Abstract: An apparatus for determining a bidirectional reflectance distribution function of a subject. The apparatus includes a light source for producing light. The apparatus includes sensing means for sensing the light. The apparatus includes means for focusing the light between the light source and the sensing means and the subject. The apparatus includes a computer connected to the sensing means for measuring the bidirectional reflectance distribution function of the subject from the light sensed by the sensing means. The apparatus can include only one CCD camera for sensing the light. The apparatus can include means for taking sub-measurements of the subject with light from the light source without any physical movement between sub-measurements. A method for determining a bidirectional reflectance distribution function of a subject.

Abstract: An apparatus for viewing an image includes a screen on which an image of a superimposed projection for left and right eye views of a viewer is displayed image. The apparatus includes a mechanism for projecting the projections onto the screen image. The apparatus includes a rear retarder disposed in front of the screen image. The apparatus includes a front retarder disposed in front of the rear retarder image. The apparatus includes a mechanism for applying an increasing ramp of phase retardance across an image in the rear retarder, and applying a decreasing ramp of phase retardance across the image in the front retarder so a constant phase retardance is created across an entire surface of the screen disposed behind the rear retarder and the front retarder when seen by a viewer in front of the front retarder.

Abstract: An apparatus for determining the flow rate of a fluid in a pipe. The apparatus includes a device for providing acoustic energy on a diametrical path through the fluid. The diametrical providing device is in contact with the pipe. The apparatus also includes a signal processing device for determining the speed of sound of the fluid in the pipe based on the acoustic energy of the diagonal providing device and the acoustic energy of the diametrical providing device. A method for determining the sound velocity of a fluid in a pipe.

Abstract: An ATM communication system. The system includes a source which produces traffic for connections having known traffic characteristics and unknown traffic characteristics. The traffic has unknown characteristics including traffic with weighted priorities and traffic without weighted priorities. The system includes a network on which traffic travels. The source is connected to the network. The source sends the traffic having known traffic characteristics and unknown traffic characteristics onto the network. The system includes a destination which is connected to the network and receives the traffic having known traffic characteristics and unknown traffic characteristics. A source for producing ATM traffic for a network with switches. A switch for switching traffic on an ATM network from a source to a destination. A method for transferring in an ATM communication system.

Abstract: An apparatus for assessing a person's hand strength including means for engaging the hand. The apparatus including means for determining the strength of the hand based on a twisting action with the hand of the engaging means relative to the determining means. The engaging means is connected to the determining means. A method for assessing a person's hand strength including the steps of gripping a first object having a first diameter with the hand by the person. There is the step of twisting the first object with the hand. There is the step of measuring torque with a torque sensor, connected to the first object, of the object as it is being twisted by the hand.

Abstract: In data storage system including multiple servers and multiple disks, and wherein each server is in communication with each disk, each disk has a reserved disk block for each of the servers. The system includes a disk arbitration mechanism that uses a timestamp-based voting algorithm over the disk blocks associated with the servers to exchange votes for a primary server to arbitrate access of the servers to a set of disks. The disk arbitration mechanism further includes each server writing its state in its own associated disk block in each disk, and reading all the other servers' disk blocks in each disk in order to determine which server has access to, use, and control of the disks at a given time.

Abstract: An apparatus for sorting particles composed of a mixture of particles with differing physical and chemical characteristics.

Abstract: An apparatus for establishing a layout of a building. The apparatus includes a mechanism for scanning a first room of the building to obtain room data. The apparatus also includes a scanner for forming a representation of a layout of the first room from the first room data. The forming mechanism is connected to the scanner. A method for establishing the layout of a building. The method includes the steps of placing a scanner in a first room of the building. Then there is the step of scanning the first room with the scanner to obtain first room data. Then there is the step of forming a representation of the layout of the first room from the first room data.

Abstract: A method for performing rate policing and re-marking in a packet switched communications network that can be used to enforce and/or monitor Class of Services (CoS) contracts including terms for single or multiple classes of service. A switching system configured as an ingress node on the network includes a network switch and rate policing and re-marking logic. The switch receives a data packet transmitted on the network, extracts information from at least one header field of the packet including a CoS parameter, a primary flow ID established for the packet, and a packet byte count, and provides the extracted information to the rate policing/re-marking logic. Next, the rate policing/re-marking logic performs flow record and token bucket processing on the primary packet flow to determine whether the packets of the primary flow conform to the bandwidth requirements specified in the CoS contract.

