Abstract: A high-bandwidth MEMS actuation system includes actuator pairs coupled in parallel to a stage, each actuator energizable in a drive direction against a bias to an energized position, and movable upon deenergization, to the rest position to define an actuation cycle. The actuators are asymmetric, with an energization frequency greater than a bias frequency, and are opposably coupled to one another. A pulse generator alternately transmits pulses to the actuators, at an alternation frequency greater than the bias frequency. The pulse generator transmits the energization pulses to each of the actuator pairs sequentially at a sequence frequency greater than the cycle frequency. The actuators are each movable from energized to rest positions faster than the bias frequency, and the actuator pairs are sequentially energizable faster than the cycle frequency, wherein the stage is movable in one degree of freedom at a bandwidth of at least four times the cycle frequency.

Abstract: A system and method for interfacing redundant devices to a distributed control system, includes a first and second redundant field bus modules communicably coupled to the distributed control system and to one another via Ethernet switches. A pair of redundant field devices are coupled to the Ethernet switches, one FD having a floating IP address. The FBMs adopt respective roles as master FBM and tracker FBM, so that the master FBM is configured to capture data from the one FD using the floating IP address, and to pass any data changes periodically to the tracker FBM, through the Ethernet switches. The master FBM is configured to point to the other field device in the event the other field device has assumed the floating IP address. The FBMs are configured to switch roles in the event communication is disrupted between the master FBM and the FD having the floating IP address.

Abstract: An inflation needle for inflating an object such as a sports ball includes a tubular body having an attachment end configured for engagement with a fluid supply. The body fairs into a tubular probe extending along a longitudinal axis from a proximal end to a distal end configured for being inserted into the ball. A concavo-convex base extends radially outward from the body and towards the distal end, terminating at a periphery spaced radially from the probe, the base being configured to engage the object upon insertion of the probe therein. The inflation needle is a unitary component.

Abstract: An electric motor (10) with a low number of revolutions comprises a rotor (17) powered by three-phase alternating voltage, a series of magnets (21, 22) and a coil forming a stator (24), in which the rotor (17) and the stator (24) have the same number of magnetic poles. The stator (24) is powered with direct voltage, and the frequency of the rotor voltage (17) is varied to obtain a predetermined number of rpm of the motor and to vary the acceleration and deceleration conditions of the motor. A thrust bearing opposes the effort of the falling brake disc.

Abstract: The invention relates to a rolling mill for tubes, in which a series of roll-holder containers (10) is housed in an external structure (2) extended along a rolling axis (L); the containers can slide inside the structure to be extracted therefrom and each one houses at least three rolls (17, 18, 19) controlled by respective driving motors (41, 42, 43). In accordance with the intervention the rolls (17, 18, 19) can be moved inside the containers (10) in a guided way along directions radial in relation to the rolling axis, in order to regulate the distance therefrom.

Abstract: A system and method is provided for generating a translingual parsing model and for using the model to machine translate a source language to a destination language. The system and method includes receiving a sentence in the source language, and with the translingual parsing model, searching among and statistically ranking candidate parses each having elements labeled with destination language words, syntactic labels, and role labels indicating relationships between the elements. A statistically high ranked parse is selected and rearranged using the syntactic and role labels, in accordance with word order conventions of the destination language to generate a translingual parse of the source language sentence.

Abstract: A system and method is provided for administering a tax-managed, buy-write investment fund having a plurality of units available for sale to the public. An index representing a first portfolio of assets having desired performance characteristics is identified. A second portfolio of assets is configured to have less than 70 percent overlap therewith. Shares of the second portfolio are purchased, while call options against the index are written.

Abstract: A system and method is provided for administering a tax-managed, buy-write investment fund having a plurality of units available for sale to the public. An index representing a first portfolio of assets having desired performance characteristics is identified. A second portfolio of assets is configured to have performance characteristics similar to those of the index, while having less than 70 percent overlap therewith. Shares of the second portfolio are purchased, while call options against the index are written.

Abstract: A light-waveform measuring device and method include a complex-refractive-index measuring device and a computer-program recording medium An electric field of an electromagnetic wave, in a light region having wavelengths smaller than those of electromagnetic waves in a near-infrared region, is measured, and time-varying waveforms are outputted. Gate-pulse-light generating means, measurement-light generating means and light-detecting means for detecting measurement light, are included, The measurement light is coherent light having a wavelength smaller than those of a near-infrared region. The gate pulse light is coherent light with a pulse width smaller than a period of the measurement light. A physical quantity, based on carriers generated from the measurement light and the gate pulse light is measured.

Abstract: A thermomechanical actuation system and method includes an elongated thermomechanical actuator (TMA), which is contoured so that electrical resistance at a mid-portion of the TMA is less than at end portions thereof. A pulse generator is electrically coupled to the TMA, and is configured to supply excitation pulses to the TMA. The excitation pulses are transient, so that each pulse is terminated prior to reaching a steady state amplitude, while having sufficient energy to heat the TMA to its predetermined operational temperature range.

