| SOUTHWEST RESEARCH INSTITUTE Patent applications |
| Patent application number | Title | Published |
|---|
| 20120114926 | ELECTROPHORETIC DEPOSITION OF ADSORBENT MEDIA - A method of electrophoretic deposition of adsorbent media onto an electrically conducting substrate. The adsorbent media may include one or more porous coordination polymers and/or one or more secondary adsorbing particles. The adsorbent media may be continuously applied from a liquid composition at a selected thickness and at a controlled rate and as a function of voltage profiles | 05-10-2012 |
| 20120114871 | Method And Apparatus For Producing An Ionized Vapor Deposition Coating - A vapor deposition coating system including a metal vapor source, a power supply coupled to the metal vapor source, at least one thermionic ionizing grid including one or more thermionic filaments, wherein the ionizing grid is at least partially located within a region having a metal atom flow density in the range of 1E14m | 05-10-2012 |
| 20120095666 | Adaptive Desulfation and Regeneration Methods for Lean NOx Trap - An adaptive method is used for LNT desulfation and regeneration. The desulfation method involves adapting the amount of sulfur loading to trigger a desulfation event in accordance with the current adsorption capacity of the LNT. The method involves monitoring the current sulfur loading and the current LNT adsorption capacity. This data is used to calculate a loading amount “trigger”, whose value varies over the LNT lifetime. Whenever this trigger amount is reached, a desulfation event is performed. The regeneration method is similar, with the baseline data and loading threshold being determined by NOx loading rather than sulfur loading. | 04-19-2012 |
| 20120092474 | Scaleable, Compact, High Resolution Optical Fingerprint Reader - A fingerprint reader for acquiring a fingerprint image has a platen with a micro prism sheet on its underside. An arrangement of fold mirrors is used to receive light from the platen and fold the optical path twice before reaching the imagers. The reader has multiple imagers, each imager having at least an imaging lens and an image sensor. Each imager is configured so that the image plane of the image sensor is tilted relative to the optical axis of the imaging lens, such that keystone distortion in the fingerprint image is corrected. | 04-19-2012 |
| 20120090352 | Methods And Apparatus For An Oxy-Fuel Based Power Cycle - Methods and apparatus for an oxy-fuel combustion power cycle are provided, including converting gaseous carbon dioxide to liquid and/or supercritical carbon dioxide which may include the use of a cryogenic pump, removing a portion of the liquid and/or supercritical carbon dioxide from the cycle, combusting oxygen and a combustion fuel with the remaining liquid and/or supercritical carbon dioxide in an oxy-fuel combustor to generate steam and additional liquid and/or supercritical carbon dioxide which replaces the portion of the liquid and/or supercritical carbon dioxide sequestered from the cycle. | 04-19-2012 |
| 20120070503 | Nanoparticle-Based Targeted Drug Delivery For In Vivo Bone Loss Mitigation - The present invention is directed to nanoparticle-based targeted drug delivery system for treatment of bone-loss. An enantiomeric phenothiazine is formulated into an in-vivo nanoparticle delivery system which may contain bone-targeting functionality. The nanoparticle formulations and their associated influence on whole bone porosity may now also be evaluated utilizing nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and relaxation time profiles, and in particular, median T | 03-22-2012 |
| 20120063882 | Internally-cooled centrifugal compressor with cooling jacket formed in the diaphragm - An internally-cooled centrifugal compressor ( | 03-15-2012 |
| 20120047576 | Hardware-Implemented Hypervisor for Root-of-Trust Monitoring and Control of Computer System - A system and method for modifying a processor system with hypervisor hardware to provide protection against malware. The processor system is assumed to be of a type having at least a CPU and a high-speed bus for providing data links between the CPU, other bus masters, and peripherals (including a debug interface unit). The hypervisor hardware elements are (1) a co-processor programmed to perform one or more security tasks; (2) a communications interface between the co-processor and the debug interface unit; (3) a behavioral interface on the high-speed bus, configured to monitor control signals from the CPU, and (4) an access controller on the high-speed bus, configured to store access control data, to intercept requests on the high-speed bus, to evaluate the requests against the access control data, and to grant or deny the requests. | 02-23-2012 |
| 20120046852 | Closed Loop Control of Fuel Viscosity in Multi-Fuel Engine - A system and method for controlling the viscosity of liquid fuel delivered from a fuel tank to the fuel injectors of an internal combustion engine. A viscosity sensor is placed in the fuel line, or in a bypass fuel line, in close proximity downstream the fuel injectors. A heat exchanger is placed on the fuel line downstream the sensor. The sensor is a rotating cylinder having a nominal rotation velocity, and is configured to rotate such that the nominal rotation velocity increases or decreases in response to fuel viscosity. The sensor delivers a measurement signal to a control unit, which performs a closed loop algorithm to adjust the heat provided by the heat exchanger until the measured rotation matches a target rotation. | 02-23-2012 |
| 20120043981 | Corrosion Monitoring of Concrete Reinforcement Bars (Or Other Buried Corrodable Structures) Using Distributed Node Electrodes - Systems and methods for real time detection of corrosion of rebars embedded in a concrete structure. Test bars are selected for corrosion testing purposes, and may or may not also be part of the concrete reinforcement structure. These test bars are coated, and exposed sections of these test bars form a network of node electrodes. Electrical measurement from a counter electrode near a node electrode provides an indication of corrosion at that node electrode. Using a system of node electrodes and counter electrodes, a large concrete area may be monitored, and if corrosion is indicated, a methodical selection of electrodes can be used to locate the corrosion. The same concepts may be applied to detect corrosion in buried structures, such as pipelines and tanks. | 02-23-2012 |
| 20120038376 | Local Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (LEIS) for Detecting Coating Defects in Buried Pipelines - A system and associated methods for acquiring and analyzing LEIS data from a buried structure, such as a pipeline. A special probe having adjustable electrodes is placed in the soil above the structure. A voltage is applied to the structure, causing more current to emanate from a coating defect than from intact coating. The probe electrodes acquire a response signal, which is analyzed to detect the defect. | 02-16-2012 |
| 20120029789 | Methods of detecting pre-ignition and preventing it from causing knock in direct injection spark ignition engines - A method of preventing a pre-ignition event within a cylinder ( | 02-02-2012 |
| 20120021283 | Silicon Clathrate Anodes For Lithium-Ion Batteries - The present disclosure is directed at an electrode and methods for forming such electrode for a battery wherein the electrode comprises silicon clathrate. The silicon clathrate may include silicon clathrate Si | 01-26-2012 |
| 20120006686 | ELECTROPHORETIC FORMATION OF NANOSTRUCTURED COMPOSITES - The present invention is directed to composite films containing nanostructures within a polymer or monomeric matrix which composite may be formed on a metallic substrate and subsequently removed to provide bulk material. The nanostructures and polymer or monomer matrix may be assembled electrophoretically by initially providing a mixture of the nanostructures and polymer or monomer matrix material within generally anhydrous environments such as polar aprotic solvents followed by deposition of the composite film material. | 01-12-2012 |
| 20120003106 | TUNABLE CHOKE TUBE FOR PULSATION CONTROL DEVICE USED WITH GAS COMPRESSOR - A method and system for reducing pulsation in a gas compressor system. A pulsation control device, such as a filter bottle or side branch absorber, is installed at a port into some location on the compressor system. The pulsation control device has a choke tube with a variable cross-sectional area, such as by having multiple conduits that may be opened or closed or a diameter that may be varied. In operation, the cross sectional area of the choke tube is varied depending on the compressor speed. | 01-05-2012 |
| 20110306754 | Aligned Polymers Including Bonded Substrates - The present disclosure relates to the present disclosure relates to a method of fabricating an aligned polymer containing a bonded substrate and related compositions. The method involved placing a polymer in solution which is capable of alignment wherein the polymer is also bound to a selected substrate. This may then be followed by placing the polymer solution in an electrochemical cell wherein the polymer solution is in contact with at least one electrode and applying an electric field/voltage to the polymer solution and generating a pH gradient wherein the polymer and bonded substrate positions at the isoelectric point of the polymer in solution. | 12-15-2011 |
