Abstract: A threaded pin and box pipe connection having makeup shoulders that contact when the pin and box threads are fully engaged. Upon initial engagement of the shoulders, load flanks of the pin and box threads furthest from the makeup shoulders engage each other and begin progressively separating from each other by an increasing amount along the length of the engaged threads in a direction from the end of the pin to a gauge point of the connection. Upon application of the makeup torque, the separation between the load flanks distributes the torque forces between the makeup shoulders along the length of the engaged threads to prevent concentration of stress forces near the base of the pin thread. The progressive separation of the load flanks is achieved by progressively changing the pitch of the load flank of the pin and/or box thread to vary the thread width. The separation of load flanks is achieved without modifications of the stab flank pitch.

Abstract: Remote access to a target object, in particular a target bean object, is provided by generating a client object or objects forming a representation of a target object. The client object(s) identify(ies) methods of the target object which are accessible remotely and implements the remotely accessible methods. The target object is associated with a network adaptor for a network protocol at the remote station. The client object is associated with a network adaptor for the network protocol at the client machine. A client application can then access the target object by instantiating the client object. The target object does not need to be modified or to include specific communications code to be manipulated by a remote object.

Abstract: A fuel vapor surge system includes a fuel tank, an intake passage, a fuel vapor storage canister in the fluid communication with the fuel tank, a vapor purge passage in fluid communication with the intake passage and the fuel vapor storage canister, and a closing member movably mounted in the intake passage. The closing member has a first position where the closing member blocks fluid communication between the intake passage and the vapor purge passage and is outside of a fluid stream of the intake passage when fluid is flowing through the intake passage and a second position where the closing member opens fluid communication between the intake passage and the vapor purge passage and extends into the fluid stream of the intake passage when fluid is flowing through the intake passage.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for manufacturing recyclable black enamels that contain at least zinc, in which process glass forming materials comprising at least bismuth, silicon, boron and manganese are melted, at temperatures greater than about 900° C., and then a glass frit comprising at least zinc is added to the mixture obtained after this direct melting. The invention also relates to zinc-based recyclable black enamel compositions.

Abstract: An air bag system (12) includes a controller (14), a remote satellite sensor (16), a deployable air bag (18), and a vehicle speed sensor (24). Controller logic for deployment discrimination of an impact event for an airbag deployment command is sensitized when the vehicle is moving and desensitized when the vehicle is stationary.

Abstract: The change in a property of a lithographic apparatus (e.g. the change in magnification of the projection system due to lens heating effects) is predicted, and when the change since the last time an alignment task was performed is greater than a threshold, an additional alignment task is carried out. A realignment is triggered when the predictive correction, and hence the error in it, becomes larger than a desired maximum. This avoids unnecessary realignments but ensures that an alignment does occur when likely errors are out of permitted ranges.

Abstract: An electronic device capable of displaying a computer application that allows the use of a method for performing a transaction without the use of spoken communication is disclosed. The method consists of providing at least one digital, transactional flash card displayed on the electronic device having information about the transaction and the transaction goal displayed on it, in text understandable to the user and different text understandable to the party from whom the user wishes to purchase goods or services. The digital, transactional flash cards can have inquiries about price, payment methods, or shipping terms. Also disclosed are the navigational interface for the software application and different display methods.

Abstract: The stereoscopic display apparatus (300) comprises a source of illumination (101, 103) for emitting light, an imaging system (104) for imaging the source of illumination at a viewing region, a spatial light modulator (106) for modulating light from the source of illumination (101, 103) with two-dimensional images, and a control unit (108) for controlling a relative position of the “active” source of illumination (101, 103) related to the imaging system (104).

Abstract: The present invention discloses a process for producing sodium 2-keto-L-gulonate from sorbitol and recovering 2-keto-L-gulonic acid in high recovery yields, by controlled cation exchange treatment of the micro-organism free fermentation broth and/or adjusting Ph of said purified fermentation broth, followed by direct crystallization of 2-keto-L-gulonic acid monohydrate.

Abstract: An apparatus and methods for a sublithographic programmable logic array (PLA) are disclosed. The apparatus allows combination of non-restoring, programmable junctions and fixed (non-programmable) restoration logic to implement any logic function or any finite-state machine. The methods disclosed teach how to integrate fixed, restoration logic at sublithographic scales along with programmable junctions. The methods further teach how to integrate addressing from the microscale so that the nanoscale crosspoint junctions can be programmed after fabrication.

Abstract: Systems and methods for network transmission of three-dimensional graphical data are disclosed. A single graphical application instance can virtually and efficiently exist on multiple local or remote display systems by directly sharing its raw rendered framebuffer memory information among all local or remote graphics accelerators, thus avoiding the need to re-render any application information again on each node. An internal graphics card is used to scale the rendered data prior to transmission. This graphics scaling eliminates the need for data compression or image compression and achieves an adaptive, hardware-accelerated reduction in network bandwidth. Furthermore, since all memory and remote processing support tasks are performed within the graphics card, the CPU, system bus, and memory bandwidth remain available to the system and other applications.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention relate to systems and methods for managing information concerning users of a network web site. The system includes a web server for providing access to various network resources, such as web pages and applications and an applications server coupled to the web server for running two or more protected applications, to which access is restricted to authorized users. The system also includes a customer profile and registration application for receiving user login information and authenticating users and providing single sign-on capability. The system further includes a user directory server for centrally managing information concerning users, a first database for storing user credentials and a second database for storing user profile information. User profile information and user credentials can be added, modified, deleted or retrieved by operations carried out within at least one of said applications.

