Abstract: A method for wirelessly transferring operational information to an RFID reader using a tag-reader air interface. An RFID tag emulator capable of formatting operational information for an RFID reader into a standard RFID tag transmission signal format and transmitting it as a standard RFID tag transmission signal that may be read by a standard RFID reader. An RFID reader that can read information formatted in a standard RFID tag transmission signal format and extract operational information and storing it for use in the operation of the RFID reader.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for maintenance of a ship propeller including the steps of: placing a flexible habitat having an open upper end over an uppermost blade and a portion of the propeller hub, and establishing a gas seal between the upper end of the habitat and the blade to close the habitat at its upper end. After fixing the lower end of the habitat relatively to the propeller, compressed gas is preferably introduced into the habitat to displace the water in the habitat. The apparatus for maintenance of a ship propeller under water comprises a flexible habitat with an open upper end. The habitat has a gas seal adapted to cooperate with a propeller blade surface to establish a gas seal to close the habitat at its upper end and fixing means adapted to fix the open lower end of the habitat relatively to the propeller. A means for introducing compressed gas into the habitat is provided.

Abstract: A transponder for a radio frequency identification system, the transponder comprising a UHF antenna, an LF antenna, an HF antenna, a charge storing device and an electronic circuit comprising UHF, LF and HF antenna ports; a UHF RFID protocol engine; a DF RFID protocol engine; shared memory for the two protocol engines; a UHF receiver, rectifier and data extractor; an LF receiver, rectifier and data extractor; a UHF modulator; an HF modulator; a decision circuit for selecting either the UHF energy source or the LF energy source; and a digital controller capable of selecting either the UHF protocol engine or the DF protocol engine or both, depending on which energy source is present and the strength of that energy source.

Abstract: An animal protein-based dog treat has a soft crunch and a stable shelf life without use of an appreciable amount of sodium or chemical preservatives. A method of producing the dog treat entails use of extrusion and heating processes to trap moisture in the interior of the dog treat, and then to expand and evaporate the moisture. This process creates in an internal portion of the dog treat voids or air pockets that provide desired texture and strength characteristics.

Abstract: An environmentally friendly fiberglass utility pole that comes in three sections that are telescoped one around the other to provide a strong, wind and bending resistant structure. Each of the three sections has alternating protruding and intruding surfaces that are slip fit together to provide maximum strength while conserving material. Additionally, each of the three sections preferably are different lengths such that maximum reinforcement is provided along the center of the length of the pole, without requiring excessive material (or weight) at the top end of the pole.

Abstract: A transponder for a radio frequency identification system, the transponder comprising a UHF antenna, an LF antenna, an HF antenna, a charge storing device and an electronic circuit comprising UHF, LF and HF antenna ports; a UHF RFID protocol engine; a DF RFID protocol engine; shared memory for the two protocol engines; a UHF receiver, rectifier and data extractor; an LF receiver, rectifier and data extractor; a UHF modulator; an HF modulator; a decision circuit for selecting either the UHF energy source or the LF energy source; and a digital controller capable of selecting either the UHF protocol engine or the DF protocol engine or both, depending on which energy source is present and the strength of that energy source.

Abstract: A hermetically-sealed valve position indicator is provided with a valve control handwheel. Indicator includes a magnetic-coupling with a stationary mount for the valve control handwheel. During operation of valve control handwheel, its handwheel and shaft rotate along with a housing, housing cover, housing window, primary shaft, and drive gear about the actuator's central axis of rotation—clockwise or counterclockwise. Drive gear engages with drive train to rotate a needle across a dial face to indicate the position of a valve. Drive train includes two gears rotatably attached to a secondary shaft and an indicator gear attached to a back end of sleeve slid over a front portion of primary shaft. The needle is disposed on the front end of sleeve with the dial face positioned between the indicator gear and the needle.

Abstract: A float for use in capturing energy from waves, said float comprising: a central body providing buoyancy, said float further comprising: a leading part which has a leading surface which, in use of the float, is inclined upwards from horizontal such that the top of said leading surface projects further from said central body than the bottom of said leading surface and/or a trailing part which, in use of said float, extends downwards from said central body and presents a trailing surface which is inclined downwards from horizontal such that the top of said trailing surface is closer to said body than the bottom of said trailing surface.

Abstract: A protective cover for a portable electronic device that includes a main body portion that is adapted to at least partially surround and enclose a portable electronic device. The main body portion includes a rear section that has an accessory slot defined therein. The accessory slot removably receives an accessory assembly that includes a base having an accessory mounted thereto.

Abstract: The use of an agent in the manufacture of a medicament to affect an allergic condition and/or a hypersensitivity condition is described. The agent is capable of modulating a ganglioside associated activity. The agent is not coupled to an antigen. The modulation of the ganglioside activity affects an allergic condition and/or a hypersensitivity condition.