| 20110301925 | Optical State Estimation And Simulation Environment For Unmanned Aerial Vehicles - The present disclosure relates to a method and system for simulating an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and simulating an environment in which the UAV may be flying. A plurality of visual sensors, e.g., cameras, positioned on the UAV, may be simulated. A UAV simulator is configured to simulate the UAV and a graphical simulator is configured to simulate the environment. The UAV simulator may be configured to: estimate pitch, roll and/or groundspeed based, at least in part, on outputs from the visual sensors, determine a position and/or an orientation of the simulated UAV in the simulated environment based, at least in part, on the estimate(s) and provide the position and/or orientation to the graphical simulator. The graphical simulator may be configured to display the simulated UAV at the position and/or orientation in the simulated environment and/or to display the simulated camera view(s). | 12-08-2011 |
| 20110291900 | Portable Pop-Up Direction Finding Antenna - An easily transportable multiband antenna array. The antenna array is fabricated on a multi-sided structure, such as a four-sided cube, made from a wire frame and fabric. The multi-sided structure is constructed so that it may be folded by first folding the faces against each other, and then twisting them to form a stack of loops. The antenna elements are fabricated on the faces, and comprise at least a loop antenna around the perimeter of each face, and a bow-tie antenna attached to each face. The antenna elements are fabricated and attached so that they do not inhibit the folding of the structure. | 12-01-2011 |
| 20110278458 | Compact Handheld Non-Laser Detector For Greenhouse Gasses - Techniques are disclosed relating to gas leak detection. The techniques can be deployed, for example, in compact, handheld portable devices usable for detecting leaks in space-confined applications. The devices generally include a non-laser light source and thermal imaging camera that allow for detection of a target gas (or gasses) that absorbs at least some of the light source's wavelengths of operation. The light source can be implemented, for example, with an incoherent infrared (IR) light source, such as a resonance lamp configured with a gas cell containing a volume of a gas that, when excited by electric discharge, emits a wavelength that is absorbed by the target gas. | 11-17-2011 |
| 20110277457 | Energy Storage and Production Systems, Apparatus and Methods Of Use Thereof - Systems, apparatus and methods of compressed air energy storage and electrical power generation are provided. In one embodiment, an apparatus is provided having a magnetic piston within a cylinder and an air chamber at each end of the piston; an electromagnetic coil is operable with the piston to convert an input of electrical power to a first reciprocating movement of the piston sufficient to generate compressed air in the chambers for storage in a compressed air storage reservoir; and the electromagnetic coil is operable with the piston to convert a second reciprocating movement of the piston to an output of electrical power connectable to a power grid, with the second reciprocating movement of the piston generated by bursts of the compressed air from the storage reservoir introduced into the chambers. | 11-17-2011 |
| 20110271931 | Piston Bowl With Flat Bottom - A piston for a direct injection engine is provided, the piston having a bowl at an upper end, the bowl forming a portion of a combustion chamber. The bowl includes an inner surface that defines a volume configured to receive a fuel-air mixture, the inner surface of the bowl including a generally concave portion including a flat bottom surrounding a central protruding dome. The relatively flat bottom portion is bounded by two radial concave surface portions which are disposed below two convex separation features for the injected fuel spray. Such surface geometries may reduce soot and improve fuel-air mixing. | 11-10-2011 |
| 20110265761 | Method and related system of dithering spark timing to prevent pre-ignition in internal combustion engine - Methods of mitigating the occurrence of a low-speed pre-ignition event in a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine ( | 11-03-2011 |
| 20110262837 | Two-Dimensional Composite Particle Adapted For Use As A Catalyst And Method Of Making Same - The present invention is directed to a composite particle that is microscopically two-dimensional with a third nanoscopic dimension, and to methods of making same. The particle may include a support and a metal layer. The metal layer may be catalytically active such that the particle is adapted to act as a catalyst. | 10-27-2011 |
| 20110259297 | Piston Bowl With Deflecting Features - A piston for a direct injection engine is provided, the piston having a bowl at an upper end, the bowl forming a portion of a combustion chamber. The bowl includes an inner surface and a dome that defines a volume configured to receive a fuel-air mixture, the inner surface of the bowl and the dome each including at least one surface feature as a target for the fuel spray. The surface feature may protrude from the inner surface of the bowl or may be recessed into the inner surface. Such surface features may reduce soot and improve fuel-air mixing. | 10-27-2011 |
| 20110259092 | Corrosion Sensor - A corrosion sensor may include a sensor body, a chloride probe held in the sensor body, a pH probe held in the sensor body, a reference electrode for the chloride probe and the pH probe held in the sensor body, a multiple array sensor held in the sensor body and a resistivity probe held in the sensor body. A method of measuring corrosion in a reinforced concrete structure may include inserting a corrosion sensor into a reinforced concrete structure and monitoring chloride ions with the chloride probe, pH with the pH probe, localized concrete resistivity with the resistivity probe and corrosion current density with the multiple array sensor. | 10-27-2011 |
| 20110256417 | Oxidation Resistant Nanocrystalline MCrAl(Y) Coatings And Methods of Forming Such Coatings - The present disclosure relates to an oxidation resistant nanocrystalline coating and a method of forming an oxidation resistant nanocrystalline coating. An oxidation resistant coating comprising an MCrAl(Y) alloy may be deposited on a substrate, wherein M, includes iron, nickel, cobalt, or combinations thereof present greater than 50 wt % of the MCrAl(Y) alloy, chromium is present in the range of 15 wt % to 30 wt % of the MCrAl(Y) alloy, aluminum is present in the range of 6 wt % to 12 wt % of the MCrAl(Y) alloy and yttrium, is optionally present in the range of 0.1 wt % to 0.5 wt % of the MCrAl(Y) alloy. In addition, the coating may exhibit a grain size of 200 nm or less as deposited. | 10-20-2011 |
| 20110253095 | Piston Bowl With Spray Jet Targets - A piston for a direct injection engine is provided, the piston having a bowl at an upper end, the bowl forming a portion of a combustion chamber. The bowl includes an inner surface that defines a volume configured to receive a fuel-air mixture, the inner surface of the bowl including at least one surface feature as a target for the fuel spray, the surface feature angled 20° to 80° from the piston face. The surface feature may protrude from the inner surface of the bowl or may be recessed into the inner surface. Such surface features may reduce soot and improve fuel-air mixing. | 10-20-2011 |
| 20110253094 | Piston Bowl With Spray Jet Targets - A piston for a direct injection engine is provided, the piston having a bowl at an upper end, the bowl forming a portion of a combustion chamber. The bowl includes an inner surface that defines a volume configured to receive a fuel-air mixture, the inner surface of the bowl including at least one surface feature that forms at least one edge portion as a target for the fuel spray, the edge portion defined by two or more surface portions. The surface feature may protrude from the inner surface of the bowl or may be recessed into the inner surface. Such surface features may reduce soot and improve fuel-air mixing. | 10-20-2011 |
| 20110244587 | QUANTIFICATION OF LUBRICANT REACTIVITY USING CONSTANT VOLUME COMBUSTION DEVICE - A method for identifying a lubricant composition that reduces the propensity for knock in an engine. The lubricant composition is mixed with a solvent to reduce the viscosity of the lubricant composition, thereby forming a lubricant-solvent mixture having a viscosity similar to or less than that of engine fuel. A sample of a lubricant-solvent mixture is then subjected to a constant volume combustion test to determine the reactivity associated with the lubricant-solvent mixture. The test is repeated for a range of lubricant-solvent ratios, and statistical methods are used to calculate the reactivity of the lubricant composition without solvent. | 10-06-2011 |
