Abstract: The invention relates to interpolation of an image information value for a pixel of an interline. The method comprises selecting, from a number of image directions, to each of which a direction quality value is assigned, a direction of interpolation by comparing these direction quality values. The image information value being interpolated is determined in dependence on image information values assigned to pixels lying adjacent to the pixel being interpolated in the direction of interpolation. To ascertain a direction quality value for an image direction a pixel group having at least two pixels is selected; a single direction quality value for each pixel of the pixel group is determined, the single direction quality value being dependent on image information values assigned to image regions lying adjacent to the particular pixel of the group in the image direction; and a direction quality value is created as a function of the single direction quality values of the pixel group.

Abstract: A damping device for a fluid flow meter is provided. The fluid flow meter is mountable on the exterior of a pipe to meter fluid flow traveling within the pipe. The flow meter has at least one ultrasonic sensor operable to transmit ultrasonic signals through a wall in a direction substantially normal to the pipe wall and into a fluid flow disposed within the pipe. The transmitted signals create secondary ultrasonic signals circumferentially traveling within the pipe wall at one or more frequencies. The damping device includes a tuned body attachable to the pipe wall at one or more contact points. The body has one or more resonant structural modes, each with a natural frequency, which natural frequencies are closely matched to the one or more frequencies of the secondary signals. The body is operable to dissipate energy upon excitation by the secondary signals.

Abstract: An ultrasound position determination system includes a base unit and at least one mobile unit. Each of the mobile and base units are operable to transmit and receive ultrasonic signals. The mobile unit is adapted to transmit a predetermined signal in dependence upon the state of transmission of the base unit. The base unit is adapted to determine the time taken for the signal to pass from the mobile unit to the base unit and thereby calculate a distance between the mobile unit and the base unit.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring one or more characteristics of a fluid flowing within a pipe is provided. The apparatus includes a housing, sealant, and an array of at least two ultrasonic sensors. The housing is operable to be mounted on the exterior surface of the pipe. The housing has at least one pocket extending between a pipe-side surface and an outer surface. The pipe-side surface mates with the exterior surface of the pipe. The sealant is disposed between the pipe exterior surface and the housing pipe-side surface. The sealant forms a seal around the pocket when the housing is mounted on the exterior surface of the pipe. The array of ultrasonic sensor units are disposed within the at least one pocket. Each sensor unit includes a transmitter and a receiver. The transmitters are operable to transmit ultrasonic signals through the fluid flow within the pipe. The receivers are operable to receive signals from the transmitters.

Abstract: A damping device for a fluid flow meter mountable on the exterior of a pipe to meter fluid flow traveling within the pipe is provided. The flow meter has at least one ultrasonic sensor operable to transmit ultrasonic signals through a pipe wall in a direction normal to the pipe wall and into a fluid flow disposed within the pipe, which signals create secondary ultrasonic signals circumferentially traveling within the pipe wall at a frequency. The damping device includes a base and a plurality of tines. The base is conformable to an exterior surface of the pipe wall, and has a pipe-side surface and a tine-side surface. The plurality of tines is attached to the base and extends outwardly from the tine-side surface. Each tine is spaced apart from an adjacent tine by a tine-to-tine distance that is less than the wavelength of the secondary ultrasonic signals circumferentially propagating within the pipe wall.

Abstract: The invention relates to the evaluation of mass spectra from mass spectrometers in which ions are excited to mass-specific oscillating or orbiting motions, and the ion motion is recorded as a time signal. The invention provides methods to detect parameter drift that occurs during the recording of a time signal in such a “frequency mass spectrometer” by analyzing the instantaneous frequency or the phase spectrum of a frequency component, and provides a method to correct for influence of the frequency drift on the mass spectrum correspondingly. In one embodiment a Fourier transformation converts a measured time signal into a frequency spectrum and examines the phase spectrum of a frequency component to establish whether this phase spectrum deviates from the phase spectrum of a harmonic time signal. The phase spectrum of a harmonic time signal is either linear or constant.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining a level of stratification of a multiphase fluid flow passing through a pipe is provided. The method includes, and the apparatus is operable to perform, the steps of: 1) determining a flow velocity of the multiphase fluid flow passing through a first radial region of the pipe; 2) determining a flow velocity of a portion of the multiphase fluid flow passing within a second radial region of the pipe, wherein the second radial region is above the first radial region; and 3) comparing the flow velocity from the first radial region and flow velocity from the second radial region to determine information indicative of the stratification of the multiphase fluid flow.

Abstract: A method for determining the hematocrit of a blood sample is provided that includes the steps of: 1) depositing the sample into an analysis chamber operable to quiescently hold the sample for analysis, the chamber defined by the interior surfaces of first and second panels and a height extending there between, wherein both panels are transparent, and the height is such that at least some of the red blood cells within the sample contact both interior surfaces of the panels and one or more lacunae within the quiescent sample extend between the interior surfaces; 2) imaging at least a portion of the quiescent sample, which sample portion contains the red blood cells and one or more lacunae to determine an optical density of the imaged portion of the sample on a per image unit basis; 3) selecting and averaging the optical density values of the image units aligned with the red blood cells contacting the interior surfaces, and assigning an upper boundary value of 100% to the average optical density value of those i

Abstract: A saddle pad that exhibits pockets on its top side facing toward a saddle to be laid on, arranged along and to the left and right of a line of symmetry of the saddle pad. The pockets extend over the entire length of the saddle pad. Inserted into the pockets is a plate-shaped spring device, by which optimal stabilization and pressure distribution are achieved, even when treeless saddles are provided for the riding of a riding animal.

