Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel composite structure with enhanced toughness, which incorporates features mimicked from nacre (mother of pearl). The structure can be used in many industrial and clinical applications, including aeronautics (aircraft skin), the defense industry (armor materials); orthopedics and medical devices (tough, biocompatible coatings on prostheses) and micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS; increased reliability for critical components).

Abstract: The invention provides methods and compounds for detecting protease activity in a sample solution comprising contacting the sample solution with a protease substrate labelled with an electrochemically active marker, providing conditions under which any protease which may be present in the sample may degrade the protease substrate and electrochemically determining information relating to the electrochemically active marker.

Abstract: The present invention encompasses a heat exchange catheter for indirect cooling of internal organs, particularly the heart. The heat exchange catheter is inserted into the esophagus and a cooled fluid is circulated within the catheter, cooling the esophagus, and by conduction, the heart. The heat exchange catheter or the invention may be rapidly deployed in the field and is particularly useful for preventing and reducing tissue damage caused by ischemia.

Abstract: Design of new, safe and effective biodegradable agents, which can cover a wide range of drug molecules in the transdermal permeation and other membranes absorption of physiologically active agents are disclosed. Biodegradable agents includes compounds having a multiple hydrophilic moiety groups which are water loving groups with general chemical structures provide for contributing the penetration enhancement characteristics such as glycolic group and N-alkyl substituted amino acidic group and a lipophilic moiety and also in contributing the balanced lipophilicity of the compounds such as long chain alkyl group are disclosed. More particularly, compounds with R1, and R2, as the steric hindered but can significantly affect the hydrolytic and enzymatic degradation or stability of the biodegradable enhancers.

Abstract: An instrument hanger attachable to a microphone stand facilitates the supporting or hanging of various musical instruments on the stand. The hanger has an annular loop portion for receiving the top portion of the shaft of the stand, a neck and an instrument holding portion shaped to prevent the instrument to detach from the holder in typically encountered situations. A single hanger may hold several like or different instruments. The hangers taught herein may be more convenient than large conventional musical instrument stands which add to the expense and difficulty of travelling and which may crowd a concert stage.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a system for use in rehabilitation and/or physical therapy for the treatment of injury or disease. The system can overcome gravity-induced dysfunction in extremity paresis following stroke or other neurological disorders.

Abstract: Ultrasonic apparatus and associated methods for the in-line monitoring of melting, mixing and chemical reaction processes of materials inside an enclosed chamber having rotating elements associated therewith are presented. The chamber may be heated and the rotating elements may be blades and/or screws. The chamber may be a heating barrel and the materials may be polymer and polymer composites pellets, metal pellets and chemical compounds. Ultrasonic sensors, which are preferably coupled to a wall of the chamber, may be high temperature ultrasonic transducers attached to the external surface of the chamber or ultrasonic buffer rods embedded into the chamber and coupled to cooled ultrasonic transducers. These sensors are operated in the reflection mode and are placed over the rotating elements. The number and locations of the sensors depend on applications.

Abstract: A supporting rack includes rods arranged to form a planar grid pattern connected to allow for modification in the overall space occupied by the rack. In a preferred embodiment, a rack for use in a conventional domestic cooking oven is formed of perpendicularly disposed rods of material such as stainless steel enabled to withstand the temperatures to which such an oven may be subjected. The rack has an outer frame capable of interfacing with and supported by inside oven walls, and the individual rod sections being so connected as to allow folding or separation of the sections of the rack to reduce its size and facilitate handling when performing tasks such as cleaning the rack.

Abstract: An “H layout” according to the present invention affords for a smaller, simpler, less expensive and higher performance midplane for use in a communication system for connecting various modules together. The layout is based on the concept of symmetry around a mid-section, which allows for the reuse of APM cards on the top and bottom of a midplane. All high-speed tracks on the midplane are concentrated in the center thereof. Front and back connectors on the midplane are staggered so as to permit very high module densities while maintaining manageable finger access. The present invention has the advantages of: reducing high-speed track lengths in a backplane or midplane; simplifying high speed track routing by having almost only horizontal tracks on the midplane, thus reducing crossing over; and providing a smaller midplane, thus reducing costs.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and system for automatically identifying a fiber type in an optically amplified optical fiber span. Optical spectrum analyzers are employed in order to measure profiles of one or more amplifiers connected to the fiber span. These profiles are then manipulated in order to obtain a score for the fiber span. This score is then compared to known scores for various fiber types in order to make a determination of the fiber type in the span. The profiles being measured can be either of a span loss profile or a Raman gain profile. In the case of a Raman gain profile, a Raman pump laser is employed in the measurements. According to the present invention, it is possible to identify whether a hybrid splice exists within a particular fiber span. The present invention also permits an auto mapping of networks.

Abstract: The present invention provides a closed loop control strategy using system wavelength profile information to provide accurate derivation of Raman gain in a fiber optic span. The present invention overcomes prior art limitations in which a desired Raman gain is estimated on the basis of a modeled solution, without taking into account the dynamic nature of the system span profiles. The method and system according to the present invention provide an improved method of calculating Raman gain which permits dynamic adjustments to system parameters, thus correcting gain inaccuracies induced by the application of known models and permitting an accurate derivation of the Raman gain. Cost-effective optical spectrum analyzers are used to monitor wavelength profiles, which permits the mapping of transmit and receive profiles within a span. This mapping information is then collected in a central location, such that the Raman gain within the span may be derived.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system with a redirect functionality that removes the potential of a bottleneck inherent with a central redirect server. In a communications system according to the present invention, the central redirect server is eliminated in favor of a distributed redirect server. This distributed redirect server is distributed to, and hosted on, telephony access nodes (TANs) in the system. This configuration resolves both the problem of a potential bottleneck and provisioning of redundant redirect server capability.

