Patent application number | Description | Published |
20130260352 | PROVIDING QUESTIONS TO ENTITY GROUPS - Entities that answer questions are organized into entity groups. An interface determines an answer to a question from one of the entity groups with a confidence that is greater than a second confidence threshold. To determine the answer, the interface performs an exploration phase where the interface asks the question to each of the entity groups. Entity groups that provide answers with a confidence that is greater than a first confidence threshold are selected for a subset. The interface enters an exploitation phase where the question is asked of the entity groups in the subset. If an answer is determined with a confidence that is greater than the second confidence threshold, then the answer is provided. If no answer is determined before a duration of time expires, then the interface enters a rollback phase where all of the entity groups are considered. | 10-03-2013 |
20140280017 | AGGREGATIONS FOR TRENDING TOPIC SUMMARIZATION - Architecture that enables extraction of pieces of content from the Internet, social networks, in particular, and/or of a user's immediate circle of friends and family, where the content relates to trending topics of those networks as relevant to a search query. The content effectively summarizes a trending topic (e.g., of a single social network or across multiple social networks). The summary can be characterized by different content types, such as images only, text only, and so on. The extracted content can then be presented in a number of different ways such as in a display that visually rotates through the different types of content, such as trending images, summarizing updates, and trending webpages, for example. Another technique for presentation of the extracted social content can be as user-selectable “hotspots” on a page or desktop, and which can display the trending topic summaries. | 09-18-2014 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080253439 | DE-EMPHASIZING CABLE EQUALIZER - In accordance with the teachings described herein, an extended equalizer circuit is provided for equalizing a digital communication signal transmitted over a transmission medium that causes a frequency-dependent attenuation of the digital communication signal. An equalizer may be used that includes a linear equalization circuit and a non-linear equalization circuit, the linear equalization circuit being configured to apply a linear filter to the digital communication signal to compensate for the frequency-dependent attenuation caused by a first portion of the transmission medium, and the non-linear equalization circuit being configured to apply one or more non-linear operations to the digital communication signal. A de-emphasizing equalizer circuit may be coupled in series between the transmission medium and the equalizer and configured to apply an additional linear filter to the digital communication signal in order to compensate for the frequency-dependent attenuation caused by a second portion of the transmission medium | 10-16-2008 |
20090153688 | Digital Video Cable Driver - In accordance with the teachings described herein, a digital video cable driver is provided that includes an input stage, an output stage and an amplification stage. The input stage converts a pair of differential input voltages into a control current. The output stage generates a digital output voltage for transmission over a cable. The amplification stage responds to the control current to control a voltage swing of the digital output voltage as a function of the control current. The amplification stage may include a transistor circuit that varies the digital output voltage in proportion to variations in the control current to cause the voltage swing, wherein the control current causes one or more transistors in the transistor circuit to remain in a saturated state during operation of the digital video cable driver. | 06-18-2009 |
20090257510 | System and Method for Programmable Pre-Amplification of a Signal - Systems and methods are provided for communicating a data signal. A data signal is transmitted along a communications line. The transmitted data signal is split among a plurality of routers, each router configured to receive the data signal and forward the data signal along one or more output data paths. The data signal is received at a destination, and flat-band amplification is provided to the received data signal via a selectable gain amplifier. A frequency dependent amplification is provided to the received data signal via an equalizer. The amplified received signal is then decoded. | 10-15-2009 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090013600 | DUAL MODE REACTOR SMR INTEGRATION - The present invention relates to systems and processes for producing syngas in steam methane reformer (SMR)-based plants, particularly to the use of a high space velocity, dual mode catalytic reactor to pre-reform plant feedstock. The dual mode reactor has the capability to operate in two modes: either without oxygen addition in a reforming mode or with oxygen addition in a partial oxidation-reforming mode. The dual mode reactor allows the syngas production rate of the plant to be manipulated without the added capital expense of a reheat coil and with reduced impact on export steam production. | 01-15-2009 |
