41results about How to "Expensive to use" patented technology

The invention relates to an instrument for surgery, in particular minimally invasive surgery. The instrument includes means for feeding back a force which is exerted on the working element of the instrument to the operating element. These means include at least a first force sensor for measuring the force which is exerted on the working element, a control unit and a first actuator. On the basis of a signal which originates from the first force sensor, the control unit controls at least the first actuator in order to control the operating element. Furthermore, the means preferably include a first position sensor for measuring a position of the working element with respect to the frame. The control unit advantageously determines an impedance which the working element is subject to as a result of the presence of a tissue or the like, on the basis of which impedance the control unit controls at least the first actuator.

A photocontroller diagnostic system including a photocontroller with a sensor for determining the presence of daylight, and a relay, responsive to the sensor, for de-energizing a lamp during periods of daylight. The diagnostic subsystem is responsive to the photocontroller, and includes a microprocessor programmed to verify the operability of the relay and/or the sensor and programmed to transmit a signal representative of the operability of the relay or the sensor.

A timed cigarette dispenser for limiting the number of cigarettes available to a smoker to assist the smoker in reducing the number of cigarettes smoked over an interval of time, and/or to assist the smoker in quitting smoking. The dispenser includes a housing having a storage chamber therein for containing a quantity of cigarettes, and a solenoid operative to extend a plunger to engage a single cigarette and eject it partially from the housing where it may be grasped and withdrawn. An electronic timing circuit is connected with the dispensing solenoid to energize the solenoid upon the expiration of predetermined time intervals. A cover is latched closed over the storage compartment to prevent access to the storage compartment except when the storage compartment is empty. When the storage compartment is empty, a latch solenoid is automatically energized to disengage the latch and permit the cover to be opened. The device includes a liquid crystal display for displaying messages, and a keypad for entering different messages and/or setting different time intervals on the timer.

A fuel is produced from bitumen by precipitating a substantial portion of asphaltenes from bitumen by contacting the bitumen with a lower alkane solvent. Suitable burners include a fluidized bed boiler, a circulating fluidized bed boiler and a pitch boiler which utilize either pre-combustion sulfur sorbents or post-combustion flue gas desulfurization. The sulfur in emissions can be used to produce sulfuric acid. The process uses a low cost fuel, generates steam, power and sulfuric acid and meets all emission requirements for SO_2, NO_x and PM.

A method of infrared thermography is described. The invention utilizes a high resolution infrared thermography system and associated computer in conjunction with a test chamber to determine heat transfer coefficients and film effectiveness values from a single test.

A system enables users at different locations (e.g. different geographic locations) to work collaboratively on a document, and to view each other's annotations to the document. Each user can work with a paper document, and make handwritten annotations to the paper document. The system includes a plurality of workstations communicating with a server. Each workstation comprises a document-imaging device, such as a camera, for generating a digital image of the document. Handwritten annotations are identified by image processing, and new annotations made by each user can be tracked in real time. Image bitmaps of the annotations are distributed by the server to each workstation so that each user can view other user's annotations. In one view, the annotations from different users are superimposed in a combined image.

The invention relates to a control system for agricultural working vehicles with at least two sensor systems which generate sensor signals (A, B), wherein the sensor signals (A, B) are vehicle-dependent or dependent on the crop characteristics or a combination of both.

The object of this invention is to develop a control system for agricultural working vehicles in such a manner that a suitable fusion of the sensor signals (A, B) of the sensor systems is achieved, in particular.

This object is achieved according to the invention in that at least one first and at least one second sensor signal processing algorithm (I,II,III,IV,V) is provided in the control system, and in that a selection is made as to which sensor signal processing algorithm (I,II,III,IV,V) is to be used as a function of at least one characteristic parameter (P).

