Abstract: A machine includes a steering column assembly and a mechanical strut pivotably attached to the steering column assembly. The mechanical strut, free of pressurized gas, is positioned to tilt at least a portion of the steering column assembly about an axis. A tilt adjustment mechanism is movable to release a friction lock mechanism within the mechanical strut. The mechanical strut is telescopically movable through a continuous range of positions when the friction lock mechanism is released.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to a cooling process and system that can be utilized in the manufacture of flexible elongate extruded materials, such as tubing or jacketed electrical wire and cable. More particularly, the present invention relates to a cooling trough for cooling flexible elongate extruded materials after extrusion. Cooling trough embodiments have a base, a wet cooling chamber above the base, and an air dry chamber above the wet cooling chamber. The base contains a reservoir for collecting and storing a cooling liquid. An extruded material, such as a cable, enters the wet cooling chamber, where the cooling liquid from the reservoir is sprayed onto the material, the material is then passed to the air dry chamber where it is dried.

Abstract: A mobile communications device having a digital certificate authenticating the device itself is proposed. A server for authenticating the device and a method of authenticating the device are also disclosed. The device comprises a transmitter, a processor, a memory and a computer readable medium. The memory includes a certificate certifying the authenticity of the mobile communications device, the certificate comprising device-specific data and a digital signature signed by an authority having control of the authenticity of the mobile communications device. The computer readable medium has computer readable instructions stored thereon that when executed configure the processor to instruct the transmitter to transmit a copy of the certificate to a service provider in response to a request to authenticate the mobile communications device with the service provider.

Abstract: A degassing system includes a vessel. A liquid inlet lets liquid into the vessel. A liquid outlet lets liquid out of the vessel. A liquid receiving chamber receives the liquid that enters the vessel through the liquid inlet. The liquid receiving chamber is open on one side. The degassing system further includes a motor having a shaft and a pump coupled to the shaft. The pump has the shape of a cone. The cone has an axis, a narrow end and a wide end. The pump is positioned so that its narrow end is inserted into the open side of the liquid receiving chamber and so that its wide end is close enough to a wall of the vessel so that fluid ejected from the wide end when the pump is spinning will strike the wall. The degassing system includes a gas outlet for releasing gas from the vessel.

Abstract: A vehicle information system operating method performs operations comprising determining an operational period, determining a movement period, determining a modification factor, determining a fuel economy value and determining an adjusted fuel economy value. The determining of the operational period determines the operational period during which a vehicle is running. The determining of the movement period determines the movement period during which the vehicle is in motion. The determining of the modification factor determines the modification factor based on respective durations of the operational period and the movement period. The determining of the fuel economy value determines the fuel economy value associated with the operational period. The determining of the adjusted fuel economy value determines the adjusted fuel economy value based on the fuel economy value and the modification factor.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided in one example embodiment and it includes a first node coupled to an active endpoint and a standby endpoint. The first node communicates with a second node. When the active endpoint experiences a failure, the standby endpoint is activated such that a communication involving the second node continues. The standby endpoint communicates a complete window's worth of packets to the second node after the failure, the window's worth of packets including a last known sequence number acknowledged by the second node. In more specific embodiments, the first node is an L2TP network server (LNS) and the second node is an L2TP access concentrator (LAC). The last known sequence number was check pointed by the active endpoint to the standby endpoint.

Abstract: A system and method for managing output such as printing, faxing, and e-mail over various types of computer networks. In one aspect, the method provides for printing via a wireless device. The system provides renderable data to the wireless device by which a user-interface (UI) may be rendered. The UI enables users to select source data and an output device on which the source data are to be printed. The source data are then retrieved from a local or remote store and forwarded to a print service, which renders output image data corresponding to the source data and the output device that was selected. The output image data are then submitted to the output device to be physically rendered. The user-interfaces enable wired and wireless devices to access the system. The system enables documents to be printed by reference, and enables access to resources behind firewalls.

Abstract: An array of personal care product packages comprises a first package containing a first personal care product and a second package containing a second personal care product. The first package and the second package are each of a single primary brand. The first package is of a first sub-brand and the second package is of a second sub-brand that is different than the first sub-brand. Each package further includes a visual schema, where the visual schema comprises a primary viewing area. The primary viewing area includes a product identification region comprising product identification indicia, a qualitative information region comprising qualitative information indicia, and a photographic region comprising photographic indicia. In addition, the visual schema is repeated for the first package and the second package.

Abstract: A mobile authorization service may be implemented as a web-based service, hosted on an authorization service server, and may exchange messages with various computing devices of subscribers to the service, including mobile communication devices. The service may be implemented as a software application executing on the server, and may include a client portion executing on subscriber computer systems and/or mobile communication devices, or subscribers may interact with the service using a text messaging application or a web browsing application. The service may receive an authorization request from a subscriber and may send a request message to an approver. The approver may send a reply message to the service indicating an answer. After authenticating the reply, the service may provide a response to the requester. The service may store information regarding authorization requests and responses. An authorization service subscriber account may be configurable for an individual or corporate subscriber.

