Abstract: The invention features a method and apparatus for remotely characterizing a vehicle's emissions performance. The method features the steps of: i) generating data representative of the vehicle's emissions performance with at least one microcontroller disposed within the vehicle; ii) transferring the data through an OBD, OBD-II or equivalent electrical connector to a data collector/router that includes a microprocessor and an electrically connected wireless transmitter; iii) transmitting a data packet representing the data with the wireless transmitter over an airlink to a wireless communications system and then to a host computer; and iv) analyzing the data packet with the host computer to characterize the vehicle's emissions performance.

Abstract: The invention features a method and apparatus for remotely characterizing a vehicle's performance. The method features the steps of: i) generating data representative of the vehicle's performance with at least one microcontroller disposed within the vehicle; ii) transferring the data through an OBD, OBD-II or equivalent electrical connector to a data collector/router that includes a microprocessor and an electrically connected wireless transmitter; iii) transmitting a data packet representing the data with the wireless transmitter over an airlink to a wireless communications system and then to a host computer; and iv) analyzing the data packet with the host computer to characterize the vehicle's performance.

Abstract: A system for enterprise information management includes a data warehouse server; a transformation and staging server connected to the data warehouse server for providing transformed and cleansed data to the data warehouse server; a data source application connected to the transformation and staging server to provide data to the transformation and staging server, wherein the transformation and staging server obtains data from the data source application via requests and places the data into temporary staging tables to prepare for the transformation and cleansing process prior to movement of the data to the data warehouse server; a financial consolidation application connected to the transformation and staging server for performing consolidation and reporting of financial data; a web server connected to the data warehouse server; and a plurality of clients connectable to the web server for accessing data from the data warehouse server via the web server.

Abstract: The present invention, sometimes called Enterlink, for the first time provides a federated system with state that interconnects applications of multiple companies. The Enterlink connects participant companies and applications, through the Enterlink bus, with each other and with consolidated data stores, third party services, core services, public process applications, and private process applications. The Enterlink bus uses, for the first time, metachannels, a metachannel engine and a metachannel repository. Connectors connect the Enterlink public process applications and the company private process applications with the bus. The invention can be applied to the automotive retail industry, among others. The Enterlink applications, core applications, and bus, may be operated as a service to company participants.

Abstract: A safe room for protecting an occupant against tornado and other extremely high winds, where at least one wall member and roof member of the safe room are constructed from at least one metallic-skinned foam panels having an impact-absorbing sheathing attached to at least one side of the metallic-skinned foamed panel as a cladding layer. The safe room also includes at least one securable door, and is further fixedly anchored to a foundation. The safe room using this construction is lightweight yet strong enough to withstand killer tornado and hurricane wind loads and airborne debris impact loads. The safe room can therefore be pre-assembled and shipped to the installation site with only the need to be secured to a foundation. Or, the safe room can be easily assembled at the installation site from a kit. In either case, installation of the safe room is easy, inexpensive, and, apart from the foundation and anchorage thereto, requires no structural additions.

Abstract: A system and a method for evaluation of gastrointestinal function is presented. The system consists of a catheter, a recorder and software. The catheter includes one or more CdTe sensors for measuring isotope activity. The catheter CdTe sensors are placed in the gastrointestinal tract to measure gastric emptying or gastrointestinal output after administration of radiolabeled liquid or solid meals. Data is stored in the recorder or displayed on-line on a computer screen. Other parameters such as pH can be added for a more complete evaluation of gastrointestinal function. The computer software is written for the Windows environment. The software includes provisions for general ambulatory and stationary data acquisition. The software also includes realtime analysis combined with an extensive patient journal where all items are described as objects in understandable userfriendly language connected to a database.

