Abstract: A method of the present invention includes exposing a structure to first electromagnetic radiation including at least one wavelength absorbed by a predetermined substance that is to be detected. Such substance can be water, a water-soluble substance, or fungi, the presence of which can be a significant problem in a structure such as a house or building. The method includes sensing second electromagnetic radiation from the structure, the second radiation based on the first radiation. The method also includes determining whether the substance is present in the structure, based on the sensed second radiation. If the substance to be detected is water and the determining step reveals a water-suspect area in the structure, the method can include testing the water-suspect area of the structure to determine whether water is present therein. If water is confirmed by the determination to be present in the structure, the method can include a step of determining the source of the water.

Abstract: A system and method for storing Responsible Organization data corresponding to toll free telephone calls provides Payphone Service Providers (PSPs) with the data for billing or auditing Per Call Compensation (PCC) charges and payment. The method includes the steps of generating a query for Resp Org data corresponding to the toll-free telephone number for a call received at a Service Switching Point (SSP), sending the generated query from the SSP to a Service Control Point (SCP), extracting Resp Org identification data from the response to the generated Resp Org query, and incorporating the Resp Org identification data into a call detail record (CDR). Preferably, the Resp Org query is included in the query for call routing data but it may be a separate query. Additionally, the Resp Org identification data is preferably included in the CDR for the received call but it may be incorporated in a separate record.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a dry-cleaning article suitable for use in the home. The article includes a sheet that is permeated with 51-98% by weight of organic solvent such as paraffins, olefins, acetylenes or mixtures thereof, 1-35% by weight of water, optionally with 1-14% by weight of emulsifier such as PEMULEN.TM., Carbopol.TM., Emuluin.TM. and/or Emulphor.TM. to allow the water to be uniformly mixed into the solvent. The composition can also include 1-5% by weight of perfume for scenting clothing, and 1-5 % by weight of nonionic and/or anionic surfactant to provide additional stain removal capability of the composition. The invented composition is thus organic-solvent-based and is particularly effective to remove body or cosmetic oil stains from garments. The invention is also directed to the composition and methods for using the sheet in a drying machine.

Abstract: The apparatus of this invention includes a pilot-induced oscillation (PIO) detector, a PIO compensator and a pilot input modifier. The PIO detector is coupled to receive aircraft state signal including the aircraft's pitch, roll and yaw attitudes. The PIO detector is also coupled to receive pilot control signal generated by the aircraft's pilot by manipulation of flight control instruments. Preferably, the PIO detector includes a feature calculator and a discriminator. Based on the aircraft state signal and the pilot control signal, the feature calculator generates at least one feature signal indicative of whether a PIO or non-PIO condition exists in the aircraft. The feature calculator supplies the feature signal to the discriminator, that uses the feature signal to determine whether or not a PIO condition exists.

Abstract: The invented apparatus contains and dispenses limited quantities of a substance. In a first embodiment, the apparatus includes a container with storage and dispenser portions, a partition, and a member. The partition is positioned in the container and tethered to the container's inside wall by the member. If the apparatus is tipped from its normal upright position with its cover in place, the partition moves away from the top of the container's storage portion to allow the substance to move from the storage portion to the dispenser portion. If the apparatus is returned to its upright position, the partition returns to a position covering the storage portion that blocks the substance in the dispenser portion from returning to the storage portion. The cover can be removed from the container to allow use of the substance contained in the dispenser portion. In a second embodiment, the apparatus includes a container, a partition and a flap.

Abstract: The invention is directed to an apparatus, system and methods for growing high-purity crystals of substances that are peritectic at atmospheric pressure. The apparatus includes a pressure vessel that contains a pressurized gas. The apparatus also includes a cooling unit that is situated in the pressure vessel. The cooling unit receives a coolant flow from outside of the vessel, and has cooled surfaces that define an enclosure that receives the charge material. The apparatus further includes an inductive heating element situated in the vessel, that is coupled to receive electric power externally to the vessel. The element heats the interior portion of the charge material to form a molten interior portion contained by a relatively cool, exterior solid-phase portion of the charge material that is closer relative to the molten interior, to the cooled surfaces of the cooling unit.

