A biological material is disclosed for exerting antagonism against the mushroom pathogen Pseudomonas bacteria, which contains the Pseudomonas synxantha PS54 bacterium strain deposited under # NCAIM (P) B 001387 according to the Budapest treaty. The biological material according to the invention is an effective antagonist against the pathogens of mushrooms, in particular oyster mushrooms and/or champignons, in particular Pseudomonas tolaasii and Pseudomonas agarici. Furthermore, the invention relates to a composition comprising a culture of the biological material according to the invention, the use of the invention for the protection of mushrooms, and a process for controlling pathogens. The invention further relates to an agent for producing mushrooms, which agent has been contacted with the biological material according to the invention.

Nowadays there is an increasing need in the fields of vegetable and mushroom production and sales for bioproducts containing no residues of chemical pesticides. Among the effective chemical pesticides only the inorganic copper-compositions are allowed in the course of production of bioproducts. The number of copper resistant mutants among the vegetable pathogen microorganisms has increased a lot in the last couple of years, thus these copper containing agents alone are insufficient to achieve effective and reliable pest control. One possible solution to overcome this problem is to effect an integrated pest control using copper containing agents and biocontrol compositions. Biocontrol products may also be used alone, but in such cases the highest efficiency of the best compositions is still under 50 percent. The majority of the antibacterial or antifungal biocontrol products presently available in the world market contain one component as active agent, which is a bacterium or fungi possessing antagonist and/or parasite features.
The bacterial maculation may affect every produced mushroom species in the field of mushroom production, strains less susceptible (or even resistant) to the pathogen are not known to date. The bacterial maculation infects very quickly in the mushroom production premises because on one hand the Pseudomonas strains are very aggressive pathogens through their toxins and on the other hand the conditions of the mushroom production are ideal for them. The loss of the yield often reaches even 50 to 60 percent. The damage caused by this bacterial pathogen represents as much as 800 million HUF loss in revenues per annum considering an average of 25 000 tons of the cultivated mushroom per year. The situation is made even worse by the fact that there is no registered pest controlling agent in the mushroom production.
Certain strains of the Pseudomonas genus, among them especially Pseudomonas fluorescens strains have long been used for biocontrol purposes. There are marketed compositions which are effective mainly against plant pathogen fungi. Their effectiveness is first of all explained by different antibiotics secreted to the extra-cellular space, which antagonize mainly fungi: phenazine derivatives, 2,4-diacetylfloroglucinol, and pyrrolnitrin. Pseudomonas fluorescens strains are also successfully used against bacteria for biocontrol. E.g. a Pseudomonas species producing 2,4-diacetylfloroglucinol (DAPG) was used against Erwinia causing bacterial soft rot in potato. In the presence of the DAPG producing Pseudomonas the plant was not infected. The results show that DAPG is a significant biocontrol against determinant bacteria as well. The antibiotics secreted by bacteria are capable of inhibiting the life functions of other microorganisms already at low concentration, and even causing their death. In cases of a number of plants it is proven that the antibiotics production of the bacteria suppressed the plant pathogen and the disease caused by it. It has been demonstrated that these effects are present not only in laboratory circumstances, but also in a natural environment, in the soil. To perform an effective biocontrol, the species used must produce sufficient amount of the antibiotics in the proximity of the pathogen. The particular amount needed is highly varied and is different in cases of the different pathogens. In case of a number of Pseudomonas strains used in biocontrol the multiplied antibiotics production is known. The effectiveness of P. fluorescens is further increased by the excellent competition capability of the strains. In the competition among the Pseudomonas fluorescens strains the competition with siderophores (iron-binding organic compounds) for the free iron-ions has high importance as well. The biocontrol based on competition has successfully been used against e.g. Agrobacterium radiobacter, A. tumefaciens, or the pathogen Fusarium oxysporum, F. oxysporum strains.


A fuel injector (1), in particular a pump-nozzle injector for a diesel engine has an injector body (50), which is held in place with a nozzle body (40) and/or a lower body (60) by a clamping nut (10, 30). The fuel supply conduit of the injector body (50) is provided with a fuel filter (20), which is offset in the longitudinal direction of the fuel injector (1) in relation to the clamping nut (10, 30) and is configured independently of said clamping nut (10, 30) on the fuel injector (1).

Fuel injectors have a nozzle body and an injector body that are combined axially into a structural unit by means of a clamping sleeve. Depending on the specific design of the fuel injector, the injector body can be subdivided further. In the case of a pump-nozzle injector, for instance, the injector body is divided into a spring body or spring retainer and a pump body having a typically laterally projecting control valve. The spring body and pump body are likewise clamped together by the clamping sleeve. Other fuel injectors having a multi-part or single-part injector body can be found in the prior art, with the clamping sleeve clamping together the main constituents of the fuel injector. The fuel injector can be inserted into an internal combustion engine's housing, usually a cylinder head, and supplies the combustion chambers of the internal combustion engine with fuel.
Inside the fuel injector, the fuel conveyed by the fuel injector (pump-nozzle concept) or the fuel conveyed under high pressure through the fuel injector (common-rail concept) reaches the nozzle body via lines and, when a valve-needle opening pressure has been exceeded, is injected from said body into the combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine via nozzle openings.
Because the fuel can never be completely free from particulate impurities due to, for instance, burrs and dust in the cylinder head, and in order hence to protect the very small nozzle openings in the nozzle body from clogging and to prevent consequent changes in the volume of injected fuel as well as imprecise injection jet characteristics, it is necessary to filter the fuel requiring to be injected by the fuel injector and thereby eliminate or reduce the risk of clogging.
Provided therein in the prior art in the area of an annular fuel-inlet conduit to the fuel injector in a nozzle clamping nut are relatively large bores leading to a supply line that extends to the control valve inside the fuel injector. The bores in the nozzle clamping nut are therein evenly disposed around its circumference, with an annular filter set in the nozzle clamping nut having being applied in the circumferential direction around the bores.
DE 197 52 834 A1 further discloses a nozzle clamping nut that implements a filter function without an additionally applied annular filter. Provided in an inlet area on the nozzle clamping nut are a multiplicity of filter bores therein disposed evenly around the nozzle clamping nut's circumference in a plurality of rows. The diameter of the filter bores is preferably 30 to 90 μm and the filter bores are by preference embodied conically. In the case of a preferred production method using a pulsed electron or laser beam the result is further a helical row of filter bores in the circumferential direction in the circumferential wall of the nozzle clamping nut.
Because a clamping sleeve on a fuel injector is exposed to high thermal (−40° C. to 150° C.) and high mechanical loads (vibration loading due to a piezoelectric stack operating in the fuel injector), said sleeve should as far as possible have no preset breaking points so that a clamping sleeve of said kind will have an insured durability. A clamping sleeve having a circumferential wall embodied in the circumferential direction without interruptions can furthermore be constructed having a narrower width but the same strength, which requires less space inside a cylinder head. A clamping sleeve having an integral filter function furthermore poses the problem that the clamping sleeve and filter have been produced from the same material. That on the one hand necessitates a compromise in how the clamping sleeve or, as the case may be, filter is worked because the clamping sleeve is subject to different requirements in being worked from those applying to the filter provided therein. On the other hand a compromise has to be found in the choice of suitable materials as they are subject to different requirements: the filter must provide as efficient as possible a filtering function, whereas the clamping sleeve must provide an as durable and as strong as possible connection between the main components of the fuel injector. The main focus here is on the integrity of the fuel injector, meaning that compromises usually have to be made with the filter.


Disclosed is a method for producing organic EL devices stably having intended capabilities. The method comprises cleaning an electrode-mounted substrate 17 followed by forming a plurality of film layers including organic layers and a counter electrode layer, on the electrode mounted on the substrate, successively one after another in vacuum, wherein the time just after the finish of cleaning the electrode-mounted substrate 17 and before the start of forming the first film layer on the electrode 12 is shorter than the time within which the value of the contact angle with water of the surface of the electrode 12 just after the finish of cleaning it increases by 30.degree. in vacuum. In producing organic EL devices having a plurality, n=1, 2, 3, . . . , of film layers on an electrode-mounted substrate, the time just after the finish of forming the n'th film layer and before the start of forming the next (n+1)'th film layer is shorter than the time within which the value of the contact angle with water of the surface of the n'th film layer just after having been formed increases by 30.degree. in vacuum. In the organic EL devices produced, the interfaces between the adjacent layers are protected from being contaminated with impurities.

