Abstract: An improved vacuum pump mechanism is described in which an intersecting solid or perforated element is arranged to intersect a channel member. Relative movement of the intersecting solid or perforated element and channel member causes gas molecules to be urged from inlet to an outlet of the pump. Gas molecules are constrained within the channel member and interaction of the gas molecules with the flat and smooth surfaces of the intersecting solid or perforated member influence momentum of the gas molecules so that they are directed towards the outlet. In one embodiment, the channel member is formed as a helix and the intersecting solid or perforated elements are disk-shaped. An alternative embodiment is provided having the channel member configured as a spiral and the perforated elements as cylindrical skirts. The pump provides significant improvements in pump capacity, reduced power consumption and size of pump.

Abstract: The present invention relates to compounds of formula (I) and salts thereof, pharmaceutical compositions containing such compounds and to their use in therapy.

Abstract: A crossbar switch comprises two or more data inputs 10, two or more data outputs 100, a buffer 30 between the inputs and the outputs, an arbiter 52 associated with each output and configured to select data from one of the inputs when there is contention at the output, a bypass 32 associated with the buffer so that the buffer can be enabled or disabled, and a buffer controller 60 configured to enable or disable the buffer. The buffer controller further includes an accumulator 70 configured to assess whether a time-based average of the contention rate, or an average injection rate, at the output associated with the buffer, has reached a predetermined threshold. This prevents the buffer being enabled when the contention is only intermittent, which reduces power consumption without significant loss of performance.

Abstract: The present invention relates to compounds of formula (I) and salts thereof, pharmaceutical compositions containing such compounds and to their use in therapy.

Abstract: An apparatus for tying a wire 46; 52 around one or more objects such as concrete reinforcing bars 2 is disclosed. It comprises means for passing the wire 46; 52 in a loop around the bars and a rotatable head 4 for twisting the ends of the loop together. The head 4 has at least one gripping means such as a variable force clutch 32 for gripping the wire, the gripping means being adapted to provide a variable gripping force so as to apply a predetermined tension to the wire during at least a first phase of twisting. Also disclosed is pre-feeding the wire between tying operations; conditioning the surface of the wire; and using the electrical conductivity of the reinforcing bars to verify that the bars are present before tying.

Abstract: An output module comprises two management units each of which calculates the current demand for the module independently from one another. One management unit controls an output current, controller whilst the other unit monitors the current produced by the output current controller against an independently calculated demand. The output module has multiple output modules. In normal operation, each module provides a portion of the required output current, the total output current being equal to the sum of the currents output by each module. in the event of failure on one of the, modules, the other module or modules switch to providing the total current required and the failed module is switched to a fail safe mode by using an isolation circuit to switch off the output current from that module.

Abstract: A drivetrain assembly for a wind turbine includes a main shaft, a bearing operatively coupled to an end of the main shaft, a bearing housing surrounding the bearing, and a gearbox having, at least, a ring gear. The ring gear is positioned adjacent to the bearing housing and includes an outer circumferential surface. The drivetrain assembly also includes at least one flexible member arranged at an interface between the bearing housing and the ring gear. As such, the flexible member(s) is configured to reduce vibrations generated by the gearbox.

Abstract: The present invention discloses polythiol compositions containing polythiol molecules having both thiol groups and intermolecular sulfide groups. Processes for producing such polythiol compositions also are described.

Abstract: A drive train of a wind turbine is disclosed as having a rotatable hub, a gearbox, a rotatable rotor shaft extending between the rotatable hub and the gearbox, and a main bearing assembly supporting the rotatable rotor shaft, the main bearing assembly having a main bearing housing enclosing one or more compound bearings, each of the one or more compound bearings having at least two axial thrust bearings and a radial bearing.

Abstract: A vacuum pumping system comprises a plurality of vacuum pumping arrangements for evacuating an enclosure and an auxiliary vacuum chamber for evacuation by at least one first vacuum pumping arrangement. The vacuum pumping system has a first state for evacuating the enclosure and a second state for conserving power consumed by the system. In a first stage of the second state the first vacuum pumping arrangement is arranged to evacuate an exhaust of at least one second vacuum pumping arrangement and in a second stage the exhaust of the first pumping arrangement is arranged to be evacuated by the auxiliary vacuum chamber.

