Abstract: Hydrophilic, chemiluminescent acridinium compounds containing zwitterions are disclosed. These acridinium compounds, when used as chemiluminescent labels in immunochemistry assays and the like, exhibit decreased non-specific binding to solid phases and provide increased assay sensitivity.

Abstract: An interactive call disposition system that may operate on a mobile telephone independently of any remote or network-based information or functionality is provided. Upon receiving an incoming telephone call, the interactive call disposition system may automatically dispose of the call (e.g., call forwarding, voicemail, etc.), or the interactive call disposition system may conduct an interactive exchange with the calling party via an interactive voice response (IVR) system or via dual-tone, multi-frequency (DTMF) key input from the calling party. The interactive exchange between the interactive call disposition system and the calling party may accomplish disposition of the call based on calling party and called party information, such as calendar data, free/busy data, contacts information, and the like.

Abstract: Managing use of a location sensor on a computing device for energy efficiency. The location sensor is briefly initialized to measure the signal quality. The measured signal quality is compared to pre-defined signal criteria values. The signal criteria values correspond to acceptable energy consumption, for example. If the signal criteria values are satisfied, location information for the computing device is obtained. Otherwise, the location sensor is disabled without obtaining the location information. In some embodiments, a lower-energy location sensor is used to obtain location information to determine whether to enable a higher-energy location sensor based on expected energy consumption.

Abstract: A method includes receiving an error signal from a client device receiving a video stream. A portion of the video stream associated with the error signal is detected. An error selection listing based on the portion of the video stream is transmitted. The client device receives a selection based on the error selection listing. The selection is stored as an error listing.

Abstract: Managing use of a location sensor on a computing device for energy efficiency. The location sensor is briefly initialized to measure the signal quality. The measured signal quality is compared to pre-defined signal criteria values. The signal criteria values correspond to acceptable energy consumption, for example. If the signal criteria values are satisfied, location information for the computing device is obtained. Otherwise, the location sensor is disabled without obtaining the location information. In some embodiments, a lower-energy location sensor is used to obtain location information to determine whether to enable a higher-energy location sensor based on expected energy consumption.

Abstract: Zwitterion-containing compounds for the modification of hydrophobic molecules to improve their solubility and/or to lower their non-specific binding as provided. The zwitterion-containing compounds may be suitable for modification of detectable labels such as biotin and fluorescein to improve their solubility. The zwitterion-containing compounds may also be useful for the preparation of conjugates of proteins, peptides and other macromolecules or for crosslinking molecules and/or macromolecules.

Abstract: An input device enabling a computer user to provide a range of inputs. The device comprises a body made up of a lower portion and an upper portion; an output interface; and a plurality of movement detectors arranged with the body to detect movements of the input device and based thereon to generate input signals for a computer or other device coupled to the output interface. The movement detectors are arranged to detect rotation about first and second axes defined by rotational movement of the upper portion relative to the lower portion, and movement of a actuatable element carried on one of the lower portion and the upper portion and actuatable independently of the other of the lower portion and the upper portion. The input device further comprises translational movement detectors, enabling a user to further provide three translational inputs.

Abstract: This invention relates to a fixture for use in a physical vapor deposition coating operation which comprises a support structure 14 comprising a circular base member 10, a circular top member 11 opposite the circular base member 10, and a plurality of structural members 12 joining said top member 11 to said base member 10; a plurality of panel members 13 aligned in a vertical direction around the outer periphery of said support structure 14 forming a cylinder structure; said panel members 13 including a plurality of apertures for holding workpieces 19 and 35 to which a coating is to be applied; and said apertures positioned on said panel members 13 so that said workpieces 19 and 35 are aligned in a staggered vertical direction. This invention also relates to a method for simultaneously coating a plurality of workpieces 19 and 35, such as gas turbine compressor blades and vanes, with erosion resistant coatings using the fixture of this invention.

Abstract: Pronunciation correction for text-to-speech (TTS) systems and speech recognition (SR) systems between different languages is provided. If a word requiring pronunciation by a target language TTS or SR is from a same language as the target language, but is not found in a lexicon of words from the target language, a letter-to-speech (LTS) rules set of the target language is used to generate a letter-to-speech output for the word for use by the TTS or SR configured according to the target language. If the word is from a different language as the target language, phonemes comprising the word according to its native language are mapped to phonemes of the target language. The phoneme mapping is used by the TTS or SR configured according to the target language for generating or recognizing an audible form of the word according to the target language.

Abstract: Automated unique call announcements for incoming telephone calls are provided. When a call is received at a mobile or wired telephone, a variety of data about the calling party, for example, caller identification and profile data for the calling party and data associated with the called party, for example, scheduling data, contacts data, and contextual data, such as time of day, may be used for generating a text-to-speech message that may be played to the called party as a unique call announcement. If desired, a standard or customized ring tone may be played before, after, or before and after presentation of the unique call announcement. In addition, voice command functionality may be provided for allowing a called party to direct a disposition of an incoming telephone call without answering the incoming telephone call.

