Abstract: An apparatus for and method of accommodating an XML document within a data base management system. The XML document is defined by a Document Type Definition (DTD). It is parsed on an element-by-element basis into an acceptable format for use by a data base management system by information contained in an XML mapping tree in accordance with said DTD. Each element may be accompanied by appropriate attributes. The tree may be saved for future use. An internal form of the DTD may be stored for future use.

Abstract: Several embodiments of an endourethral prosthesis, assembly, and attendant methods are provided for patients presenting with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) or urinary retention. The endourethral prosthesis includes a reversibly expandable element disposed circumferentially about, and longitudinally along a tubular member adapted to receive urine. The tubular member is positionable within a lower urinary tract such that the reversibly expandable element operatively engages a structure of the lower urinary tract so as to prevent migration of the prosthesis so positioned. The reversibly expandible element is in non-reversible fluid communication with the tubular element for selective expansion thereof, the reversibly expandible element is further operatively engagable so as to discharge fluid non-reversibly received from the tubular member exterior to same.

Abstract: A system for weighing a plurality of quadruped animals is for use in a pen confining the animals. The pen has at least first and second segregated spaces with a first one-way chute allowing animal passage from the second space to the first space. A weighing station is located within a passage having an entrance and an exit, and that allows animal passage from the first area to the second area. The weighing station includes a weighing platform within the passage over which an animal must pass when passing from the first to the second space. The weighing platform has inlet and exit scales that support the weighing platform adjacent to inlet and exit ends thereof, and provides inlet and exit weight signals. A controller receives the inlet and exit weight signals and uses them in an iterative process to determine the presence of a single animal on the weighing platform. Once that determination is made, the sum of the inlet and exit weight values is very likely to accurately provide the animal weight.

Abstract: A pre-condenser is provided for condensation of water at sub-zero degree Celsius temperatures. A brine solution is cooled below 0 degrees Celsius and delivered to the pre-condenser. The brine solution contacts the vapors and gases from a scrubber, thereby condensing the vapors without allowing ice formation. A vacuum system connected to the pre-condenser removes the remaining gases from a top portion of the pre-condenser while the brine solution and condensed vapors are removed and recycled through a bottom portion of the pre-condenser.

Abstract: An apparatus for and method of processing a call to native script in a service built by a Component Builder for a legacy data base management system. The service built by the Component Builder consists of a series of steps. One or more of these steps may be a call to a native script subroutine contained in a repository in the legacy data base management system.

Abstract: An apparatus for and method of processing service requests provided by a user at a standard Internet work station. The service requests are received by the server and routed to a gateway. The gateway has the capability to convert the service request to a format acceptable by an enterprise server without the need of a view buffer. Thus, the conversion does not require a priori notification concerning the data formats employed. The output of the gateway is coupled through a corresponding one of a number of connectors to the end service provider for honoring. The response is transferred from the service provider to the appropriate connector to be formatted for the requesting gateway. The response is converted by the original adapter to an HTML or XML message for transfer back to the requester via the Internet.

Abstract: The invention relates to a control device for a convertible vehicle roof comprising several rear (1), intermediary (2) and front (3) rigid roof elements which can be moved between a closed position and a storage position. Said rear (1), intermediary (2) and front (3) elements are connected to each other and to the body in such a way as to pivot around three fulcrum pins (A1, A2, A3). The inventive device comprises co-ordinating means (5, 6, 7, 8) which are used to co-ordinate the pivot movements around said pins (A1, A2, A3). The invention is characterised in that the co-ordinating means (5, 6, 7, 8) are disposed such that the combined movement thereof enables the intermediary element (2) to be inclined at a greater angle when said element is in the highest position thereof.

Abstract: A method for forming a topographical image of the heterogeneous variations in a surface of a material has a first machining step and a second scanning step. The preferred machining step uses a preselected scribing tool to scribe a plurality of adjacent grooves in a selected material surface at a preselected constant force. This machining step produces a machined surface whose local elevations relative to a datum plane are dependent on the local hardness or wear resistance of the surface. Then the scanning step shifts the scribing tool across the surface in contact with the surface, and measures the elevation of the tool at a plurality of selected surface coordinates. The measured elevations allow formation of a topological map depicting sub-micron structural features of the surface.

Abstract: An endourethral device is provided having an elongate member having proximal and distal segments, the elongate member positionable within a lower urinary tract so as to at least partially traverses a prostatic urethra. A proximal anchor, adapted to abuttingly engage portions of a bladder neck so as to at least proximally anchor the device, is supported at least indirectly by the proximal segment of said elongate member. The proximal anchor includes bladder engaging elements radially extending from the proximal segment of said elongate member, urine being freely dischargable about at least the proximal segment so as to substantially bathe the bladder neck therewith.

Abstract: A retractable roof for a motor vehicle is formed from a front and rear element. An electric motor and the elements are arranged to permit the motor to drive the elements in either direction between a front position over the passenger compartment, where the elements are adjacent to each other and cover the passenger compartment, to a rear position in the rear trunk, where the elements are folded together with the front element uppermost. Hinges, between the front edge of the rear element and the rear edge of the front element and between the rear edge of the rear element and the structure of the vehicle adjacent to the front of the trunk opening, tie the elements together and permit the above element movements.

