Abstract: The present invention seeks to provide a simple, but novel regime, for re-labelling swappable pins that permits swappability information to be maintained without significantly increasing computational complexity and is conducive to inexact pattern matching for the purposes of developing more complex logical processing blocks from elementary components in design analysis. The method comprises a recursive application of a simple labelling procedure. This method is repeated recursively until all gate instances in the circuit fragment have been assigned a swappability number.

Abstract: Power plant systems and processes are described that enable recovery of at least a portion of the fuel storage energy associated with a storage system for supplying fuel to the power plant systems. A first embodiment of an energy-recovery power plant system includes at least one fuel storage container and at least one expander that can receive fuel from the fuel storage container at a first pressure and provide the fuel to the power plant at a second pressure that is lower than the first pressure. A second embodiment of an energy-recovery power plant system includes a first conduit fluidly coupling the fuel storage container and the power plant for delivering fuel from the fuel storage container to the power plant and at least one regenerative thermodynamic cycle engine thermally coupled to the first conduit such that heat may be exchanged between the fuel and a working fluid for the regenerative thermodynamic cycle engine.

Abstract: A soft tissue diagnostic apparatus for diagnosis of stress and injury in anatomical soft tissue by detecting the response of the soft tissue to acoustic energy and a method of detecting soft tissue damage or stress and treating the tissue. An acoustic transmitter transmits excitation acoustic energy toward a target area of soft tissue of a subject. An acoustic receiver receives responsive acoustic energy generated by the soft tissue in response to the excitation acoustic energy transmitted by the acoustic transmitter and generates an output signal representative of the response of the soft tissue to the excitation acoustic energy. An analyzer receives the output signal of the acoustic receiver and provides an indication of at least one of stress and injury in the soft tissue based on the output signal. Areas of stress are inhibited to find the origin of soft tissue pain.

Abstract: The invention relates to methods that create and update a centralized and searchable database of lenders' underwriting and pricing guidelines that can be utilized by the consumer and to a system that matches the consumer's qualifications and needs to the best available loan products with associated rate pricing.

Abstract: There is presented a system and method for characterizing an integrated circuit (IC) for comparison with a pre-defined system-level characteristic related to an aspect of IC operation, wherein a test procedure on the IC that invokes this aspect is executed, while at least one operational bottleneck is invoked to constrain operation of the IC to exhibit a system-level operation thereof related to the aspect. Data generated via the test procedure in response to the bottleneck is collected and the system-level operation exhibited thereby is compared for consistency with the pre-defined system-level characteristic.

Abstract: A method and apparatus to reduce occurrences of electrically non-functional elements, known as dummy features, from a source data structure is described. The source data structure may be image data, a vector based data structure or some other data format. Dummy features in the source data structure are detected and then deleted. Dummy features may be detected by selecting a representative dummy feature, using it as a reference pattern or polygon and comparing it to features in the source data structure. The step of comparing the selected reference to the comprises selecting a cut-off correlation threshold value, and computing the correlation coefficients between the reference and the feature. Features are selectively removed based on a comparison between their correlation coefficients and the selected cut-off correlation threshold value. This threshold value may require updating to remove all dummy features in the source data structure.

Abstract: The present invention involves a computationally efficient method of determining the locations of standard cells in an image of an IC layout. The initial step extracts and characterizes points of interest of the image. A coarse localization of possible standard cell locations is performed and is based on a comparison of the points of interest of an instance of an extracted standard cell and the remaining points of interest in the image. A more rigid comparison is made on the list of possible locations comprising a coarse match and a fine match. The coarse match results in a shortlist of possible locations. The fine match performs comparisons between the template and the shortlist. Further filtering is done to remove the effects of noise and texture variations and statistics on the results are generated to achieve the locations of the standard cells on the IC layout.

Abstract: A method and apparatus to reduce occurrences of electrically non-functional elements, known as dummy features, from a source data structure is described. The source data structure may be image data, a vector based data structure or some other data format. Dummy features in the source data structure are detected and then deleted. Dummy features may be detected by selecting a representative dummy feature, using it as a reference pattern or polygon and comparing it to features in the source data structure. The step of comparing the selected reference to the comprises selecting a cut-off correlation threshold value, and computing the correlation coefficients between the reference and the feature. Features are selectively removed based on a comparison between their correlation coefficients and the selected cut-off correlation threshold value. This threshold value may require updating to remove all dummy features in the source data structure.

