Abstract: A storage capacitor having a scattering effect is positioned in a substrate for use in a thin film transistor array loop. The storage capacitor is characterized by having a rough layer overlapped by a medium layer and a passivation layer. The storage capacitor further has a reflective layer with high reflectivity so as to provide the storage capacitor with the scattering effect toward an external light source. A method of manufacturing the storage capacitor by two photolithography processes is also shown.

Abstract: A sportsmen's utility bucket cover is provided for use in combination with a standard utility bucket. The cover includes a cylindrical wall that surrounds the outside cylindrical surface of the bucket. The cover also includes a bottom wall that is configured to correspond to the closed end of the utility bucket. A foam pad may be inserted between the bottom wall of the cover and the closed end of the bucket for seat cushioning purposes. The cover still further comprises a plurality of pockets and a beverage holder formed on the outside of the utility bucket cover to hold any desired item. Each pocket includes a closure facing toward the closed end of the bucket so that when the bucket is used as a seat, the pocket openings face upward, allowing the sportsman to access the pockets yet prevent the contents from spilling onto the ground.

Abstract: In a radio access network (RAN) where information may be sent to a mobile radio unit using a shared radio channel shared by other mobile radio units, a first transport bearer is established between a first RAN node, e.g., a drift RNC, and a second RAN node, e.g., a base station, to transport data to be transmitted on the shared radio channel. A second transport bearer is established between the first and second RAN nodes to transport control information originated in the first RAN node that relates to the first transport bearer data. The first RAN node then transmits the control information over the second transport bearer to the second RAN node. The control information might include, for example, scheduling information known to the first RAN node because the first RAN node supervises scheduling of data to be transmitted on the shared radio channel. The control information may provide to the mobile radio unit information needed to decode the data transmitted on the shared radio channel.

Abstract: A gas pressure switch is provided for an ignition and safety system for ammunition. The switch includes a housing; a piston actuator within the housing, the piston actuator being displaceable from an idle position to a contacting position by propellant gases of the ammunition during use; at least two contact pins that are attached immovably to the housing; a contacting device operatively associated with the piston actuator and located on a first side of the piston actuator, the first side being opposite a second side on which the propellant gases act during use, the contacting device connecting electrically to the contact pins when the piston actuator is in the contacting position; and a locking pin which holds the piston actuator in the idle position until a predetermined gas pressure is reached and which shears off when the predetermined gas pressure is reached, so that the piston actuator can be displaced into the contacting position.

Abstract: An infusion pump unit includes a housing sized to allow the pump unit to be carried as a portable unit. The housing has an inlet for establishing fluid communication from an external infusion bag to the inlet and an outlet for establishing fluid communication to an infusion site. The housing contains a controllable pumping system for pumping fluid from the inlet to the outlet and a shape memory alloy actuator for operating the pumping unit. The actuator has a pivotable body having a yoke for linearly displacing an actuator mechanism when the body pivots under the influence of two shape memory alloy wires and a tension spring, such that alternative heating and cooling of the shape memory wires, reinforced by the action of the spring, pivots the body to and fro.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing a modulation scheme usable in conjunction with information transmission and reception via waveforms, such as electromagnetic waves. The modulation scheme is usable for such purposes as resolving range ambiguities and overcoming fading and interference problems via use of offset signals that vary in frequency over time (e.g., chirp signals), which spread the signal over a larger bandwidth. The method includes coding a symbol signal onto a split data stream containing a reference signal (e.g., a chirp), to which a time delay has been applied, then recombining the split streams to produce a composite waveform. The method can also include demodulating a composite received waveform by applying a reference signal to the waveform and then band pass filtering the waveform into discrete symbol data. Apparatus and systems are also provided for performing the method.

Abstract: A system for remote energy consumption system identification of a facility includes a processor, and a memory coupled to the processor. The system also includes an energy consumption database accessible by the processor. The energy consumption database includes aggregated energy consumption data associated with the facility. The system also includes a facility database accessible by the processor. The facility database includes facility data associated with the facility. The system further includes an external variable database accessible by the processor. The external variable database includes external variable data corresponding to the energy consumption data. The system also includes an analysis engine residing in the memory and executable by the processor.

