Abstract: A movable barrier operator comprising a motor, communication circuitry configured to receive a control signal and communicate with a door lock associated with a passageway door, and a controller. The controller is configured to authenticate the control signal, wherein authenticating the control signal includes associating the signal with a first level of access or a second level of access. The controller is further configured to communicate with the door lock via the communication circuitry to permit opening of the passageway door in response to associating the control signal with the first level of access and inhibit opening of the passageway door in response to associating the control signal with the second level of access. The controller is configured to cause the motor to open the movable barrier regardless of association of the control signal with the first level of access or the second level of access.

Abstract: A movable barrier operator comprising a motor, communication circuitry configured to receive a control signal and communicate with a door lock associated with a passageway door, and a controller. The controller is configured to authenticate the control signal, wherein authenticating the control signal includes associating the signal with a first level of access or a second level of access. The controller is further configured to communicate with the door lock via the communication circuitry to permit opening of the passageway door in response to associating the control signal with the first level of access and inhibit opening of the passageway door in response to associating the control signal with the second level of access. The controller is configured to cause the motor to open the movable barrier regardless of association of the control signal with the first level of access or the second level of access.

Abstract: A method of making an article of footwear is disclosed. The method may include the steps of selecting a family of article types, selecting a customized article type, manufacturing an article of footwear with the customized article type and shipping the article of footwear to a pre-designated shipping address. The customized article type can be configured with a user selected characteristic. The method can also include limiting the number of article types displayed to a user at any time.

Abstract: A self-contained clutch for diesel engines for off-highway implementation is provided. A stationary friction disc, pressure plate and endplate sandwich a pair of rotating separator discs. Attenuation of vibration damping of the rotator discs may be achieved by a centrifugal weight. A pulse-width-modulated DC motor or valve is employed in association with a hydraulic actuator to control pressure to the clutch piston. An RFID tag uniquely identifies the nature and parameters of the clutch itself and is associated with the clutch such that the controller can most efficiently operate the clutch. Heat is dissipated by an oil pump servicing the support bearings and/or by the integration of a centrifugal fan into the heat disc stack.

Abstract: A self-contained clutch for diesel engines for off-highway implementation is provided. A stationary friction disc, pressure plate and endplate sandwich a pair of rotating separator discs. Attenuation of vibration damping of the rotator discs may be achieved by a centrifugal weight. A pulse-width-modulated DC motor or valve is employed in association with a hydraulic actuator to control pressure to the clutch piston. An RFID tag uniquely identifies the nature and parameters of the clutch itself and is associated with the clutch such that the controller can most efficiently operate the clutch. Heat is dissipated by an oil pump servicing the support bearings and/or by the integration of a centrifugal fan into the heat disc stack.

Abstract: A selectively powered transport device such as an ambulatory stretcher-chair is presented. The stretcher-chair has a spring-biased Hall-effect mechanism controlled by an operator to command a desired direction and speed of mobility of the device. A power drive control unit senses a target direction and speed of movement and incrementally closes on that target. The power drive control unit senses the presence of ramps or inclines by monitoring instantaneous current to a drive motor and adjusts the motor operation accordingly. The power drive control unit further monitors thermal operational conditions of the drive motor by monitoring motor winding current and assessing energy dissipated as heat in the motor winding as a function thereof. The net accumulated heat energy associated with the motor is monitored and corrective action with respect to the current applied to the motor is taken accordingly.

Abstract: Methods for treating glucocorticoid associated states using selective 11&bgr;-HSD1-dehydrogenase, 11&bgr;-HSD1-reductase and 11&bgr;-HSD2 dehydrogenase modulating compounds are described.

Abstract: A process is provided for the production of titania rich slag from ilmenite. The ilmenite is fed together with carbonaceous reductant, and in the absence of fluxes, to the molten bath of a DC arc furnace. The molten bath of the furnace forms the anode and one or more electrodes in the roof of the furnace forms the cathode. A frozen lining is established and maintained between the refractory lining of the furnace and the molten bath and the process includes means to control the thickness of the frozen lining as well as the whole smelting process.

