Abstract: A system for measuring nip width for a nip present between two rolls includes: (a) a sensor assembly, said sensor assembly including: 1) a first strip formed of a first electrically conductive material having a resistance, the first strip having a first end and a second end and a first measuring zone between the first and second ends; 2) a second strip disposed adjacent the first strip and formed of a second electrically conductive material, the second strip having a second measuring zone disposed adjacent and substantially coextensive with said first measuring zone; 3) a gap defined between the first and second strips and electrically isolating the first and second strips from one another; and 4) wherein at least one of the first and second strips is deformable such that, when the device is placed in the press nip, pressure from the nip rolls forces portions of the first and second measuring zones into electrically conductive contact with one another over a contact length, the contact length corresponding to

Abstract: An interconnect structure comprising a plurality of input ports and a plurality of output ports with messages being sent from an input port to a predetermined output port through a switch S. Advantageously, the setting of switch S is not dependent upon the predetermined output port to which a particular message is being sent.

Abstract: A deployable truss is formed from a plurality of column members connected at their ends where at least some of the column members are formed from column assemblies, each including a plurality of strut members that are at least connected to each other at a first and second end of the column assembly. For added rigidity, strut members of a column assembly may be connected to each other between the first and second ends using, for example, a rigidizable resin, a fixed spacer, or a deployable spacer. Connecting strut members between the ends of the column assembly provides mutual bracing to the strut members and decreases the free buckling length of the individual strut members. Spacers are preferably configured to radially space the strut members away from the longitudinal centerline of the column assembly to increase its moment of inertia, and hence its buckling strength.

Abstract: An interconnect structure comprises a logic capable of error detection and/or error correction. A logic formats a data stream into a plurality of fixed-size segments. The individual segments include a header containing at least a set presence bit and a target address, a payload containing at least segment data and a copy of the target address, and a parity bit designating parity of the payload, the logic arranging the segment plurality into a multiple-dimensional matrix. A logic analyzes segment data in a plurality of dimensions following passage of the data through a plurality of switches including analysis to detect segment error, column error, and payload error.

Abstract: A target for use in photogrammetric analysis that does not distort the object to be analyzed has been developed. The target is formed by mixing a diffuse material with a solvent and then applying the mixture to the surface of the object to be analyzed. The object is then coated with a reflective material so that the diffuse material forms a reflective target suitable for use in photogrammetric analysis.

Abstract: In a system, a memory controller separates a memory into multiple banks and enables a plurality of selected banks to be accessed concurrently. The memory controller further comprises a logic that creates a representation of a tree structure in memory and builds routing tables accessed by pointers at nodes in the tree memory structure, and a logic that finds a target memory address based on a received Internet Protocol (IP) address used by the tree memory structure and the routing table.

Abstract: A communication apparatus comprises a controlled switch capable of communicating scheduled messages and interfacing to a plurality of devices, and an uncontrolled switch capable of communicating unscheduled messages and interfacing to the plurality of devices. The uncontrolled switch generate signals that schedule the messages in the controlled switch.

Abstract: An agricultural apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus is adapted to be mounted to an agricultural machine such as a tractor and is provided with a boom having two arms extending in a direction substantially transverse to the agricultural machine. The boom arm are provided with a plurality of heads, adapted for either cutting or spraying, and can be used to cut or spray discrete areas of vegetation over which the apparatus passes. The apparatus is adapted to maintain the arms in a direction substantially parallel to the vegetation over which it is passing irrespective of the terrain.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an improved process for producing ethyl acetate comprising contacting acetic acid and ethanol in a reaction zone in the presence of an acid catalyst, distilling formed vapors and condensing to form an organic phase rich in ethyl acetate and an aqueous phase rich in water, separating the phases and further distilling each phase to obtain a final purified ethyl acetate product and a water stream low in organic components, the improvement comprising directing the organic phase from the first distillation to the reaction zone. An alternate embodiment involves directing at least a portion of the organic phase from the first distillation to a membrane separation unit which removes water and/or alcohol from the organic phase rich in ethyl acetate.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process for the simultaneous coproduction of ethyl acetate and isopropyl acetate. The esterification reaction comprises contacting acetic acid with a mixed alcohol stream of ethanol and isopropanol. Exemplified is a purified, Fischer Tropsch derived mixture of ethanol and isopropanol. The esterification reaction occurs in the presence of an acidic catalyst in a liquid phase reaction system. The resultant crude reaction step product is separated and purified by distillation to produce acetate ester products having greater than 99.5 wt % purity.

