Abstract: A proof mass is suspended in a cavity in a housing. The proof mass moves along a sensing axis in response to linear acceleration. Elastic support members are connected between the proof mass and the housing and are arranged to exert a reaction force on the proof mass in response to displacement of the proof mass along the sensing axis. An optical fiber is connected between the proof mass and opposite sidewall portions of the housing such that displacement of the proof mass along the sensing axis elongates a first portion of the optical fiber and shortens another portion. An optical signal source provides a broadband optical signal input to the optical fiber. A fiber optic Bragg grating is formed in the optical fiber and arranged to reflect a portion of the optical signal. Acceleration of the proof mass modulates the wavelength of the reflected optical signal.

Abstract: A photomask assembly is disclosed having a photomask substrate and a composite pellicle frame that includes both a metallic frame component and a scavenger component. The metallic frame component has a cross-sectional thickness of at least 100 micrometers in all directions, and the volume percentage of the scavenger component relative to the overall volume of the composite frame is in the range of 0.1 to 95%. The scavenger component has a gas permeability to oxygen or nitrogen greater than about 10 ml·mm/cm2·min·MPa, an average pore size between 0.001 and 10 micrometers, and a pore surface area greater than 10 m2/g. This configuration enables the pellicle frame to have sufficient strength to withstand stresses encountered during normal use, yet also to have the capability of scavenging impurity molecules from the space adjacent to the photomask substrate.

Abstract: A method for the on-line cleaning of a heat exchanger used with petroleum process fluids which create coke deposits of asphaltenic origin on the exchanger tubes. The asphaltenes are removed by re-dissolution in a solvent oil of high solubility power for the asphaltenes. Certain asphaltenic crudes are useful as solvents in view of their chemical similarity to the asphaltene coke precursors; also useful are refined petroleum fractions such as gas oils which are also characterized by their solvency for asphaltenes. The solvent oil may be admitted to the heat exchanger following withdrawal of the process fluid and then allowed to soak and dissolve the asphaltene coke precursors after which the resulting solution may be withdrawn and the exchanger returned to use without being at any time disconnected from its associated process unit.

Abstract: An encapsulant is described for an optoelectronic device or optical component, which provides a coefficient of thermal expansion of less than 50 ppm/° C., with a variation of less than ±30%, and further provides an optical transmittance of at least 20% at a wavelength in the range of 400 to 900 nm, at an encapsulant thickness of about 1 mm. The encapsulant includes a filler consisting essentially of glass particles having diameters smaller than 500 ?m, being essentially free of titania and lead oxide, and having a refractive index in the range of 1.48 to 1.60, with a variance of less than about 0.001.

Abstract: An encapsulant is described for an optoelectronic device or optical component, which provides a coefficient of thermal expansion of less than 50 ppm/° C., with a variation of less than ±30%, and further provides an optical transmittance of at least 20% at a wavelength in the range of 400 to 900 nm, at an encapsulant thickness of about 1 mm. The encapsulant includes a filler consisting essentially of glass particles having diameters smaller than 500 ?m, being essentially free of titania and lead oxide, and having a refractive index in the range of 1.48 to 1.60, with a variance of less than about 0.001.

Abstract: A method for removing sludge from a petroleum storage tank is based on a two-step approach utilizing solvent extraction to dissolve organic components of the sludge followed by water wash to remove inorganic materials. Sludges contain both organic-based solids (e.g., waxes and asphaltenes) as well as inorganic-based solids (known to exist as salts such as chlorides, carbonates, and oxides). The organic components of the sludge are dissolved using petroleum-based solvent streams that have been identified to possess high solvent power. The dissolved material can then be processed and recovered in the refinery using conventional refining operations. A water wash following removal of the organic materials is effective to remove the inorganic materials that can then be disposed of without the complications of the having to treat the oily organics along with them. A beneficial part of the method includes mixing and heating to improve the dissolution of soluble materials in both steps of the process.

