Abstract: A silica-polyamine based extraction material removes selected transition metal ions from solution in the presence of iron ions. The silica-polyamine base is a reaction product of a polyamine and a covalently anchored trifunctional hydrocarbylsilyl that yields non-crosslinked amino groups to which pyridine function group is attached. The extraction material is particularly useful in selectively removing copper from low concentration, low pH leach solutions separating copper from ferric iron or chloride ions. The product is a durable, high capacity extraction material that selectively captures copper at high flow rates and releases that copper into highly concentrated solutions.

Abstract: A process for forming a metallic article having a black ornamental surface includes the steps of metallurgically providing an alloy containing between about 51 and 70 about percent by weight of titanium, between about 3 and about 17 percent by weight of niobium, and the balance of a metal selected from the group consisting of zirconium, tantalum, molybdenum, hafnium zirconium, chromium, and mixtures thereof. The alloy is then casted and/or metal worked into a workpiece having a desired geometry and surface texture. The workpiece thereof is then baked in a kiln or oven in a substantially air atmosphere of between about 450 and about 850 degrees C. for a period of between about one and about 29 minutes. Resultant of such baking, there is produced a durable black surface layer consisting substantially of an oxide of niobium which is adhered to the substrate of the workpiece which remains unoxidized.

Abstract: The invention provides a system and method for automatically indexing and retrieving multimedia content. The method may include separating a multimedia data stream into audio, visual and text components, segmenting the audio, visual and text components based on semantic differences, identifying at least one target speaker using the audio and visual components, identifying a topic of the multimedia event using the segmented text and topic category models, generating a summary of the multimedia event based on the audio, visual and text components, the identified topic and the identified target speaker, and generating a multimedia description of the multimedia event based on the identified target speaker, the identified topic, and the generated summary.

Abstract: The invention provides a system and method for automatically indexing and retrieving multimedia content. The method may include separating a multimedia data stream into audio, visual and text components, segmenting the audio, visual and text components based on semantic differences, identifying at least one target speaker using the audio and visual components, identifying a topic of the multimedia event using the segmented text and topic category models, generating a summary of the multimedia event based on the audio, visual and text components, the identified topic and the identified target speaker, and generating a multimedia description of the multimedia event based on the identified target speaker, the identified topic, and the generated summary.

Abstract: A silica-polyamine based extraction material removes selected transition metal ions from solution in the presence of iron ions. The silica-polyamine base is a reaction product of a polyamine and a covalently anchored trifunctional hydrocarbylsilyl that yields non-crosslinked amino groups to which pyridine function group is attached. The extraction material is particularly useful in selectively removing copper from low concentration, low pH leach solutions separating copper from ferric iron or chloride ions. The product is a durable, high capacity extraction material that selectively captures copper at high flow rates and releases that copper into highly concentrated solutions.

Abstract: A circumferential article of jewelry exhibits an inner radius, the article including a symmetrical left and right partial circumferential segments of an article of jewelry, each of the segments having upper and lower radial end surfaces, each end surface having first geometries, each of the segments having an inner radius corresponding to the inner radius of the article; a top partial circumferential segment having a like inner radius corresponding to that of the article, the top segment having radial end surfaces having a geometry complemental to the first geometries of the upper radial end surfaces and of the left and right partial circumferential segments; axial pins for axially securing the first geometries of the upper end surfaces of the left and right partial segments to the complemental geometries of the opposing radial end surfaces of the top partial segment, in which one left and one right axial channel each pass through an entire axial width of respective interfaces of respective first geometries;

Abstract: A silica-polyamine based extraction material removes selected transition metal ions from solution in the presence of iron ions. The silica-polyamine base is a reaction product of a polyamine and a covalently anchored trifunctional hydrocarbylsilyl that yields non-crosslinked amino groups to which a pyridine function group is attached. The extraction material is particularly useful in selectively removing copper from low concentration, low pH leach solutions separating copper from ferric iron or chloride ions. The product is a durable, high capacity extraction material that selectively captures copper at high flow rates and releases that copper into highly concentrated solutions.

Abstract: A silica-polyamine based extraction material removes selected transition metal ions from solution in the presence of iron ions. The silica-polyamine base is a reaction product of a polyamine and a covalently anchored trifunctional hydrocarbylsilyl that yields non-crosslinked amino groups to which pyridine function group is attached. The extraction material is particularly useful in selectively removing copper from low concentration, low pH leach solutions separating copper from ferric iron or chloride ions. The product is a durable, high capacity extraction material that selectively captures copper at high flow rates and releases that copper into highly concentrated solutions.

Abstract: A system for sizing and re-sizing an article of jewelry includes a partially circumferential band typically of a precious metal, and at least a first polar segment both having a like inner radius to that of the article, in which the band and polar segment exhibit opposing complemental radial end surfaces at their polar interfaces. The system also includes elements for selectably axially and pivotally securing the band and segment along linear axes passing through the complemental radial surfaces and polar interfaces. The system further includes at least a second polar segment having a polar parameter slightly more or less than that of the first segment, the band and second segment having opposing complemental radial surfaces at their polar interfaces. An article of jewelry may be readily sized or re-sized by either replacement of the first polar segment by the second polar segment or through a mechanical increase or reduction in polar dimension of the first segment to create a second and re-sized segment.

