318 results about "Rate of increase" patented technology

Stationary and on-board battery chargers, methods of charging batteries, electric-vehicle chargers, and vehicles with chargers, including electric vehicles and hybrid electric vehicles. Chargers may automatically charge at the correct battery voltage for various types of batteries. Chargers have variable AC power supplies controlled by digital controllers, isolation transformers, and rectifiers. Transformers may be foil-type, and may have copper foil. Power supplies may be variable-frequency generators and the controllers may control the frequency. Electric vehicle chargers may have card readers, and vehicles may have batteries and a charger. Methods of charging include identifying the battery type and gradually increasing the charging at different rates of increase while monitoring charging voltage, charging current, or both, until a current lid is reached. Charging may occur at constant current and then at constant voltage.

Stationary and on-board battery chargers, methods of charging batteries, electric-vehicle chargers, and vehicles with chargers, including electric vehicles and hybrid electric vehicles. Chargers may automatically charge at the correct battery voltage for various types of batteries. Chargers have variable AC power supplies controlled by digital controllers, isolation transformers, and rectifiers. Transformers may be foil-type, and may have copper foil. Power supplies may be variable-frequency generators and the controllers may control the frequency. Use of the variable frequency generator supply facilitates reduced component size and weight and better battery charging performance. Electric vehicle chargers may have card readers, and vehicles may have batteries and a charger. Methods of charging include identifying the battery type and gradually increasing the charging at different rates of increase while monitoring charging voltage, charging current, or both, until a current lid is reached. Charging may occur at constant current and then at constant voltage.

The present invention is an inexpensive, hand-held, and easy to operate millimeter-wave detection device that employs a non-imaging sensor which radiates a pulse of millimeter waves of a certain amplitude and frequency towards a target located at a distance from the detection device. The sensor receives pulses of millimeter waves that are reflected from the target and generates a voltage waveform that is characteristic mainly of the target material, while other parameters such as distance to the target are known. The processor of the detection device measures both the peak voltage and the rate of increase of the voltage until it reaches the maximum. Using an algorithm stored in a software module, the deviation between the rate of the voltage rise and the peak voltage is compared with values of similar parameters for a number of test targets made of different materials that were previously collected and stored in a calibration table in the memory of the device. A concealed object, e.g. a weapon, is positively identified when the measured voltage rise is found to be similar to one of the stored voltage rises. The circuitry of the detection device generates a visual and / or audio output to a display device which is indicative to the operator as to whether a concealed object is present and, if a match is found with the data in the calibration table, the nature of the concealed object is also displayed. In addition to the basic mode of operation described, various other operation modes can be employed with the detection device of the invention.

The present invention provides a system and method for facilitating a second party account with employer merchant or sponsor control of one or more spending limits. An exemplary system facilitates provision of funds to a second party and control of the spending of second party by an employer or sponsor through establishment or modification of one or more spending limits. Exemplary spending limits may be configured for modifying a spending capacity so as to affect, for example, amount per transaction, per day, during a predetermined time period, at a particular merchant, at a particular chain of merchants, at a type of industry, in accordance with a predetermined rate of increase or decrease over time, number of transactions during any time period and / or any combination thereof. All unspent monies to include but not limited to cash, credit, goods, services, award points and consumer experiences are returned to the first party.

In fuel injector including an accumulator and an intensifier, fuel is injected such that an injection control valve and a piston control valve are individually controlled, an operational phase difference therebetween is regulated, and at least one of a maximum injection pressure, a rate of increase of an injection pressure at the start of an increase of pressure, a rate of decrease of the injection pressure at the completion of injection, a pilot injection pressure, and an after injection pressure of fuel injected from a fuel injection nozzle is arbitrarily changed. Namely, a pressure during a movement from a base common rail pressure of the accumulator to a static maximum pressure statically determined by an operation of the intensifier is positively used as a control factor of injection, whereby a fuel injection pattern can be implemented with an extremely high degree of freedom.

