Abstract: A pension insurance plan system and method protect the outstanding balance of a defined contribution plan loan secured by participant's plan assets, eliminating adverse tax consequences to the plan beneficiary in the event of the death or disability of the participant and ensuring that the full plan account balance passes intact to beneficiary in such event.

Abstract: The instant invention relates to storage stable solutions of optical brighteners based on certain salt forms of anilino-substituted bistriazinyl derivatives of 4,4?-diaminostilbene-2,2?-disulphonic acid which do not need extra solubilising additives.

Abstract: An electro-optic deflector 51 has an electro-optic material body 519 through which an optical beam 46 is passed. The deflector has no more than three longitudinal electrodes, of which no more than two electrodes 511, 512 have arcuate transverse cross-sections. The electrodes are arranged to create an electric field substantially transverse to a direction of the optical beam to deflect the optical beam passing between the electrodes. The electro-optic deflector has particular application in a Q-switched laser for generating sub-nanosecond optical pulses.

Abstract: A mechanism for bandwidth selection includes a dispersive optical element having a body including a reflective face of dispersion including an area of incidence extending in a longitudinal axis direction along the reflective face of the dispersive optical element. The body also includes a first end block, disposed at a first longitudinal end of the body and a second end block, disposed at a second longitudinal end of the body, the second longitudinal end being opposite the first longitudinal end.

Abstract: Systems and methods for processing an index are described. An index may be merged with another index of comparable age and size into a single index. Since older indexes are less likely to need updating, they are “set aside” to age based on certain adaptive criteria such as the age and size of the index, percentage of deletions, and how long it takes to update the index. An index that has been set aside may be compacted into a format that is optimized for fast searching.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a support frame, a resilient member, a seat, and a retainer. The resilient member has a first end portion configured to be coupled to the support frame and a second end portion, opposite from the first end portion. The seat is configured to be coupled to the second end portion such that the seat is suspended from the support frame by the resilient member. At least one of the first end portion and the second end portion includes multiple sleeves, each defining an opening therein. A portion of the retainer is configured to be disposed within a first one of the sleeves and coupled to at least one of the seat and the support frame such that a position of the seat relative to the support frame is adjustable by disposing the portion of the retainer within a second one of the sleeves.

Abstract: An HDMI cable carries high speed encoded data which are transmitted differentially over data channels, along with a clock. High-frequency loss and differential skew within a differential signal may be compensated by analog circuits embedded in the cable. These embedded circuits are tuned at production for best performance by observing the quality of the recovered analog signal. The embedded circuits are powered by a combination of power sources, both carried within the cable, and harvested from the high-speed signals themselves. Corresponding method and system for calibrating the cable are also provided.

Abstract: Systems and methods for processing an index are described. A pulse in an inverted index refers to a group of items that do not occur in any other pulse in the index. When processing a query against an inverted index in which pulses are present, the query is processed against a single pulse. The end of the pulse is determined based on the characteristics of the pulse and the linked list nodes that comprise the postings lists from which the index was generated. In some embodiments, index updates are applied to the query result obtained from a single pulse to provide an efficient and up to date query result.

Abstract: A leak detector sleeve allows performing leak detection at a flanged joint. The leak detector sleeve is made of elastomeric material that allows achieving a gas-tight seal when the leak detector sleeve encircles a flanged joint. The leak detector sleeve includes a hole that communicates with a gap in the flanged joint, thereby allowing the tip of a sniffer probe to be placed in or near the hole to detect whether the flanged joint is leaking. The leak detector sleeve is made of material that will withstand the operating temperature of the flanged joint without becoming hardened or brittle. A method for detecting a leak using the leak detector sleeve allows for efficiently and conveniently detecting leaks. In addition, the sleeve may be easily used and reused without the adverse effects or intensive manual labor required in the prior art.

Abstract: A pension insurance plan method involves administering claims made against a pension debt coverage policy provided in the plan. The policy protects an outstanding balance of a defined contribution plan loan secured by participant's plan assets, eliminating adverse tax consequences to the plan beneficiary in the event of the death or disability of the participant and ensuring that the full plan account balance passes intact to beneficiary in such event.