As being self-luminescent, EL devices have high visibility. In addition, as being completely solid, EL devices have higher impact resistance than liquid crystal devices. Therefore, the use of EL devices in various displays as light emitters is being widely noticed. EL devices are grouped into inorganic EL devices and organic EL devices, the former containing inorganic compounds in their light-emitting layers while the latter containing organic compounds. For organic EL devices containing organic compounds in their light-emitting layers, various structures of various materials have heretofore been proposed capable of giving high luminance at low voltage of direct currents.
Vacuum vapor deposition is one typical method of producing organic EL devices, which comprises vaporizing predetermined organic compounds under heat to form films on substrates. However, conventional organic EL devices, even though having good initial capabilities, are often problematic in that their capabilities are greatly reduced within a short period of time. It has heretofore been difficult to produce organic EL devices all the time stably having the designed capabilities. It is known that contamination of substrates causes the reduction in the capabilities of EL devices. In particular, in organic EL devices, contamination of the electrode/organic layer interface and the organic layer/organic layer interface is one factor of interfering with the carrier injection from the substrate electrode into the organic layers, thereby having noticeable negative influences on the capabilities of the devices.
In order to prevent the reduction in the capabilities of EL devices by such contamination, disclosed is a method of cleaning the surface of an electrode-mounted substrate to make it have a contact angle with water of smaller than 25.degree., prior to forming organic layers on the substrate (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 220873/1995). In this method, the cleaned substrate is stored in vacuum or in inert gas to prevent it from being contaminated.
Also disclosed is a method of continuously producing organic EL devices all the time in vacuum, in which is used a vacuum chamber having therein a plurality of vacuum processing rooms, and each one of plural layers is formed in each room successively one after another (see JP-A No. 111285/1996). These vacuum rooms each have therein a source material to be vaporized for forming the intended film. A substrate is disposed in a predetermined one of those rooms, then the gate valve is shut, and thereafter the deposition source in the room is heated to form a film on the substrate through vapor deposition from the source.
However, organic EL devices as produced according to the method disclosed in JP-A No. 220873/1995 could not still have stable capabilities.
The method disclosed in JP-A No. 111285/1996, in which the deposition source is heated after the substrate has been disposed in the vacuum chamber, is problematic in that impurities having vaporized in the initial stage of heating deposit on the substrate to thereby worsen the capabilities of the devices produced. This is because the deposition sources, such as organic compounds for constituting organic layers and metals for constituting electrodes, are exposed in air prior to being set on the holders, and therefore impurities in air, such as organic substances, carbon dioxide, water, oxygen and the like adhere onto them. In particular, since synthetic organic compounds are formed in solvent, the solvent used often remains in the compounds. As a result, the deposition source of such a synthetic organic compound shall contain the solvent as an impurity. The impurity vaporizes in the initial stage of heating, thereby causing contamination of the substrate and the film formed thereon.

Method for producing organic electroluminescent device


A CVCF (Constant Voltage Constant Frequency) inverter includes a main circuit, a voltage control loop, and a frequency control loop. In a normal operating mode, constant voltage, constant frequency control is carried out by these loops. In a lap switching operation, if a comparator detects that the output current of the inverter exceeds a predetermined level, a switch is closed so that the effective power component computed by an effective power computing unit is inputted to the frequency control loop. The output frequency of the inverter is controlled by changing a reference frequency in response to the effective power. This reduces the phase difference between the output voltage of the inverter and an external power supply, thus decreasing a cross current. This makes it possible to protect the components of the inverter and to supply power reliably.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a CVCF (Constant Voltage Constant Frequency) inverter and to a method for controlling the same, and particularly to a CVCF inverter employed in carrying out lap switching with a rotating type power generator.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In a large aircraft in flight, for example, electric power is supplied from a rotating type power generator which is driven by an engine. While on land, on the other hand, the power supply is switched from the power generator on the aircraft to a power supply installed at an airport. In this case, uninterruptible power switching is required because of computers installed in the aircraft. A CVCF inverter is generally used with the power supply installed at the airport.
FIG. 1 shows a conventional power supply system of this type. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 30 designates a rotating type power generator (MG) on the aircraft; 40 designates a CVCF inverter (CVCF); 50 designates apparatuses (loads) on the aircraft to which the power is to be supplied; SW1 and SW2 designates switches; .DELTA.I designates a cross current; and IL designates a load current. The switch SW1 is closed in flight so that the power is supplied from the power generator 30 to the loads 50. After landing, uninterruptible switching is carried out by first closing the switch SW2 so that both switches SW1 and SW2 are closed for a while, and then, by opening the switch SW1 so that the loads 50 are supplied with the power from the CVCF inverter 40 via the switch SW2. Thus, the lap switching operation is performed.
The lap switching operation, however, may sometimes cause a cross current .DELTA.I due to a difference in phases of the voltages supplied from the power generator 30 and the CVCF inverter 40. More specifically, assuming that the output voltage and the output impedance of the CVCF inverter 40 are Asin.omega.t and Z1, and those of the power generator 30 are Asin(.omega.t+.theta.) and Z2, a cross current .DELTA.I expressed by equation (1) flows from the power generator 30 to the CVCF inverter 40. EQU .DELTA.I=A{sin (.omega.t+.theta.)-sin.omega.t}/(Z1+Z2) EQU =2A cos (.omega.t+.theta./2) sin (.theta./2)/(Z1+Z2) (1)
Thus, the magnitude of the cross current .DELTA.I is directly proportional to the phase difference .theta. as long as .theta. is rather small.
Although the cross current presents little problem as long as the phase difference .theta. is small, a large phase difference will result in a large current flowing from the power generator 30 to the CVCF inverter 40 or from the CVCF inverter 40 to the power generator 30. For example, when the phase of the power generator 30 leads that of the CVCF inverter 40, the cross current flows from the power generator 30 to the CVCF inverter 40 so that the DC voltage of the CVCF inverter 40 rises, which might cause damage to devices in the inverter in the worst case.
On the other hand, when the phase of the CVCF inverter 40 leads that of the power generator 30, the cross current flows from the CVCF inverter 40 to the power generator 30. In this case, if the output current of the CVCF inverter 40 exceeds a limiting level of an overcurrent, automatic control to limit the output voltage of the CVCF inverter 40 is carried out to protect the inverter 40 from damage. This creates another problem in that sufficient power is not supplied because of the voltage drop at the loads.

Constant voltage constant frequency inverter and method for controlling the same


A speed exceeded notification device is for a vehicle of a type including a vehicle data communications bus extending throughout the vehicle, and at least one vehicle device generating data related to vehicle speed on the vehicle data communications bus. The speed exceeded notification device may include a wireless communications device, and a controller to be coupled to the vehicle data communications bus. The controller may be for reading the data related to vehicle speed from the vehicle data communications bus, and determining when a vehicle speed exceeds a speed threshold for a first time period. Based thereon, the controller may cooperate with the wireless communications device to send a remote vehicle speed exceeded notification.

Motor vehicles, such as passenger cars, trucks, busses, fleet vehicles, etc. are widely used, and knowing the locations of such vehicles is often desired. For example, should a vehicle be stolen it would be beneficial to know the vehicle's location so that authorities could be promptly and accurately directed to retrieve the vehicle. Indeed, the tracking system could plot the getaway path of the thief.
For a company with hired drivers, it may be desirable to know the driver's whereabouts during the course of the day. Similarly, a rental car agency or other fleet operator, for example, may wish to know the whereabouts of its fleet of vehicles.
It may also be desirable to track the location of a vehicle as it is used throughout the course of a normal day. For parents of younger or older drivers, for example, knowledge of the vehicle's location may provide some assurance that the driver is at designated locations and following a prescribed route.
The widespread availability and use of the Internet has prompted a number of vehicle tracking systems to also make use of the Internet. For example, TelEvoke, Inc. proposed such a system in combination with Clifford Electronics. The system was to provide notification, control and tracking services via the telephone or the Internet. Users could be notified via phone, e-mail, or a pager of events such as a car alarm being triggered. Users could control the vehicle remote devices via the phone, the web, or a PDA, such as unlocking car doors. Additionally, users could track TelEvoke-enabled vehicles on the Internet or via the telephone. An Internet map could be viewed by the user showing the actual and prior vehicle locations. TelEvoke offered its services via a centralized fully automated Network Operations Center. To reduce the communications costs, it was proposed to use the control channel of the cellular telephone network.
A number of significance advances in vehicle tracking technology are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 7,015,830 to Flick, and assigned to the assignee of the present invention. This patent discloses a vehicle tracking unit for a vehicle of a type including a vehicle data bus extending throughout the vehicle and at least one operable vehicle device connected thereto. The at least one operable vehicle device may be responsive to at least one data bus code on the vehicle data bus. The vehicle tracking unit may include a vehicle position determining device, a wireless communications device, and a controller cooperating with the vehicle position determining device and the wireless communications device to send vehicle position information to a user. Moreover, the controller may generate the at least one data bus code on the vehicle data bus to control the at least one operable vehicle device based upon a command signal received by the wireless communications device.
Another significant advance in vehicle tracking relates to speed exceeded notifications and is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,888,495 to Flick and assigned to the assignee of the present invention. The patent discloses a tracking system controller being switchable to be in an armed mode for cooperating with a vehicle position determining device and a wireless communications device to generate, and send a speeding alert message based upon the vehicle exceeding a speed threshold for longer than a predetermined time indicative of aggressive driving of the vehicle. A monitoring station may generate a series of speeding alert message notifications for a user based upon receiving the speeding alert message from the vehicle tracking unit. The monitoring station may cancel any remaining speeding alert message notifications of the series based upon a cancellation command response from an entity already having received the speeding alert message notification. Accordingly, if the user may be reached at different telephone numbers or different users are desirably notified of the alert, then unnecessary notifications are avoided. Of course, other approaches for using a vehicle tracker to influence/monitor a vehicle regarding excessive speed may also be desirable.

Speed exceeded notification device for vehicle having a data bus and associated methods


A component part for an injection molding tool comprises a distributor that includes the first distributor plate, with a top side and underside. The component part has at least two material pipes that are aligned crosswise in relation to the underside of the first distributor plate and connected on the underside to the first distributor plate. Each material pipe has a flow channel configured therein, with feed channels configured in the first distributor plate being open on the underside into the flow channels of the material pipes. The feed channels on the top side of the first distributor plate are configured as open and the first distributor plate is monolithically formed together with the material pipes. An injection molding tool can be used with the component part and a method of making the component part is disclosed.

