All The Claims

1. A method comprising:
determining, using a processor, whether a long distance call is an intra-MTA call; and
if the long distance call is determined to be an intra-MTA call:
jurisdictionalizing the long distance intra-MTA call as a local call; and
routing the long distance call via a local route.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the local route comprises a direct connection.
3. The method of claim 2, further comprising determining whether a direct connection is available for routing the intra-MTA call.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein jurisdictionalizing the long distance intra-MTA call as a local call is based at least in part on an agreement between telecommunications carriers.
5. The method of claim 2, wherein routing the intra-MTA call over the direct connection comprises bypassing a Local Exchange Carrier (LEC) network.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the long distance intra-MTA call includes an originating endpoint telephone number and a terminating endpoint telephone number, and wherein jurisdictionalizing the long distance intra-MTA call as a local call comprises identifying a local association between the originating endpoint telephone number and the terminating endpoint telephone number.
7. The method of claim 2, further comprising determining whether the intra-MTA call satisfies terms of use of the direct connection.
8. The method of claim 2, wherein the direct connection is based on an agreement with the provider of the terminating network.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein the call is an intrastate call.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein the call is an interstate call.
11. A system for routing calls, the system comprising:
a switch configured to determine whether a long distance call is an intra-MTA call using a processor; and if the long distance call is determined to be an intra-MTA call:
jurisdictionalize the long-distance intra-MTA call as a local call; and
route the long distance call via a local route.
12. The system of claim 11, further comprising a core routing engine having a local partition including local routes, and wherein the switch is further configured to search the local partition for the local route to route the long-distance MTA call.
13. The system of claim 12, wherein the local route comprises a direct connection to a terminating carrier network.
14. The system of claim 13, wherein the switch is further configured to route the intra-MTA call via a direct connection bypassing a Local Exchange Carrier (LEC) network.
15. A method for routing a call, the method comprising:
receiving a call from an originating carrier network, the call to be terminated at a terminating carrier network, wherein one or more of the originating carrier network and the terminating carrier network are wireless carrier networks;
determining if the call is a long-distance intra-MTA call; and
if the call is a long-distance intra-MTA call, jurisdictionalizing the call as a local call and routing the call via a local route.
16. The method of claim 15, wherein the operation of routing the call via the local route comprises directly routing the call to the terminating carrier network via an available direct connection.
17. The method of claim 15, wherein the operation of determining if the call is an intra-MTA call comprises determining if endpoints identified in the call are associated with one or more related major trading areas (MTAs).
18. The method of claim 15, wherein the operation of routing the call via the local route comprises directly routing the call to the terminating carrier network by bypassing a Local Exchange Carrier (LEC) network.
19. The method of claim 15, further comprising determining whether the MTA of the call is included in an agreement between the terminating carrier network and a transit carrier network.
20. The method of claim 16, further comprising determining whether the direct connection is available.
21. The method of claim 20, wherein the operation of determining whether the direct connection is available comprises identifying a trunk connected to the terminating carrier network, wherein the trunk is designated as a direct connect trunk.
22. The method of claim 20, wherein the operation of determining whether the direct connection is available comprises choosing a local partition on a core routing engine to identify a local route.
23. The method of claim 1, wherein the operation of determining whether a long distance call is an intra-MTA call is based upon associations between groups of telephone numbers (TNs).
24. The method of claim 1, wherein the operation of determining whether a long distance call is an intra-MTA call is based upon TO and FROM cluster tables.
25. The method of claim 1, wherein the long distance call is identified as a local call in a call detail record.