In deviation prevention support ECU 10 in driving operation support system 1, an applied torque by steering torque applier 17 is set based on a vehicle speed of a vehicle. The applied torque is set to increase with increase of the vehicle speed. An upper limit according to the vehicle speed is set for this applied torque. Furthermore, in a Start interval in application of the applied torque, a rate of increasing to reach a maximum is determined according to the maximum of the applied torque. In a Close interval, the applied torque is decreased at a rate different from that in the Start interval, and the absolute rate of increasing the torque in the Start interval is set to be larger than the absolute rate of decreasing the torque in the Close interval.

During downshifting, a control for restricting an output of an engine to constantly maintain electric power balance between a first electric motor and a second electric motor or a control for suppressing a rate of increase in engine rotational speed by a control on the engine, such as ignition timing retardation control or fuel injection amount reduction control, is executed to thereby allow torque of the second electric motor to be reduced during downshifting. In addition, the engine rotational speed is decreased before downshifting, and, after the engine rotational speed is decreased to a rotational speed at which a protection control is not activated, an automatic transmission downshifts. With the above control, it is possible to suppress an increase in rotational speed of the second electric motor during downshifting. Thus, shift shock may be suppressed, and the friction material of the frictional engagement element may be protected.

A method of battery charging includes a first step of collecting characteristic battery data of the battery. This characteristic battery data relates to charging characteristics of the battery and includes charging current rate, ambient temperature, battery voltage and state-of-charge of the battery. A full charge voltage of the battery is determined, which corresponds to a state of full charge of the battery. A stop-charge voltage is determined, this stop-charge voltage being below the full charge voltage and being a voltage above which the rate of increase of battery temperature begins to increase. The ambient temperature is determined, and a charging current rate is selected. The battery is charged until the stop-charge voltage is reached.

An apparatus for and method of detecting fires comprising detecting (with one or more detectors) levels of carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and smoke in an ambient environment, computing (using a processor) over time rates of increase of each of the levels, and generating an alarm if one or more of the rates of increase exceed predetermined threshold rates of increase.

The invention discloses a multi-objective-optimization-based power grid planning and designing method. An economy adaptability index, a reliability adaptability index and a geographic adaptability index are taken into a comprehensive account, and the reliability adaptability index is converted into an economic form, and is added into an objective function to optimize the comprehensive benefits of an optimization scheme; and moreover, the economy and the reliability of a planning scheme can be flexibly evaluated, and a deterministic relationship between cost input and the rate of increase of the reliability adaptability index can be accurately reflected, so that the planning cost of a power grid can be more accurately calculated.

A fire alarm system for graphically illustrating a fire alarm event is provided. The fire alarm system may receive fire alarm information from one or more fire sensors in a building, and may determine a rate of change of at least one aspect of the fire sensor. The rate of increase of temperature, the length that the fire sensor has been activated, the progression of the fire, etc. The rate of change may be graphically illustrated to enable the operator to quickly assess the fire alarm event. A fire alarm system, whose actions are modified by the rate of change of the fire alarm event, is also provided. Depending on the rate of change, one or more input devices (e.g., cameras or other sensors) one or more output devices (e.g., sprinklers, notification appliances, etc.) in the fire alarm system may be controlled.

An consumable electrode AC pulsed arc welding is performed by repeatedly executing a cycle of supplying a peak current Ip in an electrode positive polarity, then supplying an electrode negative current Ien in an electrode negative polarity and finally supplying a base current Ib in the electrode positive polarity. During a base current supply time, the rate of increase dVb / dt of the base voltage Vb is detected. Should the base voltage increase rate dVb / dt detected be larger than a predetermined determining value DELTAVu, it means that the arc interruption is likely to occur and, therefore, since that timing, the peak current Ip for the subsequent cycle is supplied to thereby prevent the arc interruption from occurring.

A servoventilator control slowly changes the target ventilation over a period of time, according to a preprogrammed schedule adapted to be set by the physician. Preferably, the target ventilation stays constant at an initial target ventilation for an initial hold time, and then increases at a constant rate until it reaches a final target ventilation, whereupon it stays constant thereafter. If the pressure support level is too high, possibly indicating glottic or upper airway closure, the rate of increase of target ventilation may be lowered or the final target ventilation not reached.

