Abstract: A fluid coupling conduit (6, 50, 70, 104, 134) includes an inlet end (28, 52, 76, 110, 140) structured to receive a flow of breathing gas, an outlet end (32, 56, 78, 112, 142) fluidly coupled to the inlet end and defining an outlet opening, a central chamber portion (36, 60, 80, 124, 145) positioned between the inlet end and the outlet end, the central chamber portion having an outer wall (38, 62, 82, 116, 146) positioned opposite the outlet opening. The outer wall has a plurality of exhaust gas orifices (40, 64, 84, 118, 148) extending therethrough. A number of sound attenuating structures are disposed in the central chamber portion between the outlet opening and the outer wall. The sound attenuating structures including a plurality of surfaces structured to reflect sound waves associated with exhaust gas flow through the fluid coupling conduit.

Abstract: Described herein are compounds that are antagonists of PGD2 receptors. Also described are pharmaceutical compositions and medicaments that include the compounds described herein that are antagonists of PGD2 receptors. Also described herein are methods of using such antagonists of PGD2 receptors, alone and in combination with other compounds, for treating respiratory, cardiovascular, and other PGD2-dependent or PGD2-mediated conditions or diseases.

Abstract: A lubricant composition includes: (a) one or more base oils, (b) at least one comb polymer formed by a polyalkyl(meth)acrylate main chain, and hydrocarbon side chains including at least 50 carbon atoms, (c) at least one nitrogen-containing organic friction modifier chosen from the optionally alkoxylated fatty amines, fatty amides or imides obtained by the condensation of fatty amines and carboxylic acids, alone or in a mixture, (d) optionally, one or more organometallic organomolybdenum-type friction modifiers. This is used for the lubrication of 4-stroke gasoline or diesel engines of light vehicles, preferentially of hybrid vehicles.

Abstract: Provided is a method and apparatus for accessing service discovery metadata. Advance Internet Protocol Television (AIT) devices may access discovery metadata of different schemes using a generic protocol based on the moving picture experts group (MPEG) Extensible Middleware (MXM). According to the above access scheme, end-user devices, description service provider devices, and IPTV service provider devices may exchange metadata. Subsequent modification and addition of a metadata scheme may be supported.

Abstract: A stage tool apparatus is described. In several exemplary embodiments, the stage tool apparatus is part of tubular string or casing positioned within a preexisting structure such as, for example, a wellbore.

Abstract: A method of detecting a failure of an alternator supplying three-phase electricity to a load, the method comprising the steps of determining a duty ratio for each of the phases at the output of the alternator, determining phase differences between the phases at the output of the alternator; and determining the presence of a failure as a function of the phase differences and as a function of a comparison of the duty ratios. A power supply device is also provided for implementing the method.

Abstract: A printing method is described where, when a print job requires printing multiple copies of a document and a simulated insert sheet option is selected as a part of the print job requirements, simulated insert sheets are automatically generated and inserted between the printed copies that are outputted to the output tray of the printer. The simulated insert sheets are printed using the same paper as the document. The simulated insert sheets may be numbered, and may include a printed pattern extending to an edge of the sheets. The layout and content of the simulated insert sheets may be specified by the printer driver or the printer itself. The method can also be used with copiers when making multiple copies of an original document. Further, simulated insert sheets can be used to separate groups of pages within a single document, such as chapters or sections.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for an adaptive Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) streaming service using metadata of media content are provided. The media content may include a sequence of one or more periods. The metadata may include a start time attribute and/or a duration attribute of each of the periods. The metadata may determine a start time of each of the periods, and a start time of each of segments included in each of the periods. A terminal may access segments included in each of the periods, may decode and render data of media content included in the segments, and may play back the media content.

Abstract: Methods, systems, computer programs, circuits and workstations are configured to carry out image processing to generate MRI images with reduced aliasing artifacts (e.g., Nyquist and/or motion-induced image artifacts) by (a) electronically reconstructing a series of images using patient image data obtained from a patient MRI image data set by iteratively cycling through different estimated values of phase gradients in at least two dimensions; and (b) electronically selecting an image from the reconstructed images as having a lowest artifact level.

