Abstract: Systems and methods for automated loan repayment involve utilizing consumer payment authorization, clearing, and settlement systems to allow a merchant to reduce an outstanding loan amount. After a customer identifier (e.g., a credit, debit, smart, charge, payment, etc. card account number) is accepted as payment from the customer, information related to the payment is forwarded to a merchant processor. The merchant processor acquires the information related to the payment, processes that information, and forwards at least a portion of the payment to a loan repayment receiver as repayment of at least a portion of the outstanding loan amount owed by the merchant. The loan repayment receiver receives the portion of the payment forwarded by the merchant processor and applies that portion to the outstanding loan amount owed by the merchant to reduce that outstanding loan amount.

Abstract: A Doppler ultrasound system automatically and repeatedly scans an area of interest to construct at least one velocity profile through segments of arteries over an area of interest. Each scan includes taking measurements of blood flow in the area of interest substantially simultaneously from different angles. The velocity profiles and delta velocity profiles are automatically analyzed to determine a number of parameters indicative of potentially stenotic areas within the artery. The parameters and their changing value along the length of the artery indicative of stenosis are detected and compared with predefined threshold values to determine potentially stenotic areas. Scanning by the Doppler ultrasound system is triggered at a predefined point in an ECG cycle of the patient.

Abstract: A smoke mask includes a moistened generally planar mask constructed of a moisture absorbing material that is sized to cover the nose and mouth of a user. A peripheral edge of the mask includes a pressure sensitive adhesive for securing the mask to the face of the user. At least one slit in the peripheral edge of the mask enables the mask to adapt to the contour of the face of the user for obtaining a tight fit of the mask. The mask is used in combination with a pull apart storage structure having first and second generally planar sealing sheets. The sealing sheets are attached to each other along an outer peripheral edge for forming a moisture impermeable hollow interior in which the moistened mask is disposed.

Abstract: A method of measuring the temperature of the core of a body includes: a) providing a heat conductive space outside the body and in contact with its surface; b) monitoring the difference of the temperatures of two points located within the space and at different distances from the body surface; c) if the temperature difference indicates that heat is flowing from the body surface outwards, generating heat in the space in order to reduce the temperature difference; d) monitoring the temperature difference; and e) assuming the temperature of one of the two points, when the temperature difference is zero, as the temperature of body core.

Abstract: An object based background information coding apparatus and method for an MPEG-4 system codes background images for effectively compressing image data corresponding to an MPEG-4 profile and for compensating the background information without errors.

Abstract: A high speed digital image pattern matching circuit which recognizes an image pattern, and discriminates whether the recognized image pattern matches with a desired reference pattern and where pattern matching occurs. For discriminating whether a desired pattern is matched, an input pattern to be retrieved is digitally-modelled as two thresholds. The digitally modelled input image signal is blocked to have the same size as the reference pattern and compared with the reference pattern. The compared result is again compared with the thresholds for discriminating whether pattern matching occurs or not. The high speed digital image pattern matching circuit of the present invention utilizes two thresholds for modelling, thereby simplifying the input digital image signal in hardware and making processing speed very fast.

Abstract: In a switching system and method in a multiplexed system, the multiplexed system is kept in continuous normal operation by duplexing of functions and by switching to a non-failure side when the multiplexed system partially fails. The system includes control registers for storing and generating control information on both sides, and state registers for storing and generating information on the defective location and the cause of the defect. With the information in the control registers, the system checks for trouble, and switches to a non-faulty side when trouble is detected. With the information in the state registers, the cause of the trouble is analyzed and stored.

Abstract: A tag pin attacher has a casing including a space which is defined by a vertical wall and has a protrusion at a central part thereof, two horizontal walls formed perpendicular to the vertical wall, and a horizontal guide formed between the horizontal walls; a tag pin feed mechanism including an elevating plate which is received in the space and slides along the protrusion, the elevating plate having a cam groove, a rocking lever having a pin at a lower part thereof pivotally supported to the elevating plate, and a finger member horizontally interconnected to the rocking lever; an extrusion mechanism including an arm which abuts the rocking lever to turn the rocking lever, a cam member which is engaged with the cam groove of the elevating plate to move the elevating plate up and down, an interconnector having a yoke formed at a forward part thereof, the yoke abutting against the finger member to push the finger member forward, and a slider which is disposed within the interconnector and slides between the hori

