Abstract: A distributed communication system includes a number of nodes, each including a number of resources, which nodes are interconnected by an interconnection network. Distributed applications are executed through sending messages between resources in the nodes. The resources are categorized into a number of function types. Resources grouped into one and the same function type are functionally equivalent at least to a given extent so that a number of function type instances are provided for each function type. Each node includes an information holding device keeping information about which function type instances correspond to a given function type and distribution functions associated with the information holding device for selecting a receiving function type instance among the available instances. A resource sending a message only has to give the function type as address information, and the distribution function selects which function type instance will be the receiver.

Abstract: A spin-stabilized projectile includes a projectile body having a longitudinal axis; a metal driving band mounted on the projectile body and having a circumferential groove surrounding the axis; and a plastic sealing ring seated in the groove and affixed to the projectile body.

Abstract: A method of inhibiting fibrin clot formation is provided. The decorin protein, peptide, or related fragments are found to bind fibrinogen in the presence of Zinc (Zn2+), thus preventing the formation of fibrin clots. The decorin protein, peptide, or related fragments can be utilized as an anticoagulant and in methods of preventing and/or treating diseases and disorders characterized by clot formation.

Abstract: A livestock watering system, designed with the user in mind, is disclosed. The present invention is comprised of an insulated removable water reservoir whereby said reservoir provides easy access to all parts of the invention. This facilitates the ease of cleaning and maintenance. Moreover, this insulated design is heated by a heating element that heats the air below the removable reservoir, to prevent freezing. The reservoir automatically refills by the use of a water level control device. Said reservoir is easily drained by pulling a plug, through which a stainless steel eyebolt has been placed. Most every part is attached with wing nuts and bolts so that no tools are needed to replace or service individual components of the invention. Furthermore, most all parts are preferably made of plastic or stainless steel to prevent rust and corrosion. In addition, practically all parts may be removed, to be serviced or replaced without the use of tools.

Abstract: A central control system is described that affords intuitive and easy control of numerous subsystems associated with a police car or other emergency vehicle and reduces the cockpit clutter associated with present control systems. A single user interface device is associated with a central controller capable of receiving input commands and outputting device control commands to a plurality of controlled devices or subsystems. Preferably, the central controller comprises a programmable digital computer. An emergency response system is also described which rapidly coordinates and controls operation of a plurality of emergency subsystems associated with the vehicle in accordance with a predetermined scheme of operation for the devices. In one preferred embodiment, the controller receives a single input command and, in response, provides specific device control commands to several individual controlled devices on a relatively simultaneous basis.

Abstract: The angle at which a multipath finger produced by a digital radio communication source arrives at an antenna array can be estimated using an uplink weight vector associated with the multipath finger. Due a characteristic of uplink weight vectors used in antenna arrays having a shift invariance structure, the estimate of the angle can be calculated based on the uplink weight vector.

Abstract: An apparatus for producing rifling grooves in a weapon barrel, in which a drawing head (1) that rotates about its longitudinal axis (5) is drawn through the respective weapon barrel by a drawing rod (2), and the rifling grooves are cut into the inside surface of the weapon barrel with corresponding drawing knives (9) disposed on the drawing head (1). To produce the rifling grooves in the respective weapon barrel at a Low cost, the drawing head (1) is provided with a central adjusting arbor (6), with which all of the drawing knives (9) can be simultaneously displaced outwardly. In the production of the rifling grooves, therefore, the drawing knives (9) need no longer be exchanged in a time-consuming process. Instead, only the setting of the drawing knives (9) is modified with the aid of the adjusting arbor (6).

Abstract: A case base (1; 1′) for large-caliber ammunition, in which the case jacket (2) comprises a combustible material, with the case base (1; 1′) comprising a metallic base plate (3) and a support ring (4; 4′) that projects axially beyond the surface of the base plate (3) at its edge, and an elastomer or thermoplastic obturation ring (5; 5′) that is disposed on the projectile side of the support ring (4; 4′). In order for the obturation ring (5; 5′) to be secured simply to the support ring (4; 4′) and removed again after the ammunition has been fired, the support ring (4; 4′) has, on its inner surface (6) facing the obturation ring (5; 5′), a groove-shaped undercut (7), into which the end (8) of the obturation ring (5; 5′) that faces the support ring (4; 4′) extends with a form-fit and/or positive lockup.

