Abstract: The present invention relates to a power failure recovery mechanism for a recording and reproducing device such as a DVD player, wherein a recording indication information and a recovery pointer information is written in a non-volatile random access memory, while a recovery information is recorded on a record carrier such as a recordable optical disc. At a power-up operation, the recording indication information is used to determine a power failure and the pointer information is used to reproduce the recovery information in case of a determined power failure. Thus, the pointer information indicates the location of incremental recovery data structures on the record carrier, such that a recovery can be achieved after a power failure without requiring a restart of the entire recording.

Abstract: The invention relates to a sliding element for a shoe sole. The sliding element includes an upper sliding surface and a lower sliding surface, wherein the lower sliding surface is arranged below the upper sliding surface so as to be slideable in at least two directions. The upper sliding surface can form a lower side of an upper heel cup and the lower sliding surface can form an upper side of a lower heel cup, wherein the upper heel cup and the lower heel cup have corresponding substantially spherical shapes. Complex multi-dimensional sliding and cushioning movements between the upper sliding surface and the lower sliding surface are made possible by the corresponding three-dimensional shapes of the two substantially spherical surfaces.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of making an elastomeric article including preparing a non-woven fibrous polymer composition for dip-coating onto a layer of carboxylated acrylonitrile-butadiene elastomeric surface and in particular making industrial or household gloves. By dipping a former into a salt-based coagulant, followed by dipping into an elastomeric dispersion, and finally dipping into a polymer composite fibrous coating, a useful elastomeric article is prepared. The invention also provides an elastomeric article having a first layer, the first layer comprising a natural or synthetic polymer; and a second layer bonded to the first layer, the second layer comprising a polymer composite fibrous coating. The polymer composite fibrous coating includes at least one elastomer or elastomer blend, a fiber or fiber blend, a surfactant, and a micronised wax. The coating can be foamed, and provides improved sweat management and non-shredding properties to a user.

Abstract: A latex article is provided that contains chromium oxide particles dispersed throughout a cured latex layer. The chromium oxide particles render the latex article, or smaller pieces of the latex article, magnetically detectable. The chromium oxide may be present within the latex in combination with magnetically detectable ferrite. The article may include multiple cured latex layers having chromium oxide or magnetically detectable ferrite dispersed throughout the cured latex layers.

Abstract: Methods and compositions for preserving blood platelet suspensions which can be stored and preserved for extended periods of time are provided herein. The methods and compositions employ a mixture comprising blood platelets and one or more citrate salts. Such blood platelet mixtures may be cooled either rapidly or slowly and stored for several days prior to use in patients.

Abstract: The invention relates to a sliding element for a shoe sole. The sliding element includes an upper sliding surface and a lower sliding surface, wherein the lower sliding surface is arranged below the upper sliding surface so as to be slideable in at least two directions. The upper sliding surface can form a lower side of an upper heel cup and the lower sliding surface can form an upper side of a lower heel cup, wherein the upper heel cup and the lower heel cup have corresponding substantially spherical shapes. Complex multi-dimensional sliding and cushioning movements between the upper sliding surface and the lower sliding surface are made possible by the corresponding three-dimensional shapes of the two substantially spherical surfaces.

Abstract: The invention relates to a sliding element for a shoe sole. The sliding element includes an upper sliding surface and a lower sliding surface, wherein the lower sliding surface is arranged below the upper sliding surface so as to be slideable in at least two directions. The upper sliding surface can form a lower side of an upper heel cup and the lower sliding surface can form an upper side of a lower heel cup, wherein the upper heel cup and the lower heel cup have corresponding substantially spherical shapes. Complex multi-dimensional sliding and cushioning movements between the upper sliding surface and the lower sliding surface are made possible by the corresponding three-dimensional shapes of the two substantially spherical surfaces.

