Abstract: A feed-forward flow controller is designed to calculate a target valve position from a target flow. Correction is made for liquid or gas pressure drop across the valve and for the valve flow modulating member geometry. This feed-forward action may also be used to linearize a feed-back flow control loop.

Abstract: A drywall repair patch comprises: a mesh sheet which carries a dry, pressure sensitive adhesive layer on at least one side thereof, and at least one layer of a dry, water hardenable cement product carried on a side of the mesh sheet. The mesh sheet is free of any rigid supporting plate. Further by this invention, water is applied to the water hardenable cement, typically after placement on the wall, followed by pushing a portion of the cement layer and mesh sheet into the hole being covered, without substantially breaking the adherence to the wall, to form a concave portion of the patch in the hole. After hardening, a second portion of water hardenable cement material is applied to form a smooth wall surface over the hole and drywall patch.

Abstract: A masking device including a substantially rigid body, the body having an underside and adjoining first and second edges and an adhesive portion positioned on the underside adjacent to one or more of the first and second edges.

Abstract: An expansion joint is provided for joining adjacent sections of a structure. The expansion joint includes a first generally planar member that is configured to allow sliding of a first portion of at least one section of a structure thereon. Second and third generally planar members are configured to allow sliding of a second portion of at least one section of the structure thereon. The second and third members are substantially co-planar with each other and are substantially parallel to the first member. The second and third members are vertically spaced-apart from the first member. An expansion device is interposed between the second and third members. The expansion device accommodates expansion and contraction due to thermal effects of the second and third members and maintains horizontal alignment. Each surface panel may be removed independently for replacement or repair.

Abstract: In a probe system for monitoring and analyzing data flow and associated activities between devices connected in common to a point in a network, in the mode of operation, the probe's driver runs in a “Kernel mode” on Windows NT for analyzing in relatively low detail packets of data retrieved from the network, whereby programming is provided for operating the Kernel mode driver to monitor the rate of traffic or data packets entering an NIC card buffer, for causing the CPU to respond to an interrupt issued by the NIC everytime a data packet is received at a traffic rate below a predetermined threshold to access data packets entering the NIC card buffer, and to cause the CPU to respond to polling pulses at regular predetermined intervals to access data packets, when the traffic rate exceeds the predetermined threshold, for providing more CPU cycles to analyze the data packets.

Abstract: In a probe system for monitoring and analyzing data flow and associated activities between devices connected in common to a point in a network, the probe's driver runs in a “Kernel mode” on Windows NT for analyzing packets of data retrieved from the network, whereby programming is provided for operating the Kernel mode driver to monitor the rate of traffic or data packets entering an NIC card buffer, for causing the CPU to respond to an interrupt issued by the NIC everytime a data packet is received at a traffic rate below a predetermined threshold to access data packets entering the NIC card buffer, and to cause the CPU to respond to polling pulses at regular predetermined intervals to access data packets, when the traffic rate exceeds the predetermined threshold, for providing more CPU cycles to analyze the data packets.

Abstract: A system and method for the efficient encoding and decoding of protocol messages is described. In one embodiment, an offset from a beginning of a memory buffer is calculated based upon a maximum size of a header portion of the message. A variable length portion of the message is encoded beginning at the offset, and the header portion of the message is encoded based upon an encoded size of the variable portion and a size of the header portion. The encoding of the header portion begins at the offset less the encoded size of the header portion. Further, a set of object identifiers are decoded into a data structure. If a value portion corresponding to an object identifier of the set of object identifiers is variable in length, the value portion is decoded into the data structure.

Abstract: A masking device including a substantially rigid body, the body having an underside and adjoining first and second edges and an L-shaped adhesive portion positioned on the underside adjacent to one or more of the first and second edges and methods for making, using and removing the masking device to mask corners of flat surfaces such as windowpanes, walls, ceilings and floors.

Abstract: A masking device including a substantially rigid body, the body having an underside and adjoining first and second edges and an adhesive portion positioned on the underside adjacent to one or more of the first and second edges.

Abstract: A valve position controller tuning method avoids impact of friction in valve positioner tuning by building a dynamic model of a valve positioner from a monotonic open-loop response of a valve stem position to a change in valve position controller output. To this end, a model form is selected based on the type of pneumatic actuator and relay that controls valve flow modulating of member motion, and the valve position controller is operated in an open-loop mode. The method includes changing a valve position controller output signal to cause the valve positioner to move a valve flow modulating member, connected to valve positioner, monotonically from one stuck position to another stuck position immediately after a motion in that same direction. When a valve stem position reaches a position threshold, a first valve stem position change and a corresponding time change are measured. The method includes measuring valve stem position changes at times that depend on the first measured time change.