104 results about "Brief periods" patented technology

The invention relates to instant messaging communications, and more particularly to overlaid messages, e.g. texts, graphics, images, animations, movies, or any combination of them, with or without sounds, that are delivered from a sender's instant message client to at least one recipient's instant message client. Typically, such overlaid messages are displayed for a brief period of time and often overlaid on the session window, or on any chosen area of the client system screen, and may be displayed for longer time in the transcript of the communications usually small-sized or, for example, otherwise transformed, represented, or indicated.

Method and apparatus for detecting or suppressing electrical arcing or other abnormal change in the electrical impedance of a load connected to a power source. Preferably the load is a plasma chamber used for manufacturing electronic components such as semiconductors and flat panel displays. Arcing is detected by monitoring one or more sensors. Each sensor either responds to a characteristic of the electrical power being supplied by an electrical power source to the plasma or is coupled to the plasma chamber so as to respond to an electromagnetic condition within the chamber. Arcing is suppressed by reducing the power output for a brief period. Then the power source increases its power output, preferably to its original value. If the arcing resumes, the power source repeats the steps of reducing and then restoring the power output.

A system and method is provided for automatically reading meters, such as utility meters. A camera unit is attached to or otherwise associated with an existing meter. From time to time, either automatically, or upon wireless command, the camera unit takes an image of the meter's readings, and communicates wirelessly the image or image data, to a local area receiver. The images can be transmitted immediately, or stored for later transmission, depending on the network protocol. The camera unit is battery powered, and operates communication protocols that enable extended operational life. These protocols allow for the camera's radio and processor to be turned on only when necessary, and then for only brief periods of time. At most times, the camera is in a power-conserving sleep mode. Multiple camera units may be arranged to communicate meter image data to the local area receiver, either using asynchronous or synchronous processes. In this way, star, point-to-point, MESH and ring networking topologies are enabled. The meter image data is communicated from the receiver to a central office using a wide area connection, where the image data is used for determining the meter reading. In one example, the image may be included with a utility bill as confirmed evidence of the current meter reading.

A main circuit of a three-level active neutral point clamped voltage source converter having a pair of additional main switches provides two paths between an output node and a neutral point in which one of the paths involves only switches of an inner pair of switches that are operated at a high frequency. An auxiliary circuit operating at a high frequency for only a brief period during each high frequency switching cycle selects the path involving only the inner switches and provides operation with zero voltage switching and avoids reverse recovery of diodes connected antiparallel with the main and additional main switches. Accordingly, turn-on switching losses in the main switches is avoided and the voltage source converter can be operated at increased frequency to allow reduction in size of magnetic components and full potential power transfer to be achieved.

An autonomous guided parachute system for cargo drops that divides the requirements of guidance and soft landing into separate parachutes. Said invention includes a high wing-loaded ram air parachute for guidance, a larger round parachute for soft landing, a harness / container system, flight computer, position sensors and actuation system. The system is dropped from an airplane. A predetermined period of drogue fall ensures a stable position prior to deploying the guidance parachute. The flight controller determines a heading to intersect with an area substantially above the desired target and controls the guidance parachute via pneumatic actuators connected to the parachutes steering lines to fly on that heading. At a minimum altitude prior to the system's impact with the ground the flight computer transitions the system from the fast high performance guidance parachute to a larger landing parachute by releasing the guidance parachute to static line extract and deploy the landing parachute. If the system reaches a position substantially above target area prior to the parachute transition altitude the flight computer controls the system into a spiral dive or other rapid altitude dropping maneuver until the transition altitude is reached. Once transitioned to the landing parachute the system descends for a brief period unguided under the landing parachute until touchdown.

According to various embodiments, a resistive-switching memory element and memory element array that uses a bipolar switching includes a select element comprising only a single diode that is not a Zener diode. The resistive-switching memory elements described herein can switch even when a switching voltage less than the breakdown voltage of the diode is applied in the reverse-bias direction of the diode. The memory elements are able to switch during the very brief period when a transient pulse voltage is visible to the memory element, and therefore can use a single diode per memory cell.

The present invention provides a torsional energy control assembly and method for eliminating slip-stick and / or drill bit oscillations comprising axial and / or rotational oscillations. In one preferred embodiment, the assembly permits slippage between an upper portion of the drilling string and a lower portion of a drill string. The rotational control assembly may be installed at any desired position in the drill string. The rotational control assembly could also be utilized as a component of other drilling mechanisms such as a downhole drilling motor. The rotational control permits slippage while drilling for a selected time or selected rotational distance or other criteria to thereby release torsional energy in the drilling string which otherwise may produce damaging slip-stick torsional oscillations such as slip-stick. The rotational control assembly may, in one embodiment, comprise an on-off clutch whereby torque is either substantially completely transmitted or substantially not transmitted through the assembly for brief periods.