Abstract: An agricultural sprayer unit to be moved by a moving vehicle relative to crops to be sprayed with a chemical agent delivered from said agricultural spray unit includes: a frame connectable to said moving vehicle for connecting said agricultural sprayer unit to said moving vehicle for moving along with said moving vehicle, a tank supported by said frame for storing said chemical agent, a boom linked to and extending from said frame defining a specific orientation relative to said crops, a nozzle supported by and positioned along said boom and communicating with said tank for receiving said chemical agent from said tank for generating an atomized jet of said chemical agent to be expelled from said nozzle and sprayed onto said crops, and air-flow generating apparatus supported by said frame and extending along said boom for generating an air flow directed from said air-flow generating apparatus to said crops, said air flow generating apparatus being divided into a number of subsections positioned along said boom

Abstract: In an on-line dating service, a database of subscriber information is searched to find at least one subscriber matching user search criteria. The subscriber information includes preferences of subscribers to the service. Personal preferences for a user are obtained as search criteria. The personal preferences and the subscriber information include at least: a gender preference; a geographic location preference; an age preference; appearance preferences; religious belief preferences; educational level preferences; and a goal preference, and the goal preference is one of "romance"; "friendship" or "a walk on the wild side", the geographic location preference is at least one of a postal code, a country, a city, a suburb, a block, or a street The subscriber information includes a date of last payment of a use fee by each subscriber and a date of last updating of a personal profile by each subscriber.

Abstract: The present invention is a graphical user interface ("GUI") for customer service representatives ("CSRs") for subscriber management systems ("SMS") for telecommunications service providers, including cable television multiple system operators ("MSOs"). A screen is provided with menus of icons for various functions at the customer service workstation ("CSW") for the CSRs. Sections of the screen provide presentation of various data to the CSR from the SMS.

Abstract: A small-size, thin-profile vibration generating device capable of functioning with improved durability and reliability and with less consumption of power includes a yoke constituting an electromagnet on which a coil has been wound, and a movable element having permanent magnets. The movable element is disposed in a gap, which is provided in the closed magnetic circuit of the yoke, in such a manner that both end faces of the movable element form prescribed gaps with end faces of the yoke. The movable end of a leaf spring is attached to the movable element. The other, fixed end of the leaf spring is attached to the center of the yoke. When the movable element vibrates in the gap, magnetic poles at the end faces of the yoke approached by the end faces of the movable element are magnetically energized by flow of a current in order to be made identical with magnetic poles at the end faces of the movable element, thereby repelling the movable element.

Abstract: The present invention uses a conventional telephone keypad to input alphanumeric information, wherein the user follows directions in automatically generated audio prompts heard over the telephone, to take appropriate action to provide the necessary alphanumeric information in an easy and convenient manner. No prior knowledge of the invention or training of the user is required. User input is confirmed in audio as the keypad is used, and the alphanumeric meaning of the input is confirmed in audio when such input is complete. The information is logged into a memory and added to a translation database if the information is not present in the translation database when the user confirms the alphanumeric meaning.

Abstract: The present invention is an integrated computerized system and method of telecommunication user account management. The invention creates, maintains, processes and analyzes data regarding individual users for telecommunication services. Billing for individual users is generated. The user data is analyzed and reports for all or part of the user data are prepared and generated. Ancillary functions are enabled, including word processing, editing, e-mail, and other functions. The invention is applicable to subscriber telecommunication services, and pay-for-use services, and the user may be a subscriber or a non-subscriber. The invention is applicable to multi-channel telecommunication services, or single channel multi-service telecommunications, or single channel single service telecommunications.

Abstract: The invention is a bandage and an assembly especially designed for proper fixation of an oral, endo-tracheal anaesthesia tube relative to the mouth of a person. The bandage includes a support sheet of a flexible, substantially non-ductile material defining opposite side surfaces and defining contiguous first and second parts. The first part is provided with a coating, at one side surface thereof, of a first adhesive exhibiting the ability of adhering to the skin of a person, and being configured so as to allow the first part to be adhered to the cheek of the person leaving the mouth unobstructed. The second part is provided with a coating, at one side surface thereof, of a second adhesive exhibiting the ability of adhering to the endo-tracheal anaesthesia tube, and being configured so as to allow the second part to be adhered to a segment of the tube extending outwardly from the mouth of the person.

