Abstract: A method of fabricating a magnetic tag having a plurality of information bits on its surface where some or all of the information bits are formed by depositing magnetic material onto the surface by means of an electroless deposition reaction.

Abstract: An adjustable clip having a first clip member and a second clip member. The first clip member includes a first slide tang that includes a first end, a second end with a detent tang. The second clip member includes a second slide tang having a first end, a second end with a detent tang. The slide tangs of the first and second clip members are positioned over the rail for installation and the slide tangs are moved towards each other until the detent tangs of the first and second clip members engage opposing ends of the rail.

Abstract: The present invention is a powered hospital bed mover or bed transfer system. The bed mover includes a bed attachment mechanism that is vertically displaceable relative to a base that includes an electrically powered drive wheel and a pair of support castors. The attachment mechanism includes a pair of horizontally oriented jaws with jaw openings that face away from each other. Each jaw includes a contact switch in its bottom surface and a contact switch in its jaw opening. The contact switches indicate to the mover and its user that the mover is properly engaged with the frame of a hospital bed. The jaws are horizontally displaceable and diverge from each other to engage vertical frame members of a hospital bed. A control panel has a joystick adapted to control the speed and direction of travel for the mover. The control panel also has controls for actuating the jaws, changing the elevation of the attachment mechanism, and locking at least one of the support castors.

Abstract: A method for generating colonography images for colorectal screening of a patient. The patient is administered an amount of radiopaque stool marker which will enable stool present in the patient's colon to be distinguished from soft tissue. The patient's colon is imaged after the stool marker has been administered to generate colonography images. Preparation of the colon is simulated by processing the colonography images to remove marked stool before the images are observed during a diagnosis session.

Abstract: An elongated drive string assembly includes a plurality of hollow sucker rods and connecting elements between a drive head located at the surface of an oil well and a rotary pump located deep down in an oil well, with a series of holes at each end to substantially increase the flow of extracted fluid. Each hollow sucker rod has a first end with a torque shoulder, which engages a torque shoulder formed on a connecting element. The threads are frusto-conical, non-symmetrical threads with a differential diametral taper. The torque shoulders have a maximized mean diameter and cross-sectional area to resist storing reactive torque in the drive string.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system and method for controlling a two-stroke engine in correspondence with exhaust gas temperature. An engine control unit (ECU) receives an output from a temperature sensor mounted in the exhaust pipe. The engine control unit controls the operation of a fuel injector in fluid communication with the intake port of the engine in correspondence with the output from the temperature sensor. In one embodiment, correspondence is achieved by determining fuel injection parameters based on a plurality of maps, each corresponding to a different temperature range. The ECU references the map corresponding to the sensed temperature of the exhaust gas. Fuel injection parameters may include injection timing and the amount of fuel injected.

Abstract: A mole bait article replicates fine details of a particular prey animal of a mole. A mole bait article that mimics a worm can include an anterior portion, including segments and the head, the clitellum, and an posterior portion, including segments and the tail. Physical properties of the worm, such as elasticity, recovery, and the like can also be mimicked by the mole bait. The mole bait article is formed by pouring or injecting a mold bait material into a mold area in a disposable substrate that defines a specific shape of a mole prey animal. Disposable substrates can be inserted into a resealable pouch, which may then be placed into a box. The mole bait article is used by removing a disposable substrate from the resealable pouch, removing mole bait articles from their corresponding depressions in the substrate, and introducing the removed mole baits into active mole tunnels.

Abstract: A method, system and apparatus for transferring a measured level of liquefied refrigerant to a refrigeration system includes the steps of purging a calibration container; filling the calibration container with liquefied refrigerant from a liquefied refrigerant supply to a desired level; and charging a system with the liquefied refrigerant from the calibration container.