A filter is made with heat-insulating ceramic fibers, and where the filter is increased in pressure loss due to particulate matter captured after filtration of exhaust gas, gas flow is blocked, a heating element is used to heat the surface of the filter, thereby burning and removing particulate matter. The filter is of heat insulating properties, by which a heat insulating material is arranged near the particulate matter capturing face of the filter, and the heating element is incorporated between the surface of the filter and the heat insulating material. The filter can be regenerated at a higher heating efficiency in a smaller quantity of thermal energy. The heat insulating material is also used as a filter, by which the apparatus can be made more compact. A charging element is arranged upstream of the filter material, by which the filter material is increased in particulate matter capturing performance, thereby suppressing the rate of increase in the pressure loss and improving heating efficiency of particulate matter.

A fire detector and method of using it generate a fire alarm through use of a smoke detector and a carbon monoxide detector once the smoke detector detects a threshold level of light obscuration for greater than a first pre-selected time period or a reduced threshold level of light obscuration for greater than a second pre-selected time period or the CO detector detects a rate of increase in CO concentration which exceeds a first preselected CO rate for a third pre-selected time period and the smoke detector detects the reduced threshold level of light obscuration or the rate of increase in CO concentration exceeds a second preselected CO rate for a fourth pre-selected time period. The fire detector and method can also use a carbon dioxide detector and generate the fire alarm when either a rate is of increase in concentration of CO2 exceeds a first CO2 predetermined rate for a fifth pre-selected time period and the smoke detector detects a reduced threshold level of light obscuration or the rate of increase in concentration of CO2 exceeds a second CO2 predetermined rate for a sixth pre-selected time period.

High strength aluminum alloys based on the Al—Zn—Mg—Cu alloy system preferably include high levels of zinc and copper to provide increased tensile strength without sacrificing toughness. In addition, small amounts of scandium are also preferably employed to prevent recrystalization. Preferred ranges of the elements include by weight, 8.5-11.0% Zn, 1.8-2.4% Mg, 1.8-2.6% Cu, 0.05-0.30% Sc and at least one element from the group Zr, V, or Hf not exceeding about 0.5%, the balance substantially aluminum and incidental impurities. During formation of the alloys, a homogenization process is preferably employed after alloy ingot casting in which a slow rate of temperature increase is employed as the alloy is heated as near as possible to its melting temperature. For the last 20-30 F below the melting temperature, the rate of increase is limited to 20 F / hr. or less to minimize the amount of low melting point eutectic phases and thereby further enhance fracture toughness of the alloy.

An image forming apparatus includes a transfer device, a voltage applicator, a current sensor, and a discharge detector. The transfer device transfers a toner image from one surface to another by developing an electrical field across a transfer gap when provided with a transfer bias. The voltage applicator applies a stepped test voltage to the transfer device. The current sensor senses a current flowing to the transfer device during application of the test voltage the discharge detector detects an electrical discharge occurring in the transfer gap based on a rate of increase of the sensed current.

The invention discloses a power tube drive method and a power tube drive circuit. The power tube drive method and the power tube drive circuit are applied to a direct-current solid power controller. The power tube drive circuit comprises a charging and discharging constant current source, a corresponding control switch, a not gate, and a feedback capacitor connected between the grid electrode and the drain electrode of a power tube in a bridging mode. In the turning on and turning off process of the direct-current solid power controller, the constant current source is controlled to charge and discharge the feedback capacitor, and the feedback capacitor feeds voltages of the drain electrode and the source electrode of the power tube back to the power grid electrode. The invention further discloses the direct-current solid power controller comprising the power drive circuit. According to the power tube drive method and circuit, and the direct-current solid power controller, the power tube can be turned on and turned off at a low and constant switching speed, load voltages are increased or decreased in a linear mode, and the rate of increasing and decreasing is adjustable. The power tube drive method and the power tube drive circuit are suitable for conventional Si MOSFETs and IGBTs, and also are suitable for Sic and GaN field control type power tubes like JFETs, MOSFETs and IGBTs. The drive circuit is simple and reliable, easy to integrate, and low in cost.

A dynamic clock frequency module for a system-on-chip (SOC) including modules that communicate over a system bus includes a request evaluation module that receives requests to utilize the system bus from the modules. A frequency assignment module calculates a clock frequency value for the system bus based on the requests received by the request evaluation module. The request evaluation module includes a summing module that generates a sum of requests between the modules. A pulse stretch module increases a period of time that at least one of the requests is asserted. A low pass filter prevents changes to the clock frequency value when the sum at least one of increases and decreases for less than a predetermined period. A slew rate control module adjusts at least one of a rate of increase and a rate of decrease in the clock frequency value.

