Abstract: An insulating concrete block adapted to be interlocked with other insulating concrete blocks to form an insulating concrete form for casting concrete. The insulating concrete block including a first foam panel and a second foam panel supported in a spaced apart, parallel relationship to form a concrete receiving cavity. Each of the first panel and the second panel having a top end, a bottom end, a first end, and a second end. The top end and the bottom end of each of the first and second panels having an outside row of a plurality of projections and an inside row of a plurality of projections. The projections of the outside row being spaced apart to define a plurality of recesses and the projections of the inside row being spaced apart to define a plurality of recesses with the projections of the outside row being adjacent to the recesses of the inside row and the recesses of the outside row being adjacent projections of the inside row.

Abstract: An optical device includes at least one optical fiber cable receiving area for receiving at least one optical fiber cable, the receiving area being sized to receive a covering for covering at least a portion of the transition area, and at least one optical fiber cable transition portion disposed at the receiving area, the optical fiber cable transition portion being responsive to and supporting the covering when pressure from the covering is applied to the transition area and the covering and said transition area together form a buffer zone associated with at least a portion of the cable receiving area. Methods include providing a multi-port optical connection terminal having a stub cable port; connecting a stub cable assembly including a stub cable to the stub cable port; and forming a sloped buffer zone between the stub cable port and the stub cable to relieve stress in the stub cable.

Abstract: A polymer based index-matching gel for use with nanostructure optical fibers is disclosed. The index-matching gel has at least one polymer component having a viscosity ? at 25° C. of 3 Pa-s???100 Pa-s, which prevents the index-matching gel from wicking into the voids and down the nanostructure optical fiber to a depth where the fiber performance and/or device performance is compromised. The gel is suitable for use when mechanically splicing optical fibers when at least one of the optical fibers is a nanostructure optical fiber. The gel is also suitable for use in fiber optic connectors wherein at least one of the optical fibers constituting the connection is a nanostructure optical fiber.

Abstract: A technique to reduce refresh power in a DRAM. In one embodiment, all of the DRAM memory cells are refreshed at a first rate and a subset of the memory cells are refreshed a second rate greater than the first rate. In another embodiment, the DRAM has a refresh controller that generates a refresh address and controls the refresh of the memory cells addressed by the refresh address. A marker memory is used by the refresh controller to determine which of the memory cells requires refreshing at a rate faster than the refresh rate of the remaining memory cells. Testing the DRAM uses a method to determine which of the memory cells are to be refreshed at the faster rate and to store the results in the marker memory.

Abstract: Methods, systems and program products for hiding the presentation of a first input field that would obscure the presentation of a distinct second input field on a display device. User input directed to the second input field is accepted and provided the first input field instead of to the second input field. The contents of the first input field are copied to the second input field. The presentation of the second input field is updated on the display device to include the copied contents.

Abstract: A networked delivery system and method for controlling operation of a spraying system includes nozzles for emitting an agrochemical according to a predetermined spray pattern and flow rate; vibration sensors located adjacent an agricultural spray system component to sense vibrations of the agricultural spray system component, such as spray nozzles. The networked delivery system also includes a control area network with a computer processor in communication with the vibration sensors. The processor conveys information to an operator regarding the agricultural spray system component based on the sensed vibrations. The processor also actuates each of the agricultural spray system components such as the spray nozzles to selectively control each of the nozzles or a designated group of the nozzles.

Abstract: The present invention is directed generally to a method of identifying an insect pheromone. Initially, a candidate insect pheromone-binding protein is obtained and sequenced. Specific proteins may then be selected by observing the pattern of pheromone-binding protein expression in the insect stage, phase or caste; and/or in the antenna and other sensilla by, for example, in situ hybridization; and/or by comparison with sequence of known pheromone binding proteins. A composition of one or more pheromones may then be contacted with the pheromone-binding protein. Any pheromones bound to the protein may then be eluted and analyzed.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for improved short preamble formats in a multiple antenna communication system having N antennas. A short preamble format having a legacy portion and a high throughput portion is transmitted (or received) on each of the N transmit antennas, wherein the legacy portion comprises a legacy long training field and the high throughput portion comprises N?1 high throughput long training fields. The legacy long training field and the N?1 high throughput long training fields can be transmitted in N time slots using an N×N orthogonal matrix, such as a Walsh matrix or a Fourier matrix. The N time slots can optionally comprise a single symbol. Backwards compatibility is optionally maintained by including a legacy short training field and a legacy signal field in the legacy portion of the short preamble.

Abstract: There is disclosed a heater for an automotive vehicle or other article of manufacture. The heater typically includes a first conductive medium and a second conductive medium disposed upon a carrier. In a preferred embodiment, the first conductive medium includes a first section and a second section that are electrically connected by a second conductive medium. The second conductive medium preferably exhibits a positive thermal coefficient.

