Abstract: A water saving device for use at or near a water outlet has a first water flow regulating element; a second water flow regulating element disposed downstream of the first regulating element; and a chamber formed between the first and second regulating elements. All of one or more water flow regulating parts of the second regulating element are made from substantially solid material.

Abstract: The Invention is an apparatus for displaying a medallion in an item of memorabilia. The item of memorabilia defines a cavity. A holder is configured to be contained within the cavity and defines a medallion-receiving opening selectably receiving the medallion. The holder contains an LED lamp oriented generally parallel to the display surface of the medallion. The LED lamp causes the relief of the medallion to cast a shadow on the display surface of the medallion. The lustrous metal of the medallion reflects light from the relief to an observer.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a deployable apparatus and method for rescuing persons and animals from a water surface. The deployable apparatus comprises a buoyant support structure and multiple rescue units. The rescue units are detachably attached to the buoyant support structure for securing and supporting the rescued persons and animals. The rescue units, for example, comprise multiple undercarriage structures, buoyant longitudinal members, loop extensions, etc. The buoyant support structure with the rescue units is suspended from a height and lowered to the water surface using a cable. The undercarriage structures extend radially from the lower surface of the buoyant support structure on contacting the water surface. The buoyant longitudinal members are projected outwardly from the buoyant support structure in a projectile towards the persons and animals to be rescued to allow the persons and animals to grasp the longitudinal members and be drawn to the buoyant support structure.

Abstract: A method and system is provided for communicating distinct data over a single frequency using multiple polarized data signals. Data signals of the single frequency conveying first data, second data, and third data are polarized in a first polarization scheme and a second polarization scheme. The data signals comprise a first data signal, a second data signal, a third data signal, and inverse of the third data signal in a first configuration or a second configuration. The polarized data signals are transmitted from transmitting stations to one or more receiving stations. The first data, second data, and third data are obtained from the data signals received at the receiving stations using an antenna of a first polarity and an antenna of a second polarity. The amount of distinct data transmitted over the single frequency is increased by, for example, about 50% without causing interference between the data signals.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a computer implemented method and system that addresses the need for an online disease based and case based management of medical care. An online disease and case management system is provided. The information of the patients is retrieved from multiple information sources. The patient information is used to identify one of a disease condition in a patient population and a patient with a disease condition. Further, the patients are enrolled. The enrolled patients are educated about the disease condition for self monitoring of the disease condition. The status of the self monitored disease condition is recorded in a disease log. Visits to a provider are scheduled for medical treatment of the enrolled patients. The enrolled patients are monitored for medical progress based on the medical treatment provided. Further, the disease and case management of medical care are evaluated and reported based on clinical and financial outcomes.

Abstract: A system and method of achieving a reduced time for first fix in a global positioning system receiver (GPS). The GPS receiver includes a low gate count sequential multitap correlator (102) in combination with a digital signal processor (106) and a down converter (101). The low gate count sequential multitap correlator (102) conducts sequential correlation on the incoming GPS signals using a multitapping and pipelining scheme. The multitapping process involves tapping the shift register and simultaneously correlating the signal samples and tapped chips. The pipelining process includes sampling data, mapping incoming samples, shifting carrier acquisition code, multiplying and accumulating the code and signal products. The digital signal processor conducts the frequency search.

Abstract: Each of a plurality of boxes has at least one side that is configured to matably engage a corresponding side of at least one other of the plurality of boxes. The plurality of boxes each has a top that bears indicia. When the sides of the boxes are in matable engagement, the indicia appearing on the tops of the boxes cooperate to form an image. The image forms a symbol, such as a religious or patriotic symbol. To celebrate an event, memorabilia are placed in the interior volume of each of the boxes and the boxes placed in matable engagement, forming the symbol. After a ceremony commemorating the event, the plurality of boxes is separated and each box provided to a one of a plurality of persons.

Abstract: The Invention is a control system for a compound aircraft. A compound aircraft has features of both a helicopter and a fixed wing aircraft and provides redundant control options. The control system allows an authorized person to select any of plurality of operational objectives each of which is designed to achieve any particular command.

Abstract: A scope mount base design which readily accepts onto a preexisting rear sight base without any alteration of the sight base except for the easy removal of the original sight leaf and mainspring. This scope mount invention achieves solid lockup by the use of the appropriate sized threaded support fixtures and scope mount configuration to successfully engage these rear sight slots that originally contained the sight leaf and mainspring, and thus achieve strong lockup of the scope mount to the sight base.

Abstract: The Invention is a rotary-wing aircraft having at least two vectored thrusters that may be tilted from a horizontal to a vertical position and to positions intermediate between the horizontal and vertical positions. The two vectored thrusters are equipped with propellers having separately variable pitch. The two vectored thrusters also are equipped with vanes having selectable vane angles to direct separately the air flow from the two vectored thrusters. A control system detects the flight condition of the aircraft and selects vectored thruster control settings corresponding to the detected flight condition and consistent with predetermined control rules to provide lift, thrust, yaw moments and roll moments.

