Provided is an inter-layer video decoding method including determining a size of a subblock of a current block by comparing at least one of a height and a width of a predetermined minimum size of the subblock with at least one of a height and a width of the current block of a first layer image; determining at least one subblock from the current block according to the size of the subblock of the current block; determining a candidate block that corresponds to the current block and is included in an encoded second layer image; determining a candidate subblock from the candidate block of the second layer image by using the subblock of the current block; determining motion information of the subblock included in the current block by using motion information of the candidate subblock included in the candidate block; and generating a prediction block of the current block by using the motion information of the subblock included in the current block.

Provided are video encoding and decoding methods and apparatuses. The video encoding method includes: encoding a video based on data units having a hierarchical structure; determining a context model used for entropy encoding a syntax element of a data unit based on at least one piece of additional information of the data units; and entropy encoding the syntax element by using the determined context model.

A method and apparatus of reusing reference data for video decoding are disclosed. Motion information associated with motion vectors for coded blocks processed after the current block are derived without storing decoded residuals associated with the coded blocks. Reuse information regarding reference data required for Inter prediction or Intra block copy of the coded blocks is determined based on the motion information. If the current block is coded in the Inter prediction mode or the Intra block copy mode, whether required reference data for the current block are in an internal memory is determined and the reference data are fetched from an external memory to the internal memory if the required reference data are not stored in the internal memory. The reference data in the internal memory is managed according to the reuse information to reduce data transferring between the external memory and the internal memory.

A receiving side is enabled to perform excellent decode processing according to decoding capability. An image encoding unit classifies image data of each picture consisting moving picture data into a plurality of layers, encodes the classified image data of the picture in each of the plurality of layers, and generates video data having the encoded image data of the picture in each of the plurality of layers A data transmission unit transmits the video data. An information transmission unit transmits a level designation value of a bit stream and information on a layer range in each of a plurality of layer ranges having a different maximum layer.

Disclosed are a transcoding method and electronic apparatus. The method includes: obtaining 16 H.264 video macro blocks; determining encoding type of the 16 H.264 video macro blocks; transcoding the 16 H.264 video macro blocks into a H.265 coding tree unit CTU according to preset intra-frame transcoding correspondence if the encoding type of the 16 H.264 video macro blocks is intra-frame coding; transcoding the 16 H.264 video macro blocks into one H.265 CTU according to preset inter-frame transcoding correspondence if the encoding type of the 16 H.264 video macro blocks is inter-frame coding. The device includes: capturing module, determination module, first transcoding module and second transcoding module. The present invention has no need to decode H.264 video macro blocks to produce original video data, so the transcoding process can speed up and save time.

An apparatus for motion compensated noise reduction for input images is provided. The motion estimation and motion compensation circuit performs a motion estimation operation and a motion compensation operation on a current image and a previous image to obtain a first patch. The block matching operation circuit performs a block matching operation on the current image and the previous image to obtain a second patch. The motion detection circuit performs a motion detection operation on a target patch according to the first patch and the second patch to output a set of third patches. The current image includes the target patch. The noise reduction circuit performs a noise reduction operation on the set of third patches according to a threshold curve, so as to generate the target patch that the noise is reduced. A method for motion compensated noise reduction for input images is also provided.

A video coding apparatus for encoding a compressive sensing signal has a processor. The processor obtains a compressive sensing sampling matrix; andcaptures the compressive sensing signal representing image data based on the compressive sensing sampling matrix, wherein the compressive sensing sampling matrix is non-uniform varied.

An object of the present invention is to increase efficiency of information compression in coding and decoding. A moving picture encoding apparatus 10 of the present invention has a motion vector predicting part for performing, based on a temporal relation among adjacent reference frame images 703a, 703b, 703c referred to for detecting motion vectors of adjacent blocks adjacent to a coding target block, a target reference frame image 702 referred to for detecting a motion vector of the target block, and a target frame image 701 being the frame image of the coding target, or based on time information thereof, a correction of scaling the motion vectors 751a, 751b, 751c of the adjacent blocks on the basis of the target reference frame image 702; and a determination of an optimum predicted motion vector based on the motion vectors of the adjacent blocks; and thereby predicting the optimum predicted motion vector after the correction.

