Abstract: A method of evaluating the microstructure of a surface, such as a coating on a substrate. The surface is illuminated using at least one light source. One or more images of the illuminated surface are captured. The captured images are processed to identify one or more features of the microstructure, and then determine one or more parameters of the microstructure features. The parameters are compared to thresholds or limits to determine whether remedial action is needed.

Abstract: An exhaust gas aftertreatment system includes a first decomposition chamber, a first dosing module, a first conversion catalyst member, a second decomposition chamber, a second dosing module, a second conversion catalyst member, and a third conversion catalyst member. The first decomposition chamber is configured to receive an exhaust gas. The first dosing module is coupled to the first decomposition chamber and configured to provide a first treatment fluid into the first decomposition chamber. The first conversion catalyst member is configured to receive a mixture of the first treatment fluid and the exhaust gas, from the first decomposition chamber. The second decomposition chamber is configured to receive the exhaust gas from the first conversion catalyst member. The second dosing module is coupled to the second decomposition chamber and configured to provide a second treatment fluid into the second decomposition chamber.

Abstract: A button type secondary battery includes a wound electrode assembly; a lower can with the electrode assembly and an electrolyte in the lower can; a top plate to close the lower can; a positive electrode terminal coupled to the top plate through a gasket to be electrically insulated from the top plate with a portion of the positive electrode terminal passing through a hole in the top plate to be bonded to a positive electrode tab; a top insulator covering a top surface of the electrode assembly; and a bottom insulator covering a bottom surface of the electrode assembly. The top insulator and the bottom insulator are each configured to expand in volume by absorbing the electrolyte. Surfaces of at least one or more of the top insulator and the bottom insulator are coated with a protective layer configured to prevent thermal shrinkage from occurring.

Abstract: Disclosed is a battery system including: a battery pack including a plurality of battery cells, and a plurality of pressure sensing pads connected to the plurality of battery cells in parallel, and attached to external surfaces of the plurality of battery cells, and having resistance values which vary according to an applied pressure; and a battery management system (BMS) configured to derive a plurality of cell voltages for the plurality of battery cells, respectively, and determine that the battery pack is in an abnormal state when at least one of the plurality of derived cell voltages is equal to or less than a threshold voltage.

Abstract: A storage container and a method for designing same, including a wall that forms the storage container and has an inner face and an outer face, and an insulation layer that rests against the outer face of the wall, encloses the storage container and has different thicknesses in different regions of the wall. The insulation layer is thicker in a region that has an above-average temperature difference between the inner face and the outer face of the wall than in a region that has a smaller temperature difference between the inner face and the outer face of the wall.

Abstract: A self-cleaning ion generator device includes a first portion with a base portion that extends to an outer edge and a first pair and a second pair of opposed sidewalls extending upwardly from the outer edge and intersect at corners, forming a cavity therein. A second portion includes a base portion that extends to an outer edge selectively secured to the first portion forming a housing. At least one ion emitting device extending from the housing, and at least one cleaning apparatus for cleaning the at least one ion emitting device.

Abstract: A system for organizing and searching a video database includes a logic circuit configured to extract, from a video, at least a video feature, generate at least a first hash value as a function of the at least a video feature, wherein generating the at least a first hash value further comprises performing a robust hash algorithm on the at least a feature, and store the video in a data structure, wherein storing the video further includes storing a representation of the video in a leaf node of the data structure and storing the at least a first hash value in a traversal index linking hash values to leaf nodes.

Abstract: According to an embodiment, an article conveyance sorting apparatus includes a distributing section, a first conveyance section, a second conveyance section, and a conveyance sorting section. The distributing section distributes an article in a first direction or a second direction based on a first distribution control signal or a second distribution control signal corresponding to a distinguishing result of the article distinguished based on article information. The first conveyance section receives the article distributed in the first direction. The second conveyance section receives the article distributed in the second direction. The conveyance sorting section sorts each of articles conveyed by the plurality of trays to a designated sorting destination.

Abstract: The invention relates to a feeder insert (1, 1?, 1?, 1??, 100, 100?) for use in metal casting in casting molds, comprising a feeder body (2, 2?, 2?, 2??, 102, 102?) which delimits a feeder cavity (4, 4?, 4?, 4??, 104, 104?) for receiving liquid metal, wherein the feeder body (2, 2?, 2?, 2??, 102, 102?) has a first end (6, 6?, 6?, 6??, 106, 106?) having a passage opening (8) for the liquid metal and a second end (10, 10?, 10?, 10??, 110, 110) opposite the first end (6, 6?, 6?, 6??, 106, 106?), and wherein the feeder body (2, 2?, 2?, 2??, 102, 102?) comprises a central axis (Z) extending through the passage opening (8). The feeder body (2, 2?, 2?, 2??, 102, 102?) is separated at least one partition plane (E) extending in a direction of the central axis (Z) and is formed at least from a first feeder shell (18, 18?, 18?, 18??, 118, 118?) and a second feeder shell (20, 20?, 20?, 20??, 120, 120).

Abstract: A given pixel of a pixel array includes various operation modes with each of the operation modes having a different conversion gain for the charge received from the photodetector of the pixel. When the modes are used in conjunction with one another, the dynamic range of the pixel can be increased. A readout circuit coupled to a photodetector within a given pixel includes a transfer gate between the photodetector and a gain mode select block that includes capacitors of different sizes and one or more switches to control which capacitors are to receive the charge from the photodetector. Depending on the state(s) of the one or more switches, different operation modes with different conversion gains can be selected to increase the dynamic range of the pixel. The adaptability of the readout circuit can allow for a high dynamic range even in extreme temperature environments by lowering the dark current.