Abstract: A medical blood pressure transducer that provides an identifier to a monitor that conveys characteristics of the transducer. The monitor can use the information to decide whether to function, or in calibration of the system. The transducer may be part of a disposable blood pressure monitoring system, and may include two transducers closely-spaced to provide two separate but identical outputs. In this way, the transducer may be connected to both a patient monitor and a cardiac output monitor at the same time measurements from a single line can be simultaneously supplied to two separate monitoring devices (for example a patient monitor and a cardiac output monitor). The identifier for the transducer may be circuitry, specifically a resistance/capacitance (RC) combination that possesses a characteristic time constant.

Abstract: An engine air intake system including an engine air intake device and a plenum cooling compartment that is separate from the engine compartment by a baffle. The plenum cooling compartment is formed by the baffle, side doors, a fan door and a floor and contains a heat exchanger. A fan draws outside ambient air into the plenum cooling compartment, via perforations in the top and side doors, and out of the plenum cooling area via the heat exchanger. The cooling compartment is designed such that a distance between the heat exchanger and the baffle provides a gap from which the engine air intake device removes ambient air as a source for engine air. An option is provide for the system to withdraw outside ambient air from an area external to the plenum cooling compartment in high debris environments. The engine air intake system cleans the air before supplying it to the engine.

Abstract: A system and method create and share purchasing lists in a network system. The system and method utilize a consumer user interface. The consumer user interface provides the consumer the ability to create a purchase list by receiving advertisement data on the consumer device, selecting an item desired for purchase, identifying the purchase list for the item to be saved, creating the purchase list if the purchase list identified does not exist, and saving the item to the identified purchase list. The consumer user interface further provides the consumer the ability to share a purchase list by identifying a purchase list to be shared, converting the purchase list to the appropriate format, identifying a recipient of the purchase list, and transmitting the purchase list to the recipient.

Abstract: An encapsulant for use with opto-electronic devices and optical components incorporates a filler made from a glass that has been processed into particle form and heated to a predetermined temperature for a predetermined time, along with an epoxy having an index of refraction matched to that of the glass and heated to a predetermined temperature for a predetermined time, to prevent settling of the filler particles after mixing the filler particles with the epoxy, and thereby obtaining uniform dispersion of the particles within the epoxy. The encapsulant provides for high light transmittance, and its coefficient of thermal expansion can be varied by varying the amount of filler without substantially altering the optical properties of the encapsulant. The coefficient of thermal expansion variation within the encapsulant preferably is less than 30%, due to uniform dispersion of the filler particles within the epoxy.

Abstract: A lifting mechanism is disclosed for a bed deck having a top surface where a user may lie thereon and a bottom surface. The bed deck is rotatably mounted to a bed platform having a recessed storage area. The bed deck can be moved from a horizontal to a non-horizontal position. The lifting mechanism is at least partially disposed in the recessed storage area and includes a torsion bar having a first end and a second end; a cam follower rigidly mounted to the torsion bar proximal to the first end; an anchor arm rigidly mounted to the torsion bar proximal to the second end; a mechanism for mounting the torsion bar with the bed platform; and a cam mounted to the bottom surface of the bed deck.

Abstract: A method for expressing the algorithms for the manipulation of hardware includes providing program instructions that describe a sequence of one or more transactions for manipulating hardware components of a system. The program instructions may call one or more code segments that include specific information associated with particular hardware components of the system. In addition, the program instructions are independent of the specific information. The method may also include translating the program instructions into an executable form and executing the executable form of the program instructions to manipulate the hardware components of the system from one consistent state to a next consistent state.

Abstract: In tunable systems, during a tuning cycle, express channels or wavelengths are dropped as the system sweeps through its free spectral range (FSR) before stopping at the desired wavelength to be dropped. This is disadvantageous as the data information in the express wavelengths suffers a hit or momentary increase in bit error rate (BER). Techniques for eliminating or at least minimizing interference to those channels or wavelengths are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, the wavelength selection to be dropped is done “off-line” and does not affect the express channels. An optical reference source is used to set up and tune a drop filter. Once the filter is set to the appropriate dropping wavelength, a secondary filter is scanned to cause the channels to be shunted to the drop filter. If the wavelength of a signal and the drop filter matches, the signal is dropped.