A picture prediction method and a related apparatus are disclosed. The picture prediction method includes: determining motion vector predictors of K pixel samples in a current picture block, where K is an integer greater than 1, the K pixel samples include a first vertex angle pixel sample in the current picture block, a motion vector predictor of the first vertex angle pixel sample is obtained based on a motion vector of a preset first spatially adjacent picture block of the current picture block, and the first spatially adjacent picture block is spatially adjacent to the first vertex angle pixel sample; and performing, based on a non-translational motion model and the motion vector predictors of the K pixel samples, pixel value prediction on the current picture block. Solutions in the embodiments of the present application are helpful in reducing calculation complexity of picture prediction based on a non-translational motion model.

A video decoding method using an inter prediction, includes: reconstructing a first differential motion vector and a second differential motion vector of a current block by decoding encoded data; deriving a first predicted motion vector and a second predicted motion vector of the current block from one or more neighboring blocks of the current block; generating a first motion vector of the current block by adding the first candidate motion vector to the first differential motion vector, and a second motion vector of the current block by adding the second candidate motion vector to the second differential motion vector; generating a predicted block of the current block by using the first and second motion vectors; reconstructing a residual block by decoding residual signals included in the encoded data; and adding each pixel value of the predicted block to a corresponding pixel value of the residual block.

A video decoding method using an inter prediction, includes: reconstructing a first differential motion vector and a second differential motion vector of a current block by decoding encoded data; deriving a first predicted motion vector and a second predicted motion vector of the current block from one or more neighboring blocks of the current block; generating a first motion vector of the current block by adding the first candidate motion vector to the first differential motion vector, and a second motion vector of the current block by adding the second candidate motion vector to the second differential motion vector; generating a predicted block of the current block by using the first and second motion vectors; reconstructing a residual block by decoding residual signals included in the encoded data; and adding each pixel value of the predicted block to a corresponding pixel value of the residual block.

The present invention relates to a method for decoding a video signal, comprising the steps of: acquiring a transform size flag of the current macroblock from a video signal; checking the number of non-zero transform coefficients at each pixel position in a first transform block which corresponds to the transform size flag; changing a scan order of the first transform block by prioritizing the position of the pixel having the greatest number of the non-zero transform coefficients in the first transform block; determining the number of the non-zero transform coefficients at each pixel position in a second transform block, and setting the changed scan order of the first transform block as an initialized scan order of the second transform block; adding the number of the non-zero transform coefficients at each pixel position in the first transform block and the number of the non-zero transform coefficients at each pixel position in the second transform block, and changing the scan order of the second transform block by prioritizing the position of the pixel having the greatest number of the non-zero transform coefficients; and decoding the transform coefficients arranged in the scan order changed in the previous step, wherein the first transform block and the second transform block have sizes corresponding to the transform size flag, and are contained in the current macroblock.

An encoder encodes pixels representative of a picture in a multimedia stream, generates a first approximate signature based on approximate values of pixels in a reconstructed copy of the picture, and transmits the encoded pixels and the first approximate signature. A decoder receives a first packet including the encoded pixels and the first approximate signature, decodes the encoded pixels, and transmits a first signal in response to comparing the first approximate signature and a second approximate signature generated based on approximate values of the decoded pixels. If a corrupted packet is detected, the multimedia application requests an intra-coded picture in response to the first approximate signature differing from the second approximate signature. The second signal instructs the decoder to bypass requesting an intra-coded picture and to continue decoding received packets in response to the first approximate signature being equal to the second approximate signature.

The image decoding method includes: determining a context for use in a current block to be processed, from among a plurality of contexts; and performing arithmetic decoding on a bit sequence corresponding to the current block, using the determined context, wherein in the determining: the context is determined under a condition that control parameters of neighboring blocks of the current block are used, when the signal type is a first type, the neighboring blocks being a left block and an upper block of the current block; and the context is determined under a condition that the control parameter of the upper block is not used, when the signal type is a second type, and the second type is “inter_pred_flag”.

Systems and associated methods for reciprocity calibration of MIMO wireless communication are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method includes receiving, by a base station, a first set of pilot symbols by receivers (RXes) of the base station based on a first pilot symbol transmitted from a transmitter (TX) of at least one reference antenna, transmitting, by the base station, a second pilot symbol by TXes of the base station, wherein the transmitted second pilot symbol is received by an RX of the at least one reference antenna as a second set of r0,i pilot symbols calculating non-reciprocity compensation factors based on the first set of pilot symbols and the second set of pilot symbols.