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 method for determining the fluoride concentration in a processing solution comprising an acid, comprising the steps of:
placing a fluoride ion specific electrode (ISE) and a reference electrode in contact with the processing solution;
measuring the potential of the fluoride ISE relative to the reference electrode;
determining the concentration of the acid in the processing solution; and
correcting for the effect of the concentration of the acid in the processing solution on the potential measured for the fluoride ISE to determine the fluoride concentration in the processing solution.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the acid is selected from the group consisting of sulfuric acid (H2SO4), nitric acid (HNO3), hydrochloric acid (HCl), acetic acid (CH3COOH), and combinations thereof, and the concentration of the acid in the processing solution is determined by a method selected from the group consisting of near infrared (MIR) spectroscopy, pH electrode measurements, and acid-base titration.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the reference electrode comprises a pH electrode.
4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:
determining the concentration of an oxidizing agent in the processing solution; and
correcting for the effect of the concentration of the oxidizing agent in the processing solution on the potential measured for the fluoride ISE in order to provide a more accurate determination of the fluoride concentration in the processing solution.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein the oxidizing agent is selected from the group consisting of peroxide and ozone, and the concentration of the oxidizing agent in the processing solution is determined by a method selected from the group consisting of near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy and cerium sulfate titration.
6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:
measuring the temperature of the processing solution; and
correcting for the effect of the measured temperature on the potential measured for the fluoride ISE in order to provide a more accurate determination of the fluoride concentration in the processing solution, wherein the temperature of the processing solution is measured by a method selected from the group consisting of NIR spectroscopy, thermocouple measurement, and thermistor measurement.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the processing solution comprises 10 to 1000 ppm hydrogen fluoride (HF), 2 to 30 wt % sulfuric acid (H2SO4), and 0 to 20 wt % hydrogen peroxide.
8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:
calibrating the fluoride ISE by periodically placing the fluoride ISE and the reference electrode in contact with a calibration solution containing a predetermined concentration of fluoride, and measuring the potential of the fluoride ISE relative to the reference electrode.
9. An apparatus for determining the fluoride concentration in a processing solution containing an acid, comprising:
a fluoride ion specific electrode (ISE) in contact with the processing solution;
a reference electrode in contact with the processing solution;
a voltmeter for measuring the potential of the fluoride ISE relative to the reference electrode;
a means of determining the concentration of the acid in the processing solution; and
a computing device having a memory element with a stored algorithm operative to effect, via appropriate interfacing, at least the basic steps of the method of the invention, comprising
measuring the potential of the fluoride ISE relative to the reference electrode,
determining the concentration of the acid in the processing solution, and
correcting for the effect of the concentration of the acid in the processing solution on the potential measured for the fluoride ISE to determine the fluoride concentration in the processing solution,

wherein the fluoride ISE and the reference electrode may be separate electrodes or may be combined in a combination electrode.
10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the means of determining the concentration of the acid in the processing solution comprises a device selected from the group consisting of a near infrared (NIR) spectrometer, a pH electrode, and a titration analyzer.
11. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising:
a means of determining the concentration of an oxidizing agent in the processing solution,
wherein the computing device is further operative to effect the additional steps of the method of the invention, comprising
determining the concentration of the oxidizing agent in the processing solution, and
correcting for the effect of the concentration of the oxidizing agent in the processing solution on the potential measured for the fluoride ISE in order to provide a more accurate determination of the fluoride concentration in the processing solution.
12. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising:
a means of measuring the temperature of the processing solution,
wherein the computing device is further operative to effect the additional steps of the method of the invention, comprising
measuring the temperature of the processing solution, and
correcting for the effect of the measured temperature on the potential measured for the fluoride ISE in order to provide a more accurate determination of the fluoride concentration in the processing solution,

wherein the means for measuring the temperature comprises a device selected from group consisting of an NIR spectrometer, a thermocouple, and a thermistor.
13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the memory element is selected from the group consisting of computer hard drive, microprocessor chip, read-only memory (ROM) chip, programmable read-only memory (PROM) chip, magnetic storage device, computer disk (CD) and digital video disk (DVD).
14. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising:
an ISE analysis cell; and
an ISE sampling device operative to flow a sample of the processing solution into the ISE analysis cell and in contact with the fluoride ISE and the reference electrode,
wherein said computing device with the stored algorithm is further operative to control the ISE sampling device.
15. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising:
an NIR analysis cell; and
an NIR sampling device for flowing a sample of the processing solution into the NIR analysis cell,
wherein said computing device with the stored algorithm is further operative to control the NIR sampling device.
16. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising:
a chemical delivery system,
wherein the computing device with the stored algorithm is further operative to control the chemical delivery system so as to automatically replenish fluoride, and optionally one or more other constituents of the processing solution, based on the fluoride concentration and the optional concentrations of other processing solution constituents determined via the method and apparatus of the invention.
17. An apparatus for determining the fluoride concentration in a processing solution containing an acid, comprising:
a fluoride ISE measurement system, comprising
an ISE analysis cell containing a first sample of the processing solution,
a fluoride ion specific electrode (ISE) in contact with the first sample of the processing solution,
a reference electrode in contact with the first sample of the processing solution, and
a voltmeter for measuring the potential of the fluoride ISE relative to the reference electrode;

an NIR spectroscopy measurement system, comprising
a near infrared (NIR) radiation source operative to provide a measurement beam of NIR radiation,
a fiber optic system operative to pass the measurement beam through a second sample of the processing solution contained in an NIR analysis cell,
a detector operative to measure the intensity of the measurement beam passed through the second sample of the processing solution as a function of the NIR radiation wavelength over a predetermined spectral region so as to generate an NIR spectrum of the processing solution; and

a computing device having a memory element with a stored algorithm operative to effect, via appropriate interfacing, the steps of the method of the invention, comprising
measuring the potential of the fluoride ISE relative to the reference electrode,
determining the concentration of the acid in the processing solution via NIR spectroscopy, and
correcting for the effect of the concentration of the acid in the processing solution on the potential measured for the fluoride ISE to determine the fluoride concentration in the processing solution,

