Abstract: A method and apparatus for cleaning a membrane module, the membrane module having a plurality of porous membranes, the membranes being arranged in close proximity to one another and mounted to prevent excessive movement therebetween and means for providing, from within the module, by means other than gas passing through the pores of the membranes, gas bubbles entrained in a liquid flow such that, in use, the liquid and bubbles entrained therein move past the surfaces of the membranes to dislodge fouling materials therefrom, the gas bubbles being entrained in the liquid by flowing the liquid past a source of gas to draw the gas into the liquid flow. The gas bubbles are preferably entrained into the liquid using a venturi type device. The membranes are preferably partitioned into discrete groups to assist cleaning while maintaining high packing density.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for providing a high efficiency seal in an electrical connector. The seal prevents the transmission or migration of components in the environment at one end of the electrical connector to the environment at the other end of the electrical connector. The electrical connector may be incorporated into an over-mold that contains other components. The electrical connector achieves the highly efficient seal through a combination of torturous path design, the incorporation of melt ribs, and may further involve the technique of impregnation.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for cleaning a membrane module, the membrane module having a plurality of porous membranes, the membranes being arranged in close proximity to one another and mounted to prevent excessive movement therebetween and means for providing, from within the module, by means other than gas passing through the pores of the membranes, gas bubbles entrained in a liquid flow such that, in use, the liquid and bubbles entrained therein move past the surfaces of the membranes to dislodge fouling materials therefrom, the gas bubbles being entrained in the liquid by flowing the liquid past a source of gas to draw the gas into the liquid flow. The gas bubbles are preferably entrained into the liquid using a venturi type device. The membranes are preferably partitioned into discrete groups to assist cleaning while maintaining high packing density.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an excavator that is operable in manual and automatic modes and uses state machines to effect unit operations, rotationally offset swing actuators to rotate boom and cutter head, a fail safe hydraulic system to maintain gripper pressure in the event of a malfunction of the hydraulic system, differing position and pressure control functions in the hydraulic actuators, a kinematic module to effect pitch and roll adjustments, a cutting face profile generator to generate a profile of the excavation face, and an optimization module to realize a high degree of optimization of excavator operation.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for cleaning a membrane module, the membrane module having a plurality of porous membranes, the membranes being arranged in close proximity to one another and mounted to prevent excessive movement therebetween and means for providing, from within the module, by means other than gas passing through the pores of the membranes, gas bubbles entrained in a liquid flow such that, in use, the liquid and bubbles entrained therein move past the surfaces of the membranes to dislodge fouling materials therefrom, the gas bubbles being entrained in the liquid by flowing the liquid past a source of gas to draw the gas into the liquid flow. The gas bubbles are preferably entrained into the liquid using a venturi type device. The membranes are preferably partitioned into discrete groups to assist cleaning while maintaining high packing density.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are a method and an apparatus for providing a high efficiency seal in an electrical connector. The seal provides an impediment to the passage of fluid at one end of the electrical connector to the environment at the other end of the electrical connector. The electrical connector may be incorporated into an over-mold that contains other components. The electrical connector achieves the highly efficient seal through a combination of a dual torturous path design, incorporation of melt ribs, and may further involve the technique of impregnation.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are a method and an apparatus for providing a high efficiency seal in an electrical connector. The seal provides an impediment to the passage of fluid at one end of the electrical connector to the environment at the other end of the electrical connector. The electrical connector may be incorporated into an over-mold that contains other components. The electrical connector achieves the highly efficient seal through a combination of a dual torturous path design, incorporation of melt ribs, and may further involve the technique of impregnation.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for cleaning a membrane module, the membrane module having a plurality of porous membranes, the membranes being arranged in close proximity to one another and mounted to prevent excessive movement therebetween and means for providing, from within the module, by means other than gas passing through the pores of the membranes, gas bubbles entrained in a liquid flow such that, in use, the liquid and bubbles entrained therein move past the surfaces of the membranes to dislodge fouling materials therefrom, the gas bubbles being entrained in the liquid by flowing the liquid past a source of gas to draw the gas into the liquid flow. The gas bubbles are preferably entrained into the liquid using a venturi type device. The membranes are preferably partitioned into discrete groups to assist cleaning while maintaining high packing density.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for cleaning a membrane module, the membrane module having a plurality of porous membranes, the membranes being arranged in close proximity to one another and mounted to prevent excessive movement therebetween and means for providing, from within the module, by means other than gas passing through the pores of the membranes, gas bubbles entrained in a liquid flow such that, in use, the liquid and bubbles entrained therein move past the surfaces of the membranes to dislodge fouling materials therefrom, the gas bubbles being entrained in the liquid by flowing the liquid past a source of gas to draw the gas into the liquid flow. The gas bubbles are preferably entrained into the liquid using a venturi type device. The membranes are preferably partitioned into discrete groups to assist cleaning while maintaining high packing density.

Abstract: A bit encoding system for use with a bus (7) of a distributed microcontroller network (200,300), includes a waveform generator (100) for generating a substantially sinusoidal waveform. A modulation arrangement (340, 341) is arranged to amplitude modulate the waveform between first and second amplitudes to define first and second data values. A zero crossing point of the waveform is used to define timing information for the bus (7).

