Abstract: A rotating assembly for a turbine assembly includes an airfoil extending radially outward from, and rotatable about, an axial centerline. Also included is a tip shroud integrally connected proximate a radially outer tip of the airfoil. Further included is a substrate operably coupled to the tip shroud. Yet further included is at least one hard face interface member secured to the substrate.

Abstract: Aspects of the present invention are directed to a system for next day reconciliation of transportation records. The system having a transportation record storage provider (TRSP) that receives and stores storage medium transportation requests; an outside service provider (OSP) inventory manager that receives and maintains records of transported storage mediums scanned at the OSP; and a reconciliation provider that receives a first list from the TRSP and a second list from the OSP inventory manger, for reconciliation. The reconciliation provider includes receivers for receiving the first and second list; a processing engine that reconciles the first list and the second list; and a reporting unit that reports the results of the reconciliation. The processing engine matches inbound and outbound records of the first list and second list, and processes invalid records; and analyzes and accounts for un-matched records.

Abstract: A method for regulating the acquisition of an analog input signal from a digital X-ray panel is provided. The method includes opening a switch disposed between an integrator and the digital X-ray panel prior to an integrator event or upon detection of a fault in the digital X-ray panel to decouple the integrator from the digital X-ray panel, wherein the integrator is configured to integrate the analog input signal from the digital X-ray panel. Also, a system for data acquisition is provided. Further, a method for fault protection of the digital X-ray panel is provided.

Abstract: An oil and gas well shaped charge perforator capable of providing an exothermic reaction after detonation is provided, comprising a housing (2), a high explosive (3), and a reactive liner (6) where the high explosive is positioned between the reactive liner and the housing. The reactive liner (6) is produced from a reactive composition which is capable of sustaining an exothermic reaction during the formation of the cutting jet. The composition is a pressed i.e. compacted particulate composition comprising at least two metals, wherein one of the metals is present as spherical particulate, and the other metal is present as a non-spherical particulate. There may also be at least one further metal, which is not capable of an exothermic reaction with the reactive composition, present in an amount greater than 10% w/w of the liner. To aid consolidation a binder may also be added.

Abstract: Aspects of the present invention are directed to a system for next day reconciliation of transportation records. The system having a transportation record storage provider (TRSP) that receives and stores storage medium transportation requests; an outside service provider (OSP) inventory manager that receives and maintains records of transported storage mediums scanned at the OSP; and a reconciliation provider that receives a first list from the TRSP and a second list from the OSP inventory manger, for reconciliation. The reconciliation provider includes receivers for receiving the first and second list; a processing engine that reconciles the first list and the second list; and a reporting unit that reports the results of the reconciliation. The processing engine matches inbound and outbound records of the first list and second list, and processes invalid records; and analyzes and accounts for un-matched records.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of designing a soft contact lens, said lens having a central optic zone and with a peripheral zone around the central optic zone; the method comprising the steps of: (a) defining a back surface of the lens which is a satisfactory fit to the surface of a subject's cornea; (b) defining a front surface of the lens over at least the central optic zone, which surface is selected so as to ameliorate the subject's vision defects; (c) checking that the lens meets a desired range of thickness values at one or more selected parts of the lens and, if not, recalculating the front surface over at least the central optic zone so as to meet said desired thickness value range, wherein the lens is to be made of a substance having a Young's modulus in the range 0.08 to 0.40 MPa, and wherein the junction thickness of the lens is in the range 0.15-0.40 mm.

Abstract: A method for controlling a X-ray radiography system includes acquiring data from a digital X-ray detector, characterizing electromagnetic interference based upon the acquired data, selecting an electromagnetic interference compensation algorithm based upon the characterized electromagnetic interference, acquiring X-ray imaging data via the digital X-ray detector based upon the selected electromagnetic interference compensation algorithm, and processing the X-ray imaging data to produce image data capable of reconstruction in a user viewable form.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for estimating a cost for moving fuel. A group of vehicles for moving the fuel from a starting location to a destination location is formed using user input. Operations for moving the fuel from the starting location to the destination location are identified using the user input. A set of additional vehicles for the group of vehicles is identified to form a current group of vehicles. Personnel for the current group of vehicles are identified. The cost for moving the fuel from the starting location to the destination location is identified using the current group of vehicles and the personnel.