To provide a computer system capable of fast failover so that a service is stopped only for a brief period of time from a failure in a first site. The computer system includes a primary site for regular operation and a secondary site that operating when the primary site fails. A primary storage and a secondary storage have a synchronization unit to make contents stored in the primary storage and contents stored in the secondary storage identical to each other. A client has a cache for recording address information (e.g. DNS) that gives the client an access to the server from which the service is provided and information that defines a time to live of the address information. A first server has a primary request log processing unit, which instructs the client to shorten the recorded time to live of the address information when communication with the secondary site is detected to be impossible.

Method and apparatus for detecting or suppressing electrical arcing or other abnormal change in the electrical impedance of a load connected to a power source. Preferably the load is a plasma chamber used for manufacturing electronic components such as semiconductors and flat panel displays. Arcing is detected by monitoring one or more sensors. Each sensor either responds to a characteristic of the electrical power being supplied by an electrical power source to the plasma or is coupled to the plasma chamber so as to respond to an electromagnetic condition within the chamber. Arcing is suppressed by reducing the power output for a brief period. Then the power source increases its power output, preferably to its original value. If the arcing resumes, the power source repeats the steps of reducing and then restoring the power output.

A method and corresponding device are described for combating microbes and infections by delivering intermittent high doses of nitric oxide to a mammal for a period of time and which cycles between high and low concentration of nitric oxide gas. The high concentration of nitric oxide is preferably delivered intermittently for brief periods of time that are interspersed with periods of time with either no nitric oxide delivery or lower concentrations of nitric oxide. The method is advantageous because at higher concentration, nitric oxide gas overwhelms the defense mechanism of pathogens that use the mammalian body to replenish their thiol defense system. A lower dose or concentration of nitric oxide gas delivered in between the bursts of high concentration nitric oxide maintains nitrosative stress pressure on the pathogens and also reduces the risk of toxicity of nitric oxide gas.

An energy storage unit has several storage elements (2, 2′) which are switched in series and a charge redistribution circuit (6, 6′). The latter is installed in such a manner that the voltage of the storage element (UELn, UEln′) is measured and compared with a voltage threshold value (UTHRn, UTHR, UTHRn′, UTHR′). When the threshold value is exceeded by a storage element, it removes charge from said storage element, thus reducing its voltage. According to one aspect, a storage-related temperature determination is conducted, and the threshold value is set variably in dependence on the determined temperature (Tn, T) in such a manner that it is reduced as the temperature increases. According to a further aspect, the threshold value is set variably in dependence on the current vehicle operating state, in such a manner that it is set higher for relatively brief periods of time when the storage or removal requirement is relatively high. According to an additional further aspect, the threshold value is set lower for storage elements with a relatively advanced age than for those with a less advanced age.

According to various embodiments, a resistive-switching memory element and memory element array that uses a bipolar switching includes a select element comprising only a single diode that is not a Zener diode. The resistive-switching memory elements described herein can switch even when a switching voltage less than the breakdown voltage of the diode is applied in the reverse-bias direction of the diode. The memory elements are able to switch during the very brief period when a transient pulse voltage is visible to the memory element, and therefore can use a single diode per memory cell.

The present invention involves a dynamic brake for use in a peristaltic (i.e., roller) pump. The dynamic brake avoids backlash, due to counter rotation. In addition, it does not preclude the option of hand operating the roller pump. This is achieved by initiating the braking operation after the roller pump set-point has been set to zero and only after the roller pump has decelerated below a predefined speed (e.g., 20 rpm). In addition, the braking operation is activated for only a very brief period of time (i.e., a period of time required for the pressure in the roller pump fluid conduit to subside).

A portable system for air separation or air dehydration, or both, is carried on a truck or equivalent vehicle. The air separation system includes, at a minimum, a feed compressor and a gas separation membrane. The air dehydration system includes a feed compressor and an air dehydration membrane. The feed compressor receives power from the engine of the vehicle, only when the vehicle is not moving under its own power. Heat from the vehicle engine may also be used to heat the compressed air stream to prevent the formation of water. The system can also be used to perform air dehydration and air separation simultaneously. The system is substantially self-contained, and can be easily driven from one location to another, simply by driving the vehicle to another location. The invention is especially useful in providing air separation or air dehydration services, or both, for relatively brief periods, at multiple locations.

A method and corresponding device are described for combating microbes and infections by delivering intermittent high doses of nitric oxide to a mammal for a period of time and which cycles between high and low concentration of nitric oxide gas. The high concentration of nitric oxide is preferably delivered intermittently for brief periods of time that are interspersed with periods of time with either no nitric oxide delivery or lower concentrations of nitric oxide. The method is advantageous because at higher concentration, nitric oxide gas overwhelms the defense mechanism of pathogens that use the mammalian body to replenish their thiol defense system. A lower dose or concentration of nitric oxide gas delivered in between the bursts of high concentration nitric oxide maintains nitrosative stress pressure on the pathogens and also reduces the risk of toxicity of nitric oxide gas.