Abstract: An electro-acoustic transducer has a membrane comprises a folded or curved sheet of film material. A frame supports the membrane in at least an upper end thereof. A resilient suspension connects the upper ends of the membrane to the frame. A driver system is attached to the frame and the membrane for moving the membrane dependent on an electrical input signal. At least one ferromagnetic element is arranged in the membrane or on one of the surfaces of the membrane at its lower end. At least one magnet provides a magnetic field, the magnet being attached to the frame in a position adjacent the lower end of the membrane. The ferromagnetic element is pulled down by a magnetic force between the element and the magnet establishing a gap therebetween such that tensioning of the membrane is achieved by the magnetic force.

Abstract: An electro-acoustic transducer includes a generally V-shaped diaphragm comprising a folded sheet of film material. The diaphragm also comprises two upper ends, a lower end, an inner surface, and an outer surface. A frame supports the diaphragm in at least the two upper ends of the diaphragm and a structured conductive layer is arranged on a surface of the diaphragm. Permanent magnets are attached to the frame adjacent to the upper two ends and the lower end of the diaphragm.

Abstract: A digital transcoder system is presented for receiving data bit streams with a first bit rate (R1) and outputting a data bit stream with a second bit rate (R2) which differs from the first bit rate (R1), and in particular is reduced relative thereto. This transcoder system has a decoder device (10) on its input side and a coder device (20) on its output side, the latter consisting of a series circuit of a quantizer (21) for requantizing the data dequantized in the decoder device (10), with a requantization factor (Q2), also with a subsequent VLC coder (22) and an output buffer (23). Establishing the second bit rate (R2) requires that the requantization factor of the quantizer (21) be changed, with reference to macro-blocks, according to the specification of a certain calculational formula.

Abstract: A structure includes a substrate of a first material and a second material coating at least a portion of the substrate, where the second material is different from the first material, where the first and second materials, upon being thermally energized, react with each other in an exothermic and self-sustaining alloying reaction that propagates from a first location within the structure along a travel path to a second location within the structure at a rate that depends upon one or more characteristics of the first and second materials.

Abstract: A method for enumerating platelets within a blood sample is provided.

Abstract: A method for the determination of the red blood cell indices including the volume, and hemoglobin content and concentration for individual red blood cells, as well as red blood cell population statistics, including total number of red blood cells present in the sample, and mean values for each of the aforementioned indices within a substantially undiluted blood sample is provided.

Abstract: A shaft for a gas turbine engine is provided that includes a first shaft section, a second shaft section, a first flexible linkage, and a second flexible linkage. The first shaft section extends between a forward axial end and an aft axial end along a first axial centerline. The second shaft section extends between a forward axial end and an aft axial end along a second axial centerline. The first flexible linkage includes a bridge section connected between a first diaphragm and a second diaphragm. The first diaphragm is connected to the aft axial end of the first shaft section. The second diaphragm is connected to the forward axial end of the second shaft section. The second flexible linkage includes a diaphragm and a hub. The second flexible linkage diaphragm cantilevers radially outwardly from an inner radial end to an outer radial end, and is connected to the aft axial end of the second shaft section.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method as well as a circuit arrangement for suppression of a perturbing quadrature component of a carrier signal of an amplitude-modulated signal during the recovery of the carrier signal in a synchronous demodulator, which outputs a quadrature signal (Q). The perturbing quadrature component of the carrier signal is estimated and the estimated quadrature component is subtracted from the quadrature signal (Q).

Abstract: A twist clip for attaching a heat-radiating fin to a conduit of a hydronic heating system includes an upper gripping member, a lower gripping member connected to the upper member by an upright support member, and a handle portion looping downwardly from the lower gripping member to enable a user to hold the clip and to manually twist the clip to cause the upper and lower gripping members to rotate relative to the fin and conduit such that the fin and conduit are clipped together. This twist clip enables quick and easy attachment of fins to conduits, which greatly reduces the time and effort required to install a hydronic heating system.

Abstract: To make possible communication between a MOST network and an external receiver and an external transmitter, the MOST network is connected to an interface, which transforms data in the MOST standard into a standard suitable for the external receiver, and transforms data received from the external transmitter into the MOST standard.

Abstract: A method for operating an ion mobility spectrometer comprises supplying an analyte substance into a reaction chamber of an ion mobility spectrometer having a closed internal gas circuit and at least one membrane inlet having an inner membrane chamber, changing at least one of flow resistances and gas paths in the closed internal gas circuit, and controlling at least one of a quantity and a concentration of analyte-containing gas flowing from the inner membrane chamber to the reaction chamber.