97results about How to "Avoid narrow scope" patented technology

An illuminating device coupled with sensors or an image acquisition device and a logical controller allows illumination intensity and spectrum to be varied according to changing user needs. The system provides illumination to areas according to the principles of correct lighting practice for the optimal performance of visual tasks in the most efficient, cost effective manner. Aspects of the invention include: lighting fixtures which adapt to ambient lighting, movement, visual tasks being performed, and environmental and personal conditions affecting illumination requirements at any given instant. Lighting fixtures having spatial distribution of spectrum and intensity, providing both “background” room lighting, and “task” lighting.

An apparatus and method of reserving conveyance, such as taxis and limousines, in which the pickup locations, times, and contract are established and logged electronically. The system is configured to increase the assurance that the conveyance will arrive properly on time and on location, and that the patron will also keep their end of the agreement. The system preferably configured for disincentives for either party to not follow in accord with the contract.

A method and apparatus is provided for a multiple light-source illuminating device, the design and construction of which is derived from the lighting requirements of a specific lighting application. The resulting illuminating device (16) provides illumination according to the principles of lighting practice for the optimal performance of visual tasks. Coupling with sensors (21) and logical control (20) allows illumination intensity and spectrum to be varied according to changing user needs. The illuminating device includes multiple discrete light emitting components of different spatial intensity distribution and color spectrum mounted in specific orientations such that the application oriented combined lighting effect is created. The control is provided via a differentiated power supply (19) capable of affecting the current, voltage and duty cycle determining the relative contribution of each light source effecting a different spatial intensity distribution and color spectrum.

Apparatus and methods are provided for using automatic speech recognition to analyze a voice interaction and verify compliance of an agent reading a script to a client during the voice interaction. In one aspect of the invention, a communications system includes a user interface, a communications network, and a call center having an automatic speech recognition component. In a second aspect of the invention, a script compliance method includes the steps of conducting a voice interaction between an agent and a client and evaluating the voice interaction with an automatic speech recognition component adapted to analyze the voice interaction and determine whether the agent has adequately followed the script.

An environment recognizing device and an environment recognizing method can draw an environment map for judging if it is possible to move a region where one or more than one steps are found above or below a floor, a route planning device and a route planning method that can appropriately plan a moving route, using such an environment map and a robot equipped with such an environment recognizing device and a route planning device. The robot comprises an environment recognizing section including a plurality of plane extracting section 401 adapted to compute plane parameters from a parallax image or a distance image and extract a plurality of planes including the floor surface, an obstacle recognizing section 402 adapted to recognize obstacles on the plurality of planes including the floor surface and an environment map updating section 403 adapted to draw an environment map (obstacle map) for each of the planes on the basis of the result of recognition of the obstacle recognizing section 402 and update the existing environment maps and a route planning section 404 adapted to plan a route on the basis of the environment maps. The route planning section 404 selects a plane as route coordinate when an obstacle is found on it in the environment map of the floor surface but not found in the environment map of the plane.

A method and apparatus for a beverage dispensing nozzle equipped with at least one flow director dispenses at lower flowrates. In a first embodiment, a single flavor beverage dispensing nozzle equipped with at least one flow director segments the flow and reduces the cross sectional area of the fluid stream, thereby forcing product to move downward. A second embodiment provides an improvement to an existing beverage dispensing nozzle, by adding at least one flow director in an annular channel of the beverage dispensing nozzle. The addition of the at least one flow director in the annular channel provides the beverage dispensing nozzle with the ability to dispense product at lower flowrates by increasing the velocity component of the exiting product. The exiting product now has sufficient energy to separate from the beverage dispensing nozzle. Methods for using the beverage dispensing nozzles with the at least one flow director are also presented.

Methods of improving tableware cleaning, sanitizing and stain removal using an automatic dishwashing appliance containing an electrochemical cell and/or electrolytic device. The methods comprise steps for generating electrolyzed water by intermittently activating and/or intermittently deactivating the cell so as to sequentially provide a bleaching species at specific times during the wash and/or rinse cycle. Said methods include a signal-sensing system capable of detecting a composition comprising a signal-providing agent, methods of using said compositions, and articles of manufacture.

The present invention discloses a battery charging controller for balancing the charged batteries. The battery charging controller comprises a battery reference voltage generator, a voltage balancing module and a balance judging circuit. The battery charging controller determines which one has the lower voltage between battery units of a battery module according to reference voltages generated by the battery reference voltage generator. The voltage balancing module controlled by the balance judging circuit allows the charging current of the lower-voltage battery larger than the charging current of the higher-voltage battery in such that the final voltages of the battery units are substantially equaled when they are completely saturated.

A fabrication method of a nanomaterial by using a polymeric nanoporous template is disclosed. First, a block copolymer bulk is made from a block copolymer polymerized from decomposable and undecomposable monomers. By removing the decomposable portion of the block copolymer bulk, the polymeric nanoporous template with a plurality of holes is obtained, and these holes have nanostructures with regular arrangement. By exploiting a nanoreactor concept, a sol-gel process or an electrochemical synthesis, for example, is then carried out within the template such that the holes are filled with various filler materials, such as ceramics, metals and polymers, so as to prepare a nanocomposite material having the nanostructure. After removing the polymeric nanoporous template, the nanomaterial with the nanostructure is manufactured.