The adhesion of a barrier or capping layer to a Cu or Cu alloy interconnect member is significantly enhanced by treating the exposed surface of the Cu or Cu alloy interconnect member, after CMP, in a reaction chamber with a plasma containing ammonia and nitrogen for a brief period of time to reduce the surface oxide and then introducing silane into the reaction chamber to deposit the barrier layer, e.g., silicon nitride, under high density plasma conditions in the presence of nitrogen. The presence of nitrogen during plasma oxide layer reduction and plasma barrier layer deposition significantly improves adhesion of the barrier layer to the Cu or Cu alloy surface.

This invention relates to an apparatus to aid drivers by delaying the onset of drowsiness and its tendency toward slow response time and brief periods of micro sleep. The preferred embodiment uses two thermoelectric modules mounted on a belt and positioned under the armpits. The modules are most effective when placed in contact with the skin but still effective if placed over light clothing. Manual activation of the unit is preferred but it has input for optional head tilt sensor or eyelid closure sensor. It quietly alarms by sequentially cooling one of the thermoelectric modules while the other thermoelectric module is warmed slightly above body temperature. The sequential pulse driving cycle is controlled by a remote timer located in a small enclosure which is powered from a cigarette lighter plug. The drive signal duration and thus the level of alarm is controlled with a multi-position control on the enclosure.

The present invention provides a torsional energy control assembly and method for eliminating slip-stick and / or drill bit oscillations comprising axial and / or rotational oscillations. In one preferred embodiment, the assembly permits slippage between an upper portion of the drilling string and a lower portion of a drill string. The rotational control assembly may be installed at any desired position in the drill string. The rotational control assembly could also be utilized as a component of other drilling mechanisms such as a downhole drilling motor. The rotational control permits slippage while drilling for a selected time or selected rotational distance or other criteria to thereby release torsional energy in the drilling string which otherwise may produce damaging slip-stick torsional oscillations such as slip-stick. The rotational control assembly may, in one embodiment, comprise an on-off clutch whereby torque is either substantially completely transmitted or substantially not transmitted through the assembly for brief periods.

A system and method is provided for automatically reading meters, such as utility meters. A camera unit is attached to or otherwise associated with an existing meter. From time to time, either automatically, or upon wireless command, the camera unit takes an image of the meter's readings, and communicates wirelessly the image or image data, to a local area receiver. The images can be transmitted immediately, or stored for later transmission, depending on the network protocol. The camera unit is battery powered, and operates communication protocols that enable extended operational life. These protocols allow for the camera's radio and processor to be turned on only when necessary, and then for only brief periods of time. At most times, the camera is in a power-conserving sleep mode. Multiple camera units may be arranged to communicate meter image data to the local area receiver, either using asynchronous or synchronous processes. In this way, star, point-to-point, MESH and ring networking topologies are enabled. The meter image data is communicated from the receiver to a central office using a wide area connection, where the image data is used for determining the meter reading. In one example, the image may be included with a utility bill as confirmed evidence of the current meter reading.

The present invention is a motorized shopping cart retriever that includes a controller that attenuates the power provided to the drive system of the retriever to prevent the retriever from being utilized to move an excessively heavy load of shopping carts. By preventing the retriever and carts from being subjected to overloaded conditions, the operational lives of the retriever and carts are maximized. The retriever is also provided with a burst mode that allows the power provided to the drive system to rapidly increase past the normal attenuated level for a brief period of time in order to reduce the time required to accelerate a retriever loaded with carts to a terminal velocity.

Systems and methods are disclosed that facilitate sensing a pulse in a ballast circuit for a lamp when the lamp is in an end-of-life (EOL) stage or when the lamp is experiencing an arcing conduction condition, such as may occur when a contact between the lamp and its holder is compromised. Upon sensing the pulse, a microcontroller may distinguish between EOL and arcing conditions based on detected pulse width(s), and may initiate an appropriate response. For instance, if the pulse is due to an arcing event, the microcontroller may interrupt lamp operation for a brief period before restarting the lamp to mitigate the arcing condition. If the pulse is caused by an EOL condition, the microcontroller may place the lamp in a preheat or restarting mode to hasten lamp failure. In either case, responses to the sensed pulse mitigate the occurrence of dangerously high lamp temperatures that may damage lamp sockets.

