Abstract: Methods employing detergent compositions effective for reducing hard water scale and accumulation on hard surfaces, namely within food, beverage and pharmaceutical applications are disclosed. The detergent compositions employ phosphinosuccinic acid adducts in combination with an alkalinity source and optionally polymers, surfactants and/or oxidizers, providing alkaline compositions having a pH between about 10 and 13.5.

Abstract: Methods and systems for managing and/or processing a blockchain to maintain data security for confidential and/or personal data are provided. According to certain aspects, the disclosed data security techniques may enable access sharing functionality utilizing the blockchain. For example, access sharing may be utilized to file documents, share policy information, and/or comply with an audit. The data security techniques disclosed herein also enable the use of smart contracts to transfer funds associated with payment obligations and/or other forms of blockchain based payments, comply with anti-money laundering requirements, report industry data, validate interest payments and/or maintain agent sales data. Data security may be achieved through the use of public key/private key encryption techniques.

Abstract: Methods and systems for managing and/or processing a blockchain to maintain data security for confidential and/or personal data are provided. According to certain aspects, the disclosed data security techniques may enable access sharing functionality utilizing the blockchain. For example, access sharing may be utilized to share policy information. The policy information may be associated with a smart contract. Accordingly, the policy information may be encrypted using a public key for the smart contract and compiled into a block of the blockchain. In response to a request to provide access to the information to a particular node, the private key for the smart contract may be encrypted using the public key for the particular node and compiled into a block of the blockchain.

Abstract: Methods and systems for processing a blockchain comprising a plurality of immutable sales records corresponding to sales made by agents of an entity are provided. According to certain aspects, a transaction request indicating a sale made by an agent of the entity may be received at a first node. A block including a sales record indicating the sale made by the agent may be added to a blockchain and transmitted to another node for validation. The first node may add the block to a copy of the blockchain, where the block may be identified by a hash value that references a previous block in the blockchain that includes at least one additional sales record.

Abstract: Methods and systems for managing and/or processing a blockchain to maintain data security for confidential and/or personal data are provided. According to certain aspects, the disclosed data security techniques may enable access sharing functionality utilizing the blockchain. For example, access sharing may be utilized to file documents, share policy information, and/or comply with an audit. The data security techniques disclosed herein also enable the use of smart contracts to transfer funds associated with payment obligations and/or other forms of blockchain based payments, comply with anti-money laundering requirements, report industry data, validate interest payments and/or maintain agent sales data. Data security may be achieved through the use of public key/private key encryption techniques.

Abstract: A sterilization cycle for sterilizing material and items containing diffusion restricted spaces and lumens is provided that introduces vaporous sterilant, such as hydrogen peroxide, into the chamber in a controlled manner such that diffusion within the restricted spaces and lumens is enhanced as a precursor to additional sterilization steps thereby enhancing overall sterilization.

Abstract: Liquid water detection in a sterilization chamber that can distinguish liquid water from material in the load that is outgassing and can dry the liquid, is independent of the vacuum pump and chamber leak rate, and that is capable of detecting small amounts of liquid and drying the liquid without freezing the liquid in the process is achieved by monitoring conditions in the chamber at two different pressures, one above the boiling point of water and another below the boiling point of water at a given load temperature.

Abstract: Liquid water detection in a sterilization chamber that can distinguish liquid water from material in the load that is outgassing and can dry the liquid, is independent of the vacuum pump and chamber leak rate, and that is capable of detecting small amounts of liquid and drying the liquid without freezing the liquid in the process is achieved by monitoring conditions in the chamber at two different pressures, one above the boiling point of water and another below the boiling point of water at a given load temperature.

Abstract: The removal of moisture from an object to be sterilized is provided through at least the steps of placing the load in the chamber, reducing the pressure within the chamber to increase the rate of evaporation of moisture from the load, monitoring over a predetermined period of time the increase in the quantity of vapor within the chamber resulting from evaporation of moisture from the load, admitting gas into the chamber and repeating the steps following placing the load into the chamber.

