Abstract: A two-piece tamper-evident and tamper-resistant container having a base, a lid and a label hinge connecting the lid and base to one another for use in packing, identifying and selling fresh food items and the like. A rim about an upper periphery of the base engages an identically contoured flange about a lower periphery of the lid, and a protective lip integral to and extending from an outermost end of the rim prevents access to the lip making the label hinge the only possible access point of the container. Any tampering to access the inside of the container would be made evident by a torn or missing label hinge.

Abstract: A guidewire has a coil with a side of the coil winds having solid physical connections between the coil winds to prevent the connected coil wind side from expanding resulting from the application of force by an actuating member. The application of longitudinal force to the coil causes the unconnected coil wind side to expand while the connected side does not expand, resulting in the guidewire assuming a different configuration.

Abstract: Disclosed are exemplary embodiments of visual and/or acoustic privacy features. For example, exemplary embodiments are disclosed that include visual and/or acoustic privacy features for furniture (e.g., office chair, desk, table, cubicle, etc.). The visual and/or acoustic privacy features are movable relative to the user and/or furniture between at least a first configuration and a second configuration. In the first configuration, the visual and/or acoustic privacy features may be configured such that they do not inhibit the user from interacting with others. In the second configuration, the visual and/or acoustic privacy features may be configured to provide the user with at least some visual and/or acoustic privacy and isolation from others.

Abstract: The various embodiments of the auction systems and methods described herein provide a web based service that allows medical facilities to both sell and buy medical devices and supplies at a discount. This web based service will enable hospitals that otherwise would have a financial loss, to sell their soon to be expiring products at a discount, and at the same time allow facilities that have an immediate need for devices to purchase them at a lower price based on a more limited expiration than if bought directly from the manufacturer. This maximizes savings on behalf of the buyers and minimizes losses on behalf of the sellers while consolidating inventory in the overall medical device/supply market.

Abstract: A guidewire has a coil with a side of the coil winds having solid physical connections between the coil winds to prevent the connected coil wind side from expanding resulting from the application of force by an actuating member. The application of longitudinal force to the coil causes the unconnected coil wind side to expand while the connected side does not expand, resulting in the guidewire assuming a different configuration.

Abstract: An ion source is disclosed including: a chamber disposed about a longitudinal axis and containing a gas, a magnetic confinement system configured to produce a magnetic field in a confinement region within the chamber, an electron cyclotron resonance driver which produces a time varying electric field which drives the cyclotron motion of electrons located within the confinement region, the driven electrons interacting with the gas to form a confined plasma. During operation, the magnetic confinement system confines the plasma in the confinement region such that a portion of atoms in the plasma experience multiple ionizing interactions with the driven electrons to form multiply ionized ions having a selected final ionization state.

Abstract: A landscape electrical component connector system is provided which is based on a low-voltage electrical circuit with underground wire cable lines and interchangeable, below ground waterproof connectors which interconnect outdoor electrically positioned above ground lighting, audio, and cooling components. These components, which are hard-wired with waterproof connectors, provide versatility in their ability to be easily and simply added and removed from the system manually, without the use of tools, as desired by the owner. The waterproof connectors are quick connect elements which allow for fast and clean interchange of the various components and circuit splitters and extensions, both during initial installation of the system and after it has been installed.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for hydrocarbon recovery in a well for coal bed methane (CBM) recovery, tight sand gas extraction, and other gas extraction techniques provides for the formation of a hydrocarbon foam comprised of a fluid delivered into a downhole portion of the well and the hydrocarbon, maximizing water removal for gas recovery. The apparatus may include a check valve that feeds a nozzle to deliver or atomize the spray of fluid into the downhole portion of the well when the pressure applied to the fluid is sufficient to overcome a hydrostatic pressure in the downhole portion of the well and to deliver the fluid into the downhole portion of the well. The fluid is not sprayed directly into the formation, thereby protecting the formation from damage and recovering the fluid even in the case where water is not present. The capillary tube feeding the fluid to the check valve may be placed externally to the production tube to facilitate ease of cleaning and clearing of the production tube.

Abstract: Disclosed is a toilet bowl water level gauge and associated methods. In one embodiment, the toilet bowl water level gauge comprises a gauge assembly having a stem with a float, and a sleeve, wherein the stem is inserted in the sleeve and slides through the sleeve. Also, the toilet bowl water level gauge comprises a support attached to the gauge assembly, the support being adapted to engage a rim of a toilet bowl. In addition, bowl level sensors are employed for automated calibration of an automated bowl fill system.

Abstract: A passive low power device for detection of boundary crossings includes a dual element pyro-electric infrared (PIR) sensor. The sensor is designed with a lens that provides a very narrow field of view and two pyro-electric elements that produce a waveform with two voltage swings of opposite polarity when a warm object moves past the sensor. The waveform is filtered and amplified before it is passed on to a comparator. The comparator triggers off the extremes of each waveform. The comparator includes two outputs that are normally high, but go low when a change in infrared radiation is detected. A processor makes an approximation of the zero crossing time based on the rising edge of the first comparator output. This approximate zero crossing time serves as an estimate of the boundary crossing time.

Abstract: A remote sensing system operable to collect sensor timing data comprising a central data hub for detecting the occurrence of an event and processing information about the detected event, the remote sensing system comprising a central data hub, at least one sensor having a simple clock operable to sense an event and transmit data to central data hub. By way of calculating the data transmitted by the at least one sensor, the central data hub can determine the time at which each event occurred and place a plurality of sensed events in sequence.

Abstract: A method for compressing images uses artificial intelligence and neural-network-based techniques to convert digital image data into symbolic data. The symbolic data is then further compressed using, for example, run-length-limited coding. The result is compressed data that represents the original image data at a high compression ratio. Such high compression ratios are useful, for example, in medical diagnostic and high-definition television applications.