Abstract: Highly purified Stevioside and Rebaudioside A were prepared from sweet glycoside extracts obtained from Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni leaves. The resulting sweeteners are suitable as non-calorie, non-cariogenic, non-bitter, non-lingering sweeteners, which may be advantageously applied in foods, beverages, and milk products.

Abstract: A jackup rig having a built-in capability of driving and extracting piles without need for dedicated pile drivers or extractors. The jackup rig provides an ice breaking functional capability, supplied by a jacking system, for operating in icy waters.

Abstract: The invention disclosed relates to a method for the extraction of sweet glycosides from the Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni plant and recovery of individual rebaudioside A and stevioside. The extraction is developed in the presence of pectinase, and the extract is purified using cyclodextrin and bentonite. High purity rebaudioside A is obtained by crystallization and recrystallization from ethanol. High purity stevioside is prepared from the filtrate by purification with cyclodextrin, bentonit, and ion exchange resins. The enzymatic modification of the rebaudioside A, stevioside and the purified extract is carried out using the transferring enzymes derived from Thermoactinomyces vulgaris and Bacillus halophilus.

Abstract: A locking device comprising a lock body having a through hole, a bolt member having a longitudinal bore therethrough and an insertion end which is inserted into the through hole of the lock body. The bolt member is further having a retaining pin disposed within the longitudinal bore and a resilient means for biasing the retaining pin axially out of the longitudinal bore. When the bolt member is inserted into the lock body, a means within the lock body prevents the removal of the inserted bolt member therefrom, and engages an actuating means to actuate an identifying means. The identifying means transmits a signal to indicate whether the locking device has been tampered with or defeated. If the bolt member is cut, the retaining pin is displaced out of the longitudinal bore and dislodges the actuating means resulting in the identifying means indicating that the locking device has been tampered with or defeated.

Abstract: A system and method to detect and geographically locate rogue wireless access users to a computer network are described. The present invention maps an area covered by the wireless network into islands with substantially similar network performances based on information collected by a network management system. This information is collected throughout the day to form a spatial performance model which comprises historical records of each island, giving a dynamic picture of the area covered. The averages of these historical values of the performance parameters at each time interval of the day form the basis of comparison with the captured current values of the rogue user. Once a potential intruder has been identified from his Media Access Control and Internet Protocol addresses, the algorithm of the present invention is used to localize the suspect into the island which has the substantially similar performance characteristics as the rogue user's computer.

Abstract: Sweeteners on the basis of a simultaneously transglucosylated sweet glycoside mixture of Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni are prepared. The transglycosylation was developed in the presence of starch under the action of cyclodextrin glucanotransferase. The remaining maltodextrins are transferred to the fructose-terminated oligosaccharides. The sweeteners are purified to not less than 98% content of sweet glycosides and derivatives. The preparations are almost non-caloric, non-cariogenic, non-bitter, non-lingering sweeteners, which may be advantageously applied in foods, beverages, cosmetics and milk products.

Abstract: Contaminants from surfaces of temperature sensitive substrates, such as glass substrates are removed by exposing the surfaces to a hydrogen Surface-mixed diffusion flame for a predetermined duration of time. The predetermined duration of time being insufficient to heat up the surfaces substantially thereby causing damage to the temperature sensitive substrates.

Abstract: A dual-switch forward power converter, and a method of operating the same, employs a self-coupled driver to achieve among other advantages higher efficiency, lower part count and component cost. In one aspect of the present invention, a power converter comprises a transformer and two switching transistors, and said transformer has two serially-connected primary windings with the first winding connected to a first switching transistor which is biased by a pulse controller, and the second winding couples the voltage across said first winding to bias the second switching transistor. In addition, the circuit on the primary side of said transformer further comprises means of dissipating magnetization current and the circuit on the secondary side comprises a rectifier and a low-pass filter.

Abstract: A device for providing electrical contact comprises a first reciprocating conductive body having a first abutting body at one end, a second reciprocating conductive body having a second abutting body at one end and a resilient means biasing the first reciprocating conductive body and the second reciprocating conductive body in opposing directions axially away from each other. The first abutting body is slidably abutting the second abutting body, thereby providing electrical conductivity between the first reciprocating conductive body and the second reciprocating body. In another embodiment, the first reciprocating conductive body, the second reciprocating body and at least one securing means are disposed within one of plurality of through holes of an elastic non-conductive housing body. The elastic non-conductive housing body biases the first reciprocating conductive body and the second reciprocating conductive body in opposing directions axially from each other.

Abstract: A signal reconstructing section (50), a receiver having the signal reconstructing section (50), a communication system having the receiver, and a method for reducing noise in a transformed signal having a plurality of signal components and using the signal reconstructing section (50) are described. The signal reconstructing section (50) of the receiver has a detector (52) for detecting the transformed signal, decision modules (54) each having an input (58) coupled to output (60) of the detector, and a reconstructing module (56) having inputs (62) respectively coupled to output (64) of the decision modules (54). The reconstructing module (56) is adapted to reconstruct one or more subcarriers of the plurality of subcarriers a predetermined number of times to thereby form a noise-reduced transformed signal. Reconstruction of the one or more subcarriers is performed one at a time or two or more simultaneously.

Abstract: An apparatus for an enhanced receiver for an RFID Tag Interrogator is described. The enhanced receiver has a zero crossing detector, a phase shifter, a pulse generator and a chopper. The zero crossing detector produces a sampling signal from the current transformer. The phase shifter modifies the sampling signal by producing a 90 degree phase shifted sampling signal. The pulse generator increases time duration of each pulse of the phase shifted sampling signal, which is then fed to the chopper. Thus, the chopper samples the backscattered carrier signal every 90 degree phase shift from the time when the backscattered carrier signal passes the zero crossing. This makes isolation of the backscattered signal from the carrier signal more effective.

Abstract: The OTPK module 40 is essential to the present embodiment. It may be considered to be a software module implemented on the signing entity 20. The OTPK module 40 may be dynamically downloaded for use or implemented as a pre-installed client plug-in. The OTPK module 40 may perform its role without significant intervention from a user when operating as the signing entity 20. The OTPK module 40 may be implemented as a PKCS#11 or CAPI DLL or a Java Applet or ActiveX plugin embedded within the Internet Web Browser. It may be automatically executed when performing secure transactions requiring digital signatures. The OTPK module 40 serves to independently and without additional instruction from a user carry out the steps of generating the asymmetric key pairs comprising the public key and the private key. The OTPK module 40 then contacts the authentication and certification server 50 for authenticating the identity of the signing entity 20.

Abstract: The present invention provides a wireless headset with echo control and noise cancellation. The present invention also provides a method with phase reversion for echo control of a wireless headset wherein the wireless headset comprises closely disposed speakers and acoustic sensors. The present invention further provides a method with beamforming for noise cancellation of a wireless headset wherein the wireless headset comprises two separate units disposed in distance, and wherein each unit comprises an acoustic sensor.