Abstract: A system and method for providing code tracking in a CDMA based communications receiver. In example systems and methods, a CDMA receiver, such as a GPS receiver, receives a signal and demodulates the signal to yield a digital IF signal. The digital IF signal is down-converted to a received code signal. Early, prompt and late correlation results are determined by correlating the received code signal with early, prompt and late duplicates of the received code signal. The early, prompt and late correlation results are used to calculate a code phase error using a noise-floor independent function of all three correlation results.

Abstract: In a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver, rather than storing both GPS satellite ephemeredes and almanacs to the GPS receiver's on-chip non-volatile memory, storing into the non-volatile memory only the more recent ephemeris or almanac data for each satellite. When an ephemeris expires, the parameters in the ephemeris are converted into corresponding parameters of an almanac. The ephemeris or almanac is used to determine whether a given satellite is visible to the GPS receiver. A method of the present invention allows efficient use of the memory space in the non-volatile memory. A study by the inventors shows that differences in positions and velocities of satellites estimated using aged ephemeris and almanac data associated with the same week number are insignificant.

Abstract: This disclosure relates in general to methods and systems for measuring multiphase flows in a pipeline using a combination of venturi, microwave and radiation techniques, where the pipeline is configured to transport hydrocarbons. More specifically, but not by way of limitation, certain embodiments of the present invention provide methods and systems in which low activity radiation sources may be used in combination with one or more microwave transmitter-receiver pairs and pressure differential sensors to measure the flow rates and fractions of phases in multiphase flows in a pipeline, such as may be encountered in producing hydrocarbon wells. Additionally, other embodiments of the present invention provide for the arrangement of one or more microwave transmitter-receiver pairs, one or more radiation source-detector pairs and/or one or more pressure sensor ports in the same cross-section of the throat of a venturi to measure multiphase flow in a hydrocarbon transporting pipeline.

Abstract: Systems and methods for mitigating multipath signals in a receiver are provided. In this regard, a representative system, among others, includes a receiver comprising an antenna being configured to receive signals from a plurality of satellites, and a computing device being configured to: generate pseudorange measurements based on the received satellites signals, process the generated pseudorange measurements to reduce its pseudorange residuals based on statistical modeling in order to mitigate multipath errors, and compute navigation solutions based on the processed pseudorange measurements. A representative method, among others, for mitigating multipath signals in a receiver, comprises: receiving the pseudorange measurements; processing the received pseudorange measurements to reduce its pseudorange residuals based on statistical modeling in order to mitigate multipath errors; and computing navigation solutions based on the processed pseudorange measurements.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for measuring flow properties of a high gas-cut multiphase mixture flowing in a conduit, such as a wet-gas produced from a hydrocarbon well. In aspects of the present invention, one or more receivers are used to receive Doppler shifted signals resulting from an interaction between a propagating dominant microwave mode developed in the conduit and the high gas-cut multiphase mixture flowing in the conduit. Analysis of the Doppler shift in the received signals may provide for determining the velocity of the gas and/or the liquid phase of the high gas-cut multiphase mixture. In other aspects, analysis of the phase difference of Doppler signals received at the plurality of receivers provides for a determination of the content of the wet-gas, such as the water holdup.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a membrane electrode assembly comprises a process for preparing a electrolyte membrane and two gas diffusion layers, and a bonding process for forming the membrane electrode assembly by pressing a layered unit in which the electrolyte membrane is sandwiched between each of the two gas diffusion layers in such a way that provided catalyst layers locate in the interfaces between the electrolyte membrane and the two gas diffusion layers, wherein the bonding process is undertaken in a condition in which the surfaces of the electrolyte membrane are temporarily liquefied or softened.