Abstract: A safety ladder stand comprising a generally rectangular base having a front and rear and a center beam, a plurality of stair treads extending upward from the front of said base and means for supporting said stair treads secured to said base, front wheels mounted at the front of said base and beneath the top of said stair treads; center wheels mounted on said center beam of said base, and rear wheels mounted at the rear of said base, and a set of feet mounted on the front of said base; wherein said ladder stand has an activated position wherein said front and center wheel sets are in contact with the ground to enable said ladder stand to roll and said rear wheels and front support feet are not in contact with the ground, as well as a deactivated position wherein the front and center wheel sets are not in contact with the ground and said rear wheels and front support feet are in contact with the ground to prevent said ladder stand from being rolled; and means for moving said ladder stand from said deactivated

Abstract: A system and method for adding reconfigurable computational instructions to a reduced instruction set computer. A computer program contains instruction extensions not native to the instruction set of the processor core and is loaded into an instruction memory accessible by the processor core of the computer. The computer program is then detected for containing the instruction extension. The programmable logic device is then configured to execute the instruction extension. The programmable logic device then executes the instruction extension for use by the processor core in processing the computer program.

Abstract: Material can be deposited directly onto a substrate by using a fluid applicator such as an inkjet printer to apply at least two fluids which react to give the desired material for a range of applications. Thus, multiples of a printing mechanism are used to deposit materials as reagents that react together to form products. The materials may also be advantageously deposited from multiple inkjet heads to prepare a wide range of reaction scenarios in the form of user-defined patterns which may be sequences of differing layers and possibly to build up thicker layers. Thus, a PCB could be printed by the inkjet printer by simply printing the metal salt and the reducing agent directly, instead of two colours from a conventional inkjet printer for example. To print a three dimensional article, a pair of fluids which react to give a precipate can be used instead. Repeated passes can then build up a desired shape. The two processes could be combined to produce composite devices such as electrical components.

Abstract: A system for managing energy consumption by equipment located at a site. The system includes a database including information relating to pieces of energy consuming equipment located at a site. A server is programmed to calculate an expected energy consumption profile and to notify a user if an actual energy consumption exceeds the expected energy consumption.

Abstract: The present invention is an improved cart coupler assembly for use on a shopping cart retriever vehicle. The cart coupler assembly provides a means for connecting shopping carts to the cart retriever vehicle. The cart coupler assembly may employ an actuator to move yokes into position to enable the yokes to engage shopping cart members. The cart coupler assembly may employ the upwardly facing concave surfaces of U-shaped yokes to engage the rear wheels of a shopping cart. In the place of yokes, the cart coupler assembly may utilize a shopping cart emulator that emulates one or more portions or features of a shopping cart in order to facilitate the engagement of the coupler assembly to a shopping cart.

Abstract: The present invention is a transfer and transport device and method for moving a patient from a bed to another location within a medical facility. The transport device includes an integral transfer mechanism for transferring a patient from a hospital bed to the device and back.

Abstract: The present invention is a motorized shopping cart retriever that includes a controller that attenuates the power provided to the drive system of the retriever to prevent the retriever from being utilized to move an excessively heavy load of shopping carts. By preventing the retriever and carts from being subjected to overloaded conditions, the operational lives of the retriever and carts are maximized. The retriever is also provided with a burst mode that allows the power provided to the drive system to rapidly increase past the normal attenuated level for a brief period of time in order to reduce the time required to accelerate a retriever loaded with carts to a terminal velocity.

Abstract: The present invention, in one embodiment, is a device for moving a hospital bed. The device comprises a body, a motor driven wheel coupled to the body, and a hitch coupled to the body and adapted for engaging the hospital bed. Finally, the present invention, in yet another embodiment, is a method for moving a hospital bed with a motorized device. The method comprises maneuvering the device into position next to the hospital bed, hitching the device to the hospital bed, and moving the hospital bed with the device.

Abstract: A system and method for accomplishing electronic payment of work orders includes a server and a database having information relating to work order history. The server is programmed to track the work orders and can also generate an electronic payment request and send the request to an electronic payment center.

Abstract: The present invention, in one embodiment, is a device for moving a hospital bed. The device comprises a body, a motor driven wheel coupled to the body, and a hitch coupled to the body and adapted for engaging the hospital bed. Finally, the present invention, in yet another embodiment, is a method for moving a hospital bed with a motorized device. The method comprises maneuvering the device into position next to the hospital bed, hitching the device to the hospital bed, and moving the hospital bed with the device.

Abstract: A system for receiving and normalizing notification events from assets or equipment located at various sites within an enterprise is disclosed. The system includes receiving a notification, identifying the protocol used by the equipment sending the notification, and converting the notification to a normalized format. The system allows notifications from various types of equipment or assets to be handled by one enterprise management system.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method of forming high resolution patterns of material on a substrate by way of catalytic reactions.