Abstract: A DNA sequence of Haemophilus influenzae clone 151_04 shown in SEQ. ID. NO. 1. A DNA sequence of Haemophilus influenzae clone 125_L2 shown in SEQ. ID. NO. 2. A DNA sequence of Haemophilus influenzae clone 179_D14 shown in SEQ. ID. NO. 3. A DNA sequence of Haemophilus influenzae clone 167_A16 shown in SEQ. ID. NO. 4.

Abstract: A switch of a network. The switch includes a port card for sending and receiving packets to and from the network. The switch includes a plurality of fabrics connected to the port card. Each fabric switches portions of the packet. Each fabric has a queue in which portions of the packet are stored. The switch includes a first dequeuer for dequeueing the portions of the packet. The switch includes a second dequeuer for dequeueing the portions of the packets. The switch includes a state machine for controlling when the first and second dequeuers dequeue the portions of the packet. A method for sending packets with a switch of a network. The method includes the steps of dequeueing with a first dequeuer of a fabric portions of a packet from a queue of the fabric. Then there is the step of dequeueing with a second dequeuer of the fabric the portions of the packet from the queue after in the first dequeuer has dequeued the portions of the packet.

Abstract: A switch. The switch includes a port card. The switch includes a network connected to the port cards. The network having transmitters and receivers that communicate with each other and have assignments between each other. The switch includes a fabric connected to the port card through the network to send and receive fragments of packets to or from the port card. The port card, fabric and network have a plurality of modes of operation. The switch includes a control mechanism connected to the transmitters and receivers which changes the assignments according to the mode. The control mechanism changes the mode and reuses the transmitters and receivers where they can be reused. A method for switching fragments of packets. The method includes the steps of assigning assignments between transmitters and receivers of a network. Then there is the step of transferring the fragments of packets between fabrics and port cards with the transmitters and receivers of the network.

Abstract: A folding step stool includes a hinge mechanism. The step stool includes a first section connected to the hinge mechanism. The first section having a bottom step. The step stool includes a second section connected to the hinge mechanism. The step stool includes a third section connected to the hinge mechanism, wherein when the folding step is in and unfolded state, the first and second sections form a base on a floor and are in angular relationship with each other, and the third section extends upward from the hinge mechanism relative to the first section, and when the first, second and third sections are in a folded state, they are essentially in parallel with each other, are no more than ¾ as tall and ½ as long as when the step stool is in the unfolded state. A method for using a folding step stool. A hinge for a folding step stool having a folded and unfolded state and having a top rail, front rail and rear rail. A method for using a folding step stool.

Abstract: A switch for a network. The switch comprises a memory mechanism in which portions of packets are stored. The switch comprises a mechanism for instituting changes to the memory mechanism while the memory mechanism continuously operating on packets. A method for switching packets. The method comprises the steps of receiving changes for a memory mechanism of a switch at a buffer of the switch. Then there is the step of implementing the changes to the memory mechanism when the memory mechanism receives an implementation signal while the memory mechanism continuously operates on packets.

Abstract: The present invention pertains to an apparatus for manipulating ATM cells. The apparatus comprises a memory array in which an entire ATM cell can be read or written in one read or write cycle. The apparatus is also comprised of a mechanism for reading or writing the entire ATM cell from or into the memory array. The present invention pertains to a method for switching an ATM cell. The method comprises the steps of receiving the ATM cell at a first input port of a switch from the ATM network. Then there can be the step of storing the ATM cell in one clock cycle in a memory array of the switch. Next there is the step of reading the ATM cell in the memory array in one clock cycle. Next there is the step of transferring the ATM cell from the memory array to a first output port of the switch. Next there is the step of transmitting the ATM cell from the first output port to the ATM network. The present invention pertains to a switch for an ATM cell.

Abstract: A dense virtual router packet switching system includes a memory divided into context areas for a set of virtual private routed networks (VPRNs). Each context area includes a routing table and routing protocol state information for a corresponding VPRN. Each of a set of different routing tasks operates with a separate routing table and separate routing protocol state information to realize a corresponding virtual router. Context selection logic selectively couples the routing tasks to the different context areas of the memory to realize a set of virtual routers for all the VPRNs. The system supports a large number of routes by exploiting the segmentation of the VPRNs. Rather than having a single large routing table and associated routing process, which can load hardware resources in proportion to the square of the number of routes in the routing table, routes are distributed among a number of VPRNs having generally smaller tables and correspondingly less processing demand.