Abstract: A method and system for making a payment is disclosed. In the method, a Payor can specify an account from which to withdraw funds for the payment and specify an activation code necessary to activate the payment. The payment can be sent to a Payee in the form of a pre-paid transaction account. The account will not be activated unless the Payee provides the activation code. Funds can be withdrawn from the account specified by the Payor either in full at the time the payment is made or are withdrawn as the Payee uses the transaction account to access the funds.

Abstract: An eye detection system, method, and apparatus are disclosed. The eye detection apparatus includes illuminator, receiver, processor, and memory elements. The illuminator emits radiation at predetermined wavelengths from the eye detection apparatus toward an area of interest. Radiation from the area of interest is detected at the receiver which, in turn, provides sensor data to the processor. The processor is coupled to the illuminator and receiver and controls their respective operations. The processor detects a pattern representative of a human eye in the sensor data and determines coordinates of an object corresponding to the pattern. The memory stores the coordinates of the object. Optionally, the eye detection apparatus communicates the coordinates of the object to a wireless device and directs countermeasures to the object's coordinates in response to commands from the wireless device.

Abstract: A set formed of a scleral buckle and an encircling band is provided for use in connection with retinal detachment surgery to enable the implantation of both the scleral buckle and encircling band free of any suture. A self-assembling scleral buckle-encircling band combination is secured in place by surface scleral tunnels operative as belt loops to enable the securing of a scleral buckle and encircling band on the eyeball to exert an intended indentation effect for treatment of retinal detachment.

Abstract: A smart card inlay and method for assembling the same are provided. The method includes attaching a first trace to a substrate, attaching a second trace to the substrate, attaching an antenna wire to the substrate, coupling a first end of the antenna wire to a first area of the first trace, and coupling a second end of the antenna wire to a first area of the second trace. A second area of the first trace and a second area of the second trace are configured to be coupled to an integrated circuit (IC) or IC module, and the first area of the first trace is located away from the second area of the first trace and the first area of the second trace is located away from the second area of the second trace.

Abstract: A method for communicating data using a “burst protocol” includes enabling power to transmitters and receivers when needed to balance power consumption with latency and unscheduled communication. A transmitter transmits a plurality of packets indicative of substantially the same payload. Power then may be disabled to the transmitter. A first predetermined time is determined to enable a receiver. A second predetermined time is determined to disable the receiver. Power then may be enabled to the receiver based on the first predetermined time. The payload is output in response to receiving one or more of the plurality of packets. Power to the receiver is disabled based on the second predetermined time.

Abstract: Methods of making porous composite materials are provided. These methods involve providing a sintered porous first polymeric material, providing a solution containing a second polymeric material dissolved in a solvent, and, depositing the solution onto the sintered porous first polymeric material to form a precipitated porous second polymeric material wherein a portion of the second polymeric material is fused to the sintered, porous first polymeric material by at least one direct physical bond, and the second polymeric material is in at least some of the pores of the first polymeric material. In some methods, the first polymeric material and the second polymeric material are soluble in the same solvent.

Abstract: A storage device electrically connected to a host circuit includes a data receiving unit, determination unit, and a data transmitting unit. The data receiving unit receives data including first data which are to be written in a memory array and second data which are generated based on the first data from the host circuit. The determination unit determines consistency between the first data and the second data. The data transmitting unit transmits a result of the determination to the host circuit.

Abstract: The present invention provides novel synthetic oligonucleotide sequences (hereinafter sequence) of 3 to 9 bases in length comprising one or more non-DNA bases wherein the bases are nebularine, hypoxanthine, or uracil, or combinations of nebularine, hypoxanthine and uracil bases. These sequences optionally further comprise one or more guanine bases or one or more thymine bases, or combinations thereof. The present invention also provides methods of using these compositions to induce responses in cells, and to treat diseases and conditions characterized by undesired cellular proliferation such as autoimmune disease, lymphoproliferative disease, inflammation or cancer.

Abstract: A recording paper transportation path structure suppresses sagging of the recording paper fed from the nipping part of a pair of rollers to the platen surface of a vacuum platen, and can prevent a drop in paper feed precision. In a roll paper printer 1, the recording paper fed through the nipping part 52 of a paper feed roller 22 and a paper pressure roller 23 is fed along the contact plane P2 of the outside surface of the rollers 22 and 23 toward the platen surface 8a of the vacuum platen 8 at a slightly lower position. An inclined surface part 12b that slopes along the contact plane P2, an up-lifting surface part 12c that slopes down, and a protruding surface part 12d are formed contiguously to the upstream side at the upstream end part 8b of the platen surface 8a.

Abstract: Techniques for transforming records prior to loading the records into a data warehouse in an efficient manner. In one embodiment, instead of using lookup transformations, a database operation such as an outer join operation is used to transform records stored in a fact staging table to add foreign keys to the records corresponding to the dimension tables that are associated with a fact table in a data warehouse to which the records are to be loaded. Since the outer join operation is memory intensive, a determination is made as to which dimension tables from the multiple dimension tables associated with the fact table are suitable, from a performance perspective, for the outer join operation. Only those suitable dimension tables are outer joined to the fact staging table to add the foreign keys for the outer joined dimension tables to the fact staging table records. Lookup transformations may be used to add foreign keys to the fact staging table records for the non-suitable dimension tables.