Abstract: Techniques for adding and dropping a wavelength or band using two individual optical paths are disclosed. The two individual optical paths are configured to maintain one path active while the other is in stand-by setup or tuning mode. While one optical path is adding and dropping a wavelength, the other optical path can be calibrated for a new wavelength. When an optical switch switches from one path to another, a new wavelength to be added and dropped is effectuated.

Abstract: Techniques for adding and dropping a desired band, channel or wavelength by calibrating optical tunable devices precisely for the desired wavelength are disclosed. An optical path is formed and includes two tunable devices and a circulator coupled between the two tunable devices so as to prevent possible interference to channels and wavelengths passing through the two tunable devices. A small portion of a dropped signal is used as a reference signal to be introduced into the optical path. A reflected signal of the reference signal is coupled out of the optical path for determination of control signals most suitably for the two tunable devices so as to achieve an accurate control over an absolute wavelength of the tunable devices.

Abstract: A sol-gel process for producing dry porous gel monoliths, e.g., silica glass monoliths, in which the successive process steps of gelling, aging and drying all occur within a mold formed of a selected porous material, e.g., graphite. The mold is inert to the gel solution and it has sufficient strength to withstand the temperatures and pressures encountered during the process. The mold and gel thereby can remain within a sealed autoclave during these process steps, and mechanical handling of the mold and the gel are minimized. This substantially enhances the process' efficiency. Alternatively, the mold can have a non-porous inner skin to enhance ease of cleaning of the mold, and of removal of the gel.

Abstract: An apparatus and method provide privacy for the consumer identity and protects information concerning advertisements accessed by the consumer while still providing marketing and demographic statistics to the merchant regarding those advertisement accesses. A consumer user interface provides the consumer easy control over what advertisements the consumer is receiving and allows the consumer to easily subscribe and unsubscribe from advertisements from either particular merchants or categories of products and services. A commerce server receives the request for services from the consumer user interface program and provides the requested advertisements from specific merchants or from selected categories.

Abstract: A system and method publish, distribute and redeem coupons on a network system. The system and method utilize a merchant server and a commerce server. The merchant server provides the merchant the ability to transmit requests to create a coupon, and transmit coupon data regarding the coupon creation. The commerce server receives the requests to create a coupon, and receives the coupon creation data. The commerce server saves the coupon data to a coupon database, and provides access to the coupon to customers on the network. A merchant server further provides the merchant the ability to receive a request for purchasing an item, and a request for redeeming a coupon for that purchase from a consumer. The merchant server verifies the coupon is a valid coupon, and allows the coupon to be redeemed in the purchase of the item if the coupon is valid. The merchant server upon redemption of the coupon, updates a coupon database to record that the coupon has been redeemed by the customer.

Abstract: An apparatus and method provides for active documents to be linked with the standard browser bar. This linkage allows for software components contained by the browser to work together and feel like an integrated application to the end user. The integrated applications allow for an user to input data in the browser bar and see the related contents in the active document window. The user can also work inside of an active document containing a program and have the linking be reflected in the browser bar.

Abstract: An acoustic array including a plurality of acoustic sensors positioned at predetermined telemetry points for measuring the acoustic energy from the surrounding environment. The acoustic sensors are each positioned within a fluid-filled pocket in the acoustic array, wherein each the various fluid-filled pockets are separated from each other by a section of solid fill buoyant material. The sections of solid fill material control the buoyancy of the acoustic array. The acoustic array is surrounded by a longitudinally extending outer hosewall which encloses the acoustic array and forms the fluid-filled pockets between the sections of solid fill material. A strength member is extended longitudinally throughout the length of the acoustic array to provide a load bearing mechanism for distributing longitudinal tensile loads applied to the acoustic array, while support spacers are situated within the acoustic array to provide radial support for the acoustic array.