Abstract: A molded body for improving the cultivating conditions of plants includes at least one tapering projection. The molded body is disposed such that the projection extends into a plant substrate from the bottom. The projection is a highly porous material for providing an exchange of water by capillary forces and/or air, between the interior and the area surrounding the projection. The molded body comprises a depression provided opposite the projection and serving as a water reservoir that is spaced apart from the plant substrate.

Abstract: A method and equipment for removing ammonia from effluent, flue or waste fluids that include oxygen. The method includes at least the following stages: Part of the fluid (1) is conveyed to a decomposition/oxidation unit (2) and part of the fluid (1) is conveyed to a by-pass unit (3); part of the fluid (1) including ammonia is oxidized in the decomposition/oxidation unit (2) of ammonia; the fluid (1H) that was oxidized in the decomposition/oxidation unit (2) and the fluid (1) that was conveyed to the by-pass unit are mixed in a mixing unit (4) to form a fluid mixture (1S), and the fluid mixture (1S) is conveyed to a selective reduction unit (5).

Abstract: An bidirectional optical component position adjustment device includes a first member having a flat sliding surface, and a second member movable relative to the first member contacting the sliding surface. The optical component attaches to the second member. An elongated third member connects with the first and second members so the second member is movable relative to the first in a direction of a rotation axis of the third member when the third member is moved in the direction of its rotation axis. The rotation axis is substantially parallel to the sliding surface. The third member includes an eccentric part which is eccentric in relation to the rotation axis. The eccentric part is operationally connected with the second member so the second member moves relative to the first perpendicular to the rotation axis when the third member is rotated around its rotation axis. An optical adjustment method is also provided.

Abstract: A method for establishing a secret key between two nodes in a communication network, in particular in a wireless local area network (WLAN), includes concealment of the fact that a key exchange occurs, one of the nodes—first node (B)—broadcasts one or more packets (Pi) that can be received by the other node—second node (A)—, wherein the packets (Pi) contain each a first key (Ki) and wherein the packets (Pi) are each encrypted with a second key (ki) before being sent, the second node (A) randomly chooses one packet (Pm) from the packets (Pi) received and breaks the encryption of the chosen packet (Pm) in order to obtain the first key (Km), and the second node (A) initiates a key exchange protocol, wherein the second node (A) encrypts the message to be sent for initiating the key exchange protocol with the revealed key (Km).

Abstract: A tracking system for tracking the location of a plurality of persons, objects and groups of persons or objects or combination of persons and objects which allows creating person or object communities (such as vehicles, objects having a high monetary value or objects that continuously need to be monitored such as guns or medical equipment) and keep tracking of the communities in real time worldwide, as well as registering a tracking history of each person or object and creating customized monitoring zones worldwide and tracking rules for setting customized alarms, for example when the distance among one or more members of the group or members of different groups are greater or lesser than an predetermined value when a member of the group exits a predetermined area or is near a predetermined area or when a person or object remains in a single spot for more or less than a predetermined period of time, which is useful for monitoring the security of a person or object.

Abstract: A power reserve display mechanism includes a differential (22) having: a first input (22a) connected to a ratchet (16) of a barrel (24) and to an oscillating mass automatic winding system, a second input (22b) connected to the drum of a barrel (24), an output (22c) connected to a display system. The display system includes at least one disc (40) provided with digits for displaying numbers between a minimum number and a maximum number. Moreover, the disc is connected to the output (22c) of the differential (22) via a reduction train (26), arranged such that the display system displays the minimum number when the barrel is empty and the maximum number when the barrel is maximally loaded. The reduction train and the automatic winding system are arranged such that the disc advances by one pitch each time the oscillating mass performs on revolution.

Abstract: A thin-film transistor manufactured on a transparent substrate has a structure of a top gate type crystalline silicon thin-film transistor in which a light blocking film, a base layer, a crystalline silicon film, a gate insulating film, and a gate electrode film arranged not to overlap at least a channel region are sequentially formed on the transparent substrate. The channel region has channel length L, LDD regions having LDD length d on both sides of the channel region, a source region, and a drain region are formed in the crystalline silicon film. The light blocking film is divided across the channel region. Interval x between the divided light blocking films is equal to or larger than channel length L and equal to or smaller than a sum of channel length L and a double of LDD length d (L+2d), allowing low the manufacturing cost and suppressed photo leak current.

