182results about How to "Performs better" patented technology

An MPC adaptation and tuning technique integrates feedback control performance better than methods commonly used today in MPC type controllers, resulting in an MPC adaptation / tuning technique that performs better than traditional MPC techniques in the presence of process model mismatch. The MPC controller performance is enhanced by adding a controller adaptation / tuning unit to an MPC controller, which adaptation / tuning unit implements an optimization routine to determine the best or most optimal set of controller design and / or tuning parameters to use within the MPC controller during on-line process control in the presence of a specific amount of model mismatch or a range of model mismatch. The adaptation / tuning unit determines one or more MPC controller tuning and design parameters, including for example, an MPC form, penalty factors for either or both of an MPC controller and an observer and a controller model for use in the MPC controller, based on a previously determined process model and either a known or an expected process model mismatch or process model mismatch range. A closed loop adaptation cycle may be implemented by performing an autocorrelation analysis on the prediction error or the control error to determine when significant process model mismatch exists or to determine an increase or a decrease in process model mismatch over time.

A method and apparatus are provided for building a searchable multi-dimensional index tree that indexes a plurality of data objects. In one aspect of the invention, the index tree divides dataspace into three subspaces and indexes the data objects using a single dimension. If too many data objects map to the same point in that dimension, the dimension is switched to a new dimension of the data object and the data object is indexed using the new dimension. A split node having a split value is used to keep track of the indexing. In another aspect of the invention, the index tree divides dataspace into two subspaces, and equal bits are used in the split nodes to track the content of the data objects in the subspaces. If too many data objects sharing the same key within the same dimension map to a single point, then the dimension is switched to a new dimension and the data objects are indexed using the new dimension. Also disclosed is the multi-dimensional index tree itself as well as a router that uses the multi-dimensional index tree of the present invention to provide packet classification functions.

Method and apparatus are provided for propagating microwave energy into heart tissues to produce a desired temperature profile therein at tissue depths sufficient for thermally ablating arrhythmogenic cardiac tissue to treat ventricular tachycardia and other arrhythmias while preventing excessive heating of surrounding tissues, organs, and blood. A wide bandwidth double-disk antenna (700) is effective for this purpose over a bandwidth of about six gigahertz. A computer simulation provides initial screening capabilities for an antenna such as antenna, frequency, power level, and power application duration. The simulation also allows optimization of techniques for specific patients or conditions. In operation, microwave energy between about 1 Gigahertz and 12 Gigahertz is applied to monopole microwave radiator (600) having a surface wave limiter (606). A test setup provides physical testing of microwave radiators (854) to determine the temperature profile created in actual heart tissue or ersatz heart tissue (841). Saline solution (872) pumped over the heart tissue (841) with a peristaltic pump (862) simulates blood flow. Optical temperature sensors (838) disposed at various tissue depths within the heart tissue (841) detect the temperature profile without creating any electromagnetic interference. The method may be used to produce a desired temperature profile in other body tissues reachable by catheter (510) such as tumors and the like.

An MPC adaptation and tuning technique integrates feedback control performance better than methods commonly used today in MPC type controllers, resulting in an MPC adaptation / tuning technique that performs better than traditional MPC techniques in the presence of process model mismatch. The MPC controller performance is enhanced by adding a controller adaptation / tuning unit to an MPC controller, which adaptation / tuning unit implements an optimization routine to determine the best or most optimal set of controller design and / or tuning parameters to use within the MPC controller during on-line process control in the presence of a specific amount of model mismatch or a range of model mismatch. The adaptation / tuning unit determines one or more MPC controller tuning and design parameters, including for example, an MPC form, penalty factors for either or both of an MPC controller and an observer and a controller model for use in the MPC controller, based on a previously determined process model and either a known or an expected process model mismatch or process model mismatch range. A closed loop adaptation cycle may be implemented by performing an autocorrelation analysis on the prediction error or the control error to determine when significant process model mismatch exists or to determine an increase or a decrease in process model mismatch over time.