| 20110235032 | Chiral Plasmonic Structures For Mediating Chemical Transformation And Detection Of Molecules With Spatial Chirality - Three-dimensional metal dielectric structures are disclosed with chiral symmetry that elicit surface plasmons. The plasmons may have propagational circular polarization wherein the frequency of such propagating plasmons may be tuned by design to couple with the electronic transitions or fundamental vibrations, including phonons, of a molecular species. The plasmon-molecule coupling, combined with the propagational polarization afforded by the chiral structure may be further exploited to mediate the chemical transformations involving molecules with spatial chirality and/or to detect molecules with spatial chirality. | 09-29-2011 |
| 20110232519 | Shaped Explosive Charge - A shaped charge explosive device is provided having a front, a rear and an axis of symmetry with the device comprising an explosive charge, a liner lining a front of the explosive charge, the liner having a recess in the form of a groove encircling the axis of symmetry; and the groove arranged to provide an axis of projection for the liner at an angle A relative to the axis of symmetry. A method of cutting a structure is provided comprising the steps of providing the foregoing device, detonating the explosive charge to create a detonation wave; forming the liner into an formed projectile in the shape of an annular ring with the detonation wave; directing the formed projectile towards the structure; and forming an annular ring cut pattern in the structure with the formed projectile. | 09-29-2011 |
| 20110221428 | Magnetostrictive Sensors for Surface Wave Testing of Thick Walled Structures - An ultrasonic probe that uses the magnetostrictive effect to generate and detect a surface-coupled guided wave for the purpose of inspecting a thick-walled structure for surface defects. A transmitter probe and a receiver probe are especially designed to generate and detect short wavelengths that will couple to only one surface of the plate. | 09-15-2011 |
| 20110220490 | Apparatus And Method Utilizing A Double Glow Discharge Plasma For Sputter Cleaning - The present disclosure relates to an apparatus and method utilizing double glow discharge for sputter cleaning of a selected surface. The surface may include the inner surface of a hollow substrate such as a tube which inner surface may then be coated via magnetron sputter deposition. | 09-15-2011 |
| 20110217351 | COATING FOR MEDICAL IMPLANTS - A medical implant for drug delivery comprising an inner layer of polymer material including a drug dispersed therein and an outer layer which may then mediate the release of the drug in a controllable manner. The outer layer may adhere and/or penetrate the underlying layer and offer a protective coating along with improved mechanical strength along with the ability to hydrate and become permeable to water and allow for drug release. | 09-08-2011 |
| 20110216188 | Optical Velocity Tracking for Paint Spray Gun - A method of tracking and reporting the velocity of a hand-held paint spray gun. The object to be painted is placed in a room having one or more fiducial walls. A camera is installed on the spray gun, with its field of view toward the one or more fiducial walls. As the object is painted, the camera detects fiducials, calculates their current position, and compares current positions to previous locations to determine movement and velocity. The current velocity is compared to a stored target velocity, and audible or visible feedback is provided to the spray gun operator. | 09-08-2011 |
| 20110213538 | Method and related system of using crankcase pressure to to detect pre-ignition in spark ignition engine - Methods and a related system of preventing a pre-ignition event in a spark ignition engine. Unusual crankcase pressure fluctuations often occur prior to a Low-Speed Pre-Ignition (LSPI) event. A high speed high resolution pressure transducer ( | 09-01-2011 |
| 20110208033 | FRACTURE RISK ASSESSMENT - The present disclosure relates to a bone fracture risk assessment method and system. The method may include generating a volumetric model corresponding to a three-dimensional image of a bone structure for each bone structure in a set of bone structures. The method may further include defining a vector of variables for each bone structure. Each variable in the vector of variables may include a three-dimensional position of one of a number of volumetric vertices and at least one parameter associated with the one volumetric vertex. The method may include generating a set of individual vectors and performing variable reduction on the set of individual vectors. The method may further include determining a discriminator based at least in part on a result of the variable reduction. | 08-25-2011 |
| 20110195125 | Nanoparticles For Drug Delivery To The Central Nervous System - The present disclosure relates to compositions and methods for producing nanoparticles to provide relatively more rapid delivery of such particles across the blood-brain barrier. The nanoparticles may be formed from bis-quaternary pyridinium-aldoxime salts that may also be of a specific polymorphic structure and which may be formed in either hydrophobic or hydrophilic type liquid media. In addition, the nanoparticle for transport across the blood-brain barrier may comprise a polymeric resin encapsulating a bis-quaternary pyridinium-2-aldoxime salt of the formula: | 08-11-2011 |
| 20110181767 | Vision System - The present disclosure relates to a vision system which may include a plurality of lenses coupled to an image sensor by a plurality of optical fiber bundles. Each of the plurality of lenses is configured to capture at least a portion of the scene. The image sensor may be located a distance from the plurality of lenses. The optical fiber bundles are configured to transmit optical image data from each lens to the image sensor. The image sensor is configured to convert the optical image data from each lens into corresponding electrical image data (“electrical image data”) for each lens. | 07-28-2011 |
| 20110180386 | PLASMONIC STRUCTURES FOR MEDIATING CHEMICAL TRANSFORMATION - The present invention relates to plasmonic structures of metal dielectrics and their use in corresponding processes that elicit surface plasmons which may then be employed to influence a chemical transformation. The frequency of a plasmon may be tuned to couple with a selected vibrational mode of a selected molecule to undergo a selected transition, such as transitions to a metastable state, bond rearrangement and/or chemical transformation via the breaking and reforming of bonds. | 07-28-2011 |
| 20110174983 | System And Method For Acquiring Radiation Spectral Data In A Radiation Field And Determining Effective Dose Rate And Identifying Sources Of Localized Radiation - The present disclosure relates to a system and survey method for acquiring radiation spectral data in a radiation field and optionally determining effective dose rate based on the radiation spectral data. The method may include acquiring energy-dependent radiation spectral data at a location of interest in a radiation field using a detector, wherein the energy-dependent radiation spectral data may include counts versus energy. The method may further include acquiring radiation spectral data at least one other location wherein the at least one other location is positioned relative to the location of interest. | 07-21-2011 |
| 20110174055 | Evaluation Of Non-Fuel Components On Engine Knock Performance - The present invention relates to methods and apparatus for the evaluation of non-fuel components within a selected fuel with respect to engine knock performance. A non-fuel component such as a lubricant oil is now evaluated to determine onset of engine knock relative to baseline oil formulations that indicate relative low reactivity and optimum engine performance and those engine oils that exhibit relatively high reactivity and sub-optimum engine performance. | 07-21-2011 |
| 20110169486 | Magnetostrictive Sensor for Tank Floor Inspection - A method of testing for defects in the bottom of an above ground storage tank, the tank bottom having a lip extending outwardly from the tank wall around the circumference of the tank. A special magnetostrictive sensor is designed to be placed on this lip. The sensor is placed over a strip of magnetostrictive material, which generally conforms in length and width to the bottom of the probe, with a couplant being applied between the strip and the lip surface. The sensor is then operated in pulse echo mode to receive signals from defects in the bottom of the tank. It is incrementally moved around the circumference of the tank. | 07-14-2011 |
| 20110111190 | Method For Applying A Diffusion Barrier Interlayer For High Temperature Components - A coated substrate and a method of forming a diffusion barrier coating system between a substrate and a MCrAl coating, including a diffusion barrier coating deposited onto at least a portion of a substrate surface, wherein the diffusion barrier coating comprises a nitride, oxide or carbide of one or more transition metals and/or metalloids and a MCrAl coating, wherein M includes a transition metal or a metalloid, deposited on at least a portion of the diffusion barrier coating, wherein the diffusion barrier coating restricts the inward diffusion of aluminum of the MCrAl coating into the substrate. | 05-12-2011 |
