Abstract: A shaped composite body of a reaction-bonded, silicon-infiltrated mixed ceramic, the microstructure of which is determined by primary grains of crystalline B4C grains (1) of mean grain size d50>100 ?m and <500 ?m and a fraction of >10%, by weight, and <50%, by weight, and by primary grains of a finer silicon carbide with d50<70 ?m and a fraction of >10%, by weight, and <50%, by weight, and the primary grains are siliconized (3) bonded by secondarily formed silicon carbide with a fraction of >5%, by weight and <25%, by weight, in a silicon carbide matrix having a free metallic silicon (2) content of >1%, by weight, and <20%, by weight.

Abstract: A method of operating a laboratory sample distribution system is presented. The system comprises container carriers, a transport plane, and drive elements. The container carriers carry sample containers. The transport plane supports the container carriers. The drive elements move the container carriers on the transport plane. The method comprises planning a movement path for a container carrier from a start to a goal on the transport plane modelled by nodes. The nodes are free for one time-window or reserved for one-time window. The planning comprises analyzing the reachability out of a free time-window of one node to free time-windows of a next node and an over-next node such that planned movement of the container carrier is nonstop. The method comprises reserving the planned movement path comprising a sequence of time-windows of nodes and moving the container carrier along the reserved movement path on the transport plane by a drive element.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to a system optimization procedure. The method includes a) providing, via an input channel, a system model for modelling the chemical mixture, which associates a set of design parameters with a plurality of objective parameters that represent design characteristics of the chemical mixture, wherein the set of design parameters comprises a chemical mixture recipe having two or more ingredients, and the plurality of objective parameters comprises two or more physicochemical properties of the chemical mixture; b) defining, via the input channel, a set of primary optimization objective parameters, c) performing, by a processor, a multi-objective optimizing process on the system model by exploring a plurality of design configurations by assigning specified values to the set of design parameters; and d) determining, by the processor, if the multi-objective optimizing process yields a degenerated multi-objective optimal design.

Abstract: A method of operating a laboratory sample distribution system is presented. The system comprises container carriers, a transport plane, and drive elements. The container carriers carry sample containers. The transport plane supports the container carriers. The drive elements move the container carriers on the transport plane. The method comprises planning a movement path for a container carrier from a start to a goal on the transport plane modelled by nodes. The nodes are free for one time-window or reserved for one-time window. The planning comprises analyzing the reachability out of a free time-window of one node to free time-windows of a next node and an over-next node such that planned movement of the container carrier is nonstop. The method comprises reserving the planned movement path comprising a sequence of time-windows of nodes and moving the container carrier along the reserved movement path on the transport plane by a drive element.

Abstract: A battery housing of a motor vehicle traction battery includes at least one base plate, and two side walls which extend parallel to each other in the longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle and are spaced apart from each other in the transverse direction of the motor vehicle. Formed between the side walls is a number of receiving spaces, within each of which at least one battery module of the traction battery of the motor vehicle is accommodated. A plurality of deformation elements which are spaced apart from one another in the longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle are attached to the inner sides of the side walls. The battery modules are arranged in the receiving spaces in such a manner that, in the region of the deformation elements, lateral deformation spaces are formed between the battery modules and the side walls.

Abstract: An energy supply system for a motor vehicle, includes a first energy supply and a first housing surrounding the first energy supply. The first housing is fastenable to a first longitudinal member and to a second longitudinal member of a body of the motor vehicle. The first housing is designed for transmitting force from the first longitudinal member to the second longitudinal member and vice versa.

Abstract: An energy supply system for a motor vehicle, includes a first energy supply and a first housing surrounding the first energy supply. The first housing is fastenable to a first longitudinal member and to a second longitudinal member of a body of the motor vehicle.

Abstract: A battery housing of a motor vehicle traction battery includes at least one base plate, and two side walls which extend parallel to each other in the longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle and are spaced apart from each other in the transverse direction of the motor vehicle. Formed between the side walls is a number of receiving spaces, within each of which at least one battery module of the traction battery of the motor vehicle is accommodated. A plurality of deformation elements which are spaced apart from one another in the longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle are attached to the inner sides of the side walls. The battery modules are arranged in the receiving spaces in such a manner that, in the region of the deformation elements, lateral deformation spaces are formed between the battery modules and the side walls.

