Abstract: A gas-impermeable elastic membrane including a co-polymeric gas-impermeable film including OH groups, positioned between two layers of a co-polymer containing blocks of polyamides and of polyesters, with a rubber coating on at least one of the two layers, as well as a method of manufacturing the membrane.

Abstract: A method and system for registering vehicle fees by means of radio communication between stationary toll collection facilities in a toll border (1, 2) of a main zone and communication equipments in passing vehicles when making predetermined checking operations such as for securing the authority of the vehicle equipment. Within the main zone a number of radio transmitters are arranged, which transmit data carrying signals relating to additional fees related to passing the respective transmitter. When passing in, the toll collection facilities carry out an introductory part of the checking operations and activate the vehicle equipment to register signals from the transmitters when passing them. When passing out, the registering operation is terminated including the checking operations, then summing up the registered fees and debiting the total fee.

Abstract: A nuclear fuel based on UO2, ThO2 and/or PuO2 having improved retention properties for fission products. The fuel comprises a metal such as Cr or Mo able to trap oxygen in order to form an oxide having a free formation enthalpy equal to or below that of the superstoichiometric oxide or oxides (U, Th)O2+x and/or (U, Pu)O2+x (O<x≦0.01). Thus, it is possible to trap oxygen atoms released during the fission of U, Th and/or Pu. This leads to an increase in the retention level of the fission products and a possibility of obtaining a high burn-up of nuclear fuel elements.

Abstract: An electrodeposition apparatus for depositing material on a surface of a substrate. The electrodeposition apparatus includes at least one contact for laterally contacting the substrate and providing electrical connection to the substrate. The at least one contact does not obscure the surface of the substrate to be plated. A voltage source is connected to the at least one contact.

Abstract: A method of acquiring and processing a satellite observation image of the earth by means of at least one strip or a matrix of detectors of the charge transfer type travelling over an observed zone, in which a plurality of pixels are acquired, which pixels are sampled in a staggered configuration, the method being characterized in that the line pitch and the column pitch of said staggered sampling are such that the image spectrum is situated mainly in a zone of the Fourier plane where the modulation transfer function is meaningful and where spectrum aliasing is limited.

Abstract: A device for compressing information sensed from a model of a product is provided. The compressed quantity of information is a subset of the control information that can be transferred, by way of a data link, to machining equipment used to make the product from a blank. The device senses the model in a first coordinate system and converts the sensed first coordinates into corresponding second coordinates, describing the shape in a second coordinate system. These second coordinates form the basis for the control information. Compressing the information substantially reduces the amount of data transmitted over a public telecommunication network of the data link.

Abstract: Upon receiving a message {ID′i−1, X′i−1, m′i−1, Yi−1} from a signer (i−1), a signer i generates a random number ri, then calculates Xi=gri mod p using pieces of public information p, q and g, then sets X′i=(X′i−1, Xi), m′i=(m′i−1, mi), then calculates ei=fi(X′i, m′i), di=hi(X′i, m′i) with public one-way functions fi and hi, calculates yi=(yi−1+diri+eisi) mod q using a secret random number si, sets ID′i=(ID′i−1, IDi), and sends information {ID′i,X′i,m′i,y′i} to the next signer (i+1). A verifier calculates ei and di with the one-way functions fi and hi using X′L and m′L contained in received information {ID′L, X′L, m′L, yL}, and makes a check to see if gyL≡X1d1 ILe1 . . .

Abstract: An apparatus (10) for altering the magnetic state of a permanent magnet comprises a coil inductor (26) for generating and applying an induced magnetic field to the permanent magnet. The coil inductor (26) is provided in circuit between two charge storage elements (20, 24). The apparatus also comprises a discharge control circuit (28) for transferring charge alternately in opposed directions between the storage elements (20, 24) though the coil inductor (26) to generate a series of alternating polarity magnetic field pulses (167, 191) of decreasing magnitude in the coil inductor (26) or to generate a single magnetic pulse of relatively high strength. The apparatus (10) can be operated as either a magnetising or demagnetising device and is capable of demagnetising a column of 200 or more magnets.

Abstract: A transistor of SiC for high voltage and high switching frequency applications is a MISFET or an IGBT. This transistor comprises a plurality of laterally spaced active regions. The center to center distance of two adjacent active regions defines a lateral width of a cell of the transistor. The relation of the lateral width of an accumulation region defined as the region in the drift layer connecting to a gate-insulating layer in each individual cell and the lateral cell width is selected so as to keep the power losses in the transistor as a consequence of switching below a determined proportion to the power losses relating to conduction of the transistor for a predetermined switching frequency and on-state voltage for which the transistor is designed.

Abstract: A method of distributed timing analysis for a network which has been partitioned into at least two partitions, with each partition being assigned to a separate timing analysis process which communicates with the other processes is provided. A depth first search is performed by the process assigned to the partition in which the node for which timing information is desired is located. When the depth first search encounters a node for which a timing value is required which is located in another partition, a request is immediately sent to the process corresponding to that partition for the required timing information. When the request for timing information from the other partition is answered, the associated node is placed in the propagation queue. Also, as a node is processed, successor nodes which have had their predecessors processed are added to the propagation queue. The nodes in the propagation queue are processes and timing values are computed.