| 20110095933 | Detection and Location of Radio Frequency Weapons From High Altitude Glider System - A method and system for detecting and locating RF weapons being used against aircraft. Large geographic regions may be defended by equipping a constellation of high-altitude airborne platforms with RF detectors, GPS receivers and a communications unit. The communications unit downlinks data indicating an RF weapon pulse and associated time and location data. From this data, a ground station performs a time difference of arrival (TDOA) location fix of the RF weapon. | 04-28-2011 |
| 20110083624 | Cylinder Head For An Engine - A cylinder head for an engine is provided comprising a monolithic structure forming an upper deck, a fire deck, at least one coolant jacket and a cavity to accommodate a fuel injector or an ignitor therein, the cavity defined by a wall connecting the fire deck with the upper deck. The wall connecting the fire deck with the upper deck, as well as other features of the cylinder head, are preferably arranged to support the fire deck against a deflection thereof by transmitting a mechanical load introduced on a flame face of the fire deck to the upper deck. A method of increasing the stiffness of the cylinder head is also provided. | 04-14-2011 |
| 20110083622 | Cylinder Head Sleeve For A Fuel Injector Or Ignitor Of An Engine - A cylinder head sleeve for an engine is provided comprising a sleeve first part and a sleeve second part which form a cavity to contain a fuel injector or an ignitor, and wherein the sleeve first part and the sleeve second part which form a joint for the sleeve first part and the sleeve second part to move relative to each other. A cylinder head assembly is also provided comprising the sleeve and a cylinder head, as well as a method of providing the cylinder head assembly. | 04-14-2011 |
| 20110059878 | Lubricant Oil Compositions To Optimize Internal Combustion Engine Performance - The present disclosure relates to lubricant oil compositions formed from base stock oils to optimize internal combustion engine performance. Base stock oils are identified that have selected cetane number characteristics and relatively reduced reactivity to improve their associated combustion characteristics and reduce engine knock without the need to modify the engine fuel or engine parameters such as compression ratio and/or ignition timing. The base stocks may specifically include esters of dicarboxylic acids, esters of trimellitic anhydride and/or alklyated naphthalene compounds. | 03-10-2011 |
| 20110054791 | POSITION ESTIMATION FOR GROUND VEHICLE NAVIGATION BASED ON LANDMARK IDENTIFICATION/YAW RATE AND PERCEPTION OF LANDMARKS - A landmark-based method of estimating the position of an AGV (autonomous ground vehicle) or conventional vehicle, which has an onboard database of landmarks and their location coordinates. During travel, the AGV looks for and identifies landmarks. It navigates according to position estimations that are based on measured yaw rate and speed. When a landmark is encountered and recognized, its true location coordinates are looked up from the database. These true coordinates are then used to enhance position estimation accuracy between landmarks. | 03-03-2011 |
| 20110048123 | Techniques To Measure Strain Development And Failure In A Fabric - The present disclosure relates to a system and method for characterizing an impact in a fabric. The system may include a sensing element woven in the fabric wherein a parameter of the sensing element depends on a strain in the sensing element; a transducer coupled to the sensing element wherein the transducer is configured to generate an output based on the parameter of the sensing element; and a controller coupled to the transducer, the controller configured to receive the output of the transducer, to determine a strain in the sensing element based, at least in part, on a change in the output of the transducer, and to characterize the impact in the fabric based on the strain in the sensing element. | 03-03-2011 |
| 20110041929 | Squeeze Film Damper Valve For Compressor Cylinders - A compressor plate valve having a valve seat, a valve guard and a valve plate. The valve plate is moveable between the valve guard and valve seat to control fluid passage through passages in the seat, the guard, and the plate. A valve stem passes through the center of the valve guard and is attached to the center of the valve plate. The valve stem provides guidance for the plate valve to ensure parallel motion. In addition to sealing surfaces that oppose passages, the seat and plate have landing surfaces that provide a braking effect when the valve closes through squeeze film action. | 02-24-2011 |
| 20110029026 | Micro-Structure Particles For Load Bearing Bone Growth - The present disclosure relates to methods of facilitating bone growth. The method may include positioning a device around at least a portion of a bone exhibiting a defect, the device capable of retaining bone segments and micro-structured particles. The method may also include applying micro-structure particles within the device to the defect, wherein each of the micro-structure particles include at least one pore therein. In addition, the method may include aligning at least a portion of the micro-structure particles and applying a polymer to the particles and solidifying the polymer. | 02-03-2011 |
| 20110015591 | Wound Healing Sensor Techniques - The present disclosure is directed at methods and apparatus to evaluate and monitor healing progress of wound and/or to generate data to modify or identify a treatment protocol. Fluid exudate removed from the wound by a negative pressure therapy device may now be analyzed to identify the progress of wound healing, such as whether healing is progressing in a positive manner or experiencing one or more impediments. The fluid exudates may be specifically analyzed for one or more analytes indicative of one or more of the biochemical reactions that may occur during wound recovery. In addition, one may separately utilize optical sensors integrated into a dressing enclosure, optionally in those dressings employed in a negative pressure therapy device. Such optical sensors may then illuminate the wound and collect information regarding the wound via a light scattering type response. | 01-20-2011 |
| 20110015568 | Dry To Wet Injector - The present disclosure relates to an apparatus and method for combining a solid particulate with a solvent prior to an injection protocol within an injector device. The solid particulate may be a pharmaceutical compound and the microcapsules contain a solvent for such particulate. Upon application of pressure, the microcapsules may be configured to burst and release the solvent, thereby dispersing and/or partially dissolving the particulate. The injector therefore allows for the use of relatively unstable pharmaceutically active compounds in a device that requires relatively long storage times and the use of pharmaceutical compounds that are relatively stable in the dry state. | 01-20-2011 |
| 20110011082 | Emissions Control System Having External Turbocharger Wastegate and Integrated Oxidation Catalyst - A method and system for reducing undesired exhaust emissions during cold start of a turbocharger-equipped internal combustion engine. A bypass line in the engine compartment has a bypass valve that permits exhaust to be bypassed around the turbocharger's turbine during cold start. An oxidation catalyst is closely coupled to the bypass valve. | 01-20-2011 |
| 20110009332 | Therapeutic Treatment Of Wounds - The present disclosure relates to compositions and methods for treating wounded skin and/or increasing the mechanical strength of wounded skin through the administration of an effective amount of a proteasome inhibitor to such wounded skin. | 01-13-2011 |
| 20100329899 | MULTI-FREQUENCY PULSATION ABSORBER AT CYLINDER VALVE CAP - A multi-chambered pulsation absorber for attachment over the valve cap opening of a compressor cylinder. Each chamber is in fluid communication with the valve cap opening (or cylinder internal gas passages) via an associated choke tube. Each pairing of a chamber with a choke tube is tuned, in the manner of a Helmholz resonator, to attenuate and nearly eliminate a different cylinder-related pulsation frequency, such as those resulting from internal cylinder pulsations or cylinder nozzle pulsations. | 12-30-2010 |
| 20100315329 | WEARABLE WORKSPACE - The present disclosure relates to a wearable workspace system which may include an input device and a head worn display coupled to a wearable computer. The input device may be configured to detect user input data wherein the user input data is provided by a user hands-free. The computer may be configured to: store an electronic technical manual, receive the detected user input data and generate an output based on the recognized user input data. The head worn display may be configured to display at least a portion of the electronic technical manual to the user while allowing the user to simultaneously maintain a view of a work piece. The display may be further configured to receive the output from the computer and to adjust the at least a portion of the electronic technical manual displayed to the user based on the output. | 12-16-2010 |
