Abstract: A welding system for welding with wire is disclosed that includes a torque motor in a wire feeder and a pull motor in a welding torch. A wire feed speed may be set by an operator at a power supply or on a wire feeder. Based upon calibration of the pull motor in the torch, upon startup of the welding operation, signals are provided to a pull motor and the torch in an open loop manner with respect to the speed of the pull motor, while the torque motor is driven to maintain a feed force on the welding wire to ensure that the pull motor has welding wire available for feeding. No other coordination is required between the torque motor and the pull motor.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a catenary seal structure may be mechanically supported only by two adjacent rotor wheels to isolate a volume between the two adjacent rotor wheels. The catenary seal structure may be annularly disposed about the rotational axis of the adjacent rotor wheels.

Abstract: A transparent, nano-composite material and methods for making structures from this material are provided. In one embodiment, the material is made from a polycrystalline matrix containing dispersed particles of a harder material. The particles are less then about 100 nm. In other embodiments, methods for making structures from the material are provided. In one aspect, the methods include blending precursor powders for the matrix and reinforcing phases prior to forming and sintering to make a final structure. In other aspects, a precursor powder for the matrix is pressed into a green shape, which is partially sintered and exposed to a solution containing a precursor for the reinforcing phase, prior to be sintered into the final material. In another aspect, the precursor powder for the matrix is coated with a sol-gel precursor for the reinforcing material, then pressed into a green shape and sintered to form the final structure.

Abstract: Heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVAC&R) systems and heat exchangers are provided that include multichannel tube configurations designed to promote flow of refrigerant within the multichannel tubes near the edges of the tubes that are contacted first by an external fluid. The tube configurations include flow paths of varying cross-sections, spacings, and sizes. Flow control mechanisms, such as inserts, blocking plates, sleeves, crimped sections, and crushed sections, may be employed with the flow paths to favor flow near the edges of the tubes that are contacted first by an external fluid.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing shopping-related information to a consumer are provided. Embodiments of the system allow a consumer to create an electronic shopping list by scanning products. In some embodiments, shopping-related information may be obtained for items in the shopping list, such as pricing information, product quality, consumer ratings, and other information that may help a consumer to make an informed purchasing decision. Other embodiments allow a consumer to obtain and compare retail prices offered by several retailers for products in the shopping list. Still other embodiments provide a store-wide network that allows a shopper to scan items in the store, add the scanned items to a shopping list, and then check-out electronically.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to monovinylarene-conjugated diene block copolymers adapted for shrinkable film applications. In one embodiment, a block copolymer is provided wherein an oriented 2 mil film of the block copolymer oriented at 100° C. or less exhibits less than 10% shrinkage at 70° C., and at least 70% shrinkage at 100° C.

Abstract: The present techniques provide methods and systems for more reliable reading of optical data disks. In embodiments, a multi-pixel detector that is segmented into multiple areas, or detector segments, may be used to detect a pattern in the light reflected from an optical data disk. The pattern may include light scattered from a single bit that may be under a center detector, as well as light scattered from proximate bits. The detector system may then combine the quantized values from each of the detector segments mathematically to determine the presence or absence of a bit or bits of data. The mathematical combination may also use data that is known about the status of adjacent data bits (such as previously read bits, or bit patterns which are allowed or not allowed by specific data encoding schemes) to improve the accuracy of the bit prediction.

Abstract: Systems, methods of operating a memory device, and methods of arbitrating access to a memory array in a memory device having an internal processor are provided. In one or more embodiments, conflicts in accessing the memory array are reduced by interfacing an external processor, such as a memory controller, with the internal processor, which could be an embedded ALU, through a control interface. The external processor can control access to the memory array, and the internal processor can send signals to the external processor to request access to the memory array. The signals may also request a particular bank in the memory array. In different embodiments, the external processor and the internal processor communicate via the control interface or a standard memory interface to grant access to the memory array, or to a particular bank in the memory array, for example.

Abstract: A sensor for physiological constituent detection may be adapted to include a mucoadhesive. A sensor is provided that is appropriate for use on mucosal tissue. The mucoadhesive provides a mechanism for holding the sensor on the mucous membrane in order to measure physiological constituent levels in the tissue and blood.

