Abstract: The invention relates to an instrument able to be introduced into a body as well as an imaging position fixing system and position fixing method for the instrument. A magnet able to be rotated with a rotation drive is provided in an end section of the instrument. The position of the magnet in the body can be determined on the basis of the strength of a magnetic alternating field created by a rotation of the magnet.

Abstract: The invention described in this application relates to a method of increasing the amount of weight gained by the mammal during a feeding period, to a method of increasing the amount of milk replacer consumed by the mammal during a feeding period, to a method of decreasing the amount of scour of the ruminant during a feeding period, to a method of decreasing the amount of respiratory distress of the mammal during a feeding period, to a method of feeding the ruminant, to a mammal ration, to a daily mammal ration, to a method of feeding mammals an animal feed that contains resistant starch, and to a method of increasing the feed efficiency of a mammal during a feeding period that entails feeding the mammal an effective amount of a fluid animal feed during the feeding period and feeding the mammal an effective amount of resistant starch during the feeding period.

Abstract: A system is provided for automatically billing a designated account for fees associated with the costs of tickets and other similar services. Passenger Record Number data and similar data is provided through a Computerized Reservation System and an accounting system to a Fee Allocator program which automatically interprets the data, determines appropriate fees based on the data and a user profile, and bills the fees to an appropriate account based on the user profile. Billing data provided to the account also facilitates the process of reconciling the fees to the travel ticket costs. Enhanced descriptive billing statements can be created simplifying the process of reconciling fees to the travel ticket costs.

Abstract: Two or more panels of a power-operated folding door are supported by a novel articulated arm assembly that ensures that the door closes tightly against a wall-mounted seal and easily opens. The articulated arm assembly includes a connector with two spaced-apart pivot points about which two adjoining arms of the assembly can rotate as the door opens and closes. The two pivot points allow the panels to readily fold up and store more compactly when the door is open. To provide an airtight seal where two leading panels come together at the center of the doorway, one or more control mechanisms coupled to the articulated arm assembly ensure that the leading panels overlap when the door is closed.

Abstract: A package for holding a plurality of jewel cases for optical discs is provided, comprising a shell member having a first compartment and a second compartment, a cover sealably attachable to the shell member, and one or more mask areas on the shell member. Each of the mask areas are sized and positioned to obscure bar code indicia on the individual jewel cases contained within the shell member. In a preferred embodiment, the package is transparent, and it may contain a CD jewel case and a DVD jewel case. A third compartment contains an informational insert with a bar code or other point-of-sale indicia so that the package can be sold as a single unit.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed that includes a haptic actuator operatively associated with a pedal assembly of the vehicle, a human-machine interface (HMI) for enabling the driver to select between a plurality of fuel savings settings, and a controller coupled to a data interface in the vehicle and the HMI interface for causing the haptic actuator to provide feedback to the driver when an aspect of vehicle operation crosses at least one of a plurality of speed and acceleration thresholds responsive to the HMI setting. Additionally, a coaching method provides haptic-based feedback that will not interfere with the operation of the vehicle. This method of closed-loop feedback provides a timely signal to the driver in a way that will encourage a change in driver style over time, such as backing off the accelerator pedal to accelerate at a lower rate and braking earlier with less intensity.

Abstract: A load warning system for use with a vehicle having a load-support portion, a frame, and a vehicle-support portion movably coupled to the frame. The system has an engagement portion mountable to the vehicle-support portion or the frame and is movable therewith as a unit. A load indicator is mountable to the other one of the vehicle-support portion or the frame, and is spaced apart from the engagement portion when in a first position. The load indicator moves to a second position and engages the engagement portion when the frame moves a selected distance in response to the load applied to the load-support portion. The load indicator provides a signal upon being moved to the second position. A warning indicator is coupled to the load indicator and provides an improper load warning to a user in response to the signal from the load indicator. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract.

Abstract: The invention provides a unique winding device specifically for lay flat style hose. The winder rotates either clockwise or counter clockwise via center supporting axis shaft inserted into a universal mounting bracket. Depending on the placement or spacing of described pins into the supporting bar, plurality of spacing options allow for any connector size, style, width, type or configuration of hose to be centered and wound in any standard or custom method. The hose winder produces tightly wound circular coiled lay flat types of hose in end-to-end or center-first (referred herein as “firefighter” style) with ends exposed and adjustable for any size or style of hose connectors. The wound hose can then be simply and easily pulled from the winding device in a tightly wound coil.

Abstract: A direct manufacturing technique involving rapid solidification processing uses a reaction between a metallic molten pool and a reactant gas in an inert atmosphere to form alloys with improved desired properties. By utilizing rapid solidification techniques, solubility levels are increased resulting in alloys with unique mechanical and physical properties. Laser deposition of alloys in atmospheres of varying reactant content produce compositions with intermingled and significantly improved overall properties.

Abstract: A method and system for quantifying and correcting spatial-intensity trends for each channel of a microarray data set having one or more channels. The method and system of one embodiment of the present invention selects a set of features from each channel of the microarray data set. Based on the selected set of features, a surface is used to determine the intensities for all features in each channel of the microarray data set. Spatial-intensity trends within the microarray data set are quantified, based on the surface to the intensities for each channel of the microarray data set. After the surface has been determined, the spatial-intensity trend can be removed from the microarray data set.