Abstract: A shoe sole and a shoe comprising such a shoe sole are described, with the shoe sole being equipped with integrated anti-slipping elements which are adjustable between an inactive position and an active position by means of a central actuation unit. This arrangement is characterized in that the anti-slipping elements, which in particular have the form of spikes, are respectively supported in individual functional units and are axially adjustable between their active and inactive positions through rotation by the central actuation unit via at least one flexible drive element.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to compounds of formula I-V and tautomers thereof or pharmaceutically acceptable salts, esters, and prodrugs thereof which are inhibitors of syk kinase. The present invention is also directed to intermediates used in making such compounds, the preparation of such a compound, pharmaceutical compositions containing such a compound, methods of inhibition syk kinase activity, methods of inhibition the platelet aggregation, and methods to prevent or treat a number of conditions mediated at least in part by syk kinase activity, such as undesired thrombosis and Non Hodgkin's Lymphoma.

Abstract: A method for assigning a value to a debt is disclosed. The method includes entering, into a digital computer, bankruptcy data associated with a bankruptcy proceeding after a debtor has filed for bankruptcy. The bankruptcy data may include priority claim data associated with priority claims, non-precedence claim data associated with non-precedence claims, and bankruptcy plan data. After the bankruptcy data are obtained, the digital computer determines a present value associated with at least one non-precedence claim in the non-precedence claims.

Abstract: Digital production assets and their attributes are stored directly in a scene description database, without any association with a specific enclosing asset data file. Software applications perform database queries to retrieve assets and attributes from the database. Changes to assets or new assets are stored in the database. Query results may be cached to improve performance. Heterogeneous opinion sets including sparse opinions of attribute values may be used to specify scene description data. The database stores heterogeneous opinion set data in association with attribute values. Database-aware applications may change the scene description data in the database without loading, parsing, and instantiating scene description data. An application generates database queries and instantiates scene description data from query results for access and manipulation by other applications.

Abstract: A flexible and extensible architecture allows for secure searching across an enterprise. Such an architecture can provide a simple Internet-like search experience to users searching secure content inside (and outside) the enterprise. The architecture allows for the crawling and searching of a variety of sources across an enterprise, regardless of whether any of these sources conform to a conventional user role model. The architecture further allows for security attributes to be submitted at query time, for example, in order to provide real-time secure access to enterprise resources. The user query also can be transformed to provide for dynamic querying that provides for a more current result list than can be obtained for static queries.

Abstract: A filter and pump unit is proposed for the filtering out of particles from a fluid, there being a filter housing (2) which bounds a filter space (3) and has an inlet (21) and also an outlet (22) for the fluid to be filtered as well as a filter element (4) provided in the filter space (3), the filter element demarcating an inlet region (31) from an outlet region (32) of the filter space (3), with the inlet region (31) communicating with the inlet (21) and the outlet region (32) communicating with the outlet (22), there also being an impeller (5) which, as part of a rotary pump, can pump the fluid from the inlet region (31) through the filter element (4) into the outlet region (32), characterized in that a flow connection (6) is provided between the outlet region (32) and the impeller (5) so that at least a part of the fluid can flow back from the outlet region (32) to the impeller (5). Furthermore, a method for the filtering out of the particles from a fluid is proposed.

Abstract: A fluid supply device, a printing device, and a control method for a fluid supply device can desirably supply a fluid while maintaining good throughput, and can reduce device size and cost with a simple construction. The inkjet printer has an expansion mechanism that enables an ink refill operation in which a movable member expands an ink chamber by moving a piston that moves in contact with a regulator panel disposed to the main device side and supplies ink from an ink cartridge, a comparison means that determines whether or not the amount of ink left in the ink cartridge is less than a specified value, and a CPU that sets a long time mode in which the ink refill operation time is long when the amount of ink left in the ink cartridge is less than the specified value.

Abstract: A fluid supply device, a printing device, and a method of cleaning a printing device are disclosed. A fluid supply device includes a main tank, a fluid chamber, a fluid-discharging head, a movable carriage, an expansion mechanism that expands the fluid chamber to draw fluid from the main tank, a suction mechanism, a remaining fluid detection unit, a comparison unit that compares the remaining fluid volume in the main tank with a specified value, and a setting unit that sets a cleaning mode. The expansion mechanism is actuated via a movement of the movable carriage. The setting unit sets a first cleaning mode in which a first amount of fluid is vacuumed from the nozzle or a second cleaning mode in which a second amount of fluid is vacuumed from the nozzle that is less than the first amount. The cleaning mode is selected in response to the amount of fluid remaining in the main tank.

Abstract: Receptacle connectors and male plug connectors having a reduced size in at least one direction can be provided. One example reduces height by not including a center contact tab or tongue, but instead places contacts on an insulator that is adjacent to a bottom portion of the receptacle. Another example may reduce width by reducing contact pitch, and may use a particular shape of contact to achieve good signal quality. Receptacle connectors and male plug connectors can also provide support for one or more new high-speed communication standards, such as USB 3.0 and DisplayPort. Methods can provide one or more standardized connector components to speed connector design and manufacture of new electronic devices such as media players, thus reducing their time to market.

Abstract: A method for operating an external component of a cochlear implant hearing system. The external component includes a speech processor module operable in a stand-alone mode of operation and a body-worn mode of operation, and a protective case. The method includes operating the speech processor module in the stand-alone mode, determining when the speech processor module is mounted in the case, and operating the speech processor module in the body-worn mode in response to determining that the speech processor module is mounted in the case.