Abstract: The annular space surrounding a flow tube in a subsurface safety valve is sealingly isolated at opposed ends of the flow tube and pressure compensated to the tubing pressure. The subsurface safety valve is inserted and aligned in an outer housing so that hydraulic operating connections are sealingly aligned with opposite hand split ring seals that are properly compressed when the safety valve is secured in its surrounding housing. The assembly is then able to meet high pressure, heavy debris, and marine environment service requirements for subsea conditions with minimal reconfiguration for what would otherwise serve as a borehole subsurface safety valve.

Abstract: A local position indicating device for a subsea isolation valve that has no other visual signals of its position integrates to the hydraulic actuation system for the isolation valve. Three way valves, connected to an operating control line and a force closed balance line leading to opposed ends of an operating piston, are located by the isolation valve and redirected by a diver or ROV, to locally operate the valve. The balance line has a piston that is displaced with fluid pushed by the operating piston when the isolation valve is opened with hydraulic pressure in the operating control line local connection. The piston connected to the balance line moves an indicator out of its housing for the local indication that the isolation valve is open. Displaced fluid from movement of the piston in the position indicator moves a floating piston to keep seawater away from the indicating piston.

Abstract: Arrangements relate to processing financial transactions on an automated teller machine (ATM). An ATM identifier can be presented on a display of the ATM. An ATM identifier confirmation can be received from a mobile computing device. Responsive to determining that the ATM identifier confirmation matches the identifier presented on the display of the ATM, a customer authentication or a transaction request can be received from the mobile computing device. Responsive to verifying the customer authentication or the transaction request, the transaction request can be processed.

Abstract: A control system for a Subsurface Safety Valve (SSSV), includes an actuating piston mounted in a housing with at least one seal and connected to the SSSV. The actuating piston having a first end and a second end, the first end in fluid communication with a control line; a primary pressure reservoir in fluid communication with the second end of the actuating piston, the reservoir configured to contain a fluid under an amount of pressure selected to act against a prospective hydrostatic pressure expected in the control line based upon the selected position of the control system in a downhole environment.

Abstract: A monitoring system for a paving machine having a screed is disclosed. The monitoring system may include an input device configured to receive a first input from an operator of the paving machine, the first input being indicative of a height of the screed above a work surface, and a controller electronically connected to the input device. The controller may be configured to determine an amount of a material deposited by the paving machine based on the first input, receive a signal indicative of an amount of a material delivered to the paving machine, and determine a correction factor based on the amount of the material deposited by the paving machine and the amount of the material delivered to the paving machine.

Abstract: Arrangements relate to processing financial transactions on an automated teller machine (ATM). An ATM identifier can be presented on a display of the ATM. An ATM identifier confirmation can be received from a mobile computing device. Responsive to determining that the ATM identifier confirmation matches the identifier presented on the display of the ATM, a customer authentication or a transaction request can be received from the mobile computing device. Responsive to verifying the customer authentication or the transaction request, the transaction request can be processed.

Abstract: A control system for a Subsurface Safety Valve (SSSV), includes an actuating piston mounted in a housing with at least one seal and connected to the SSSV. The actuating piston having a first end and a second end, the first end in fluid communication with a control line; a primary pressure reservoir in fluid communication with the second end of the actuating piston, the reservoir configured to contain a fluid under an amount of pressure selected to act against a prospective hydrostatic pressure expected in the control line based upon the selected position of the control system in a downhole environment.

Abstract: A recess is provided at the periphery of the flapper so that a corner that defines this recess engages an o-ring seal in a seat for the flapper. A reduced contact area of the flapper on the o-ring seal results in increased pressure over the actual contact area. The pressure applied over the contact area also forces a distortion in the o-ring that has a part of the o-ring not restrained due to the presence of the recess moving out of the surrounding o-ring groove so that the corner on the flapper pinches the o-ring that now is partly in and partly extending from its surrounding groove. Sealing is obtained at lower differential pressures and the o-ring is better fixated as a result of the pinch effect of the corner on the flapper.

Abstract: A valve assembly, including a seat and a flapper complementarily formed with respect to the seat for creating a seal at an interface therebetween. At least one shim is operatively disposed in the valve assembly for altering a position of the flapper relative to the seat in at least one direction for aligning the flapper and the seat at the interface. A method of aligning the flapper and seat of a valve assembly is also included.

Abstract: A recess is provided at the periphery of the flapper so that a corner that defines this recess engages an o-ring seal in a seat for the flapper. A reduced contact area of the flapper on the o-ring seal results in increased pressure over the actual contact area. The pressure applied over the contact area also forces a distortion in the o-ring that has a part of the o-ring not restrained due to the presence of the recess moving out of the surrounding o-ring groove so that the corner on the flapper pinches the o-ring that now is partly in and partly extending from its surrounding groove. Sealing is obtained at lower differential pressures and the o-ring is better fixated as a result of the pinch effect of the corner on the flapper.

Abstract: A valve assembly, including a seat and a flapper complementarily formed with respect to the seat for creating a seal at an interface therebetween. At least one shim is operatively disposed in the valve assembly for altering a position of the flapper relative to the seat in at least one direction for aligning the flapper and the seat at the interface. A method of aligning the flapper and seat of a valve assembly is also included.

