Abstract: An electrical power unit provides electrical power to an electrical component on-board an aircraft. The electrical power unit includes a hydrogen generation system configured to be positioned on-board the aircraft. The hydrogen generation system is further configured to generate hydrogen using a reaction between water and metal. The electrical power unit also includes a fuel cell configured to be positioned on-board the aircraft. The fuel cell is operatively connected to the hydrogen generation system such that the fuel cell receives hydrogen from the hydrogen generation system. The fuel cell is further configured to generate electrical power from the hydrogen received from the hydrogen generation system and to be electrically connected to the electrical component for supplying the component with electrical power.

Abstract: A cyclic preparation method for producing titanium boride from intermediate feedstock sodium-based titanium-boron-fluorine salt mixture and producing sodium cryolite as byproduct, which comprises the steps: a) boric acid or boric anhydride is added with hydrofluoric acid and then with sodium carbonate solution for concentration and crystallization to generate sodium fluoborate; titanium-iron concentrate is added with hydrofluoric acid and then with sodium carbonate and sodium hydroxide to obtain sodium fluotitanate; B) the sodium fluoborate is mixed with the sodium fluotitanate, and the mixture reacts with aluminum to generate titanium boride and sodium cryolite; C) the sodium cryolite is sucked out and then fed into a rotary reaction kettle together with concentrated sulfuric acid, hydrogen fluoride gas as well as sodium sulfate and sodium aluminum sulfate are generated by reaction in the rotary reaction kettle, and the hydrogen fluoride gas is collected and then dissolved in water to obtain hydrofluoric aci

Abstract: A method for cyclically preparing monomer boron and coproducing potassium cryolite using potassium fluoborate as an intermediate material, which includes following steps: A) adding hydrofluoric acid to boric acid or boron oxide to enable a reaction to form fluoboric acid; B) adding a potassium sulphate aqueous solution to the fluoboric acid to enable a reaction to form the potassium fluoborate; C) putting the potassium fluoborate into a reactor, adding aluminium to react with the potassium fluoborate to form the monomer boron and potassium cryolite; D) extracting the potassium cryolite, sending the potassium cryolite to a rotary reaction kettle together with concentrated sulphuric acid to enable a reaction to form hydrogen fluoride gas and aluminium potassium sulphate, potassium sulphate, collecting the hydrogen fluoride gas and dissolving it into water to obtain the hydrofluoric acid; E) recycling the obtained hydrofluoric acid to Step A to leach the boric acid or boron oxide.

Abstract: A method for cyclically preparing elemental boron and coproducing sodium cryolite using sodium fluoborate as an intermediate material, which includes the following steps: A) adding hydrofluoric acid to boric acid or boron oxide to enable a reaction to form fluoboric acid; B) adding a sodium carbonate aqueous solution to the fluoboric acid to enable a reaction to form the sodium fluoborate; C) putting the sodium fluoborate into a reactor, adding aluminum to react with the sodium fluoborate to form the elemental boron and sodium cryolite; D) extracting the sodium cryolite, sending the sodium cryolite to a rotary reaction kettle together with concentrated sulphuric acid to enable a reaction to form hydrogen fluoride gas and aluminum sodium sulphate, collecting the hydrogen fluoride gas and dissolving it into water to obtain the hydrofluoric acid; E) recycling the obtained hydrofluoric acid to Step A to leach the boric acid or boron oxide.

Abstract: An iris recognition system incorporating two-level iris image quality assessment method is presented. Images with very low image quality may be assigned quality zero and not be further processed. Images with sufficient quality may be qualitatively assessed and each quality metric score may be calibrated. The calibrated quality scores may be fused to generate one quality score.