Abstract: This method of determination of a distribution of energy to a plurality of electrical loads (121, 122, . . . , 12n) during a modulation period (T), the energy coming from at least one generator (14), the supply of a predetermined quantity of energy to any one of the electrical loads during this modulation period being effected by the generator emitting during a predetermined fraction of the modulation period an electrical signal the power whereof corresponds to that demanded by that electrical load, includes a temporal distribution of the electrical signals emitted by the generator in the modulation period in accordance with a distribution criterion determined as a function of the electrical signals and applied successively to each electrical signal in the same modulation period. The temporal distribution criterion for the electrical signals is determined as a function of the temporal length and the power of the electrical signals.

Abstract: An inflation needle for inflating an object such as a sports ball includes a tubular body having an attachment end configured for engagement with a fluid supply. The body fairs into a tubular probe extending along a longitudinal axis from a proximal end to a distal end configured for being inserted into the ball. A concavo-convex base extends radially outward from the body and towards the distal end, terminating at a periphery spaced radially from the probe, the base being configured to engage the object upon insertion of the probe therein. The inflation needle is a unitary, molded polymeric component.

Abstract: An automated system and method is provided for debugging training data used to train an automated language identifier. The system and method collects texts written in a particular language, generates an occurrence count for words in each text by counting the number of times each of the words is found within the text, and generates an occurrence ratio (OR) of each of the words by dividing the occurrence count by the total number of words in each text. Words are then filtered from the texts in which their occurrence ratios are substantially higher than their occurrence ratios in at least one of the other texts, to generate a clean text.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a communication system to provide a communication system which requires no special application for a correspondent node and has a service handoff function enabling a transfer destination terminal device to be freely used, and its configuration equipment. In order to realize this, the communication system includes a correspondent node delivering communication data which can be executed by a predetermined application, a proxy server device which receives the communication data from the node to execute the application, and transfers the service to a transfer destination terminal device, the transfer destination terminal device outputting the service, and a user terminal device, wherein the user terminal device transmits control information to the proxy server device, and thereby the proxy server device switches the transfer destination terminal device to perform service handoff.

Abstract: A non metallic flow through electrodeless conductivity sensor is provided with a conduit having primary and secondary process fluid flowpaths to form a fluid loop. At least one drive and one sense toroid surround the conduit on the fluid loop. Voltage supplied to the drive toroid induces a current in the sense toroid via the fluid loop to eliminate any need for metallic electrodes in contact with the process fluid. At least one additional drive and/or sense toroid is disposed on the fluid loop to enhance induction. Optionally one or more sense coils are disposed about the conduit outside of the fluid loop to cancel out stray electrical noise. An optional conductor disposed along the conduit detects any fluid leakage through changes in resistance thereof.

Abstract: An accounting method and system is disclosed that provides for real time financial accounting of plant performance at a sub-plant level. A multiplicity of process variable transmitters is utilized to sense, in real time, the current state of the processes and process equipment used in a manufacturing plant. Sub-plant accounting modules utilize the sensed process data to calculate a plurality of sub-plant accounting measures, which are stored in one or more real time plant historian. The accounting measures are typically converted to a suitable format and subsequently stored in a production model accounting database where they are accessible to an accounting module.

Abstract: Control device for a stopper-rod to regulate the outflow of liquid metal through a calibrated hole of a pouring receptacle comprising motor means, suitable to operate lifting and lowering means (2) of the stopper (4) by means of first driving means (7) and second driving means (14, 14?), the latter being suitable to convert a rotating motion into a translational motion, wherein the second driving means are flexible longitudinal elements and are fixed at a first end thereof to lifting and lowering means and a second end thereof to an anchor element (9), integral with the first means.

Abstract: A method and system is provided for producing erosionally stable fluvial geomorphic landscape designs in a computer aided design environment. A topography input module is configured to access a three-dimensional model of existing topography of a site, while a data input module is configured to receive climatic and hydrological data associated with the site. A channel geometry module is configured to utilize the three-dimensional model and the data to generate dimensions for one or more proposed ephemeral channels. A design surface module generates a graphical view of a proposed landform at the site using the existing topography, the proposed ephemeral channels, and optionally, various complementary topographic features.

Abstract: A reduced bore vortex flowmeter and flowmeter body includes a fluid inlet couplable in series to an upstream portion of a fluid flow conduit. The inlet fairs into a central bore having a transverse cross-sectional dimension less than that of the conduit, and which houses a shedder. The central bore is communicably coupled to a fluid outlet couplable to a downstream portion of the conduit. The inlet has a stepped or structured inner wall, including a first wall portion disposed at first angle to the downstream direction, and a second wall portion disposed at a second angle to the downstream direction. The second angle is greater than the first angle, so that the first and second wall portions form a substantially concave axial cross-section. The stepped intake improves linearity of flow measurements by reducing velocity profile errors and/or extending contracted flow to the shedder over a relatively wide flow range.

Abstract: A universal mounting bracket is provided for coplanar and bi-planar differential pressure (DP) transmitters, and gauge pressure transmitters. The bracket includes a support defining a plurality of planes, with at least two sets of bracket mounts disposed on mutually orthogonal planes. At least two sets of coplanar DP transmitter mounts are also disposed on mutually orthogonal planes, and at least one set of bi-planar DP transmitter mounts is configured for mounting the bi-planar DP transmitter in any one of a plurality of mutually orthogonal orientations. The bracket also includes at least two sets of gauge pressure transmitter mounts on mutually orthogonal planes.