Abstract: A method is provided for evaluating pellet-cladding interaction (PCI) in a nuclear core having a reactor protection system and a plurality of elongated fuel rods each having fuel surrounded by cladding with a gap therebetween. The method includes: selecting a number of core parameters to be analyzed; evaluating the selected parameters at a plurality of statepoints; generating a model of an operating space of the core based, at least in part, upon the statepoints; selecting a subset or loci of statepoints from the model wherein each of the statepoints of the loci of statepoints, when subjected to a predetermined transient, falls within the operational limits of the reactor protection system; and evaluating the loci of statepoints for PCI in response to the transient. In this manner, the potential for PCI can be accurately determined without requiring every statepoint for every fuel rod in the core to be individually analyzed.

Abstract: A method is provided for evaluating pellet-cladding interaction (PCI) in a nuclear core having a reactor protection system and a plurality of elongated fuel rods each having fuel surrounded by cladding with a gap therebetween. The method includes: selecting a number of core parameters to be analyzed; evaluating the selected parameters at a plurality of statepoints; generating a model of an operating space of the core based, at least in part, upon the statepoints; selecting a subset or loci of statepoints from the model wherein each of the statepoints of the loci of statepoints, when subjected to a predetermined transient, falls within the operational limits of the reactor protection system; and evaluating the loci of statepoints for PCI in response to the transient. In this manner, the potential for PCI can be accurately determined without requiring every statepoint for every fuel rod in the core to be individually analyzed.

Abstract: A method for monitoring compliance with recommended hand-washing practices is disclosed. The method involves detecting the occurrence of an event that is specified in a hand-washing rule. The method also involves determining whether a person who is involved in the event complies with the hand-washing rule. If the person does not comply with the hand-washing rule, the method may involve triggering a reminder alarm. The method may also involve determining whether the person washes his or her hands within a period of time subsequent to the reminder alarm. Compliance data that is related to compliance with the hand-washing rule may be updated.

Abstract: A method for monitoring compliance with recommended hand-washing practices is disclosed. The method involves detecting the occurrence of an event that is specified in a hand-washing rule. The method also involves determining whether a person who is involved in the event complies with the hand-washing rule. If the person does not comply with the hand-washing rule, the method may involve triggering a reminder alarm. The method may also involve determining whether the person washes his or her hands within a period of time subsequent to the reminder alarm. Compliance data that is related to compliance with the hand-washing rule may be updated.

Abstract: The present invention provides a line of clothing, such as, but not limited to, shirts, blouses, pants, shorts, or the like having at least one through-hole on the exterior surface of the garment. This will provide a final product which is designed and configured to adequately and efficiently receive and hold a plurality of items, including sunglasses, eyeglasses, pens and pencils and the like for ready access by the wearer. The interior of the garment is comprised of at least one additional piece of fabric in cooperation with the through-hole to receive and hold sunglasses, pens and the like. The piece of fabric can be permanently or removably secured to the article of clothing in various embodiments.

Abstract: The present invention provides a way of using a remote telephone (208a, 208b, 208c . . . ) to control a plurality of functions of the exchange (240) of a Private Branch Exchange (PBX) system (201). The PBX system (201) includes a server computer (210) capable of controlling the functionality of the exchange (240). The method includes establishing a communication link (206a, 206b, 206c, . . . and 207) between the remote telephone (208a, 208b, 208c . . . ) and the server computer (210). Communications received from the remote telephone (208a, 208b, 208c . . . ) are processed to identify control commands. Control commands are associated with corresponding functions of the exchange (240) of the PBX system (201). The server computer (210) controls the corresponding functions of the exchange (240) based on the control commands. The control commands may be in the form of DTMF signals or voice signals that form words.

Abstract: A system and computer-based method for allowing a user to control the switching between a PSTN voice communication link between a user computer and a remote telephone and a VoIP voice communication link is disclosed. A soft-phone application running on a user computer allows a user to suspend a phone call at the switch port of a server computer connected to an exchange and switch from a PSTN connection to a VoIP connection or vice versa.

Abstract: An interface for a neural network includes a generalized data translator and a certainty filter in the data path including the neural network for rendering a decision on raw data, possibly from a data processing application. The data translator is controlled with user-definable parameters and procedures contained in a property list in order to manipulate translation, truncation, mapping (including weighting) and other transformations of the raw data. The neuron to which the output of the data translator is applied is controlled by a code index contained in an action list. An external certainty threshold is also provided, preferably by the action list to filter the output of the neural network. The core program used with the ConExNS neurons for system maintenance also includes further core operations and size maintenance operations responsive to commands from the user of an application to cause operations to be performed with in the neural network as well as to create and update the property and action lists.

Abstract: The method and apparatus of the present invention includes a method for providing a non-container object with the appearance of container object attributes in a graphic user interface operating environment. This method and apparatus includes creating a container manager and associating the container manager with the non-container object. A container pane is created and associated with the container manager. This container pane is in communication with the container manager and a list control in the graphic user interface operating environment. The container pane in the container manager both interact to provide the non-container object with the appearance of the container object attributes. If an item is present in the non-container object when the non-container object is started, a contained object is created for the item to be displayed within the non-container object.