2835 results about "Cycle time" patented technology

A system for reprocessing flexible endoscopes having lumen therein. The reprocessing system deploys steam to disinfect and / or sterilize the endoscopes, and designs, components, and methods for reducing or balancing the reprocessing cycle time and the effects of thermal expansion and contraction on the endoscopes.

Integrated circuits, the key components in thousands of electronic and computer products, are generally built layer by layer on a silicon substrate. One common layer-formation technique, known as chemical-vapor deposition (CVD), produces uneven layers and covers vertical surfaces poorly. An emergent technique, atomic-layer deposition, overcomes these shortcomings, but has others, such as slow deposition rates and longer than desirable cycle times, particularly as applied to deposition of aluminum oxide. Accordingly, the inventors devised unique atomic-layer deposition systems, methods, and apparatus suitable for aluminum-oxide deposition. One exemplary system includes an outer chamber, a substrate holder, and a gas-distribution fixture that engages or cooperates with the substrate holder to form an inner chamber within the outer chamber. The inner chamber has a smaller volume than the outer chamber, which ultimately requires less time to fill and purge and thus promises to reduce cycle times for deposition of materials, such as aluminum oxide.

The invention concerns methods and instruments for fast, selective replication of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) from biomaterial through the known polymerase chain reaction (PCR), working in individual duplication thermocycles. The invention consists of extremely brief cycle times of only a few seconds for the PCR reactions, generated, on the one hand, by reaction chambers for the reception of the reaction solution constructed of a pattern of fine capillaries in close proximity to heating and cooling elements in order to optimally accelerate the temperature setting in the reaction solution for the three temperature phases of the PCR duplication cycles and, on the other hand, by keeping the flow rates in the capillaries to a minimum during the amplification phase so that the polymerase reaction is not disturbed. The capillary pattern can be simply produced by means of microsystern technology.

A lighting device includes a DC / DC power converter, a controller / processor electrically connected to the DC / DC power converter, a light emitting diode (LED) current control circuit communicably coupled to the controller / processor and electrically connected to the DC / DC power converter, and two or more LEDs comprising at least a first color LED and a second color LED electrically connected to the LED current control circuit. The LED current control circuit provides an on / off signal having a cycle time to each LED in response to one or more control signals received from the controller / processor such that the two or more LEDs produce a blended light having a specified color based on how long each LED is turned ON and / or OFF during the cycle time.

Different periods of an ALD cycle are performed using different purge flows and, in some cases, different pumping capacities, while maintaining the reactor chamber at a nominally constant pressure. The purge flows may, in some cases, utilize different gasses and / or may be provided through different flow paths. These operations provide for ALD cycle time improvements and economical operation with respect to consumables usage. In some embodiments the use of an annular throttle valve provides a means for controlling downstream flow limiting conductances in a gas flow path from the reactor chamber.

A monitor for an electric arc welder as the welder performs a selected arc welding process by creating actual welding parameters, such as arc current and arc voltage, between an advancing welding wire and a workpiece, where the process involves an arc and is defined by a series of rapidly repeating wave shapes constituting a weld cycle with a cycle time, the wave shapes are each segmented into time states having command signals corresponding to the actual parameters and a time duration. The monitor selects a specific wave shape state, reads one of the actual parameters, compares the actual read parameter with a function of the command signal corresponding to the actual parameter, and uses-the comparison to generate a characteristic of the welding process during the selected state.

A portfolio selector technique is described for selecting publicly traded companies to include in a stock market portfolio. The technique is based on a technology score derived from the patent indicators of a set of technology companies with significant patent portfolios. Typical patent indicators may include citation indicators that measure the impact of patented technology on later technology, Technology Cycle Time that measures the speed of innovation of companies, and science linkage that measures leading edge tendencies of companies. Patent indicators measure the effect of quality technology on the company's future performance. The selector technique creates a scoring equation that weights each indicator such that the companies can be scored and ranked based on a combination of patent indicators. The score is then used to select the top ranked companies for inclusion in a stock portfolio. After a fixed period of time, as new patents are issued, the scores are recomputed such that the companies can be re-ranked and the portfolio adjusted to include new companies with higher scores and to eliminate companies in the current portfolio which have dropped in score. A portfolio of the top 10-25 companies using this method and a relatively simple scoring equation has been shown to greatly exceed the S&P 500 and other indexes in price gain over a ten year period.

