Abstract: The invention relates to a method for making a handle wafer (20?) for microelectronic functional wafers, including at least one transparent window (22, 24) for viewing through the thickness of the handle wafer, this method including: a) the making of at least one cavity (21, 23) in said handle wafer, b) the formation of at least one viewing window in said cavity on an alignment or receiving surface.

Abstract: A fluid distribution apparatus including a housing configured to receive a drilling material and direct the drilling material onto a separatory surface; and a damper coupled to the housing and configured to distribute a flow of the drilling material onto the separatory surface is disclosed.

Abstract: A system for offshore disposal of drill cuttings including a cleaning system for treating contaminated drill cuttings into drill cuttings and contaminants; a transport system for moving the drill cuttings; a slurrification system for making a slurry of the treated drill cuttings; and a cuttings re-injection system for injecting the slurry into a well.

Abstract: An apparatus to lift an oilfield machine includes at least one lifting bellows, an alignment assembly extending between at least one lifting bellows and an adapter plate of the oilfield machine, the alignment assembly comprising an inner cylinder to reciprocate within a sleeve of the oilfield machine, and the alignment assembly comprising a top plate at an upper end of the inner cylinder, the top plate configured to transfer forces from the at least one lifting bellows and the inner cylinder to the adapter plate, wherein the sleeve is configured to restrict the inner cylinder to a substantially linear displacements therethrough.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, computer-implemented methods, and tangible computer-readable storage media for generating a natural language spoken dialog system. The method includes nominating a set of allowed dialog actions and a set of contextual features at each turn in a dialog, and selecting an optimal action from the set of nominated allowed dialog actions using a machine learning algorithm. The method includes generating a response based on the selected optimal action at each turn in the dialog. The set of manually nominated allowed dialog actions can incorporate a set of business rules. Prompt wordings in the generated natural language spoken dialog system can be tailored to a current context while following the set of business rules. A compression label can represent at least one of the manually nominated allowed dialog actions.

Abstract: Organic electronic devices derived from electrically conductive polymer compositions having a pH greater than 1.8 and a hole transporting material are described.

Abstract: A portable washing appliance for washing small quantities of clothing. A container open at the top has a first compartment for receiving an item of clothing for washing. The container includes a perforated basket which is motor or manually driven to effect a washing operation as well as pre-soaked and rinse operations. Water may be discharged from a first compartment in the container into at least one second compartment, located either below or adjacent thereto, which contains a removable waste receptacle. The waste receptacle collects wash water. rinse water and water extracted during a spin dry operations which may be discarded through a kitchen or bathroom sink drain.

Abstract: In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a fiber surveillance system for monitoring a pipeline is provided. The surveillance system includes an optical fiber acoustically coupled to the pipeline to detect acoustic signals associated with vibrations or other activity near or from the pipeline. Optical energy is injected into the optical fiber and an optical detector receives an optical return-signal having certain characteristics resulting from vibrations impinging on the optical fiber. An analyzer is configured to determine operating information about the pipeline based on the optical return-signal. Two or more fibers can be acoustically coupled to the pipeline and arranged in varying configurations to yield greater resolution.

Abstract: A set-top box (STB) suitable for use with a multimedia distribution network is also provided with a broadband network connection to a server operated by the multimedia provider. The server contains electronic programming guide (EPG) information, and provides a highly-functional search interface accessible by the STB. Under normal conditions, when a user attempts to search EPG data, the STB will access the search interface and provide results to the user. The STB also has the ability to detect the status of the broadband network connection. If the broadband network connection is in a disconnected state, the STB will provide a reduced-functionality localized EPG search.

Abstract: A method may include collecting at least one analyte from within a body, ejecting the collected at least one analyte from the body through at least one dermal layer of the body, and receiving the ejected at least one analyte outside the body. A system may include a means for collecting at least one analyte from within a body, a means for ejecting the collected at least one analyte from the body through at least one dermal layer of the body, and a means for receiving the ejected at least one analyte outside the body.

Abstract: An object shell console allows maintenance personnel to upgrade or otherwise modify an executing computer application without suspending or terminating the application's execution. The object shell console attaches to the application while it is executing and extracts program data. The program data is displayed to a maintenance person. Based on the program data, the maintenance person upgrades or otherwise modifies the application. Upgrades include corrections to reflect system upgrades and changing the behavior of the application. The application is modified without time-consuming and expensive program builds.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an improved process for the preparation of enantiomerically enriched alcohols of Formula (I), from the corresponding ketone of Formula (II), by asymmetric transfer hydrogenation, using a hydrogen donor, catalyzed by a ruthenium or rhodium complex of an optically active N-sulfamoyl-1,2-diamine. R is as defined herein.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method for forming a multi-layer coating on a vehicle body, comprised of applying primer coating, base coating, and clear coat layers in a wet-on-wet-on-wet manner, and simultaneously curing the applied three layers together in a single baking step. The primer layer comprises a film-forming binder comprising two acrylic polymers, the first being a caprolactone-modified branched acrylic polymer and the second being a caprolactone-modified linear acrylic polymer; and a crosslinking agent selected from aminoplast resin, blocked polyisocyanates, or mixtures thereof, wherein the composition is, essentially free of crosslinked nonaqueous dispersion resin particles or crosslinked microgel resin particles or both. The resulting multi-layered coating has excellent aesthetic appearance, strike-in resistance, chipping resistance, sag resistance, and film build even when formed in a three wet layered application method.

Abstract: A system processes communication path requests in an autonomous system. The system includes a proxy server that receives a request message from an external system requesting establishment of a communication path through the autonomous system. The request message includes a desired communication path profile including a desired level of redundancy. The system also includes a management server in the autonomous system that receives the request message from the proxy server, generates a response message indicating whether a communication path corresponding to the desired communication path profile is available, and sends the response message to the proxy server. The proxy server receives the response message and transmits the response message to the external system.

Abstract: A system for perfusion management that monitors, maintains, diagnoses, or treats perfusion deficiencies.

Abstract: A filter screen to be used in conjunction with a shale shaker in removing solid matter from drilling fluids includes a filter plate having a plurality of perforations, a plurality of hold-down apertures, and a pair of end caps attached to the filter plate, wherein each end cap is configured to isolate the hold down apertures from the plurality of perforations.

Abstract: A method for preparing multi-arm poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) amines from multi-arm PEG polyols is described. The method comprises a two step process, wherein the multi-arm PEG polyol is first reacted with thionyl chloride to form a multi-arm PEG chloride, which is subsequently reacted with aqueous or anhydrous ammonia to yield the multi-arm PEG amine.

Abstract: Aromatic sulfonimide ionene polymers useful as membranes in electrochemical cells are prepared.

Abstract: A method is described of obtaining a plasmid contained in a difficult to separate, heterogenous plasmid DNA fraction, particularly one containing various plasmids of similar sizes. Another aspect of the present invention are new plasmids obtained via the method according to the present invention, their derivatives and/or fragments, as well as the application of these products in biotechnology and medicine, particularly gene therapy.

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to a network element device, wherein the device monitors and reports any changes to the availability status its internal resources. As such, the network element device supports the real-time capacity management of a networked managements system, wherein no polling information is required to be transmitted from a either a management system or a network system management device to the network element device.