Injection molding tools are used in plastics processing. They have, in most cases, a first tool half that supplies a flowable plastic material at a predeterminable temperature and under high pressure from a first tool half to a second tool half that can be separated from the first too half (molding cavity). The first tool half usually comprises a plurality of component parts, such as, for example, a bottom plate, distributor plate, a plurality of injection molding nozzles that are connected thereto, spacers, as well as a heating device with temperature monitoring. The distributor plate has, in most cases, a feed station as well as distribution channels that are configured within the distributor plate and that feed the plastic material mass as evenly as possible to the injection molding nozzles. Each injection molding nozzle has a flow channel that is incorporated in a material pipe and flow-connected to a distribution channel in the distributor plate, and which opens into a nozzle tip at the end thereof that is oriented towards the second tool half. The injection molding nozzles are fixedly connected to the distributor, for example by a screwed or flanged connection. Additional sealing is intended to ensure a leak-proof connection between the distributor plate and the injection molding nozzles.
The problem herein lies in the fact that the complexity in assembling the first tool half is relatively high, because the injection molding nozzles are often not connected to the distributor plate until the overall tool is fastened to the distributor plate. A correspondingly large available amount of space is necessary for this step in order to be able to insert as well as fasten the nozzles in place. Moreover, assembly errors can occur that will interfere with the later production process. For example, the injection molding nozzles and the distributor plate must be braced in relation to one another in such a manner that the interface ensures a leak-proof connection even in the cold operating state. On the other hand, the screwed connection between the nozzle and the distributor plate must allow for sufficient thermal expansion to ensure that no inadmissibly high tensile forces are created that can result in a tearing off of the nozzles. Correspondingly, due to the relatively frequent temperature changes, which occur, in most cases, at high temperatures, leaks can result at the interfaces between injection molding nozzles and distributor plate.
To solve this problem, DE 40 41 532 A1 proposes incorporating the distributor plate and the injection molding nozzles that are connected thereto into one composite body. The distribution channels therein are formed in the distributor plate, and the flow channels inside the injection molding nozzles are each formed by continuous pipes that are disposed inside a metal housing. The latter is then poured out with copper or a copper alloy; the result is a composite body comprising the distributor plate and the injection molding nozzles. Moreover, heating pipes are also poured in with the copper block, whose electric connection lines are guided to a joint supply hookup. The heating pipes are intended to maintain the plastic melt, which is routed through the continuous pipes, at a constant temperature, insofar as this is possible.
Producing such a component part for a tool half of an injection molding tool is quite a complex and expensive undertaking, because, first, it is necessary to produce a substantially rectangular block-like section for the distributor plate and a plurality of cylindrical sections for the injection molding nozzles that are welded thereto. Subsequently, the continuous pipes and the heating pipes must be positioned and fixed in place inside the housing to make sure that the individual elements do not shift, when the housing is poured out.
A further disadvantage of this apparatus is the fact that the separately configured housing sections that are intended for the injection molding nozzles take up a large amount of space, wherefore it is not possible to position the individual injection molding nozzles in sufficiently close proximity relative to each other. The spaces between the molding cavities are therefore quite large. However, many areas of application call for the spaces between cavities to be as small as possible so as to be able to feed separate cavities simultaneously or complicated component parts in minimally spaced gaps multiple times.
Also disadvantageous is the fact that the heating device is poured in with the copper block. If the heater becomes damaged, said heater cannot just be disassembled and replaced with a new heater. The total component part comprising the distributor plate, injection molding nozzles, heating pipes and temperature feeler must be replaced in this instance, thus resulting in unnecessary downtimes and unfavorable effects regarding the operating costs of the injection molding apparatus.

Component part for an injection molding tool


A method and system for transferring raster/image data via a mail user agent using a multifunction device and standard Internet mail transfer mechanisms. An image is acquired in the multifunction device, the image is attached to an electronic mail message, and then sent in the electronic mail message to receiving address(es). Alternatively, an electronic mail box is polled by a mail user agent, which identifies those received messages with raster/image attachment(s) and downloads the attachment(s) to the multifunction device for printing, displaying and/or workflow insertion.

1. Field of the Invention
The features of the disclosed embodiments relate generally to transferring raster/image data, and in particular to transferring raster/image data via Internet mail transfer mechanism.
2. Brief Description of Related Developments
Multifunction devices (MFD) have become one of the most common raster/image capture sources. Transfer of MFD captured raster/image typically takes the form of fax transmissions. It is well accepted that transfer via Internet mail transfer mechanism (i.e. email) would be more cost effective and would contribute to an increase in the transferred quality level. Cost inelasticity associated with the commodity based MFD industry, however, makes it difficult to absorb the cost associated with adding mail user agent (MUA) and mail server functionality to the MFD. This invention overcomes the cost issues by taking advantage of MUAs and mail servers that reside in computers and other devices.

Sending/receiving raster/image data using a multifunction product


The present invention discloses an audio codec with a jack detection function and an audio jack detection method. An embodiment of the audio codec comprises: a first-contact signal input end operable to electrically connect with a sleeve contact of a plug and receive a first-contact signal indicating the presence or absence of the plug; a second-contact signal input end operable to electrically connect with a ring contact or the sleeve contact of the plug and receive a second-contact signal indicating the presence or absence of the plug; a plug detecting circuit coupled to the first-contact or second-contact signal input end and operable to detect whether a voltage level of the first-contact or second-contact signal has changed to thereby generate a plug detection signal; and a control circuit coupled to the plug detecting circuit and operable to determine the presence or absence of the plug according to the plug detection signal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an audio codec with an audio jack detection function and an audio jack detection method, especially to an audio codec and an audio jack detection method executing detection through an existing/common pin instead of an additional/dedicated pin.
2. Description of Related Art
Generally speaking, an electronic device with an audio function is equipped with an earphone jack and/or a microphone jack for users to insert an earphone and/or a microphone into the electronic device. Some electronic device is only equipped with one of the earphone and microphone jacks; some is equipped with both of them; and some is equipped with a composite jack for a headset including the functions of earphone and microphone to connect. No matter what kind of the electronic device is, it needs to detect whether an earphone, a microphone or a multi-function headset is inserted or detached, so as to react in response to the detection result. The existing jack detection technique sets an independent detecting mechanism on a circuit board where an audio codec (coder/decoder) is set as well, then detects whether a plug is inserted or removed by the detecting mechanism, afterwards transmits the detection result to the audio codec through the pin thereof dedicated to the detection, and finally has the audio codec determine the presence or absence of the plug in accordance with the detection result. However, this manner has to set a detecting mechanism outside the audio codec and consequently consume a pin of the audio codec; therefore it is unfavorable to the cost and size of an audio codec solution.
In light of the above, the current audio jack detection technique is obviously not good enough, which means that this technique field needs a cost-effective solution to realize the audio jack detection.
People who are interested in the prior arts may refer to the Taiwan (R.O.C.) patents by the following patent numbers: I236191; I358862; M383236.

Audio codec with audio jack detection function and audio jack detection method


The present invention relates to a colony counter and classifier for bacterial specimens on a petri dish. The device includes a housing having a tray which accepts the petri dish containing the bacteria colonies. A line scan camera is mounted within the housing above the tray. Upon actuation, a linear motor transports the tray across the scanning line of vision for the line scan camera. Simultaneously, a fiber optic illumination system illuminates the petri dish from its side opposite the camera. As the tray is transported by the linear motor, the line scan camera successively obtains an optical image of the petri dish containing the bacteria colonies. Each line scan has a width equal to one pixel and the resulting optical images from the line scan camera are combined together to form an overall optical image of high resolution. That image is stored utilizing a digital computer. The computer then analyzes the stored optical image to both identify and count the bacteria colonies. Advanced software is also used to differentiate between single colonies and two or more colonies which abut against each other.

I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an automated bacteria colony counter and classifier.
II. Description of the Prior Art
In order to determine the bacteria concentration in medical as well as other applications, the bacteria sample is applied to a petri dish containing gelatin. The bacteria growth forming generally circular colonies which may or may not abut against each other.
In order to determine the bacteria concentration in the specimen, after the bacteria colonies become visible, the bacteria colonies are counted. Frequently, the bacteria colonies are counted manually by a lab worker.
A primary disadvantage of manually counting the bacteria colonies in a petri dish is that it is time consuming and involves relatively high labor costs. Additionally, the manual counting of colonies by a lab worker also results in inaccurate counts of the bacteria colonies.
There have, however, been previously known devices for automatically counting bacteria colonies in a petri dish. In one previously known device, a laser beam is used to scan the petri dish and generate a digital signal as a result of that scan.
A still further disadvantage of these previously known laser scanning devices is that such devices do not perform well in certain types of gelatines, particularly in darker and more opaque gelatines.
A still further disadvantage of these previously known laser and optical devices is that they have been inadequate for accurately differentiating between single bacteria colonies and two or more bacteria colonies which abut against each other.
A still further disadvantage of these previously known laser and optical devices is that they usually require manipulation of imaging settings to obtain a good image. These systems sometimes receive manipulation of settings for each individual plate being imaged. This is a disadvantage because it means there is excessive operator intervention.
Although it would be possible to overcome some, but not all, of the disadvantages of the previously known laser scanning devices by utilizing a high resolution area scan camera, e.g. 2048 pixels times 2048 pixels, such optical cameras are very expensive to obtain and maintain.