A method of modulating communications signals, such as optical fiber, wired electronic, or wireless signals in a manner that facilitates automatic correction for the signal distortion effects of echoes and frequency shifts, while still allowing high rates of data transmission. Data symbols intended for transmission are distributed into N×N matrices, and used to weigh or modulate a family of cyclically time shifted and cyclically frequency shifted waveforms. Although these waveforms may then be distorted during transmission, their basic cyclic time and frequency repeating structure facilitates use of improved receivers with deconvolution devices that can utilize the repeating patterns to correct for these distortions. The various waveforms may be sent in N time blocks at various time spacing and frequency spacing combinations in a manner that can allow interleaving of blocks from different transmitters. Applications to channel sounding / characterization, system optimization, and also radar are also discussed.

An exemplary apparatus embodiment provides for controlling current supplied to solid state lighting, such as light emitting diodes. An exemplary apparatus comprises a memory adapted to store a plurality of current parameters; and a control circuit adapted to modulate an energizing cycle time period for providing a substantially constant DC average current to the solid state lighting in response to a selected current parameter of the plurality of current parameters. In an exemplary embodiment, the control circuit modulates a current provided to the solid state lighting in response to a predetermined minimum current level (IMIN) parameter and a predetermined peak current level (IP) parameter, such that the DC average current level (IO) is substantially proportional to one-half of a sum of a predetermined peak current level (“IP”) and a predetermined minimum current levelIM(IO∝IP+IMIN2).

Cardiac electroporation ablation systems and methods in which pulsed, high voltage energy is delivered to induce electroporation of cells of cardiac tissue followed by cell rupturing. In some embodiments, the delivered energy is biphasic, having a cycle time of not more than 500 microseconds.

A method and system for performing garbage collection in a memory is disclosed. Aspects of the exemplary embodiment include dividing garbage collection into atomic operations, including read, write, and block erase; storing read cycle times, write cycle times, and block erase cycle times of the memory; receiving a communication from a processor indicating at least one idle period when an application executing on the processor will not make a request of the memory, wherein the communication indicates a time duration of the at least one idle period; and in response, performing at least one of the garbage collection atomic operations within the time duration, whereby garbage collection can be performed during the at least one idle period, rather than when the memory is substantially full.

The invention provides a wireless control system for a bicycle, including at least one shift actuator generating an input signal when actuated and a master control unit transmitting a shift signal responsive to the input signal. At least one electromechanical gear changer is provided and includes a gear changer control unit. The gear changer control unit receives the shift signal from the master control unit and controls the at least one electromechanical gear changer corresponding to the received shift signal. The gear changer control unit listens for the shift signal during a part of an awake mode cycle time, the master control unit transmitting the shift signal for a message duration time which is greater than the awake mode cycle time.

In a method, device, and computer-readable medium for finite capacity scheduling, heuristic rules are applied in two integrated stages: Job Prioritization and Machine Selection. During Job Prioritization (“JP”), jobs are prioritized based on a set of JP rules which are machine independent. During Machine Selection (“MS”), jobs are scheduled for execution at machines that are deemed to be best suited based on a set of MS rules. The two-stage approach allows scheduling goals to be achieved for performance measures relating to both jobs and machines. For example, machine utilization may be improved while product cycle time objectives are still met. Two user-configurable options, namely scheduling model (job shop or flow shop) and scheduling methodology (forward, backward, or bottleneck), govern the scheduling process. A memory may store a three-dimensional linked list data structure for use in scheduling work orders for execution at machines assigned to work centers.

A system, method, and computer program product for sharing bandwidth by a plurality of devices in a wireless personal area network or a wireless local area network. A media access control protocol frame includes a beacon signal sent from a coordinator including coordination information to each of the devices of the WPAN, an optional contention access period, and a contention free period that includes an additional shared period that is managed as a slot cycle time division multiple access period, a polling period, or as management period. The coordination information includes a device-unique start time indicator and a transmission duration defining a guaranteed time slot within the contention free period of the frame for each of the networked devices. Each of the network devices sleeps while not receiving the beacon and not transmitting data during their guaranteed time slot, thereby reducing power consumption as compared to slot cycle time division multiple access or polling schemes which require listening by all devices during the contention free period.

An information-processing apparatus, an information-processing method and a data recording medium which allow a display to be presented to the user. The apparatus, method, and medium allow the display of a cyclical time concept which includes nature, creatures and integration of pictures and comments and is based on a predetermined cycle typically including a sequence of transitions among the four seasons of spring, summer, autumn and winter, or of a day consisting of morning, afternoon, and night, or a cycle can also be a temperature or humidity cycle.