Abstract: The present invention provides network management of a network or multiple networks, using a Web client, and including multimedia and hypermedia capability. The present invention provides a unified, remote, graphical, transparent interface for Web users, working at a Web client, to a variety of managed networks. The present invention receives requests from a Web client forwarded by a Web server and interacts with the managed networks and their associated objects to obtain information. The present invention then converts this information in real time to hypermedia document format in HTTP and HTML, and transmits this information to the Web client via the Web server, appearing to the client as information in a Web file. This permits a Web user to manage multiple networks and access multiple networks via a single Web client, thus providing a unification of the management interface for dissimilar managed networks, and devices.

Abstract: A device for electrolytic oxidation of silicon wafers comprises a plate-like anode (6) and a plate-like cathode (1) as well as an arrangement for holding a silicon wafer (4) between and spaced from the anode and the cathode. The anode, the cathode and the silicon wafer are horizontally arranged, and the anode and the cathode are larger than the silicon wafer. The holder arrangement consists of loose spacers (3, 5) which are provided between the silicon wafer and the respective electrode, and which enclose electrolyte, and the stack of electrodes, silicon wafer and spacers being held together only by gravity.

Abstract: The present is an integrated computerized system and method of telecommunication user account management. The invention creates, maintains, processes and analyzes data regarding individual users for telecommunication services. Billing for individual users is generated. The user data is analyzed and reports for all or part of the user data are prepared and generated. Ancillary functions are enabled, including word processing, editing, e-mail, and other functions. The invention is applicable to subscriber telecommunication services, and pay-for-use services, and the user may be a subscriber or a non-subscriber. The invention is applicable to multi-channel telecommunication services, or single channel multi-service telecommunications, or single channel single service telecommunications.

Abstract: A system and a method for evaluation of gastrointestinal function is presented. The system consists of a catheter, a recorder and software. The catheter includes one or more CdTe sensors for measuring isotope activity. The catheter CdTe sensors are placed in the gastrointestinal tract to measure gastric emptying or gastrointestinal output after administration of radiolabeled liquid or solid meals. Data is stored in the recorder or displayed online on a computer screen. Other parameters such as pH can be added for a more complete evaluation of gastrointestinal function. The computer software is written for the Windows environment. The software includes provisions for general ambulatory and stationary data acquisition. The software also includes realtime analysis combined with an extensive patient journal where all items are described as objects in understandable userfriendly language connected to a database.

Abstract: A set of interlaminar clamps of specific and improved shapes provides a better fit to clamp together any two adjacent cervical laminae in the range from C1 to C7. These clamps are called Moskovich clamps, and their distinctive shapes are called Moskovich Curves. A method is also presented to manufacture similar cervical clamps for improved fit to clamp together any two adjacent cervical laminae throughout the entire back. This method is called the Moskovich Method. Morphometric data was taken for a large number of C1 through C7 laminae. Average shapes were then computed from this data for the C1 through C7 laminae. A small number of clamp shapes were then calculated that would fit these average cervical shapes. It was found that only a small number of clamp shapes were needed for clamps for the C1 through C7 range, and that these clamp shapes were different from what was available on the market in the prior art clamps.

Abstract: A perfusion catheter is designed to be used both as an exploring catheter for measuring potential difference across the gastrointestinal wall and for simultaneous measurement of pressure at the same site. The catheter includes a perfusion lumen into which an Ag/AgCl wire is inserted as an electrode thus avoiding the need of half cells and bridges. By perfusing saline around the wire, the environment is kept constant around the wire, a prerequisite for the electrode. The flow rate of the distal end of the lumen is altered by making the diameter of the outlet different to the diameter of the lumen. The perfused solution is also used to measure pressure.