Abstract: A subscriber management system includes at least one Data Directory Server (DDS) located between one or more transaction generators and one or more data servers. The DDS efficiently routes transactions and provides data location functions. The DDS provides high data availability, high on-line transaction rates, batch capabilities, scalability and maintainability. In particular, based upon internal rules within the DDS and the particular transaction type, the DDS routes transactions to the appropriate server(s). Transactions are classified according to where they may be executed. Specifically, transactions may be classified as SPECIFIC, ANY or ALL. A SPECIFIC transaction must be processed at one or more specific servers irrespective of the accompanying arguments. An ANY transaction may be processed at any of the enterprise servers and selection is made randomly. Finally, an ALL transaction requires sequencing through each of the data servers within the enterprise and repetitively performing the transaction.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for synchronizing files stored in memory of two remotely located systems. The system can generate a copy of a source file at the destination location without transferring all the data of the source file. The destination location includes a reference file that can contain similar data as that contained in the source file. The synchronization is accomplished by sending keys (representing reference blocks of data from the reference file) to the source system. At the source system, a portion of each keys called a Feature is compared with portions of source file. If the Features match, a checksum corresponding to the reference block is compared with a check sum corresponding to the source block. If the checksums match, an short message identifying the key and reference block that matched is transmitted to the destination system in order that the reference block can be copied from the reference file in order to build the synchronized file.

Abstract: A cooking grate for a grill, such as a barbecue grill, is comprised of a plurality of generally elongate rail members assembled in a nesting relationship to form a first and second cooking surface. The first cooking surface is formed by a generally flat surface on each of the rail members, the flat surfaces abutting to form a substantially smooth surface, with a plurality of elongate apertures therein through which juices produced by cooking food may flow. Each rail member has a gutter along its length which underlies approximately half of each of the apertures for catching a portion of the juices and diverting it from the heat source below. The grate may be reversed and the gutters form the second cooking surface which is similar to a conventional grate surface.

Abstract: In an improved ozone decomposing air filter carbon fibers are held together with a carbonized binder in a perforated structure. The structure is made by combining rayon fibers with gelatin, forming the mixture in a mold, freeze-drying, and vacuum baking.

Abstract: A light diffuser tip for use with an optical fiber. The diffuser tip is affixed to an optical fiber and comprises an optically transparent elastomer core positioned to receive light from the output terminus of the optical fiber. The concentration of scattering centers embedded in the transparent elastomer core varies along the length of the core to yield a particular light distribution pattern. For example, the scattering centers may be distributed within an optically transparent elastomeric core material such as silicone to provide a scatterer density gradient along the diffuser tip in the axial direction of the optical fiber. A diffuser tip which provides uniform cylindrical light output intensity in air will provide a different output intensity distribution in a medium with a different index of refraction such as human tissue.

Abstract: Spill containment apparatus especially adapted for use at a railroad siding to catch inadvertent chemical spills includes a shallow, rectangular pan having upstanding, opposed sidewalls and upstanding, opposed endwalls. Flaps are pivotally connected to the sidewalls near the upper edges thereof. The flaps can be moved from a first position where they are stored inside the pan to a second position where they extend laterally outside the pan and over the railroad tracks. A longitudinally movable cover is provided for the pan, the cover being mounted on tracks for back and forth movement between a first position where the pan is covered to a second position where the pan is exposed. In the second position of the cover, the flaps are permitted to move between their first and second positions. Because the flaps can be stored inside the pan, the size of the pan when not in service is relatively small. Because the flaps can be extended in use, the effective surface area protected by the pan is quite large.

Abstract: A method for siphoning product from a bulk bag while maintaining the bag upright at all times during siphoning which includes the steps of providing a bulk bag containing the dry bulk product; providing a support frame for supporting the bag upright through the lifting loops of the bulk bag; siphoning the product from the bulk bag through a vacuum line inserted in the bulk within the bag; and providing a pressurized cylinder attached to the frame which supports the bag upright through the lifting loops for imparting sufficient force upward on the lifting loops of the bulk bag so as to support the bag upright and lift the bag as the product is siphoned from the bag, yet while allowing the product remaining in the bag to move to a central portion of the bag, so that the siphoning nozzle makes contact with the product within the bag at all times during siphoning.

Abstract: A flare stack with increased control of flow velocity of gases. The flare stack includes a pipe having a flare tip. The flare tip is provided with orifices and a sliding sleeve that opens and closes at least some of the orifices under control of an actuator. The actuator is pressure controlled. Nozzles extend from the orifices, parallel to each other. A central nozzle produces a stabilized flame. The nozzles which are controlled by the sliding sleeve are arranged in rings axially offset from each other along the pipe, so that the sleeve may open or close the nozzles in a ring as desired. The nozzles are symmetrically disposed, and terminate at the same plane, with the nozzles being disposed sufficiently close to each other that gas exiting any nozzle tends to draw in and merge with gas exiting from any adjacent nozzle.

Abstract: A source for Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE) including an open-ended crucible and a removable orificed covered plate for covering the open end of the crucible, the cover plate having an encapsulated heater, preferably of Pyrolytic Graphite, which reduces orifice blockage.

Abstract: A sound engine in a processor-based system utilizing real-time synthesis optimizes synthesis time, maximizes the number of fully-synthesized sound requests and preserves currently excessive sound requests. During synthesis, the sound engine attempts to full-synthesize all requests. If the sound engine determines that remaining sound requests are excessive and cannot be fully-synthesized, it preserves each excessive request by synthesizing a substitute waveform segment. If the sound engine determines that limiting the number of preserved requests is required, it synthesizes a concluding waveform segment for and then discards selected requests during selected synthesis intervals. Both substitute-synthesis and discarding of sound requests are achieved with minimized detrimental impact on ongoing sound performances.

