Abstract: A boat hook and line handling device designed to facilitate positioning and handling of a mooring or docking line during a boat docking operation is removably mounted on an extendable pole. The device has a clip with an elongated body and a free end. An attachment connects the clip with the boat hook shaft and encircles the shaft of the boat hook. A docking line may be wedged between the clip and the shaft of the boat hook to form a loop to engage a piling.

Abstract: A method for preventing abduction of a person, the method includes the steps of capturing a first image of a first adult and a first person upon entering a premises; inputting the captured first image in a database; capturing a second image of a second adult and a second person upon exiting the premises; and comparing the first and second images for predetermined characteristics for validating that the first adult associated with the first person in the first image is the same as the second adult associated with the second person in the second image.

Abstract: A method of specifying a truth table includes generating a block diagram model, generating a statechart in the block diagram model, selecting a truth table graphical function in the statechart, and applying a set of graphical semantics for logic specification to the truth table graphical function combined with textual language predicates and actions.

Abstract: A line handling device designed to facilitate positioning and handling of a mooring or docking line during a boat docking operation is removably mounted on an extendable pole, such as a boat hook. The device has an elongated body with a tapered end. A longitudinal groove is formed in the body to accommodate the shaft of the boat hook. A flexible resilient fastener is attached to the body and encircles the shaft of the boat hook. A docking line may be wedged between the clip and the shaft of the boat hook to form a loop to engage a piling.

Abstract: A coating composition includes a material adapted to form a coating; and a material that fluoresces when exposed to U.V. light or the material adapted to form a coating contains a U.V. blocker disposed on a U.V. indicator. A kit containing a U.V. indicator and material adapted to form a coating containing a U.V. blocker. Methods of coating a substrate with the coating compositions are also disclosed.

Abstract: In fittings designed to connect threadless electrical conduits, the improvement of providing raintight fittings, includes a hollow cylindrical housing with a bore adapted to receive an end of a conduit to be connected with such a fitting and a compression ring with a solid ring portion assembled on the conduit along with a seal, with the solid ring portion providing a radial surface for advancing the seal along the conduit and to compress the seal radially against the conduit to effect a raintight seal between the housing and the conduit and segmented projections extending from the solid ring portion which segments are compressed against the conduit by a nut system driving the segments into the surface of the conduit to lock it in the fitting when the radial face of the compression ring abuts against a stop in the housing after compressing the seal.

Abstract: A water tight fitting for joining electrical conduits without threads to other components includes a circular housing having a bore operable to receive the end of a conduit to be joined with another component by said fitting, at least one screw means associated with the fitting operable to engage the end of a conduit inserted in such bore to lock the same in said fitting, at least one compression means having an aperture enabling it to freely slide over such conduit and operable to engage the housing to advance the compression means axially along such conduit received in the housing, and sealing means positioned between the compression means and the housing operable to effect a water tight seal between the housing and such conduit when the compressing means compresses the sealing means against the housing as it axially advances in the housing.

Abstract: A container for liquids is proposed, with a first chamber for a first liquid and an additional chamber for a second liquid. Between these two chambers t least one additional chamber is provided for the mechanical joining together of the liquid-filled chambers. This additional chamber is sealed from the liquid-filled chambers.

Abstract: An active termination for a transmission line comprising a reference impedance, a terminating impedance and a control circuit. The reference and terminating impedances are identical circuits made on the same integrated circuit in close proximity to one another. Both impedances are made of an active and a passive resistor in series. The active resistor is a CMOS transistor operated as a voltage controlled resistor. A control circuit senses the impedance of the reference impedance and generates a control signal to change the impedance of the reference and terminating impedances such that they are made equal to the impedance of the transmission line. An alternate embodiment of the invention comprises an active resistor and a passive resistor in series to form a terminating impedance network. A control circuit senses the voltage on the transmission line and adjusts the active resistor to terminate the transmission line with the correct value of resistance.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing portions of primitives that are being rendered is presented. Primitives that are received are divided into portions that correspond to pixel blocks of the frame. The frame includes a plurality of pixel blocks where each of the pixel blocks includes a plurality of pixels that are included in the frame. Thus, the pixel blocks divide the frame into a number of smaller blocks. A representative Z value for each portion of the primitive is determined, and the representative Z value for the portion of the primitive is compared with a representative buffered Z, which may be the representative buffer Z value for the pixel block to which the portion corresponds. If the representative Z value for the portion compares favorably with the representative buffered Z value such that the portion is determined to lie completely behind the information currently stored for that pixel block, the portion is discarded.

