Abstract: A system, method and computer program product for conducting questions and answers with deferred type evaluation based on any corpus of data. The method includes processing a query including waiting until a “Type” is determined AND a candidate answer is provided; the Type is not required as part of a predetermined ontology but is a lexical/grammatical item. Then, a search is conducted for evidence that the candidate answer has the required LAT (e.g., as determined by a matching function leveraging a parser, a semantic interpreter and/or a pattern matcher). Alternately, the LAT may be matched to a known Ontological Type and then a candidate answer searched in an knowledge-base or database determined by that type. Then, all the evidence from all the different ways to determine that the candidate answer has the expected lexical answer type (LAT) is combined and one or more answers provided.

Abstract: A medical device and method for breaking a concretion in a body into smaller pieces and removing the pieces from the body are described. The device has a dilator sheath, a lithotripsy probe, a tubular member, and a retrieval basket. The dilator sheath adapted to penetrate into a passage of the body to reach the location where the concretion is located. The lithotripsy probe is configured for shattering the concretion into smaller pieces. The tubular member is mounted within the dilator sheath adapted to permit the lithotripsy probe to be inserted into the tubular member. The retrieval basket is coupled to the tubular member, and configured for entrapping the concretion and the smaller pieces for their extraction from the body.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for for matching objects is disclosed. At least two images where one of the at least two images has a first target object and a second of the at least two images has a second target object are received. At least one first patch from the first target object and at least one second patch from the second target object are extracted. A distance-based part encoding between each of the at least one first patch and the at least one second patch based upon a corresponding codebook of image parts including at least one of part type and pose is constructed. A viewpoint of one of the at least one first patch is warped to a viewpoint of the at least one second patch. A parts level similarity measure based on the view-invariant distance measure for each of the at least one first patch and the at least one second patch is applied to determine whether the first target object and the second target object are the same or different objects.

Abstract: A spray nozzle includes an orifice disposed on a substantially planar discharge surface. An impingement surface is disposed opposite the orifice, the impingement surface forming an angle with a centerline of the orifice. The angle between the orifice centerline and the surface is less than 90 degrees. A deflection ridge bridges a gap between the impingement surface and the discharge surface. The deflection ridge encompasses a partial circumference of the nozzle. The nozzle includes a fluid fitting adapted for providing a pressurized fluid to the orifice.

Abstract: A system and method for processing video data are disclosed. In one aspect, a method includes generating halftone data for a first video frame and generating halftone data for a second video frame. The method further includes, to reduce at least one visual artifact, selectively copying the halftone data for the first video frame into the halftone data for the second video frame, the selectively copying being based upon a comparison between an adaptive threshold and the change resulting due to the copying of the data, in the human visual system model-based perceptual error of the halftone data for the second video frame.

Abstract: Provided is a liquid crystal display device including: a plurality of column spacers and a first alignment film which are formed above the first substrate; an insulating layer which is formed on the second substrate and a second alignment film which is formed on the insulating layer; and column spacer receiving members which are provided between the insulating layer and the second alignment film in places opposed to the plurality of column spacers, the column spacer receiving members each being made of a material different from both of a material of the insulating layer and a material of the second alignment film, in which a thickness of the second alignment film in places above the column spacer receiving members is ? or less of a thickness of the second alignment film in places in which the second alignment film is formed directly on the insulating layer.

Abstract: A radio communications apparatus includes a network position detector for detecting information on the position of the communication device on a radio telecommunications network, a network connection detector for detecting the disengagement of the device from the network, and a controller for controlling the transmission timing of join signals. The controller is adapted to vary a transmission timeout period, upon expiring of which a join signal is sent out, depending on the information about the positions on the network. The radio communications device is thus able to decrease the probability of occurrence of collision to thereby reduce the time taken for reestablishing the network.

Abstract: The present invention is thus directed to methods and apparatus for decreasing pressure in a first portion of a vessel of the cardiac structure of a patient by implanting a shunt communicating with an area outside said first portion, whereby a volume of blood sufficient to reduce pressure in said first portion is released. Preferably, the first portion comprises the left ventricle and the pressure reduced is the end diastolic pressure, which is accomplished by having the shunt communicate with the left ventricle so a small volume of blood is released from the left ventricle to reduce the end diastolic pressure.

Abstract: Instead of estimating a saturation value for an ADC color comb register of an LCD made in a region without a standard color bar, a standard color bar of another geographic region is used to calculate the saturation value for the register so as to optimize the color of images presented on the LCD.

Abstract: A high density memory architecture comprising magnetic racetrack memory and a method of operation. The memory architecture comprises a plurality of magnetic memory structures, each the structure formed of magnetic material; a sensing device associated with each magnetic memory structure; first decoder device initiating a track select signal for activating a single magnetic memory structure from among the plurality to perform a bit read or bit storage operation; a bit drive device for applying a first signal to form a new magnetic memory domain associated with a bit value to be stored in the activated magnetic memory structure at a first position thereof during a bit storage operation; and, a second decoder applying a second signal for advancing each the formed magnetic memory domain toward a second position of the activated memory structure. The sensing device reads a memory bit value stored at a magnetic domain at the second position of the activated memory structure.