Abstract: Sampled instruction address registers are shared among multiple threads executing on a plurality of processor cores. Each of a plurality of sampled instruction address registers are assigned to a particular thread running for an application on the plurality of processor cores. Each of the sampled instruction address registers are configured by storing in each of the sampled instruction address registers a thread identification of the particular thread in a thread identification field and a processor identification of a particular processor on which the particular thread is running in a processor identification field.

Abstract: A load current is limited to a safe level with a current protection logic circuit within a first selected interval after detection of a fault condition. The current protection logic circuit returns the load current to a normal level within a second selected interval after correction of the fault condition, wherein said safe level is less than one half of the normal level. The current protection logic circuit is a feature of a high side driver comprising at least two source drivers, each source driver being configured to switch an electrical load to a common power supply, and comprising a respective current protection logic circuit.

Abstract: A service center receives a request from a remote device for a live support session of a product supported by the service center, where the service center provides support services for a plurality of products on behalf of a plurality of product providers. In response to the request, the service center determines one or more preferred agents that are known to a user of the remote device and transmits information representing the preferred agents to the remote device to allow the user to select one of the preferred agents for the live support session. In response to a user selection of an agent, a communications session is established between the user and the selected agent to enable the selected agent to provide live support.

Abstract: A service center receives a request for posting a message from a mobile device over a network, the request identifying a first discussion forum and a second discussion forum, the message pertaining to a product previously registered with the service center by a user. The message is transmitted to a first server hosting the first discussion forum over the network, together with first credentials retrieved from a database associated with the service center. The first credentials are to allow the first discussion forum to authenticate the user in order to post the message on the first discussion forum. The message is also transmitted to a second server hosting the second discussion forum over the network, together with second credentials retrieved from the database. The second credentials are to allow the second discussion forum to authenticate the user in order to post the message on the second discussion forum.

Abstract: A data network includes a plurality of source nodes, at least one sink node, and at least one intermediate node, wherein routing of a reverse message from the sink node to a source node via at least one intermediate node is performed by the intermediate node using reverse path routing information data comprising a combination of source routing information data and transparent bridging information data, wherein the reverse path routing information data is constructed during propagation of a forward message from the source node to the sink node via the intermediate node.

Abstract: A media converter for interfacing an optical fiber bus to an electrical interface of an electronic device is described.

Abstract: To generate methane from biomass, a biomass pulp is produced from the biomass with a desired dry mass content being set, and the biomass pulp is placed under pressure. The biomass pulp is heated under pressure in order to liquefy the solid organic components of the biomass pulp. The pressurized and heated biomass pulp is heated further to at least the critical temperature of the biomass pulp. Solids precipitated under pressure and increased temperature are separated from the fluid phase. At least a part of the remaining fluid phase is gasified under pressure and increased temperature by means of a reactor to form a methane-rich gas.

Abstract: A method for performing an operation using more than one resource may include several steps: requesting an operation performed by a resource; populating a ring frame with an indirect buffer command packet corresponding to the operation using a method that may include for the resource requested to perform the operation, creating a semaphore object with a resource identifier and timestamp, in the event that the resource is found to be unavailable; inserting a command packet (wait) into the ring frame, wherein the command packet (wait) corresponds to the semaphore object; and submitting the ring frame to the graphics engine.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for an adaptive Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) streaming service using metadata of content are provided. The metadata may include one or more BaseURL elements. Uniform Resource Locators (URLs) of segments forming media may be generated based on the BaseURL elements. Additionally, a URL of a segment may be generated by mapping a BaseURL element among the BaseURL elements to a sourceURL attribute of the segment. Segments indicated by generated URLs may be identical to each other.

Abstract: A multiple ROI (region of interest) setting method and apparatus in scalable video coding and an ROI reconstructing method and apparatus are provided. The multiple ROI setting apparatus includes: an ROI setting unit which sets at least one or more ROIs and allocates ROI identification numbers to the each of ROIs; a mapping unit which allocates at least one or more slice group identification numbers to the at least one or more ROI identification numbers; and a message generating unit which generates a message including ROI-associated information, slice-group-associated information, mapping information on mapping of the ROI identification number to the at least one or more slice group identification numbers, and scalability information.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for an adaptive Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) streaming service using metadata of content are provided. The metadata of the content may be efficiently divided for a purpose of use of a terminal based on general media information or specific media information, and may be transmitted to the terminal. A group may include one or more representations of content. The metadata may include a group element, and the group element may provide a summary of attributes of one or more representations included in the group.