For use in a power converter having parallel power trains, a circuit for, and method of, reducing voltage spikes due to magnetizing current imbalances in the power trains and a power converter incorporating the circuit or the method. In one embodiment, the circuit includes: (1) a conductive bypass path coupling nodes between transformer secondary windings and inductors in each of the power trains and configured to provide an alternative path to redirect magnetizing current imbalances from the inductors and (2) a capacitor located in the conductive bypass path.

Power converters are widely used to provide power having the appropriate electrical characteristics to equipment ("loads"). Power converters convert electric power from one form (e.g., relatively high voltage alternating current, or AC) to another (e.g., lower voltage direct current, or DC). Converters may convert from DC to AC ("inverters"), AC to AC ("cycloconverters"), AC to DC ("rectifiers") or DC to DC ("switch mode power supplies" or "choppers"). Most power converters operate by using magnetic components, such as transformers and inductors, to transfer or filter electric power. Many power converters use solid state switches (transistors) to make and break electrical connections quickly to create multiple paths for electricity through the converter. The multiple paths impart the desired characteristics to the electric power.
Some loads require substantial quantities of electric power and consequently a relatively large power converter. One way to address this need is to provide the converter with larger components (e.g., magnetic components and switches). Unfortunately, larger components have two significant disadvantages. First, they are expensive and harder to obtain in quantity. Second, they are subject to increased variations in operation; magnetic components often vary more widely from one to another in terms of inductance, and switches may vary more from one to another in terms of switching threshold or response time.
Another way to address the need for more output power is to couple multiple smaller power converters in parallel. Each power converter may be thought of and referred to as a "power train." The outputs of the power trains are simply connected together and to the load. This approach avoids the above-noted problems associated with larger components.
Unfortunately, another problem arises; the multiple power trains must work in unison to provide the needed power. However, if the components of one power train differ in their operation from the components in another, the power trains are unbalanced and may actually supply power to one another in addition to the load. Magnetic components typically fall into two categories: transformers and inductors. Transformers typically vary in inductance enough to cause significant circulating magnetizing currents to flow from one power train to another. Imbalanced magnetizing currents forced through inductors, typically located at the output of a power train, cause voltage spikes of such magnitude to overwhelm the rectifying switches changing their electrical characteristics and even destroying them.
The potentially serious problem of magnetizing current imbalance has been dealt with two different ways. In some designs, particular care has been taken to match the characteristics of the magnetic components such that the magnetizing currents are balanced. Unfortunately, matched components are expensive; many components must be manufactured to yield a suitably matched pair.
Other designs add snubber circuits to reduce the voltage spikes resulting from imbalanced magnetizing currents. However, snubber circuits represent additional circuitry and thus additional cost. This approach also typically results in additional power dissipation. Minimizing cost and power dissipation are goals that pervades power converter design efforts.
Accordingly, what is needed in the art is a way to reduce magnetizing current imbalance in parallel power trains that does not require matched magnetic components. What is further needed in the art is a method of reducing voltage spikes that arise as a result of magnetizing current imbalances that does not require snubber circuits and a power converter that employs such circuit or method.

Circuit and method for reducing voltage spikes due to magnetizing current imbalances and power converter employing the same


A constitutive plant S-adenosyl-L-methionine synthetase (SAMS) promoter and subfragments thereof and their use in promoting the expression of one or more heterologous nucleic acid fragments in plants are described.

Recent advances in plant genetic engineering have opened new doors to engineer plants having improved characteristics or traits, such as, resistance to plant diseases, insect resistance, herbicidal resistance, enhanced stability or shelf-life of the ultimate consumer product obtained from the plants and improvement of the nutritional quality of the edible portions of the plant. Thus, a desired gene (or genes) from a source different than the plant, but engineered to impart different or improved characteristics or qualities, can be incorporated into the plant's genome. This new gene (or genes) can then be expressed in the plant cell to exhibit the new trait or characteristic.
In order to obtain expression of the newly inserted gene in the plant cell, the proper regulatory signals must be present and be in the proper location with respect to the gene. These regulatory signals include a promoter region, a 5′ non-translated leader sequence and a 3′ transcription termination/polyadenylation sequence.
A promoter is a DNA sequence that directs cellular machinery of a plant to produce RNA from the contiguous coding sequence downstream (3′) of the promoter. The promoter region influences the rate, developmental stage, and cell type in which the RNA transcript of the gene is made. The RNA transcript is processed to produce messenger RNA (mRNA) which serves as a template for translation of the RNA sequence into the amino acid sequence of the encoded polypeptide. The 5′ non-translated leader sequence is a region of the mRNA upstream of the protein coding region that may play a role in initiation and translation of the mRNA. The 3′ transcription termination/polyadenylation signal is a non-translated region downstream of the protein coding region that functions in the plant cells to cause termination of the RNA transcript and the addition of polyadenylate nucleotides to the 3′ end of the RNA.
It has been shown that certain promoters are able to direct RNA synthesis at a higher rate than others. These are called "strong promoters". Certain other promoters have been shown to direct RNA production at higher levels only in particular types of cells or tissues and are often referred to as "tissue specific promoters". In this group, many seed storage protein genes' promoters have been well characterized and widely used, such as the phaseolin gene promoter of Phaseolus vulgaris, the helianthinin gene of sunflower, the β-conglycinin gene of soybean (Chen et al., (1989) Dev. Genet 10, 112–122), the napin gene promoter of Brassica napus (Ellerstrom et al, (1996) Plant Mol. Biol. 32, 1019–1027), the oleosin gene promoters of Brassica and Arabidopsis (Keddie et al, (1994) Plant Mol. Biol. 24, 327–340; Li, (1997) Texas A&M Ph.D. dissertation, pp. 107–128; Plant et al, (1994) Plant Mol. Biol. 25, 193–205). Another class of tissue specific promoters is described in, U.S. Pat. No. 5,589,583, issued to Klee et al. on Dec. 31, 1996; these plant promoters are capable of conferring high levels of transcription of chimeric genes in meristematic tissues and/or rapidly dividing cells. In contrast to tissue-specific promoters, "inducible promoters" direct RNA production in response to certain environmental factors, such as heat shock, light, hormones, ion concentrations etc. (Espartero et al, (1994) Plant Mol. Biol. 25, 217–227; Gomez-Gomez and Carrasco, (1998) Plant Physiol. 117, 397–405; Holtorf et al, (1995) Plant Mol. Biol. 29, 637–646; MacDowell et al, (1996) Plant Physiol. 111, 699–711; Mathur et al, (1992) Biochem. Biophys. Acta 1137, 338–348; Mett et al, (1996) Transgenic Res. 5, 105–113; Schoffl et al, (1989) Mol. Gen. Genet 217, 246–253; Ulmasov et al, (1995) Plant Physiol. 108, 919–927).
Promoters that are capable of directing RNA production in many or all tissues of a plant are called "constitutive promoters". The ideal constitutive promoter should be able to drive gene expression in all cells of the organism throughout its development. Expression of many so-called constitutive genes, such as actin (McDowell et al., (1996) Plant Physiol. 111, 699–711; Wang et al., (1992) Mol. Cell Biol. 12, 3399–3406), and ubiquitin (Callis et al, (1990) J. Biol. Chem. 265, 12486–12493; Rollfinke et al, (1998) Gene 211, 267–276) varies depending on the tissue types and developmental stages of the plant. The most widely used constitutive promoter, the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter, also shows variations in activity in different plants and in different tissues of the same plant (Atanassova et al., (1998) Plant Mol. Biol. 37, 275–285; Battraw and Hall, (1990) Plant Mol. Biol. 15, 527–538; Holtorf et al., (1995) Plant Mol. Biol. 29, 637–646; Jefferson et al., (1987) EMBO J. 6, 3901–3907; Wilmink et al., (1995) Plant Mol. Biol. 28, 949–955). The cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter is also described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,106,739. The tissue-specific expression and synergistic interactions of sub-domains of the promoter of cauliflower mosaic virus are discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,097,025, which issued to Benfey et al. on Mar. 17, 1992. A Brassica promoter (hsp80) that provides for constitutive expression of heterologous genes in a wide range of tissues and organs is discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,612,472 which issued to Wilson et al. on Mar. 18, 1997.
Some constitutive promoters have been used to drive expression of selectable marker genes to facilitate isolation of transformed plant cells. U.S. Pat. No. 6,174,724 B1, issued to Rogers et al. on Jan. 16, 2001, describes chimeric genes which can be used to create antibiotic or herbicide-resistant plants.
Since the patterns of expression of a chimeric gene (or genes) introduced into a plant are controlled using promoters, there is an ongoing interest in the isolation and identification of novel promoters which are capable of controlling expression of a chimeric gene (or genes).

S-adenosyl-L-methionine synthetase promoter and its use in expression of transgenic genes in plants


A method and apparatus for bleaching the shells of in-shell nuts and for bleaching the meats of shelled nuts involves wetting the nuts with an alkaline solution and then with a peroxygen solution. The two substances react to form a bleaching agent which whitens the shell or nut meat. Slight mechanical brushing may be used to dislodge debris loosened by the process. The apparatus includes means for recycling the reagents through the system without causing the desired temperature and concentration of the reagents to deviate significantly from predetermined values.

