Abstract: An irregular arrangement of slots in a cylindrical slot-array antenna is used to control the radiation pattern, achieving a variation of gain and/or beam tilt with azimuth. A design methodology for slot-array antennas achieves efficient and rapid optimization by minimizing the number of degrees of freedom and the number of significant mutual-coupling interactions. A useful range of designs is achieved by requiring that the slots are arranged in bays and that all slots, and their probes, are identical. Bays are separated by approximately a wavelength and, therefore, mutual coupling between bays can be ignored. Although the antenna slots are physically grouped into bays, the analytical approach groups the slots into paths defined by a simultaneous variation in z and 0 coordinates of the slots.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for speech recognition. The systems and methods are operative to evaluate a spoken word and determine one or more characteristics of a speech waveform corresponding to the spoken word. The speech waveform is converted to a digital pulse waveform based on a threshold level. One or more characteristics of the speech waveform can be analyzed utilizing the digital pulse waveform. The threshold level can be adjustable so that varying voltage amplitudes of speech waveforms can be considered. The one or more characteristics can be matched with one or more stored characteristics to determine the spoken word associated with the speech waveform between a set of selectable words having different waveform characteristics.

Abstract: The invention includes systems, methods, computer program products, and combinations and sub-combinations thereof for enabling channels specific to a user's interest (as well as other objects) to be loaded on mobile devices (as well as other types of devices), and for users of mobile devices to operate with such channels on their mobile devices in an interactive manner while in an off-line mode.

Abstract: A burner for an external combustion engine using liquid or gaseous fuel, the burner being arranged for heat exchange between the inlet air to the burner and the exhaust air from the burner. The burner includes an external housing, a shroud within this housing, which shroud forms part of the centrally positioned combustion chamber. The burner includes air inlet apparatus and guide apparatus for guiding the inlet air to the combustion chamber, an igniter and fuel inlet apparatus and gas exhaust apparatus. The external housing, an element of the inlet apparatus, the guide apparatus, and heat exchange elements are formed as inverted shaped dishes or shells about the combustion chamber.

Abstract: A receival hopper for delicate and fragmentary particulate material such as fruit berries or bark pieces, in which the hopper (2) includes a support frame (5) with a receiving bin (3) pivotally secured to the frame (5) and an auger (4) which includes an auger screw (8), extending along a peripheral lip of the receiving bin at or adjacent the pivot, with a pair of adjacent but spaced hydraulic rams (6) secured between the bin and the support frame for moving the bin between lowered and raised positions relative to the support frame.

Abstract: A process for the production of difluoromethane which comprises reacting a compound of formula XYCF.sub.2 wherein X and Y are each H, Cl or Br but at least one of X and Y is an atom other than hydrogen, and in particular chlorodifluoromethane, with hydrogen at elevated temperature in the presence of a hydrogenation catalyst, in particular a catalyst comprising palladium carried on an active carbon support.

Abstract: A surround sound apparatus wherein a decoder decodes directionally encoded audio signals for reproduction via a loudspeaker layout over a listening area wherein the signals are decoded by a matrix. The coefficients of the decoding matrix are such that at a predetermined listening position, the reproduced velocity vector direction and the reproduced energy vector position directions are substantially equal to each other and substantially independent of frequency in a broad audio frequency range The gain coefficients of the decoding matrix are such that the reproduced velocity vector magnitude varies systematically with encoded sound direction at frequencies in the region of and above a predetermined middle audio frequency.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process for the production of 1,1,2,2- and/or 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethanes, and in particular to a process for the production of 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane.

Abstract: An electrolytic reduction cell for the production of metal is provided, in which liquid metal is deposited at or adjacent an upper surface of a cathode. The electrolytic reduction cell includes an anode structure and a cathode located beneath the anode structure, wherein an upper portion of the cathode comprises an aggregate of particles sized and shaped such that in operation of the cell liquid metal is present in at least an upper part of the aggregate and a slurry of liquid metal and particles is established, the slurry comprising a substantially uniform dispersion of the particles in a continuous liquid phase of the liquid metal, the slurry having a viscosity sufficiently high such that under operating conditions of the cell the slurry is relatively immobile. Methods for the production of a metal by electrolysis in the electrolytic cell are also provided.

Abstract: A snib mechanism for a door latch assembly includes a body, and a rotary member disposed in or on the body and adapted to be engaged and rotated with a door knob spindle. A snib member is mounted on the body for movement between a snibbing position in which the first rotary member is snibbed against rotation and a freeing position in which the first rotary member is free to rotate with the door knob spindle. The body includes a cover plate and the mechanism further includes press-button means associated with the snib member. The press-button means is exposed through an opening in the cover plate and is manually operable by pressing inwardly of the cover plate to set the snib member at the snibbing position.

Abstract: A 1,1'-dialkyl-4,4'-bipyridylium salt is prepared from the corresponding 4,4'-bipyridyl using an alkylsulphate salt as the quaternizing agent.

Abstract: Direct pressure leaching of zinc and iron containing mineral sulphides in dilute H.sub.2 SO.sub.4 is carried out in a two-stage countercurrent process in which finely divided sulphides are leached in a first leaching stage with solution from the second leaching stage to produce a first stage leach solution containing a high zinc concentration and low iron and H.sub.2 SO.sub.4 concentrations. The first stage solution, after suitable purification treatment, may be treated for zinc recovery by conventional electrowinning. The residue from the first stage leach is pressure leached with return electrolyte from the electrowinning operation with the leach end solution being passed to the first stage leach as already stated. The acid and sulphides concentrations in each of the first and second leaching stage is controlled such that (1) sufficient acid and sulphides enter the leaching circuit to ensure that the final leach solution exiting from the first leaching stage will contain sufficient dissolved zinc, e.g.

Abstract: In a microsuspension polymerization of vinyl halide monomer additional monomer is added during the polymerization.

Abstract: A mechanical-electrical transducer producing an electric signal upon depression of a spring, such as a pushbutton. A piezoelectric element is held in contact with a snap-action spring, and bends when the spring snaps thus producing an electric signal.

Abstract: Vinyl halide is homopolymerized under suspension conditions with additional vinyl halide being added after the pressure drop with polymer being recovered only after the polymerisation is completed.

Abstract: A 1,1'-dialkyl-4,4'-bipyridylium salt is prepared by reacting the corresponding 4,4'-bipyridyl with a diloweralkylsulphate in the presence of a mineral acid.

Abstract: A liquid level sensor for determining the liquid level in a container includes an oscillator having a feedback path including first and second piezoelectric elements mounted in a turning fork arrangement to provide a first mechanical coupling path between said elements across one end of the turning fork. This first coupling path provides a first feedback signal of one given phase. A second mechanical coupling path between said elements is provided only via the liquid when the liquid is present to a level sufficient to immerse the piezoelectric elements. The second coupling path, when present, provides a second feedback signal of opposite phase to the first feedback signal. The presence or absence of the second feedback signal determines the oscillation or non-oscillation condition of the oscillator.