Abstract: A device for injecting pressurized fluids into a multiplate heat exchanger, comprising a leaktight chamber (2) provided with an arrangement for feeding and discharging a first pressurized fluid, a plate pack (1) placed in the chamber (2) and including channels for the flow of this first fluid mixed with a second pressurized fluid, and at least one nozzle (21) for injecting the second fluid. The nozzle (21) is connected to a pipe (22) for feeding the second fluid and to a pipe (24) for discharging the particles deposited on a filter unit placed inside the nozzle (21) downstream of the point where the two pipes (22, 24) join the nozzle (21) with respect to the direction of flow of the second fluid. The invention also relates to a method for cleaning such an injection device.

Abstract: An end portion of each of two parts is machined and the machined end portion of the parts are arranged in facing positions to form a welding bevel extending in a longitudinal direction between the parts, whereafter a filler metal is deposited into the welding bevel. The welding bevel is a narrow bevel with side walls at an aperture angle of no more than 5° relative to the longitudinal central plane of the bevel. A nickel alloy comprising 18-32% of chromium is deposited into the welding bevel. The method is particularly suitable for joining a pressurized water nuclear reactor vessel tubing and an austenitic stainless steel primary circuit pipe.

Abstract: Prismatic battery including a metal container (1) within which is arranged a non circular spiral winding (2) of at least one composite strip (10) including an anode (2a) and a cathode (2c), separated by porous separators (2b) impregnated by an electrolyte, said container (1) being sealed at its upper portion by a cover (4). The spiral winding (2) is formed around a rigid spool (20) including an upper flange (21), having the dimensions of the opening of the cavity (16), and a lower flange (22), having the inner dimensions of the bottom (15), said flanges being joined by a central neck (24) and, on either side, by two lateral necks (23, 25), said necks (23, 24, 25) delimiting two openings (26a, 26c) in the median portion of the spool (20) and a free space (27) at its periphery to accommodate the winding (2).

Abstract: A device for non-contacting measurement of a measuring object is provided. The device includes at least one pair of associated coils, including a transmitter coil and a receiver coil. The transmitter coil generates a time varying magnetic field. In the receiver coil, a voltage is induced. The voltage is dependent on the location of the transmitter coil, the receiver coil and a measuring region of a measuring object. The device comprises a U-shaped structure with two branches. A retaining part is arranged between these branches. The transmitter and receiver coils are fixed to the branches of the U-shaped structure and the measuring object is intended to be arranged centrally in the opening of the U-shaped structure.

Abstract: A receiving method using a CDMA radio receiver with a plurality of receiving fingers each composed of a code generator, a correlator and a detector. In a visited cell search while in the ON-state of the power supply, different long-period spreading codes are set in the code generators, and if none of correlated outputs from the correlators respectively corresponding to the code generators exceed a threshold value, then new different long-period spreading codes are set in the code generators. If any one of the correlator outputs exceeds the threshold value, the mobile station is decided as staying in the cell corresponding to the long-period spreading code set in that correlator, and this long-period spreading code and time points at which peaks of correlator outputs were obtained with the long-period spreading code are set in the receiving fingers in descending order of the magnitude of correlation peaks.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for mixing or dissolving a particulate solid or gel in a liquid to form a solution of substantially homogeneous concentration. The apparatus includes a vessel which has a cylindrical portion integral with a large diameter end of a frustoconical portion. The vessel has a series of liquid inlets, located in a wall of the cylindrical portion and frustoconical portion, and a solution outlet formed at a small diameter end of the frustoconical portion. An elbow-shaped nozzle is connected to each of the liquid inlets, the nozzles directing liquid flow parallel to the inside surface of the vessel. The apparatus also includes a venturi adjacent the outlet in order to create a low pressure zone downstream of the venturi to suck or draw liquid or solution from the vessel.

Abstract: A semiconductor device including a substrate. At least one pair of deep trenches is arranged in the substrate. A collar lines at least a portion of a wall of each deep trench. A deep trench fill fills each deep trench. A buried strap extends completely across each deep trench over each deep trench fill and each collar. An isolation region is arranged between the deep trenches. A dielectric region overlies each buried strap in each deep trench.

Abstract: A method for increasing effectiveness of mine clearance when clearing landmines. A vehicle-mounted, mechanically driven, rotary cultivator type demining tool is provided. The demining tool includes a horizontal shaft, a demining unit rotating around the horizontal shaft, a plurality of parallel demining discs located at a distance from each other and rotating around the shaft which when the demining tool is in operation cut down into an upper ground layer to a pre-determined depth to cause mines in their path to detonate or to fragment into harmless fragments, and impact devices located between the demining discs for working the upper ground layer between the demining discs such that the impact devices impact with the upper ground layer between each pair of demining discs several times per rotation of the demining tool. An upper ground layer where mines may be deployed is worked with the demining tool.

Abstract: A method for decontaminating the copper surfaces (e.g. circuits) of an electronic card from copper salts which can be formed after the soldering of the electronic components onto the substrate employing a water free solution which comprises an alcohol and at least one neutral ammonium salt of an organic acid.

Abstract: In a dictionary image generating section, images of objects each belonging to any one of L categories are taken by a camera from predetermined M directions, a matching region of the object to be recognized is extracted from each of the object images, and dictionary images (N=L×M, n=1, 2, . . . , N) which are the representatives of combinations of direction and category are generated and stored together with the directions of the objects. When a test image is given, the degree of similarity r(n, X, Y) between an n-th dictionary image and the image region at the matching position (X, Y) in the test image is computed by a matching section. This matching process is repeated with the matching position (X, Y) and the number n of the dictionary image being varied, and the matching position (Xmax, Ymax) where the degree of similarity r(n) becomes the highest is detected.