Abstract: A method of aligning the polarization axis of a polarization maintaining optical fiber to the polarization of a light source comprising passing a well-polarized uniform beam through a polarization maintaining optical fiber; sending the beam through a polarizer; ascertaining the beam with a detector; and rotating the polarization of the beam such that the polarization output is substantially independent of wavelength.

Abstract: In general, the invention is directed to an implantable medical device assembly having a more space-efficient housing and components, as well as processes for assembling the implantable medical device with reduced assembly cost and less complexity. The implantable medical device may incorporate a battery, capacitor, circuit assembly, feedthrough assembly, and interconnect assembly with respective electrical terminals. This configuration permits the use of automated electronic module assembly techniques such as parallel gap or ribbon bond welding to electrically connect the terminals. A feedthrough assembly may present a set of terminals adjacent a corresponding set of circuit terminals, also enabling the use of automated welding techniques.

Abstract: An object arresting device prevents rebounding effects when an object is decelerated from a high velocity by causing an impact-induced flow of fluid such as ambient air through a lattice membrane to develop vacuum effects and vortex activity while absorbing and dissipating energy to prevent damage to the object and preventing collisions between objects in a high-speed, high-capacity sorting/transport system. The lattice membrane is preferably formed as a woven fabric of a smooth polymer or synthetic fiber of preferably circular cross-section which causes laminar flow over the fibers and rotational vortex effects in the corners of each aperture which produce a combination of vacuum effects in a direction to oppose rebound motion and energy dissipation effects. The effects produced are proportional to the impact energy and the device is thus adaptive to a wide range of mass and energy limited only by the forces the device can mechanically withstand.

Abstract: An automated chemiluminescence analyzer. A multiport selection valve has a common aspiration port for carrier solvent, sample, and reagent. A bi-directional pump is connected to the selection valve. A chemiluminescence cell is positioned between the selection valve and a T-block. One end of the cell is connected to the common port of the selection valve, and the other end is connected to the T-block. The T-block has a port connected to the pump, another port which communicates with the detector, and a third port connected to the other end of the cell. This unique arrangement enables the chemiluminescence cell to function as a chemical reactor, thus eliminating any delay between initiation and detection of emitted radiation, so that very rapid reactions can be viewed and high sensitivity attained.

Abstract: A control system for the operation of a centrifugal pump which may be used for production of gas and/or oil from a well. The control system includes vector feedback model to derive values of torque and speed from signals indicative of instantaneous current and voltage drawn by the pump motor, a pump model which derives values of the fluid flow rate and the head pressure for the pump from torque and speed inputs, a pumping system model that derives from the estimated values of the pump operating parameters an estimated value of a pumping system parameter and controllers responsive to the estimated values of the pumping system parameters to control the pump to maintain fluid level at the pump input near an optimum level.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for preparing an oligomeric dye by reacting a first component oligomer, having a carbon-carbon backbone, comprising a plurality of polymerized monomer units comprising pendant reactive nucleophilic or electrophilic functional groups; and a dye component having a co-reactive functional group.

Abstract: In a network including at least one switch having a plurality of ports, methods of dynamically assigning network protocol addresses to nodes connected to the network based on the location of the node on the network. The method may include designating a portion of the network protocol address to indicate the port at which a node is connected to a switch on the network.

Abstract: An implantable medical device and associated method are provided for detecting non-sustained arrhythmias and determining a metric of non-sustained arrhythmias. The metric may be used for predicting the occurrence of a sustained arrhythmia or for automatically adjusting the parameters used for detecting a sustained arrhythmia.

Abstract: An intravascular catheter with micro spines that penetrate arterial wall to delivery drug or mechanical injury to the vessel wall inducing a “stent” like healing process in the vessel.

Abstract: A disposable absorbent article includes an absorbent chassis and a fastening system that together define a refastenable pant. The refastenable pant includes a pair of elastomeric front side panels extending from the waist opening to each leg opening, a pair of elastomeric back side panels extending from the waist opening to each leg opening, and a pair of refastenable seams extending from the waist opening to each leg opening and positioned between the elastomeric front and back side panels.