Abstract: A multimedia search apparatus and method for searching multimedia content using speaker detection to segment the multimedia content. The multimedia search apparatus receives a search request from a user device. The search request identifies the target speaker for which the search is to be conducted. Based on the search request, the multimedia search apparatus retrieves multimedia content from a multimedia database. The multimedia search apparatus retrieves models, such as Gaussian Mixture Models (GMMs), from a model storage device, corresponding to the target speaker and background data. Based on the retrieved models, the multimedia search device searches the multimedia data of the multimedia content and segments the multimedia data. The segments are identified by calculating an average normalized score for a block of frames of the multimedia data and determining if the average normalized score for the block of frames exceeds one or more predetermined thresholds.

Abstract: An automatic speech recognition (ASR) system and method is provided for controlling the recognition of speech utterances generated by an end user operating a communications device. The ASR system and method can be used with a communications device that is used in a communications network. The ASR system can be used for ASR of speech utterances input into a mobile device, to perform compensating techniques using at least one characteristic and for updating an ASR speech recognizer associated with the ASR system by determined and using a background noise value and a distortion value that is based on the features of the mobile device. The ASR system can be used to augment a limited data input capability of a mobile device, for example, caused by limited input devices physically located on the mobile device.

Abstract: A multimedia search apparatus and method for searching multimedia content using speaker detection to segment the multimedia content. The multimedia search apparatus receives a search request from a user device. The search request identifies the target speaker for which the search is to be conducted. Based on the search request, the multimedia search apparatus retrieves multimedia content from a multimedia database. The multimedia search apparatus retrieves models, such as Gaussian Mixture Models (GMMs), from a model storage device, corresponding to the target speaker and background data. Based on the retrieved models, the multimedia search device searches the multimedia data of the multimedia content and segments the multimedia data. The segments are identified by calculating an average normalized score for a block of frames of the multimedia data and determining if the average normalized score for the block of frames exceeds one or more predetermined thresholds.

Abstract: A multimedia search apparatus and method for searching multimedia content using speaker detection to segment the multimedia content. The multimedia search apparatus receives a search request from a user device. The search request identifies the target speaker for which the search is to be conducted. Based on the search request, the multimedia search apparatus retrieves multimedia content from a multimedia database. The multimedia search apparatus retrieves models, such as Gaussian Mixture Models (GMMs), from a model storage device, corresponding to the target speaker and background data. Based on the retrieved models, the multimedia search device searches the audio data of the multimedia content and segments the audio data. The segments are identified by calculating an average normalized score for a block of frames of the audio data and determining if the average normalized score for the block of frames exceeds one or more predetermined thresholds.

Abstract: A process for removing ions of dissolved heavy metals and complex heavy metals comprises provides a treatment zone in which is contained an extraction material having an activated surface that has an affinity for heavy metal ions and complex heavy metal ions. The activated surface is the reaction product of a polyamine with a covalently anchored trifunctional hydrocarbyl silyl that yields non-crosslinked amino groups to which functional chelator groups can be covalently attached. The activated surface of the extraction material is formed by first hydrating the extraction material surface and then silanizing the hydrated surface with a short chain trifunctional silane having a hydrocarbon substituent containing 1-6 carbon atoms and a terminal leaving group, and then reacting a polyamine with the hydrocarbylsilyl from the silanization of the hydrated surface so as to form an aminohydrocarbyl polymer covalently bound to the extraction material surface.

Abstract: A speaker identification system includes a speaker-independent phrase recognizer. The speaker-independent phrase recognizer scores a password utterance against all the sets of phonetic transcriptions in a lexicon database to determine the N best speaker-independent scores, determines the N best sets of phonetic transcriptions based on the N best speaker-independent scores, and determines the N best possible identities. A speaker-dependent phrase recognizer retrieves the hidden Markov model corresponding to each of the N best possible identities, and scores the password utterance against each of the N hidden Markov models to generate a speaker-dependent score for each of the N best possible identities. A score processor coupled to the outputs of the speaker-independent phrase recognizer and the speaker-dependent phrase recognizer determines a putative identity. A verifier coupled to the score processor authenticates the determined putative identity.

Abstract: A process for removing ions of dissolved heavy metals and complex heavy metals comprises provides a treatment zone in which is contained an extraction material having an activated surface that has an affinity for heavy metal ions and complex heavy metal ions. The activated surface is the reaction product of a polyamine with a covalently anchored trifunctional hydrocarbyl silyl that yields non-crosslinked amino groups to which functional chelator groups can be covalently attached. The activated surface of the extraction material is formed by first hydrating the extraction material surface and then silanizing the hydrated surface with a short chain trifunctional silane having a hydrocarbon substituent containing 1-6 carbon atoms and a terminal leaving group, and then reacting a polyamine with the hydrocarbylsilyl from the silanization of the hydrated surface so as to form an aminohydrocarbyl polymer covalently bound to the extraction material surface.

Abstract: A facility is provided for allowing a caller to place a telephone call by merely uttering a label identifying a desired called destination and to charge the telephone call to a particular billing account by merely uttering a label identifying that account. Alternatively, the caller may place the call by dialing or uttering the telephone number of the called destination or by entering a speed dial code associated with that telephone number. The facility includes a speaker verification system which employs cohort normalized scoring. Cohort normalized scoring provides a dynamic threshold for the verification process making the process more robust to variation in training and verification utterences. Such variation may be caused by, e.g., changes in communication channel characteristics or speaker loudness level.

Abstract: A catalyst composition comprising a PGM complex bound to a carboxylated polymer containing not more than 5 mol equivalents of carboxylate groups per gram of polymer.