An autonomous guided parachute system for cargo drops that divides the requirements of guidance and soft landing into separate parachutes. Said invention includes a high wing-loaded ram air parachute for guidance, a larger round parachute for soft landing, a harness / container system, flight computer, position sensors and actuation system. The system is dropped from an airplane. A predetermined period of drogue fall ensures a stable position prior to deploying the guidance parachute. The flight controller determines a heading to intersect with an area substantially above the desired target and controls the guidance parachute via pneumatic actuators connected to the parachutes steering lines to fly on that heading. At a minimum altitude prior to the system's impact with the ground the flight computer transitions the system from the fast high performance guidance parachute to a larger landing parachute by releasing the guidance parachute to static line extract and deploy the landing parachute. If the system reaches a position substantially above target area prior to the parachute transition altitude the flight computer controls the system into a spiral dive or other rapid altitude dropping maneuver until the transition altitude is reached. Once transitioned to the landing parachute the system descends for a brief period unguided under the landing parachute until touchdown.

To provide a computer system capable of fast failover so that a service is stopped only for a brief period of time from a failure in a first site. The computer system includes a primary site for regular operation and a secondary site that operating when the primary site fails. A primary storage and a secondary storage have a synchronization unit to make contents stored in the primary storage and contents stored in the secondary storage identical to each other. A client has a cache for recording address information (e.g. DNS) that gives the client an access to the server from which the service is provided and information that defines a time to live of the address information. A first server has a primary request log processing unit, which instructs the client to shorten the recorded time to live of the address information when communication with the secondary site is detected to be impossible.

A Continuous Data Beaming System that is capable of continuously and automatically beaming data by direct transmission from one Host Device (source device or "beaming station") to another Remote Device (receiver device) every time the receiver needs the data. The Host Device constantly searches to find an IrOBEX compliant Remote Device, checks availability for an infrared connection, completes the connection to the Remote Device and transfers a data object through the respective infrared ports. If a failure occurs during any of the foregoing steps, the program automatically returns to searching. This progresses in an infinite loop, thereby accomplishing continuous, wireless, infrared data transmission. During the continuous transmission, no Remote Device other than BeamMaster can interrupt the continuous beaming. The BeamMaster Device allows the system to halt for a brief period, thirty seconds or less, so that files or data objects may be swapped. Continuous beaming resumes once the files are swapped or the time has expired. The Host Device automatically transmits data to the receiver device every time a receiver shows up and needs the data, thereby effectively achieving one-touch wireless synchronization.

A catalytic partial oxidizer (30) provides syngas (hydrogen and carbon monoxide) to an apparatus intermittently using syngas such as valves (34) feeding NOx traps (35), for brief periods of time. During turndown times when syngas is not being used, either the output of the CPO is diverted (33) to the inlet (13) of an engine (12) through the engine gas recycle (EGR) system (43-46), or the amount of fuel (19) and exhaust (23) applied to the CPO is reduced (24, 26; 59, 60) so that the CPO merely stays warm and in a reduced state, thereby being ready to restart immediately. A mini-CPO (62) may provide syngas and heat to the major CPO (30) during the turndown time when syngas is not being used by the NOx traps.

The present invention is a motorized shopping cart retriever that includes a controller that attenuates the power provided to the drive system of the retriever to prevent the retriever from being utilized to move an excessively heavy load of shopping carts. By preventing the retriever and carts from being subjected to overloaded conditions, the operational lives of the retriever and carts are maximized. The retriever is also provided with a burst mode that allows the power provided to the drive system to rapidly increase past the normal attenuated level for a brief period of time in order to reduce the time required to accelerate a retriever loaded with carts to a terminal velocity.

A composition for coating a surface comprises an adhesive cementitious material such as a geopolymer, a kaolin, or mixtures thereof, and a filler material. Various filler materials are disclosed, with which the coating composition may be used for thermal mapping, oxygen protection to organic dopants, thermal protection, radiation protection, anti-tamper protection, mechanical abrasion protection, or high emission of electromagnetic radiation. With certain fillers, the coating composition remains thermally stable up to 1200° C., and / or remains thermally operable for brief periods up to about 1400° C. When the coating composition includes a wetting agent, and the filler is between 0.01 micrometer and 10 micrometers in size, the coating composition can take the form of an aqueous spray. With certain fillers, the coating composition can cure at a temperature below 100° C. The coating composition can also be a thick film which provides resistance to cracking and peeling during severe thermal exposure.

Two excimer lasers have individual pulsing circuits each including a storage capacitor which is charged and then discharged through a pulse transformer to generate an electrical pulse, which is delivered to the laser to generate a light pulse. The time between generation of the electrical pulse and creation of the light pulse is dependent on the charged voltage of the capacitor. The capacitors are charged while disconnected from each other. The generation of the electrical pulses is synchronized by connecting the capacitors together for a brief period after the capacitors are charged to equalize the charging voltages. The capacitors are disconnected from each other before they are discharged.