Abstract: The invention provides a method of separating uranium from at least fission products in irradiated nuclear fuel, said method comprising reacting said irradiated nuclear fuel with a solution of ammonium fluoride in hydrogen fluoride fluorinating said reacted irradiated nuclear fuel to form a volatile uranium fluoride compound and separating said volatile uranium fluoride compound from involatile fission products. The invention thus provides a reprocessing scheme for irradiated nuclear fuel. The method is also capable of reacting, and breaking down Zircaloy cladding and stainless steel assembly components. Thus, whole fuel elements may be dissolved as one thereby simplifying procedures over conventional Purex processes.

Abstract: A remote monitoring medical device system includes a medical device system which may further include an implantable medical device and/or an external medical device having a communication connection and one or more remote data handling systems having compatible communication connections such as a centralized database located on a host server or a remote third party or clinical data handling system. Web services may be installed and run on an implantable or external medical device or a data handling system and may be invoked locally by applications running on the system component or invoked remotely by another system component. Web services provide translation, analysis and/or storage and retrieval of data used by the remote monitoring medical device system.

Abstract: A catadioptric imaging system for micro-lithographic projection features a high numerical aperture objective where most of the focusing power is produced by reflection and refraction angles are limited to avoid additional aberration. A field correcting optic is appended to a Mangin mirror in an immersive configuration for raising the numerical aperture. The optical connection between the Mangin mirror and the field correcting optic is arranged to control refraction angles by limiting angles of incidence or refractive index differences. A radially symmetric polarizing effect is achieved in a pupil to improve image contrast.

Abstract: An apparatus, program product and method utilize an ABIST circuit provided on an integrated circuit device to assist in the identification and location of defects in a scan chain that is also provided on the integrated circuit device. In particular, a defect in a scan chain may be detected by applying a plurality of pattern sets to a scan chain coupled to an ABIST circuit, collecting scan out data generated as a result of the application of the plurality of pattern sets to the scan chain, and using the collected scan out data to identify a defective latch in the scan chain.

Abstract: A water treatment system for treating coal-bed-methane (CBM) water. The CBM water treatment system includes a pump system for pumping CBM water from one or many CBM wells into a common reservoir and a solid-based sulfurous generator that produces aqueous sulfurous acid to treat the CBM water and an injection system that increases the amount of calcium contained in CBM water. In one embodiment, the injection system is a gypsum injector that injects soluble gypsum into the CBM water. Moreover, in one embodiment, the solid-based sulfurous generator includes a hydraulic air inlet shut off valve safety system for automatically reducing the combustion air to the sulfurous generator when water is not delivered to the solid-based sulfurous generator.

Abstract: A water treatment system for treating water. The water treatment system includes a primary water treatment station and a solid-based sulfurous generator downstream from the primary water treatment station for producing aqueous sulfurous acid for further treatment of the water. In one embodiment, the solid-based sulfurous generator includes a hydraulic air inlet shut off valve safety system for automatically reducing the combustion air to the sulfurous generator when water is not delivered to the solid-based sulfurous generator. Also, in one embodiment, the water treatment system includes a control system that monitors the pH of the treated water to control the water flow rate through the solid-based sulfurous generator to achieve the desired concentration of sulfurous acid in the water being treated.

Abstract: A method and apparatus to allow program steps in an issue queue to be sent to the execution queue in a non program order provides reduced stall by allowing out of program order steps to be executed as needed resources become available. The method uses a modulus operation to preassign locations in the execution queues, and keep the entries in proper program order. The method employs an additional bit to represent the modules result (value) and may also utilize a load store number mapping memory to increase execution speed. With such an arrangement a computer system may decrease the lost performance due to waiting for required resource (i.e., memory or bus) availability for the current instruction, by issuing instructions for which the memory or bus resource is available even though the instruction is not the next one in the original program order. Thus the present invention allows memory reference instructions to issue as resources are available.

Abstract: A method and apparatus to allow program steps in an issue queue to be sent to the execution queue in a non program order provides reduced stall by allowing out of program order steps to be executed as needed resources become available. The method uses a modulus operation to preassign locations in the execution queues, and keep the entries in proper program order. The method employs an additional bit to represent the modules result (valve) and may also utilize a load store number mapping memory to increase execution speed. With such an arrangement a computer system may decrease the lost performance due to waiting for required resource (i.e., memory or bus) availability for the current instruction, by issuing instructions for which the memory or bus resource is available even though the instruction is not the next one in the original program order. Thus the present invention allows memory reference instructions to issue as resources are available.

Abstract: A multi-processor system in which each processor receives a message from another processor in the system. The message may contain corrupted data that was corrupted during transmission from the preceding processor. Upon receiving the message, the processor detects that a portion of the message contains corrupted data. The processor then replaces the corrupted portion with a predetermined bit pattern known or otherwise programmed into all other processors in the system. The predetermined bit pattern indicates that the associated portion of data was corrupted. The processor that detects the error in the message preferably alerts the system that an error has been detected. The message now containing the predetermined bit pattern in place of the corrupted data is retransmitted to another processor. The predetermined bit pattern will indicate that an error in the message was detected by the previous processor.

