Abstract: A method for manufacturing a sheet metal for use in a boiling water nuclear reactor and such a sheet metal. The method includes providing a material of a zirconium alloy that includes zirconium, and whose main alloying materials include niobium. The material is annealed so that essentially all niobium containing secondary phase particles are transformed to ?-niobium particles.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an optimized sheet metal (1) of a zirconium based alloy is described, which optimized sheet metal (1) defines a sheet plane (BA). The method comprises the steps of providing a sheet metal (2) of a zirconium based. alloy, subjecting the sheet metal (2) to at least a preparing cold rolling and a final cold rolling, wherein the preparing cold rolling and the final cold rolling are both performed in a common rolling direction, and heat treating the sheet metal (1) between the preparing cold rolling and the final cold rolling so that the zirconium based alloy is partially re-crystallized. A method of manufacturing a spacer grid using an optimized sheet metal (1) according to the invention is also described.

Abstract: Mechanisms for displaying text or image over a background such as a video display frame that automatically improve legibility of text or image displayed against a background by increasing the contrast between text or image and background. The display frame may be a single image, but may also be an image within a dynamic sequence of recorded images such as a movie or other video media, or sequence of images captured in real-time by a camera or other device. In one embodiment, color component values are selected, and complementing and filtering applied to achieve contrast. In another embodiment, selecting a minimally used value for color components in the frame achieves contrast. In some cases both text or image, and background, may be altered to achieve contrast. Another embodiment provides background intensity modulation to achieve varying contrast within altered backgrounds, and smoothing over many frames in dynamic material.

Abstract: Herein disclosed is an electrical power generation apparatus that produces more power than the apparatus consumes for operation and the excess power can be used for clean environmentally friendly energizing of additional devices of user choice. The overall apparatus is operational due to centrifugal force created within the assembly of the apparatus.

Abstract: A saddle for equestrian use has on each of its flaps a knee roll which is of generally concave shape at its rear face to retain the thigh of the rider. This is of particular advantage in saddles for use in dressage and endurance events and tends to prevent the rider's leg from moving over the knee roll during working movements of the horse.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a sheet metal for use in a boiling water nuclear reactor and such a sheet metal. The method includes providing a material of a zirconium alloy that includes zirconium, and whose main alloying materials include niobium. The material is annealed so that essentially all niobium containing secondary phase particles are transformed to ?-niobium particles.

Abstract: A system and method for constructing and deploying a business activity monitoring (BAM) dashboard associated with an event-based process are disclosed. A configuration module receives an event-based process identifier for an event-based process and data, such as inputs or outputs, for the event-based process. A generation module then generates a dashboard description that includes the identifier and an associated dashboard template having one or more dashboard components. This dashboard description is used by a dashboard server to automatically generate a BAM dashboard for monitoring the event-based process by using the association between the dashboard template and the event-based process to display data associated with the event-based process using one or more dashboard components.

Abstract: A system and method for configuring an event-based process are disclosed. A configuration module receives input describing an event-based process or modifications to an event-based process. For example, the configuration module receives as input a graphical depiction of one or more states and state transitions that comprise at least a portion of the event-based process. Using the received input description, the configuration module generates executable data, such as data formatted as an event processing language, corresponding to the input. The executable data is then communicated to an event engine which executes the executable data to implement the event-based process or modifications to an event-based process corresponding to the received input. One or more aspects of the execution of the event-based process may also be visualized, and graphically modified, though an event monitoring module.

Abstract: A saddle girth for an equestrian saddle comprises a main belt carrying buckles for attachment of the girth to girth straps of the saddle, and an air bag attached to a side of the main belt facing towards the chest of the horse, the air bag being so positioned that it acts to distribute the load in the area of the sternum. In the preferred embodiment the straps and the main belt are of non-elastic material, and the straps are attached to the main belt via at least one elastic strap, the main belt being of a construction such that it will not bow transversely under the effect of applied tension.

Abstract: A method for improving the useful life of a thin film lithium-ion battery containing a solid electrolyte and an anode that expands on charging and long life batteries made by the method. The method includes providing a hermetic barrier package for the thin film battery that includes an anode expansion absorbing structure.

Abstract: A magnetic motor includes a rotating component having at least one magnet arranged on at least one spoke or rotating disc. The magnetic motor also includes a coil disposed adjacent to the rotating component and configured to generate an electromagnetic field. The magnet is aligned on the spoke or rotating disc so that the electromagnetic field generated by the coil acts on a magnetic field generated by the magnet thereby causing the spoke or rotating disc to move.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for cell processors are disclosed. A policy module is loaded from a main memory of a cell processor into the local memory of a selected synergistic processing unit (SPU) under control of an SPU policy module manager (SPMM) running on the SPU. A selected one or more work queues are assigned from a main memory to a selected one or more of the SPUs according to a hierarchy of precedence. A policy module for the selected one or more work queues is loaded to the selected one or more SPUs. The policy module interprets the selected one or more of the selected one or more work queues. Under control of the policy module, work from one or more of the selected one or more work queues is loaded into the local memory of the selected SPU. The work is performed with the selected SPU. After completing the work or upon a pre-emption, control of the selected SPU is returned to the SPMM.

Abstract: A method for compressing data includes transmitting a requested compression factor such as a quality factor known in JPEG compression, to a scanner or like peripheral device. The type of communication link between the scanner or like device and a host computer is identified, and based on the communication link type, the requested compression factor is altered to generate a new compression factor subsequently used to compress the data. The amount of buffer, such as scan buffer, used by the scanner or peripheral device may also be used to alter the compression factor prior to compression.

Abstract: An atomic compare and swap operation that can be implemented in processor system having a power processor element (PPE) and a synergistic processor element (SPE) that have different sized memory transfer capabilities. The PPE notifies an SPE to perform a compare and swap operation on an address in main memory. The address has a size less than or equal to a maximum memory transfer size for the SPE and greater than a maximum memory transfer size for the PPE. The SPE atomically performs the compare and swap operation and notifies the PPE of the success or failure of the compare and swap operation.

Abstract: Atomic operations may be implemented on a processor system having a main memory and two or more processors including a power processor element (PPE) and a synergistic processor element (SPE) that operate on different sized register lines. A main memory address containing a primitive is divided into a parity byte and two or more portions, wherein the parity byte includes at least one bit. A value of the parity byte determines which of the two or more portions is a valid portion and which of them is an invalid portion. The primitive is of a memory size that is larger than a maximum size for atomic operation with the PPE and less than or equal to a maximum size for atomic operation with the SPE. Read with reservation and conditional write instructions are used by both the PPE and SPE to access or update a value of the atomic.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for cell processors are disclosed. A policy module is loaded from a main memory of a cell processor into the local memory of a selected synergistic processing unit (SPU) under control of an SPU policy module manager (SPMM) running on the SPU. The policy module loads a work queue from the main memory into the local memory of the SPU. The policy module interprets and process one or more tasks from the work queue on the SPU. The selected SPU performs the task(s) and after completion or upon a pre-emption, returns control of the SPU to the SPMM.

Abstract: Cell processor task management in a cell processor having a main memory, one or more power processor units (PPU) and one or more synergistic processing units (SPU), each SPU having a processor and a local memory is described. An SPU task manager (STM) running on one or more of the SPUs reads one or more task definitions stored in the main memory into the local memory of a selected SPU. Based on information contained in the task definitions the SPU loads code and/or data related to the task definitions from the main memory into the local memory associated with the selected SPU. The selected SPU then performs one or more tasks using the code and/or data.