Abstract: A method of detecting disturbance in a metallic conductor, comprises the steps of providing an inductance sensing circuit in mechanically and electrically connected to a metallic conductor having a monitorable inductance, tuning the inductance sensing circuit based on an electromagnetic field impressed upon the metallic conductor and an internally generated circuit oscillation, and outputting an alert signal when a tuned output signal from the tuned inductance sensing circuit becomes detuned due to a change in inductance of the metallic conductor by addition to or removal of at least a portion of the metallic conductor. A metallic conductor disturbance detection device for such a method is also provided, the device comprising an amplitude and/or frequency tunable inductance sensing circuit, and an alarm circuit for outputting an alarm signal based on an output of the inductance sensing circuit.

Abstract: When using soda ash reagent in an SBS injection system, various impurities from various possible sources can form suspended solid particles and also form scale that may foul the filtration screens, piping, reagent storage tanks, and instrumentation in the injection system. A system and method are disclosed in which a chelating agent cleaning process removes existing scale, or alternatively, prevents the particles and scale from forming. Various embodiments operate in batch or continuous modes or a combination of both.

Abstract: A method of detecting disturbance in a metallic conductor, comprises the steps of providing an inductance sensing circuit in mechanically and electrically connected to a metallic conductor having a monitorable inductance, tuning the inductance sensing circuit based on an electromagnetic field impressed upon the metallic conductor and an internally generated circuit oscillation, and outputting an alert signal when a tuned output signal from the tuned inductance sensing circuit becomes detuned due to a change in inductance of the metallic conductor by addition to or removal of at least a portion of the metallic conductor. A metallic conductor disturbance detection device for such a method is also provided, the device comprising an amplitude and/or frequency tunable inductance sensing circuit, and an alarm circuit for outputting an alarm signal based on an output of the inductance sensing circuit.

Abstract: A method of constructing a forwarding database for a data communications network comprising a plurality of network components and supporting at least first and second topologies having one or more common network components is described. The forwarding database includes a plurality of entries providing forwarding information for data destined for a related network component. The method comprises the step, performed at a constructing network component, of deriving topology dependent forwarding information for data destined for a network component. The method further comprises the step of including the topology dependent forwarding information at the related forwarding database entry.

Abstract: A method of constructing a forwarding database for a data communications network comprising a plurality of network components and supporting at least first and second topologies having one or more common network components is described. The forwarding database includes at least first and second database structures having records including forwarding information for data destined for related network components in the respective topologies. Each database structure has a plurality of elements including a pointer to one of a succeeding element or a record including said forwarding information. The method comprises the step, performed at a constructing network component of identifying a network component common to the first and second topologies for which a record exists in the second database structure. The method further comprises the step of including a pointer from the related element in the first database structure to a corresponding element or record in the second database structure.

Abstract: A center beam railroad freight car including a cover for the lateral surfaces of the top chord of the center beam to reduce cargo damage, and wherein a bottom plate of a center sill of the car extends laterally as an inboard portion of a cargo-carrying floor.

Abstract: Systems and methods for implementing per-session load balancing of packets that increase traffic sharing and reduce systematic unequal distribution of traffic are provided by virtue of one embodiment of the present invention. A method for operating a selected router is provided that uses a load balancing algorithm that is configured to de-correlate distribution of sessions among the active paths at the selected router relative to distributions of sessions of other algorithms at other routers of said network. Packets arriving at the selected router are assigned to an output path according to the load balancing algorithm. A method of routing a packet received at a router having an associated identifier is provided. The source address and a destination address of the packet are obtained.

Abstract: Systems and methods for implementing per-session load balancing of packets that increase traffic sharing and reduce systematic unequal distribution of traffic are provided by virtue of one embodiment of the present invention. A method for operating a selected router is provided that uses a load balancing algorithm that is configured to de-correlate distribution of sessions among the active paths at the selected router relative to distributions of sessions of other algorithms at other routers of said network. Packets arriving at the selected router are assigned to an output path according to the load balancing algorithm. A method of routing a packet received at a router having an associated identifier is provided. The source address and a destination address of the packet are obtained.