According to one embodiment of this disclosure an integrated fuel cell and environmental control system includes a turbo-compressor. The turbo-compressor includes a rotatable shaft, a compressor rotatable with the shaft to generate a flow of compressed air, a motor connected to the shaft, and a turbine connected to the shaft. The system further includes a fuel cell connected to the compressor by a first compressed air supply line that supplies a first portion of the flow of compressed air to the fuel cell. The fuel cell is connected to the turbine by a fuel cell exhaust line that supplies a flow of fuel cell exhaust to the turbine and causes the turbine to rotate. The system further includes an environmental control system connected to the compressor by a second compressed air supply line that supplies a second portion of the flow of compressed air to the environmental control system.

A gaseous-fluid environmental sensor having a gaseous-fluid flow system that defines a flow path coupling an intake port to an exhaust port. The gaseous-fluid flow system includes a blower and a flow sensor. The blower includes a motor and the flow sensor is for sensing a flow parameter. The gaseous-fluid environmental sensor further includes a controller electrically coupled to the flow sensor and the motor. The controller is configured to drive the motor with a first commutation sequence and to drive the motor with a second commutation sequence different than the first commutation sequence. The controller is further configured to select the first commutation sequence and the second commutation sequence based on the sensed flow parameter. Also discloses is a method for controlling the gaseous-fluid environmental sensor.

Methods and apparatus to calibrate rod pump controllers are described. An example method includes obtaining initial values related to a pumping unit, determining parameters based on the initial values, the parameters including at least one of a leaked off load value, a residual friction value, and a buoyant rod weight value, and based on one or more of the initial values and the parameters, calculating one or more dimensions of a rod string, the one or more dimensions to be used to determine a pump card of the pumping unit.

A sump pump system having a primary pump, a fluid level sensor, and a primary controller electrically connected to the primary pump for activating the pump when the fluid level sensor indicates a predetermine fluid level has been reached, the primary controller having a primary interface for communicating with a secondary pump. In some forms, the system includes a secondary pump having a secondary controller electrically connected to the secondary pump and having a secondary interface, the primary and secondary interfaces allowing the primary and secondary pump controllers to communicate with one another and allowing at least one of the primary and secondary pump controllers to assume control of both the primary and secondary pump. Related methods are further described herein.

The compressor includes a bearing hub, defining a radial bearing having a first and a second end portion and supporting a crankshaft having an eccentric end portion supporting the larger eye of a connecting rod coupled to the piston, for example, by a smaller eye mounted around a piston pin. The second end portion and, optionally, the first end portion of the bearing hub and the larger and smaller eyes of the connecting rod are internally provided with bushings. End portions of the bearing hub and of the larger and smaller eyes may have their structure resistant to the pressing of a confronting compressor component supported on said end portions, or further present a terminal portion elastically deformable together with a confronting terminal portion of the associated bushing.

A pump system includes a motor, a pump, and a single shaft extending from the motor into the pump, the single shaft being configured to operate simultaneously as both a motor output shaft and a pump input shaft. A first end of the single shaft interacts with the motor, and a second end of the single shaft interacts with the pump, to configure the shaft to operate as the motor output shaft and the pump input shaft. The pump system further may include a mounting accessory configured to support the motor and the pump. The motor may be an electric motor, and the pump may be a hydraulic pump. A drive controller is configured to generate commands for controlling the electric motor, which in turn drives the pump to achieve a desired flow of hydraulic fluid.

Integrated processes are provided for syngas refining and bioconversion of syngas to oxygenated organic compound. In the integrated processes ammonia contained in the syngas is recovered and used as a source of nitrogen and water for the fermentation. The integrated processes first remove tars from syngas by scrubbing using a first aqueous medium under conditions that ammonium bicarbonate is unstable. With tars removed, contact between the syngas and a second aqueous medium enables ammonia and carbon dioxide to be removed from the syngas without undue removal of components adverse to the fermentation, processing or oxygenated product such as benzene, toluene, xylene, ethylene, acetylene, and hydrogen cyanide. At least a portion of the second aqueous medium is supplied as a source of water and ammonia for the fermentation.

Reactive diluent fluid (22) is introduced into a stream of synthesis gas (or “syngas”) produced in a heat-generating unit such as a partial oxidation (“POX”) reactor (12) to cool the syngas and form a mixture of cooled syngas and reactive diluent fluid. Carbon dioxide and/or carbon components and/or hydrogen in the mixture of cooled syngas and reactive diluent fluid is reacted (26) with at least a portion of the reactive diluent fluid in the mixture to produce carbon monoxide-enriched and/or solid carbon depleted syngas which is fed into a secondary reformer unit (30) such as an enhanced heat transfer reformer in a heat exchange reformer process. An advantage of the invention is that problems with the mechanical integrity of the secondary unit arising from the high temperature of the syngas from the heat-generating unit are avoided.