Abstract: Endothelial dysfunction is a known indicator of coronary artery disease. Endothelial dysfunction is detected by measuring presence of a marker in arteries following the release of blood flow into the limb after a period of blockage of blood flow into the limb. The blood flow is measured in a pair of laterally opposed limbs, such as the patient's forearms, and the marker presence is compared between both limbs. One efficient marker is a tracer containing a radionuclide and the non-invasive measurement of the radionuclide is carried out by gamma ray detection.

Abstract: A distributed directory service for an on-line services network comprises multiple, separate services, referred to as “Directory Service Providers,” running on respective groups of application servers. Each Directory Service Provider stores and provides access to a respective hierarchical directory structure, with nodes of the directory structures representing the various on-line services and other content entities which may be accessed by end users of the network. Junction point nodes are used to provide user-transparent links between the different directory structures, so that the directory structures appear to end users as a single, hierarchical directory. A common application program interface (API) is implemented by all Directory Service Providers, allowing client applications running on computers of end users to access the different directory structures using a common set of software methods.

Abstract: An apparatus for obtaining an axis of an intramedullary canal of an exposed bone with a position tracking system in computer-assisted surgery, comprising a detectable device trackable in space for position and orientation. A stem portion is secured to the detectable device so as to be tracked for position and orientation. The stem portion has a leading end insertable in an intramedullary canal of the bone through an opening in the bone, and is adapted to be handled by a following end thereof. A tip portion is provided at the leading end of the stem portion. The tip portion is positionable in a determined way with respect to a surface of the intramedullary canal, such that reference points with respect to the intramedullary canal are calculable as a function of the position and orientation of the detectable device. The reference points are related to define an axis of the intramedullary canal. A method is provided for digitizing the intramedullary canal axis.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a valve device for regulating a fluid, particularly a gaseous fluid, in a conduit portion, comprising a valve body fixed to a support spindle extending transversely into said portion and mounted with the ability to rotate therein, said conduit portion comprising, on either side of said spindle, opposing internal steps forming two bearing surface portions for corresponding edge parts of said valve body, in the closure position thereof, each step extending substantially over approximately half of the internal circumference of the conduit portion in the region of the mounting position of the support spindle.

Abstract: A removable flat flexible disabling insert is disposed between interengaging members which are provided for registry with one another in opposed displaceable surface portions of adjustable shell portions of an adjustable helmet. The disabling insert prevents interengagement of the interengaging members but permits adjustable displacement of the shell portions. The disabling insert, when removed, permits engagement of the interengaging members. Particularly, but not exclusively, the insert is used with a hockey helmet having front and back adjustable shell portions.

Abstract: The nozzle comprises a moving diverging portion (20) and a static portion (16) secured to the rear end wall of the combustion chamber (12) of the engine. A cardan mount jointed link device connects the moving diverging portion of the nozzle to the static portion, the moving diverging portion and the static portion being in mutual contact via respective spherical surfaces (24a, 16a), and an actuator device (50a, 50b) acts on the moving diverging portion of the nozzle so as to be able to vary the direction of the thrust vector of the engine by modifying the orientation of the nozzle with sliding of the spherical surfaces one on the other. Resilient return means (62, 64) are interposed between the moving diverging portion (20) of the nozzle and the static portion (16) and act on the moving diverging portion in order to urge it towards the static portion so as to keep the spherical surfaces (24a, 16a) in mutual contact for any desired orientation of the nozzle.

Abstract: A lateral double diffused MOSFET (LDMOST) incorporates both the reduced surface field (RESURF) and super junction (SJ) in a split-drift region to significantly improve the on-state, off-state and switching characteristics in junction-isolated (JI) technology. The structure effectively suppresses substrate-assisted-depletion which is the main problem encountered when applying the SJ concept to lateral power devices. The device structure features a split-drift region formed of two parts: a SJ structure that extends over most of the drift region, and a terminating RESURF region occupying a portion of the drift region next to the drain. The structure offers improved breakdown voltage and reduced specific on resistance as compared to convention structures, and is useful in power integrated circuits suitable for a variety of applications including flat plasma panel display, automotive electronics, motor control, power supply and high voltage lamp ballasts.

Abstract: The method for analyzing the activation and motivation of T cells by analysis of T lymphocyte receptors of an organism consists in the following: determination of the number of transcripts for the gene V? in order to obtain first data; amplification of the region CDR3 of the T lymphocyte receptors for each of the V? genes associated with the organism; separation of the different lengths of the CDR3 of the T lymphocyte receptors for each of the V? genes associated with the organism and estimation of the proportion of transcripts of each length of the CDR3 in each V? family in order to obtain second data; representation of the first and second data according to the V? genes and the length of the regions CDR3 in a diagram with 4 variables.