An insect control tape that includes a substrate having a longitudinal direction with a first face and a second face opposite the first face. An insecticide or other pest control agent is applied to the first face in a longitudinal strip with adjacent side regions that are free of the agent. An adhesive covers at least part of the second face to anchor the tape on a floor. A web covers the first face and the agent. A consumer can press the tape down on a floor by contacting the web to install the tape, with reduced risk of contacting active, while still permitting crawling insects such as roaches to normally contact the active as they crawl over the tape.

A local area augmentation navigation system for determining the location of an object using differential GPS. The system does not require any significant power or communication infrastructure. The system includes at least three reference stations, a master station and a LAAS receiver. The at least three reference stations are located in close proximity to each other and at known locations. Each of the reference stations receive a GPS signal from a GPS constellation and collect and output via a wireless transceiver the pseudo-range data from the GPS signal. The master station is positioned in close proximity to the reference stations and receives the pseudo-range data from the reference stations. The master station forms a correction message from the pseudo-range data and the known locations of the reference stations. The master station broadcasts the correction message within a specified area. The LAAS receiver is positioned within the specified area and receives the correction message broadcast by the master station as well as a GPS signal from the GPS constellation. The LAAS receiver calculates the location of the LAAS receiver with the correction message and the GPS signal.

A process for the airless spray-coating of a surface with a aqueous-containing Newtonian or non-Newtonian architectural coating composition wherein the composition can contain an associative thickener and is subjected to a pressure of from 2 to 5 bar generated such as by a hand-operated or battery operated electrical compressor and then sprayed from a slot-shaped outlet orifice (52) in a nozzle (50) to produce an outflow (31) of composition having boundaries (35) which diverge at least until it has formed a front of at least 30 mm in width. The composition preferably has a Brookfield viscosity of at least 0.5 pa.sec and a solids content of 7 wt %. Also apparatus for performing the process comprising a container containing the coating compositions together with a nozzle having an outlet orifice, a compressor and a pressure release valve actuatable in the pressure range 2 to 5 bar and preferably an auxiliary orifice upstream of the outlet orifice. The process and apparatus enable the viscous compositions to be applied quickly using low pressures easily generated by a hand compressor.

A system and method for driving geese away from an area employs predetermined random illuminations of particular wavelength light directed in a fashion that repels geese while avoiding annoying humans. Embodiments include systems associated with golf course flags and other structures and animal decoys that hide undesired aesthetic appearances of prior art industrial lighting elements. Other embodiments employ adjustable/movable mirror elements used in conjunction with systems powered by solar energy panels positioned below the light source, which can be adjusted in terms of direction, shielding, color, duration, wavelength and pulsation, providing a variety of random patterns so as to avoid habituation by geese.

Power is produced using fuel, preferably with a sulfur content larger than 1% wt, from raw and/or preprocessed oil residues which are burned alone, i.e. without any addition of sorbents, diluents or the like, with a CFB boiler, a pitch boiler or a downshot boiler to generate high pressure steam and/or power and residual emissions. Residual emissions are cleaned to simultaneously remove PM, NO_x and SO₂ therefrom. The sulfur in emissions can be used to produce sulfuric acid. The process uses a low cost fuel, generates steam, and/or power and sulfuric acid and meets all emission requirements for PM, NO_x and SO₂.

An electronic device is installed in a vehicle used as collateral for a loan. The installed device records the location of the vehicle at periodic intervals and whenever the vehicle is stationary. The installed device also searches for and identifies a compatible Wi-Fi node that can forward data to the Internet, and transmits location information through this compatible node. The location information is stored in a central database, where it can be used to form a location profile for the vehicle and predict the vehicle's location based on past history for a given time of day or day of week. If the loan enters a past-due status, the location profile is accessed by users such as the lender, loan servicer, vehicle retriever, and associated users. Upon arriving within the vicinity of a predicted location, vehicles are more precisely located with the aid of a Wi-Fi capable mobile device. The invention also provides for sending commands from a central server to an installed device over Wi-Fi, and canceling previous commands when the vehicle is outside of Wi-Fi communication coverage.

