Abstract: Process for preparing highly viscous organopolysiloxanes by reacting siloxanes (1) composed of units of the general formula A a ? R c ? ( OR 1 ) d ? SiO 4 - ( a + c + d ) 2 ( I ) where A is a nitrogen-containing Si—C-bonded radical, R is a C1-18 hydrocarbon radical R1 is hydrogen or a C1-8 alkyl radical, a and d are 0 or 1, c is 0, 1, 2 or 3, a+c+d is <3 and one A and one R1 where of R1 is hydrogen atom are present, optionally siloxanes (2) R c ? ( OR 1 ) d ? SiO 4 - ( c + d ) 2 ( II ) where c+d is ?3 and one R1 radical is hydrogen is present, with silanes (3) BReSi(OR3)3?e??(III) where B is a radical —CR22—Y, R2 is hydrogen or C1-4 alkyl, Y is halogen, a monosubstituted O and S atom, or a substituted N or P atom, R3 is C1-8 alkyl, and e is 0, 1 or 2.

Abstract: An integrated point of sale terminal for processing multiple payment types including payment by check includes a compact housing, a processor, and memory. The housing has a base shaped to sit on a merchant counter and has a document slot for receiving a check. The processor is disposed in the housing, and the memory is in communication with the processor. The payment terminal is located at the point of sale during use to allow a store merchant to accept multiple payment types. The payment terminal further includes a magnetic ink character recognition device for reading a string of magnetic ink characters on the check. The magnetic ink character recognition device is affixed to the housing at the document slot and is in communication with the processor. Further, the payment terminal includes an imaging device for capturing an image of the check. The imaging device is affixed to the housing at the document slot and is in communication with the processor.

Abstract: A method of training a computer system via human voice input from a human teacher is provided. In one embodiment, the method includes presenting a text spelling of an unknown word and receiving a human voice pronunciation of the unknown word. A phonetic spelling of the unknown word is determined. The text spelling is associated with the phonetic spelling to allow a text to speech engine to correctly pronounce the unknown word in the future when presented with the text spelling of the unknown word.

Abstract: An acoustic flowmeter calibration method and sampling system address a variation in acoustic transducer delay time with increasing temperature. In one aspect, calibration of the path length between the sending and receiving transducers and calibration of the transducer delay time over a wide temperature range are optimized. In another aspect, the flowmeter output is temperature compensated based on the exhaust flowmeter gas temperature. These two aspects may be embodied in an ultrasonic flowmeter for exhaust gas measurement individually or in combination in accordance with the invention.

Abstract: A pillow is provided which includes a neck portion extending along a length of the pillow, and a head portion attached to the neck portion, the head portion divided into at least two head compartments. A filling material is provided within the neck and head portions. The pillow can also be embodied as a pillowcase having a first side, a second side, and an opening for receiving a pillow therein. Within at least one of the first side and second side, the pillowcase includes a neck portion extending along a length of the pillowcase, a head portion including at least two head compartments, and a filling material provided within the neck and head portions.

Abstract: An SOI wafer, includes a substrate made from silicon, an electrically insulating layer with a thermal conductivity of at least 1.6 W/(Km) and a single-crystal silicon layer with a thickness of from 10 nm to 10 ?m, a standard deviation of at most 5% from the mean layer thickness and a density of at most 0.5 HF defects/cm2. A process is for producing an SOI wafer of this type, in which a substrate wafer made from silicon is joined to a donor wafer via a layer of the electrically insulating material which has previously been applied. The donor wafer bears a donor layer of single-crystal silicon, with a concentration of vacancies of at most 1012/cm3 and of vacancy agglomerates of at most 105/cm3. After the wafers have been joined, the thickness of the donor wafer is reduced in such a manner that the single-crystal silicon layer having these properties is formed from the donor layer, this single-crystal silicon layer being joined to the substrate wafer via the layer of electrically insulating material.

Abstract: In at least one embodiment, the present invention relates to a trim panel for concealing an air bag. The panel comprises a substrate and a cover over the substrate. The cover includes a cover skin. The panel also comprises a tear seam having at least a portion comprising a pattern of alternating residual wall thicknesses in the panel. At least one embodiment of the present invention also relates to a method for making a trim panel for concealing an air bag.

Abstract: A transducer positioning apparatus includes a frame, a flexible member attached to the frame, and a guide member suspended from the frame by the flexible member. A carriage with a transducer mounted thereon is movable with respect to the guide member between multiple positions relative to the guide member. The apparatus further includes an actuator associated with the carriage. The actuator is operative to move the carriage with respect to the guide member to a selected position of the multiple positions and to move the carriage and the guide member relative to the frame to locate the transducer in a desired position. Furthermore, the flexible member is configured to allow axial movement of the guide member while inhibiting rotational movement of the guide member.

Abstract: A headrest mechanism including a post extending from a headrest pad, a tubular bushing adapted to be coupled to an occupant seat, a slider assembly, and an actuator. The slider assembly is moveably positioned within the bushing and includes a block selectively moveable between a position engaged with and a position disengaged with the bushing. A post of the headrest pad is coupled to the slider assembly such that movement of the slider assembly causes the headrest pad to move.