Abstract: A membrane electrode assembly for fuel cell includes a membrane, a cathode electrode layer, a cathode gas diffusion layer, an anode electrode layer, and an anode gas diffusion layer. At least one of the cathode electrode layer and the anode electrode layer includes a catalytic layer, and a water-repellent layer. The catalytic layer contains first electrically-conductive fibers and a catalyst, and is disposed on a side of the membrane in the thickness-wise direction of the membrane electrode assembly. The water-repellent layer contains second electrically-conductive fibers and a water repellent, and is disposed more away from the membrane than the catalytic layer is disposed in the thickness-wise direction of the membrane electrode assembly. The first electrically-conductive fibers exhibit a first fibrous average length. The second electrically-conductive fibers exhibit a second fibrous average length. The first average fibrous length is longer than the second average fibrous length.

Abstract: A method and system are provided for investigating a gas-liquid fluid mixture as it is conveyed in a conduit having a first constriction region providing a reduced conduit cross section. The method and system include inducing the mixture to exhibit swirling flow in the first constriction region, thereby separating the liquid from the gas, and determining one or more properties of the fluid in the first constriction region.

Abstract: A surface treatment process for coloring metal articles includes following steps. Firstly, a metal article with a surface including a first surface portion and a second surface portion is provided. Secondly, a releasable coating is formed onto the first surface portion of the metal article. Thirdly, a first electro-depositable coating is applied onto the second surface portion of the metal article by means of a first electro-coat process. Fourthly, the releasable coating is removed from the first surface portion of the metal article. Finally, a second electro-depositable coating having a color different from that of the first electro-depositable coating is applied onto the first surface portion of the metal article by means of a second electro-coat process.

Abstract: A rack apparatus (100) for facilitating workpiece treatment includes a frame member (20) and a plurality of rack members (30). The rack members are detachably mounted on the frame member, wherein each rack member, in turn, includes a plurality of rack poles (305) that are detachably mounted thereon. When workpieces of large dimension or complicated shape require hanging/mounting on the rack apparatus, some rack poles and rack members can be disassembled, and thus the rack apparatus can provide more space to contain/carry these workpieces.

Abstract: One aspect of the present invention can include a method for exchanging relation information between mobile devices. The method can include a step of identifying a first mobile device associated with a first user that includes a first contact list and identifying a second mobile device including a second contact list. The first mobile device can electronically convey contact information for at least one contact in the first contact list to the second mobile device. The contact can be a person other than the first user. The contact information can include a relation between the first user and the contact. The second mobile device can add the conveyed contact information to the second contact list. After the adding step, the relation between the first user and the contact can be specified within the second contact list.

Abstract: In a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver, rather than storing both GPS satellite ephemeredes and almanacs to the GPS receiver's on-chip non-volatile memory, storing into the non-volatile memory only the more recent ephemeris or almanac data for each satellite. When an ephemeris expires, the parameters in the ephemeris are converted into corresponding parameters of an almanac. The ephemeris or almanac is used to determine whether a given satellite is visible to the GPS receiver. A method of the present invention allows efficient use of the memory space in the non-volatile memory. A study by the inventors shows that differences in positions and velocities of satellites estimated using aged ephemeris and almanac data associated with the same week number are insignificant.

Abstract: A method for improving fault detection and exclusion of a GPS receiver is provided. The method determines pseudorange measurement residuals of tracked signals, divides the signals into two groups based on whether each signal has a higher or lower probability of being a failure, and estimates a residual bias using only the lower probability group of signals. The method further removes the residual bias from all calculated residuals, and compares each range residual to one of three different thresholds. A tighter threshold is applied to positive residuals of the group of signals with higher failure probability than to the group of signals with lower failure probability. A further tighter threshold is applied to negative residuals of the group of signals having higher failure probability. The method then determines PVT values of the GPS receiver utilizing range measurements of signals whose measurement residual magnitudes are less than their corresponding threshold values.

