Abstract: A system, apparatus, and method are directed towards enabling information filtering using measures of an affinity of a relationship between subscribers of an online portal system. The affinity of a relationship may be determined based, in part, on the tracking of various online behaviors of and between subscribers of the portal system. Any of a variety of behaviors may be tracked, including message communications between subscribers, participation in instant messaging groups, purchases, activities, categories, and so forth. Such behaviors may be employed to determine a level of trust (or affinity) between subscribers of the portal system. This affinity measurement may be used to filter various information, including, but not limited to, product recommendations, ratings, polling queries, advertising, social network communications, personal ads, search results, and the like. Moreover, this affinity measurement may also be employed to perform message spam detection.

Abstract: A circuit for monitoring a PWM signal and providing an output indicating a condition of the PWM signal. The circuit also uses condition based hysteresis to maintain an output value at a previous state until the condition of the PWM signal has remained unchanged for a given duration. In addition, the circuitry may be used in conjunction with a switching regulator to reduce switching noise during high duty cycle operation.

Abstract: A method and a device for tracking eye movements that ensure a reliable tracking of eye movements with simple operation. To this end, irradiation ensues through the pupil from outside the eye. Light emitted from the pupil is used to determine the position of the eye.

Abstract: A method is provided for distributing information or services through a network. A piece of information or service to be distributed is composed and a list of intended recipients is compiled (301, 301?, 302, 601, 602). Said piece of information or service is released (304, 304?, 603) so that it becomes accessible to the recipients appearing on said list. As a response to an indication (305, 401, 606) of a certain recipient having accessed (605) said piece of information or service, an account associated with said certain recipient is credited (306, 608).

Abstract: A water dispenser including a water inlet adapted to receive water from a water supply, a water filter operative to filter water received from the water supply via the water inlet, a water outlet operative to provide filtered water received from the water filter, a water spill collector and a pivotably mounted drainage-equipped water container support having a first operative orientation underlying the water outlet and defining a downwardly inclined water spill drainage pathway communicating with the water spill collector and a second, non-operative, orientation not underlying the water outlet.

Abstract: A clamp including two mutually opposed substantially L-shaped members pivotably connected to an intermediate holder supporting the side profile sections of the panel frames to be secured, wherein the two L-shaped members are pivotably interconnected via a central shaft extending through the intermediate holder and said L-shaped members are further pivotably connected to said intermediate holder via two further transverse shafts extending through respective mounting apertures in the intermediate holder.

Abstract: A control system with a simplified control device (10) for direct selection of electronic media operations, and for programmed navigation through the content without using dedicated navigation functions of a media player. The simplified control device (10) includes a limited number of keys, comprising direct-select keys (20-26) and navigation keys (30-36), which transmit programmable number key signals rather than dedicated key signals. Direct-select keys (20-26) are visually associated with icons displayed by the medial player by shape, color, and/or the like. The icons are dynamically associated with portions of content and/or software instructions stored on a medium, such as a DVD. Activating a direct-select key (20-26) cause the media player to access the associated content and/or instructions.

Abstract: An input stage for an audio power amplifier is provided. The input stage includes a fully differential amplifier and a supply-independent reference voltage generator. The supply-independent reference voltage generator provides a supply-independent reference voltage that is used as the common mode voltage of the output of the fully differential amplifier.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for enabling a user to access media objects, such as images, from a website without requiring the user to enter the website. In one embodiment, a search engine searches for websites that match a submitted search term. A selected URL to one of the resulting websites is submitted to a harvester that accesses a web page of the selected website and identifies a media object of the web page. The harvester determines the characteristic(s) of the media object, such as a dimension, an aspect ratio, a proximity to other media objects, etc. The harvester determines a second media object with substantially the same characteristic(s). The determined media objects, or subportions, are rendered in a client user interface. Relationships are mapped between a selected media object and projects that use the object. Manipulating a rendered portion causes a related operation on the whole media object.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for isolation of ionic species from a liquid and an apparatus for isolation of ionic species from a liquid. Moreover the invention relates to an electro enhanced dialysis cell and the use of the cell in the method and the apparatus.

Abstract: A method for removing blocking artifacts from moving and still pictures, comprising classifying horizontal and vertical boundaries in each picture as blocky or non-blocky; for each blocky boundary, defining an adaptive, picture contentdependent, one-dimensional filtered pixels region of interest (ROI) that crosses the boundary and is bound at each of its ends by a bounding pixel; defining a finite filter having a length correlated with the length of the ROI; defining a filtering pixels expansion that uniquely determines the padding values of the finite length filtered pixels ROI for the finite length filtering; and filtering the ROI pixels using the finite filter and the filtering expansion.