Method and apparatus are provided for propagating microwave energy into heart tissues to produce a desired temperature profile therein at tissue depths sufficient for thermally ablating arrhythmogenic cardiac tissue to treat ventricular tachycardia and other arrhythmias while preventing excessive heating of surrounding tissues, organs, and blood. A wide bandwidth double-disk antenna (700) is effective for this purpose over a bandwidth of about six gigahertz. A computer simulation provides initial screening capabilities for an antenna such as antenna, frequency, power level, and power application duration. The simulation also allows optimization of techniques for specific patients or conditions. In operation, microwave energy between about 1 Gigahertz and 12 Gigahertz is applied to monopole microwave radiator (600) having a surface wave limiter (606). A test setup provides physical testing of microwave radiators (854) to determine the temperature profile created in actual heart tissue or ersatz heart tissue (841). Saline solution (872) pumped over the heart tissue (841) with a peristaltic pump (862) simulates blood flow. Optical temperature sensors (838) disposed at various tissue depths within the heart tissue (841) detect the temperature profile without creating any electromagnetic interference. The method may be used to produce a desired temperature profile in other body tissues reachable by catheter (510) such as tumors and the like.

A monitoring device suitable for attachment to a surface of a subject, the device having a data collector and a processor. The data collector includes a flexible foil attached to a less flexible socket, where the foil forms a dermal side surface of the data collector for adhesion to a skin surface of a subject to be monitored. To enable communication of electrical signals between the data collector and the processor, the data collector includes a distribution structure formed as a pattern of an electrically conductive material on an outer surface of a foldable sheet. The foldable sheet forms a layer in the flexible foil and having an interface portion which is folded into an aperture in the socket to form a coupling inside the cavity for electrical communication with a matching coupling of the processor when the processor is received in the cavity.

A prosthetic spinal implant having a securing member for fixing the implant relative to an adjacent bone. In one form, the securing member is deployable into a portion of the vertebral space for affixing the implant between the vertebrae. The securing member may be disposed substantially within the body of a bearing member of the implant when the securing member is in an undeployed orientation. In other forms, the securing member is provided separately from the implant such that it may be inserted into the intervertebral space after the implant has been placed in an implanted orientation between the vertebrae. In such forms, the securing member is configured for ease of insertion between an outer bearing surface of the implant and an adjacent bone via linear or rotary motion.

A prosthetic spinal implant having a deployable securing mechanism that is deployable into a portion of the vertebral space for affixing the implant between the vertebrae, the securing mechanism having tactile feedback means comprising a surface for transmitting tactile feedback during deployment of the securing mechanism. A spinal implant having deployable securing means that interface with the implant to prevent the deployable securing means from retracting after deployment. An implant that utilizes its resilient properties to provide the user with tactile feedback with which the user may ascertain the position of the securing mechanism. A system and tools for sizing and implanting implants with the aforementioned characteristics.

Segmenting the prostate boundary is essential in determining the dose plan needed for a successful bracytherapy procedure—an effective and commonly used treatment for prostate cancer. However, manual segmentation is time consuming and can introduce inter and intra-operator variability. This present invention describes an algorithm for segmenting the prostate from two dimensional ultrasound (2D US) images, which can be full-automatic, with some assumptions of image acquisition. Segmentation begins with the user assuming the center of the prostate to be at the center of the image for the fully-automatic version. The image is then filtered to identify prostate edge candidates. The next step removes most of the false edges and keeps as many true edges as possible. Then, domain knowledge is used to remove any prostate boundary candidates that are probably false edge pixels. The image is then scanned along radial lines and only the first-detected boundary candidates are kept the final step includes the removal of some remaining false edge pixels by fitting a polynomial to the image points and removing the point with the maximum distance from the fit. The resulting candidate edges form an initial model that is then deformed using the Discrete Dynamic Contour (DDC) model to obtain a closed contour of the prostate boundary.

A hard disk drive (HDD) holds data using a biphase scheme. A plurality of matched filters are used to detect binary data represented by the biphase pattern without the need for synchronous sampling or equalization.

