Author: claimsbot

1. A conference terminal capable of processing videos from other conference terminals, each conference terminal connected to a projector which projects a presentation file played by the connected conference terminal on a projection screen, the conference terminal comprising:
a processor to execute a plurality of modules, wherein the plurality of modules comprises:
an image capturing control module to direct a video camera to capture a video in front of the video camera, and the captured video comprising a plurality of video frames each comprising a projection screen displaying currently presented content of the presentation file and an indicator;
a video processing module to receive video frames of the captured video in sequence, and extract sub-images of the projection screen and the indicator from each video frame of the captured video;
a size analyzing module to determine a size of the sub-image of the projection screen and a size of the sub-image of the indicator when the sub-images of the projection screen and the indicator are extracted from one video frame;
an object determining module to determine distances respectively between one fixed spot of the indicator and at least two reference spots of the projection screen in each video frame;
a transmitting module to transmit the sub-image of the indicator, the size of the sub-image of the indicator, the size of the sub-image of the projection screen, and the distances respectively between the fixed spot of the indicator and the reference spots of the projection screen to other conference terminal;
a receiving module to receive the sub-images of the indicators, the size of the sub-images of the indicators, the size of the sub-images of the projection screen, and the distance respectively between the fixed spot of the indicator and the reference spots of the projection screen from each of the other conference terminals; and
a combining module to compute a ratio of the size of the sub-image of the projection screen determined by the video processing module to the size of the sub-image of the projection screen received from each of the other conference terminals, scale the sub-image of each indicator received from each of the other conference terminals and the distances between the fixed spot of each indicator and the reference spots of the projection screen received from each of the other conference terminals according to the ratio, and position each scaled sub-image of the indicator to the projection screen according to the scaled distances to obtain a combined image.
2. The conference terminal of claim 1, wherein the sub-images of the projection screen and the indicator have different brightness, and the video processing module is configured to extract the sub-images of the projection screen and the indicator from each video frame according the brightness difference.
3. The conference terminal of claim 1, wherein the size analyzing module is configured to determine a height of the sub-images of the projection screen as its size, and determine a height of the sub-images of the indicator as its size.
4. The conference terminal of claim 1, wherein the object determining module is configured to determine a center of the sub-image of the indicator as the fixed spot, and select a left upper edge and a right lower edge of the sub-images of the projection screen as two reference spots.
5. The conference terminal of claim 1, wherein the transmitting module is configured to transmit the sub-image of the indicator, the size of the sub-image of the indicator, the size of the sub-image of the projection screen, and the distances respectively between the fixed spot of the indicator and the reference spots of the projection screen to other conference terminal when one video frame of the received video is processed.
6. A method executed by a conference terminal for processing videos from other conference terminals, the conference terminal connected to a projector which projects a presentation file played by the connected conference terminal on a projection screen, the method comprising:
directing a video camera to capture a video in front of the video camera, and the captured video comprising a plurality of video frames each comprising a projection screen displaying currently presented content of the presentation file and an indicator;
receiving video frames of the captured video in sequence;
extracting sub-images of the projection screen and the indicator from each video frame of the captured video;
determining a size of the sub-image of the projection screen and a size of the sub-image of the indicator when the sub-images of the projection screen and the indicator are extracted from one video frame;
determining distances respectively between one fixed spot of the indicator and at least two reference spots of the projection screen in each video frame;
transmitting the sub-image of the indicator, the size of the sub-image of the indicator, the size of the sub-image of the projection screen, and the distance respectively between the fixed spot of the indicator and the reference spots of the projection screen to other conference terminal, and receiving the sub-images of the indicators, the size of the sub-images of the indicators, the size of the sub-images of the projection screen, and the distance respectively between the fixed spot of the indicator and the reference spots of the projection screen from each of the other conference terminals;
computing a ratio of the determined size of the sub-image of the projection screen to the size of the sub-image of the projection screen received from each of the other conference terminals;
scaling the sub-image of each indicator received from each of the other conference terminals and the distances between the fixed spot of each indicator and the reference spots of the projection screen received from each of the other conference terminals according to the ratio; and
positioning each scaled sub-image of the indicator to the projection screen according to the scaled distances to obtain a combined image.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein the sub-images of the projection screen and the indicator have different brightness, and the sub-images of the projection screen and the indicator are extracted from each video frame according the brightness difference.
8. The method of claim 6, wherein the size of the sub-image of the projection screen is a height of the sub-image of the projection screen, and the size of the sub-image of the indicator is a height of the sub-image of the indicator.
