Abstract: A medical image compression and decompression technique is presented which exploits the special characteristics of medical images so as to increase the achievable compression ratio over existing generic image compression techniques. In general, the presented technique categorizes medical images based on the type of images. Medical images within the same category will typically have a very high level of similarity to each other. For each category, a type of standard image is computed which represents the typical characteristics of images within a category. For each image being compressed, only the difference between the image and the standard image is compressed. Due to the high level of similarity between images in the same category, the aforementioned difference is typically small and therefore a high compression ratio can be achieved.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods of precipitating calcium carbonate (PCC) in a manner that can control the size and surface area of PCC. For example, the calcium carbonate crystals can be formed through the use of two or more doses of slaked lime slurry in the presence of a substrate. Alternatively, the PCC can be formed by combining one or more slaked lime slurry doses with preformed PCC. The invention also relates to a method of precipitating substantially discrete calcium carbonate and to a system for precipitating calcium carbonate.

Abstract: Devices and methods for cutaneous delivery of a composition are provided, wherein the composition is passed through an ordered nanoporous membrane in fluid communication with a reservoir. The nanoporous membrane includes a plurality of aligned hollow nanotubules coated with a continuous polymer matrix, and etched to open the plurality of hollow nanotubules and form pores. In one embodiment, the etching step oxidizes an end of the nanotubules to form carboxylate groups. The ordered nanoporous membrane further includes at least one additional functional unit bound to the carboxylate groups. The at least one additional functional unit selectively exposes or at least partially occludes the pore of an adjacent nanotubule, thereby controlling flux rate through the membrane. In one embodiment, application of an electrical impulse to the membrane causes the at least one additional functional unit to selectively expose or at least partially occlude the pore.

Abstract: A device to determine internal physiological parameters based upon the measurement of phenomena external to a person's skin. In one embodiment, a wristwatch apparatus is provided with sensors capable of measuring, for example, transpired vapors from the wearer's skin, sweat produced through the skin, or saliva deposited on the device. The measurement of predetermined parameters in these external media is compared against a library of internally measured parameters to determine the level of stress the wearer is experiencing.

Abstract: A device to determine internal physiological parameters based upon the measurement of phenomena external to a person's skin. In one embodiment, a wristwatch apparatus is provided with sensors capable of measuring, for example, transpired vapors from the wearer's skin, sweat produced through the skin, or saliva deposited on the device. The measurement of predetermined parameters in these external media is compared against a library of internally measured parameters to determine the level of stress the wearer is experiencing.

Abstract: A system, method and computer program product for use in a server cluster having plural server nodes implementing a server tier in a client-server computing architecture in order to determine which of two or more partitioned server subgroups has a quorum. A determination is made of relative priorities of the subgroups and a quorum is awarded to the subgroup having a highest relative priority. The relative priorities are determined by policy rules that evaluate comparative server node application state information. The server node application state information may include one or more of client connectivity, application priority, resource connectivity, processing capability, memory availability, and input/output resource availability, etc. The policy rules evaluate the application state information for each subgroup and can assign different weights to different types of application state information. An interface may be provided for receiving policy rules specified by a cluster application.

Abstract: A cluster recovery and maintenance system, method and computer program product for use in a server cluster having plural nodes implementing a server tier in a client-server computing architecture. A first group of N active nodes each run a software stack comprising a cluster management tier and a cluster application tier that actively provides services on behalf of one or more client applications running in a client application tier on the clients. A second group of M spare nodes each run a software stack comprising a cluster management tier and a cluster application tier that does not actively provide services on behalf of client applications. First and second zones in the cluster are determined in response to an active node membership change involving one or more active nodes departing from or being added to the first group as a result of an active node failing or becoming unreachable or as a result of a maintenance operation involving an active node.

Abstract: A method and system are provided for conducting a cluster software version upgrade in a fault tolerant and highly available manner. There are two phases to the upgrade. The first phase is an upgrade of the software binaries of each individual member of the cluster, while remaining cluster members remain online. Completion of the first phase is a pre-requisite to entry into the second phase. Upon completion of the first phase, a coordinated cluster transition is performed during which the cluster coordination component performs any required upgrade to its own protocols and data structures and drives all other software components through the component specific upgrade. After all software components complete their upgrades and any required data conversion, the cluster software upgrade is complete. A shared version control record is provided to manage transition of the cluster members through the cluster software component upgrade.

Abstract: A method comprising generating a clear layer on a first surface using a transparent liquid toner, generating a color layer using a pigmented liquid toner over the clear layer on the first surface, and transferring the clear layer and the color layer from the first surface to a substrate is provided.

Abstract: One embodiment of a color filter includes a substrate and a color filter pattern formed on the substrate, the color filter pattern including at least two, substantially identical patterned layers.