A metal hydride hydrogen storage unit utilizing compartmentalization to maintain a uniform metal hydride powder density thereby reducing stress on the vessel due to repeated cycling. An hydrogen storage alloy powder occupies at least 60% of the available interior volume of the hydrogen storage unit. Upon cycling of the hydrogen storage alloy powder between hydriding and dehydriding, the rate of increase in the average equivalent pressure exerted on the sidewall is less than 25 psi over at least 20 cycles, the hydriding portion of each of the cycles including the step of charging said hydrogen storage alloy powder to at least 60% of its maximum storage capacity.

A method of controlling the feeding of a reducing agent, such as urea or ammonia, to a selective catalytic reduction reactor, which is operative for removing NOx from a process gas of a process plant, comprising the steps of estimating a present value of at least one predetermined parameter which is indicative of the amount of NOx that needs to be removed from said process gas in the selective catalytic reduction reactor. The rate of increase of said at least one predetermined parameter is then estimated. When said estimated rate of increase pf said at least one predetermined parameter is found to be positive, the amount of said reducing agent being supplied is increased to a higher value than would be the case if said at least one predetermined parameter were to be kept constant at the estimated present value thereof.

There is provided a cell culture evaluation system, a cell culture evaluation method, and a cell culture evaluation program which are capable of estimating and evaluating the lag time or the minimum doubling time and objectively and adequately determining whether or not a cell population is stimulated for proliferation by using an average projected area of a cultured cell population or the rate of increasing the ratio of the non-single-cells as an evaluation parameter when culturing the cells. Images of the cell population to be cultured statically are acquired in a culture vessel, the average projected areas of the cells are calculated from the images for the respective culture times, and the lag times at lag phase are calculated from the calculated average projected areas of the cells. The single-cells and the non-single-cells are discriminated from the images, and the increasing rate of the non-single-cells is calculated from the ratio of the non-single-cells in the cell population to determine the minimum doubling time from the increasing rate of the non-single-cells. Whether or not the cell population is stimulated for proliferation is determined from the ratio of the non-single-cells.

Disclosed herein are a high-molecular weight aliphatic polyester, whose molecular weight has been highly increased by a chain-lengthening reaction of a ring-opening (co)polymer of at least one cyclic ester selected from the group consisting of glycolide and lactide with an oxazoline compound, and a production process thereof. The molecular weight of the high-molecular weight aliphatic polyester is highly increased to the extent that a rate of increase in molecular weight represented by a ratio (Mw2 / Mw1) of a weight average molecular weight (Mw2) of a ring-opening (co)polymer after the chain lengthening to a weight average molecular weight (Mw1) of the ring-opening (co)polymer before the chain lengthening amounts to at least 1.10.

A vaginal speculum of the kind including a tubular probe (6) for penetrating the vagina wherein the probe is encircled by an annular sealing element (13), in the form of a thick walled, domed shell of polyethylene foam, spaced from the leading end of the probe and which seals only against a circumferential zone of the internal tissue defining the vaginal orifice. The external surface of the sealing element is shaped as a surface of revolution wherein the diameter of the sealing surface increases progressively with axial distance from the leading end of the sealing element and wherein the rate of increase diminishes progressively with said axial distance. The seal therefore provides a low-pressure seal over a limited range of depths of penetration of the probe into the vagina and over a range of angular alignments of the probe.

A semiconductor memory storage device is disclosed. The memory comprises a plurality of storage cells for storing data each storage cell comprising an access control device for providing the storage cell with access to or isolation from a data access port in response to an access control signal, access control circuitry for transmitting the access control signal along an access control line to control a plurality of the access control devices connected to the access control line. The access control circuitry responds to a data access request signal by increasing a voltage level supplied to the access control line to a first voltage level at a first average rate and then in response to receipt of a further signal increasing the voltage level supplied to the access control line to the predetermined higher voltage level, in such a way that a further average rate of increase of the voltage level from the first to the predetermined higher voltage level is lower than the first average rate of increase to the first level.