Abstract: A heat exchanger tube includes a central tube portion having a C-shape cross-section. A pair of tube ends includes the C-shape cross-section or a different cross-section. A heat exchanger tube assembly and a method for manufacturing a C-shape heat exchanger tube are also described.

Abstract: A thermostatic mixing valve is used in a tempered water blending system. A cold water bypass line in the system acts under the control of a modulating valve and electronic controller to divert cold water back to a temperature sensing element in the mixing valve. By flooding the temperature sensing element, the mixing valve detects a false temperature and adjusts its flow rate of hot and cold water accordingly. The electronic controller acts in reverse of normal fashion, providing negative feedback to the sensing element of the mixing valve.

Abstract: A thermostatic mixing valve is used in a tempered water blending system. A cold water bypass line in the system acts under the control of a modulating valve and electronic controller to divert cold water back to a temperature sensing element in the mixing valve. By flooding the temperature sensing element, the mixing valve detects a false temperature and adjusts its flow rate of hot and cold water accordingly. The electronic controller acts in reverse of normal fashion, providing negative feedback to the sensing element of the mixing valve.

Abstract: The invention relates to a recharging station (10) for recharging an electric vehicle (50) powered by energy storage means (52), said vehicle (50) being designed to follow a route via a point at which the recharging station (10) is situated, said station (10) including recharging means (12) suitable for recharging the storage means (52) of the electric vehicle (50) while said vehicle is in the vicinity of the station. The invention is characterized in that the recharging means (12) comprise a storage device (14) suitable for storing electrical energy delivered by an electrical energy source (16), and connection means (18) for electrically connecting the storage device (14) of the station (10) to the storage means (52) of the vehicle (50), and for transferring the energy stored in the storage device (14) of the station (10) to the storage means (52) of the electric vehicle (50).

Abstract: Methods and systems for triggering an in-program display event are provided. In an embodiment, a method for triggering an in-program display event may include perfotining a video content analysis of a program display. The method may also include determining a display event trigger in real time based on the video content analysis. The method may further include displaying a display event in the program display based on the display event trigger. In some cases, the display event may be an interactive session. In another embodiment, a system for triggering an in-program display event may include a trigger mechanism and an insertion module.

Abstract: A method for tracking objects in a scene may include receiving visual-based information of the scene with a vision-based tracking system and telemetry-based information of the scene with a RTLS-based tracking system. The method may also include determining a location and identity of a first object in the scene using a combination of the visual-based information and the telemetry-based information. Another method for tracking objects in a scene may include detecting a location and identity of a first object and determining a telemetry-based measurement between the first object and a second object using a real time locating system (RTLS)-based tracking system. The method may further include determining a location and identity of the second object based on the detected location of the first object and the determined measurement. A system for tracking objects in a scene may include visual-based and telemetry-based information receivers and an object tracker.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer program product are described to improve a lens distortion curve which roughly approximates distortion caused by a camera lens to capture an event onto video. The present invention selects a generic lens distortion curve that roughly approximates the distortion caused by the camera lens while capturing the event onto the video. The video as well as information from the generic lens distortion curve is used to generate a camera model. This camera model is used to integrate virtual insertions into the video. If the camera model is sufficiently accurate to present a realistic appearance of the virtual insertions to the remote viewer, this camera model is then used to integrate more virtual insertions into the video. However, if the camera model is not sufficiently accurate, an iterative process is employed to refine this camera model.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer program product are described that utilizes spatial modeling to represent foreground objects of an event to allow virtual graphics to be integrated into a background of the event in the presence of dynamic objects. The present invention detects a presence of dynamic objects within a region of interest from a video depicting the event. The present invention produces a suppression key corresponding to the dynamic object when present in the video or a suppression key with a default value when and where no dynamic object is present in the video.

Abstract: Systems and methods for analyzing scenes from cameras imaging an event, such as a sporting event broadcast, are provided. Systems and methods include detecting and tracking patterns and trails. This may be performed with intra-frame processing and without knowledge of camera parameters. A system for analyzing a scene may include an object characterizer, a foreground detector, an object tracker, a trail updater, and a video annotator. Systems and methods may provide information regarding centers and spans of activity based on object locations and trails, which may be used to control camera field of views such as a camera pose and zoom level. A magnification may be determined for images in a video sequence based on the size of an object in the images. Measurements may be determined from object trails in a video sequence based on an effective magnification of images in the video sequence.

Abstract: A viewer may directly interact with a 3D object that is virtually placed in a physical location in a video scene. Initially, the object appears as an integral part of the original video scene and does not interfere with the general viewer's experience of the program. A viewer may initiate interaction with the object using an input device. An interested viewer may navigate through the object's architecture based on the viewer's interest. For example, the viewer may drag the object to a new physical insertion point in the scene. The user may rotate the 3D object into different orientations and zoom in. Each orientation of the object, if selected by the viewer, may invoke a new linked object in the predefined architecture. For example, the viewer may walk through the linked objects in the predefined architecture or observe an object at an increasing level of detail.