A system and methods are disclosed for enhancing license plate recognition (LPR) and vehicle feature recognition processes in automatic vehicle access control, parking management, automatic toll collection and security applications. The system uses optical character recognition (OCR) to read license plates, while utilizing image feature recognition to verify plate reading results, and correct any OCR read errors, thereby increasing system accuracy. The system automatically controls the actuation of one or a plurality of gates / barriers to allow entry and exit of authorized vehicles to or from a premises, a parking lot or a toll station. In the event of failure of the OCR algorithm to identify a license plate of an authorized vehicle at an entry or exit point, the system allows a human operator or the driver / passenger of the said authorized vehicle to override its decision, and allow the vehicle to pass by opening the gate or barrier through external means including card reader, bio-metric scanner, key fob, cell-phone / smart phone, wireless transceiver, electro-mechanical switch / button, or PC / Web based application. This overriding action of opening the gate / barrier through the said external means is used to tune the license plate and vehicle recognition system, causing it to adapt its algorithms to perform better when it encounters the same vehicle again. Besides the above aspect, the present invention discloses fast and memory-efficient methods for image feature matching that are well suited for real-time situations where the set of reference image features is changing with time as new vehicles arrive. In addition to the above aspects, the present invention discloses an LPR database update method that simplifies license plate misread corrections process in the database, thereby improving the accuracy of subsequent database search queries. Furthermore, the present invention discloses methods in an LPR system that account for all the passing traffic by categorizing and recording license plate / vehicle captures as read-plate records, unread-plate records, or vehicles with missing license plates. In addition to the above aspects, the present invention discloses methods for switching between normal and privacy modes of operation and between different security levels.

An outdoor umbrella that closes automatically in high wind is disclosed. The wind causes the main support post of the umbrella to flex from the vertical dislodging a plunger from its weight bearing mounting on a rigid rod. The plunger is attached to an actuator rod extending upward within the support post. When the plunger is displaced the actuator rod is caused to move downward thereby activating a releasing ratchet which frees a shaft to rotate and the cable which holds the canopy to unwind. A hydraulic cylinder attached to one of the canopy ribs presses on the rib to close the canopy and maintain the canopy in closed orientation. As the canopy closes a reset mechanism is activated which resets the plunger onto the rigid rod. Once closed the canopy will remain closed until raised by manually rewinding the cable onto the shaft using a hand crank attached to the end of the shaft. A second ratchet assembly incorporated into the hand crank prevents the hand crank from spinning when the umbrella closes.

A prosthetic spinal implant having a securing member for fixing the implant relative to an adjacent bone. In one form, the securing member is deployable into a portion of the vertebral space for affixing the implant between the vertebrae. The securing member may be disposed substantially within the body of a bearing member of the implant when the securing member is in an undeployed orientation. In other forms, the securing member is provided separately from the implant such that it may be inserted into the intervertebral space after the implant has been placed in an implanted orientation between the vertebrae. In such forms, the securing member is configured for ease of insertion between an outer bearing surface of the implant and an adjacent bone via linear or rotary motion.

Frequency-steered acoustic arrays transmitting and / or receiving multiple, angularly dispersed acoustic beams are used to generate 2D and 3D images. Input pulses to the arrays are generally non-linear, frequency-modulated pulses. Frequency-steered acoustic arrays may be provided in one-dimensional linear and two dimensional planar and curvilinear configurations, may be operated as single order or multiple order arrays, may employ periodic or non-periodic transducer element spacing, and may be mechanically scanned to generate 2D and 3D volumetric data. Multiple imaging fields of view may generated in different directions by switching the polarity of phase-shifted array transducer elements. Multiple frequency-steered arrays arranged in an X-configuration provide a wide, contiguous field of view and multiple frequency steered arrays arranged in a T-configuration provide orthogonally oriented fields of view. Methods and systems for operating acoustic arrays in a frequency-steered mode in combination a mechanical beam steering mode, electronic time-delay and phase shift beam forming modes, and phase comparison angle estimation modes are also provided.

A method for Real-time Transport Protocol (RTP) packet authentication on a packet data network. In particular, the invention relates to a method for preventing toll fraud, privacy compromise, voice quality degradation, or denial of service (DoS) on Voice over IP networks. The Real-time Transport Protocol (RTP) is susceptible to several security attacks, including thirdparty snooping of private conversations, injection of forged content, and introduction or modification of packets to degrade voice quality. The Secure Real-time Transport Protocol (SRTP) provides confidentiality, message authentication, and replay protection for RTP traffic. However, SRTP incurs an additional overhead to verify the HMAC-SHA1 message authentication code for each packet. SRTP+ significantly decrease the verification overhead compared to SRTP and thereby increases the number of faked packets required to mount a successful denial of service attack. SRTP+ provides packet authentication but not integrity. SRTP+ is compatible with SRTP.