The shells of several types of nuts, including walnuts and hazelnuts, have a very dark natural color. Dark-shelled nuts that are harvested for food use are routinely bleached to make the shells much whiter in color and thus more commercially desirable.
Macadamia nuts are normally sold in shelled form. The meats of the shelled nuts are normally a creamy white color. However, the meats of these nuts frequently become stained to a light brown color while the nuts are still in the shell. These nuts, which comprise a significant percentage of the macadamia nuts grown, are commercially undesirable because of their unpleasant appearance and because the stained nuts may discolor foods that are prepared using the nuts. The stained nuts are normally separated from the remaining nuts and discarded.
Various processes have been used for bleaching the shells of nuts.
These processes have enjoyed limited success. For the most part, existing processes are unsatisfactory because they utilize chemicals having toxic emissions, effluents, or residues.
For example, in-shell hazelnuts are currently bleached using an oxidation bleaching process. The shells of the nuts are wetted with water and the nuts are placed on a grate positioned over pots of burning sulfur dioxide. The fumes reach the nuts and react with the water on the shells to form sulfuric acid which bleaches the skins of the nuts. This process produces toxic sulfur emissions and also leaves a potentially hazardous byproduct, sulfuric acid, on the nut shells. Concern over the potentially toxic effects of sulfur residues has led countries in Europe to bar importation of products having a sulfur residue, and regulatory agencies within the United States are beginning to take steps that would prevent use of the sulfur oxidation process due to the environmental hazards created by the sulfur emissions.
Current methods of bleaching walnuts also result in toxic residues and effluents. One method utilizes the application of chlorine bleach to the surfaces of the nuts, a process which has been banned in European countries. Another involves a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and sodium hydroxide--a caustic agent frequently referred to as lye--and produces toxic effluents which, for environmental reasons, are difficult to dispose of. Peroxide processes using lye are strongly alkaline and produce unstable alkaline solutions above pH 9 which require neutralization before final disposal.
To date there is no widely-used method for bleaching the stained meats of shelled nuts. The only currently acceptable solution for discolored nut meats is that of separating the stained nut meats from the unstained ones and discarding them.


Systems and methods are described for using secondary mappings in an Object Relational Mapping (ORM) system to enable source code changes to be implemented and carried out without requiring updates to the database schema. In order to use secondary mappings, one or more attributes of an object in the ORM system are annotated to indicate that they are secondary mapped attributes. The annotation can indicate to the ORM system that the various operations (e.g. read operations, write operations) referencing attributes of the object may need to be remapped if the column for the attribute being referenced does not actually exist in the database. For example, if no column is directly mapped to the attribute being referenced, the ORM system can remap the operation to point to a secondary data structure (e.g. a map stored in-memory) that will be used to store the value for that attribute.

In software development, source code is often modified, recompiled and rebuilt in order to provide updates, eliminate errors and bugs, and to enable additional functionality. When a software application is database-backed, these source code changes may sometimes require updates to the database schema before the modified code can be executed. For example, if a change to the source code references a new property or attribute, then the database schema would need to be modified to reflect the new attribute before the source code can be validly executed against the database. As a result, there is often a tight integration that exists between changes to the source code of a particular application and the schema updates necessary to enable those changes to perform the intended functionality. In many cases, however, it is tedious and impractical for developers to perform schema updates every time source code is changed because schema updates are not generally subject to the same compilation, deployment, rollback and other processes that are inherent in software code development.
Object relational mapping (ORM) systems are used to convert data between entities that may use different data types or formats. For example, an ORM system typically builds a virtual database by creating mappings between objects and attributes residing in-memory and the tables and columns stored in the database. While ORM systems are useful for reducing the amount of code that is written by software developers, they are generally subject to the same limitations and restrictions between source code changes and database schema updates mentioned above.

Secondary mappings to enable code changes without schema updates


A device for connecting a spring to a band-like or cable-like transmission apparatus. The device being easy to assemble and in which the risk of fracture of the device is greatly reduced. The device provides a connecting part to be fitted on the transmission apparatus and a hook-in part to be connected onto the spring. The connecting part then being connected to the hook-in part to connect the transmission apparatus to the spring.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a device for connecting a spring to a band-like or cable-like transmission means.
Such connections are required, e.g. in domestic appliances with a door which can be pivoted around a horizontal spindle and is mounted on a housing, for the purpose of compensating the weight of the door in order to facilitate the handling, in particular the closure, of the door for the user. In this case, the weight is compensated by a spring, usually a tension spring, which is fastened on a housing and is connected to the door directly or by transmission means.
German Utility Model 74 32 124 discloses such a device for compensating the weight of a domestic-dishwasher door which is located at the front of the dishwasher, can be pivoted around a horizontal spindle, is mounted on a housing and is connected, by means of a band-like or cable-like transmission means, to a tension spring fastened on the housing, in the case of which device the transmission means is fitted, in a manner which is not described, in an eyelet of the spring which has been produced by bending up the last winding of said spring.
It has been shown, in practice, that the springs, which are subjected to very high stressing for the purpose of weight compensation in such a device, break, particularly at the eyelets produced by bending up the last winding of the spring, after a comparatively small number of load changes, that is to say door-opening movements. Furthermore, the insertion of the ends of the transmission means is time-consuming and thus expensive, and it is necessary to provide a fastening device on the transmission means, usually an eyelet, which constitutes a further operation and produces a further location which is at risk of fracture in a spring/transmission means connection.

Device for connecting a spring with a belt-shaped or rope-shaped transmission element


A yoga brick includes first and second casings. Each of the first and second casings includes inner and outer faces spaced along a first axis, a peripheral wall extending between the inner and outer faces, and a first recessed portion formed in the outer face. The first recessed portion includes a wavy holding face having a plurality of anti-slipping ribs. Each of the first and second casings can further include a second recessed portion formed in the outer face thereof. The second recessed portion includes a wavy holding face having a plurality of anti-slipping ribs. The first and second casings can be engaged with each other with the first recessed portion of the first casing aligned with the second recessed portion of the second casing along the first axis and with the second recessed portion of the first casing aligned with the first recessed portion of the second casing along the first axis.

The present invention relates to a yoga brick and, more particularly, to a yoga brick that can be held by an exerciser to assist in balance while doing yoga exercises.
A type of currently available yoga brick is made of foam material and can assist in balance of an exerciser doing yoga exercisers. Specifically, when the exerciser stretches or bends his or her body into various yoga positions, the exerciser can hold a yoga brick to assist in balancing his or her body in some of the yoga positions. Conventional yoga bricks have no recesses in the outer surfaces and are, thus, not ergonomic, leading to uncomfortable gripping during use. The conventional recess-free yoga bricks formed of foam material have a small deform extent without adversely affecting the balance of the exerciser when the yoga bricks are subjected to the holding force by the exerciser. To provide gripping comfort and firm gripping, recesses are provided in outer surfaces of yoga bricks for receiving the fingers of the exerciser. However, the structural strength of the yoga bricks is reduced by the recesses. When in user, the deformation of the yoga brick is increased to an extent that may adversely affect the balance of the exerciser. Furthermore, the deformation extent depends on the force applied to the yoga brick. As a result, the exerciser could not predict the deformation extent and could fall or even hurt himself or herself when losing balance.
Thus, a need exists for a novel yoga brick that is not easy to deform and that allows firm gripping by the exerciser.


The invention generally relates to a process for purifying a hydrogen gas for use in a fuel cell. The process involves taking a hydrogen feed stream from a high-pressure tank and passing it through a purifier comprising an adsorbent to provide a purified hydrogen stream which is sent to a fuel cell. A particular adsorbent which can be used is a metal-organic framework composition. The adsorbent can be housed in a device such as a canister or cartridge having an inlet and outlet port.

There has been recent interest in powering vehicles with electricity that is created on board by electrochemical reaction of hydrogen and oxygen within a polymer electrolyte membrane to produce water as a by-product. In a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEM), also called a proton exchange membrane, hydrogen is passed on the anode side of the membrane while air, containing the oxygen, is passed on the cathode side of the membrane. At the anode, a platinum catalyst causes the hydrogen to ionize into hydrogen ions or more particularly, protons and electrons. The PEM allows only the protons to pass through it to the cathode side where the hydrogen combines with the oxygen to produce the water. The electrons pass from the anode to the cathode through an external circuit that can be connected to an electrical motor to propel the vehicle.
The hydrogen purity requirement for the PEM fuel cell is quite stringent because any carbon monoxide, as well as other impurities in the hydrogen, will tend to poison the platinum catalyst used in the fuel cell. The hydrogen which is to be used in vehicles is primarily produced in a large-scale steam methane reforming system that produces a synthesis gas that is purified to produce the hydrogen. The hydrogen is then distributed to fueling stations where it is supplied to an on-board high-pressure tank contained in the vehicle either in a gaseous or liquid form. As can be appreciated, as the purity of the hydrogen increases, the cost of the hydrogen as a fuel for the vehicle also increases. Moreover, the problem of providing high purity hydrogen is exacerbated in that in transporting and charging the vehicle fuel tank with the hydrogen, impurities can be introduced into the hydrogen. Currently, hydrogen is purified at the point of production and hydrogen impurities introduced through the supply chain can be introduced into the vehicle fuel cell.
Applicants have addressed this problem by introducing a secondary point of purification closer to the point of use thus removing damaging impurities. As will be detailed below, Applicants have developed a process by which hydrogen from a tank is purified sufficiently so that it can be fed to a fuel cell without harm to the catalyst.

Process for purifying hydrogen gas for use in fuel cells


A method for preparing linear long chain fatty alcohols having 20 to 40 carbon atoms by a growth reaction of ethylene on aluminum compounds.