A gas separation process that utilizes ejector recycle with a membrane separation step in combination with a second separation step. The second separation step may be a second membrane separation, or may involve a different type of separation process. At least a portion of the non-product (i.e. residue) stream withdrawn from the second separation step is directed back to the ejector to form a processing loop. The ejector drives the gas flow in the loop and recycles the non-product stream to the first separation step.

A device recovers water from an ambient airstream. The device includes a chamber having a group of trays that hold respective amounts of liquid desiccant. A foam media element in each tray absorbs the desiccant to increase an exposed surface of the desiccant to the airstream. Fans and valves are used to control airflow through the device. A charge cycle circulates air through the device to remove water vapor from the airstream. A subsequent extraction cycle removes water collected in the liquid desiccant by a condenser communicating with the chamber. An integral heat exchanger adds heat to the chamber during the extraction cycle. A controller is used to integrate and control device operation. The desiccant trays may be selectively configurable in an array to best suit the intended installation. The trays may be arranged in column and row configurations, along with adjustable airflow patterns between each of the trays.

Provided are apparatus and systems having a poppet valve assembly and swing adsorption separation techniques related thereto. A poppet valve includes a valve body, a plurality of static valves fixedly secured to the valve body and a single dynamic poppet valve having a plurality of openings. The plurality of static valves align and mate with the plurality of openings. The single dynamic poppet valve reciprocates to selectively open and close the plurality of static valves.

A method for filtration of harmful gas effluents from a nuclear power plant including the steps of providing a gas effluent from a nuclear power plant, the effluent including a mixture of gases; filtering the harmful, notably radioactive elements from the gas effluent by membrane separation through at least one membrane, the membrane separation being achieved by sifting, sorption and/or diffusion; storing the filtered harmful elements in storage reservoirs, and discharging the processed gas effluent to the atmosphere.

A self-cleaning system and method for removing contaminants captured by an air flow filter media in which a reverse air flow is directed back through the filter media and into an antechamber which is closed during self-cleaning and a vacuum source is connected to the antechamber to quickly evacuate the air in said antechamber containing dislodged contaminants suspended therein.

A process for the reduction of carbon dioxide and carbonyl sulfide from various types of gas emitting sources containing carbon dioxide and/or gas or liquid emitting sources containing carbonyl sulfide, using ion exchange resin.

A system and method of reducing the net carbon dioxide footprint of an industrial process that generates power from the combustion of hydrocarbon fuels in which ambient air is admixed with up to 50% by volume of an effluent gas from the power generator of the industrial process, in order to substantially increase the CO2 concentration in the air prior to treatment. The treatment comprises adsorbing CO2 from the admixed ambient air utilizing a cooled, porous substrate-supported amine adsorbent, wherein the porous substrate initially contacts the mixed ambient air containing condensed water in its pores, which act as an intrinsic coolant with respect to the exothermic heat generated by the adsorption process. In addition, prior to regenerating the supported adsorbent, air pressure is substantially reduced in the sealed regeneration chamber and the low pressure chamber is placed in fluid connection with a higher pressure regeneration chamber containing steam and carbon dioxide, to preheat the sorbent to be regenerated and to quickly cool the regenerated sorbent prior to use for further CO2 adsorption.

A self service kiosk station employing a water repellant air filter is provided. The self service kiosk may take many forms including a vending machine, gaming station, ATM, DVD rental machine, or the like. Positive pressure within the housing may be employed as well to keep contaminants outs and ensure air flow into the housing is through the water repellant air filter.

A process for winning oil from a vapor gas mixture (VGM) containing a plurality of oil fractions obtained by the pyrolysis of a hydrocarbon containing material includes dedusting and cooling the VGM. The dedusted and cooled VGM are fractionated in at least two electrostatic precipitator stages at respective temperatures corresponding to respective boiling points of the oil fractions so as to separate the oil fractions.

A method and apparatus are described for swing adsorption processes. The method includes obtaining different plates, wherein the plates have gaseous openings and a utility fluid opening. Then, the gaseous openings are substantially oriented along a common axis for gaseous openings and the plates are diffusion bonded. Once diffusion bonded, the gaseous openings within the module are wash coated with an adsorbent material.