Abstract: A co-located imaging and display pixel includes an image pixel having a photosensitive element and a display pixel co-located with the image pixel. An optical transformation engine is coupled between the image pixel and the display pixel. The optical transformation engine is configured to modulate an amplitude of display light emitted by the display pixel in response to receiving an imaging signal generated by the photosensitive element of the image pixel.

Abstract: A method and device for digital payment transactions is provided. A method for encoding data for use in a digital payment transaction between a cardholder and a merchant includes generating, by a cardholder electronic device, dynamic magnetic stripe data associated with a digital payment card of a digital wallet application stored in a data storage module of the cardholder electronic device, retrieving merchant-related data stored in the data storage module of the cardholder electronic device, and encoding, by the cardholder electronic device, the generated dynamic magnetic stripe data and the retrieved merchant-related data in a machine-readable visual code for use in the digital payment transaction.

Abstract: Application-level replication, the synchronization of data updates within a cluster of application servers, may be provided by having application servers themselves synchronize all updates to multiple redundant databases, precluding the need for database-level replication. This may be accomplished by first sending a set of database modifications requested by the transaction to a first database. Then a message may be placed in one or more message queues, the message indicating the objects inserted, updated, or deleted in the transaction. Then a commit command may be sent to the first database. The set of database modifications and a commit command may then be sent to a second database. This allows for transparent synchronization of the databases and quick recovery from a database failure, while imposing little performance or network overhead.

Abstract: In a payment-enabled smartphone, a shared cardholder verification method (CVM) applet serves a number of mobile payment cardlets. The shared CVM applet validates CVM information input by a user of the smartphone and in response issues a CVM token. The CVM token is passed to a particular one of the mobile payment cardlets that is selected for a current transaction. The selected mobile payment cardlet submits the CVM token back to the shared CVM applet for verification. Upon verifying the CVM token, the shared CVM applet enables the selected mobile payment cardlet to perform the current transaction.

Abstract: A fiber optic distributed vibration system for detecting seismic signals in an earth formation is provided. The system includes a fiber optic cable deployed in a borehole that extends into the earth formation and which is configured to react along its length to a seismic wave incident on the fiber optic cable from outside the borehole. An optical source launches an optical signal into the fiber optic cable while the seismic wave is incident thereon. A receiver detects coherent Rayleigh noise (CRN) produced in response to the optical signal. A processing circuit processes the detected CRN signal to determine characteristics of the earth formation.

Abstract: A method of analyzing film on a substrate may comprise receiving three-dimensional data obtained from measurements of a plurality of pixels on a substrate, the plurality of pixels comprising one or more film layers; extracting a plurality of parameters based on the received three-dimensional data, the plurality of parameters comprising at least an average thickness for the film layers of the pixels, one or more area aperture ratios for the film layers of the pixels, and a pitch between pixels, wherein the extraction is based on a predetermined pattern for the pixels on the substrate; displaying a user interface comprising a graphical representation of one or more of the parameters for the one or more film layers of the one or more of the pixels; and dynamically modifying the graphical representation of the one or more parameters in response to user input of the displayed user interface, the dynamically modifying causing the displayed graphical images to appear as continuously changing.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of preparing an amine-functionalized (e.g. amine-terminated) polyaryletherketone polymer, or imide- or sulphone-copolymer thereof and amine-protected analogs thereof, said method comprising the step of polymerizing a monomer system in a reaction medium comprising a capping agent comprising —NR2, —NRH or a protected amine group.

Abstract: In a payment-enabled smartphone, a shared cardholder verification method (CVM) applet serves a number of mobile payment cardlets. The shared CVM applet validates CVM information input by a user of the smartphone and in response issues a CVM token. The CVM token is passed to a particular one of the mobile payment cardlets that is selected for a current transaction. The selected mobile payment cardlet submits the CVM token back to the shared CVM applet for verification. Upon verifying the CVM token, the shared CVM applet enables the selected mobile payment cardlet to perform the current transaction.

Abstract: A resealable flap device in the form of a sheet, for applying to or incorporating in packaging, comprises: a base layer (30) of flexible material, and an upper layer (40) of stiff material. The sheet is cut (15) through both layers to outline a flap portion (14), the cut leaving an edge in a hinge region (18), the upper layer being removed behind the line of the hinge region (18). In this way the flexible base layer forms a hinge (18) that is easy to handle and does not spring back, while the stiff upper layer maintains the shape of the flap.

Abstract: The present invention relates to compounds of formula (I) and salts thereof, pharmaceutical compositions containing such compounds and to their use in therapy