Abstract: Personalized voice survey delivery systems and methods in which a computer identifies a person to be surveyed, including his or her phone number or Internet login to a specific website, or email address, together with specific identifiers for the person, such as the person's name. The person's phone number is dialed and when the call is answered, the computer concatenates the files having the digitized identifiers such as the person's name, with the file that is the standard message to be delivered as the initial survey content. Computer-generated personalized voice messages are created by concatenating data files of audio that were pre-recorded in the voice of an individual whose live voice is to be simulated during the delivery of the voice survey.

Abstract: Computer-generated personalized voice messages are created by concatenating data files of audio that were pre-recorded in the voice of an individual whose live voice is to be simulated during the delivery of the voice message. A call to a person or list of persons is placed by a computer. Common identifiers of each person to be called are read from a data base of data files, and matched with a separate data base containing recorded voice phrases, each of which is a digitization of the individual speaking content corresponding to the identifier—such as the person's first name. The recorded voice phrase audio is concatenated with at least one other audio file, which is a digitization of a message to be delivered to the called person.

Abstract: A method for enhancing image output quality including the steps of scanning a first side of an image bearing media to acquire data representative of a first side image and scanning a second side of the image bearing media to acquire product data. A processing device is operable in connection with the scanning device and utilizes product data in processing first side image data to enhance the quality of the image data output. Product data may include any data that relates to manufacture of the image bearing media including the identity of the manufacturer of the media, the source of the media or properties of the media itself including the dye set employed by any given manufacturer.

Abstract: A method for enhancing scanned image output quality including the steps of scanning a first side of an image bearing media to acquire first side image data representative of a first side image and scanning a second side of the image bearing media to acquire second side image data representative of a second side image. A processing device operable in connection with a scanning device utilizes second side image data in processing first side image data to enhance the quality of the image output.

Abstract: Particulate lime is discharged from a nozzle into an electric arc furnace through an inlet port in the roof or top of the furnace. The inlet port is laterally displaced from the electrode ports in the center of the top of the furnace. Lime is supplied to the nozzle through a duct pivoted on the furnace to swing the nozzle into alignment with the inlet port for charging lime into the pot and into a retracted position where the nozzle is shielded by the top from heat produced in the furnace. The nozzle has an axial length, axial direction, and cross sectional shape and width constructed and arranged to direct the lime away from the side wall and toward the central portion of the furnace without any significant impingement of the lime directly on the electrodes.