Abstract: This invention involves a new housing for a liquid level detection device. More particularly, the new stillwell apparatus comprises, at least one tubular section, a means for extending the length of the stillwell, a conduit for delivering a cleansing solution to the bottom of the tubular sections, a gas inlet tube for determination of the presence of hazardous gases, and a means for pressure equalization. In addition this invention reveals novel installation, removal and cleansing methods making it possible to install, remove, and cleanse the stillwell from an exterior of a vessel, thereby eliminating the need for highly trained personnel to enter the vessel in order to install, maintain, cleanse, or remove the stillwell.

Abstract: A fluid pressure regulator includes a regulator housing having an inlet end and an outlet end; a flexible flow tube extending between the inlet end and the outlet end; a hollow piston located at a downstream location relative to a mid-portion of the flow tube in a direction of flow of fluid through the regulator housing; a first chamber above the piston and a second chamber below the piston; a passage establishing fluid communication between the outlet end and the first chamber; and at least one pinch arm pivotally mounted at one end within the regulator housing and movable in response to movement of the piston by an increase in fluid pressure in the first chamber so that an opposite end of the at least one pinch arm will pinch a portion of the flow tube and thereby restrict flow through the flow tube.

Abstract: A fluid pressure regulator includes a regulator housing having an inlet end and an outlet end; a flexible flow tube extending between the inlet end and the outlet end; a hollow piston located at a downstream location relative to a mid-portion of the flow tube in a direction of flow of fluid through the regulator housing; a first chamber above the piston and a second chamber below the piston; a passage establishing fluid communication between the outlet end and the first chamber; and at least one pinch arm pivotally mounted at one end within the regulator housing and movable in response to movement of the piston by an increase in fluid pressure in the first chamber so that an opposite end of the at least one pinch arm will pinch a portion of the flow tube and thereby restrict flow through the flow tube.

Abstract: A linear water feed apparatus for use in agricultural irrigation includes a linear-move machine with a mobile truss assembly supporting a plurality of individual sprinklers and adapted for movement in a specified direction across a field to be irrigated. The truss assembly is oriented transverse to the specified direction, and a supply pipe is arranged in the specified direction along or within the field to be irrigated. The supply pipe mounts a plurality of water supply hydrants at spaced locations along the pipe, each of the hydrants enclosing a water supply valve. A docking station is supported at one end of the truss assembly closest to the supply pipe, and is adapted to engage and open successive ones of the water supply valves in the plurality of hydrants. The docking station assembly includes a docking station that is suspended from a frame for floating movement about at least three mutually perpendicular axes.

Abstract: A processor comprises a cache, a first TLB, and a tag circuit. The cache comprises a data memory storing a plurality of cache lines and a tag memory storing a plurality of tags. Each of the tags corresponds to a respective one of the cache lines. The first TLB stores a plurality of page portions of virtual addresses identifying a plurality of virtual pages for which physical address translations are stored in the first TLB. The tag circuit is configured to identify one or more of the plurality of cache lines that are stored in the cache and are within the plurality of virtual pages. In response to a hit by a first virtual address in the first TLB and a hit by the first virtual address in the tag circuit, the tag circuit is configured to prevent a read of the tag memory in the cache.

Abstract: A mobile irrigation apparatus includes a frame assembly supporting at least one sprinkler and adapted for movement in a first direction along a path in a field to be irrigated; a docking station suspended from the frame assembly and adapted to engage and open one or more supply valves in a hydrant located in or adjacent the path for movement in a second direction substantially transverse to the first direction, and at least one power actuator arranged to move the docking station in the second direction in response to at least one sensor to thereby facilitate lateral alignment of the docking station with the hydrant.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for reducing instruction ITLB accesses. In one embodiment, the method may comprise generating a next virtual fetch address corresponding to an instruction fetch request and determining whether a current physical address translation is valid for the next virtual fetch address in response to its generation, wherein the determination may comprise detecting a change in the virtual page number of the next virtual fetch address relative to a virtual page number of a current virtual fetch address. The method may further comprise activating an ITLB circuit in response to determining that the current physical address translation is not valid for the next virtual fetch address, and performing the instruction fetch using the current physical address translation without activating the ITLB circuit in response to determining that the current physical address translation is valid for said next virtual fetch address.

Abstract: A high spectral purity microwave oscillator is provided. The Oscillator uses an air-dielectric cavity and employs the known carrier-suppression technique. In one embodiment, the oscillator employs a high-Q cavity to self-sustain an oscillating signal formed by feeding back into its input a power-amplified output signal of the cavity in which residual phase noise in the amplifier stages is suppressed. A bandpass filter selects the cavity mode. FIG. 1 illustrates this embodiment. Another embodiment suppresses the noise of a voltage-controlled oscillator whose frequency and power-amplified output interrogates the cavity mode. FIG. 2 illustrates this embodiment.

Abstract: Improved battery packaging and constructions for batteries, particularly thin, flat-profile packaged batteries are provided. The battery packaging constructions may eliminate the need for soldering by providing current collector tabs coated by electrically conductive adhesive tape such as z-axis conductive tape and may provide support for current collector tabs and a regular battery perimeter by providing supportive battery packaging and/or frame materials. Better fabrication results, particularly when the batteries are used in smart cards, RFID tags, and medical devices.