Abstract: An operator restraint system is provided. The operator restraint system includes a seatbelt payout sensor and a seatbelt buckle assembly. The seatbelt buckle assembly includes a housing and an alarm assembly. The alarm assembly includes at least one of a light source configured to generate a visible signal and an annunciator configured to generate an audible signal. A controller is associated with at least one of the seatbelt payout sensor and the alarm assembly. The controller is configured to receive from the seatbelt payout sensor a signal indicative of a length of a seatbelt that has been withdrawn, determine whether the length of the seatbelt that has been withdrawn is within a predetermined range, and control the alarm assembly to selectively generate at least one of the visible signal and the audible signal to remind an operator regarding employment of the seatbelt based on the determination.

Abstract: Lubricant with non-terminal functional groups. The location of the functional groups minimizes free chain length and molecular weight of a lubricant while simultaneously maximizing evaporation temperature. The locations of the functional groups to the backbone of the molecule of the lubricant allows for shorter lengths of free backbone length between functional groups attached to a lubricated surface. The lubricant lubricates mechanical devices including hard disk drives.

Abstract: A hybrid printing system including (a) a machine frame; (b) a multi-color image producing module mounted within the machine frame and including color image output terminals and an endless intermediate transfer member for receiving color images from the color image output terminals to form a multi-color image; (c) a separate black image producing module mounted within the machine frame spaced from the multi-color image producing module and including a black image output terminal; and (d) a print media transport/transfer module mounted within the machine frame for receiving and moving image receiving print media through the machine frame, the print media transport/transfer module including a repositionable electrostatic transport/transfer member having multi-positions including (i) a first position forming a first image transfer nip with the endless intermediate transfer member, and (ii) a second position forming a second image transfer nip with the black image output terminal.

Abstract: An image compilation production system and method, for use in a setting attended by multiple visitors. The system comprises multiple identification devices, multiple digital image capturing devices, and a reader device associated with each of the image capturing devices. Each identification device includes an electronic data storage device having identification data stored therein. One of the identification devices is carried by at least one of the visitors to the setting. The reader device activates the digital image capturing device to capture the image of the visitor when the identification data stored in the electronic data storage device of the identification device is carried within the detection range of the associated reader device by the visitor.

Abstract: Biomedical devices, such as ophthalmic lenses, and methods of making such devices having a surface coating including at least one polyionic layer. A preferred method involves spray coating a polycationic material onto a core lens, rinsing and drying the lens, followed by spray coating a polyanionic material, rinsing and drying. The coating process may be applied a plurality of times to achieve a multi-layer coating on the lens surface. A particularly preferred embodiment is a contact lens comprising a highly oxygen permeable hydrophobic core coated with a 5 to 20 bilayers of hydrophilic polyionic materials.

Abstract: A composition containing copper and silver ions electrolytically generated in a solution of citric acid that also contains potassium carbonate is shown to expedite the healing of wounds with regeneration of normal tissue architecture and without excessive scarring. A wide range of wounds and other forms of tissue damage affecting the skin and other areas of the body respond favorably to the direct application of the composition, with expedited healing, re-growth of normal appearing (non-scar) tissue and symptomatic relief from pain and swelling. The composition acts in both humans and animals through a novel mechanism provisionally termed the tissue regeneration induced pathway (TRIP).

Abstract: A tamper evident lid assembly (10) for a mouth of a container (12) comprises a lid (15) to close the mouth of the container, and a strip (14) preventing removal of the lid. Removal or disconnection of the strip (14) enables the lid (15) to be removed. The strip (14) defines at one end a block (20) with an aperture (24), and also defines serrated teeth (22) along at least part of its length, such that after removing the strip from the lid assembly it may be used as a cable tie.

Abstract: Perfume compositions and method of formulating perfume composition are designed for use in wash-off system with a linear citrus perfume release and either any of the following effects: a desired initial release with minimal residual perfume on the targeted system, a long sustained release of fragrance, or a residual deposition of fragrance after use.

Abstract: Techniques involving the generation of signals at particular frequencies are disclosed. For instance, an apparatus may include an oscillator module, a synthesizer module, and a control module. The oscillator module produces an oscillator signal having a first frequency. From the oscillator signal, the synthesizer module produces an output signal having a second frequency. A frequency multiplier corresponds to the first and second frequencies. The control module selects the first frequency and the frequency multiplier such that a difference between the second frequency and a nearest integer multiple of the first frequency is greater than a predetermined threshold. As a result, reductions in spurious outputs may be achieved.