Abstract: Controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) may be accomplished by using a wireless device (e.g., cell phone) to send a control message to a receiver at the UAV via a wireless telecommunication network (e.g., an existing cellular network configured primarily for mobile telephone communication). In addition, the wireless device may be used to receive communications from a transmitter at the UAV, wherein the wireless device receives the communications from the transmitter via the wireless network. Examples of such communications include surveillance information and UAV monitoring information.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for achieving low temperature vapor sterilization of objects which may involve objects having a lumen. Following evacuation of the sterilization chamber and the introduction of a vaporous or gaseous sterilant, the volume of the chamber is changed by actuation of a movable boundary in the chamber to increase and decrease the pressure in the chamber thus driving the sterilant into and out of such lumens.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for achieving low temperature vapor sterilization of objects which may involve objects having a lumen. Following evacuation of the sterilization chamber and the introduction of a vaporous or gaseous sterilant, the volume of the chamber is changed by actuation of a movable boundary in the chamber to increase and decrease the pressure in the chamber thus driving the sterilant into and out of such lumens.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for instructing a user interface (UI) in communication with a first of vision processor (VP) to establish communication with a second (VP). The invention is useful in a machine vision system having a plurality of VPs and at least one UI. The method includes the steps of providing each VP with a link function for establishing communication between a VP and a UI; and activating the link function so as to issue instructions to the UI to establish communication with another VP. The link function enables local dynamic display of a remote VP on the UI, and a dynamic connection that provides a continually updated display representing a current state of the VP connected to the UI. An operator may observe results and alter parameters on any of the VPs in the system without having to first understand the architecture of the machine vision system.

Abstract: A system and method for optimizing fixed and temporal noise in an infrared imaging system. The system may use correction tables with correction factors, each correction factor indexed to a plurality of system parameters.

Abstract: A device useful in determining the efficacy of a chemical sterilization process includes a dead end cavity closed by an access cap having a port coupled to a challenge tube defining the only path by which a substantial quantity of sterilant can reach the cavity. A biological indicator is located within the cavity and a chemical indicator is also provided. These indicators, and particularly the biological indicator, provide an indication of whether chemical sterilant would reach all interior exposed surfaces of a load in sufficient concentrations to adequately sterilize the load.

Abstract: The removal of moisture from an object to be sterilized is provided through at least the steps of placing the load in the chamber, reducing the pressure within the chamber to increase the rate of evaporation of moisture from the load, monitoring over a predetermined period of time the increase in the quantity of vapor within the chamber resulting from evaporation of moisture from the load, admitting gas into the chamber and repeating the steps following placing the load into the chamber.

Abstract: The removal of moisture from an object to be sterilized is provided through at least the steps of placing the load in the chamber, reducing the pressure within the chamber to increase the rate of evaporation of moisture from the load, monitoring over a predetermined period of time the increase in the quantity of vapor within the chamber resulting from evaporation of moisture from the load, admitting gas into the chamber and repeating the steps following placing the load into the chamber.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for achieving low temperature vapor sterilization of objects which may involve objects having a lumen. Following evacuation of the sterilization chamber and the introduction of a vaporous or gaseous sterilant, the volume of the chamber is changed by actuation of a movable boundary in the chamber to increase and decrease the pressure in the chamber thus driving the sterilant into and out of such lumens.

Abstract: The removal of moisture from an object to be sterilized is provided through at least the steps of placing the load in the chamber, reducing the pressure within the chamber to increase the rate of evaporation of moisture from the load, monitoring over a predetermined period of time the increase in the quantity of vapor within the chamber resulting from evaporation of moisture from the load, admitting gas into the chamber and repeating the steps following placing the load into the chamber.

Abstract: The invention consists of a camera, light sources, lenses and software algorithms that are used to image and inspect semiconductor structures, including through infrared radiation. The use of various configurations of solid state lighting and software algorithms enhances the imaging and inspection.