1. Field of the Invention
Subject matter of the invention is a method for preparing primary long-chain alcohols having on average greater than 20 carbon atoms.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Behenyl alcohol is a linear long-chain fatty alcohol of the formula C22H45OH, however, fatty alcohol mixtures having a chain length range of C18 (octadecanol) to C22 (docosanol) are also referred to as behenyl alcohols. On an industrial scale, these are prepared by means of fatty acid or fatty acid ester high-pressure hydrogenation. Raw materials for this are in particular erucic, crambe, or fish fatty acid, or their esters, which are obtained by hydrolysis or transesterification of the respective fats. One disadvantage of this method lies in the fact that raw materials from natural sources always provide fatty acid mixtures, consequently, as a matter of principle, the preparation of a certain individual component is coupled to the presence of additional components. Furthermore, this method is limited to chain lengths up to C22, with a few exceptions, due to the natural availability of the fatty acids.
According to another method, fatty alcohols are obtainable in the chain length range of C20 to C34 in accordance with US 2002/0099099-A1. Here, the fatty alcohol mixtures are obtained from natural products, preferably beeswax, by extraction and purification in organic solvents. Alcohol yields of at most 10 to 15% may be obtained if the esters contained in the beeswax are saponified prior to extraction.
Long-chain fatty alcohols up to a chain length of approximately C30 are also produced on an industrial scale by means of Ziegler's method (H. Ridder, K. Noweck, Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry, Fatty Alcohols, Fifth Edition, Vol. A10, 277-296 (1987)) starting from aluminum, hydrogen, and ethylene. Here, triethylaluminum is subjected with ethylene to a growth reaction, by which is meant the stepwise insertion of ethylene into the aluminum alkyl group; and after oxidation to the aluminum alkoxide and hydrolysis, C2 to C30 fatty alcohol mixtures are obtained, the fatty alcohols being present in Poissons's distribution. In methods carried out on an industrial scale, the distribution curve has a maximum at C10 to C12; however, it can be shifted to lower or higher mean molecular weights through the amount of ethylene used. The raw alcohols are subsequently distilled and separated into mixtures or individual fractions up to a chain length of C18 and C20, respectively. The portion accumulating in the bottom during distillation contains an alcohol distribution with a maximum at C20 and an alcohol content of approximately 80 wt %, or a maximum at C22 with an alcohol content of approximately 65 wt %. The raw alcohol obtained with Ziegler's method contains impurities, such as for example paraffins, olefins, ethers, esters, and aldehydes.
According to U.S. Pat. No. 3,255,256, alcohol mixtures, such as for example obtained in Ziegler's process after oxidation and hydrolysis, are converted to aluminum alkoxides in order to then separate the more volatile impurities by distillation or stripping. In this manner, paraffins, olefins, ethers, esters, and aldehydes are successfully separated from alcohols up to a chain length, above which, due to the high boiling points of the secondary components, a thermal decomposition of the alkoxide takes place. The subsequent hydrolysis of the aluminum alcoholates with aqueous systems yields a raw alcohol mixture and aluminum hydroxide.
This method is applicable for the separation of the non-alcoholic secondary components of Ziegler's method; however, it is not suitable for the separation of linear alcohols from branched alcohols. Ziegler raw alcohol contains with growing chains length also an increasing content of predominantly 2-branched alcohols. Analysis of the alcohol fraction of a typical Ziegler alcohol (NAFOL® 20+) after separation using column chromatography gives for example at a chain length of C20 7.8%, at C22 8.0%, and at C24 already 17% of branched alcohols (Table 1).
TABLE 1Example of an Alcohol Distribution of the AlcoholFraction in NAFOL ® 20+ChainName ofn-Alcoholiso-AlcoholRelative ProportionLengthn-AlcoholMass-[%]Mass-[%]iso-Alcohol [%]C18Octadecanol20 < 0.1%—C20Eicosanol220.127.116.11C22Docosanol126.96.36.199C24Tetracosanol8.81.817.0C26Hexacosanol220.127.116.11C28Octacosanol2.10.930.0C30Triacontanol1.00.637.5C32Dotriacontanol0.50.337.5Total87.810.710.9
During the growth reaction in Ziegler's process, ethylene is stepwise inserted into the aluminum carbon bond of the aluminum alkyls. Starting with triethylaluminum, longer chain aluminum alkyls with an even number of carbons are formed. One of the side reactions is the thermal cleavage of α-olefins, preferably ≧C4, with simultaneous formation of a dialkylaluminum hydride. The olefin cleavage is an equilibrium reaction, i.e., the dialkylaluminum hydride, in turn, can react with ethylene or the α-olefins with chain lengths of ≧C4 to form a trialkylaluminum. Just as in the growth reaction with ethylene, the formed α-olefins can also insert into the aluminum carbon bond. This hydroaluminization reaction takes place regioselectively, preferably with formation of a 2-alkyl-branched ligand which in turn is cleaved off forming a branched olefin. Branched ligands that are bound to the aluminum may also continue to grow with ethylene to longer chains, the branching site then removing itself by two carbon atoms at a time from the aluminum atom.

Method for the production of primary long-chain alcohols


A knitting yarn for manually forming a knitted product without tools includes a thread having a length dimension extending along an axis (A); a plurality of loops affixed to or formed with the thread by extending outwardly of the thread; and each of the plurality of loops defining an interior space adapted to receive another loop of the plurality of loops. The plurality of loops includes a first loop set mainly extending outwardly along +y axis and a second loop set extending along −y axis; and, the first loop set is essentially symmetrical to the second loop set around the symmetry axis (A). A method of manually forming a knitted product by using the knitting yarn; and the knitted product obtained thereof.

Fancy yarns particularly having a yarn effect are designed mainly for their aesthetic appearance rather than performance. These yarns, also called as wrapped yarns, can mostly be created by using the traditional ring spinning system but with additional feeding and control devices, and more recently with the hollow spindle system. These fancy yarns always contain at least three basic component strands, namely a core, a binder and an effect strand. The binder strand is used to fix the effect strand on to the core strand in an irregular fashion.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,458,988 A discloses a wrapped yarn comprising at least one generally straight tensile-bearing core strand, a first strand twisted in an irregular looped fashion around the core strand, and a second strand serving to hold the first strand in place. The yarn is only suitable to be knitted with the known knitting methods, i.e. by using tools such as knitting needles or crochet hooks, and by forming knitting loops from the disclosed straight yarn with the help of the knitting tools. Furthermore, the disclosed first strand functions as an effect strand on a knitted product when the wrapped yarn is knitted with the known knitting methods.
As described above, knitting apparatuses such as crochet hooks or knitting needles are used when knitting is carried out with the yarns present in the state of the art. The knitting procedure is quite difficult for a person without skills to properly knit products using normal conventional threads, since it requires one to learn the specifics of knitting, including the use of such tools. Even if such a person would have experience and skill in knitting, it still takes a significant amount of time for such a person to knit large items. As such, a need has developed to provide a knitting yarn and method of forming a knitted product which allows a person to quickly learn procedures for forming the knitted product and allows the person to carry out the knitting manually without the use of any tools, such as crochet hooks or knitting needles.
On the other hand, WO2018182545 (A1) discloses a thread with rings that can be used to obtain large surfaced knitted items without using knitting apparatus such as crochet hooks, knitting needles etc. and a method with which knitted items are obtained by using the thread with the rings. However, all of the disclosed rings of the mentioned thread extend outwardly of only one side of the thread as clearly shown in figure pages of referenced document. Therefore, it is not possible to obtain a knitted product having two different patterns and/or colors on its back and front knitted surfaces with the disclosed thread of this document. Thereby, the knitted surfaces obtained with the thread of this document do not have a first and a second surface which essentially present different properties from each other i.e., different patterns and colors.

Knitting yarn and method of forming knitted product

YUNTEKS TEKSTIL SANAYI VE TICARET LIMITED SIRKETI


A safety helmet having a shell constructed of a rigid material, the shell having a body portion and a brim portion extending outwardly from the body portion, the body portion having an exterior surface, an interior surface, an interior cavity defined by the interior surface of the body portion, and a bottom opening in open communication with the interior cavity, the interior cavity of the body portion sized to receive a portion of a head of a person. An adjustable webbing assembly is connected to the interior surface of the body portion for supporting the interior surface of the body portion of the shell a distance from the person's head. The safety helmet further includes a plenum extending along a portion of the exterior surface of the body portion of the shell, the plenum having an air inlet, at least one air outlet and an air flow passageway extending there between, the at least one air outlet of the plenum being in open communication with the interior cavity of the body portion of the shell. A fan is supported within the air flow passageway of the plenum such that the fan is disposed between the air inlet and the at least one air outlet of the plenum whereby upon activation of the fan, air is drawn into the air inlet of the plenum and discharged through the at least one air outlet of the plenum to cool the head of the person wearing the safety helmet.

The present invention relates to safety helmets, and more particularly but not by way of limitation, to safety helmets having a ventilation assembly for directing a supply of air over the head of a person wearing the safety helmet.
People who wear safety helmets often work under conditions which cause heat to build up beneath the safety helmet thereby at best causing discomfort and unsafe or unhealthy conditions. Although prior art safety helmets have been ventilated in various ways, such prior art safety helmets have not been well received or accepted. Further, many of the safety helmets of the prior art which contain a ventilating assembly have external openings or components extending therefrom which do not meet standards set by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
In addition, even safety helmets worn in non-industrial or non-commercial venues have failed to solve the problem of how to efficiently and effectively cool down the head of a person wearing a safety helmet. Therefore, a need has long existed where an improved safety helmet having a ventilation assembly which is capable of effectively and efficiently cooling the head of a person wearing the safety helmet, and which complies with standards set by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). It is to such a safety helmet that the present invention is directed.