Abstract: A system and method which determines an adaptive vertical search range used to provide motion estimation in digital video content are disclosed. In some embodiments, a fixed-size vertical search range for the motion estimation is defined and utilized. A reference frame and target frame are stored in memory, and a block in the reference frame is selected for consideration. An offset value is determined which is indicative of a directional shift of the fixed-size vertical search range and the vertical search range is shifted based on the offset value. A motion vector is then estimated using the shifted vertical search range.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods of making up and/or enhancing the appearance of a keratinous substrate comprising (1) forming a film on the keratinous substrate by applying to said keratinous substrate (a) a first cosmetic composition comprising at least one polyvinyl alcohol-styrylpyridinium polymer and (b) a second cosmetic composition comprising at least one complexing agent, and (2) exposing the film to radiation chosen from UV and visible light radiation.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are cosmetic compositions comprising (1) at least one polyvinyl alcohol-styrylpyridinium polymer and (2) at least one latex film-forming polymer. Also disclosed herein are methods for making up and/or enhancing the appearance of a keratinous substrate comprising (1) forming a film on the keratinous substrate by applying to said keratinous substrate a cosmetic composition comprising (a) at least one polyvinyl alcohol-styrylpyridinium polymer and (2) at least one latex film-forming polymer and (2) exposing the film to radiation chosen from UV and visible light radiation.

Abstract: A method of operation of a display system includes: receiving a current input image with current input pixels; identifying an input object, having input object pixels, based on differences in characteristics of the current input pixels; calculating an object pixel depth for the input object pixels from an image depth map of the current input image based on a weighted average of depth candidates; and generating a processed image, having a perceived depth, from the current input image with the image depth map and the object pixel depth for displaying on a device.

Abstract: Methods and systems for measuring erosion. Systems of various embodiments include a sensor adapted to be placed where earthen material is expected to move and to sense a condition related to that movement (for instance, the position of the sensor). The sensor includes a receiver for receiving a wireless signal (be it acoustic, magneto-inductive, etc.) from another sensor which conveys an identifier for the second sensor. The first sensor also includes a signal generator that generates a second (possibly wireless) signal conveying that identifier and its own identifier. Systems of some embodiments include a second receiver placed outside of the region. If desired, the sensor can determine the signal strengths of the signals that they receive from the other sensor and can convey an indication of the received signal strengths. Furthermore, some sensors include accelerometers, roll sensors, tilt sensors, yaw sensors, magnetometers, etc.

Abstract: A vertical scrolling region detector may include a motion estimator that can generate motion vectors between blocks of two or more primary frames of a mixed-mode video sequence. The detector may also include a primary frame motion analyzer that can analyze the motion vectors to detect substantially constant vertical motion of at least some of the blocks between the two or more primary frames. The presence of substantially constant vertical motion may reflect the presence of a vertical scrolling region in the mixed-mode video sequence. Moreover, the detector may also include a consecutive frame motion analyzer that can calculate differences in pixel values between lines of two or more consecutive frames in the mixed-mode video sequence. The differences in pixel values may further reflect the presence of the vertical scrolling region in the mixed-mode video sequence.

Abstract: A system for optimizing customer utility usage in a utility network of customer sites, each having one or more utility devices, where customer site is communicated between each of the customer sites and an optimization server having software for optimizing customer utility usage over one or more networks, including private and public networks. A customer site model for each of the customer sites is generated based upon the customer site information, and the customer utility usage is optimized based upon the customer site information and the customer site model. The optimization server can be hosted by an external source or within the customer site. In addition, the optimization processing can be partitioned between the customer site and an external source.

Abstract: A system and method which determines an adaptive vertical search range used to provide motion estimation in digital video content are disclosed. In some embodiments, a fixed-size vertical search range for the motion estimation is defined and utilized. A reference frame and target frame are stored in memory, and a block in the reference frame is selected for consideration. An offset value is determined which is indicative of a directional shift of the fixed-size vertical search range and the vertical search range is shifted based on the offset value. A motion vector is then estimated using the shifted vertical search range.