Abstract: The invention relates to an electronic side bet progressive jackpot gaming table apparatus including a color-coded player's banking center which includes a coin slot an electronic button means, a digital display means. The apparatus also includes a dealer key pad having a plurality of electronic button means for the dealer to suitably conduct a side bet progressive jackpot game. The invention furthermore relates to a method of operating the electronic side bet progressive jackpot gaming table apparatus. In addition, methods of playing casino Blackjack games employing an inventive deck of same color-coded playing cards are disclosed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for distributing, generating, and redeeming discount Virtual Coupons.TM., rebate or gift certificates or the like which may be used on conjunction with a frequency card program or the like. Virtual Coupons.TM. may be distributed electronically, for example, in the form of a diskette or CD-ROM software. Software on the diskette or CD-ROM may prompt a consumer to call a 1-800 number for a validation number or code. During the phone call, telemarketing personnel may request consumer demographic and or identification information which may be entered into a centralized database. Once the software is validated, a consumer may print out a list selected Virtual Coupons.TM. displayed on a Graphical User Interface (GUI). When a product is purchased, the UPC code of the product may be compared electronically with a list of Virtual Coupons.TM. authorized for a particular consumer. An appropriate coupon discount may then be applied and the Virtual Coupon.TM. may be considered "redeemed".

Abstract: A trap for trapping and killing small animals such as rats and mice, is described. The trap comprises a stand, a pivoting clamp, journalled in the stand around a first axis. The clamp may be strained against the action of a spring which may be released by a releasing mechanism from a first, loaded position, when an animal acts upon the releasing mechanism. When released, the clamp immediately swings, acted upon by the spring, to a second position, where it hits and kills the animal. The clamp, extending from the first axis is provided with a first arm and a second arm. A first fastening point of the spring is provided at an end that is turned from the first axis of the first arm. The second fastening point of the spring is provided at the stand. The force line between the two fastening points of the spring runs through or in the vicinity of the first axis such that the spring exerts little or no or torque in the direction towards the second position of the clamp.

Abstract: A bladder is attached to a puff to allow even and accurate dispensing of soap or other wash products. When squeezed, liquid soap within the bladder is dispensed through a nozzle. In a second embodiment, liquid soap dispensing is accomplished by having a handle which at the end has a bladder portion. In an alternative embodiment, the present invention may also incorporate a novel means of shaving one's legs by having a receptacle at one end of the handle wherein a razor can be inserted. When a razor is inserted in the receptacle, the user can grasp the "puff end" of the handle and quickly, easily reach the extremities of the legs and shave them.

Abstract: A multiple optical head interferometer comprises one Light Source-Detection-Computing unit and multiple optical heads. The diameters of all of the optical heads are of equal size, and oriented in the same direction. Shutters or adjustable mirrors are provided such that the Light Source-Detection-Computing unit is used with only one optical head at a time. The multiple optical head interferometer of the present invention may measure many workpieces quickly in a short time, as while one workpiece is being measured, others may be setup for measurement or removed for further processing. In a first embodiment, the branching device for branching the laser beam comprises a plurality of beam splitters. Shutters are used to control which optical head is to be used with the Light Source-Detection-Computing unit at a particular time. In the second and preferred embodiment of the present invention, branching out of the optical heads is achieved by using adjustable mirrors and reflection.

Abstract: Electronic lighting devices that simulate a realistic flame are disclosed. The preferred embodiment has a plurality of lighting elements in a plurality of colors which are modulated in intensity by a control circuit with a stored program. The control program includes stored amplitude waveforms for the generation of a realistic flame simulation. The program further contains random elements to keep the flame constantly changing. The control circuit has built in power management functions that can control the mean intensity of the simulated flame based on some power management budget with the ability to measure the charge/discharge duration of the power source, when used with a rechargeable power source. The currents to the individual lighting elements are selectable from a set of discrete quantization values. Tables of amplitude modulated time waveforms are stored in the microprocessor memory, from which the real time control data streams for the individual lighting elements are synthesized.

Abstract: A phased lock loop (PLL) clock circuit generates a clock signal at 1x the desired clock frequency while maintaining substantially a 50% duty cycle. A first loop provides a feedback signal to maintain clock frequency, while a second loop provides a feedback signal and controls duty cycle. Two clock signals from a ring oscillator are fed to a level shifter, where each clock signal triggers a respective rising or trailing edge of the output clock signal. The level shifter is provided with a delay for controlling timing of the trailing edge of the output clock signal. The output clock signal is fed to a equi-current buffer where a charge pump, driven by the output clock signal, charges and discharges a capacitor in proportion to the duty cycle of the output clock signal, producing a feedback control voltage. The feedback control voltage is applied to the delay of the level shifter to maintain a substantially 50% duty cycle.

Abstract: A digital body interface apparatus for use in playing an amusement video game is disclosed. The apparatus provides a unique array of infrared beams and push buttons to achieve a full body interaction between a playing participant and a computer-controlled video game. The apparatus utilizes an infrared beam at the front of each padded target place to detect a punch or a kick by a player. In the preferred embodiment, a padded target is provided with a hollow cavity through which the infrared beam passes. When the target is punched or struck, the cavity is at least partially collapsed, interrupting or attenuating the infrared beam. As with other games, adequate enclosure spaces for a video monitor, a coin mechanism, audio effects, and other necessary hardware, are incorporated.