Abstract: A method for visualizing plays in a sporting event may include receiving a video stream of the sporting event and a measurement stream, asynchronous to the video stream, associated with objects in the sporting event. The method may further include displaying a synchronized presentation of the video stream and the measurement stream. The synchronization may be performed near the time of the displaying. Another method for visualizing plays in a sporting event may include receiving measurement information related to actions from one or more sporting events. The method may also include identifying plays from the actions using the measurement information and displaying a representation of the identified plays. A system for visualizing plays in a sporting event may include an integrated server and a synchronization mechanism. Another method for visualizing plays in a sporting event may include displaying a video of a play selected from a representation.

Abstract: A method for video insertion using backpropagation may include determining a first camera model from a first frame of the sequence. The method may also include determining a transition location. The method may further include generating a transform model based on an analysis of the first frame and a second frame that occurs earlier in the video sequence and applying the transform model to the first camera model to generate a second camera model for the second frame. The method then includes inserting an insertion into one or more frames earlier in the sequence between the second frame and the transition location based on the second camera model, wherein the inserting is performed before displaying the frames. A system for video insertion using backpropagation includes search, transition, track and insertion subsystems.

Abstract: Embodiments of this invention relate to controlling insertion of visual elements integrated into video. In an embodiment, a method enables control of insertions in a video. In the embodiment, control data is received from a user input device. Movement of at least one point of interest in a video is analyzed to determine video metadata. Finally, a visual element is inserted into a video according to the control data, and the visual element changes or moves with the video as specified by the video metadata to appear integrated with the video.

Abstract: An improved shell-and-tube steam instantaneous heat exchange system of a closely coupled feedback design which overheats water in the heat exchanger portion of the system and then blends the water, as needed, with proportional amounts of cold water to achieve the correct outlet temperature for a wide range of flow rates. The system uses at least two primary heat exchangers to provide redundancy in the case of failure of a major component of the system. Steam flow through the heat exchangers is controlled by the use of steam traps, rather than using a thermostatically controlled valve to vary the supply of steam. To obtain precise temperature control during varying water volume use, water is directed from the blended outlet of a first water tempering valve into the hot inlet port of a second water tempering valve.

Abstract: Embodiments of this invention relate to generating information from an athletic event. In an embodiment, a method includes receiving an aspect of a first object and an aspect of a second object in an athletic event. In some cases, objects may be athletes, balls, pucks, game officials, goals, defined areas, time periods or other sports related objects. Aspects may include but are not limited to, a location, motion, pose, shape or size. The method further includes determining a data representation based on the aspect of the first object relative to the aspect of the second object. In some cases, data representations may be stored in a data server. In other cases, data representations may be displayed. In another embodiment, a system includes an object tracker and a data manager. Aspects may be recorded using a sensor system.

Abstract: Techniques are described for deriving information, including graphical representations, based on perspectives of a 3D scene by utilizing sensor model representations of location points in the 3D scene. A 2D view point representation of a location point is derived based on the sensor model representation. From this information, a data representation can be determined. The 2D view point representation can be used to determine a second 2D view point representation. Other techniques include using sensor model representations of location points associated with dynamic objects in a 3D scene. These sensor model representations are generated using sensor systems having perspectives external to the location points and are used to determine a 3D model associated with a dynamic object. Data or graphical representations may be determined based on the 3D model. A system for obtaining information based on perspectives of a 3D scene includes a data manager and a renderer.

Abstract: Embodiments of this invention relate to preprocessing video such that visual elements, such as advertisements, can be inserted at a later point in time when the video is requested by a user. In an embodiment, a video and target data is received. The video is analyzed to determine how a target moves and changes over time. Metadata describing how the target moves and changes over time is stored. When a user requests an on-demand video such as from a video sharing site, a visual element is inserted into the video. The visual elements move and change as defined in the stored metadata. In this way, advertisements can be inserted into on-demand video such as video from a video sharing website.

Abstract: An apparatus for converting Direct Current (DC) to Alternating Current (AC), comprising a plurality of inverters, each inverter having a separate DC input adapted to be coupled to at least one solar cell defining an area of a solar panel.

Abstract: The invention relates to a recharging station (10) for recharging an electric vehicle (50) powered by energy storage means (52), said vehicle (50) being designed to follow a route via a point at which the recharging station (10) is situated, said station (10) including recharging means (12) suitable for recharging the storage means (52) of the electric vehicle (50) while said vehicle is in the vicinity of the station. The invention is characterized in that the recharging means (12) comprise a storage device (14) suitable for storing electrical energy delivered by an electrical energy source (16), and connection means (18) for electrically connecting the storage device (14) of the station (10) to the storage means (52) of the vehicle (50), and for transferring the energy stored in the storage device (14) of the station (10) to the storage means (52) of the electric vehicle (50).

Abstract: A water heater is shown having a closed metal tank with an upwardly mounted combustion chamber and burner/blower assembly. Curved fire tubes convey the products of combustion from the chamber to an exterior mounted flue assembly. The closed tank is enclosed by a rotomolded jacket. A support stand with vertically arranged support legs supports the tank in a normally vertical position but also allows the tank to be pivoted to a horizontal position on the support stand for maintenance or repair operations.