| 20100307439 | Fuels For Homogenous Charge Compression Ignition Engines - A fuel for a homogeneous charge compression ignition engine having a 95 V % distilled temperature by boiling point measurement in the range of about 35.degree. C. to about 350.degree. C., a cetane number in the range of about 2 to about 120, and an octane number in the range of 10 to about 110. The invention also relates to a method of operating a homogeneous charge compression ignition engine of mixing a fuel with air and feeding the fuel into a combustion chamber. | 12-09-2010 |
| 20100300073 | PASSIVE NOx AND PM AFTERTREATMENT FOR DIESEL ENGINE - A method of reducing emissions by operating a diesel engine in a stoichiometric air-fuel ratio mode. To achieve an optimal stoichiometric mode, intake throttling, boost air intake control, fuel injection adjustments, and exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) are used. This mode of operation permits an aftertreatment system that has only an oxidation catalyst and a particulate filter. | 12-02-2010 |
| 20100297446 | Layer By Layer Modification Of Microcapsules With Inorganic Materials - The present disclosure relates to a microcapsule and a method of forming a microcapsule which may be used for oxygen sensitive materials. The microcapsule may comprise a shell encapsulating a core material having a surface, wherein the shell comprises a first organic or inorganic polyelectrolyte providing a plurality of cationic or anionic charges. This may then be followed by forming a first layer comprising an inorganic or organic polyelectrolyte on the microcapsule surface, where the polyelectrolyte of the first layer provides a plurality of cationic or anionic charges, opposite to the charge of the shell polyelectrolyte. This may then be followed by forming a second layer comprising a second organic or inorganic polyelectrolyte providing a plurality of cationic or anionic charges, opposite to the charge of the first layer polyelectrolyte. | 11-25-2010 |
| 20100293929 | EXHAUST AFTERTREATMENT SYSTEMS FOR GASOLINE AND ALTERNATIVE-FUELED ENGINES, WITH REDUCTION OF HC, CO, NOx, AND PM - An exhaust gas emissions aftertreatment system for spark-ignition engines, which simultaneously reduces the particulate matter, HC, CO, and NOx content of the exhaust. Various embodiments of the system have both a closely-coupled TWC device, and an under-floor treatment device. The under-floor device has either TWC or NOx reduction functionality, depending on whether the engine is run under stiochiometric or lean burn operating conditions. | 11-25-2010 |
| 20100292907 | SLIDING MODE CONTROL SYSTEM FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE - A system and method for using a sliding mode control algorithm to control flow rates from air handling actuators and fuel injectors of an internal combustion engine. The sliding mode control is based on an engine model that represents the engine in terms of pressure and oxygen content states of the intake and exhaust manifolds (as a linear term) and controllable flow rates (as a nonlinear term). | 11-18-2010 |
| 20100288249 | Internal Combustion Engine With Ammonia Fuel - The invention provides methods of providing fuel to an internal combustion engine, fuel systems for an internal combustion engine and a fuel injector for an internal combustion engine. Ammonia may be heated and pressurized to a selected condition and may used as fuel which is supplemented with hydrogen to assist with ignition, flame propagation, and/or combustion speed. | 11-18-2010 |
| 20100287915 | Integrated PM Filter and SCR Catalyst for Lean Burn Engine - A wall-flow exhaust gas emissions aftertreatment device for simultaneously reducing the particulate matter and NOx content of the exhaust. The device comprises a number of longitudinal inlet channels and outlet channels, the inlet channels being plugged at the exit face, and the outlet channels being plugged at the entry face. The interiors of the inlet channels are coated with a particulate matter catalyst coating, and the interiors of the outlet channels are coated with a selective catalyst reduction catalyst coating. | 11-18-2010 |
| 20100281948 | Spiral, Microchanneled Chromatographic Column And Detection Systems - The present disclosure relates to a spirally wrapped chromatographic structure, a system incorporating such structure and a method of providing such structure. The structure may include an absorber layer having a first surface and a second surface, wherein one or a plurality of channels are defined in the first surface. The structure may also include a support layer having a first surface and a second surface, the first surface of the support layer disposed on the second surface of the absorber layer, wherein the absorber layer and the support layer comprise a spiral configuration such that at least a portion of the first surface of the absorber layer contacts at least a portion of the second surface of the support layer. | 11-11-2010 |
| 20100274488 | Neutrally buoyant sensor apparatus and method for mapping a water pathway - An apparatus and method for mapping a water pathway. A group of sensors can be employed for detecting one or more features associated with the water pathway in a direction of flow through the water pathway. A buoyant vessel maintains the sensors, and the sensors assist in compiling data indicative of the detected features. The velocity in the direction of flow through the water pathway can be then determined based on data indicative of the detected feature(s). A mapping of the water pathway can be thereafter generated utilizing the velocity with respect to the features detected by the sensors. | 10-28-2010 |
| 20100231722 | Compact handheld detector for greenhouse gasses - Techniques are disclosed relating to gas leak detection. The techniques can be deployed, for example, in compact, handheld portable devices usable for detecting leaks in space-confined applications. The devices generally include an unstablized laser and thermal imaging camera that allow for detection of gas that absorbs at least some of the wavelength of operation of the unstablized laser. The devices can be operated at a low-power density for safety and/or may be configured to mitigate wavelength hopping associated with unstablized laser light sources. | 09-16-2010 |
| 20100230593 | Compact handheld non-laser detector for greenhouse gasses - Techniques are disclosed relating to gas leak detection. The techniques can be deployed, for example, in compact, handheld portable devices usable for detecting leaks in space-confined applications. The devices generally include a non-laser light source and thermal imaging camera that allow for detection of a target gas (or gasses) that absorbs at least some of the light source's wavelengths of operation. The light source can be implemented, for example, with an incoherent infrared (IR) light source, such as a resonance lamp configured with a gas cell containing a volume of a gas that, when excited by electric discharge, emits a wavelength that is absorbed by the target gas. | 09-16-2010 |
| 20100225529 | UNSWITCHED, ULTRA LOW POWER, LONG RANGE RADAR SYSTEM - An ultra low power, long range, robust radar system, for applications such as ionospheric sounding. The HF transmit signal and the received (reflected) signal are both unswitched and high frequency and share a path to a common loop antenna. The transmit signal originates at a local oscillator (LO), and is sufficiently low power to not saturate the receive signal path. A balun divides the local oscillator signal between the transmit path forward to the antenna and a mixer path, and also divides the received signal between the mixer path and the LO path. A mixer converts the mixed LO and received signal to baseband. | 09-09-2010 |
| 20100224913 | One-dimensional FET-based corrosion sensor and method of making same - A field effect transistor corrosion sensor ( | 09-09-2010 |
| 20100214085 | COOPERATIVE SENSOR-SHARING VEHICLE TRAFFIC SAFETY SYSTEM - A method and system for using vehicle-to-vehicle cooperative communications for traffic collision avoidance. One vehicle detects a “situation”, such as a pedestrian within the crosswalk, where an “offending object” is in or near a roadway feature, which could result in a collision. The detecting vehicle informs a second vehicle via wireless communications, of the detecting vehicle's GPS location, the GPS location of the detected object, and the GPS location of the roadway feature, i.e., a crosswalk boundary. Additional data about the “offending object” can include its speed and heading. A receiving vehicle receives this data and takes appropriate avoidance action. | 08-26-2010 |
| 20100205136 | System and Method for Modeling and Predicting Security Threats - A computer-implemented system and method of organizing, storing, and analyzing intelligence data. The intelligence data is structured as “SDO” (standardized data object) data, each SDO containing data representing source intelligence or target intelligence or both. The system receives threat definitions from the user, and processes the SDOs and threat definitions to determine if there are location/time coherencies that indicate a security threat. A “threat map” displays one or more SDOs in that location, each SDO having a geographical radius and a time bar. | 08-12-2010 |