Abstract: In a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver, rather than storing both GPS satellite ephemeredes and almanacs to the GPS receiver's on-chip non-volatile memory, storing into the non-volatile memory only the more recent ephemeris or almanac data for each satellite. When an ephemeris expires, the parameters in the ephemeris are converted into corresponding parameters of an almanac. The ephemeris or almanac is used to determine whether a given satellite is visible to the GPS receiver. A method of the present invention allows efficient use of the memory space in the non-volatile memory. A study by the inventors shows that differences in positions and velocities of satellites estimated using aged ephemeris and almanac data associated with the same week number are insignificant.

Abstract: A method of sampling a multi-phase fluid stream is provided which comprises the steps of: sampling, with a sampling probe, a portion of the fluid stream; measuring the flow rate of said sampled portion; and measuring, independently of the sampling step, the total flow rate of the fluid stream, wherein the flow rate of the sampled portion is controlled according to the ratio of the flow rate of the sampled portion to the flow rate of the fluid stream, in order to obtain substantially isokinetic sampling of the fluid stream. The method may provide isokinetic sampling to an accuracy of 5% or less and preferably only samples a small portion of the fluid stream. The method has particular application for high rate condensate gas wells. A corresponding sampling system is provided which has particular application in the sampling of streams from well-heads.

Abstract: A method for improving fault detection and exclusion of a GPS receiver is provided. The method determines pseudorange measurement residuals of tracked signals, divides the signals into two groups based on whether each signal has a higher or lower probability of being a failure, and estimates a residual bias using only the lower probability group of signals. The method further removes the residual bias from all calculated residuals, and compares each range residual to one of three different thresholds. A tighter threshold is applied to positive residuals of the group of signals with higher failure probability than to the group of signals with lower failure probability. A further tighter threshold is applied to negative residuals of the group of signals having higher failure probability. The method then determines PVT values of the GPS receiver utilizing range measurements of signals whose measurement residual magnitudes are less than their corresponding threshold values.

Abstract: A method for operating a fuel cell, which is capable of recovering the performance of the fuel cell when the performance of the fuel cell is degraded. The fuel cell includes a membrane electrode assembly having an electrolyte film, an anode, and a cathode. The anode and the cathode sandwich the electrolyte film and carry a catalyst metal. An oxidizing agent is fed to the cathode and fuel is fed to the anode to generate power. After a predetermined period of time has passed, two sides of the membrane electrode assembly are inverted to carry out a changing operation of changing the anode before inverted to a cathode, and changing the cathode before inverted to an anode. After the changing operation, an oxidizing agent is fed to the cathode after changed and fuel is fed to the anode after changed, thereby starting a power generation again.

Abstract: By using a fuel cell having a membrane electrode assembly having and electrolyte membrane 100 formed by a polymer electrolyte membrane, and an anode 101 and a cathode 102 carrying a catalytic metal and sandwiching electrolyte membrane 100. The anode 101 and the cathode 102 are in electrical connection, and an activation treatment is carried out for opening an active site of catalytic metal of the cathode 102. This provides an activation method of a polymer electrolyte fuel cell which is advantageous to activation and raises cell voltage.

Abstract: A method for determining whether an individual is at an increased risk for myocardial infarction, comprising screening for the presence of Factor II and Factor XIII alleles associated with myocardial infarction. Also provided are kits and primers that specifically hybridize adjacent to the allele-specific regions of the Factor II and Factor XIII genes.

Abstract: In a method for operating a fuel cell including an electrolyte membrane sandwiched by a fuel electrode and an oxidizing agent electrode, the method includes a hydrogen feedback process either before starting operation of the fuel cell or after stopping operation of the fuel cell. The hydrogen feedback process includes the processes of a process for electrically connecting a positive electrode of an external electric power source to the oxidizing agent electrode of the fuel cell, a process for electrically connecting a negative electrode of the external electric power source to the fuel electrode of the fuel cell, a process for oxidizing hydrogen remaining in the oxidizing agent electrode to generate protons, the hydrogen contained in the fuel, and a process for reducing the protons, transferred to the fuel electrode from the oxidizing agent electrode through the electrolyte membrane, into hydrogen.