Abstract: Devices and methods for providing JFET transistors with improved operating characteristics are provided. Specifically, one or more embodiments of the present invention relate to JFET transistors with a higher diode turn-on voltage. For example, one or more embodiments include a JFET with a PIN gate stack. One or more embodiments also relate to systems and devices in which the improved JFET may be employed, as well as methods of manufacturing the improved JFET.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices for applying lens shading correction to image data captured by an image sensor are provided. In one embodiment, multiple lens shading adaptation functions, each modeled based on the response of a color channel to a reference illuminant, are provided. An image frame from the image data may be analyzed to select a lens shading adaptation function corresponding to a reference illuminant that most closely matches a current illuminant. The selected lens shading function may then be used to adjust a set of lens shading parameters.

Abstract: Spin current generators and systems and methods for employing spin current generators. A spin current generator may be configured to generate a spin current polarized in one direction, or a spin current selectively polarized in two directions. The spin current generator may by employed in spintronics applications, wherein a spin current is desired.

Abstract: A device and a method for measuring body fluid-related metrics using spectrophotometry to facilitate therapeutic interventions aimed at restoring body fluid balance. The specific body fluid-related metrics include the absolute volume fraction of water in the extravascular and intravascular tissue compartments, as well as the shifts of water between these two compartments. The absolute volume fraction of water is determined using algorithms where received radiation measured at two or more wavelengths are combined to form either a single ratio, a sum of ratios or ratio of ratios, in which the received radiation in the numerator depends primarily on the absorbance of water and the received radiation in the denominator depends primarily on the absorbance of water and the sum of the absorbances of non-herne proteins, lipids and water in tissue. The difference between the fraction of water in the intravascular fluid volume and extravascular fluid volume compartments are also determined.

Abstract: Techniques for differentially enhancing selected areas within a digital image are disclosed. In certain embodiments, one or more attributes of a selected pixel or a group of pixels is determined. Examples of such attributes include color properties, grayscale properties, and/or multi-pixel properties, such as texture. In certain embodiments, the attribute may be used in conjunction with the properties of a modification tool, such as a brush, to selectively modify pixels having the attribute value or a similar attribute value.

Abstract: An optical article for playback in a player includes at least one sector comprising a first control logic configured to set the value of a first register, the first register having a default value before it is set, and a non-default value after it is set, and a first command to be read sequentially after the sector. The first command is configured to direct the player to play a first content on the article if the first register is set to the default value and to direct the player to play a second content on the article if the first register is set to the non-default value. The optical article includes a mark containing an optical state change material disposed on the sector, wherein the mark is in one of a first optical state or a second optical state, and wherein the first control logic can be read only when the mark is in the second optical state.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the disclosed method includes receiving a user selection of a machine system type from a plurality of machine system types, where the system types corresponding to specific machine component combination. The method also includes configuring alarms based on the machine system type, configuring calculations of vibration parameters based on the machine system type, wherein the calculations are adjusted for the machine system type, and configuring diagnostic information based on the machine system type.

Abstract: A technique of providing wireless network service utilizes an initial threshold to determine whether a signal received from a cellular device is of sufficient strength to warrant further processing. The technique may be implemented in a power controller of a base station, where the power controller includes an outer loop power control and an inner loop power control. The outer loop power control determines the strength of the received signal and compares it to an initial threshold. If the signal strength is below the initial threshold, the outer loop power control does not process the signal further. However, if the signal strength is above the initial threshold, the outer loop power control determines whether the signal contains any errors. If not, the signal is processed normally.

Abstract: Embodiments are provided that include a row decoder, including a row activation path, having a row address converter with an output coupled to an input of a section replacement detector. Further embodiments provide a method including mapping an external row address to an internal row address, wherein the internal row address comprises a section address, determining whether a section corresponding to the section address includes an error, and if the section includes an error, converting the internal row address to a redundant row address, wherein mapping the external row address to the internal row address is initiated prior to determining whether the section replacement should be performed. Further embodiments include a method for receiving a row address for a row in a memory section including a non-2^n number of normal rows and mapping the row address to a redundant row address by subtracting a value from the row address.

Abstract: System and methods for storing data to a storage device are provided. In embodiments, the storage device may include a disk drive with a solid-state memory for storing certain frequently updated information. In some embodiments, the solid-state memory may be used to store journaling information.

Abstract: A presentation application for framing objects, such as images and videos, is provided. Using the presentation application, the user may select a frame from a plurality of available frames. The presentation application may mask portions of the displayed object that would lie outside of the selected frame before displaying the selected frame. The presentation application may provide an interface that allows the user to adjust the size of the frame and the object. The presentation application may automatically adjust the size of the frame when the size of the object is changed, and vice versa.