Abstract: Various pentosan polysulfate (PPS) formulations useful for treatment of osteoarthritis, interstitial cystitis, and other conditions of mammals are provided. These formulations showed improved resistance to degradation and discoloration and improved stability at physiological pH, even after sterilization. Capillary electrophoresis analysis of these formulations indicates that various formulations remain stable under conditions that caused degradation of PPS in prior art PPS formulations.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method and apparatus for optimizing conditional code by identifying conditional code in a source code, adding a no-operation instruction to an executable code corresponding to the source code in place of the conditional code, adding an entry to a table to pair the no-operation instruction to the conditional code, compiling the conditional code, and storing the compiled conditional code separate from the executable code. A computer-implemented method and apparatus to optimize conditional code by loading an executable code to be executed, checking whether conditional code associated with the executable code is enabled for execution, looking up a location of a no-operation instruction in a table and a location of a compiled conditional code in the table, and replacing the no-operation instruction in the executable code with the compiled conditional code.

Abstract: A process for providing healthcare consumers advance notice of changes in network status of their healthcare service providers and/or medications whereby data indicating one or more healthcare service providers and/or medications used by a given healthcare consumer is obtained along with data indicating the given healthcare consumer's healthcare insurance plan. Data indicating all “in-network” healthcare service providers and/or medications for the given healthcare consumer's healthcare insurance plan is then obtained. The data indicating one or more healthcare service providers and/or medications used by a given healthcare consumer is then compared with the data indicating all in-network healthcare service providers and/or medications for the given healthcare consumer's healthcare insurance plan.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for the automatic configuration of digital utility meters. One embodiment provides for pre-producing digital devices, the digital devices comprising integrated module components, configured for communication with a data management system via a wireless network and further configured for monitoring capability, producing a list file associated with the digital devices and including identities for each integrated module component, activating a digital devices using the wireless network, and distributing deployment information to the digital device from at least one configuration server via the wireless network, including customer data for configuring the digital device and for registering the digital device with a transaction management system.

Abstract: By providing a unique product enhancing step which enables any desired section, portion, or element of a product being produced to be treated in a manner to provide desired enhanced physical, structural, and/or aesthetics characteristics, a new, fully integrated enhanced foam manufacturing system is attained which is capable of producing virtually any desired foam product, with each product incorporating any desired area or zone being formed with a particular physical, structural, and/or aesthetic property, characteristic, or enhancement. In addition, in accordance with the teaching of the present invention, any desired cross-sectional shape or configuration is capable of being manufactured in fully automated, high volume, rapid production conditions, with virtual ease and simplicity, with a specific physical, structural, or aesthetic property incorporated therein.

Abstract: A network operation center for a light management system having networked intelligent luminaire managers. A plurality of networked luminaire managers, each collocated with a respective luminaire, monitor the status of their respective luminaires. The luminaire managers include transmitters for transmitting status information about their respective luminaires and third-party devices to a network server. The network server forwards the received status information from the networked luminaire managers to a computer of an owner/operator of the plurality of luminaires and/or a third-party user. The luminaire managers communicate with each other, whereby they form a network.

Abstract: A method of using a mobile device to determine movement, relative to the mobile device, of a print medium being printed on by the mobile device is disclosed. The mobile device includes a printer. The mobile device further includes a sensor in a media feed path of the printer and a processing means. A surface of the print medium bears coded data indicative of a plurality of locations on the surface. The method uses the sensor to sense the coded data at a plurality of locations on the surface. The sensed coded data is decoded in order to determine the locations, and the movement of the print medium relative to sensor is determined from the locations.

Abstract: Mitigating electrostatic discharge damage when fabricating a 3-D integrated circuit package, wherein in one embodiment when a second tier die is placed in contact with a first tier die, conductive bumps near the perimeter of the second tier die that are electrically coupled to the substrate of the second tier die make contact with corresponding conductive bumps on the first tier die that are electrically coupled to the substrate of first tier die before other signal conductive bumps and power conductive bumps on the second tier and first tier dice make electrical contact.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a stable solid formulations of tetrahydrobiopterin, processes for producing them, and treatment methods using such formulations.

Abstract: The current invention provides a persistent phosphor blend, along with techniques for making and using the blend. The persistent phosphor blend is made of at least one persistent phosphor combined with at least one other phosphor, where the excitation spectra of the one or more other phosphors overlap the emission spectra of the one or more persistent phosphors. The choice of the phosphors used allows the decay time and emission colors to be tuned for the specific application. In another embodiment, the invention provides a method for making persistent phosphor blends with tunable colors. In yet another embodiment, applications for such a persistent phosphor blend are provided.