| 20100187439 | Fluorescent Monitoring Of Microcapsule Oxidation - The present disclosure relates to microcapsules that include a shell material and a core material. The core material of the microcapsules contains an environmentally sensitive luminescent colorant which exhibits characteristics of an emitted wavelength bandwidth, a peak intensity for emission and a time for luminescence decay, one or more of the characteristics capable of changing upon exposure to a given environment, and a luminescent standard which exhibits characteristics of an emitted wavelength bandwidth, a peak intensity for emission and a time for luminescence decay, one or more of the characteristics do not change upon exposure to said given environment. | 07-29-2010 |
| 20100143089 | System For Autonomously Dispensing Media On Large Scale Surfaces - The present disclosure relates to a system, method and article which may be configured to autonomously dispense a medium onto a relatively large surface relatively accurately. | 06-10-2010 |
| 20100139479 | VARIABLE COMPRESSION RATIO PISTON WITH RATE-SENSITIVE RESPONSE - A hydraulic variable compression ratio (VCR) piston for use in an internal combustion engine. The piston is a two-part piston, in which a gudgeon pin carrier slides within an outer sleeve. A variable volume upper chamber is formed between the top of the gudgeon pin carrier and the end of the outer sleeve. When the upper chamber fills with oil, its volume increases, and the overall piston geometry is longer. This reduces the piston clearance in the cylinder and increases cylinder pressure. At a given maximum cylinder pressure or at a given rate of increase of cylinder pressure, oil from the upper chamber is relieved by using a rate-sensitive pressure relief valve. | 06-10-2010 |
| 20100138085 | HYBRID SYSTEM FOR MOTOR VEHICLE WITH INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE AND MOTOR-GENERATOR - A hybrid system for powering a vehicle and a method of controlling the hybrid system. The hybrid system has both an internal combustion engine and a motor/generator. The vehicle is controlled in response to the combination of states of five control parameters of the vehicle: polarity of the MG (positive or negative), relative rotor/stator speed, fueling of engine (on or off), clutch (on or off), and transmission shift position (drive, reverse, park). A control unit receives data from the vehicle representing these states, and determines an associated control mode. In at least one of the control modes, the engine both drives the vehicles and provides power to the generator. | 06-03-2010 |
| 20100132598 | Corrosion Resistant Coatings Suitable For Elevated Temperature Application - The present invention relates to corrosion resistance coatings suitable for elevated temperature applications, which employ compositions of iron (Fe), chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni) and/or aluminum (Al). The compositions may be configured to regulate the diffusion of metals between a coating and a substrate, which may then influence coating performance, via the formation of an inter-diffusion barrier layer. The inter-diffusion barrier layer may comprise a face-centered cubic phase. | 06-03-2010 |
| 20100125038 | Carbon Material For Hydrogen Storage - The present invention relates to carbon based materials that are employed for hydrogen storage applications. The material may be described as the pyrolysis product of a molecular precursor such as a cyclic quinone compound. The pyrolysis product may then be combined with selected transition metal atoms which may be in nanoparticulate form, where the metals may be dispersed on the material surface. Such product may then provide for the reversible storage of hydrogen. The metallic nanoparticles may also be combined with a second metal as an alloy to further improve hydrogen storage performance. | 05-20-2010 |
| 20100124509 | RECIPROCATING GAS COMPRESSOR WITH SPEED MODULATION OF COMPRESSOR DRIVER FOR PULSATION AVOIDANCE - A method for reducing pulsation in a gas compressor system. The compressor driver (engine or motor) is operated at a modulated engine speed. The average of the modulated speed is selected to achieve a desired pipeline flow. The modulation characteristics are determined to optimally reduce the pulsation response of the compressor system. | 05-20-2010 |
| 20100098754 | PROCESSING OF HEAT-SENSITIVE ACTIVE AGENTS - The present disclosure relates to a method of melt processing an active agent. The method may include encapsulating an active agent in a first polymer material exhibiting a first processing temperature T | 04-22-2010 |
| 20100086601 | Modified Calcium Phosphate Nanoparticle Formation - The present disclosure relates to non-aggregating nanoparticles and their associated methods of preparation. The nanoparticles may have a surface and a size range of 1 nm to 999 nm, along with a zeta potential of −50 to 50 millivolts. A polycation and/or polyanion may be disposed on the nanoparticle surface. In addition, an active ingredient may be encapsulated within the nanoparticles or associated with the polycation or polyanion on the nanoparticle surface. | 04-08-2010 |
| 20100083873 | Encapsulation Of Active Agents For On-Demand Release - The present disclosure relates to a method of forming microcapsules. The method may include combining an active agent in a first solvent S | 04-08-2010 |
| 20100082305 | PROCESS FOR COMPUTING GEOMETRIC PERTURBATIONS FOR PROBABILISTIC ANALYSIS - A method for computing geometric perturbations for probabilistic analysis. The probabilistic analysis is based on finite element modeling, in which uncertainties in the modeled system are represented by changes in the nominal geometry of the model, referred to as “perturbations”. These changes are accomplished using displacement vectors, which are computed for each node of a region of interest and are based on mean-value coordinate calculations. | 04-01-2010 |
| 20100052670 | Magnetostrictive Sensor Probe for Guided-Wave Inspection and Monitoring of Wire Ropes/Cables and Anchor Rods - An economical, flexible, magnetostrictive sensor (MsS) probe assembly for use on longitudinal cylindrical structures, for guided-wave, volumetric inspection of the structures is described. The paired flexible plate MsS probes each include a flexible strip of magnetostrictive material that is positioned and/or adhered to the base of a generally flat, flexible, conductor coil assembly, preferably with an elastomeric adhesive. The conductor coil assembly has a core composed of a thin flexible layer of metal and a thin bendable permanent magnet circuit. The flexible core is surrounded by a flat flexible cable (FFC) that is folded and looped over the layers of the core. The exposed conductors at the ends of the FFC are shifted from each other by one conductor spacing and joined together so that the parallel conductors in the FFC form a flat, flexible, continuous coil. The probe assemblies may preferably be utilized in pairs and conformed to match the curved contours of the cylindrical surface of the structure under investigation in a manner that is specifically tailored for wire rope, cable, and anchor rod type applications. | 03-04-2010 |
| 20100052669 | Flexible Plate Magnetostrictive Sensor Probe for Guided-Wave Inspection of Structures - An economical, flexible, magnetostrictive sensor probe for use on planar and/or curved structural surfaces, for guided-wave volumetric inspection of the structure is described. The flexible plate MsS probe includes a flexible strip of magnetostrictive material that is adhered to the base of a generally flat, flexible, conductor coil assembly, preferably with an elastomeric adhesive (such as silicon) or with double sided tape. The conductor coil assembly has a core that is composed of a thin flexible strip of metal, a layer of an elastomeric material (such as rubber), and a thin permanent magnet circuit. The flexible core is surrounded (top, bottom, and on the longitudinal ends) by a flat flexible cable (FFC) that is folded and looped over the layers of the core. The exposed conductors at the ends of the FFC are shifted from each other by one conductor spacing and joined together so that the parallel conductors in the FFC form a flat, flexible, continuous coil. The entire probe assembly may be bent to match the curved contours of the surface of the structure under investigation. | 03-04-2010 |
| 20100042284 | DIAGNOSIS OF SENSOR FAILURE IN AIRFLOW-BASED ENGINE CONTROL SYSTEM - An air-flow based control system for an internal combustion engine has various sensors that are used to calculate various control commands. By comparing pairs of values calculated from different sensors, errors in connection with the sensors can be detected. | 02-18-2010 |
| 20100040692 | TWO PHASE BIOACTIVE FORMULATIONS - The present invention relates to two-phase systems of a bioactive ingredient in particle form that has limited or no solubility in a liquid medium, which provides stability to the active ingredient that is similar to the active ingredient when in the solid state. The active ingredient may be capable of therapeutically treating for the presence of a cholinesterase inhibitor. | 02-18-2010 |