Abstract: The present invention provides a zero pollution recovery system for safely producing anhydrous fluorine hydride, comprising: a compartment, a reactor for producing fluorine hydride, and a water pool; the reactor is disposed in the compartment; the water pool is disposed at the bottom of the compartment; absorption hoods are respectively disposed above both ends of the reactor for absorbing fluorine hydride gas; at least two absorption towers mutually connected in series via pipes are disposed above the compartment; water pipes connected with the water pool are respectively disposed at the top and bottom of the absorption tower; and a cooler and a receiver connected with the water pool is disposed on the pipes. The present invention has the advantages of being able to control the range over which fluorine hydride can diffuse.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for preparing sponge titanium from sodium fluotitanate by aluminothermic reduction, comprising the following steps: a reaction step: aluminum and zinc are mixed under a vacuum state, and sodium fluotitanate is then added into the mixture for reaction; a separation step: the product resulting from the complete reaction stands still and is then introduced with inert gas, and NaF and AlF3 in upper-layer liquid phase are extracted; and a distillation step: Zn in the remaining product Zn—Ti is distilled out under a vacuum state, wherein the mass ratio of the aluminum to the zinc is 1:2 to 1:10.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for producing sponge titanium, which includes the following steps: Step A: placing aluminum into a resistance furnace, vacuum pumping, introducing inert gas, heating to molten aluminum; Step B: opening a reactor cover, adding a proper amount of potassium fluotitanate to a reactor, leakage detecting after closing the reactor cover, slowly raising the temperature to 150° C., vacuum pumping, and continuously heating to 250° C.; Step C: introducing inert gas into the reactor, continuously raising the temperature to 750° C., stirring uniformly; Step D: opening a valve to adjust the stirring speed, adding molten aluminum drops, and controlling the reaction temperature to 750° C. to 850° C.; Step E: opening the reactor cover, removing a stirring device, eliminating the upper layer of KAlF4 to obtain sponge titanium. The present invention has the beneficial effects of short process flow, low cost, environmental protection and harmlessness.

Abstract: The invention provides a technological method for preparing sponge titanium from sodium fluotitanate raw material, comprising the following steps: step A: placing aluminum in an airtight resistance furnace, evacuating, introducing inert gas into the resistance furnace, and heating the aluminum to obtain molten aluminum; step B: opening a reactor cover, adding a proper amount of sodium fluotitanate into the reactor, closing the reactor cover, detecting leakage, slowly heating the reactor to 150° C., evacuating and continuously heating the reactor to 250° C.; step C: introducing inert gas into the reactor, continuously heating the reactor to 900° C., and stirring uniformly; step D: opening a valve, adjusting the stirring speed, dripping the molten aluminum, and controlling the temperature of reaction in a range from 900 to 1000° C.; and step E: opening the reactor cover, removing a stirring device out of the reactor, and eliminating NaAlF4 at upper layer to obtain sponge titanium.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for preparing sponge titanium from potassium fluotitanate by aluminothermic reduction, comprising the following steps: a reaction step: aluminum and zinc are mixed under a vacuum state, and the mixture is then reacted with potassium fluotitanate; a distillation step: KF, AlF3 and Zn generated by reaction are distilled out under a vacuum state; and a cooling step: sponge titanium is obtained subsequent to banking cooling. The invention further provides another method for preparing sponge titanium from potassium fluotitanate by aluminothermic reduction, comprising the following steps: a reaction step: aluminum and magnesium are mixed under a vacuum argon introduction condition, and the mixture is then reacted with potassium fluotitanate; a distillation step: KF, AlF3, MgF2 and Mg generated by reaction are distilled out under a vacuum state; and a cooling step: sponge titanium is obtained subsequent to banking cooling.

Abstract: Various embodiments of a system are provided for detecting scrolling text in a mixed-mode video sequence. The system of certain embodiments includes a motion estimator that generates a plurality of motion vectors between blocks of two or more extracted frames of a mixed-mode video sequence. An extracted frame motion analyzer analyzes the motion vectors to detect substantially constant motion of at least some of the blocks between the two or more extracted frames, wherein the presence of substantially constant motion is indicative of the presence of scrolling text in the mixed-mode video sequence. A consecutive frame motion analyzer calculates differences in pixel values between blocks of two or more consecutive frames in the mixed-mode video sequence, wherein the differences in pixel values are further indicative of the presence of scrolling text in the mixed-mode video sequence.

Abstract: Video processing systems and methods for preservation of small details in video undergoing quantization is discussed. Small details are preserved by identifying an area of interest within a video frame, determining whether small details are present within the selected portion of the video frame, and further determining whether those small details may be lost during quantization. In the event that small details are present in the selected portion of the video frame and may be lost during quantization, a color-shifting operation may be performed on one or more color components of the selected portion of the video frame, such as luminance, prior to quantization to preserve the small detail. During the color-shifting operation, the values of at least one color component of pixels representing the video frame are shifted such that the pixels extend between at least two quantization levels when quantized.