Abstract: Intelligent speech recognition is used to provide users with the ability to utter more user friendly commands. Satisfaction is increased when a user can vocalize a subset of a formal command name and still have the intended command identified and processed. Moreover, greater accuracy in identifying a command application from a user's utterance can be achieved by ignoring command choices associated with unlikely user utterances. An intelligent speech recognition system can identify differing acceptable verbal command phrase forms, e.g., but not limited to, complete commands, command subsequences and command subsets, for different commands supported by the system. Subset blocking words are identified for assistance in reducing the ambiguity in matching user verbal command phrases with valid commands supported by the intelligent speech recognition system.

Abstract: The present invention provides an application-independent and engine-independent middleware layer (204) between applications (202) and engines (206, 208). The middleware provides speech-related services to both applications (202) and engines (206, 208), thereby making it far easier for application vendors and engine vendors to bring their technology to consumers.

Abstract: Intelligent speech recognition is used to provide users with the ability to utter more user friendly commands. Satisfaction is increased when a user can vocalize a subset of a formal command name and still have the intended command identified and processed. Moreover, greater accuracy in identifying a command application from a user's utterance can be achieved by ignoring command choices associated with unlikely user utterances. An intelligent speech recognition system can identify differing acceptable verbal command phrase forms, e.g., but not limited to, complete commands, command subsequences and command subsets, for different commands supported by the system. Subset blocking words are identified for assistance in reducing the ambiguity in matching user verbal command phrases with valid commands supported by the intelligent speech recognition system.

Abstract: The present invention includes a context-free grammar (CFG) engine which communicates through an exposed interface with a speech recognition engine. The context-free grammar engine, in one illustrative embodiment, handles loading and unloading of grammars, as well as maintaining a desired activation state of the grammars which are loaded. Further, the CFG engine represents all loaded grammars, and their corresponding activation states, as a single grammar to the speech recognition engine.

Abstract: The present invention provides an application-independent and engine-independent middleware layer between applications and engines. The middleware provides speech-related services to both applications and engines, thereby making it far easier for application vendors and engine vendors to bring their technology to consumers.

Abstract: A speech platform architecture is described that provides standardized methods of interaction for users across multiple speech-enabled applications. Listener objects corresponding to speech-enabled applications are used to provide speech functionality to the speech-enabled applications. A common “What Can I Say?” user interface allows users to easily understand what voice commands are available for a particular speech-enabled application. A common configuration user interface is provided that allows users to configure each listener object. Utilization of particular interfaces provides for the common functionality described. As a result of providing common interfaces, users can more easily learn and use multiple speech-enabled applications utilized with a speech system.

Abstract: The present invention includes a context-free grammar (CFG) engine which communicates through an exposed interface with a speech recognition engine. The context-free grammar engine, in one illustrative embodiment, handles loading and unloading of grammars, as well as maintaining a desired activation state of the grammars which are loaded. Further, the CFG engine represents all loaded grammars, and their corresponding activation states, as a single grammar to the speech recognition engine.

Abstract: The present invention provides an application-independent and engine-independent middleware layer between applications and engines. The middleware provides speech-related services to both applications and engines, thereby making it far easier for application vendors and engine vendors to bring their technology to consumers.

Abstract: The present invention includes a context-free grammar (CFG) engine which communicates through an exposed interface with a speech recognition engine. The context-free grammar engine, in one illustrative embodiment, handles loading and unloading of grammars, as well as maintaining a desired activation state of the grammars which are loaded. Further, the CFG engine represents all loaded grammars, and their corresponding activation states, as a single grammar to the speech recognition engine.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a system and method of notifying a speech related application of events generated by a speech related engine. A middleware layer receives a notification selection from the application. The notification selection is indicative of a selected notification mechanism for notifying the application of the events. The middleware component receives an event indication from the engine. The event indication is indicative of an event generated by the engine. The event indication is transferred to the application according to the selected notification mechanism.

Abstract: A speech platform architecture is described that provides standardized methods of interaction for users across multiple speech-enabled applications. Listener objects corresponding to speech-enabled applications are used to provide speech functionality to the speech-enabled applications. A common “What Can I Say?” user interface allows users to easily understand what voice commands are available for a particular speech-enabled application. A common configuration user interface is provided that allows users to configure each listener object. Utilization of particular interfaces provides for the common functionality described. As a result of providing common interfaces, users can more easily learn and use multiple speech-enabled applications utilized with a speech system.

Abstract: The present invention provides an application-independent and engine-independent middleware layer between applications and engines. The middleware provides speech-related services to both applications and engines, thereby making it far easier for application vendors and engine vendors to bring their technology to consumers.