Abstract: An apparatus for and method of utilizing an Internet terminal to interface with an existing proprietary database management system by permitting a developer to create a web based service that produces a table result. The table may appear either as an HTML table or a graph. The service is defined as a plurality of ordered, discreet, and independent steps. Each step may be created and/or edited independently of all other steps. To assist the service developer, the system presents a choice of available steps to be added into the sequence at any particular point. The only steps so presented are valid for the position within the sequence. Invalid steps are not presented. During the development process, each selected step has a corresponding state report associated therewith. Each state report indicates the computational state resulting from the associated step to the next succeeding step in the sequence.

Abstract: An apparatus for and method of processing a service request in XML document format via a legacy data base management system to produce a response. The service is defined by a component definition which is presented to the legacy data base management system as a combination of tables, variables, and script defining various components. The inputs are defined in accordance with a combination of components from a variety of sources. The legacy data base management system honors the service and returns results as appropriate.

Abstract: An apparatus for and method of utilizing an Internet terminal coupled to the world wide web to interface with an existing proprietary data base management system by permitting a developer to create a web based service that produces a table result. This result can be rendered to the web either by a Cool ICE Script or by an Active Server Page. The table may appear either as an HTML table or a graph. The service is defined as a plurality of ordered, discreet, and independent steps. Each step may be created and/or edited independently of all other steps. To assist the service developer, the system presents a choice of available steps to be added into the sequence at any particular point. The only steps so presented are valid for the position within the sequence. Invalid steps are not presented.

Abstract: A motor vehicle roof can fold from a position of use to a retracted position in a rear boot of the motor vehicle. The roof has a central element and a pair of lateral elements, each rotatably attached at one of two transverse edges of the central element. A mechanism connected between each lateral element and the central element cooperates with features carried on a chassis of the vehicle to cause the lateral elements to rotate into an inclined position respective the central element as the roof folds into the retracted position. The mechanism also causes the lateral elements to rotate as the roof moves into the position of use.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for efficiently viewing selected cells using a database editor tool. By using a cell selection list that identifies a number of selected components, the present invention may allow the user to sequentially view the selected components by using a number of pre-defined “hot-keys”. In addition, the present invention may automatically set the design hierarchy in the database editor tool to an appropriate level so that the component being viewed can be easily manipulated by the circuit designer.

Abstract: A test assembly for testing electrical performance of microcircuits contained in leadless packages has Kelvin contacts. Slider contacts in a plurality of contact assemblies slide compliantly to accommodate lack of coplanarity in terminals on the package. A resilient elastomeric block may be inserted through interior spaces of the contact assembly and in interfering relation with features of a housing that supports and aligns the contact assemblies, to apply force to the slider contacts to force them against the microcircuit terminals.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for improving the efficiency of a data processing system employing a multiple level cache memory system. The efficiencies result from invalidating level one cache information based upon a level one cache memory write. Similarly, the invalidation can occur from system bus SNOOPs. In addition, level one and level two cache memory misses result in loading and recording of the requested data into both level one and level two cache memories. Furthermore, a level two cache memory parity error results in invalidation of the corresponding level one cache memory data.

Abstract: A contact test set for use in testing integrated circuits. The set includes a housing having oppositely-facing surfaces and one or more slots extending through the housing between the surfaces. A first surface, during use of the test set, is approached by an integrated circuit to be tested, and a second surface is proximate the load board at a test site. A contact is received in a slot, each contact having a first end engagable by a lead of the integrated circuit device. A second end of each contact is in engagement with a corresponding terminal. Each contact is movable between a first orientation, unengaged by a corresponding lead of an IC and a second orientation in which the IC is engaged by the corresponding lead of an IC and urged into its slot. An elastomer biases the contact to its first orientation. The contact, when moved between its first and second orientations, does not slide across a terminal of the load board.

Abstract: An apparatus for and the method of utilizing an internet terminal coupled to the world wide web to access an existing proprietary data base management system having a dialog-based request format. The user request is received by a web server from the world wide web and converted into one or more sequenced data base management commands stored as corresponding to the service request. A security profile, if necessary, is also stored with the one or more sequenced data base management commands based upon the specific data tables within the data base which must be accessed to honor the service request. The security profile is compared to the user-id of the requestor. If a match is found, the data base management commands are sequentially presented to the data base management system and the intermediate products stored. After all of the sequenced data base management commands have been executed, the web server combines the intermediate products to form a complete response to the initial user request.

Abstract: A process for imparting a simulated patina appearance to a copper substrate, and a substrate having that appearance. A colorant having the desired initial patina color tone is employed to produce a non-continuous layer of colorant on the surface of a copper substrate. The appearance of patination of the desired tone is created by interspersed spots of colorant with the remaining portion of the substrate being exposed for natural patination. The interspersed spots of colorant may be produced by screen printing, by spattering, as by spraying, or by mechanical removal of colorant after application to the substrate surface, or a combination. The colorant is preferably a paint and may be applied by non-uniform spraying on the substrate surface. Non-uniformity may be accomplished by varying the volume of colorant sprayed during the application process or by varying the relative movement of the spray and substrate.