Abstract: A method for making an inverted digital file of digital surface map data and the fabrication of a dental restoration model mold that includes elements of digital scanning of either an impression taken of a patients teeth, a model fabricated from casting or otherwise replicating the patient restoration and adjacent teeth impression, or the manipulation of a digital scan data file of the patient restoration and adjacent sites. The digital data is manipulated by inverting the data contained in the file to precisely create the inverse image of the digital data to render a shell that exactly replicates the surface topography of the restoration site in an inverted manner. A mold fabricated from this inverted data does not require separation, disassembly or distortion to release the positive model cast from the mold.

Abstract: A protective cover assembly for a portable electronic device that includes a cushion enclosure that has a main body portion and a pouch pivotably connected to the main body portion, and front and back shells that cooperate to form a hard shell housing that at least partially encloses the main body portion of the cushion enclosure. The pouch extends outside the hard shell housing and is pivotable between a docking position and a non-docking position.

Abstract: A system and method to render 3D images from a 2D source are described. An embodiment of a method to render 3D images from a 2D source comprises the steps of providing a graphics rendering device to estimate depth of a 2D image; providing video or graphics textures and depth-maps to describe an object in a 3D scene; creating, in one embodiment, a single view angle and in another preferred embodiment at least two view angles of the 3D scene to represent an intraocular distance using the graphics rendering device; and presenting both of the at least two view angles on a display using the graphics rendering device and especially the commonly available 3D imaging technology of the graphics rendering device.

Abstract: A sub-title detection system and method for television video are provided in which a static region detection is performed, and the results of the static region detection are pruned using a feature based on density of horizontal transition pairs, an intelligent adaptive temporal filtering is performed that uses object-level subtitle information and has suitable properties for integration in a streaming video environment, rectangular bounding boxes are computed around the subtitle using height, width and filling-degree constraints, and finally, subtitle bounding boxes are identified by binary classification based on text stroke alignment features.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a Universal Pumping Platform (UPP) that comprises a platform containing an electric motor that drives a hydraulic pump for producing high pressure hydraulic fluid and one or more pumps powered by the hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic pump. The pump is selected for the desired commissioning method to be carried out, such as filling, chemical treating, pigging, hydrostatic testing or dewatering the pipeline. The UPP is suspended from a vessel by an umbilical that provides the electric current for the electric motor supported by the UPP.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a Universal Power Platform (UPP) that powers the pump or pumps that may not be on the platform but that are in a skid subsea near the pipeline for a desired pre-commissioning method to be carried out, such as cleaning, filling, chemical treating, pigging, hydrostatic testing or dewatering the pipeline. The UPP is suspended from a vessel by an umbilical that provides the electric power for running the selected pump(s). The Power Platform also is used as a testing system for control umbilicals that usually are near the pipelines.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a Geometric Universal Pumping Platform (GUPP) that comprises a platform containing an electric motor that drives a hydraulic pump for producing high pressure hydraulic fluid and one or more pumps powered by the hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic pump. The pump is selected for the desired commissioning method to be carried out, such as flooding, chemical treating, pigging, hydrostatic testing or dewatering the pipeline. The GUPP is suspended from a vessel by an umbilical that provides the electric current for the electric motor supported by the GUPP.

Abstract: A method of collecting information concerning peers of a peer-to-peer network is disclosed. The network includes at least one peer running exchange software configured to broadcast data to at least one client according to a selective exchange protocol enabling the peer to apply a selection of the clients to which data are transferred, this selection being made on the basis of one or more characteristics of the clients.

Abstract: An amplifier (V) for an integrated circuit amplifier circuit (IC) having a switched capacitor circuit (Cs, Cf) includes a capacitor for frequency compensation (CC1) that is connected in parallel to an amplifier stage (V2). This amplifier is advantageous because at least one second capacitor for frequency compensation (CC2) is selectively connected in parallel to the first capacitor for frequency compensation (CC1) via a switch controlled by a capacitor switching signal (clk).

Abstract: A digital filter configuration for the filtration of a digital video signal, wherein the functions of a zoom filter, in the form of a low-pass filter, which is a polyphase filter, and of at least one peaking filter, in the form of a high-pass filter, are realized, wherein the functions of the two filters are realized in a combined filter (1-17) in an integrated circuit in a manner such that, for each phase of the zoom filter to be set, combined filter coefficients are calculated from filter coefficients stored for this phase of the zoom filter and from filter coefficients stored for the peaking filter, which combined filter coefficients are applied to the video data to be filtered in a filtration process, so that both filtration functions are executed with the combined filter coefficients in this filtration process.