| 20100006421 | Processing Tubular Surfaces Using Double Glow Discharge - A method of sputtering a component includes positioning a conductive substrate into a vacuum chamber, wherein the conductive substrate is tubular and has a surface. A source electrode including a source material may be inserted into the conductive substrate. A first bias voltage ΔV | 01-14-2010 |
| 20090318756 | System And Method For Overlaying Ultrasound Imagery On A Laparoscopic Camera Display - The present disclosure relates to a system for overlaying ultrasound imagery on a laparoscopic camera display. The system may include a laparoscope configured to capture a laparoscopic image of a surgical field and a laparoscopic ultrasound probe configured to capture an ultrasonic image of a structure in the surgical field. The system may further include a tracking system configured to detect a position and orientation of the laparoscope and a position and orientation of the laparoscopic ultrasound probe. The system may further include data associated with the laparoscope wherein the data indicates a distortion in the laparoscopic image. The system may further include a computer configured to receive the laparoscopic image, the ultrasonic image and the distortion data associated with the laparoscope. The computer may be configured to position and orient the ultrasonic image relative to the laparoscopic image, adjust the ultrasonic image based upon the distortion data, combine the adjusted ultrasonic image with the laparoscopic image, and output the combined images. | 12-24-2009 |
| 20090308070 | EGR SYSTEM WITH DEDICATED EGR CYLINDERS - Improved exhaust gas recirculation system and methods that use one or more of the engine's cylinders as dedicated EGR cylinders. All of the exhaust from the dedicated EGR cylinders is recirculated back to the engine intake. Thus, the EGR rate is constant, but the EGR mass flow may be controlled by adjusting the air-fuel ratio of the dedicated EGR cylinders or by using various variable valve timing techniques. | 12-17-2009 |
| 20090286012 | Method and Apparatus for High Rate, Uniform Plasma Processing of Three-dimensional Objects - A method of performing plasma immersion ion processing (PIIP), particularly suited for processing three-dimensional objects. One or more such objects are placed in a conductive cage having solid or mesh walls. The cage completely encloses the objects. A voltage is applied to the cage, and the plasma is generated, resulting in the plasma being contained within the cage. | 11-19-2009 |
| 20090281144 | Bis-quaternary pyridinium-aldoxime salts and treatment of exposure to cholinesterase inhibitors - Bis-quaternary pyridinium-aldoxime salts are disclosed, and their associated polymorphic character, along with their methods of preparation. Such polymorphic salts may then be used for treatment of exposure to cholinesterase inhibitors, such as a phosphorous containing cholinesterase inhibitor type compound. | 11-12-2009 |
| 20090277259 | ESTIMATION OF ENGINE-OUT NOx FOR REAL TIME INPUT TO EXHAUST AFTERTREATMENT CONTROLLER - A method and system for estimating engine-out NOx from a diesel engine. The estimation is calculated from a mathematical model that expresses engine-out NOx as functions of cylinder pressure, intake oxygen, and effective temperature, respectively. Input data for each of these functions may be obtained from fuel quantity data and from measured data, the latter including intake pressure, cylinder pressure, intake oxygen concentration, coolant temperature, and intake manifold temperature. | 11-12-2009 |
| 20090276111 | Autonomous Ground Vehicle Control System For High-Speed And Safe Operation - The present disclosure relates to a reference yaw rate generator for an autonomous ground vehicle control system. The reference yaw rate generator is configured to generate a reference yaw rate (r | 11-05-2009 |
| 20090276070 | METHOD TO CONSTRUCT AND PHYSICALLY JOIN BUILDING BLOCKS INTO A NEAR-NET SHAPED PART USING AN INTERFACIAL REACTION-ACTIVATION MECHANISM - The disclosure provides a method to construct and physically join near-net shaped structural building blocks into a composite part using an interfacial reaction-activation mechanism. | 11-05-2009 |
| 20090266344 | Stratified Charge Gasoline Direct Injection Systems Using Exhaust Gas Recirculation - An aspect of the present disclosure relates to a method and system for reducing emissions and improving knock-tolerance in an engine. Air, including exhaust gas present at levels greater than 20% by total air mass, may be introduced into a combustion chamber having a volume including a piston and a cylinder head. A first amount of fuel and a second amount of fuel may be directly injected into the combustion chamber at various points during the cycle, wherein the ratio of the air, including the exhaust gas, to the first and second amounts of fuel is 14.0:1 to 15.0:1. The first and second amounts of fuel may then be ignited. An electronic control unit may be utilized to time the injections and control the introduction of exhaust gas. | 10-29-2009 |
| 20090255499 | Surface Ignition Mechanism For Diesel Engines - The present disclosure relates to combusting fuel during cold start. A glow-plug may be provided within a combustion chamber having a volume including a piston, wherein the glow plug may provide a localized heated region. Air may then be provided into the chamber and compressed. A mass of fuel may also be provided into the combustion chamber, wherein an amount of the fuel mass may be directed towards the localized heated region of the glow plug, wherein the heated region of the glow plug may have a temperature T | 10-15-2009 |
| 20090214787 | Erosion Resistant Coatings - The present disclosure relates to a method for producing a coating on a substrate. The method may include depositing metal atoms on one or more surfaces of a substrate, subjecting the metal atoms to a reactive gas, and producing a coating layer of a metal compound, wherein the metal compound may include nanocrystals of a transition metal compound in a ceramic matrix, wherein the transition metal compound may be selected from the group consisting of metal nitrides, metal carbides, metal silicides and combinations thereof. The reactive gas may be supplied from a precursor containing silicon, carbon and hydrogen, wherein the precursor may have a MW of greater than or equal to 100. | 08-27-2009 |
| 20090191076 | TUNABLE CHOKE TUBE FOR PULSATION CONTROL DEVICE USED WITH GAS COMPRESSOR - A method and system for reducing pulsation in a gas compressor system. A pulsation control device, such as a filter bottle or side branch absorber, is installed at a port into some location on the compressor system. The pulsation control device has a choke tube with a variable cross-sectional area, such as by having multiple conduits that may be opened or closed or a diameter that may be varied. In operation, the cross sectional area of the choke tube is varied depending on the compressor speed. | 07-30-2009 |
| 20090178405 | HCCI COMBUSTION TIMING CONTROL WITH DECOUPLED CONTROL OF IN-CYLINDER AIR/EGR MASS AND OXYGEN CONCENTRATION - A method of controlling homogenous charge compression ignition (HCCI) combustion timing and pressure rise rate. A constant volume air pump, such as a supercharger, is equipped to provide a variable amount of fresh air to a turbocharger. The also turbocharger drives a high pressure exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) loop. The fresh air intake and the EGR ratio are independently controlled. This combination of hardware allows for good control of combustion timing by providing for EGR variations without undue effect from varying oxygen concentration. Additionally, by adjusting the EGR ratio, the pressure rise rate during combustion can be controlled to reduce combustion noise. | 07-16-2009 |
| 20090158813 | Monitoring Of Exhaust Gas Oxidation Catalysts - The present disclosure is directed at a method, system and apparatus that may include an oxidation catalyst, a first sensor positioned upstream of the oxidation catalyst, a second sensor positioned downstream of the oxidation catalyst. The first and second sensors may respond differently to the concentration of NO and NO | 06-25-2009 |
| 20090155108 | HYPERBOLIC HORN FOR PULSATION FILTER DEVICE USED WITH GAS COMPRESSOR - A method and system for reducing pulsation in a gas compressor system. A side branch absorber, which may be installed on the lateral piping of either the suction or discharge side of the cylinders, has a hyperbolic horn at the input end. | 06-18-2009 |
| 20090128801 | MEASUREMENT OF CONSTITUTIVE PROPERTIES OF A POWDER SUBJECT TO COMPRESSIVE AXIAL AND RADIAL LOADING, USING OPTICAL SENSING - A method and system for measuring radial strain on powder or other granular material while the powder is subject to compressive axial and radial loading. The powder is contained within a pliable sleeve. As pressure is applied to the powder, the sleeve changes diameter. An optical emitter emits a beam of light, which is intersected by the entire diameter of the sleeve. An optical sensor receives the intersected beam, and generates a response signal that indicates the diameter of the sleeve. This change in diameter can be related to a constitutive property such as strain. | 05-21-2009 |