Abstract: An embedded system comprising an embedded core, a non-volatile memory (e.g., a Flash memory or a ROM), and a volatile memory (e.g., RAM). The embedded core performs processing tasks for the embedded system. The non-volatile memory stores executable codes for the embedded core. The volatile memory stores program data and auxiliary data for the embedded core during first and second operating modes, respectively. The embedded core executes the executable codes from the non-volatile memory and operates on the program data in the volatile memory in the first operating mode, and retrieves the auxiliary data from the volatile memory and performs processing based on the retrieved auxiliary data in the second operating mode. The embedded system is fully functional in the second operating mode, and the auxiliary data may comprise (1) programming codes used to program the non-volatile memory, or (2) a test program to test the embedded system.

Abstract: In an implementation of a printing system, an electrophotographic imaging plate electrostatically attracts a first concentration of an ink having a particular color. A developer unit is biased with a developer voltage and the first concentration of the ink is transferred onto the electrophotographic imaging plate from the developer unit according to the developer voltage. The electrophotographic imaging plate then electrostatically attracts a second concentration of the ink. The developer unit is biased with an adjusted developer voltage and the second concentration of the ink is transferred onto the electrophotographic imaging plate from the developer unit according to the adjusted developer voltage.

Abstract: A text-to-speech conversion system that includes a first module to convert text into words, a second module to convert words into phonemes, a third module to map phonemes to sound units, and a storage unit to store speech representations for a library of sound units. The first, second, and third modules and the storage unit are implemented within a single integrated circuit to reduce size and cost. The system typically further includes a ROM to store the codes for the modules, a RAM to store the text and intermediate results, a processor to execute the codes for the modules, a control module to direct the operation of the first, second, and third modules. The storage unit may be implemented with a multi-level, non-volatile analog storage array and may be programmed with a new library of speech representations by a programming module.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system and method for managing distribution of content to a device, the system comprising a database for storing a number of elements as a hierarchical structure, content identifiers being able to be associated with elements in the hierarchical structure, and one of the elements representing the device, and a server for referencing the hierarchical structure in the database to generate a profile for the device, the profile containing a number of content identifiers indicating content to be provided to the device. A device manager is associated with the device and arranged to receive the profile from the server and to use the content identifiers in the profile to cause the content indicated by the profile to be provided to the device, a record being kept identifying the content provided to the device in accordance with the profile.

Abstract: A method and system for localizing and resolving a fault in a cluster environment. The cluster (100) is configured with at least one multi-homed node (110), and at least one gateway (140) for each network interface (112, 114). Heartbeat messages are sent between peer nodes and the gateway in predefined periodic intervals (202). In the event of loss of a heartbeat message (204) by any node or gateway, an ICMP echo is issued to each node and gateway in the cluster for each network interface (206). If neither a node loss not a network loss is validated in response to the ICMP echo, an application level ping is issued (224) to determine if the fault associated with the absence of the heartbeat message is a transient error condition (228) or an application software fault (230).

Abstract: A can with an internal divider for separating multiple items to be dispensed, and a dispensing cap having one-handed operation for opening and closing and suitable for effectively dispensing one or more items from a container which may or may not have an internal divider.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method and apparatus for high-speed fluid flow control. More particularly, the invention is directed to a valve formed, at least in part, of an actuating material, such as piezoelectric or anti-ferro-electric material. The valve is used for controlling fluid flow (including air flow) in a variety of devices including imaging devices (e.g. printers, copiers, etc.) for which air flow is used to handle paper. In one embodiment, the subject valve takes advantage of the phenomenon of buckling, resultant bistability and other structural mechanics to efficiently, and in a high-speed manner, open and close to regulate fluid flow. In another embodiment, the valve includes implementation of the actuating material to bend an s-shaped blocking element within the valve. The valve is also advantageously implemented in matrices and formed using batch fabrication techniques.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method and apparatus for collecting or collimating light for detection. More particularly, the invention is directed to a technique for detecting the edge of an object using an apparatus having a plurality barriers or shield structures that are advantageously aligned with an optical sensor array to collect or spatially filter generated light for improved detection of the light. The invention also relates to methods of forming the structure. Application of the invention is found in the field of detecting edges of objects such as sheets of paper that are fed through imaging devices along a paper path.

Abstract: A dual hook lead rope for leading and tying an animal, said lead rope comprising a rope having a first and second end, a first fastening device secured to said first end of said lead rope, a second fastening device secured to said lead rope at a point intermediate said first end and said second end, and a method of tying a horse using the described lead rope.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method and apparatus for high-speed fluid flow control. More particularly, the invention is directed to a valve formed, at least in part, of an actuating material, such as piezoelectric or anti-ferro-electric material. The valve is used for controlling fluid flow (including air flow) in a variety of devices including imaging devices (e.g. printers, copiers, etc.) for which air flow is used to handle paper. In one embodiment, the subject valve takes advantage of the phenomenon of buckling, resultant bistability and other structural mechanics to efficiently, and in a high-speed manner, open and close to regulate fluid flow. In another embodiment, the valve includes implementation of the actuating material to bend an s-shaped blocking element within the valve. The valve is also advantageously implemented in matrices and formed using batch fabrication techniques.