Abstract: The document includes a support (10) provided with at least one first (12) and second (14) parts that can move relative to one another, the support including an electronic microcircuit (3) and contactless coupling members (2) electrically connected to the electronic microcircuit (3), and capable of being coupled to an external reading station (5) for establishing a contactless communications with the latter (5). The support also includes detecting elements (20) capable of detecting the relative proximity of the first and second parts independent of the contactless coupling members (2), and securing elements (30) connected to the detecting elements (20) and capable of inhibiting and/or authorizing the activation of the contactless communication according to the relative proximity of the first and second parts thus detected.

Abstract: An installation with animal enclosures includes a nipple assembly with a feeding nipple for dispensing liquid feed to animals in the installation, where a single feeding nipple is pivotable between at least two animal enclosures, the nipple assembly including the feeding nipple mounted on a pivot, which pivot is biased to maintain the feeding nipple in a neutral position between the extremes of a range of pivotability.

Abstract: A solid-state image pickup device is a solid-state image pickup device of a back-surface incident type which is provided with a semiconductor substrate, a semiconductor layer, and a light receiving section. The semiconductor substrate has a specific resistance ?1. The semiconductor layer is provided on the surface of the semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor layer has a specific resistance ?2. Where, ?2<?1. The light receiving section is provided in the semiconductor layer. In the solid-state image pickup device, photoelectric conversion of incident light from the image-pickup object onto the back surface of the semiconductor substrate is performed in the inside of the semiconductor substrate or the inside of the semiconductor layer, and signal charges generated by the photoelectric conversion are received by the light receiving section for image pickup of the image-pickup object.

Abstract: A payment method when parking vehicles in which a credit or debit card is used for post-payment, which system includes a number of parking machines provided with credit or debit card readers, which parking machines are connected to a supervisory computer system including a computer and a database, where a credit or debit card is read by the card reader at the commencement and termination of the parking period.

Abstract: An electronic entity and a microcircuit card that obtains an orientation of the electronic entity, sends a request containing information on the orientation, receives information relating to a positional entity linked to both a geographical position of the electronic entity and the orientation, and provides a user with information relating to the positional entity.

Abstract: Provided is an apparatus capable of producing a fluoride crystal in a very short period of time, and a method suitable for producing a fluoride crystal using the apparatus. The apparatus comprises a chamber, a window material, and the like, and is modified such that it can evacuate air from the chamber to provide a high degree vacuum there. The apparatus further includes a crucible, which has a perforation at its bottom. The capillary portion of the perforation is adjusted to facilitate the contact of a seed crystal with a melt. By using the apparatus it is possible to stably produce high quality single crystals of fluorides in a short period of time.

Abstract: Digital content on demand (CoD) is provided under a group purchase option that permits separately located users to receive access on demand to a desired content with group-related benefits including discounted price discount or synchronized viewing.

Abstract: When the compressor is a multistage compressor, each compression space includes an inlet arranged in the vicinity of the center axis and an outlet arranged in the vicinity of the outer circumference of the turbine wheel, and there is a connecting conduit between the outlet of a first compressor stage and the inlet of a second compressor stage. The connecting conduit is delimited by a first wall of the space of the first compressor stage and a second wall of the space of the second compressor stage. Each wall can be a friction disk.

Abstract: A cover plate (2) for electrical apparatus (1) includes at least one opening (22, 32) intended to provide access to at least one functional part (5) of the electrical apparatus and which is formed by superimposing a rear mounting plate (20, 30) fitted at the back with elements for mounting on an apparatus support (4) and a front finish plate (10) giving the cover plate an aesthetic appearance. The rear mounting plate includes on its front side a recessed housing (24) which completely houses the front finish plate, such that the front side (11) of the front finish plate extends flush with or is slightly back from the front side (21) of the rear mounting plate.

Abstract: An imaging lens includes a first lens that is a negative meniscus lens having a concave surface facing the image side of the imaging lens, a second lens that is a positive lens having a convex surface facing the object side of the imaging lens, a third lens that is a negative lens having a concave surface facing the image side, a fourth lens that is a double-convex lens, a fifth lens that is a negative meniscus lens having a concave surface facing the object side, and a sixth lens that is a negative lens, which are arranged in this order from the object side.