Abstract: A method for recycling AgInCd control rod absorber bar material from a used control rod from a nuclear power plant includes sectioning AgInCd absorber bar from a used control rod into a first section and a second section, the first section having a higher radioactivity than the second section; and recycling the material of the second section of the AgInCd absorber bar.

Abstract: A method for recycling AgInCd control rod absorber bar material from a used control rod from a nuclear power plant includes sectioning AgInCd absorber bar from a used control rod into a first section and a second section, the first section having a higher radioactivity than the second section; and recycling the material of the second section of the AgInCd absorber bar.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for conducting a wagering game is provided. The method may comprise predetermining a predetermined payout award. The method may also comprise displaying a first hand, where the first hand includes a first plurality of cards. The method may also comprise accepting a selection of held cards selected from the first hand. The method may also comprise displaying a second hand, where the second hand includes a second plurality of cards including the held cards. The method may also comprise determining a third hand, where the third hand including a third plurality of cards so that at least one of the second hand and the third hand provides the predetermined payout award. The method may also comprise displaying the third hand. The method may also comprise awarding the predetermined payout award to a player.

Abstract: A secondary game played on a gaming machine displays a plurality of objects, each object representing a hidden award. Upon a triggering event occurring, the player then touches one of the objects via a touch screen, and the award is granted to the player. The selected object is then disabled until the game is reset. The awards that remain available to be selected in the secondary game are displayed to the player separate from the objects. The secondary game is continuous and is not reset upon a player cashing out. The continuous secondary game motivates players to keep playing until the top prize is awarded and the game is reset. The trigger event that allows the player's to select an object is based on the player's accumulated wager amount and is preferably independent of any outcome of the main game or any outcome of a bonus game.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for conducting a wagering game is provided. The method may comprise predetermining a predetermined payout award. The method may also comprise displaying a first hand, where the first hand includes a first plurality of cards. The method may also comprise accepting a selection of held cards selected from the first hand. The method may also comprise displaying a second hand, where the second hand includes a second plurality of cards including the held cards. The method may also comprise determining a third hand, where the third hand including a third plurality of cards so that at least one of the second hand and the third hand provides the predetermined payout award. The method may also comprise displaying the third hand. The method may also comprise awarding the predetermined payout award to a player.

Abstract: Disclosed is a coating system for the selective application of coatings to substrates to apply a uniform coating to selected areas of the substrate without the need for masking. The system comprises a first coating applicator for coating large areas of the substrate, a second coating applicator for coating small areas of the substrate, a motion and positioning system for both coating applicators and a system controller. Also disclosed is an ultrasonic spray coating system comprising an ultrasonic transducer with spray forming head, integrated fluid delivery device with air and liquid supply passage ways, support brackets and an ultrasonic power generator.

Abstract: The present invention provides a gaming method and machine with bonus round that allow a player select the risk level of the bonus play. Thus the player has control over risk during their bonus round. As the player becomes more familiar with the game, they can select a higher risk for the bonus round and be rewarded accordingly. The bonus may include a fixed or variable number of additional turns. The gaming method and machine may include a progressive counter incremented in dependence upon at least one of regular play and bonus play. The gaming method and machine may allow a player to win an additional bonus play during the bonus play.

Abstract: Disclosed is an ultrasonic spray coating system comprising an ultrasonic transducer with spray forming head, integrated fluid delivery device with air and liquid supply passage ways, support brackets and an ultrasonic power generator.

Abstract: A teaching method for a recurrent neural network having hidden, output and input neurons calculates weighting errors over a limited number of propagations of the network. This process permits the use of conventional teaching sets, such as are used with feedforward networks, to be used with recurrent networks. The teaching outputs are substituted for the computed activations of the output neurons in the forward propagation and error correction stages. Back propagated error from the last propagation is assumed to be zero for the hidden neurons. A method of reducing drift of the network with respect to a modeled process is also described and a forced cycling method to eliminate the time lag between network input and output.

Abstract: In a video machine vision system, an apparatus compensates for varying light levels by defining a portion of the video image. A circuit is provided to measure the luminance of the video signal for the portion of the image and use that luminance to set a threshold level. The threshold level is employed in processing the image. As lighting conditions vary the luminance is re-measured causing a proportional variation in the threshold.