Abstract: A human glycyrrhetinic-acid-like factor which inhibits certain enzymes in pathways of steroid hormone degradation is disclosed.

Abstract: A system for detecting the position of a rotor for a switched reluctance (SR) machine having an irregular pole configuration. The system does not require the use of a conventional sensing device, and provides accurate position information, without disrupting operation of the machine. A voltage ratio is used to infer the position of the rotor relative to the stator.

Abstract: A circuit for controlling the operation of switched reluctance machines (i.e., motor or generator) having a plurality of phase windings. The circuit slows down the initial "turn off" of the phase windings to eliminate an abrupt reduction in the current flowing therethrough. This reduces the impulse which excites mechanical oscillations in the motor/generator, reduces switching losses in the switching transistors, and reduces the number of harmonics.

Abstract: A human glycyrrhetinic-acid-like factor which inhibits certain enzymes in pathways of steroid hormone degradation is disclosed.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for measuring thermal radiation emitted by a sample, and for determining emissivity. The apparatus comprises a chamber in which the sample may be positioned, the chamber comprising a plurality of walls including a first wall containing an observation port. The chamber is located in a cold environment, and the walls of the chamber are brought to a selected temperature by circulating a temperature conditioned fluid through the walls. The sample is moved along a movement axis within the chamber past the observation port. As the sample is so moved, radiation emitted outwards through the observation port by the sample is measured.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for determining velocity and range of a target within a field of view. A velocimeter and tracker (10, 100) includes a laser (12, 12') that produces modulated coherent light, a portion of which illuminates targets (22, 22') coming into a field of view (24, 24') of the velocimeter and tracker. Coherent light reflected from the target travels back along a detection path toward a phase conjugate mirror (40, 40') as a probe wave (26, 26'). A higher intensity portion of the coherent light produced by the laser is split into equal parts that are directed toward the phase conjugate mirror from opposite directions and interact with the probe wave to produce a phase conjugate light signal that travels back along the detection path and is also reflected from the target. Light reflected by the target experiences a Doppler phase shift as a function of target velocity.

Abstract: Four-wave mixing is used to produce a steered optical phase conjugate wave. First and second pump waves are combined with a probe wave in a nonlinear medium within an optical conjugate, producing an optical phase conjugate wave. The magnitude of the wave vectors corresponding to the first and second pump waves are different, causing the optical phase conjugate wave to define a non-zero angle .theta..sub.0 relative to the probe wave. In a first embodiment, the wavelengths of the first and second pump waves are controlled to vary the angle, while in a second embodiment, the intensities of the two pump waves are modified.

Abstract: A resolver driver circuit uses sine and cosine values stored in a read only memory to generate sine and cosine waveforms by sequentially reading the stored values and passing them through a clocked data latch to a digital-to-analog converter. The output of the digital-to-analog converter is filtered to remove quantization error. Phase error produced by the filtering and other sources is detected by timing the zero crossings of the sine and cosine waveforms and comparing them to a master synchronization signal. Phase error is corrected by controlling the timing of the latch which passes data to the digital-to-analog converter.

Abstract: New pigment compositions, in storage-stable free-flowing flake form comprise(a) pigment; and(b) water in a maximum amount of 10% by weight above the critical moisture content of the pigment component.The pigment compositions are produced by partially de-watering conventional aqueous pigment compositions, especially aqueous pigment filter-cakes.

Abstract: A circuit can be configured to process signals from either a resolver or an encoder to derive an indication of the sensed angular position. (1) When the circuit is configured for an encoder, the output from the encoder is periodically sampled. The phase relationship of the encoder input signals controls a counter. The output of the counter is periodically sampled to provide the position indication. (2) In the resolver configuration, the counter is rest at regular intervals. An apparatus detects zero crossings from the resolver signal and in response thereto samples the counter output to provide a measurement of the time interval between the counter reset and the zero crossing. The magnitude of the time interval corresponds to the phase angle of the resolver signal and hence to the angular position.