Abstract: Systems and methods are described for controlling an engine in a vehicle. One example method includes, after a threshold duration of engine idling, continuing engine idle operation when an exhaust NOx sensor indicates a NOx level below a NOx threshold, and stopping engine idle and shutting down the engine when the exhaust NOx sensor indicates the NOx level is above the NOx threshold.

Abstract: A method for operating an internal combustion engine Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) system that includes producing an EGR valve position signal to decrease the amount of exhaust gas passed to the EGR cooler when a processor determines the EGR cooler efficiency is less than the predetermined level and producing an EGR coolant valve position signal to decrease the amount of coolant passed to the EGR cooler when such processor determines the EGR cooler efficiency is less than the predetermined level. The processor produced EGR valve and the EGR coolant valve position signals result in regeneration within the cooler, returning the effectiveness of the cooler to a near “clean” condition.

Abstract: Techniques for configuring a customer premises equipment connected to a network of a network service provider include receiving configuration information at a distributed component on the network from a central unit on the network. The distributed component also receives from the customer premises equipment a request for values of configuration parameters that determine network properties for the customer premises equipment. The distributed component generates a set of values for the configuration parameters based on the request and the configuration information received from the central unit. The set of values are sent from the distributed component to the customer premises equipment. A system using these techniques is scalable with increasing numbers of customer premises equipments simultaneously requesting values for configuration parameters and is robust in face of equipment failure at a distributed component or at the central unit or both.

Abstract: A system and method for detecting and processing fraud and credit abuse is disclosed. One embodiment of the present invention comprises a method for detecting and processing fraud and credit abuse. The method may comprise: receiving a telephone call from a caller concerning a credit account; identifying one or more potential fraud-related problems by searching the credit account data for conditions that match one or more predetermined qualifiers and quantifiers; presenting the caller with a series of questions and soliciting, from the caller, responses to the series of questions, wherein each question in the series is generated based on the one or more potential fraud-related problems and further based on the caller's responses to earlier questions in the series; and determining a fraud status associated with the credit account based on a computerized analysis of the solicited responses.

Abstract: A method of operating an internal combustion engine having a reductant delivery and storage system in an emission control system, comprising of correlating a change in a monitored operating condition with a refill event to determine whether a reductant-diluting substance has been added to the reductant storage system; and limiting vehicle operation based on the correlation.

Abstract: A method of managing vapors generated from an ammonia-containing reductant delivery system for an engine of a vehicle, comprising of during at least a portion of engine-off conditions, storing ammonia containing vapors generated in the reductant delivery system, and after said storing and during at least a portion of engine operation, purging said stored ammonia into an exhaust of the engine to react in a catalyst in the exhaust flow.

Abstract: A method of operating a reductant delivery and storage system of a vehicle, comprising of storing an ammonia-containing fluid in a first storage device, generating ammonia vapors in the first storage device and storing said generated ammonia vapors in a second storage device, purging said stored vapors from the second storage device to an exhaust of the engine, delivering said ammonia-containing fluid to said exhaust of the engine, and adjusting at least one of an amount of ammonia-containing fluid delivered and an amount of vapors purged to said exhaust based on the other of said at least one of said amount of ammonia-containing fluid delivered and said amount of vapors purged to said exhaust.

Abstract: A method of operating a reductant delivery and storage system of a vehicle, comprising of storing an ammonia-containing fluid in a first storage device, generating ammonia vapors in the first storage device, storing said generated ammonia vapors in a second storage device, purging said stored vapors from the second storage device to an exhaust of the engine, and relieving pressure or vacuum build-up during at least one of said storing and purging is provided via an atmospheric vent coupled in the reductant delivery and storage system.

Abstract: Credit card applications typically involve the help of a third party to input the necessary data required by a credit card issuing agency. Using the present invention, a customer at a fuel dispenser can complete a credit card application and have it approved or denied in a quick and easy transaction, without the need of assistance from a third party. All required data at the fuel dispenser is entered through a user interface which includes card swipe inputs and numeric inputs through a numeric key pad. The customer does not make any alphabetical inputs on a typical keyboard because fuel dispensers do not have keyboards.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for supplying a dose to an electrolyte solution including measuring the time after adding fresh solution, measuring the Amp-hours after adding fresh solution, measuring the number of substrates processed by the solution, calculating the volume of a dose to supply to the solution based on the time, Amp-hours, and number of substrates processed, and adding the dose to the solution.

Abstract: In a transaction system, a dynamic batching process enables efficient flushing of data in a data buffer to a stable storage device. The transaction system uses constant values and dynamic values and a system performance history to adjust the rate of flushing data and also to adjust the amount of data flushed in each flush operation. The transaction system is able to respond to both spikes in rate of received transactions as well as more gradual changes in the rate of received transactions and to automatically adapt to stable storage device performance variations.

Abstract: A method for immersing a substrate into a plating solution. In one embodiment, the method includes applying a first waveform to the substrate as the substrate is being immersed into the plating solution, stopping the application of the first waveform to the substrate as soon as the substrate is fully immersed inside the plating solution, and applying a second waveform to the substrate prior to the substrate being situated into a plating position.

Abstract: A method for establishing class of service configuration in a network device of a broadband cable network using Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) is disclosed. A request to obtain a network address presented using DHCP is received from a network interface unit over the cable network, generally upon boot up of the network interface unit. A DHCP message is received from a registration center, and the message includes a network address and a quality of service code value associated with the network interface unit. Based on the quality of service code value, a quality of service configuration is established in the cable network for the network interface unit. As a result, quality of service information is obtained for each network interface unit in the network, specifically when the network interface unit is activated, and as part of its boot-up sequence.

Abstract: A method of recovery timing information and a clock recovery system for digital data signals are described, in which a digital data signal is assessed to determine the occurrence of a peak in part of the signal and the suitability of that peak for providing timing information. In the clock recovery systems described a peak evaluator has a maximum peak detector for determining the maximum oversampled value in a symbol period and the sampling point at which that maximum occurred, and peak score calculator for establishing a measure of the suitability of the peak by assessing the gradients of parts of the peak. The peak score associated with a maximum in the signal is compared with a similarly established minimum peak score by a comparator and the larger provided to a switch which, if the selected score exceeds a threshold, updates a phase lock loop, with the sampling point at which that peak occurred.

Abstract: A radio system is so designed as to allow each of a pair of transceivers to assess the quality of the link, and to modify the signal constellation accordingly. Each transceiver monitors the quality of the channel by assessing the strength of the received signal, or the bit error rate, or both. The system is specifically adapted to time division duplex (TDD) transmission over fast fading channel. In each block of data, the first bit is a QPSK (4QAM) signal, which indicates which constellation is to be used.