Abstract: The present invention discloses a method of selectively oxidizing hydrogen sulfide to elemental sulfur, in which a H.sub.2 S-containing gas mixture contacts with an oxygen-containing gas at 50.degree.-500.degree. C. in the presence of an iron-based catalyst. The reaction product mixture contains substantially no sulfur dioxide. The iron-based catalyst, in addition to iron atom, further contains a promoter of cerium, tin or antimony.

Abstract: Disclosed are an improved electronic check presentment ("ECP") system having a non-ECP exceptions notification system incorporated therein and a method of electronically communicating data pertaining to non-ECP exceptions.

Abstract: A reconciling circuit for, and method of, reconciling a first database with a second database, the first database containing first item data arranged in records and fields, the second database containing second item data arranged in records and fields. The reconciling circuit includes: (1) a matching circuit for comparing the records of the first database with the records of the second database, the matching circuit placing a designation on mismatching ones of the records of the first and second databases, (2) at least one field mismatch tolerance rule indicating, by field, an allowed extent of mismatch and (3) a mismatch tolerance circuit for applying the at least one field mismatch tolerance rule to the fields of the mismatching ones, the mismatch tolerance circuit removing the designation when the fields of the mismatching ones fall within the mismatch tolerance rules.

Abstract: A modified epoxy resin is prepared by mixing an isocyanate terminated urethane prepolymer with an epoxy resin in reactive conditions. The modified epoxy resin has a low internal stress when it is cured due to the flexible backbone of the urethane prepolymer incorporated therein, and has a high glass transition temperature due to a rigid oxazolidone structure formed via the epoxy ring opening with the isocyanate groups, and thus is useful as an electronic encapsulant.

Abstract: A three-wheeled vehicle has an auxiliary steering system which is made up of a front frame, a rear frame, a bearing element, a gear set, and a transmission element. The gear set comprises a first gear and a second gear. The first gear is fastened with the front frame while the second gear is fastened rotatably with the rear frame such that the second gear is engageable directly or indirectly with the first gear. The front frame can be caused to swivel in relation to the rear frame by means of the second gear which is actuated by an angular motion of the front fork of the vehicle when the handlebar of the vehicle is turned. The transmission element serves to transmit the angular motion of the front fork to the second gear. The auxiliary steering system is therefore capable of causing the center of gravity of a rider of the vehicle in motion to move toward a direction in which the handlebar of the vehicle is turned, thereby causing the centrifugal force exerting on the vehicle rider to be canceled out.

Abstract: An iconic data editing environment and a method of editing data in such an environment. The environment includes: (1) a working area capable of receiving icons and symbols thereon, (2) a first icon capable of being placed on the working surface and symbolizing a data transformation process, the first icon having a first input portion representing a first process input and an output portion representing a process output and (3) a first data flow symbol capable of being placed on the working surface, symbolizing a communication of data between icons, the first icon and the first symbol freely movable on the working area to symbolize a flow of the first datum as a function of a relative location of the first icon and the first symbol on the working area. A user may therefore establish a process for transforming data by manipulating symbols. In one embodiment, the first datum is a portion of a single frame of a video stream.

Abstract: The present invention provides a refill insert that is couplable to an ink jet printhead. The refill insert comprises a housing that has an enclosed, defined volume therein for receiving a predetermined quantity of ink. Included substantially within the structure of the housing is a subhousing having an interior volume in fluid communication with the defined volume of the housing. The housing further includes an ink egress port and an air ingress port that is separated a distance from the ink egress port and are in fluid communication with the subhousing. The ink egress port, which is in fluid communication with the printhead, and the air ingress port may be located on a single wall of the subhousing or they may be located on separate walls of the subhousing. Additionally, the subhousing and the housing may share a common wall. The subhousing completely spans the distance separating the ink egress port and the air ingress port with the interior volume of the subhousing encompassing the ink egress port.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a random copolyester containing naphthalene ring structure, in particular to a random copolyester containing a first repeating unit which is the same as that of polyalkylene naphthalate, such as polyethylene naphthalate (PEN) and polybutylene naphthalate (PBN), and a second repeating unit which is similar to the first repeating unit except that an aryl ether linkage is incorporated thereto. The present copolyester can be prepared from a dihydroxyethoxy compound and bis(hydroxyalkyl)naphthalate via a direct melt polycondensation in the presence of a metallic catalyst.

Abstract: Surfactant-containing multistable cholesteric liquid crystal displays exhibit ultra fast response times with both video speed and gray scale capability.

Abstract: A polysilicon transistor having a buried-gate structure is fabricated by a method involving a liquid phase deposition which is used for depositing selectively a silicon dioxide layer on a polysilicon layer, but not on a photoresist layer. The silicon dioxide liquid phase deposition is brought about by using an aqueous hydrofluorosilicic acid (H.sub.2 SiF.sub.6) solution supersaturated with silicon dioxide. Upon completion of the stripping of the photoresist layer, the selectively-deposited silicon dioxide layer is used as a mask to perform the source/drain ion implant.