| 20090126710 | DUAL COIL IGNITION CIRCUIT FOR SPARK IGNITED ENGINE - An electrical circuit for extending the duration of the spark provided by a spark plug. Instead of a single coil (and a single pair of windings), a dual coil unit is used. The dual coil unit may be operated in a “multi-strike” mode in which the discharge of each coil is shortened and offset from that of the other coil. This provides an effective spark for an extended duration. | 05-21-2009 |
| 20090125209 | Process And System For Controlling Effective Compression Ratios In An Engine Cylinder - The present disclosure is directed at the control of an effective compression ratio setting in an engine which may use a variety of fuels or fuel blends. The effective compression ratio may be selected based upon information from a fuel sensor and stored information regarding the detected fuel composition. The effective compression ratio may be adjusted for a selected cylinder by intake or exhaust valve timing. | 05-14-2009 |
| 20090102746 | Real-Time Self-Visualization System - The present disclosure relates to a system which may allow a user to visualize and/or monitor motor activities during, e.g., rehabilitation exercises and/or athletic training. The system may include a camera that may be configured to capture images of a user performing a motor activity. The system may also include a computer configured to receive the captured images from the camera while the user is performing the motor activity. The computer may be further configured to provide static and dynamic augmentation of the captured images. The system may further include a display for the user. The display may be configured to receive the augmented captured images from the computer and to display the augmented captured images to the user. | 04-23-2009 |
| 20090099870 | Automated Interpretation Of Medical Prescription Text - The present disclosure relates to a device, system and method of automated interpretation of medical prescription text. Prescription text may be entered into a user interface that may be analogous to a paper prescription entry such as manually written text. The system may then provide parsing, prompts and/or hints along with validity feedback as the prescription information is entered by the user. | 04-16-2009 |
| 20090087677 | Amorphous Aluminum Alloy Coatings - The present disclosure relates to an amorphous aluminum alloy coating. The aluminum alloy coating may specifically include one of cerium, cobalt and/or molybdenum as alloying elements and be applied by a physical vapor deposition process to a desired thickness. The coating may supply improved corrosion resistance to a given environmental condition. | 04-02-2009 |
| 20090046095 | Image Analogy Filters For Terrain Modeling - The present disclosure relates to the development of terrain image analogy filters which may be used to convert visible terrain imagery from a first condition to a second condition. For example, from a seasonal “daytime/summer” view to a “nighttime/winter” appearance. The image analogy filters may be generated using processors such as one or more graphics processing units. | 02-19-2009 |
| 20090045047 | Conformal Magnetron Sputter Deposition - An apparatus and method for magnetron sputter coating of an interior surface of a hollow substrate defining at least one irregular contour. The apparatus may contain a vacuum chamber and a target containing one or more metals having an exterior surface defining at least one irregular contour. The exterior surface of the target may be configured to conform to at least a portion of an irregular contour of the interior surface of the hollow substrate to be coated. A magnet assembly may be supplied which may include a plurality of magnets where the magnets are positioned substantially within a metallic target alloy. | 02-19-2009 |
| 20090044744 | Thermal Sensitive Material - An impact-resistant thermal sensitive material comprising at least one indicator dispersed throughout a heat-sensitive matrix material is provided. An article comprising the impact-resistant thermal sensitive material undergoes a permanent color change when exposed to a pre-determined temperature. | 02-19-2009 |
| 20080306631 | Adaptive Reductant Dosing And Emission Control Strategies - The present disclosure relates to a method or apparatus for controlling reductant dosing level introduced to a selective catalytic reduction device. The method or apparatus may determine available reductant and determine a distance to a source of reductant. This may be followed by adjusting a reductant dosing level based upon the available reductant and the distance to the reductant source. The apparatus may be installed in a vehicle and may also regulate in-cylinder emission control variables to reduce NOx emissions. | 12-11-2008 |
| 20080292806 | Plasma Immersion Ion Processing For Coating Of Hollow Substrates - The present disclosure relates to an apparatus and method for plasma ion deposition and coating formation. A vacuum chamber may be supplied formed by a hollow substrate having a length, diameter and interior surface. A plasma may be formed within the chamber while applying a negative bias to the hollow substrate to draw ions from the plasma to the interior surface of the hollow substrate to deposit ions onto the interior surface and forming a coating. The coating may have a Vickers Hardness Number (Hv) of at least 500. | 11-27-2008 |
| 20080277596 | Impact Indicating Microcapsules - The present disclosure is directed at an impact indictor that may be coated on a structure to detect impacts thereon. The indicator may be provided within microcapsules. Upon rupture of the microcapsules, the indicator may be exposed to a pH activator, wherein the indicator may then exhibit fluorescence upon exposure to electromagnetic energy. | 11-13-2008 |
| 20080262384 | Method and Devices for Screening Cervical Cancer - The present invention provides multi-parameter analysis methods for determining the presence or absence of pre-cancerous or cancerous cells in a cervical sample and for screening cervical abnormality in a cervical sample. The invention also provides an apparatus and automated methods for screening cervical abnormality in a sample. The invention further provides a sampling device and a sample collection assembly for collecting cell samples, including cervical samples. | 10-23-2008 |
| 20080254705 | Dispensing Device - The present disclosure relates to a device and method for dispensing a substance. The device may include a body portion in the shape of an airfoil and includes a region to contain the substance to be dispensed. The device may include one or a plurality of ports which may include a covering having a mechanical strength (e.g. tensile strength) that is less than the mechanical strength of the body portion. The device may be launched either by hand or by a launching mechanism. | 10-16-2008 |
| 20080233658 | Environmental Fluorescent Sensors - The present disclosure relates to a fluorescence marker such as quantum dots and their use as sensors which may rely upon a change in fluorescence output upon exposure to a given environmental condition. The variation in fluorescence output may then be utilized as an indication of exposure to a given environmental condition. | 09-25-2008 |
| 20080217172 | Apparatus For Measuring Electrochemical Corrosion - Disclosed herein is an electrochemical corrosion sensor. The sensor may include an array of electrodes wherein each electrode may include a diamond like carbon coating disposed on at least a portion of the electrodes. The coating thickness may be at least about 1 micron. The electrodes may therefore provide relatively more accurate determination of electrode corrosion rates that may be more consistent with coupon type gravimetric testing. | 09-11-2008 |
| 20080213503 | Life Extension Of Chromium Coatings And Chromium Alloys - Substrates comprising a surface comprising chromium, said surface being adapted to exhibit reduced coefficient of friction and/or increased hardness. | 09-04-2008 |
| 20080212819 | LOW NOISE MICROPHONE FOR USE IN WINDY ENVIRONMENTS AND/OR IN THE PRESENCE OF ENGINE NOISE - A microphone for use in windy environments. The microphone uses a transducer to flood the environment outside the microphone with a high frequency (such as an ultrasonic) acoustic field. The sounds desired to be detected are mixed with the high frequency carrier, and can then be received by the microphone with less wind noise. The microphone then demodulates the desired sound signals from the high frequency carrier. The microphone can be configured in a special emitter-receiver configuration that also reduces interference from engine noise. | 09-04-2008 |
| 20080196391 | Apparatus And Method For Regenerating Exhaust Treatment Devices - A method and apparatus for regenerating exhaust treatment devices. Incomplete combustion products may be selectively provided in at least one cylinder of multi-cylinder internal combustion engine. This may then be followed by directing the products to an engine exhaust treatment device. The temperature of the engine exhaust treatment device may then be increased due to exposure to the products of incomplete combustion. The catalyst in the converter may then be regenerated due to the temperature increase. | 08-21-2008 |