A cup tool for use with a mandrel of a wellhead isolation tool has a substantially right-angled stepped shoulder over which an elastomeric sealing element is forced by elevated fluid pressures. A top end of the elastomeric sealing element is inhibited from extrusion past the stepped shoulder during the insertion of the mandrel, thereby reducing the risk of damaging the sealing element before the mandrel is fully inserted through the wellhead. Once the sealing element is exposed to elevated fluid pressures, the top end of the elastomeric sealing element is forced upwardly over the stepped shoulder, and extruded into an annulus between the mandrel and a well casing or production tubing to provide a high-pressure fluid seal.

Frequency-steered acoustic arrays transmitting and / or receiving multiple, angularly dispersed acoustic beams are used to generate 2D and 3D images. Input pulses to the arrays are generally non-linear, frequency-modulated pulses. Frequency-steered acoustic arrays may be provided in one-dimensional linear and two dimensional planar and curvilinear configurations, may be operated as single order or multiple order arrays, may employ periodic or non-periodic transducer element spacing, and may be mechanically scanned to generate 2D and 3D volumetric data. Multiple imaging fields of view may generated in different directions by switching the polarity of phase-shifted array transducer elements. Multiple frequency-steered arrays arranged in an X-configuration provide a wide, contiguous field of view and multiple frequency steered arrays arranged in a T-configuration provide orthogonally oriented fields of view. Methods and systems for operating acoustic arrays in a frequency-steered mode in combination a mechanical beam steering mode, electronic time-delay and phase shift beam forming modes, and phase comparison angle estimation modes are also provided.

A spatial light modulator apparatus for an optical microscope system including an optical head with a mounting flange for mounting the optical head to a port of the microscope, a DMD for generating a pattern image of light, a light source mount for receiving a source of illumination, and one or more optical elements for directing light from the source of illumination to the DMD and to direct the pattern image generated by the DMD to the microscope. A DMD controller has a digital input and is connected to the DMD for driving the individual micromirrors of the DMD to generate the pattern image. A pattern generation subsystem is configured to output pattern image data and a digital interface is connected between the digital input of the DMD controller and the pattern generation subsystem, the digital interface configured to provide a digital drive signal to the DMD controller corresponding to the pattern image data.

A passive infra-red detector including at least three sub-detectors, each sub-detector being operative to receive infra-red radiation from a corresponding one of at least three sub fields-of-view, each sub field-of-view being exclusively defined by an optical element which does not define any other sub field of view, the sub fields-of-view being angled with respect to each other, adjacent ones of the sub fields-of-view being separated by a gap of no more than 30 degrees and at least one of the sub fields-of-view having at least one of the following characteristics: extending over no more then 45 degrees in azimuth; and including not more than three azimuthally distributed detection zones, and signal processing circuitry, operative to receive output signals from the sub detectors and to provide a motion detection output.

A windscreen wiper (14) assembly includes a wiper arm (12) and a windscreen wiper having a resiliently flexible elongate beam (18) which is curved in a plane. The assembly also includes a coupler (16) for coupling an end of the wiper arm (12) to the wiper (4) in such a manner that resilient bending movement of the beam in the plane of curvature along its full length is substantially allowed. The invention also relates to a coupler for a windscreen wiper assembly.

The weapon interface mounting device is designed to permit a secure interface between a Mil-Std 1913 or similar rail and a compatible component such as an optical device, bipod, or light source. It can be easily installed, requires no adjustment by the user, and will mate securely to rails that are out of specification or poorly manufactured. The weapon interface mounting device utilizes a constant force system that applies adequate pressure to positively secure any accessory or device despite being subject to rough treatment such as recoil shock from a host weapon. Unlike prior art devices, the weapon interface mounting device insures repeatability by utilizing a mechanical index system.

