dimension is completely retained upon transfer to the second dimension. According to another aspect of the invention, the separation in the second dimension is performed using a temperature gradient (e.g., a spatial or temporal temperature gradient). According to one embodiment of the invention, the biomolecular material comprises DNA and the first dimension separation is a sized-based separation and the second dimension separation is a sequence-based separation.

Abstract: A reflective mask has a sub-resolution texture applied to absorbing areas to reduce the amount of power in the specular reflection. The texture may form a phase contrast grating or may be a diffuser. The same technique may be applied to the other absorbers in a lithographic apparatus.

Abstract: A memory component with built-in self test includes a memory array. An input/output interface is coupled to the memory array and has a loopback. A controller is provided to transmit memory array test data to the memory array to store the memory array test data, and to read the memory array test data from the memory array. A compare register is also provided to compare the memory array test data transmitted to the memory array with the memory array test data read from the memory array.

Abstract: A servo track write method is disclosed in which, in a disk drive of a perpendicular magnetic recording system, servo data is written with the use of a single magnetic pole type head of the disk drive itself. In this method, the servo data is recorded on a disk in those servo areas with the use of the single magnetic hole type head mounted on the disk drive. A head mounted as the single magnetic pole type head is position-controlled relative to the servo area by a servo track writer. The servo data is recorded with perpendicular magnetization under a recording magnetic field from the single magnetic pole type head in accordance with the magnetic pole thickness of the single magnetic pole type head.

Abstract: Pre-cleaning or in situ cleaning of optical components for use in a lithographic projection apparatus can be carried out by irradiating the optical component with microwave and/or infra-red radiation, preferably infra-red radiation having a wavelength or a range of wavelengths in the range of from 1000 cm?1 to 4600 cm?1. This technique may be suitable for cleaning a mask. By monitoring the absorption of microwave and/or infra-red radiation directed at a contaminated optical component, the degree of contamination of said component can be qualified. This method may also be suitable for reducing the partial pressure of water in EUV apparatus.