Abstract: An electrohydrodynamic induction pumping thermal energy transfer system includes an outer conduit and a plurality of inner conduits disposed within the outer conduit. The system also includes a plurality of conductors disposed about a first surface of at least one of the inner conduits. The plurality of conductors is disposed in a spaced apart relationship to each other and extends longitudinally along the inner conduit. The system further includes a power supply coupled to the plurality of conductors. The power supply is operable to induce an electric traveling wave along the first surface of the inner conduit to enhance thermal energy transfer between a fluid disposed within the outer conduit and the inner conduit by inducing longitudinal pumping of a liquid phase of the fluid in contact with the first surface of the inner conduit along the first surface of the inner conduit.

Abstract: A computer-implemented data mining system includes an Interface Tier, an Analysis Tier, and a Database Tier. The Interface Tier supports interaction with users, and includes an On-Line Analytic Processing (OLAP) Client that provides a user interface for generating SQL statements that retrieve data from a database, and an Analysis Client that displays results from a data mining algorithm. The Analysis Tier performs one or more data mining algorithms, and includes an OLAP Server that schedules and prioritizes the SQL statements received from the OLAP Client, an Analytic Server that schedules and invokes the data mining algorithm to analyze the data retrieved from the database, and a Learning Engine performs a Learning step of the data mining algorithm.

Abstract: A called party is engaged in a first communication with a third party. A calling party then makes a call to the called party while the first communication is ongoing and a call waiting indication is provided to the calling party. Responsive thereto, an identifying signal is selected by the calling party and sent to the called party to announce that the calling party is waiting. The identifying signal may be a tone, sound, or voice message. The called party may respond to the identifying signal by taking the call, dropping the call, or diverting the calling party to an alternative destination, such as voice mail or some call forwarding destination.

Abstract: A locking mechanism for a safe container of valuable or dangerous items has an engagement element movable from a disengaged position to an engageable position thereof solely upon receipt of a controlled small predetermined amount of electrical power. When the engagement element is thus put in its engageable position, a manually operated element engages therewith and, under the influence of a further manual force input by a user, manually moves the engagement element to forcibly drive a lock-bolt from a locking position to an unlocking position thereof. In one aspect of the invention, the engagement element is connected to the rotor of a low power, low-friction electric motor having at least two magnetic detents, respectively corresponding to the disengaged and engageable positions.

Abstract: Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) operations are utilized to substitute for the allocation of voice trunks in a conventional telecommunications network during intersystem handoff operations. A pair of VoIP gateways are in electronic communication with mobile switching centers. The VoIP gateways are connected by an Internet Protocol network. A determination is made that a handoff forward call connection operation should occur. A second VoIP gateway is allocated to the Target MSC, while a first VoIP gateway is allocated to the Serving MSC. A voice path is then completed using voice channels between the VoIP gateways and the MSCs, to allow the mobile station communication to be handed off from the Serving MSC to the Target MSC. Formatting and recovery of the voice audio signals occurs within the VoIP gateways as they are sent to and received from, respectively, the MSCs.

Abstract: Affinity relationships are determined and communications are established between a first party user and second party user through a memory, a selection module, and a contact module. The memory includes a database with records corresponding to various users, such that each record is personalized according to characteristic information corresponding to the users. The selection module compares the characteristic information to determine a degree of affinity, and the contact module establishes a call connection between parties having a degree of affinity greater than some preselected amount.