The invention relates to methods of using a trainable software module used in the handover procedure employing the location based information for the self optimization of wireless communication networks, in particular for the self optimization of cellular mobile networks. Embodiments of the invention address the problems of radio link failures and rapid handovers immediately after transferring a wireless appliance from one base station apparatus to the other at certain cell border locations by evaluating which base station apparatus a wireless appliance should have its wireless connection transferred to using either a database or a trainable software module.

In a system for combined centrifugation and microfiltration, retentate from a cross-flow microfilter is fed to an automatic piston discharge centrifuge for solids removal, thereby enhancing the efficiency of both processes. The centrifuge includes a cylindrical bowl having a conical lower end with an opening through which feed liquid is injected. Solids separate from the feed liquid and accumulate along the inner surface of the bowl as the bowl rotates at high speed. A microfiltration membrane can be added to improve solids retention in the bowl and provide a filtered centrate. During solids discharge, a piston is urged downward along a vertical axis. The downward movement of the piston forces accumulated solids from the bowl via the opening in the conical lower end thereof.

A process controller adaptation and tuning technique uses a closed loop adaptation cycle that performs an autocorrelation analysis on the prediction error or the control error of a process control system to determine if significant process model mismatch exists or to determine an increase or a decrease in process model mismatch over time. The adaptation and tuning technique may perform a controller tuning cycle when the determined model mismatch raises above a predetermined level.

A connector may include first and second connector portions being movable between unmated and mated positions. First and second bladders may be in respective first and second connector portions and cooperate therewith so that opposing ends of the first and second bladders are urged together and moved from a closed to an open position as the first and second connector portions are moved from the unmated to the mated position. At least one of the first and second connector portions may define a circular constriction for closing an end of a respective bladder into a circular peripheral shape when the first and second connector portions are in the unmated position. One or both of the bladder ends may define a generally rectangular aperture when in the open position.

Some embodiments provide a novel method for sharing data between user-space processes and kernel-space processes without copying the data. The method dedicates, by a driver of a network interface controller (NIC), a memory address space for a user-space process. The method allocates a virtual region of the memory address space for zero-copy operations. The method maps the virtual region to a memory address space of the kernel. The method allows access to the virtual region by both the user-space process and a kernel-space process.

A method of detecting an internet attack against a computing device is disclosed. The method of detecting an internet attack against a computing device comprising the steps of receiving a plurality of incoming network packets; extracting a plurality of incoming feature packets based on the plurality of incoming network packets; predicting a predicted incoming feature packet based on the plurality of incoming feature packets; obtaining a first classification data based on one of the incoming feature packets using a first classifier; obtaining a second classification data based on the predicted incoming feature packet by using a second classifier; and performing at least one remedy action if the first classification data or the second classification data identifies the internet intrusion attack; wherein each of the plurality of incoming feature packets and the predicted incoming feature packet comprise a plurality of incoming features and a plurality of predicted features respectively.

An automatic white balance method for digital color images comprises an image statistics process for estimating reference white points in an image, and adjustment the image based on the reference white points. In this method, by dynamically thresholding the chrominance values of the image in the white point detection, the processing is adaptive to each image for better image quality with less computational complexity.

A sinter powder containing a polyamide and metal soaps, in particular particles of a salt of an alkanemonocarboxylic acid. A process for laser sintering, and to moldings produced from the sinter powder. The moldings formed using the powder have advantages in appearance and in surface finish when recyclability in the selective laser sintering (SLS) process is taken into account. Moldings produced from recycled sinter powder have improved mechanical properties, in particular in the modulus of elasticity and tensile strain at break.

A system and method of optimizing storage of common data blocks within a networked storage system comprises receiving a data block to be stored in the networked storage system, analyzing contents of the received data block to determine how many copies of the data block the system is entrusted to store and how many copies of the data block existing within the system, and to identify a location of each copy of the data block within the system, identifying performance and reliability requirements of the system, determining an optimal number of copies of the received data block to store in the system, wherein the determination is made according to a number of copies of the data block the system is entrusted to store together with the identified performance and reliability requirements of the system, and maintaining the optimal number of copies of the received data block within the system.