20100158776 | CARBON DIOXIDE EMISSION REDUCTION METHOD - Carbon dioxide emissions within a refinery are reduced by reforming a hydrocarbon containing feed at low pressure to enhance the conversion of methane to hydrogen and carbon monoxide and thereby reduce methane slip. The hydrocarbon containing feed is composed entirely or at least in part of a refinery off gas. The resulting reformed stream is then subjected to water-gas shift conversion to form a shifted stream from which carbon dioxide is separated. As a result of the separation and the low pressure reforming, hydrogen containing fuel gas streams, that are thereby necessary lean in carbon dioxide and methane, are used in firing the steam methane reformer and other fuel uses within the refinery to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. The carbon dioxide that is separated can be sequestered or used in other processes such as enhanced oil recovery. | 06-24-2010 |
20110031162 | HYDROCARBON TREATMENT METHOD AND APPARATUS - A method and apparatus for producing a treated hydrocarbon containing stream for use as a feed to a hydrogen plant having a steam methane reformer in which an untreated hydrocarbon containing stream is introduced into two reaction stages connected in series to hydrogenate olefins and to convert organic sulfur species to hydrogen sulfide. The second of the two stages can also be operated in a pre-reforming mode to generate additional hydrogen through introduction of the oxygen and steam into such stage. A sulfur tolerant catalyst is used in both stages to promote hydrogenation and oxidation reactions. Sulfur is removed between stages by adsorption of the hydrogen sulfide to prevent deactivation of the catalyst in the second of the stages that would otherwise occur during operation of the second reaction stage in a pre-reforming mode of operation. | 02-10-2011 |
20110034745 | HYDROCARBON TREATMENT METHOD AND APPARATUS - The present invention provides a method and apparatus for producing a treated hydrocarbon containing stream for use as a feed to a steam methane reformer of a hydrogen plant. In accordance with such method, amounts of olefins and organic sulfur species within an untreated feed are decreased in a reactor that is operated in either a hydrogenation mode to hydrogenate the olefins into saturated hydrocarbons or a pre-reforming mode in which hydrocarbon containing two or more carbon atoms including the olefins are reacted with oxygen and steam to form saturated hydrocarbons, methane, additional hydrogen and carbon monoxide. The reactor is configured and operates at a sufficiently high space velocity that olefin and organic species slip occurs that is further treated in a hydrotreater. The reactor contains a catalyst capable of promoting both hydrogenation and oxidation reactions and the hydrotreater contains a catalyst that is capable of only promoting hydrogenation reactions. | 02-10-2011 |
20110077437 | PROCESS FOR SULFUR REMOVAL FROM REFINERY OFF GAS - Organic sulfur compounds contained in refinery off gas streams having either high ort low concentrations of olefins are converted to hydrogen sulfides which can be then be removed using conventional amine treating systems. The process uses a catalytic reactor with or without a hydrotreater depending on the olefin concentration of the off gas stream. The catalytic reactor operates in a hydrogenation mode or an oxidation mode to convert a majority of organic sulfur compounds into hydrogen sulfides. | 03-31-2011 |
20110085967 | HYDROGEN PRODUCT METHOD AND APPARATUS - A method and apparatus for producing a hydrogen containing product in which hydrocarbon containing feed gas streams are reacted in a steam methane reformer of an existing hydrogen plant and a catalytic reactor that reacts hydrocarbons, oxygen and steam. The catalytic reactor is a retrofit to the existing hydrogen plant to increase hydrogen production. The resulting synthesis gas streams are combined, cooled, subjected to water-gas shift and then introduced into a production apparatus that can be a pressure swing adsorption unit. The amount of synthesis gas contained in a shifted stream made available to the production apparatus is increased by virtue of the combination of the synthesis gas streams to increase production of the hydrogen containing product. The catalytic reactor is operated such that the synthesis gas stream produced by such reactor is similar to that produced by the steam methane reformer and at a temperature that will reduce oxygen consumption within the catalytic reactor. | 04-14-2011 |
20120041242 | SUBSTITUTE NATURAL GAS GENERATION - A method and apparatus for producing a substitute natural gas stream to be added to a natural gas stream in which at least part of a refinery gas stream is reacted in a catalytic reactor to hydrogenate olefins into saturated hydrocarbons. The extent to which hydrogen and olefins are reacted in the catalytic reactor is controlled to reduce the concentration of olefins in the resulting substitute natural gas stream and to increase the interchangeability of the substitute natural gas stream with the natural gas. This control can be effectuated by by-passing part of the refinery off gas to an intermediate product stream produced by the catalytic reactor and thereby forming the substitute natural gas stream from the by-passed refinery gas stream and the intermediate product stream. | 02-16-2012 |
20140235915 | PROCESS FOR SULFUR REMOVAL FROM REFINERY OFF GAS - Organic sulfur compounds contained in refinery off gas streams having either high ort low concentrations of olefins are converted to hydrogen sulfides which can be then be removed using conventional amine treating systems. The process uses a catalytic reactor with or without a hydrotreater depending on the olefin concentration of the off gas stream. The catalytic reactor operates in a hydrogenation mode or an oxidation mode to convert a majority of organic sulfur compounds into hydrogen sulfides. | 08-21-2014 |