Abstract: A system and method for selectively establishing a user information path over an information transport network between first and second endpoints of first and second private network partitions, respectively.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method of selectively oxidizing hydrogen sulfide to elemental sulfur, in which a H.sub.2 S-containing gas mixture contacts with an oxygen-containing gas at 50.degree.-500.degree. C. in the presence of a mixed-metal catalyst. The reaction product mixture contains substantially no sulfur dioxide. The mixed-metal catalyst contains vanadium atom and molybdenum atom or magnesium atom.

Abstract: A liquid phase deposition method involves a reaction mixture composed of a hydrosilicofluoric acid aqueous solution supersaturated with silicon dioxide, and a semiconductor substrate disposed therein. The reaction mixture is treated with an ultrasonic oscillation at a frequency ranging between 20 and 100 KHz and at a temperature ranging between 10.degree. and 50.degree. C. for accelerating the growth rate of a silicon dioxide layer formed on the semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: Disclosed is a protocol for transmitting data in a towed hydrophone streamer, including a transmission method and a data frame. The method comprises the steps of (1) receiving a portion of the data frame into a data transmission circuit within a particular module of the streamer, the portion of the data frame representing telemetry data derived from an adjacent module, the transmission circuit transmitting the portion of the data frame to a desired destination, (2) receiving an end-of-data signal into the transmission circuit, the end-of-data signal commanding the transmission circuit to add telemetry data derived from the particular module to the portion of the data frame and (3) adding the data derived from the particular module to the portion of the data frame, the data frame thereby transmitted to the destination and including the data derived from the particular module, the telemetry data ordered within the frame as a function of an order of modules within the streamer.

Abstract: The present invention provides a personal computer comprising a main chassis having an exterior wall forming, in part, an interior portion of the personal computer. The exterior wall has a data card slot formed therein and is configured to receive a data card therethrough. The interior portion contains data processing circuitry for processing data recorded on a data card. A data card reader is positioned within the interior portion and has a reading head positioned adjacent a first end of the data card reader for linearly reading the data when the data card is received through the slot. Further, the data card reader has a second end electrically connectable to the data processing circuitry for transmitting the data to the data processing circuitry when the data card is passed through the data card reader. The data card reader may be incorporated into a PCMCIA structure such as a PCMCIA card housing or guide/socket frame.

Abstract: A light modulating apparatus containing cholesteric liquid crystals capable of indefinite zero field retention of optical images, including full color and complete gray scale capability, is described. This invention is predicated on establishment of zero field multistable liquid crystal domains representing a continuous distribution of states ranging from the highly reflective planar to the light-scattering focal-conic structures. The zero field multistable domain structure stability is achieved by controlling solid surface-liquid crystal boundary interactions to provide essential equalization of the total system energy of each of the domain structures. This is the first time this equalization, and thus zero field multistability, has been achieved without the use of a polymer gel addition to create rigid polydomains in the liquid crystal mix.

Abstract: The present invention provides lap table for a portable computer. The lap table comprises a supple main body that has a top surface joined to a bottom surface and a sealed hollow interior for containing a filling material to give the main body a degree of rigidity sufficient to support the portable computer thereon. The filling material may be either an inflating gas or styrofoam beads. The lap table also includes a securing wall integral with the top surface that is configured to receive a footprint of the portable computer and exert a positive securing force against the portable computer, to thereby secure the portable computer to the top surface when the hollow interior is filled with the filling material. The securing wall may comprise four spaced-apart opposing right angled projections, the projections spaced to receive four opposing bottom corners of the portable computer.

Abstract: The invention relates to a high performance and absolute stable 4th-order sigma-delta modulator with leapfrog topology which contains the following key components: (a) four integrators for integrating the difference signal between the input and reconstruct signal; (b) three add/subtract adders for adding or subtracting analog signal; (c) three loop coefficient control members for controlling the performance and stability of the modulator, (d) an analog-to-digital converter (A/D converter) for quantizing the output signals of the fourth integrator to digital codes, and (e) a digital-to-analog converter (D/A converter) for converting the digital codes to analog signals.

Abstract: The present invention provides zirconium phosphite sulfophenylphosphonates having the following formulaZr(HPO.sub.3).sub.m (HPO.sub.4).sub.n (PO.sub.3 C.sub.6 H.sub.5).sub.y (PO.sub.3 C.sub.6 H.sub.4 SO.sub.3 H).sub.zwherein m+n=x; x+y+z=2; 0.4.ltoreq.x.ltoreq.1.7; 0.ltoreq.y.ltoreq.1.6; and 0.01.ltoreq.z.ltoreq.0.8. The present invention also discloses a method of preparing these zirconium phosphite sulfophenylphosphonates and their use as a catalyst.