Abstract: A system and method for generating remote incursion alerts in response to incursion detected by incursion transmitter units, such as at traffic cones, posts, barricades and signage. Alerts are generated in response to impacts detected at the safety icons within an incursion transmitter (or transceiver) and transmitted to one or more incursion receiver units which annunciate the alert with audio, lights, and or tactile output to warn construction crews of possibly impending danger. The alert signals may be communicated over a wired connection or a wireless communication link. Alert signals wirelessly communicated are preferably repeated by other incursion transmitters which are each coupled to a receiver to form a transceiver, wherein the distance and conditions over which the wireless alert signals may be communicated is extended. The incursion receiver may generate area alerts, or personal alerts, such as comprising the generation of audio, physical outputs, or light signals.

Abstract: A weight component for an irrigation drop tube includes an elongated, hollow core sleeve, the core sleeve having a radially outwardly directed shoulder at one end connected to a radially outer skirt. A weight sleeve is supported at one end by the shoulder, inside the outer skirt, such that a chamber is created between the core sleeve and the weight sleeve. This chamber is at least partially filled with ballast material, and a cap closes the chamber at an opposite end of the weight sleeve.

Abstract: A linear water feed apparatus for use in agricultural irrigation includes a linear-move machine with a mobile truss assembly supporting a plurality of individual sprinklers and adapted for movement in a specified direction across a field to be irrigated. The truss assembly is oriented transverse to the specified direction, and a supply pipe is arranged in the specified direction along or within the field to be irrigated. The supply pipe mounts a plurality of water supply hydrants at spaced locations along the pipe, each of the hydrants enclosing a water supply valve. A docking station is supported at one end of the truss assembly closest to the supply pipe, and is adapted to engage and open successive ones of the water supply valves in the plurality of hydrants. The docking station assembly includes a docking station that is suspended from a frame for floating movement about at least three mutually perpendicular axes.

Abstract: A sprinkler device comprising a sprinkler body having a longitudinal center axis, an inlet at one end and an outlet nozzle at an opposite end; and a rotor plate supported axially spaced and laterally offset from the outlet nozzle; the rotor plate mounted for orbital motion about the longitudinal axis and for rotation about a second axis offset from the longitudinal center axis, the rotor plate having grooves formed therein arranged to cause the distribution plate to rotate about the second axis when a stream emitted from the nozzle impinges on the plate, which, in turn, causes the rotor plate to orbit about the longitudinal center axis.

Abstract: A sprinkler device includes a sprinkler body having a longitudinal center axis, an inlet at one end and an outlet at an opposite end. A rotatable nozzle is supported within the body and defines a first flow path lying on the longitudinal center axis and a second flow path terminating at a discharge orifice offset from the longitudinal center axis. A rotor plate is supported on the nozzle for orbital motion about the longitudinal center axis and for rotation about a second axis offset from the longitudinal center axis. The rotor plate has a plurality of grooves formed therein, and arranged to cause the rotor plate to rotate about the second axis when a stream emitted from the nozzle impinges on the plate, such that the nozzle assembly is caused to rotate about the first axis.

Abstract: Disclosed herein, among other things, is a system comprising a content repository, a communication portal developer, a content manager, and an analytic engine. The content repository is adapted to store electronic content in a computer-readable storage medium. The communication portal developer includes at least one wizard to create a plurality of customizable portals without coding software. Each customizable portal is accessible to one or more selected visitors through a web browser. The content manager is adapted to publish selectable electronic content to selectable portals. The content manager includes at least one wizard to populate and manage the electronic content within the content repository. The analytic engine analyzes electronic content use and visitor behavior while logged into their customizable portal. In various embodiments, the analytics are provided in real time or near real time. Other embodiments are disclosed herein.

Abstract: Convenient, portable chargers for recharging a secondary battery in an electronically readable card which can be in sleeve form. The portable chargers are lightweight and portable and desirably have dimensions that are not much larger than those of an electronically readable card. The chargers may include a connector such as a sleeve for securing an electronically readable card, a power source for providing recharging power and a power interface for delivering the recharging power from the power source to the electronically readable card. The power source may take on a variety of forms including another battery, a photovoltaic array or a direct plug connection to a electric wall outlet, Universal Serial Bus port or a telephone jack. In some embodiments the portable chargers charge the battery in an electronically readable card by inductive coupling.

Abstract: A fluid pressure regulator includes a regulator housing having an inlet end and an outlet end; a flexible flow tube extending between the inlet end and the outlet end; a hollow piston located at a downstream location relative to a mid-portion of the flow tube in a direction of flow of fluid through the regulator housing; a first chamber above the piston and a second chamber below the piston; a passage establishing fluid communication between the outlet end and the first chamber; and at least one pinch arm pivotally mounted at one end within the regulator housing and movable in response to movement of the piston by an increase in fluid pressure in the first chamber so that an opposite end of the at least one pinch arm will pinch a portion of the flow tube and thereby restrict flow through the flow tube.

Abstract: A battery includes an anode, a cathode, and a polymer matrix electrolyte (PME) separator disposed between the anode and the cathode. The PME separator includes a polyimide, at least one lithium salt in a concentration of at least 0.5 moles of lithium per mole of imide ring provided by the polyimide, and at least one solvent intermixed. The PME is generally homogeneous as evidenced by its high level of optically clarity. The battery can be a lithium ion or lithium metal battery.

Abstract: A weight component for an irrigation drop tube includes an elongated, hollow core sleeve, the core sleeve having a radially outwardly directed shoulder at one end connected to a radially outer skirt. A weight sleeve is supported at one end by the shoulder, inside the outer skirt, such that a chamber is created between the core sleeve and the weight sleeve. This chamber is at least partially filled with ballast material, and a cap closes the chamber at an opposite end of the weight sleeve.