Abstract: A method and apparatus for cleaning a membrane module, the membrane module having a plurality of porous membranes, the membranes being arranged in close proximity to one another and mounted to prevent excessive movement therebetween and means for providing, from within the module, by means other than gas passing through the pores of the membranes, gas bubbles entrained in a liquid flow such that, in use, the liquid and bubbles entrained therein move past the surfaces of the membranes to dislodge fouling materials therefrom, the gas bubbles being entrained in the liquid by flowing the liquid past a source of gas to draw the gas into the liquid flow. The gas bubbles are preferably entrained into the liquid using a venturi type device. The membranes are preferably partitioned into discrete groups to assist cleaning while maintaining high packing density.

Abstract: A fault tolerant electronic braking system for a vehicle has a brake pedal arranged to provide an electronic signal in response to operation thereof. A number of braking nodes are coupled to the brake pedal, each node being arranged to control a brake actuator. Each brake node has a controller arranged for processing the first signal to provide a second signal for controlling the brake actuator, and for providing third signals for transmission to the other control means. The third signals are the expected second signal results of the other controllers. Each controller is arranged to compare the second signal with the third signals received from the other controllers such that errors detected between the second and third signals indicate faults in the controllers.

Abstract: The present disclosure includes a system and method of direct marketing of secondary products through channels opened by the direct marketing of primary products, thereby acquiring new customers for the secondary products. The system and method establishes communication between a customer of the primary products and an offering entity of the secondary products. Moreover, the systems and methods encourage customers to take positive actions, such as return an application, use one or more secondary products, activate one or more accounts, or the like.

Abstract: The present disclosure includes a network which uses customer data to encourage customers to take positive actions toward acquiring or otherwise using secondary products. For example, the network acquires customer data from customers of direct marketed products, who are also interested in receiving information about secondary products. The network shares and processes the customer data in order to customize subsequent contacts with the customer. In one embodiment, the network uses the customer data, information related to the direct marketed products, the time of day, week, year of the customer contact, or the like to customize an offer of the secondary products to the customer.

Abstract: The present disclosure includes systems and methods for processing customer data in order to promote products using direct sales and customer progress tracking. According to one embodiment, a secondary marketer employs the marketing channels opened by the direct marketing of primary products, to promote their secondary products, and tracks the progress of customers acquiring the same. The secondary marketer can include a marketing agent and a secondary business, where the marketing agent provides the associations with the direct marketers and the secondary business provides the secondary products. In one embodiment the secondary product includes a credit card and the secondary business includes a financial institution. In other embodiments, the secondary product includes telephone service, internet connectivity, group health care, or the like.

Abstract: The present disclosure includes to a direct sales system which selects or targets customers for secondary marketers. According to one embodiment, the a direct marketer offers one or more secondary products to the customers of their direct marketed products for a fee. The direct marketer can also categorize or otherwise process customer data from those customers accepting the offer.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for cleaning a membrane module, the membrane module having a plurality of porous membranes, the membranes being arranged in close proximity to one another and mounted to prevent excessive movement therebetween and means for providing, from within the module, by means other than gas passing through the pores of the membranes, gas bubbles entrained in a liquid flow such that, in use, the liquid and bubbles entrained therein move past the surfaces of the membranes to dislodge fouling materials therefrom, the gas bubbles being entrained in the liquid by flowing the liquid past a source of gas to draw the gas into the liquid flow. The gas bubbles are preferably entrained into the liquid using a venturi type device. The membranes are preferably partitioned into discrete groups to assist cleaning while maintaining high packing density.

Abstract: A localized radio frequency information system utilizing a conventional wireless communication device such as a cellular telephone, adapted with a plug-in dedicated receiver and processor which receives the radio frequency from a low power transmitter which, for example, might be located at an object of art in a gallery, identifies one of several codes to a central control which identifies the location of the device and routes to the wireless communication device a voice or text message relevant to the particular location identified such as a descriptive message relating to the object of art at the identified location..

Abstract: A method and apparatus for cleaning a membrane module, the membrane module having a plurality of porous membranes, the membranes being arranged in close proximity to one another and mounted to prevent excessive movement therebetween and means for providing, from within the module, by means other than gas passing through the pores of the membranes, gas bubbles entrained in a liquid flow such that, in use, the liquid and bubbles entrained therein move past the surfaces of the membranes to dislodge fouling materials therefrom, the gas bubbles being entrained in the liquid by flowing the liquid past a source of gas to draw the gas into the liquid flow. The gas bubbles are preferably entrained into the liquid using a venturi type device. The membranes are preferably partitioned into discrete groups to assist cleaning while maintaining high packing density.

Abstract: The method for testing an electronic control device containing a microcomputer and a volatile memory for programs processed in the microcomputer includes transferring a program module for testing to the microcomputer (14) via a serial interface (SSO) prior to the testing, the program module including commands for executing individual data reading and writing operations in the control device (12) in response to respective test commands; writing the program module into the volatile memory (Code RAM) in the control device (12) prior to the testing; receiving test instructions including several test commands in the microcomputer (14) from an external test device (10) via the serial interface (SSO); processing the program module by the microcomputer (14) to test the control device (12); triggering a number of the individual data reading and writing operations in the control device (12) via the several test commands received in the control device (12); transferring data generated in the control device (12) during t