Abstract: A multi-processor system in which each processor receives a message from another processor in the system. The message may contain corrupted data that was corrupted during transmission from the preceding processor. Upon receiving the message, the processor detects that a portion of the message contains corrupted data. The processor then replaces the corrupted portion with a predetermined bit pattern known or otherwise programmed into all other processors in the system. The predetermined bit pattern indicates that the associated portion of data was corrupted. The processor that detects the error in the message preferably alerts the system that an error has been detected. The message now containing the predetermined bit pattern in place of the corrupted data is retransmitted to another processor. The predetermined bit pattern will indicate that an error in the message was detected by the previous processor.

Abstract: A mounting system for a beverage container includes a cup holder having a pair of upright spaced-apart arms forming a yoke terminating in a first pivotal connection with opposite ends of a semi-circular retaining ring. The first pivot further includes connection with the opposite ends of a semi-circular arm having a midsection that includes a thrust bearing pivot attachable to a support hanger. The hangar has a shaped receptacle so as to provide releasable attachment with a pin on the semi-circular arm of the holder and cantilevers the holder outwardly from a supporting surface. The retaining ring is a “flip-over” loop which permits assembly of a container into the holder as well as easy removal therefrom.

Abstract: A magnetron sputter source is adapted to fit into a K-cell port in a molecular beam epitaxy apparatus. The MSE source has a protruding cylindrical body for insertion into the K-cell port. The cylindrical body is attached at its proximal end to a flange and has its distal end open. An array of permanent magnets is arranged at the distal end of the cylindrical body. A magnet return piece is mounted behind the permanent magnets. A sputter target is mounted in front of the permanent magnets, and cooling ducts within the cylindrical body carry a cooling medium to the sputter target.

Abstract: A mounting system for a beverage container includes a cup holder having a pair of upright spaced-apart arms forming a yoke terminating in a first pivotal connection with opposite ends of a semi-circular retaining ring. The first pivot further includes connection with the opposite ends of a semi-circular arm having a midsection that includes a thrust bearing pivot attachable to a support hanger. The hangar has a shaped receptacle so as to provide releasable attachment with a pin on the semi-circular arm of the holder and cantilevers the holder outwardly from a supporting surface. The retaining ring is a “flip-over” loop which permits assembly of a container into the holder as well as easy removal therefrom.

Abstract: A slope block assembly having a bubble level with an eccentrically mounted slope block detachably carried on one end of the level. The slope block has an offset turning axis with a plurality of supporting surfaces, all located at different distances from the turning axis. The support surfaces cooperate with an undersurface or support point on the level to direct a laser beam at a desired angle with respect to a round or flat reference surface. Grooves are provided on the slope block support surfaces as well as on the level undersurface to support the level and slope block assembly on a round or curved reference surface.

Abstract: An architecture which splits primary and secondary cache memory buses and maintains cache hierarchy consistency without performing an explicit invalidation of the secondary cache tag. Two explicit rules are used to determine the status of a block read from the primary cache. In particular, if any memory reference subset matches a block in the primary cache, the associated secondary cache block is ignored. Secondly, if any memory reference subset matches a block in the miss address file, the associated secondary cache block is ignored. Therefore, any further references which subset match the first reference are not allowed to proceed until the fill back to main memory has been completed and the associated miss address file entry has been retired. This ensures that no agent in the host processor or an external agent can illegally use the stale secondary cache data.

Abstract: An alignment device utilizing a laser beam generator mounted in the end of a fixture which is detachably connected to a turning spindle or mechanism by an adjustable chuck or clamp. The fixture includes an elongated longitudinal axis which is parallel with the turning axis of the rotating spindle when the fixture is attached thereto. The laser generator produces a beam which is emitted along the longitudinal axis of the fixture or alternately emitted along a lateral axis and places a visual dot along the table or platform on which the workpiece supporting cradle or carriage moves. The workpiece is detachably connected to the cradle and the cradle is moved laterally or longitudinally with respect to the longitudinal axis emitted laser beam until a desired location is achieved. A movable yoke is pivotally carried on the fixture which includes a central recess defined between parallel leg members terminating in ends pivotally carried on the mid-section of the fixture.

Abstract: A technique handles load instructions within a data processor that includes a cache circuit having a data cache and a tag memory indicating valid entries within the data cache. The technique involves writing data to the data cache during a series of four processor cycles in response to a first load instruction. Additionally, the technique involves updating the tag memory and preventing reading of the tag memory in response to the first load instruction during a first processor cycle in the series of processor cycles. Furthermore, the technique involves reading tag information from the tag memory during a processor cycle of the series of four processor cycles following the first processor cycle in response to a second load instruction.

Abstract: A bypass mechanism is disclosed for a computer system that executes load and store instructions out of order. The bypass mechanism compares the address of each issuing load instruction with a set of recent store instructions that have not yet updated memory. A match of the recent stores provides the load data instead of having to retrieve the data from memory. A store queue holds the recently issued stores. Each store queue entry and the issuing load includes a data size indicator. Subsequent to a data bypass, the data size indicator of the issuing load is compared against the data size indicator of the matching store queue entry. A trap is signaled when the data size indicator of the issuing load differs from the data size indicator of the matching store queue entry. The trap signal indicates that the data provided by the bypass mechanism was insufficient to satisfy the requirements of the load instruction.