Abstract: A universal remote control establishes a new transmitter identifier when programmed to a particular rolling code scheme by an existing transmitter. During programming, the universal remote control receives at least one activation signal transmitted from the existing transmitter. The activation signal includes an existing transmitter identifier. The activation signal is examined to determine which of a plurality of rolling code schemes was used by the existing transmitter to generate the received activation signal. The new transmitter identifier, different from the existing transmitter identifier, is determined based on the rolling code scheme. Subsequently, when an activation input is received, the universal remote control generates and transmits a new activation signal including the new transmitter identifier.

Abstract: A seat assembly includes a seat back that is pivotable from an upright use position to a stowed position. A head restraint includes first and second portions, each of which are movable from a respective upright use position to a respective stowed position. Each of the portions includes a respective contact surface for contacting an occupant of the seat assembly. A release mechanism is configured to facilitate movement of the first and second portions from their respective upright use positions to their respective stowed positions. An automatic return mechanism is provided to automatically return the first and second portions from their respective stowed positions to their respective upright use positions when the seat back is pivoted from its stowed position to its upright use position.

Abstract: Addition-crosslinking silicone compositions comprise (A) diorganopolysiloxanes R1aR2bSiO(4?a?b)/2 wherein R1 is hydroxyl or a monovalent C1-20 hydrocarbon radical free of aliphatic unsaturation, R2 is a monovalent aliphatically unsaturated C1-10 hydrocarbon radical, a has a value from 1.0 to 2.0, b is 0.0003 to 2, and 1.5<(a+b)<3.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an ultraviolet light curable transparent conductive composition and method for making such a composition that may be used to produce a transparent conductive coating on a suitable substrate. These coatings may be used in such applications as touch screens, membrane switches, TV screens, and VCRs. The disclosed composition does not contain any significant amount of volatile organic solvents that do not become incorporated in the active layer after curing.

Abstract: An x-ray imaging apparatus for mammography. The apparatus places the focal spot of the x-ray source as close as possible to a compression paddle or into a desired region of tissue. The apparatus comprises an x-ray source, a collimator with conditioning optics which focus and direct x-ray radiation to a metal pseudo-target in the collimator or a needle placed along the x-ray beam, paddles for breast compression and a detector. The pseudo-target re-emits monochromatic x-ray radiation with an energy, intensity, and space distribution that are adjustable in accordance with a desired imaging procedure.

Abstract: A control system for a hybrid powertrain for a hybrid electric vehicle with an internal combustion engine and an electric drive system including an electric motor, a battery and a generator. The control system includes a system controller that monitors actual battery power in a closed-loop fashion and detects an error between actual battery power and a request for battery power. The engine power is corrected so that the battery is used at its intended level, thereby avoiding unnecessary charging and discharging.

Abstract: A micromechanical resonate device having an extensional wine-glass mode shape is described herein. Different embodiments of the device may employ vibrating polysilicon micromechanical ring resonators, utilizing a unique extensional wine-glass mode shape to achieve lower impedance than previous UHF resonators at frequencies as high as 1.2-GHz with a Q of 3,700, and 1.47-GHz (highest to date for polysilicon micromechanical resonators) with a Q of 2,300. The 1.2-GHz resonator exhibits a measured motional resistance of 560 k? with a dc-bias voltage of 20V, which is 6× lower than measured on radial contour mode disk counterparts at the same frequency, and which can be driven down as low as 2 k? when a dc-bias voltage of 100V and electrode-to-resonator gap spacing of 460 ? are used.

Abstract: The present invention includes a protective sleeve assembly for cords having a longitudinal flexible sleeve for retaining the cords therein. The invention discloses various embodiments for obtaining a desired sleeve length. One such sleeve embodiment includes a pair of lengthwise fasteners affixed coterminously along its seam so that the sleeve and fasteners may be separated into a pair of sleeves. A method for protecting cords is provided as well.

Abstract: A system and method for inspecting machine readable marks on one side of a wafer without requiring transmission of radiant energy from another side of the wafer and through the wafer. The wafer has articles which may include die, chip scale packages, circuit patterns and the like. The marking occurs in a wafer marking system and within a designated region relative to an article position. The articles have a pattern on a first side. The method includes the steps of imaging a first side of the wafer, imaging a second side of the wafer, establishing correspondence between a portion of first side image and a portion of a second side image, and superimposing image data from the first and second sides to determine at least the position of a mark relative to an article.

Abstract: A waste vitrification apparatus (10) having rotatable mixer impeller (16) functioning as a shaft electrode (60) and metallic vessel (14) functioning as a vessel electrode (62). A stream (12) of waste material and vitrifiable material are mixed and melted in the vessel (14) for vitrification. The waste vitrification method converts a feed stream (12) by mixing the feed stream into a glass melt (13) and melting glass batch of the feed stream (12) to form a foamy mass. The stream is dispersed by the impeller (16) to form a foam which is then densified in a settling zone (22), recovered through a spout (24) and solidified in storage containers. Means are provided to adjust the location of the mixing impeller (16) in the vessel (14) to change the depth of the settling zone (22). The impeller (16) is mounted on a drive shaft (18) having a recirculating coolant flow.

Abstract: A method of making a composite part including an insert and an elastomer layer that is bonded to the insert. The insert is placed in a mold and an uncured elastomer is sprayed into the mold to form a composite part. The inherent adhesive properties of the uncured elastomer is the sole mechanism for bonding the elastomer to the insert.