Abstract: An interconnect structure having a plurality of input ports and a plurality of output ports, including an input controller which requests permission from predetermined logic within the structure to inject an entire message through two stages of data switches. The request contains only a portion of the address for a message target output with the amount of target output addresses supplied by the input controller depending upon the data rate of the target output port.

Abstract: Process for recycling a composition comprising pulverulent calcium fluoride in the form of micrometric particles comprising: (i) a stage of mixing, in the presence of water, the said composition with pulverulent calcium fluoride (also known as natural spar), the particle size of which is suitable for feeding an HF furnace, in a ratio r of less than 75% by weight, preferably of less than 30%, then (ii) a stage of drying the mixture resulting from (i) until a residual water content is obtained which is also suitable for feeding an HF furnace; the stage (ii) optionally being carried out simultaneously with the stage (i).

Abstract: An interconnect structure comprising a plurality of input ports and a plurality of output ports with messages being sent from an input port to a predetermined output port through a switch S. Advantageously, the setting of switch S is not dependent upon the predetermined output port to which a particular message is being sent.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process for the simultaneous coproduction of ethyl acetate and isopropyl acetate. The esterification reaction comprises contacting acetic acid with a mixed alcohol stream of ethanol and isopropanol. Exemplified is a purified, Fischer Tropsch derived mixture of ethanol and isopropanol. The esterification reaction occurs in the presence of an acidic catalyst in a liquid phase reaction system. The resultant crude reaction step product is separated and purified by distillation to produce acetate ester products having greater than 99.5 wt % purity.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for the production of t-butyl acetate and coproduction of methyl acetate or ethyl acetate, directly from MTBE or ETBE, by contacting a mixture of acetic acid, acetic anhydride, and MTBE, or alternatively, ETBE, with an acid catalyst. Unlike the art, disclosed is a route employing a tert-butyl ether as starting material for the desired production or coproduction of tert-butyl acetate. Also unlike the art, acetic anhydride is employed to react with the water of formation from the esterification reaction to control formation of t-butyl alcohol.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an improved process for producing ethyl acetate comprising contacting acetic acid and ethanol in a reaction zone in the presence of an acid catalyst, distilling formed vapors and condensing to form an organic phase rich in ethyl acetate and an aqueous phase rich in water, separating the phases and further distilling each phase to obtain a final purified ethyl acetate product and a water stream low in organic components, the improvement comprising directing the organic phase from the first distillation to the reaction zone.

Abstract: Systems and methods for software development in which the development of a base product proceeds concurrently with the internationalization and localization of the base product to produce multiple language versions of the product for polylingual simultaneous shipment to customers wherein one or more of the multiple languages can be uploaded by the customer in a single installation process.

Abstract: A solar array according to this invention includes a solar blanket which is folded into adjacent panels that are hinged together in an accordion-folded mode at parallel hinges. A pair of foldable spines is fixed to the panels and runs the length of the array. The hinges are included in the spine. The spines are mounted at one end to a base plate, and also at the other end to a tip plate. The base plate is intended to be attached to the spacecraft structure with a yoke which will provide required standoff for rotational clearance during sun-tracking. A pantograph deployment structure extends between the two plates. It can be retracted for storage and extended to deploy the blanket. A conductive harness is attached to the blanket to collect current from the panels.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices are provided for managing resources in a computing cluster. The managed resources include cluster nodes themselves, as well as sharable resources such as memory buffers and bandwidth credits that may be used by one or more nodes. Resource management includes detecting failures and possible failures by node software, node hardware, interconnects, and system area network switches and taking steps to compensate for failures and prevent problems such as uncoordinated access to a shared disk. Resource management also includes reallocating sharable resources in response to node failure, demands by application programs, or other events. Specific examples provided include failure detection by remote memory probes, emergency communication through a shared disk, and sharable resource allocation with minimal locking.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for the production of t-butyl acetate and coproduction of methyl acetate or ethyl acetate, directly from MTBE or ETBE, by contacting a mixture of acetic acid, acetic anhydride, and MTBE, or alternatively, ETBE, with an acid catalyst. Unlike the art, disclosed is a route employing a tert-butyl ether as starting material for the desired production or coproduction of tert-butyl acetate. Also unlike the art, acetic anhydride is employed to react with the water of formation from the esterification reaction to control formation of t-butyl alcohol.