A module for a linear motor propulsion guideway contains a combination of linear motor propulsion, vehicle guidance, position sensing, communication, and vehicle or pallet running surface subcomponents. These are integrated during the manufacturing into a single component or module for ease of shipping and precision of installation at a site where the guideway is to be installed. A single manufacturing operation is used to position, affix, and encapsulate the selected subcomponent(s) in a module or modules. For example, the component(s) can be designed to be located in a plastic injection mold, typically, a reaction injection mold (RIM), which allows the subcomponent(s) to be positioned, aligned, and encapsulated in a single manufacturing step that has only a several minute cycle time. In this manner positional accuracy among the relationship of the subcomponent(s) can be maintained within a small tolerance (on the order of 0.25 mm) while costs remain very low.

A collaborative engineering environment (CEE) enables the effective capture, management, communication, and exploitation of all product related information to a project team. The systematic employment of this information offers substantial improvements in productivity, cost savings, cycle time reductions, product integrity, and lifetime supportability of the system. Advanced CEE capabilities exploit and leverage the engineering, architectural and technological expertise of enterprise subject matter experts (domain experts) across multiple complex systems development and integration activities. The CEE provides a tightly coupled process automation using reusable product elements for coupling information with engineering processes and ensuring adherence to repeatable and traceable engineering processes. A product catalog provides a single information management point for intrinsic complex product characteristics and facilitates the propagation of that information to engineering teams incorporating the complex product into their system designs. The intrinsic complex product characteristics are augmented with implementation specific information to fully describe the complex product in the system design.

A system and method for coordinating product inspection, repair and product maintenance features a proactive, data-driven process where industry-wide maintenance baselines, problems, frequency-of-occurrence data and best-in-class repair processes are identified in a central, secure, structured database environment and thereby where the safety and operational and economic impact of a problem can be evaluated and acted upon. Using industry-wide data provided by users, the present system and method will link repair and inspection finds (non-routines), reason codes and severity data related to potential safety, reliability, cycle time and cost implications with the root cause analysis and certified best inspection / repair / preventative process instructions, materials, tools and / or equipment. This information, combined with a maintenance provider's, manufacturer's and OEM's information, will greatly improve safety, reliability, cycle time and budget performance on repair, maintenance and inspection of equipment utilizing the present system and method.

This invention provides a method for the anodization of magnesium or magnesium based alloys using an electrolytic solution containing ammonia, amines or both. The use of such an aqueous electrolytic solution in at least preferred forms alters the conditions under which anodization can occur to provide a more than satisfactory coating on the magnesium material with reduced cycle times.

A method of modulating communications signals, such as optical fiber, wired electronic, or wireless signals in a manner that facilitates automatic correction for the signal distortion effects of echoes and frequency shifts, while still allowing high rates of data transmission. Data symbols intended for transmission are distributed into N×N matrices, and used to weigh or modulate a family of cyclically time shifted and cyclically frequency shifted waveforms. Although these waveforms may then be distorted during transmission, their basic cyclic time and frequency repeating structure facilitates use of improved receivers with deconvolution devices that can utilize the repeating patterns to correct for these distortions. The various waveforms may be sent in N time blocks at various time spacing and frequency spacing combinations in a manner that can allow interleaving of blocks from different transmitters. Applications to channel sounding / characterization, system optimization, and also radar are also discussed.

Two-component systems are described which are suitable for underlining, adhesive bonding of the crimped fold and sealing of auto body sections, particularly for crimped fold sealing of add-on vehicle parts. The two-component systems attain the requisite grip strength for mounting the add-on parts on the body as well as the requisite strength and dimensional stability for the production process up to and with the CIP passage, within the predetermined cycle time, on the basis of cross-linking of the sealant composition twice. In one embodiment, the surface of the two-component system is pre-cross-linked by a UV-induced reaction and by the cross-linking of the two-component system to the extent of portability. In addition, two-component systems are described which cross-link intentionally only partially up to a consistency that permits a rugged course of the process through cleaning baths and which harden completely only by means of a further hardening process, for instance in the CIP forced circulation oven.

The average propylene cycle yield of an oxygenate to propylene (OTP) process using a dual-function oxygenate conversion catalyst is substantially enhanced by the use of a combination of: 1) moving bed reactor technology in the catalytic OTP reaction step in lieu of the fixed bed technology of the prior art; 2) a separate heavy olefin interconversion step using moving bed technology and operating at an inlet temperature at least 15° C. higher than the maximum temperature utilized in the OTP reaction step; 3) C2 olefin recycle to the OTP reaction step; and 4) a catalyst on-stream cycle time of 700 hours or less. These provisions hold the build-up of coke deposits on the catalyst to a level which does not substantially degrade dual-function catalyst activity, oxygenate conversion and propylene selectivity, thereby enabling maintenance of average propylene cycle yield for each cycle near or at essentially start-of-cycle levels.