Abstract: Snow build-up on a satellite dish causes loss of signal to satellite systems such as satellite TV systems. My invention provides a physical, solid barrier between falling snow and the satellite dish, which solves this problem.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a digital X-ray detector is provided with a plurality of pixel regions. Each pixel region includes a first photodiode having a first area and a second photodiode having a second area equal to or smaller than the first area. The digital X-ray detector also includes a shielding structure that overlies the first and second photodiodes of each pixel region with the shielding structure shielding proportionally less of the first photodiode than of the second photodiode to provide the first photodiode with a first sensitivity and the second photodiode with a second sensitivity lower than the first sensitivity.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of designing a soft contact lens, said lens having a central optic zone and with a peripheral zone around the central optic zone; the method comprising the steps of: (a) defining a back surface of the lens which is a satisfactory fit to the surface of a subject's cornea; (b) defining a front surface of the lens over at least the central optic zone, which surface is selected so as to ameliorate the subject's vision defects; (c) checking that the lens meets a desired range of thickness values at one or more selected parts of the lens and, if not, recalculating the front surface over at least the central optic zone so as to meet said desired thickness value range, wherein the lens is to be made of a substance having a Young's modulus in the range 0.08 to 0.40 MPa, and wherein the junction thickness of the lens is in the range 0.15-0.40 mm.

Abstract: An apparatus and associated method directed to encoding data from an object in order to simultaneously identify a serialization value of the object from the data while incrementally tracking the object's position from the data.

Abstract: According to embodiments of the present technique, a system and a method for obtaining low-noise measurements for a wide range of analog signal strengths is provided. According to aspects of the present technique, a low-gain measurement of an input pixel charge is performed, wherein the input pixel charge is distributed to two feedback capacitors, which together provide a relatively low integrator gain. After the low-gain measurement, a high-gain measurement is performed, wherein one of the capacitors is remove from the feedback loop and the charge is redistributed to the remaining capacitor.

Abstract: A technique is provided for acquiring data with reduced correlated low frequency noise interference via a data acquisition circuit. The data acquisition circuit includes a plurality of data channels comprising a plurality of amplifiers and a biasing circuit for providing bias voltages to the plurality of amplifiers. The biasing circuit is configured to generate the bias voltages and establish a relationship between the bias voltages so as to reduce correlated low frequency noise in the plurality of amplifiers.

Abstract: An image-forming device includes a media path extending through the image-forming device, and at least one image transfer nip positioned along the media path. An electrode is positioned subsequent to the nip with respect to the media path and is coupled to a voltage source. An electric field produced by the electrode and voltage source limits the degree of post-nip toner scattering by applying an electrostatic force to toner particles on media sheets passing along the media path. The image-forming device further includes a processor for monitoring a plurality of ambient conditions, for adjusting the voltage applied to the electrode, and optionally, for repositioning the electrode with respect to the media path.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a rotor assembly for a turbine, the turbine including a central rotational axis is provided. The method includes forging a first rotor component from a first material, separately forging a second rotor component from a second material, and coupling the second rotor component to the first rotor component at a location radially inward of the first rotor component. The second rotor component is coupled to the first rotor component in at least one axial-circumferential plane that is at least one of substantially parallel and obliquely oriented with respect to the central rotational axis.

Abstract: An image-forming device includes a media path extending through the image-forming device, and at least one image transfer nip positioned along the media path. An electrode is positioned subsequent to the nip with respect to the media path and is coupled to a voltage source. An electric field produced by the electrode and voltage source limits the degree of post-nip toner scattering by applying an electrostatic force to toner particles on media sheets passing along the media path. The image-forming device further includes a processor for monitoring a plurality of ambient conditions, for adjusting the voltage applied to the electrode, and optionally, for repositioning the electrode with respect to the media path.

Abstract: According to embodiments of the present technique, a system and a method for obtaining low-noise measurements for a wide range of analog signal strengths is provided. According to aspects of the present technique, a low-gain measurement of an input pixel charge is performed, wherein the input pixel charge is distributed to two feedback capacitors, which together provide a relatively low integrator gain. After the low-gain measurement, a high-gain measurement is performed, wherein one of the capacitors is remove from the feedback loop and the charge is redistributed to the remaining capacitor.

Abstract: A parallel dynamical system for computing sparse representations of data, i.e., where the data can be fully represented in terms of a small number of non-zero code elements, and for reconstructing compressively sensed images. The system is based on the principles of thresholding and local competition that solves a family of sparse approximation problems corresponding to various sparsity metrics. The system utilizes Locally Competitive Algorithms (LCAs), nodes in a population continually compete with neighboring units using (usually one-way) lateral inhibition to calculate coefficients representing an input in an over complete dictionary.