A pressure swing adsorption process for removal of CO2 from natural gas streams through a combination of a selective adsorbent material containing an effective amount of a non-adsorbent filler, adsorbent contactor design, and adsorption cycle design. The removal of contaminants from gas streams, preferably natural gas streams, using rapid-cycle swing adsorption processes, such as rapid-cycle pressure swing adsorption (RC-PSA). Separations at high pressure with high product recovery and/or high product purity are provided through a combination of judicious choices of adsorbent material, gas-solid contactor, system configuration, and cycle designs. For example, cycle designs that include steps of purge and staged blow-down as well as the inclusion of a mesopore filler in the adsorbent material significantly improves product (e.g., methane) recovery. An RC-PSA product with less than 10 ppm H2S can be produced from a natural gas feed stream that contains less than 1 mole percent H2S.

The invention relates to a cyclonic fluid separator comprising a throat portion (4) which is arranged between a converging fluid inlet section and a diverging fluid outlet section. The cyclonic fluid separator is arranged to facilitate a cyclonic flow through the converging fluid inlet section and the throat portion towards the diverging fluid outlet section in a downstream direction. The diverging fluid outlet section comprises an inner primary outlet conduit (7) for condensable depleted fluid components and an outer secondary outlet conduit (6) for condensable enriched fluid components. The cyclonic fluid separator comprises a further outer secondary outlet conduit (16). The outer secondary outlet conduit (6) is positioned on a first position along a central axis (I) of the cyclonic fluid separator and the further outer secondary outlet conduit (16) is positioned on a second position along the central axis (I) of the cyclonic fluid separator.

A natural gas-containing stream such as biogas from landfills and sewage treatment plants is freed of siloxane contaminants by passing the biogas through a bed containing an adsorbent having a neutral surface, which adsorbs the siloxanes. When the bed of neutral adsorbent is filled to capacity, the adsorbent bed is heated to remove the siloxanes and regenerate the bed. The neutral adsorbent reduces disadvantageous reactions between the adsorbent and siloxane and other impurities in the natural gas-containing stream.

Apparatus and methods for separating volatiles from particulates are provided. The apparatus includes a separator having an internal volume and a fluid discharge outlet, a particulate discharge outlet, a particulate inlet, and a fluid inlet disposed on the separator and in fluid communication with the internal volume. The particulate inlet is disposed toward a first end of the separator and the fluid inlet is disposed toward a second end of the separator. The fluid inlet includes one or more openings disposed through a sidewall of the separator.

The exhaust gas treatment apparatus has a sealed vessel which is vertically partitioned into two spaces by a partition. A portion of the sealed vessel lower than the partition is an absorbing liquid storage portion, and a portion of the sealed vessel upper than the partition is an exhaust gas introducing portion. The partition is provided with a large number of sparger pipes so that the sparger pipes reach inside an absorbing liquid stored in the absorbing liquid storage portion. The partition is provided with a single gas riser in communication with a space upper than the absorbing liquid in the absorbing liquid storage portion. An upper end of the gas riser passes through a top plate portion of the sealed vessel and protrudes upward.

A system and method to recover water from an ambient airstream. Dehumidification of the airstream is also achieved by removal of the water. A device of the system includes a chamber having a group of trays that hold respective amounts of liquid desiccant in each tray, the concentration of the liquid desiccant may be dynamically changed based on changes within the system. A foam media absorbs the desiccant to increase an exposed surface of the desiccant to the airstream. Fans and valves are used to control airflow through the device. A charge cycle circulates air through the device to remove water vapor from the airstream. A subsequent extraction cycle removes water collected in the liquid desiccant by a condenser communicating with the chamber. A controller is used to integrate and manage all system functions and input variables to achieve a high efficiency of operational energy use for water collection.

A punching device includes a punching unit that punches a hole in a sheet of paper; a container that receives a chad of paper generated upon punching by the punching unit; a dispersing member that is provided within the container and that is configured to disperse the chad of paper; and a guiding member configured to guide the chad of paper that is generated upon punching by the punching unit and fallen into the container to the dispersing member.

A cutting device for cutting labels includes a cutting element for cutting into individual labels a label strip that is provided with a plurality of labels arranged one behind the other in the direction of the length of the label strip. The cutting element has a cutting tool in a first axis, about which the cutting element is rotatable. A counter-pressure roller which serves for the placement of the label strip is rotatable about a second axis arranged parallel to the first axis and has at least one counter-cutting bar which is provided on the outer surface of the counter-pressure roller essentially parallel to the second axis.