The invention relates to a method for calculating the understeering ratio of automobiles provided with electric power steering (EPS) including an electric assistance motor (9) driven by an onboard electronic computer (11), a sensor (12, 14) providing a first piece of information on a real angular position of the steering wheel (3), a wheel anti-lock braking system (ABS) providing a second piece of information on the speed of the wheels (15) of the vehicle, characterised in that the onboard computer (11) of the EPS processes the second piece of information for estimating a theoretical angular position of the steering wheel (3), which is further compared to the real angular position of the steering wheel (3) in order to derive the understeering ratio (τ) of the vehicle.

The invention belongs to the technical field of medicines, relates to a method of preparing obeticholic acid through adopting 3,7-di(t-butyldimethylsiloxy)-6-ene-5beta-cholan-24-oic acid methyl ester as an intermediate, and particularly relates to the 3,7-di(t-butyldimethylsiloxy)-6-ene-5beta-cholan-24-oic acid methyl ester that is a chemical compound, a method of preparing the compound, and a use of the compound for preparation of the obeticholic acid. The invention also relates to a method of preparing the obeticholic acid. The method of preparing the obeticholic acid includes (1) preparing the 3,7-di(t-butyldimethylsiloxy)-6-ene-5beta-cholan-24-oic acid methyl ester and (2) preparing the obeticholic acid through adopting the 3,7-di(t-butyldimethylsiloxy)-6-ene-5beta-cholan-24-oic acid methyl ester as the intermediate.

A method and device for chemical destruction of at least one feed comprising at least one organic compound are provided. The device comprises at least one inductive plasma torch, means for introducing at least one plasma-forming gas into the torch, optionally when the plasma gas(es) comprise(s) no or little oxygen, means for bringing oxygen gas into the plasma or into the vicinity of the plasma, means for introducing the feed into the torch, a reaction enclosure capable of allowing thermal destruction of the gases flowing from the torch, a device allowing mixing of the gases flowing out of the reaction enclosure to be carried out, means for introducing air and/or oxygen gas into the mixing device, a device allowing recombination by cooling of at least one portion of the gases from the mixing device, the torch, the reaction enclosure, the mixing device and the recombination device being in fluidic communication.

A matching circuit for an antenna of whatever type, includes a ground circuit and a feed circuit. The ground circuit connects a ground terminal of the antenna to a ground voltage, and provides an inductive impedance between the ground terminal and the ground voltage. The feed circuit connects a feed signal to a feed terminal of the antenna. The feed circuit is capable of switching between a first mode and a second mode for respectively providing a first equivalent impedance and a second equivalent impedance between the feed signal and the feed terminal. An associated method is also disclosed.

A composition for the prevention or inhibition of free radical-induced effect on the skin and/or hair comprises at least three antioxidant agents selected from the group consisting of ginkgo extract, emblica extract, dimethylmethoxy chromanol, pine bark extract, and rosemary extract.

One or more embodiments of techniques or systems for product design customization are provided herein. An interface for product design customization is provided with an application component that can run a stationery application, a merge application, an EZ print application, a photo paper application, etc. These applications may include the ability to insert, modify, or customize design elements. Additionally, these applications may enable a user to divide or split a product design into one or more product design portions, thereby layering the product design. Additionally, data may be merged across one or more documents associated with a product design. Product design reproduction, such as printing, may be limited or controlled according to one or more embodiments.

Methods are provided for crystallizing a filler, especially in order to precipitate calcium carbonate on the surfaces of solids in the short circulation of a fiber web machine by feeding carbon dioxide and lime milk to the liquid flow of the short circulation and allowing them to react with one another, is characterized in that the feed system, the mixing method and/or mixing rate of the chemicals are selected such that a size distribution of the calcium carbonate crystals suitable for the purpose is obtained. Moreover, the invention relates to an approach system for a fiber web machine applying this method, characterized in that it is provided with devices for feeding and mixing carbon dioxide and lime milk into the liquid flow at such a rate that the applicable size distribution of the calcium carbonate crystals is obtained.