9. The method of claim 6, wherein the fixed spot is a center of the sub-image of the indicator, and two reference spots are a left upper edge and a right lower edge of the sub-image of the projection screen.
10. The method of claim 6, wherein the sub-image of the indicator, the size of the sub-image of the indicator, the size of the sub-image of the projection screen, and the distances respectively between the fixed spot of the indicator and the reference spots of the projection screen are transmitted to other conference terminal when one video frame of the received video is processed.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A process for the continuous production of silica in a rotatable tube reactor comprising:
providing a rotatable rotary tube reactor, said rotatable rotary tube reactor having a first end, a second opposite end, and a wall extending at least partially between said first and second ends, said first and second ends and said wall defining an interior reaction region, said rotary tube reactor including a silica feed end located at or proximate said first end and a process gas feed end located at or proximate said second end, said rotary tube reactor including a plurality of reactor plates positioned and secured within an interior of said rotary tube reactor, at least two of said plates designed to enable said silica feed to pass between an outer edge of said at least two plates and an interior surface of said rotary tube, wherein at least one of said reactor plates includes a plurality of outwardly extending fins;
providing a source of silica feed in communication with said first end of said rotary tube reactor;
providing a source of at least one process gas in communication with said second end of said rotary tube reactor;
inserting said silica feed into said silica feed end of said rotary tube reactor;
inserting at least one process gas into said second end of said rotary tube reactor;
causing said silica feed to move into said interior reaction region of said rotary tube reactor whereby said silica feed and said at least one process gas are retained within said interior reaction region of said rotary tube reactor for a sufficient time so that at least a portion of impurities in said silica feed react with said at least one process gas and are removed from said silica feed.
2. The process as defined in claim 1, including the step of heating said interior reaction region of said rotary tube reactor to a temperature of at least about 900\xb0 C.
3. The process as defined in claim 2, wherein said interior reaction region of said rotary tube reactor is heated to a temperature of up to about 1400\xb0 C.
4. The process as defined in claim 1, wherein said rotary tube reactor is rotated to at least partially cause silica feed to move into said interior reaction region of said rotary tube reactor.
5. The process as defined in claim 1, wherein said rotary tube reactor is rotated at a rate of at least about 0.5 rpm.
6. The process as defined in claim 1, wherein said rotary tube reactor is rotated at a rate of up to about 12 rpm.
7. The process as defined in claim 1, including the step of providing at least one anoxic gas and introducing said at least one anoxic gas interior reaction region of said rotary tube reactor to at least partially remove or exclude oxygen from said interior reaction region of said rotary tube reactor.
8. The process as defined in claim 1, wherein said silica feed is retained within said interior reaction region of said rotary tube reactor for at least about 15 minutes.
9. The process as defined in claim 8, wherein said silica feed is retained within said interior reaction region of said rotary tube reactor for up to about 120 minutes.
10. The process as defined in claim 1, wherein said plurality of reactor plates include a first reactor plate positioned proximate said first end of said rotary tube reactor and a second reactor plate positioned proximate said second end of said rotary tube reactor.
11. The process as defined in claim 1, wherein said plurality of reactor plates include first, second and third reactor plates positioned and secured within an interior of said rotary tube reactor, said first reactor plate positioned proximate to said first end of said rotary tube reactor, said second reactor plate positioned proximate said second end of said rotary tube reactor, said third reactor plate positioned proximate to said second end of said rotary tube reactor and alongside said second reactor plate.
12. The process as defined in claim 11, wherein said second and third reactor plates each includes a centrally disposed aperture.
13. The process as defined in claim 1, wherein said rotary tube reactor is oriented at an angle of inclination of at least about 0.5 degrees.
14. The process as defined in claim 3, wherein said at least one process gas includes an acid.
15. The process as defined in claim 14, wherein said at least one process gas includes a chlorine compound.
16. The process as defined in claim 15, wherein said at least one process gas includes anhydrous hydrogen chloride.
17. The process as defined in claim 1, wherein at least one anoxic gas is directed into said interior of said rotary tube reactor.
18. The process as defined in claim 17, including the step of providing a gas injector designed to at least partially provide said at least one process gas into said interior of said rotary tube reactor and to at least partially provide said at least one anoxic gas into said interior of said rotary tube reactor.