Abstract: A flow control method and apparatus for controlling flow through an output link in a communication network modifies a prior art Phantom flow control method by calculating the maximum allowable cell rate as a function of the number of active flows through the output link. To accomplish this, the method and apparatus calculates alpha smoothing parameters as a function of the number of virtual channels flowing through the output link. The method and apparatus improves the stability of the Phantom flow control method, and also enables it to be used with less costly network switches, such as shared memory switches.

Abstract: An electrically/battery powered transdermal drug applicator comprising a flexible non-conductive substrate with a plurality of conductive coated areas, the conductive coated areas forming drug reservoir electrodes, and a plurality of drug reservoirs separated by occlusive adhesive dams and in electrical contact with said drug reservoir electrodes. The battery is connected to the electrodes of the drug reservoirs and said applicator including electrical current conditioning means, with a conformal cover adhesively secured to said transdermal drug applicator and with a release liner covering and protecting said plurality of drug reservoirs until use.

Abstract: A robotic clutch with central thrust bearing (10) having a robot adaptor (12) and robotic clutch with central thrust bearing (10) which further has a housing (18) with a housing central opening (18A) therethrough and a housing cavity (18C). The housing (18) further has a housing coupler (18D) in communication with the housing cavity (18C). A toggle breakaway (14) which has a toggle breakaway collar (14F) securely fastened thereto extending downwardly therefrom through the housing central opening (18A). The toggle breakaway (14) is securely connected to the robot adaptor (12). A thrust roller bearing (22) which has a thrust roller bearing central opening (22A) therethrough and a top thrust roller bearing (22T) is circumferentially positioned along an inner surface of the housing top (18T). The thrust roller bearing (22) further has a bottom thrust roller bearing (22B) securely connected to the toggle breakaway collar (14F).

Abstract: A mobility extended telecommunications application and method of use which comprises an integrated wireless and wirelined network with central control and which has a programmed interface to translate between the different protocols of the wireless and the wirelined networks to allow for customized services to be furnished to said wireless network without the necessity of expensive switching and data handling devices. The application can be utilized between many networks and facilitates the utilization of the architecture of the wirelined network and the home location register of the wireless network for various applications on the wireless network.

Abstract: The invention provides a hybrid phase-locked loop (PLL) containing digital and analog portions for digital and analog adjustments, respectively, of an output signal. The hybrid PLL is simple in design. Off-the-shelf controlled oscillators, such as a current controlled oscillator (CCO) can be used with this hybrid PLL. The digital and the analog portions of the hybrid PLL are separate from the controlled oscillator. The digital portion is for a first adjustment of the frequency of the output signal, such as during a calibration. The analog portion is for fine phase and frequency adjustment of the output signal.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for dynamically configuring a PCMCIA compatible card permits new or modified configuration parameters to be loaded into an FPGA on the card. In accordance with the invention, the PCMCIA card is initially configured to operate as a memory device. While in this mode, an FPGA on the card is loaded from a host computer using memory write commands through the PCMCIA interface. Thereafter, the card is reconfigured to operate as an I/O device using the FPGA code newly loaded on the card. The invention permits new PCMCIA card designs to be quickly changed and tested by downloading code into the FPGA and operating the card as an I/O device. The nonvolatile nature of an FPGA permits the card to retain its new or modified functions even after it has been powered down. Moreover, the invention permits code changes to be made dynamically without powering down the computer.

Abstract: A subband audio coder employs perfect/non-perfect reconstruction filters, predictive/non-predictive subband encoding, transient analysis, and psycho-acoustic/minimum mean-square-error (mmse) bit allocation over time, frequency and the multiple audio channels to encode/decode a data stream to generate high fidelity reconstructed audio. The audio coder windows the multi-channel audio signal such that the frame size, i.e. number of bytes, is constrained to lie in a desired range, and formats the encoded data so that the individual subframes can be played back as they are received thereby reducing latency. Furthermore, the audio coder processes the baseband portion (0-24 kHz) of the audio bandwidth for sampling frequencies of 48 kHz and higher with the same encoding/decoding algorithm so that audio coder architecture is future compatible.

Abstract: A mounting device for mounting non-contacting distance sensors to a variable-height implement of a paver or other construction vehicle is disclosed. The mounting device includes two extension arm assemblies, each extension arm assembly having an inner section and an outer section that are movable relative to each other, with the inner section being mounted to the variable-height implement. The mounting device further includes a beam assembly attached to the outer sections of the extension arm assemblies. The beam assembly includes a beam and mounting brackets for attaching a plurality of non-contacting distance sensors to the beam.

Abstract: A multi-range, synchronous shifting, hydromechanical transmission according to the present invention is suitable for application in an automotive drivetrain including a high speed engine. The transmission receives split power inputs from the engine; one input being geared down to a suitable lower speed for driving a continuously variable hydrostatic transmission unit, while the other input drives a counter shaft from which mechanical outputs are take at different speed ratios. A planetary gear set, driven by the hydrostatic transmission unit output, is shiftable to provide either a narrow continuously variable speed hydrostatic output, range suitable for transmission operation in low output ranges or a wide continuously variable speed hydrostatic output range suitable for transmission operation in high output ranges.

Abstract: A battery pack having an electrical circuit including a battery array of one or more batteries, a thermostat switch, and a positive temperature coefficient resistor (PTCR). Preferably, the thermostat and PTCR are disposed in a trianguloid channel formed by the nip of adjacent cylindrical batteries in a multiple battery pack so that the finished pack may have the same size and shape as a non-protected pack for the same application. Preferably, the batteries are rechargeable and the pack includes a charging plug connected across the battery array in series with the thermostat and PTCR. Preferably, the pack is wrapped in a film of a heat-shrinkable polymer to provide physical integrity.