Abstract: Real time vehicle guidance by central traffic unit is provided by a system which includes a central traffic unit, a plurality of vehicles equipped with mobile guidance units, and communication system based on GSM/GPS technology. The central traffic unit maintains the perpetually updated database of travel times for all sections of roads, while mobile guidance units include mobile cell phone handset units communicatively linked to the central traffic unit computer server. Mobile guidance units also comprise smart card capable to detect when a mobile cell phone unit is located in the mounting receptacle. To detect a bottleneck situation when it arises and to estimate a current travel time for a corresponding section of road, the central traffic unit maintains a list of probe vehicles that have recently exited that section.
Abstract: Therapeutic sources for use in the practice of brachytherapy are fabricated from radioactive composites of a radioactive powder of palladium-103, yttrium-90, phosphorus-32 or gold-198 and a biocompatible polymeric matrix. The particles of radioactive powder are dispersed within the polymer essentially randomly throughout a particular volume. The polymeric matrix is desirably manufactured with preselected flexibility suitable to its intended use, e.g. in the form of a rod, hollow rod, suture, film, sheet, or microspheroidal particles. The radioactive composites produce therapeutic sources which generate a radiation field that is substantially uniform in all directions. The therapeutic source may assembled from the radioactive composite during a medical procedure to emit the desired amount of therapeutic radiation. Optionally, the polymer is selected to dissolve or degrade in the body at a predetermined rate, the rate chosen depending upon the half life of the radioisotope used in the therapeutic source.
Abstract: The invention is a seven-card-stud poker game, played with at least one but preferably one standard poker deck of 52 cards plus at least one but preferably one Joker. Two or more but preferably seven players may participate in the game. One of the players is the Banker whom other players play against. A Player who is not a Banker may play Poker Bet playing against the Banker's hand and/or one to seven side bets betting on the contents of the Player's own hand. After at least one wager is placed, each Player and the Banker are each dealt seven cards. The Players and the Banker each then selects and keeps his best 5-card poker hand and discards two other cards from his own seven cards. To win a Poker Bet wager, a Player's best 5-card poker hand must rank higher than the Banker's best 5-card poker hand. To win a side-bet wager, a Player's best 5-card poker hand must be one of the predetermined winning hands of the type of the side bet he bets on.
Abstract: The present invention provides an important improvement to memory subsystems that use redundant arrays of inexpensive disks (RAID), especially those configured in compliance with the RAID-1 standard. The cache management subsystem, together with a second externally addressable device interface and the communications software necessary for the support thereof, allow for the attached computer systems to access the two disks of the RAID-1 subsystem as if they were a single disk unit having two discrete head-and-data assemblies (HDA), a/k/a “disk arms”. Known technologies maintain the mirroring of the two discrete disk volumes. The present invention adds unique extensions to those technologies to allow the external representation as a single, multi-HDA device.
Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for mixing fluids in a manner that ranges from maintaining the integrity of fragile molecular and biological materials in the mixing vessel to homogenizing heavy aggregate material by supplying large amounts of energy. The variety in mixing manner is accomplished using an electronic controller to generate signals to a motor driver in order to control the frequency and the amplitude of the motor, which drives an agitator assembly. The motor may be a stepper motor, a linear motor or a DC continuous motor. By placing a sensor in the mixing vessel to provide feedback control to the mixing motor, the characteristics of agitation in the fluid can be adjusted to optimize the degree of mixing and produce the highest quality mixant, with consistent results.