Abstract: A method of constructing a forwarding database for a data communications network comprising a plurality of network components and supporting at least first and second topologies having one or more common network components is described. The forwarding database includes at least first and second database structures having records including forwarding information for data destined for related network components in the respective topologies. Each database structure has a plurality of elements including a pointer to one of a succeeding element or a record including said forwarding information. The method comprises the step, performed at a constructing network component of identifying a network component common to the first and second topologies for which a record exists in the second database structure. The method further comprises the step of including a pointer from the related element in the first database structure to a corresponding element or record in the second database structure.

Abstract: A railroad car includes a body having a pair of side walls and at least a pair of parallel horizontal support beams extending along the side walls at substantially the same height. A movable end portion of a deck built as a lightweight composite structure may pivot with respect to the pair of support beams. A respective counterbalance apparatus is arranged between each of the pair of side walls and the movable deck portion at a location spaced apart from the pivot axis so as to provide a lifting force acting on the movable end portion to urge it to pivot upward about the pivot axis.

Abstract: Systems and methods for implementing per-session load balancing of packets that increase traffic sharing and reduce systematic unequal distribution of traffic are provided by virtue of one embodiment of the present invention. A method for operating a selected router is provided that uses a load balancing algorithm that is configured to de-correlate distribution of sessions among the active paths at the selected router relative to distributions of sessions of other algorithms at other routers of said network. Packets arriving at the selected router are assigned to an output path according to the load balancing algorithm. A method of routing a packet received at a router having an associated identifier is provided. The source address and a destination address of the packet are obtained.

Abstract: A center beam railroad freight car including a cover for the lateral surfaces of the top chord of the center beam to reduce cargo damage, and wherein a bottom plate of a center sill of the car extends laterally as an inboard portion of a cargo-carrying floor.

Abstract: A center beam railroad freight car including a cover for the lateral surfaces of the top chord of the center beam to reduce cargo damage.

Abstract: A center beam railroad freight car including a cover for the lateral surfaces of the top chord of the center beam to reduce cargo damage.

Abstract: A center beam railroad freight car including a cover for the lateral surfaces of the top chord of the center beam to reduce cargo damage.

Abstract: A center beam railroad freight car including a cover for the lateral surfaces of the top chord of the center beam to reduce cargo damage.

Abstract: A covered railroad car includes a car body having a pair of sidewalls and at least a pair of parallel horizontal support beams extending along each of the sidewalls at substantially the same vertical height. An interior deck portion is pivotally connected to the pair of support beams so as to move about a pivot axis on each respective support beam and a pair of brackets are coupled respectively to each of the support beams. A pair of spring-loaded lift assist mechanisms are coupled respectively between each one of the pair of brackets and the interior deck portion and spaced apart from the pivot axis so as to provide a lifting force causing the interior deck portion to pivot about each pivot axis.

Abstract: A method for performing timer synchronization between a first processor having a first timer and a second processor having a second timer is presented. The first processor issues to the second processor a first timer value corresponding to the current value of the first timer and the second timer compares the first timer value with a second timer value corresponding to the current value of the second timer. If the second timer value is less than the first timer value, the second processor increments the second timer value to a new second timer value equal to the first timer value. If the second timer value is greater than the first timer value, the second processor issues to the first processors the second timer value and the first processor adjusts the first timer value to be equal to the second timer value.

Abstract: A dynamic cache resizing mechanism permitting a non-coherent cache memory to be altered in size during the operation thereof. A cache utilization monitoring system determines whether the cache size is optimised for a particular application and environment, and if it is not, modifies a selection process to resize the cache address space. The non-coherent property of the cache is utilized to permit the change of selection process during use, and the choice of selection process may be effected to take into account the proportion of live cache entries which will remain accessible after resizing, and the proportional change in size of the cache during a resizing operation.