Abstract: The invented method can be applied to a house, building or other structure to detect the presence of a water problem, even in areas that are not visible to the naked eye. The method includes a step of changing the temperature of the structure relative to its temperature existing immediately before the start of the method. The method also includes a step of infrared scanning the structure. Because moist structure areas are slow to move to the changed temperature compared to dry areas due to the relatively high thermal capacity of water, the changed temperature enables the infrared scanning step to readily contrast moisture-suspect areas of the structure from dry areas thereof. The method can also include steps of determining whether a moisture-suspect area does in fact contain moisture, or is due to other causes unrelated to moisture.

Abstract: The invention is directed to an apparatus, system and methods for growing high-purity crystals of substances that are peritectic at atmospheric pressure using the Czochralski technique. The apparatus includes a pressure vessel that contains a pressurized gas. The apparatus also includes a cooling unit that is situated in the pressure vessel. The cooling unit receives a coolant flow from outside of the vessel, and has cooled surfaces that define an enclosure that receives the charge material. The apparatus further includes an inductive heating element situated in the vessel, that is coupled to receive electric power externally to the vessel. The element heats the interior portion of the charge material to form a molten interior portion contained by a relatively cool, exterior solid-phase portion of the charge material that is closer relative to the molten interior, to the cooled surfaces of the cooling unit.

Abstract: The invented spray valve DEFINES two orifices that generate respective spray patterns. Preferably, the spray patterns are each conical in shape and coaxially configured so that the inside spray pattern is enveloped by the outside spray pattern. The spray valve includes two bias units that urge respective orifices to close, in a direction contrary to pressure exerted by a pressurized fluid supplied to the spray valve, that urges the orifices to open. The bias units are independently adjustable to control the amount by which each orifice is urged to close so that the proportional variation of the orifice opening size to a given variation in the fluid flow rate through the orifice, or equivalently, the fluid pressure differential across each orifice, maintains the continuity of the spray patterns over a broad range of fluid flow rates.

Abstract: The invented apparatus fuses two or more sensor signals to generate a fused signal with an improved confidence of target existence and position. The invented apparatus includes gain, control and fusion units, and can also include an integration unit. The integration unit receives signals generated by two or more sensors, and generates integrated signals based on the sensor signals. The integration unit performs temporal and weighted spatial integration of the sensor signals, to generate respective sets of integrated signals supplied to the gain control and fusion units. The gain control unit uses a preprogrammed function to map the integrated signals to an output signal that is scaled to generate a gain signal supplied to the fusion unit. The fusion unit uses a preprogrammed function to map its received integrated signals and the gain signal, to a fused signal that is the output of the invented apparatus.

Abstract: The invented apparatus is designed for use with a tow vehicle and trailer combination. The apparatus includes a controller, and can also include a vacuum sensor and a vacuum pump. The vacuum sensor is communicatively coupled to sense the vacuum supply available to operate a trailer brake system that is interfaced to the tow vehicle's brake system to coordinate braking of the trailer and vehicle. The vacuum sensor generates a vacuum pressure level signal supplied to the controller. The controller periodically determines whether the vacuum pressure level is less than a first predetermined vacuum pressure level. If so, the controller activates the vacuum pump by generating a vacuum pump switch signal. On the other hand, if the vacuum pressure level is greater than the first predetermined level, the controller does not activate the vacuum pump switch signal.

Abstract: The invention is directed to an apparatus for measuring the thickness of flexible sheet material such as cloth, carpet, paper, sheet metal or plastic, for example. The apparatus includes a break member over which the sheet material is folded and advances. The apparatus also includes a light source and a light sensor that are preferably included in a laser scan micrometer. The apparatus also includes a carriage movable in a direction parallel to the break member. The light source is mounted to the carriage so that it opposes one side of the break member, and casts a shadow whose linear extent is indicative of the sheet material's thickness. The light sensor is mounted to the carriage on the opposite side of the break roller from that on which the light source is positioned. The light sensor and the light source can thus be used to generate sheet material thickness data at any predetermined position across the sheet material.