Abstract: A method and apparatus to reduce occurrences of electrically non-functional elements, known as dummy features, from a source data structure is described. The source data structure may be image data, a vector based data structure or some other data format. Dummy features in the source data structure are detected and then deleted. Dummy features may be detected by selecting a representative dummy feature, using it as a reference pattern or polygon and comparing it to features in the source data structure. The step of comparing the selected reference to the comprises selecting a cut-off correlation threshold value, and computing the correlation coefficients between the reference and the feature. Features are selectively removed based on a comparison between their correlation coefficients and the selected cut-off correlation threshold value. This threshold value may require updating to remove all dummy features in the source data structure.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for reducing uneven brightness in an image from a particle based image system. This uneven brightness is most often seen as regions of shadow, but may also be seen as regions of over brightness. In cases where the uneven brightness is in the form of shadowing, the method corrects for the shadowy regions by first identifying the area of shadow, obtaining brightness information from a region near the shadow, where the brightness is optimal, applying statistical methods to determine the measured brightness as a regression function of the optimal brightness, and number and proximity of shadowy objects, then correcting the shadow area brightness by calculating the inverse of the function of the shadow brightness. With this method, the brightness within the shadowy or over brightness regions are corrected to appear at a substantially similar level of brightness as the region of optimal brightness in the image.

Abstract: A method of registering and vertically aligning multiply-layered images into a mosaic is described. The method comprises performing an iterative process of vertical alignment of layers into a mosaic using a series of defined alignment correspondence pairs and global registration of images in a layer using a series of defined registration correspondence points and then redefining the identified alignment correspondence pairs and/or registration correspondence points until a satisfactory result is obtained. Optionally, an initial global registration of each layer could be performed initially before commencing the alignment process. The quality of the result could be determined using a least squares error minimization or other technique.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention relate to methods and systems for implementing a product or property search for a consumer, based upon a consumer's desired down payment or/and desired monthly payment. Embodiments disclosed comprise a first subsystem adapted to receive a consumer profile input from a user interface wherein the said subsystem is capable of qualifying the input consumer profile against a single or plurality of lenders' guidelines, and a second subsystem adapted to match lenders' with whom the consumer qualifies, with product sets or properties, and to present the consumer with a set of available products or properties to select.

Abstract: The present invention involves a computationally efficient method of determining the locations of standard cells in an image of an IC layout. The initial step extracts and characterizes points of interest of the image. A coarse localization of possible standard cell locations is performed and is based on a comparison of the points of interest of an instance of an extracted standard cell and the remaining points of interest in the image. A more rigid comparison is made on the list of possible locations comprising a coarse match and a fine match. The coarse match results in a shortlist of possible locations. The fine match performs comparisons between the template and the shortlist. Further filtering is done to remove the effects of noise and texture variations and statistics on the results are generated to achieve the locations of the standard cells on the IC layout.

Abstract: A method and system for organizing and managing claim elements and reference objects is disclosed. The method and system establish database links between claim elements and reference objects based on associations identified between them. These database links are then stored in the database for future reference. The links are also used to derive additional associations between other claim elements and reference objects. The method and the system also enable the displaying of claim elements and reference objects to users in a way that illustrates the associations between the claim elements and reference objects. Associations may be defined based on similarities or dissimilarities between claim elements and reference objects, and amongst claim elements and reference objects, respectively.

Abstract: The present invention involves a computationally efficient method of determining the locations of standard cells in an image of an IC layout. The initial step extracts and characterizes points of interest of the image. A coarse localization of possible standard cell locations is performed and is based on a comparison of the points of interest of an instance of an extracted standard cell and the remaining points of interest in the image. A more rigid comparison is made on the list of possible locations comprising a coarse match and a fine match. The coarse match results in a shortlist of possible locations. The fine match performs comparisons between the template and the shortlist. Further filtering is done to remove the effects of noise and texture variations and statistics on the results are generated to achieve the locations of the standard cells on the IC layout.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to flame retardant multicomponent articles. The multicomponent articles include a reactive, migratory agent which is present in at least a first component of the article. The reactive migratory agent is capable of migrating from the first component of the article into a different component of the article under flame conditions to react with an element of that second component to produce a flame retardant effect. Applications include fibers, yarns, nonwovens, carpets, other fibrous materials, films, coating and composites.

Abstract: The present invention seeks to provide a simple, but novel regime, for re-labelling swappable pins that permits swappability information to be maintained without significantly increasing computational complexity and is conducive to inexact pattern matching for the purposes of developing more complex logical processing blocks from elementary components in design analysis. The method comprises a recursive application of a simple labelling procedure. This method is repeated recursively until all gate instances in the circuit fragment have been assigned a swappability number.

Abstract: A schematic diagram detailing a circuit that was reverse engineered from a plurality of images taken of the circuit is provided. The schematic diagram includes at least one circuit element that was represented as an object in at least one of the plurality of images, such that signal continuity information was determined through local tracing of connectivity between a first image and a second image of the plurality of images. A method of tracing the connectivity within the plurality of images to produce the schematic diagram is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method of normalizing a bibliographic field of a structured field relational database is disclosed. The method includes weighting potential candidate records according to the value in the corresponding field in the records, together with other related fields in the candidate record and other related records in the database. Each of the candidate records is successively evaluated and compared against an acceptable threshold. If the weight exceeds the threshold, the candidate record is returned from the query. Otherwise, a new entry in the database is created. Optionally, before creating such a new entry, the highest weighted candidate record may be compared against a minimally acceptable threshold and if the weight exceeds such a lower threshold, the candidate is returned from the query.