wherein the fluoride ion specific electrode and the reference electrode may be separate electrodes or may be combined in a combination electrode.
18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the NIR radiation source is further operative to provide a reference beam of the NIR radiation and the intensity of the measurement beam is corrected for fluctuations in the intensity of the NIR radiation provided by the NIR radiation source based on the intensity of the reference beam.
19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the computing device is further operative to effect the additional steps of the method of the invention, comprising
determining the concentration of an oxidizing agent in the processing solution via NIR spectroscopy, and
correcting for the effect of the concentration of the oxidizing agent in the processing solution on the potential measured for the fluoride ISE in order to provide a more accurate determination of the fluoride concentration in the processing solution.
20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the computing device is further operative to effect the additional steps of the method of the invention, comprising
measuring the temperature of the processing solution via NIR spectroscopy, and
correcting for the effect of the measured temperature on the potential measured for the fluoride ISE in order to provide a more accurate determination of the fluoride concentration in the processing solution.
21. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising:
a sampling system operative to flow the first and second samples of the processing solution into the ISE and NIR analysis cells, respectively,
wherein the first and second samples may be the same sample or different samples of the processing solution.

1. A method of detecting the presence of an analyte in an ion mobility spectrometer comprising:
(a) introducing a sample comprising one or more analyte molecules into an ionization region
(b) supplying an ionization reagent, wherein the ionization reagent has the formula:
wherein R1 is selected from the group consisting of straight or branched chain alkyl, straight or branched chain alkenyl, aryl, heteroaryl, carbocycle, and heterocycle,
wherein R2 and R3 are independently selected from the from the group consisting of H, straight or branched chain alkyl, straight or branched chain alkenyl, aryl, heteroaryl, carbocycle, and heterocycle, and
wherein the ionization reagent is not nicotinamide;

(c) generating a reagent ion;
(d) allowing the reagent ion to interact with the one or more analyte molecules, wherein the interaction yields one or more analyte ions;
(e) introducing a sample vapor containing one or more analyte ions into a drift region; and
(f) detecting the presence of the one or more analyte ions in the sample from a drift time of the analyte ion through the drift region.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein R1 is a C3 alkyl, and wherein R2 and R3 are H.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein the amide is isobutyramide.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein R1 is a phenyl or an aniline group, and wherein R2 and R3 are independently selected from the from the group consisting of straight or branched chain alkyl, straight or branched chain alkenyl, aryl, heteroaryl, carbocycle, and heterocycle.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein R2 is CH3, and wherein R3 is C2H5.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein R2 is a phenyl and R3 is a CnH(2n+1) alkyl.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein more than one analyte ion for a single analyte is produced, wherein each of more than one analyte ions demonstrate a different drift time.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the analyte is selected from the group consisting of explosive, narcotic, biological warfare agent, toxin, and chemical warfare agent.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein the explosive is selected from the group consisting of hexamethylenetriperoxidediamine, triacetone triperoxide, and combinations thereof.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein the explosive is triacetone triperoxide.
11. The method of claim 8, wherein the narcotic is selected from the group consisting of 6-acetylmorphine, alprazolam, amobarbital, amphetamine, antipyrine, benzocaine, benzoylecgonine, bromazepam, butalbital, carbetapentane, cathinone, chloradiazepoxide, chlorpheniramine, cocaethylene, cocaine, codeine, diazepam, ecgonine, ecognine methyl ester (EME), ephedrine, fentanyl, flunitrazepam, hashish, heroin, hydrocodone, hydromorphone, ketamine, lidocaine, lorazepam, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), lysergic acid, N-methyl-1-3(3,4-methylenedioxyohenyl)-2-butanamine (MBDB), 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA), DL-3,4-methylenedioxyethylamphetamine (MDEA), methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), marijuana, mescaline, methadone, methamphetamine, methaqualone, methcathinone, morphine, noscapine, opium, oxazepam, oxycodone, phencyclidine (PCP), pentobarbital, phenobarbital, procaine, psilocybin, secobarbital, temazepam, THC, THC\u2014COOH, triazolam, pharmaceutical drugs, and combinations thereof.
12. The method of claim 8, wherein the chemical warfare agent or toxin is selected from the group consisting of amiton (VG), anthrax, chloropicrin, ethyl N,N-dimethyl phosphoramicocyanidate (Tabun), isopropyl methyl phosphonofluoridate (Sarin), pinacolyl methyl phosphonefluoridate (Soman), ethyl-, isopropyl ester (GE), ethyl-, S-(2-(diethylamino)ethyl) O-ethyl ester (VE), phosphonothioic acid, methyl-, S-(2-(diethylamino)ethyl) O-ethyl ester (VM), mustard-T mixture, nitrogen mustard 1, nitrogen mustard 2, nitrogen mustard 3, phenyldichloroarsine, phosgene oxime, sesqui mustard, adamsite, aflatoxin, botulinus toxin, ricin, saxitoxin, trichothecene mycotoxin, methylphosphonothioic acid S-(2-(bis(1-methylethyl)amino)ethyl) O-ethyl ester (VX), cyclohexyl methylphosphonofluoridate (GF), and combinations thereof.