19. The process as defined in claim 17, wherein said anoxic gas includes nitrogen.
20. The process as defined in claim 1, wherein said rotary tube reactor having a length and said silica feed having a feed speed such that said silica feed is retained within said interior of said rotary tube reactor a residence time of at least about 15 seconds.
21. The process as defined in claim 1, wherein said rotary tube reactor is designed to rotate at a rate of at least about 0.5 rpm.
22. The process as defined in claim 1, including a furnace designed to at least partially heat said wall of said rotary tube reactor.
23. A process for the continuous production of silica in a rotatable tube reactor comprising:
providing a rotatable rotary tube reactor, said rotatable rotary tube reactor having a first end, a second opposite end, and a wall extending at least partially between said first and second ends, said first and second ends and said wall defining an interior reaction region, said rotary tube reactor including a silica feed end located at or proximate said first end and a process gas feed end located at or proximate said second end, said rotary tube reactor including a plurality of reactor plates positioned and secured within an interior of said rotary tube reactor, at least two of said plates designed to enable said silica feed to pass between an outer edge of said at least two plates and an interior surface of said rotary tube;
providing a source of silica feed in communication with said first end of said rotary tube reactor;
providing a source of at least one process gas in communication with said second end of said rotary tube reactor;
inserting said silica feed into said silica feed end of said rotary tube reactor;
inserting at least one process gas into said second end of said rotary tube reactor;
inserting said at least one anoxic gas into a plurality of different locations in said interior region of said rotary tube reactor
causing said silica feed to move into said interior reaction region of said rotary tube reactor whereby said silica feed and said at least one process gas are retained within said interior reaction region of said rotary tube reactor for a sufficient time so that at least a portion of impurities in said silica feed react with said at least one process gas and are removed from said silica feed.
24. The process as defined in claim 23, wherein said anoxic gas is present within at least a portion of said interior region of said rotary tube reactor at a pressure greater than atmospheric pressure to thereby promote exclusion of oxygen from at least a portion of said interior region of said rotary tube reactor.
25. The process as defined in claim 24, wherein said pressure of said anoxic gas within at least a portion of said interior region of said rotary tube reactor is up to about 5 psi gauge.
26. The process as defined in claim 25, wherein said pressure of said anoxic gas feed is from about 16-30 psi gauge.
27. A process for the continuous production of silica in a rotatable tube reactor comprising:
providing a rotatable rotary tube reactor, said rotatable rotary tube reactor having a first end, a second opposite end, and a wall extending at least partially between said first and second ends, said first and second ends and said wall defining an interior reaction region, said rotary tube reactor including a silica feed end located at or proximate said first end and a process gas feed end located at or proximate said second end, said rotary tube reactor including a plurality of reactor plates positioned and secured within an interior of said rotary tube reactor, at least two of said plates designed to enable said silica feed to pass between an outer edge of said at least two plates and an interior surface of said rotary tube;
providing a source of silica feed in communication with said first end of said rotary tube reactor;
providing a source of at least one process gas in communication with said second end of said rotary tube reactor;
providing a gas injector designed to at least partially provide said at least one process gas into said interior of said rotary tube reactor and to at least partially provide said at least one anoxic gas into said interior of said rotary tube reactor, wherein said gas injector at least partially disposed in said rotary tube reactor, said gas injector designed to introduce said at least one process gas is introduced into an interior region of said rotary tube reactor, said gas injector also designed to introduce said at least one anoxic gas proximate said second end of said rotary tube reactor to thereby prevent ambient gases from entering said rotary tube reactor, said gas injector introducing said at least one process gas and said at least one anoxic gas proximate at different locations in said rotary tube reactor;
inserting said silica feed into said silica feed end of said rotary tube reactor;
inserting at least one process gas into said second end of said rotary tube reactor;
causing said silica feed to move into said interior reaction region of said rotary tube reactor whereby said silica feed and said at least one process gas are retained within said interior reaction region of said rotary tube reactor for a sufficient time so that at least a portion of impurities in said silica feed react with said at least one process gas and are removed from said silica feed.