Abstract: A glasses structure has a lens frame and a temple. The lens frame has a curved portion disposed at a side thereof and a shaft portion downwardly extending from the curved portion. The temple has a positioning portion disposed at an end thereof, a position opening defined inside the positioning portion, a bushing portion downwardly extending from the positioning portion and a hole defined inside the bushing portion. The shaft portion of the lens frame is inserted into the hole of the temple and the curved portion of the lens frame is held in the position opening of the temple so that the temple pivots on the lens frame.

Abstract: A substrate cleaning apparatus comprises an outer shell constructed such that the outer shell is selectively openable or hermetically closable to form a sealed space, an inner shell enclosed within the outer shell and having a holding member for holding a substrate, and a dispenser unit for feeding at least one of gas and liquid into the inner shell. Within the sealed space formed by the outer shell, a highly gas-tight space is formed by the inner shell to permit cleaning of the substrate within the highly gas-tight space. Also disclosed are a dispenser, a substrate holding mechanism and a substrate cleaning chamber, which are suitable for use with the substrate cleaning apparatus, and substrate cleaning processes making use of these dispenser, substrate holding mechanism and substrate cleaning chamber, respectively.

Abstract: A substrate cleaning apparatus comprises an outer shell constructed such that the outer shell is selectively openable or hermetically closable to form a sealed space, an inner shell enclosed within the outer shell and having a holding member for holding a substrate, and a dispenser unit for feeding at least one of gas and liquid into the inner shell. Within the sealed space formed by the outer shell, a highly gas-tight space is formed by the inner shell to permit cleaning of the substrate within the highly gas-tight space. Also disclosed are a dispenser, a substrate holding mechanism and a substrate cleaning chamber, which are suitable for use with the substrate cleaning apparatus, and substrate cleaning processes making use of these dispenser, substrate holding mechanism and substrate cleaning chamber, respectively.

Abstract: A cable guardrail release system includes a first number of anchor posts installed adjacent a roadway. Each of the first number of anchor posts secures an end of a respective cable. Each anchor post is operable to release the respective cable secured by the anchor post upon a vehicle impact to the anchor post. The system may include a length of need section that includes a plurality of intermediate support posts each configured to support each of the respective cables. The length of need section may include portions of each of the respective cables running in between the plurality of intermediate support posts. Each anchor post may be configured to resist release of the respective cable secured by the anchor post upon a vehicle impact to the length of need section generally at an angle to the flow of traffic on the roadway.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided that compensates for the problematic time-varying DC offset by effectively eliminating a near-channel amplited modulated interferer from a signal. The apparatus includes a first channel estimator for estimating a plurality of first channel filter taps ? using a first signal model St, and a second channel estimator for estimating a plurality of second channel filter taps {tilde over (H)} using a second signal model {tilde over (S)}t. The apparatus also includes a processor for selecting which of the first signal model St and the second signal model {tilde over (S)}t is to be used or was used to substantially eliminate the near-channel amplitude modulated interferer from the received signal. The apparatus can be a mobile phone, base station, direct conversion receiver, or communications system (for example).