An apparatus for cutting a continuous web includes a disc-shaped rotatable blade member for cutting the continuous web by moving in an intersecting direction, while rotating about an axis of a rotating shaft, a regulating section for regulating a relative movement of the continuous web in the predetermined direction with respect to the rotatable blade member throughout a time during which the rotatable blade member is cutting the continuous web, and a reciprocating mechanism for moving both the rotatable blade member and the regulating section along a forward path and a return path. The forward path has an equal velocity region where both the rotatable blade member and the regulating section move at a velocity value equal to a transport velocity value of the continuous web. The rotatable blade member cuts the continuous web while moving in the equal velocity region.

Rotary cutting apparatus has a frame, a first rotary device and a second rotary device. Each of the first and second rotary devices has a shaft concentrically arranged about a rotational axis and a drum and are arranged in the frame in such a way that said first and second axes are substantially horizontal and substantially in the same vertical plane. A pair of bearing housings is arranged on either side of each of the drums. A first pair of bearing housings is movable relative to the frame in a transverse direction to the first rotational axis by means of a force means. Means is provided for passive vibration attenuation of at least the first shaft that includes a mass damper having a housing and a damping body movably arranged inside the housing, wherein the mass damper is associated with the first pair of bearing housings.

Noodles with hand-made quality consisting of thick and thin portions are processed by introducing a noodle belt between first and second cutting rolls 5 and 6 having first and second cutting blades 3 and 4 each formed by large and small diameter portions 3a, 4a and 3b and 4b, and spacers 7. The cutting rolls are relatively shifted in an axial direction such that the thick portion is formed by opposing large diameter portion and spacer and the thin portion is formed by opposing large diameter portion and small diameter portion.

A dicing apparatus according to a first aspect of the present invention includes: a work table on which a work is mounted; a processing device which processes the work; an imaging device which images the work on the work table; a plurality of moving device which move the work table, the processing device, and the imaging device relatively to each other; and an alignment camera which is provided on the same moving device as the work table so as to face the imaging device, and which performs imaging in the direction toward the portion where the imaging device is provided. According to the dicing apparatus configured in this way, it is possible to easily measure the relative position of the imaging device and the processing device without processing a dummy work, and it is possible to perform excellent dicing processing without lowering the efficiency of the dicing apparatus.

A bread conveying apparatus and a bread slicing apparatus including the bread conveying apparatus, comprise a flight conveyer including a first flight for urging a bread, an endless revolving member on which the first flight is mounted, and a driving member and a driven member, the endless revolving member being wound around the driving member and driven member; a rail extending along a conveying path of the bread and supporting the first flight; and a rail size setting unit for setting a length of the rail with respect to an extending direction of the conveying path, wherein the length of the rail with respect to the conveying direction is set by the rail size setting unit based on a size of the bread.

The invention relates to a portable, handheld work apparatus such as a trimmer, a cut-off machine, a chain saw or the like, having a motor (5, 33) to drive a rotating, exchangeable work tool (13). A control unit (15) serves to control the operation of the motor (5, 33). The control unit (15) determines the rotational speed (n) and/or the power (P) of the motor (5, 33). According to the invention, the motor (5, 33) can be operated in a first operating mode (I) with reduced rotational speed (n0) and/or power (P0) and in at least a second operating mode (II) with an increased rotational speed (n1) and/or power (P1). In dependence on a release signal, the control uses exclusively the first operating mode (I) for a limited operation and the second operating mode (II) for an expanded operation.

A web-member cutting apparatus for cutting a web member at intervals in a transport direction includes: an intermittent transport mechanism for intermittently transporting the web member in the transport direction; a disc-like rotatable blade member for cutting the web member by moving along an intersecting direction while rotating about a rotation shaft during a suspension period of transport of the web member, and a downstream pressing member for regulating movement of the web member by pressing the web member against the intermittent transport mechanism at a position downstream from a target cut position in the transport direction throughout a period during which the rotatable blade member is cutting the web member.

A method and apparatus for cutting a window covering comprises saw for cutting the window blind. A clamp assembly moves the window covering relative to the saw. A controller moves the clamp assembly to automatically position the window covering relative to the saw. The saw is moved into engagement with the window covering to cut the window covering.

An apparatus for cutting tubular members includes a support structure, a control system, a cutting station, a guide and an extracting assembly. The cutting station includes a first wheel having at least one cutting member located on the circumference of the first wheel and a second wheel having at least one projection located on the circumference of the second wheel. The extracting assembly has a cylindrical member with a first end and a second end. The cylindrical member also includes a pair of grooves extending along a portion of the interior thereof. The grooves decrease in height and depth from the first interior section to the third interior section.