Abstract: Methods and arrangements enable ADCs to be calibrated from reference signals with unknown parameters and/or with amplitudes that exceed the dynamic range of the ADCs. A given analog reference signal s(t) is supplied to an ADC. The output (x(k)) of the ADC is used by calibration logic to estimate at least one parameter of the reference signal. A FIR filter accepts as input the x(k) signals and outputs an estimate (ŝ(k)) as the sampled instances of the s(t) signal. A reconstruction table is created that approximates the analog input signal in the digital domain using the knowledge of the analog input signal waveform type. The actual ADC outputs are compared to the values in the reconstruction table to produce a correction table for calibration. In an alternative embodiment, calibration logic interpolates the output (x(k)) of the ADC to reconstruct clipped portion(s) of the input analog reference signal s(t) when the amplitude of the input analog reference signal s(t) exceeds the full swing of the ADC.

Abstract: A projectile includes a stabilizing band mounted on a rear projectile portion and having a folded state and a deployed state and a fuze assembly accommodated in the projectile. The fuze assembly includes a firing pin carrier supported for motion parallel to the longitudinal axis of the projectile; a firing pin secured to the firing pin carrier; a slide supported for motion transversely to the projectile axis and having a safety position and a firing position; and a detonator mounted on the slide. The detonator is out of alignment with the firing pin in the safety position of the slide and is in alignment with the firing pin in the firing position of the slide. A force-transmitting component is attached to the stabilizing band and the slide for moving the slide from the safety position into the firing position by a force generated by a motion of the stabilizing band from its folded state into its deployed state.

Abstract: This invention satisfies needs in the art by providing intimin, the Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) adherence protein, alone or as a fusion protein with one or more other antigens, expressed by transgenic plants and the use of those plants as vehicles for stimulating a protective immune response against EHEC and the one or more other antigens. Various plant species are transformed to protect various animal species and also humans against EHEC, against pathogens expressing intimin-like proteins, and against pathogens expressing any of the one or more other antigens to which intimin may be fused. The eae gene encoding intimin, a functional portion thereof, or a recombination that encodes a fusion protein is put under the control of a constitutive plant promoter in a plasmid and the plasmid is introduced into plants by the type of transformation appropriate for the particular plant species.

Abstract: A method of electrically logging subterranean wells using a conductive fluid includes a miscible combination of an oleaginous fluid, a polar organic solvent, an electrolytic salt, and a carbon dioxide buffer. The electrolytic salt or brine of the salt is present in a concentration sufficient to permit the electrical logging of the subterranean well. The polar organic solvent may be an oil soluble glycol or glycol ether such as ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, propylene glycol, polypropylene glycol, and the like. The electrolytic salt or brine preferably includes a quaternary amine salt having the formula: wherein R is an alkyl having 8 to 18 carbon atoms, R′ is 2 to 6 carbon atoms alkyl group, B is hydrogen, oxyalkyl having 1 to 4 carbon atoms or alkyl having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, A is hydrogen or alkyl with 1 to 4 carbon atoms, x+y=1 to 15, z is 0 to 3, and M is a counter anion; or combinations thereof. The carbon dioxide buffer is preferably a trialkylanol amine.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating a billing identifier for a subscriber from a first network roaming within a second network is disclosed. A node interconnecting the first and second networks receives a call message that does not include a billing identifier from the first network. A billing functionality within the node responsive to the call message generates a billing identifier enabling billing records within the second network to be associated with the subscriber from the first network. Messages containing the billing identifier are then transmitted to the second network from the interconnecting node.

Abstract: The present invention provides an optimal procedure for determining in the time domain equalizer coefficients for an equalizer, where the equalizer compensates for the effects of the communications channel on the transmitted signal. A unit pulse or other training sequence which allows determination of the impulse response is transmitted over the communications channel, and a channel impulse response is estimated from the received signal. A cost function establishes a mean-square error associated with the estimated channel impulse response as compared to a desired impulse response signal. The value of the cost function varies based upon an offset value between the estimated channel impulse response and an equalized channel impulse response. Values of the cost function are determined for different offsets, and the offset that produces the smallest cost function value (corresponding to the minimum mean-square error) is selected.