Safety helmet having a ventilation assembly


A voltage margin controller, an IC included the same and a method of controlling voltage margin for a voltage domain of an IC are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, the voltage margin controller includes: (1) monitoring branches including circuit function indicators configured to indicate whether circuitry in the voltage domain could operate at corresponding candidate reduced voltage levels and (2) a voltage margin adjuster coupled to the monitoring branches and configured to develop a voltage margin adjustment for a voltage regulator of the voltage domain based upon an operating number of the circuit function indicators.

During manufacturing of ICs, a variation of fabrication parameters can occur. Variations, such as temperature, can also occur during operation of the ICs. Aging over the lifetime of the ICs, including hot-carrier injection (HCI) and bias temperature instability (BTI), is also considered during manufacturing of the IC. The extremes of these variations are represented by process corners in the design of the ICs. These corners, often referred to as process, voltage and temperature (PVT) corners, represent the effect of variations on ICs including the on-chip interconnects and via structures. Manufacturers add substantial voltage margins to low power use cases to ensure an IC can operate for that particular IC's PVT variations, aging expectations and system conditions.

Voltage optimization circuit and managing voltage margins of an integrated circuit


A transmitter device transmits data over a physical communication link to at least one destination. A monitor resource monitors a frequency band of signals on the physical communication link. At least a portion of the monitored frequency band in the physical communication link used to transmit the data is also allocated for transmissions of wireless communications in a vicinity of the physical communication link. The physical communication link may be damaged for any number of reasons such as a loose connector, rodent chewing on the physical communication link, etc. The damaged locations of the physical communication link are places where the wireless communications are more likely to couple onto the physical communication link and cause interference. In response to detecting presence of an interference signal in the monitored frequency band of the physical communication link, the monitor resource transmits one or more notifications.

Conventional cable networks have long been used to distribute content over physical communication media such as coaxial cables, fiber optic links, etc., to multiple subscribers. Typical distribution of content includes modulating a signal in accordance with QAM (Quadrature Amplitude Modulation) encoding and then transmitting the modulated QAM signal to multiple subscribers over the physical communication medium. Typically, the signals transmitted over the physical communication media are encoded at RF (Radio Frequency) oscillation rates.
There is currently is no interference mitigation technique built into cable network plants to compensate for interference caused by wireless network signals such as those associated with LTE (Long Terminate Evolution) networks. In general, LTE is a wireless network that operates in the same frequency bands as many cable operators. For example, the majority of LTE deployments in the United States are currently taking place in two Frequency bands such as band 13 (DL 746-756 MHz, UL 777-787 MHz) for Verizon™ and Band 17 (DL 734-746 MHz, UL 704-716 MHz) for AT&T™, both of which are within operating frequencies used by the cable operators.
Propagation and attenuation characteristics of wireless 700 MHz signals are very different from wireless signals at higher frequencies. For example, these relatively lower frequency signals travel further and are less attenuated by structures, etc., than higher frequency wireless signals. Thus, presence of such signals in an environment can have a greater interference impact to other devices.
Additionally, wireless base stations such as so-called picocells that transmit around this frequency range (e.g., 700-800 MHz) may be deployed in close proximity to a respective cable network plant, increasing a likelihood of possible interference with signals transmitted in a coaxial cable.
It is further noted that LTE technology uses so-called Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiplexing (OFDM) in a respective downlink. This means LTE signals also have a higher peak-to-average radio (crest factor) than other cellular technologies. Generally speaking, a signal with a higher crest factor will lead to more ingress interference as the signal energy is concentrated in a smaller portion of the allocated bandwidth. Especially in the case of an LTE uplink, it is highly unlikely that all resource blocks will be allocated at the same time.

Wireless signal interference mitigation in a network


A process for regenerating catalysts that have been deactivated or poisoned during hydrogenation of biomass, sugars and polysaccharides is described, in which polymerized species that have agglomerated to catalyst surfaces can be removed by means of washing the catalyst with hot water at subcritical temperatures. A feature of the process regenerates the catalysts in situ, which allows the process to be adapted for used in continuous throughput reactor systems. Also described is a continuous hydrogenation process that incorporated the present regeneration process.

In recent years, interest in developing renewable and "green" resources for chemical and fuel products has gained considerable momentum. In this respect, the exploitation of biomass or bio-based materials (i.e. materials whose carbon content is derived from regenerative biological rather than non-regenerative sources) for generating chemical and fuel products, which until now have been predominantly derived from fossil-origin materials, such as petroleum or coal, has become a focus of research and developmental investment. Certain chemical and fuel product replacements or alternatives have been produced on a commercial scale from biomass. For example, in the area of liquid fuels, ethanol and biodiesel (i.e. fatty acid alkyl esters) have been produced on a commodity scale from corn and sugar cane (for ethanol) and from various vegetable oils and animal fats. Even for these examples, though, biomass utilization processes can be improved.
Common raw materials derived from the processing of biomass are carbohydrates or sugars, which can be treated chemically to modify the carbohydrates into other useful chemicals. Thermal treatments provide a method to transform complex biomass, such as forest and agricultural residues into liquid oils. In a hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) process, conversion of carbohydrates is done with wet biomass at elevated temperatures (e.g., 300°-350° C., 570°-660° F.). Steam generated by heating the wet biomass results in high pressures (e.g. 15-20 MPa. 2,200-3,000 psi). Typically, the conversion is processed in a matter of minutes (e.g. 5-20 minutes).
Another such chemical treatment process is to hydrogenate carbohydrates into polyhydric alcohols, which in turn can themselves be further processes into other useful materials or biofuels. Sugar alcohols, such as xylitol, sorbitol, and lactitol, are industrially most commonly prepared by catalytic hydrogenation of corresponding sugar aldehydes over sponge-metal catalysts, such as nickel and ruthenium on carbon catalysts.
Coking and catalyst deactivation is a problem that arises from the hydrogenation of sugar alcohols because of the presence of residual sugars and high molecular weight polymers that have a degree of polymerization (DP) number greater than 3 in sugar alcohol solutions.
In many cases process designs, costs and operation schedules are greatly affected by the presence of catalyst poisons. Presence of oxidizing agents or small amounts of deactivators can cause either deactivation or poisoning of the hydrogenation catalyst. Sometimes the reaction product, reaction intermediates or by products act as catalytic deactivators and do not allow completion of the primary reaction.
In large scale sugar hydrogenation, catalyst deactivation often plays a central role in the economic efficiency of the hydrogenation process, such as life cycle assessment (LCA). Deactivation of the catalyst can be a complex phenomenon because active sites on catalyst may be blocked by bulky molecules through physical absorption, or poisoned by impurity in the feed stream, or absorbance of reactants, intermediates and products. Among of the latter, catalyst poisoning by impurities, such as sulfur compounds, is a key factor for catalyst deactivation. Although, in general, the amount of sulfur contained in biomass is relatively small, however, at large volumes and over time even minimal amounts can build up and adversely affect catalyst activity. Some biomass can contain as much as 0.5 wt. % sulfur. This poisoning impurity has strong interaction with catalyst surface and can be irreversible.
In a particular situation, one of the problems encountered in the catalytic hydrogenation of aldose sugars is the deactivation and instability of the hydrogenation catalyst, for example due to the formation of harmful by-products, such as epimers, hydrolysis products and their reduction products. Aldonic acids, such as lactobionic acid and xylonic acid, represent one example of the harmful by-products formed in the hydrogenation of aldoses to alditols. In the hydrogenation of glucose, it has been found that gluconic acid is typically formed as a by-product. It has also been found that gluconic acid has a tendency to adhere to the catalyst surface thus occupying the active sites of the hydrogenation catalyst and deactivating the catalyst. The deactivation and instability of the catalyst also lead into problems in the recovery and regeneration of the catalyst. These problems are even more severe especially with recycled catalysts. Recovery of the catalyst by filtration can be difficult.
In view of the foregoing, care should be taken to minimize presence of catalytic deactivators and poisons in the reaction mixture so as to prolong life of the catalyst. Under such situations some may either opt to use a different type of catalyst or seek to clean or regenerate the catalyst.
Regeneration of deactivated catalysts is possible for many catalytic processes and is widely practiced. The main purpose is to remove the temporary poisons on the catalyst surface and restore the free adsorption sites. Generally regeneration processes can be categorized into two types. i.e. off-site and on-site regeneration. In the off-site (ex-situ) regeneration, the catalyst is unloaded from the reactor and regeneration is performed in moving-bed belt calciners or conical-shaped rotating drum calciners (See. Robinson. D. W., Catalyst Regeneration, Metal Catalysts. Kirk-Othmner Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology [online], 4 Dec. 2000). The on-site (in-situ) regeneration does not require removing the catalyst from a reactor. Commonly, the procedure is to burn off, or oxygenate, the temporary poisons, such as green oil, in order to resume catalyst activity. Regeneration of the catalyst may be accomplished, for example, by heating the catalyst in air to a temperature over 300° C., up to about 5000° C. to incinerate any organic material, polymers, or char. Catalyst regeneration using such techniques, however, has certain limits; one is that repeated regeneration operations can cause permanent degradation of the catalyst activity.
Another approach is using hot-compressed water as alternatives to organic solvents and as a medium for unique and/or green chemistry to extract a variety of organic compounds has grown over the recent decade. (Adam G. Carr et al. A Review of Subcritical Water as a Solvent and Its Utilization for Processing of Hydrophobic Organic Compounds. CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL, v. 172 (2011), pp. 1-17, contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. See also, e.g., M. Osada et al. ENERGY & FUELS 2008, 22, 845-849, contents incorporated herein by reference, pertaining to regenerate catalysts poisoned by sulfur.) Of particular interest are processes in water near its critical point (Tc=374° C., Pc=221 bar (˜3205.33 psi), and pc=0.314 g/ml). Although some have explored the use of subcritical water as a solvent and its utility for hydrophobic organic compounds different kinds of reaction materials and catalytic substrates bring their own associated and distinguishable issues. The reversal of the solvent characteristics of critical hot-compressed water also results in precipitation of salts that are normally soluble in room temperature water. Most inorganic salts become sparingly soluble in supercritical water. This is the basis for unique separation of ionic species in supercritical water. The precipitated salts can serve as heterogeneous catalysts for reactions in supercritical water.
In view of the various problems and limitations current regenerative techniques, a better process for regenerating catalysts used in sugar hydrogenation would be appreciated.