Abstract: Multicomponent nanoparticles materials and apparatuses and processes therefor are disclosed. In one aspect of the disclosure, separate particles generated from solution or suspension or by flame synthesis or flame spray pyrolysis, and the resultant particles are mixed in chamber prior to collection or deposition. In another aspect of the disclosure, nanoparticles are synthesized in stagnation or Bunsen flames and allowed to deposit by thermophoresis on a moving substrate. These techniques are scalable allowing mass production of multicomponent nanoparticles materials and films. The foregoing techniques can be used to prepare composites and component devices comprising one or more lithium based particles intimately mixed with carbon particles.

Abstract: The invention provides a knee stabilizing brace which is usable regardless of a damaged portion of a ligament of a knee joint.

Abstract: A semiconductor wafer 10 has a plurality of semiconductor chip areas 10a and a scribe area 10b, each of the semiconductor chip areas 10a having semiconductor elements and electrode pads (electrode portions) 16a electrically connected to the respective semiconductor elements, the scribe area 10b having monitor elements and electrode pads (electrode portions) 16b electrically connected to the monitor elements, wherein projecting electrodes 18 are selectively formed only on the respective electrode pads 16a in the semiconductor chip areas 10a by electroless plating. Thus, for example, the electrode pads 16b are covered with an insulating film 14.

Abstract: A mobile terminal that executes an application using context information in a plurality of environments in which determined context information is different. A storage stores an environment ID indicating environment in which a user is located and corresponding context information indicating user's context in association with an application ID; a receiver receives one environment ID and one condition determination result information from a context management server assigned in each environment, for delivering one environment ID indicating the environment and one condition determination result information indicating the user's context in the environment; a determining mechanism determines the application ID stored in the storage based on one environment ID and one condition determination result information received by the receiver means; and an execution mechanism executes the application corresponding to the application ID determined by the determining mechanism.

Abstract: A semiconductor memory device includes a memory region including memory cells configured to store data, a redundant region including memory cells configured to store data, and a control unit. The control unit is responsive to an erase command to execute, prior to an erase operation corresponding to the erase command, an error detection operation on data read from the memory region to detect whether the memory region is a defective memory region to be replaced by the redundant region.

Abstract: A central server controls the receipt and analysis of patient medical data and patient information. The central server receives patient medical data and patient information from a sensor or a remote computer. A storage system of the central server stores the received patient medical data, patient information, and the associated medical report prepared by the analysis software on the central server after analysis of the patient medical data. The medical report associated with the patient medical data is transmitted from the central server to the remote computer. Also, a method controls the acquisition and analysis of patient medical data over a network by a central server from a remote computer operably interconnected by the network with the central server.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for web page caching. In one aspect, a method includes a request to a server for a service in which the request specifies a natural language of a client user interface in a header of the request. A response from the server is received indicating that future requests for the service to the server are to identify the natural language in a uniform resource locator (URL) for the service. The URL is modified to include a path component that specifies the natural language. Future requests to the server for the modified URL are transmitted and information is received in response that is localized to the natural language specified in the path component of the modified URL.

Abstract: A coaxial cable connector suitable for assembly with one of a series of coaxial cables having one same specification and different wire outer diameters is disclosed to use a plastic bushing for compressing by a barrel to wrap about the coaxial cable and compress an inner tube against the aluminum foil and insulation spacer of the coaxial cable, protecting the coaxial cable against weather and extending the lifespan, an O-ring in a locating groove around a front neck of a body shell or on an annular rear contact face of a screw nut to seal the gap between the screw nut and the body shell, and a curved spring plate for stoppage between an annular front stop face of the body shell and an annular rear contact face of the screw nut for grounding to enhance signal transmission reliability.

Abstract: An electrical beverage brewer (10) having a controller (26) responsive to a start switch (72) to operate a brew cycle by dispensing hot water from a tank (42) to beverage ingredient within a brew basket (38) through a bent tube (78) mounted to the water tank (42) for rotation about an axis aligned with an external horizontal rotary section (90) of the bent tube (78) between a closed position in which an inlet (80) of a swinging tubular section (79) is in a relatively elevated, closed position and an open position at a lower elevation relative to the closed position.

Abstract: A keyboard includes a keyboard main body and a supporting apparatus. A first extending portion is extended from a sidewall of the keyboard main body. A number of keys are set on a top of the keyboard main body. A second extending portion is extended from a sidewall of the supporting apparatus and mounted to the first extending portion. A supporting device is set on a top of the supporting apparatus, opposite to the second extending portion.