Abstract: A method of initializing a multi-zone peer-to-peer entertainment and communications network. During normal network operation, data is streamed from one or more entertainment media source nodes to multiple independent other nodes and, then, passed to connected receivers and/or transceivers. The receivers and transceivers may be located in different zones from each other. The zones may be different rooms in a building or house. The initialization sequence is an autonomous process. During initialization, at least one backplane address is assigned to each network hub port and to each local node. One hub port is designated as backplane master. Upon power-up or a reset, a remote scan is initiated, automatically, from the hub ports to the remote nodes. Any remote node requiring an address responds to the remote scan indicating that one or more addresses are needed. Then, nodes requesting addresses enter a contention arbitration phase to select the next requesting node which is assigned addresses next.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for measuring sag properties of a drilling fluid using a rotary viscometer. An insert, or shoe, is placed at the bottom of the heat cup containing the fluid to be tested. A rotating cylinder is disposed within the fluid and solid particles are allowed to settle toward the bottom of the heat cup. The shoe incorporates a curved and inclined upper surface that directs the settled particles toward a well non-centrally located in the shoe. As the test is performed, fluid samples can be withdrawn from the well and analyzed. The samples can then be returned to the well and the test continued. The insert concentrates the settled solids into a single location, which increases the sensitivity of the test and provides a location for sample acquisition that is easily and repeatedly located, which allows for improved correlation with laboratory and flow loop results.

Abstract: A radio transmitter such as a mobile telephone is operating in a TDMA system. The number of slots which can be allocated for transmissions from said device is adjusted based on the temperature of the casing of the device, the remaining battery life thereof or the mode of operation thereof.

Abstract: An apparatus for the section-wise autofrettage of gun barrels (22) by a hydraulic pressure generated inside the barrel. The apparatus (1, 1?, 1?) comprises a mandrel-shaped insert (2, 2?, 2?) inserted into the barrel (22) from the breech opening. A first sealing device (3) is disposed at one end of the insert (2, 2?, 2?), and has a seal packet (5) disposed on a seal seat (4) of the insert (2, 2?, 2?). The seal seat (4) is limited at the front by a threaded sleeve (7) screwed onto the insert (2, 2?, 2?), and an annular intermediate part (8) adjoining the threaded sleeve (7) at the rear. The seal packet (5) includes at least one O-ring (10) held by a shoulder (9) of the mandrel-shaped insert (2, 2?, 2?), and a high-pressure seal (15) formed by two partial rings (13, 14) that are connected to one another by a conical contact surface (16).

Abstract: Methods are provided for measuring isotropic scattering coefficients of suspensions using multiply scattered radiation that is modulated in amplitude at selected modulation frequencies. The radiation may be light. Quantities describing diffusion of the multiply scattered radiation are preferably measured at a plurality of distances between source and receiver and a plurality of frequencies. Linear regression techniques are provided for maximizing accuracy of the scattering data at a selected wavelength of a radiation. Methods are provided for inversing an integral equation so as to determine a calculated value of scattering coefficient. Parameters are varied to minimize the difference between the calculated and measured scattering coefficients and thereby to determine volume fraction, particle size distribution and interparticle force between the particles in a suspension.

Abstract: Characteristics of micro electromechanical switches can be changed by applying a control signal which either changes one or more parameters of the micro electromechanical switches or which controls beam movement by feedback signals. It is thereby possible to change switching transient time, maximum switching frequency, power tolerance, and/or sensitivity (actuation voltage) of a micro electromechanical switch.

Abstract: A plastic drink-through lid of the type having a deck, a peripheral skirt, and a partially separable, preformed tab in the deck to form a drink-through hold which does not extend through the peripheral skirt. The tab has an upstanding thumb catch preformed thereon. The fold back hinge is formed in the deck immediately adjacent the tab and spaced less than about one-half of the lid radius from the periphery. This creates a very short throw which allows a user to open the tab and lock it back with the thumb of the same hand that is holding the cup.

Abstract: A crossover conveyor system that allows people to safely cross over a portion of a conveyor line is disclosed. The crossover conveyor system includes a frame that has at least a first side member and a second side member. A plurality of rollers may be connected between the first and second side members. A first and second drive shaft may be connected between the first and second side members at opposing ends of the frame. At least one endless belt extends or wraps around an upper surface of the frame, the rollers and the first and second drive shaft. A drive belt may be connected with a drive mechanism. Pressure rollers are included for constantly applying pressure to the drive belt or selectively applying pressure to the drive belt. The drive belt is located between the endless belt and the pressure rollers such that when the drive mechanism rotates the drive belt and the endless belt rotates.