Abstract: In an advertisement information generation apparatus (30) of the present invention, the advertisement information generation unit (31) generates advertisement information on at least one of an advertising target product or an advertising target service, the coordinate information acquisition unit (32) acquires coordinate information associated with a fiducial marker installed in a specific area of a real space, a virtual point indicating a specific position in the specific area is mapped on the coordinate information, the virtual object generation unit (33) generates a virtual object associated with the virtual point and the advertisement information, the virtual object is composed of a main object and a sub object, the main object is an image object representing contents of the advertisement information, and the sub object is an object to which text information representing the contents of the advertisement information is added.

Abstract: A pouch-type battery case according to an embodiment of the invention may accommodate an electrode assembly, in which electrodes and separators are alternately stacked. The pouch-type battery case may include: a pair of recess parts, each of which has a recessed shape; a pair of terraces that are disposed around the pair of recess parts and are inclined downward in a direction closer to each other in a state; in which the battery case is unfolded; and a bridge disposed between the pair of recess parts, configured to connect the pair of recess parts to each other, having a pair of connection surfaces formed to be inclined upward from a bottom surface of each of the pair of recess parts in a direction closer to each other. In the state in which the battery case is unfolded, an angle formed by the pair of terraces may be an obtuse angle.

Abstract: A refrigeration system configured to receive a refrigerant is provided, as well as a walk-in refrigeration unit configured to utilize said system. The refrigeration system comprises: a power source, a condenser unit, an evaporation unit, a plurality of compressors, wherein each of the plurality of compressors is communicably coupled to the condenser unit, and a plurality of expansion devices, wherein each of the plurality of expansion devices is communicably coupled to the evaporation unit. The system is configured to receive an A3 refrigerant having a Global Warming Potential (GWP) value less than 10.

Abstract: A method for transmitting a first segment of a first modulation format, a second segment of a second modulation format and a third segment of a third modulation format, wherein the second segment is transmitted between the first segment and the third segment, wherein the first modulation format includes a first set of constellation points, wherein the second modulation format includes a second set of constellation points, wherein the third modulation format includes a third set of constellation points, wherein the second set is included in an intersection of the first set and the third set, wherein the first set and the third set differ by at least one constellation point.

Abstract: Provided is an industrial printing system for peer-to-peer grouping of production prints. The industrial printing system performs production printing with a plurality of servers that perform distributed processing of jobs. Each of the plurality of print servers includes a condition setting unit, a condition sharing unit, a job acquiring unit, and a job processing unit. The condition setting unit sets a grouping condition for grouping the jobs. The condition sharing unit shares the grouping condition set by the condition setting unit with other print server. The job acquiring unit acquires a plurality of jobs that meets the grouping condition from the other print server. The job processing unit groups and processes the plurality of jobs acquired by the job acquiring unit.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for controlling the supply of solid silicon to a preliminary crucible of an ingot growth apparatus for maintaining a constant amount of molten silicon in the preliminary crucible by measuring the height of the molten silicon in the preliminary crucible.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a blade damage evaluation system comprising one or more computers configured to: evaluate inflow and collision of solid particles into a turbine based on design data, maintenance data, and operation data; and calculate a survival rate by applying at least one data included in at least one of the design data, the maintenance data, and the operation data as at least one factor to a formula that models the turbine by survival time analysis, the survival rate indicating that erosion amount of at least one of a plurality of blades does not reach a predetermined threshold at arbitrary time in future.

Abstract: A battery pack includes a plurality of battery modules each including one or more battery cells to store and release energy, each battery module further including an intake portion and an exhaust portion, an intake duct including an intake channel and communicating with the intake portion of each of the plurality of battery modules, and an exhaust duct including an exhaust channel and communicating with the exhaust portion of each of the plurality of battery modules. Each of the plurality of battery modules further includes an opening/closing member configured to close the intake portion when internal pressure increases.

Abstract: Discussed is a battery pack case that may include a first case and a second case configured such that outer peripheries of the first case and the second case are coupled to each other by ultrasonic welding, wherein the outer periphery of the first case comprises a flat portion and a projecting portion formed as a result of a middle of the first case in a thickness direction projecting from the flat portion. Further, the outer periphery of the second case comprises a receiving portion configured to be fused with the projecting portion and an outer guide portion projecting from the receiving portion so as to face the flat portion, and a control rib projecting from at least a part of the flat portion is provided.

Abstract: A distributed optical fibre sensor to measure one or more parameters of an environment as functions of position along a sensing optical fibre passing through the environment, and determines, measures or calculates an OTDR trace or attenuation profile of a sensing optical fibre in a distributed optical fibre sensor. The OTDR trace is to monitored to provide an indicia of properties of the sensing optical fibre in order to determine if the performance of the distributed optical fibre sensor in accurately measuring the desired environmental parameters is compromised. This allows adjustment of operation parameters of the distributed optical fibre sensor to maintain the performance at acceptable levels, or to automatically control the distributed optical fibre sensor in order to at least partly compensate for the changing properties. A distributed optical fibre sensor having such capability is also disclosed.