Abstract: Hydrophilic, chemiluminescent acridinium compounds containing zwitterions are disclosed. These acridinium compounds, when used as chemiluminescent labels in immunochemistry assays and the like, exhibit decreased non-specific binding to solid phases and provide increased assay sensitivity.

Abstract: Chemiluminescent acridinium esters are provided which are fast light emitting and hydrolytically stable. The chemiluminescent acridinium esters are useful labels in assays for detecting or quantifying analytes.

Abstract: Managing use of a location sensor on a computing device for energy efficiency. The location sensor is briefly initialized to measure the signal quality. The measured signal quality is compared to pre-defined signal criteria values. The signal criteria values correspond to acceptable energy consumption, for example. If the signal criteria values are satisfied, location information for the computing device is obtained. Otherwise, the location sensor is disabled without obtaining the location information. In some embodiments, a lower-energy location sensor is used to obtain location information to determine whether to enable a higher-energy location sensor based on expected energy consumption.

Abstract: Chemiluminescent acridinium compounds are used in homogeneous assays to determine the concentration of an analyte in a sample without strong acid or strong base treatment. The chemiluminescent acridinium compounds include acridinium esters with electron donating functional groups at the C2 and/or C7 position on the acridinium nucleus to inhibit pseudo-base formation, or acridinium sulfonamides with or without electron donating functional groups at the C2 and/or C7 position on the acridinium nucleus.

Abstract: This invention relates to a fixture for use in a physical vapor deposition coating operation which comprises a support structure 14 comprising a circular base member 10, a circular top member 11 opposite the circular base member 10, and a plurality of structural members 12 joining said top member 11 to said base member 10; a plurality of panel members 13 aligned in a vertical direction around the outer periphery of said support structure 14 forming a cylinder-like structure; said panel members 13 including a plurality of apertures for holding workpieces 19 and 35 to which a coating is to be applied; and said apertures positioned on said panel members 13 so that said workpieces 19 and 35 are aligned in a staggered vertical direction. This invention also relates to a method for simultaneously coating a plurality of workpieces 19 and 35, such as gas turbine compressor blades and vanes, with erosion resistant coatings using the fixture of this invention.

Abstract: This invention relates to a fixture for use in a physical vapor deposition coating operation which comprises a support structure 14 comprising a circular base member 10, a circular top member 11 opposite the circular base member 10, and a plurality of structural members 12 joining said top member 11 to said base member 10; a plurality of panel members 13 aligned in a vertical direction around the outer periphery of said support structure 14 forming a cylinder structure; said panel members 13 including a plurality of apertures for holding workpieces 19 and 35 to which a coating is to be applied; and said apertures positioned on said panel members 13 so that said workpieces 19 and 35 are aligned in a staggered vertical direction. This invention also relates to a method for simultaneously coating a plurality of workpieces 19 and 35, such as gas turbine compressor blades and vanes, with erosion resistant coatings using the fixture of this invention.

Abstract: The tulip antenna has two orthogonally intersecting conductive plates. Each intersecting plate has two ends, and one of these ends is smoothly tapered. The intersecting plates intersect such that the tapered end of both plates together form a tapered side when the intersecting plates intersect. An inner conductor of a coaxial cable is connected to the two intersecting plates at the tapered side of the intersecting plates. The inner conductor and the surrounding insulator pass through a tuning stub and then through a metallic ground plate. The tuning stub is connected to the ground plate. An aperture in the ground plate is sized such that the insulator can pass through it, just as the insulator can pass through the tuning stub. The tuning stub increases the upper frequency limit over which the antenna operates. The outer conductor of the coaxial cable is attached to the ground plate.

Abstract: The present invention relates to hydrophilic, high quantum yield acridinium compounds. It has been discovered that the placement of electron-donating groups in the acridinium ring system increases the amount of light that is emitted by the corresponding acridinium compound when its chemiluminescence is triggered by alkaline peroxide. More specifically, it has been found that the placement of one or two hydrophilic, alkoxy groups at the C-2 and/or C-7 position of the acridinium ring system of acridinium compounds increases their quantum yield and enhances the aqueous solubility of these compounds. The present hydrophilic, high quantum yield, acridinium compounds are useful chemiluminescent labels for improving the sensitivity of immunoassays.

Abstract: This invention relates to a fixture for use in a physical vapor deposition coating operation which comprises a support structure 14 comprising a circular base member 10, a circular top member 11 opposite the circular base member 10, and a plurality of structural members 12 joining said top member 11 to said base member 10; a plurality of panel members 13 aligned in a vertical direction around the outer periphery of said support structure 14 forming a cylinder-like structure; said panel members 13 including a plurality of apertures for holding workpieces 19 and 35 to which a coating is to be applied; and said apertures positioned on said panel members 13 so that said workpieces 19 and 35 are aligned in a staggered vertical direction. This invention also relates to a method for simultaneously coating a plurality of workpieces 19 and 35, such as gas turbine compressor blades and vanes, with erosion resistant coatings using the fixture of this invention.

Abstract: Chemiluminescent acridinium esters are provided which are fast light emitting and hydrolytically stable. The chemiluminescent acridinium esters are useful labels in assays for detecting or quantifying analytes.