Abstract: Methods of cooling blood platelet suspensions which can be stored and preserved for extended periods of time. The normal morphology of platelets and their ability to function are substantially maintained. The steps include preparing a platelet suspension having blood platelets, a carbohydrate and at least one biocompatible polymer to assist in stabilizing platelet membranes. The platelet suspension may be cooled to a temperature of less than approximately 10 degrees C. at a rate of cooling greater than 1 degree C./min. The platelet suspension may be kept at a storage temperature ranging from approximately −1 to 6 degrees C. Additionally, methods are provided for maintaining the biological activity of blood platelets. Platelet suspensions may be initially prepared which include platelets, sucrose, verapamil, magnesium chloride and a biocompatible polymer. Cooling of the platelet suspension may be followed at a cooling rate ranging from approximately 1 to 12 degrees C.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a menu picture generating method and to a recording device for recording a menu picture on a record carrier (20), wherein a key frame picture is scaled and then compressed before being assembled by a slice replacement operation. The entire menu picture assembly operation is performed in the compressed picture domain, wherein no pictures need to be decoded and only small part of the menu picture, corresponding to the scaled key frame picture, needs to be encoded. Thereby, the normal encoding-decoding pipeline of the recording device is not required for menu generation, such that hardware and software requirements can be reduced.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a power failure recovery mechanism for a recording and reproducing device such as a DVD player, wherein a recording indication information and a recovery pointer information is written in a non-volatile random access memory, while a recovery information is recorded on a record carrier such as a recordable optical disc. At a power-up operation, the recording indication information is used to determine a power failure and the pointer information is used to reproduce the recovery information in case of a determined power failure. Thus, the pointer information indicates the location of incremental recovery data structures on the record carrier, such that a recovery can be achieved after a power failure without requiring a restart of the entire recording.

Abstract: An information system for a mobile user, includes a source of content information, a proxy server for accessing the source of content information, a wireless communications link coupled to the proxy server, and a mobile computing system coupled to the proxy server via the wireless communication link

Abstract: A method and a device are described for generating a program stream of MPEG coded video and audio signal, wherein several functional tasks are distributed in an optimal manner between hardware on the one hand and software on the other hand. Forming the elementary streams is performed in hardware. Packer and packetiser functions are performed in hardware by pre-packing the elementary streams, filling-in packet header and pack header as much as possible. Parsing of the elementary streams is performed in hardware. Parse information is stored in a meta byte structure in each prepack. Maintaining the P-STD Model is performed in software. Deciding for an audio pack or a video pack is performed in software. Finishing the packet header and pack header is performed in software, on the basis of the parse information present in the meta byte structure in each prepack.

Abstract: The yield of good die from wafers is optimized by positioning the first level mask with respect to the wafer in accordance with a calculated alignment relationship based on physical characteristics of the wafer and the size of the die to be formed in the wafer. The calculated alignment relationship establishes the offset between the wafer and the mask which will result in the maximum available die. This offset is calculated by a computer which examines a number of prospective offsets between the center of one of the die and the center of the wafer. The number of available die is calculated for each such offset, and the offset which maximizes the available die from the wafer is determined.

Abstract: A system and method for generating a universal palette and for mapping the color space for an original image into the universal palette for compression. The universal palette utilizes a one byte three color format type allowing reservation of shades for a presentation layer of an operating system for the digital computer. The three color components for a pixel in an original image are then mapped to a specific palette having the one byte format. Mapping depends in part, upon the original component values. Where a color component does not correspond closely to a color component in the universal palette, it will have a value falling between first and second color values in the universal palette. The component is mapped to either the first or second color value on a pseudo-probablistic basis.

Abstract: A sampling nozzle is operatively coupled to a vacuum device and has a tubular coring member removably mounted at its upper end for extracting a sample of material from goods suspected of being hazardous. A canister is removably carried in the nozzle beneath the coring member in co-active, in-feed relation therewith for receiving the extracted sample. Air passages through the nozzle sidewall cooperate with a conical shroud carried on the upper end of the nozzle to create a blanket of air vacuum surrounding the coring member and the area around which the sample has been extracted. A high efficiency particulate filter may also be provided between the nozzle and the vacuum device. The sample is extracted while the surrounding blanket of air vacuum is active by placing the sampling nozzle against the goods to be sampled with the coring member in firm contact with the surface of the goods and pressing the nozzle causing the coring member to penetrate the material.

Abstract: Method of determining the direction of a radio source, wherein, using a circular array of aerials, a sinusoidal phase graph is determined and the direction of the radio source relative to a reference direction is determined from one or more zero crossings of the phase graph.

Abstract: Angular ambiguity, particularly in measurements made in radio interferometers, is resolved by comparing an ambiguous value for a desired angle with an unambiguous value for an angle which is ideally equal to the desired angle but which may differ from it by an error angle less than .pi.. For example, ambiguity in the phase difference between a pair of widely-spaced antennas may be resolved by reference to the sum of two unambiguous phase differences between each of those antennas and an intermediate antenna. The effect on the ambiguity-resolution process of certain sources of phase errors in practical systems can be eliminated, leaving a large tolerance to remaining errors.