1. A electrochemical detection method for identifying metallic pipeline materials composed of lead, copper or a lead pipeline joined to a copper pipeline, or in the alternative, a copper pipeline joined to a lead pipeline, when these pipieline material are buried in soil, comprising the steps of:
(a) providing a portable, set of equipment comprising a rectifier, a data logger, a power supply, and three (3) reference coppercopper sulfate electrodes;
(b) using the rectifier to polarize a metallic pipeline by imposing a ramped potential on a metallic pipeline buried in soil, wherein the soil acts as an electrolyte, the potential is imposed using an array of metal rods attached to the rectifier to force electrical current into the soil, and the potential is imposed for approximately five (5) minutes to polarize the metallic pipeline;
(c) interrupting the polarization of the metallic pipeline at a chosen potential and measuring the pipeline potential at its high voltage point and subsequently every ten (10) seconds during the potential decay, the resulting measurements showing a high potential and the metallic pipieline returns to its rest potential value; and
(d) identifying by a characteristic polarization behavior of the pipeline whether it is a lead pipeline, copper pipeline, or a lead pipeline joined to a copper pipeline, or in the alternative a copper pipeline joined to a lead pipeline.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A slide holder for mounting a slide to a sample holder for use in a grinderpolisher, the sample holder having a pair of openings therein spaced from one another a predetermined distance and having a thickness, the slide holder comprising:
a plate for carrying the slide;
a pair of stems extending from the plate, the stems spaced from one another a distance equal to the predetermined distance between the sample holder openings, the stems configured for receipt in the sample holder openings, the stems having an axis and an outer periphery and having a height;
a locking element mounted to each stem, the locking elements having an outer periphery, the locking elements mounted on their respective stems to move relative to the axis of its respective stem between a first position in which the periphery of the locking element is coincident with or within the periphery of the stem and a second position in which the periphery of the locking element is, in part, outside of the periphery of the stem,
wherein the stems are inserted into the sample holder openings with the locking elements in the first position and wherein the locking elements are moved to the second position to lock the slide holder to the sample holder and to prevent the stems from disengaging from the sample holder.
2. The slide holder in accordance with claim 1 wherein the locking elements are pivotable on the stems.
3. The slide holder in accordance with claim 2 wherein the locking elements are eccentrically mounted to the stems.
4. The slide holder in accordance with claim 1 wherein the stems have a circular cross-section having a diameter and the locking elements have a circular cross-section having a diameter.
5. The slide holder in accordance with claim 4 wherein the diameter of each stem is equal to or greater than that the diameter of it respective locking element.
6. The slide holder in accordance with claim 5 wherein the diameter of each stem is greater than the diameter of its respective locking element.
7. The slide holder in accordance with claim 1 including a securing member to secure the locking element is a desired position.
8. The slide holder in accordance with claim 7 wherein the securing member is a wave washer to secure the locking element relative to the stem.
9. The slide holder in accordance with claim 8 wherein the locking element is mounted to the stem by a pivot pin and wherein the wave washer is mounted for cooperation with the pivot pin.
10. The slide holder in accordance with claim 1 wherein the stems and the locking elements include cooperating pins and openings to limit movement of the locking element relative to the stem.
11. The slide holder in accordance with claim 10 wherein the pin is located on the stem and the opening is located on the locking element.
12. The slide holder in accordance with claim 11 wherein the locking element is pivotable on the stem and wherein the opening is arcuate.
13. The slide holder in accordance with claim 1 wherein the height of the stem is greater than the thickness of the sample holder.
14. A slide holder for mounting a slide to a sample holder for use in a grinderpolisher, the sample holder having a pair of openings therein spaced from one another a predetermined distance and having a thickness, the slide holder comprising:
a plate for carrying the slide;
a pair of cylindrical stems extending from the plate, the stems spaced from one another a distance equal to the predetermined distance between the sample holder openings, the stems configured for receipt in the sample holder openings, the stems having an axis and a diameter and having a height;
a cylindrical locking element mounted to each stem, the locking elements having a diameter less than or equal to the diameter of its respective stem, the locking elements mounted on their respective stems to move relative to the axis of its respective stem between a first position in which the locking element and its respective stem are is coaxial and a second position in which the locking element and its respective stem are eccentric,
wherein the stems are inserted into the sample holder openings with the locking elements in the first position and wherein the locking elements are moved to the second position to lock the slide holder to the sample holder and to prevent the stems from disengaging from the sample holder.
15. The slide holder in accordance with claim 14 wherein the locking elements are pivotable on the stems.
16. The slide holder in accordance with claim 14 including a securing member to secure the locking element is a desired position.
17. The slide holder in accordance with claim 14 wherein the stems and the locking elements include cooperating pins and openings to limit movement of the locking element relative to the stem.
18. The slide holder in accordance with claim 17 wherein the pin is located on the stem and the opening is located on the locking element.
19. The slide holder in accordance with claim 18 wherein the locking element is pivotable on the stem and wherein the opening is arcuate.