A security tag includes a tag body and an attaching pin for attaching the tag body to a protected article. The security tag further includes a locking mechanism for releasably preventing the attaching pin from being removed from the protected article. The locking mechanism is provided for mechanically or magnetically released the attaching pin for detaching the tag body from the article. In a preferred embodiment, the locking mechanism further includes a plurality of balls for tightly holding to the attaching pin for releasably preventing the attaching means from being removed from the article. In a preferred embodiment, the locking mechanism further includes a mechanical unlocking probe finger for applying a mechanical force to release the balls from the attaching pin whereby the attaching pin may be released and detached from the tag body. In a preferred embodiment, the locking mechanism further includes an unlocking magnet for applying a magnet force to release the balls from the attaching pin whereby the attaching pin may be released and detached from the tag body.

An NMR method is presented having enhanced sensitivity on a compound comprising hyperpolarizable nuclei, in particular applying enhanced PHIP. Polarization is thereby transferred from a prepared fluid, which is enriched with symmetric molecules of a particular spin state (e.g. para-hydrogen enriched), directly to the hyperpolarizable nuclei of a compound, without altering the chemical identity of the compound in this process. Spin transfer is achieved using a template having sites of ordered environment, and the fluid and the compound are brought together in the presence of the template. Polarization transfer to the hyperpolarizable nuclei of the compound is thereby easier to perform and can be applied to a broader scope of compounds.

A system for washing, dipping, and drying animals includes a water and fume retaining stall, a hood for covering the stall, and an air circulating unit for supplying warm air and for exhausting fumes, including fumes associated with flea and tick formulas used in dipping processes. A double-walled shell coupled with a base unit housing mechanical utilities serves as the stall. Water supply and wastewater drainage systems are coupled for direct communication with a tub, sink or laundry connection, and an associated drain. Fluids can be recycled and discharged to the stall, for reuse, and can be mixed with various solutions, including dipping solutions. The stall, hood and air circulating unit can be modular, for versatility. Steps can be provided to facilitate ingress and egress by the animal. A stool can be provided for the user, and the stall can be elevated, to promote user comfort.

A formalin fixed paraffin block an organ is fixed on a stage, the stage is moved and a front end of a tubular blade is relatively positioned at a target part, the tubular blade punches the tissue, the tissue is extracted by a tissue extracting rod, a tissue block has been prepared in advance having a plurality of holes having inner diameter very close to the outer diameter of the tubular blade, the extracted tissues are planted in the holes on an embedding pan so that the front end of the tissue is protrusively facing toward the embedding pan, and liquid paraffin is filled into a gap between the embedding pan and the tissue block and solidified, whereby the tissue and paraffin are integrated, and good array block sections are constructed easily.

The present invention provides an extension module connected between a TV set and signal sources so that the signal sources communicate media signals with the TV set, wherein the extension module comprises a first interface and a second interface, the first interface is electrically connected and communicates with the TV set, and the second interface is electrically connected with the signal sources and outputs a power supply signal and a control signal to the signal sources.

The present invention discloses a battery charging controller for achieving a balanced battery charge. The battery charging controller includes a voltage divider, a switch module and a balance circuit. A reference voltage generated by the voltage divide is used to determine which battery unit in a battery module has an insufficient voltage lower than the others, so that the balance circuit controls the switch module to allow a larger current to charge a lower-voltage battery than a higher-voltage battery, so as to result in substantially the same voltage for each fully charged battery of the battery module.

An object is to improve the element characteristic of a luminescent element. In an anode 122 connected to a drain interconnection 120 of a current-controlling TFT 202, slits are made. A transparent hole generating layer 124 is formed on the anode 122. Since the slits are made, luminescence can be taken out even if a light-shielding metal film is used as the anode 122. Since the hole generating layer 124 has semiconductivity, an electric field applied from the anode 122 to an organic compound layer 125 can be made uniform. Since holes are generated in the hole generating layer 124, the density of carriers injected from the anode 122 can be made high. In this way, a luminescent element having a low driving voltage and a high brightness can be manufactured.

A method is provided for synthesizing 1H-indazole compounds in which aromatic carbonyl compounds are reacted with a nitrogen source to form oximes which are then converted to 1H-indazoles.

Systems and methods for creating customized or individualized documents, including but not limited to printed documents such as bound books. An open application program interface (API) facilitates data integration and aggregation between a document creation system and one or more content provider partners. A customer can select a customized document, preview the document, and modify the document as desired, for example, by adding text, comments, photos, and the like.

An adjustable headlight includes a headband and an adjustable illumination device mounted on the headband. The adjustable illumination device includes a light source, a lens, a rotating shell, a first adjuster, a second adjuster, a tubular electrical conductive rack, and a base. The light source is electrically connected to the top end of the tubular electrical conductive rack. The lens is mounted on the front end of the rotating shell. The first adjuster is rotatably connected to the rotating shell. The second adjuster drives the tubular electrical conductive rack to be rotatably coupled with the first adjuster and the base. Rotating the rotating shell changes the distance between the light source and the lens, so as to achieve focus adjustment within the adjustable headlight without changing external length of the device. The device is adapted for being worn on the user's head in various circumstances.

A hot oxygen nozzle and uses thereof in a gasifier, the hot oxygen nozzle comprising an outer-ring spout, a middle-ring spout, an inner-ring spout, and a central spout all sequentially and coaxially disposed, and a cooling system; the gasifier is an entrained-flow gasifier provided with one or more nozzles on a certain plane or a plurality of planes at the top or on the periphery of the gasifier body. The nozzle has a simple structure and is easy to make and maintain. A fuel gas passage is disposed inside the nozzle. Oxygen can be heated by the combustion of fuel gas; and high-temperature and high-speed oxygen can directly ignite carbonaceous materials such as coal water slurry and coke oven gas. The present invention can be applied in a gasifier and then in the final process of synthesis gas preparation.