Abstract: A synchronous buck regulator controller is provided. The regulator controller includes switch control circuitry, an unloading event detection circuit, an inductor current detection circuit, and a synchronous switch control logic circuit. In operation, the regulator controller controls a main switch and a synchronous switch to control the buck regulation. The unloading event detection circuit is arranged to detect an unloading event, and to assert an unloading event signal if such an event is detected. The inductor current detection circuit is arranged to assert an inductor current detection signal if the inductor current is close to zero. The synchronous switch control logic circuit is arranged to block the synchronous switch from turning on if the unloading event signal is asserted and the inductor current detection signal is not asserted.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process and a plant for producing sulfuric acid, in which a starting gas containing sulfur dioxide at least partly reacts with molecular oxygen in at least one contact with at least one contact stage to form sulfur trioxide, and in which the sulfur-trioxide-containing gas produced is introduced into an absorber and converted there to sulfuric acid. To achieve that only small gas volumes must be supplied to the first contact stage, based on the amount of sulfur dioxide used, with at least the same capacity of the plant and by using conventional catalysts, it is proposed in accordance with the invention to supply to the first contact stage a contact gas with a sulfur dioxide content of more than 16 vol-% and with a volumetric ratio of sulfur dioxide to oxygen of more than 2.67:1.

Abstract: To provide a spark plug with improved heat resistance and an internal combustion engine in which that spark plug is mounted where there is good conduction of the heat near the opening on the combustion chamber side of the mounting hole for the spark plug provided in the engine and the effects of thermal stress occurring near that opening are mitigated. A cylindrical part without threads formed thereon is provided on the leading end side of a metal housing of a spark plug and the thermal stress applied to a mounting hole is mitigated by avoiding close contact with the mounting hole of an engine head. Furthermore, the spark plug has a mounting structure in which the leading end surface of the cylindrical part is disposed 1.55 mm or more to the base end side in a mounting hole in the direction of the axial line O with respect to the wall surface inside the combustion chamber.

Abstract: An implantable microstimulator includes a plastic housing having a first end and a second end; an electronic subassembly disposed within the housing; a first electrode disposed at the first end of the plastic housing and in electrical communication with the electronic subassembly; and a second electrode disposed at the second end of the plastic housing and in electrical communication with the electronic subassembly. The plastic housing, first electrode, and second electrode form a hermetically sealed structure around the electronic subassembly.

Abstract: A method for determining a short circuit between at least two stator laminates in an electrical machine having a rotor mounted on a shaft and a stator, includes rotating the rotor on the shaft relative to the stator so to pass a magnetic stator flux, varying over time, through the stator, determining, during the rotation, a measurement variable sensitive to a short-circuit current caused by the magnetic stator flux between the at least two stator laminates, and determining the magnetic stator flux. In addition, a theoretical model is provided describing a relationship between the magnetic stator flux and the measurement value or an auxiliary variable derived from the measurement value, and the measurement variable or the auxiliary variable is compared with the theoretical model. A device for carrying out a method for determining a short circuit is also provided.

Abstract: A method for storing data in a memory that includes a plurality of analog memory cells includes mapping the data to programming values, which are selected from a set of nominal programming values. The set of nominal programming values includes at least a first nominal programming value and a second nominal programming value, which is higher than the first nominal programming value. A part of the data is stored in the analog memory cells by programming at least a first group of the cells using the first nominal programming value. A statistical characteristic of the first group of the cells is measured after programming the first group of the cells using the first nominal programming value. The second nominal programming value is modified responsively to the statistical characteristic, and at least a second group of the cells is programmed using the modified second nominal programming value.

Abstract: A soluble receptor that binds to IL-20 having two polypeptide subunits, IL-22R and IL-20RB. The two subunits are preferably linked together. In one embodiment one subunit is fused to the constant region of the light chain of an immunoglobulin, and the other subunit is fused to the constant region of the heavy chain of the immunoglobulin. The light chain and the heavy chain are connected via a disulfide bond.

Abstract: The present invention relates to new dopamine D3 and D2 and serotonin 5-HT1A receptor subtype preferring ligands of formula (I); wherein A represents alkyl, alkenyl, aryl, heteroaryl, cycloalkyl or a group of formula —NR1R2, wherein R1 and R2 represent independently a substituent selected from hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, aryl, heteroaryl or cycloalkyl or R1 and R2 form with the adjacent nitrogen atom and optionally with further heteroatom(s) a heterocyclic ring; m is an integer of 0 to 1; n is an integer of 1 to 2, and/or geometric isomers and/or stereoisomers and/or diastereomers and/or salts and/or hydrates and/or solvates thereof, to the processes for producing the same, to pharmacological compositions containing the same and to their use in therapy and/or prevention of a condition which requires modulation of dopamine and/or 5-HT1A receptors.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for treating non-melanotic cancers by administration of PABA. The present invention also relates to the potentiation of standard cancer treatment of radiation, radioimmunotherapy, and/or chemotherapy using PABA.