Regeneration of catalyst for hydrogenation of sugars


The technology relates to cosharding tables within a distributed storage system. A data table including one or more rows may be received. Each row in the data table may include an identifier key and pieces of data. Each piece of data in the data table may be indexed into individual rows of an index table, wherein each row in the index table includes data associated with the identifier key of the data table from which the piece of data in the respective row was indexed. The index table may be sharded into splits, wherein the sharding includes assigning each row of the index table into one of the splits based on the identifier key of the data table from which the piece of data in the respective row was indexed. The splits may be stored into two or more portions of the distributed storage system.

Relational databases generally operate with data arranged in tables for efficient storage and retrieval. As a table grows, the data is typically spread across a number of database servers. However, separation of a table to different database servers may reduce the relational database's efficiency at retrieving data. In this regard, distributed operations (i.e., operations which require communication between the different database servers or components within a database center) may be required to locate and retrieve data being retrieved.


The invention relates to a process for the conversion of synthesis gases into a mixture of essentially linear and saturated hydrocarbons, characterized by the use of a catalyst prepared by a gelling procedure, incorporating cobalt, copper and ruthenium, the cobalt, copper and ruthenium being dispersed on a support having at least one oxide of a metal chosen from within the group formed by silica and alumina, the cobalt content, expressed by cobalt weight based on the catalyst weight, being between 1 and 60% by weight, the ruthenium content, expressed by ruthenium weight based on the cobalt weight, being between 0.1 and 20%, and the copper weight, expressed by copper weight based on the cobalt weight, being between 0.1 and 10%.

The present invention relates to a process for producing hydrocarbons from CO--(CO.sub.2)--H.sub.2 mixtures, i.e. CO--H.sub.2 mixtures optionally incorporating CO.sub.2 and referred to as synthesis gases. It more particularly relates to the use of a catalyst making it possible to convert the synthesis gas into a mixture of essentially C.sub.5 + hydrocarbons (i.e. having at least 5 carbon atoms per molecule) usable as a fuel or fuel oil.
The expert knows that synthesis gas can be converted into hydrocarbons in the presence of catalysts containing transition metals. This reaction, generally performed at a temperature between 150.degree. and 350.degree. C. and under pressure, is known as the FISHER-TROPSCH synthesis. The catalysts normally used for the transformation of CO--(CO.sub.2)--H.sub.2 mixtures into liquid or gaseous hydrocarbons generally incorporate at least one metal of the VIII group, such as iron, ruthenium, cobalt or nickel.
Products prepared by FISCHER-TROPSCH synthesis in the presence of these metal catalysts have a very broad molecular weight distribution. Thus, only a small proportion of the products obtained falls within the middle distillates range constituted by kerosene and gas oil fractions, the kerosene fraction or fractions being constituted by a mixture of hydrocarbons having boiling points between 140.degree. and 300.degree. C. and the gas oil fraction or fractions being constituted by a mixture of hydrocarbons having boiling points between 180.degree. and 370.degree. during an atmospheric distillation, such as is performed by the Expert on a petroleum crude.
Considerable efforts have been made since 1973 to improve the middle distillates efficiency of processes based on the conversion of synthesis gases. In particular cobalt, which has been known as a constituent of Fischer-Tropsch catalysts since the early works of SABATIER and SENDERENS (J. Soc. Chem. Ind., 21, 504, 1902) and German patents 29, 787 (1913) and 295,202 (1914) has again been used recently as a main constituent of improved catalytic formulations.
These formulations permit the synthesis of essentially paraffinic and linear hydrocarbons. However, a considerable proportion of these hydrocarbons constitutes paraffins having high boiling points, i.e. beyond the range of middle distillates. It is then advantageous to treat these high boiling point hydrocarbons in a hydrocracking process conveniently used in connection with the treatment of heavy fractions obtained from a petroleum crude, in order to improve the overall middle distillate efficiency.
Among the improved formulations referred to hereinbefore, French patent 2,388,781 claims a process for the preparation of hydrocarbons using a catalyst containing 5 to 50% by weight of one or more metals from the iron group, including cobalt and/or 0.1 to 5% by weight ruthenium and 5 to 50% by weight copper and/or zinc, said catalysts being prepared by impregnation. This process makes it possible to prepare hydrocarbons by the catalytic reaction of carbon monoxide with hydrogen, the H.sub.2 /CO molar ratio being below 1.
French patent 2,370,712 describes the use in a hydrocarbon synthesis process of a catalyst having 10 to 75% by weight of one or more metals from the iron group, as well as 1 to 50% by weight of one or more promoters, including alkaline earth or alkali metals, Ti, Zr, Al, Si, Cu, Ag, Ce, etc. This catalyst is prepared by impregnating a porous support with one or more aqueous solutions of salts of the metals of the iron group and promoters.
Austrian patent 46119/85 describes a catalyst active in Fischer-Tropsch synthesis containing (a) cobalt or a cobalt-based material, (b) silica or a silica precursor and (c) a base or an alkaline material, in which the ratio a:b:c is in the range 1:0.1-100:0.1-100. Said catalyst is prepared by hydrothermal synthesis under pressure and at a temperature between 50.degree. and 500.degree. C.
The conversion of synthesis gas into diesel fuels is also described South African patent 855,317. The latter describes catalyst essentially containing cobalt and ruthenium dispersed on a random support to which has optionally been added a promoter chosen from within groups IIIB or IVB, oxides of actinides or lanthanides, ZrO.sub.2 and TiO.sub.2 being preferred, as well as catalysts essentially containing cobalt and a promoter chosen from within the group constituted by Rh, Pt, Pd, Ir, Os, Ag and Au.
These catalytic formulations are prepared by impregnating the support with an organic solution containing soluble salts of the different elements entering into the composition of these catalysts.
French patent application 91/07,634 describes catalysts containing cobalt, at least one additional element M chosen from within the group constituted by molybdenum and tungsten and at least one element N chosen from among various elements, including ruthenium and copper, the elements being dispersed on a support. Their formulation differs rom that of the catalysts according to the invention described hereinafter by the obligatory presence of molybdenum and/or tungsten, which leads to the formation of a larger proportion of olefins and/or to slightly lower activities.
Patent WO 85/04598 describes a synthesis gas conversion catalyst and the process for preparing said catalyst comprising a hydrolysis stage, e.g. of a compound of silicon or aluminum. This catalyst contains at least one metal chosen from within the groups VIa and VIII of the periodic classification of elements. It does not contain a group Ib element. Moreover, the preferred formulations described in this patent are essentially iron-based. The hydrolysis of the compounds must be carried out for a sufficiently long time (1 to 12 hours) to be essentially total, rapid gelling leading to a catalyst in which the various elements are not homogeneously distributed. The hydrolysis medium and the hydrolyzed species (not containing a silica and/or alumina-based matrix and other elements) are then separated, e.g. by evaporation and then the gel is thermally treated at between 100.degree. and 600.degree. C.

Cobalt-based catalyst and process for converting synthesis gas into hydrocarbons


Provided are methods, devices, and computer-program products for tracking goods carriers from a particular source. According to some embodiments of the invention, a computer-implemented method includes training an artificial neural network to count the number of goods carriers from a particular source within an image. Further, the method includes receiving a first image file generated by a first imaging device; using the trained artificial neural network to determine a first number of goods carriers from the particular source in the first image; receiving a second image file generated by a second imaging device; using the trained artificial neural network to determine a second number of goods carriers from the particular source in the second image; and determining whether the first number of goods carriers from the particular source in the first image is equal to the second number of goods carriers from the particular source in the second image.

Tracking the movement of pallets through a transportation path can aid in diagnosing issues with pallet loss and recovery, pallet damage, and pallet cycle time. Various imaging devices may be used to gather images of pallet shipments from a particular source as they progress along the transportation path. However, because some of the pallets may be obscured in the images, it may be difficult to determine how many pallets are in each image, and to determine whether any pallets have been added or removed between nodes of the transportation path. Further, the images may include pallets from other sources, which may be incorrectly included in the number of pallets in an image.

Systems and methods for tracking goods carriers