Abstract: A wind turbine has a horizontal axis of rotation and features a hub beam and two turbine blades attached to opposing ends of the hub beam in a spaced-apart relation. The blades have a first position in which the blades are radially arrayed about the hub beam. The blades have a second position in which the blades are folded and moored to the tower. A control system communicates with weather sensors and determines whether to move the blades between the first and second positions.

Abstract: The Invention is a wheeled military vehicle that may be stacked one on top of another for efficient transportation aboard an aircraft such as a helicopter. A tubular frame reinforces the fenders of the military vehicle, allowing a first vehicle to support the weight of a second vehicle and to withstand the load applied by rigging. A pintle hook is connected to the military vehicle by a hinge and has a deployed and a folded position. The hinged pintle hook allows a combination of the military vehicle and a trailer to be shortened selectably so that the combination will occupy a reduced space within the fuselage of an aircraft.

Abstract: The Invention is a reinforced plastic sonar dome having a low acoustical insertion loss combined with sufficient mechanical strength. Acoustical and structural fibers are stochastically mixed and formed into a blended yarn. The blended yarn is woven into a blended fabric. The blended fabric is ordered into a stack having multiple layers of blended fabric. The blended fabric is incorporated into a polymer resin while the polymer resin is in liquid form using a vacuum assist. The acoustical fibers and the vacuum assist modify the acoustical properties of the resulting composite sonar dome.

Abstract: The Invention is a center-of-intersection portable traffic light for emergency use. The portable traffic light features a cart with wheels, a telescoping light standard and one or more light assemblies. A preemption signal detector and traffic detector detect emergency vehicles and traffic, respectively. A control system controls the operation of the portable traffic light. A radio transceiver allows the portable traffic light to communicate with the other portable traffic lights. One of the portable traffic lights in a group acts as a master and controls operation of slave portable traffic lights. Any of the portable traffic lights in a group may act as master and any may act as slave.

Abstract: The Invention is a control system for a compound aircraft. A compound aircraft has features of both a helicopter and a fixed wing aircraft and provides redundant control options. The control system allows an authorized person to select any of plurality of control biases each which is designed to achieve an overall operational objective. The control system applies the selected control bias in allocating the control function among the redundant control options.

Abstract: The Invention is a reinforced plastic sonar dome having a low acoustical insertion loss combined with sufficient mechanical strength. Acoustical and structural fibers are stochastically mixed and formed into a blended yarn. The blended yarn is woven into a blended fabric. The blended fabric is ordered into a stack having multiple layers of blended fabric. The blended fabric is incorporated into a polymer resin while the polymer resin is in liquid form using a vacuum assist. The acoustical fibers and the vacuum assist modify the acoustical properties of the resulting composite sonar dome.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for playing a card game is provided. A player receives three playing cards. The player arranges the cards in sequence and predicts where in the sequence a fourth card will fall. The player receives a fourth card. If the player's prediction is correct, the player wins. The player may wager on the success of the prediction and may wager on poker hands defined by the four cards received by the player.

Abstract: The Invention is a container for holding a liquid, such as a single-use beverage bottle. Gas-filled annular rings appear on a portion of the surface of the bottle. The air-filled annular rings partially insulate the bottle and slow the rate of heat transfer to and from the contents of the bottle. The air-filled annular rings also serve to provide a gripping surface to aid in the handling to the bottle by a user.

Abstract: An efficient spin polarizer in nonmagnetic semiconductors is provided. Previous spin injection devices suffered from very low efficiency (less than 35%) into semiconductors. An efficient spin polarizer is provided which is based on ferromagnetic-semiconductor heterostructures and ensures spin polarization of electrons in nonmagnetic semiconductors close to 100% near the ferromagnetic-semiconductor junctions at wide temperature intervals ranging from very low temperatures to room temperatures even in the case when spin polarization of electrons in the ferromagnetic layer is relatively low.

Abstract: Multi-modal applications are capable of interacting with a user in a voice mode, a visual mode, and/or other modes of communication. Mode swapping refers to the process of changing from one mode of communication (or one combination of modes) to another. Mode swapping may be initiated by a user, by an application, or by another entity. Mode swapping may be performed “adaptively,” in that an entity monitors the effectiveness of a communication mode and initiates a mode swap if communication is proceeding non-optimally in the current mode. Mode swapping may be performed by dropping a call to a telephone terminal in the currently-open mode and placing a call to that same device in another mode. In one embodiment, logic for mode swapping resides on a gateway proxy that mediates communication between an application and a telephone terminal.