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 towed agricultural machine for tilling or for sowing seeds, the machine comprising a machine frame and tillage tools arranged thereon, and further comprising a packer unit arranged subsequent to the tillage tools in the driving direction of the machine, the machine being characterized in that:
the packer unit, which is pivotally and height adjustably journaled on the machine frame, comprises a module with a running gear as well as packer tools arranged thereon, wherein the module is journaled to be pivotal in relation to the packer unit between two stop positions,
wherein either the running gear or the packer tools face toward the ground or are in contact with the ground in the respective stop positions,
wherein the packer unit is assigned at least one first adjustment device and the module journaled is assigned at least one second adjustment device, wherein the first and second adjustment devices are controllable independently from each other and which are employed for adjusting the packer unit and the module arranged thereon, and
wherein the module comprises a module frame arranged pivotally on the packer frame, with the packer tools and the running gear being rigidly connected to said module frame and wherein the packer tools and the running gear form a rigid unit.
2. The machine as recited in claim 1 wherein the packer unit, hinged onto the machine frame comprises a pivotal and height adjustable packer frame, which is coupled to the machine frame by at least one first adjustment device.
3. The machine as recited in claim 2 wherein the at least one first adjustment device lowers or lifts the packer unit as a whole, said packer unit being hinged on the machine frame and movable about an approximately horizontal swivel axis.
4. The machine as recited in claim 3 wherein the stop positions of the module are defined by a pivoting movement around an approximately horizontally positioned cross tube, and wherein the stop positions are controllable by adjustment movements of at least one second adjustment device.
5. The machine as recited in claim 4 wherein the module comprises one or more cantilever arms for the running gear or for the packer unit arranged on the cross tube, wherein the module comprising the cross tube and the one or more cantilever arms is in itself formed to be rigid.
6. The machine as recited in claim 5 wherein a first and a second operating positions of the machine are each assigned to one of the stop positions of the pivoting range of the cross tube with the one or more cantilever arms for the running gear or the packer unit arranged thereon.
7. The machine as recited in claim 6 wherein the module further comprises at least two outer packer segments arranged on either side of the module, and wherein the running gear serves for transport purposes in the first operating position.
8. A method for the conversion of a towed agricultural machine, the conversion being effected between a first operating mode for tilling or for sowing seeds and a second operating mode for road traffic, wherein the machine comprises a machine frame and tillage tools arranged thereon and further a packer unit arranged subsequent to the tillage tools in the driving direction of the machine, the packer unit being hinged pivotally and height adjustably on the machine frame, and the packer unit being assigned a running gear comprising at least two rear support wheels, which are arranged in the area of the rear end of the machine,
wherein the packer unit is pivotally and height adjustably journaled on the machine frame and comprises a module with the running gear as well as packer tools rigidly arranged thereon, wherein the module is journaled to be pivotal between two stop positions,
wherein either the running gear or the packer tools face toward the ground or are in contact with the ground in the respective stop positions,
wherein the packer unit together with the module journaled thereon are height adjustable or pivotal in relation to the machine frame by a first adjustment device, and
wherein the packer tools and the running gear form a rigid unit,
the method comprising:
switching the module between its two stop positions for driving on the road and for driving on the field by at least one second adjustment device,
wherein an adjustment or a pivoting movement of the module arranged pivotally on the packer frame around an approximately horizontally positioned swivel axis defines the stop positions of said module, and wherein the stop positions are controllable by adjustment movements of the second adjustment device that is hinged onto the packer frame.
9. The method as recited in claim 8 wherein the at least one first adjustment device lowers or lifts the packer unit as a whole, said packer unit being hinged on the machine frame and movable about an approximately horizontal swivel axis.
10. The method as recited in claim 9 wherein, in a first operating position, the running gear or the rear support wheels arranged at the rear end of the machine are brought into an active position for road traffic and the packer unit is brought outside the engagement range with the ground, and wherein, in a second operating position, the running gear, or at least parts of the running gear, are brought into an inactive position out of contact range with the ground and the packer unit is in an active mode in engagement with the ground.
11. The method as recited in claim 10 wherein, in the first operating position, the running gear or the rear support wheels arranged at the rear end of the machine are brought into an active position for road traffic and the packer tools are brought outside the engagement range with the ground, and wherein, in the second operating position, the running gear, or at least parts of the running gear, are brought into an inactive position out of contact range with the ground and the packer tools are in an active mode in engagement with the ground.