The present inventors devised unique atomic-layer deposition systems, methods, and apparatus suitable for aluminum-oxide deposition. One exemplary method entails providing an outer chamber enclosing a substrate, forming an inner chamber within the outer chamber, and introducing an oxidant into the inner chamber, and introducing an aluminum precursor into the inner chamber. The inner chamber has a smaller volume than the outer chamber, which ultimately requires less time to fill and purge and thus promises to reduce cycle times for deposition of materials, such as aluminum oxide.

A breast pump system for obtaining breast milk is provided. The system sealingly separates the air flow from the breast milk and uses a single air tube for both positive pressure and negative pressure to be applied to a woman's breast. The breast pump can have a piston / cylinder device for generating pressure that allows a user to control suction and cycle time.

The multi-layer film structure having an inner sealing layer which comprises metallocene resin, a core which includes polypropylene copolymer and an outer layer and wherein the multi-layer film structure has a thickness within a range between about 50 and 70 microns (2.0-2.75 mil). By utilizing this thin film with specific properties the sealers may be operated at lower temperatures thereby resulting in an energy saving and they produce seals having improved seal strength of 30% to 50% as compared with known prior mono-layer polyethylene film. The seal initiation temperature is reduced by 10° C. to 15° C. and the film exhibits an improved machine direction tensile strength of 25% to 40% and an improvement of 30% to 50% in puncture resistance as compared with a 76 microns (3 mil) mono-layer polyethylene film. This results in a reduction in the sealing cycle time and an increase in the throughput of the machine. This results in a liquid pouch having a substantial improvement in drop test performance, puncture resistance and seal strength. The machine accomplishes better seals with less energy, requires less downtime for roll changes and maintenance and increase throughput.

A method and a switching router for simple scheduling of realtime data telegrams with calculable load-insensitive cycle times. A transmission cycle (4) is subdivided into three phases. In a first phase (1), only realtime data telegrams are sent; in a second phase (2), realtime and non-realtime data telegrams are sent; and in a third phase (3), the transmission of long non-realtime data telegrams is suppressed. Short filler telegrams can be sent during the phase (3). This ensures that data transmission of the realtime data telegrams will proceed smoothly. Transmission in certain phases is regulated by the priorities assigned to the data telegrams.

A method of sterilizing an article by sequentially exposing the article to hydrogen peroxide and ozone is disclosed. The article is exposed under vacuum first to an evaporated aqueous solution of hydrogen peroxide and subsequently to an ozone containing gas. The exposure is carried out without reducing the water vapor content of the sterilization atmosphere, the water vapor content being derived from the aqueous solvent of the hydrogen peroxide solution and from the decomposition of the hydrogen peroxide into water and oxygen. The complete sterilization process is carried out while the chamber remains sealed and without removal of any component of the sterilization atmosphere. For this purpose, the chamber is initially evacuated to a first vacuum pressure sufficient to cause evaporation of the aqueous hydrogen peroxide at the temperature of the chamber atmosphere. The chamber is then sealed for the remainder of the sterilization process and during all sterilant injection cycles. Keeping the chamber sealed and maintaining the hydrogen peroxide and its decomposition products in the chamber for the subsequent ozone sterilization step results in a synergistic increase in the sterilization efficiency and allows for the use of much lower sterilant amounts and sterilization cycle times than would be expected from using hydrogen peroxide and ozone in combination.

A system and method for evaluating the use of a welding process for welding a weld joint. The method comprises providing a user with requests for data to enable a processor-based system to establish various attributes of welding a specific weld joint using a specific welding process. The various attributes may include the cost of welding the weld joint using the welding process. The various attributes may include the cycle time for welding the weld joint using the welding process. The system comprises a program operable to direct the processor-based system to request data from a user and to process the requested data received from the user to enable a processor-based system to establish various attributes of welding a specific weld joint using a specific welding process.

An end user control configuration (EUC) system with dynamic user interface provides a user friendly tool for consumers to self-provision and manage network services such as Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services. The EUC system dynamically generates graphical user interface (GUI) renderings that assist users in the completion of tasks related to provisioning, and managing network services. The EUC system allows telecommunication service providers to effectively hide the complexity of operational support systems (OSS) and the network elements that deliver the network services. The EUC system solves the technical problems of reducing the cycle-time to self-provision network services, assisting users to complete the tasks required to activate, and manage network services, and actually activating and managing the network services.