Abstract: A delay mismatched feed forward power amplifier is disclosed. Loop 1 includes a main amplifier and is used to derive a carrier cancelled sample of the main amplifier output. Loop 2 includes an error amplifier used to amplify the carrier cancelled signal derived from Loop 1 operation in order to cancel distortion products generated due to the nonlinear nature of the main amplifier. Loop 2 also utilizes a very short Loop 2 delay line. A significant efficiency gain is provided due to reduced output power losses associated with the Loop 2 delay line. Lower output losses also results in lower distortion levels produced by the main amplifier. This, in turn, reduces the size and performance requirements placed on the error amplifier. A smaller and more efficient error amplifier is employed resulting in further amplifier system efficiency improvement. The delay mismatch is compensated by a third control loop, a special adaptive control algorithm or a combination thereof.

Abstract: A bat conditioning device for breaking in or seasoning softball or baseball bats. A preferred conditioning device includes a handle having a first end and a second end, a grip attached to the first end of the handle, and a head attached to the second end of the handle having an impact response that mimics that of a regulation softball. In the preferred form, the head is a regulation softball. The bat conditioning device is of a length that allows softball bats to be broken-in by striking a bat held in one hand of a user, with the conditioning device being held in the other hand.

Abstract: A root barrier for guiding the growth of tree roots is comprised of many distinct developments. The elongated sheet of flexible material has a top horizontal edge, a bottom edge parallel to the top edge, an internal plane and an external plane, and multiple vertical folds extending across the elongated sheet from the top edge to bottom edge. The folds are aligned parallel to one another along the length of the sheet, and each includes two vertical walls connected by a third wall, establishing a distal U-bend or corrugation. The elongated sheet can be sized by scoring, then cutting or snapping one of the bends of the folds. This will result in the corrugations on opposite ends of the sheet fitting tightly within one another, creating a hold that effectively replaces the traditional clip function.

Abstract: A polymer composition is disclosed. In an embodiment, the polymer composition comprises a linear low density polyethylene, a polypropylene polymer, and an elastomer. In some embodiments, the elastomer comprises ethylene and C4-C8 alkene.

Abstract: A power starting dock for gyroscope is comprised of an outer housing that has a bottom and a concave head. The head is slanted at an angle relative to the housing, and engages a gyroscope rotor, an electric power source on the housing, a spring-mounted motor on the housing connected to the power source for producing a rotational power in response to a switching force, and a power rotor fastened to the motor and protruding into the concave head of the housing. The power rotor serves to resiliently transmit rotational motor power to the gyroscope rotor.

Abstract: A rib forming apparatus has an elongated support table, a supply of thermoplastic sheet material over the table, a transporting means having at least two transverse carriages mounted on the table to slide along longitudinal edges thereof, a thermal means mounted on one of the carriages for locally heating the sheet material in preparation of a molding press, and at least one press module mounted on another carriage and having a reciprocating press blade positioned at one flat side of the sheet material and a couple of swiveling press blades positioned at the opposite flat side of the sheet material and movable toward the reciprocating press blade to mold the heated section of the sheet material by closing the above three press blades toward each other, whereby a series of vertical rib folds are formed transversely of the sheet material and advanced by the transport means through the closed press blades.

Abstract: Multicomponent induction measurements may underestimate the anisotropy in formations where the bedding changes with distance from the borehole. The measurements may still be used to determine horizontal and vertical resistivity, and to identify complicated bedding structure such as that associated with channel sands and turbidite deposits. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract which will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. 37 CFR 1.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an animal safety collar and methods of operation. One embodiment of the present invention relates to an animal safety collar including a strip of flexible material, an extendable material, a first coupling device, and a second coupling device. The extendable material is coupled to either end of the strip of flexible material so as to form a loop. The loop's circumference may be temporarily increased by expanding the extendable material, causing the ends of the flexible material to move away from one another. This capability allows the collar to expand so the animal can slide out of the collar when it is inadvertently coupled to a fixed object in an unsupervised scenario. The first and second coupling devices are fixably coupled to the ends of the strip of flexible material, respectively. Therefore, when the extendable material is expanded, the first and second coupling device move away from one another.

Abstract: A method of treating a proteinaceous material having a first concentration of ?-conglycinin, the method including combining the proteinaceous material with an enzyme to form a reaction mixture, the reaction mixture initially having a pH of at least about 7.0 standard pH units, allowing the enzyme to hydrolyze ?-conglycinin present in the reaction mixture to form a proteinaceous intermediate, and inactivating the enzyme present in the reaction mixture after a reaction period to form a proteinaceous product, the proteinaceous product having a second concentration of ?-conglycinin, the second concentration of ?-conglycinin being at least 99 percent less than the first concentration of ?-conglycinin.

Abstract: A method of processing a packetized datastream that includes program information and ancillary information used to acquire desired program information packets. The method includes the steps of identifying a first data unit that includes channel information and identifying a plurality of second data units included with the first data unit. The plurality of second data units are of a fixed length, and thus, separated in the packetized datastream by a multiple of a fixed offset. The method further includes the step of acquiring desired second data units using the fixed offset and subsequently determining the available services associated with a program and acquiring the desired program packets from the datastream.