Abstract: A vascular clamp for occluding a blood vessel or duct in a human or animal. The vascular clamp includes a pair of pivoting arms, with a clamping jaw rigidly attached to a distal end of each pivoting arm. A concave substantially semi-cylindrical chamber is formed in each clamping jaw. The clamping jaws are movable between an open position and a closed position, and are aligned so as to form a substantially cylindrical chamber in the closed position. A balloon is mounted in the concave semi-cylindrical chamber of each clamping jaw. Each balloon includes a substantially semi-cylindrical rigid shell conforming to the concave semi-cylindrical chamber and a thin, elastic material pre-filled with a liquid or gaseous fluid at a predetermined pressure. The balloons are configured to completely surround and occlude the blood vessel or duct in the closed position of the vascular clamp. The rigid shell of each balloon is attached to its associated clamping jaw.

Abstract: An overlay management system and method in which an overlay manager is invoked in response to execution of an original call to a subroutine, the original call being at a calling address. If the subroutine is not present in an executable portion of memory, the overlay manager loads the subroutine. The subroutine is unloaded by the overlay manager in response to an event or according to a predetermined criteria for memory management. When a call is initiated, the overlay manager determines the calling address and an identity of the subroutine being called. When the subroutine is loaded into the executable portion of memory, the system determines the address of the subroutine and rewrites the command at the calling address for directly calling the subroutine in the executable portion of memory. Once the subroutine is unloaded from executable memory, the system rewrites the command at the calling address to restore the original call.

Abstract: An apparatus for injection molding of non-precatalyzed resins. Catalyst and resin flows are injected into a mixing chamber through a pair of catalyst injection nozzles and a pair of resin injection nozzles, each angled toward the ejectment end of the mixing chamber. The resin injection nozzles are located closer to the ejectment end of the mixing chamber than the catalyst injection nozzles. The injection nozzles are arranged substantially 90.degree. from one another with the resin injection nozzles opposed from each other and the catalyst injection nozzles opposed from each other.

Abstract: A capsule for encapsulating implantable cells for improving the detectability of electrical signals generated by the cells is provided. The capsule includes a low-conductivity (high electrical resistance) membrane and a semi-permeable (low electrical resistance) membrane. The low-conductivity membrane seals around the circumference of the cell mass between the electrical poles of the capsule, and further extends for increasing the electrical resistance between the poles. The semi-permeable membrane enables nutrients and waste materials to flow to and from the cell mass. The semi-permeable membrane encloses at least one of the poles of the cell mass, and cooperates with the low-conductivity membrane to completely enclose the cell mass. The low-conductivity membrane may enclose one of the poles, if desired. Electrodes are used to detect the electrical signals from the cell mass. Various methods of making the capsule are disclosed.

Abstract: An improved surface mount package and method of making such a package is provided. A conventional surface mount package is modified by fabricating a U-shaped via around the lead via to form a quasi-coaxial transmission line through the insulating substrate. This permits the electrical impedance in the conductive elements of the surface mount package to be controlled to reduce insertion loss and return loss, and to improve isolation. The surface mount package includes a lead frame, and a gold plate to which an integrated circuit in the package is attached. The package is sealed with a ring-frame and a lid. Ground vias connecting the lead-frame to the plate through the substrate may also be included. The present package is designed by modelling the various elements of the package as a coaxial transmission line, a co-planar waveguide, and a single lead in a trough transmission line in combination.

Abstract: An implantable sensor chip, which is preferably small enough to be injected through a hypodermic needle, includes a base constructed of an electrically insulating material, and at least one sensor for generating an output signal in the presence of a constituent or the existence of a condition. The sensor includes an electrically conductive lead mounted on an upper surface of the base. One end of the lead includes a conducting plate. An insulating layer is mounted on the upper surface of the base over the electrically conductive lead and the conducting plate, sealing the electrically conductive lead and conducting plate between the insulating layer and the base. The insulating layer has an aperture extending therethrough for exposing a portion of the conductive plate. At least one cell sealingly covers the exposed portion of the electrically conductive plate with the cell in electrical communication with the plate.