Abstract: A magnetic resonance apparatus in which magnetic metal pieces are accommodated in an accommodation section so as to correct uniformity in a main magnetic field, includes an acquisition unit which acquires temperature information related to at least one of a temperature of the magnetic metal pieces accommodated in the accommodation section, a temperature of the accommodation section, and a temperature of a position in the vicinity of the accommodation section, and a temperature adjustment unit which adjusts the temperature of the magnetic metal pieces to a target temperature by preheating the magnetic metal pieces on the basis of the temperature information acquired by the acquisition unit.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for per-antenna training in a multiple antenna communication system having a plurality of transmit antenna branches. A long training sequence is transmitted on each of the transmit antenna branches such that only one of the transmit antenna branches is active at a given time. The active transmit antenna branch transmits the long training sequence with an increased power level relative to a transmission of a payload by the active transmit antenna branch. The increased power level for the active transmit antenna branch compensates for the inactive transmit antenna branches being silent during the given time. Thus, the active transmit antenna branch provides approximately the same antenna power while transmitting the long training sequence as a total power of the plurality of transmit antenna branches during a transmission of the payload. The increased power level can be provided, for example, by a digital-to-analog converter associated with the active transmit antenna branch.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for modifying a mask data set includes calculating a derivative of a figure-of-merit, indicative of a data set defined by a plurality of polygon edges and then segmenting polygon edges in response to said step of calculating.

Abstract: Methods and systems for treating movement disorders are disclosed. A method in accordance with one embodiment can include determining that the movement disorder affects the patient's gait, oral functioning, and/or other functioning, and applying electrical stimulation proximate to the interhemispheric fissure, the Sylvian fissure, or between the two fissures, respectively. In another embodiment, the method can include selecting at least one neural process from among a plurality of processes sequentially carried out by a patient to cause a muscle movement in the patient (e.g., a planning process, an initiation process, and an execution process), and applying electrical stimulation to a location of the patient's brain associated with the at least one neural process.

Abstract: An ophthalmic system for use in performing angular measurements in relation to a patient's eye. The ophthalmic system can include an optical angular measurement device that can provide angular indicia by, for example, projecting an image of an angular measurement reticle onto a patient's eye or by superimposing an image of an angular measurement reticle onto an image of the patient's eye. The ophthalmic system can include an optical refractive power measurement device for providing desired angular orientations for ocular implants or for incisions. The ophthalmic system can be used, for example, to align a toric intraocular lens to a desired angular orientation.

Abstract: The present invention includes a family of level converting flip-flops that accepts data and clock inputs at a lower voltage level while producing data outputs at a higher voltage level. These flip-flops enable fine-grained dual supply voltage techniques such as low-swing clocking (distributing the clock signal at a lower voltage level) and clustered voltage scaling (CVS). The level conversion is accomplished in a very efficient manner by sharing the positive feedbacks inside a flip-flop for both storage and level conversion. Additionally, the presented flip-flops are contention-free and non-ratioed, thus having reduced timing and power overheads due to the level conversion function.

Abstract: The invention provides a wind turbine wind turbine with two vessels, each being interchangeably in thermal communication with a heating medium which transfers heat from a heat generating structure to the vessel, and with a cooling medium which transfers heat from the vessel to an ambient space. The vessels form a compression structure which form part of a refrigerating circuit which can circulate a working fluid between the compression structure, a condenser and an evaporator. At the evaporator, cooling effect is obtained based on evaporation of a working fluid, and the cooling can be utilized for cooling a heat generating component in the wind turbine.

Abstract: Exemplary apparatus, method, and system embodiments provide for processing an action script for a graphical image for visual display. An exemplary apparatus comprises: a first memory; first circuitry configured to convert a plurality of descriptive elements of the action script into a plurality of operational codes; and second circuitry configured to execute the plurality of operational codes using corresponding data stored in the first memory to generate pixel data for the graphical image. Exemplary embodiments may further include third circuitry configured to parse the action script into the plurality of descriptive elements and the corresponding data, and fourth circuitry configured to extract data from the action script and to store the extracted data in the first memory as a plurality of control words having the corresponding data in predetermined fields.

Abstract: A vehicle air brake system is presented with an improved service work brake arrangement. The arrangement may provide a service work brake function or both a service work brake function and a parking brake function for the vehicle. The arrangement may provide an improved service work brake arrangement disposed within a housing for reducing the number of components and plumbing required to achieve this functionality versus prior known systems. The arrangement may utilize a pneumatic latching valve to deliver pressurized air for applying a vehicle's service brakes. The pneumatic latching valve opens upon receiving a pneumatic control signal from an electronically controlled valve and closes upon receiving a pneumatic control signal from another source. In addition, a controller and control logic may be provided for controlling the arrangement.

Abstract: A method and system for detecting GPS interference is disclosed. In one exemplary embodiment, a method for detecting interference in a Global Positioning System comprises the steps of receiving at least one satellite signal from one or more satellites in a Global Positioning System; identifying a noise floor value from the at least one satellite signal; identifying an interference signal based on the noise floor value; determining an interference value for the interference signal from the noise floor value wherein a level of the noise floor value corresponds to a level of interference; and providing the interference value to at least one user for informing the user of the interference signal.