Abstract: By providing a single housing and shackle assembly constructed for enabling the shackle to be opened and/or closed using either a rotatable dial combination construction or a key activating tumbler construction, with the movement of the shackle being controlled by a trigger member, an effective, easily produced, padlock is achieved which incorporates two separate and independent locking systems formed in a single padlock. In addition, the trigger member and shackle each incorporate uniquely constructed, cooperating surfaces, each of which comprise a grooved zone or concave curved zone which is positioned directly adjacent a cooperating convexly curved zone. By employing these two curved surfaces on both the shackle and trigger member, the controlled pivotal movement of the shackle is realized.

Abstract: By providing a magnifying member which is securely affixed to the housing of a combination padlock in cooperating association with the rotating dials thereof, an easily produced, combination padlock is achieved which provides a display zone for the pre-set combination wherein the indicia formed on each of the dials is easily seen and readily visible for any user. By positioning the magnifying member in overlying, aligned relationship with the rotatable dials, the visibility of the indicia formed on each dial is greatly enhanced. As a result, any user is able to immediately determine and recognize the different indicia formed on each rotatable dial, and quickly position the combination of indicia which represent the preselected combination for releasing the shackle from locked engagement with the housing.

Abstract: Methods of assessing the risk of clinical signs of hypersensitivity reaction to nucleoside antiviral compounds, including abacavir, are described. The methods include genotyping subjects for polymorphisms in the TNF? gene, the class 1 HLA genes, or a combination of both the TNF? and HLA genes.

Abstract: By providing a magnifying member which is securely affixed to the housing of a combination padlock in cooperating association with the rotating dials thereof, an easily produced, combination padlock is achieved which provides a display zone for the pre-set combination wherein the indicia formed on each of the dials is easily seen and readily visible for any user. By positioning the magnifying member in overlying, aligned relationship with the rotatable dials, the visibility of the indicia formed on each dial is greatly enhanced. As a result, any user is able to immediately determine and recognize the different indicia formed on each rotatable dial, and quickly position the combination of indicia which represent the preselected combination for releasing the shackle from locked engagement with the housing.

Abstract: By providing two separate and independent locking systems formed in a single padlock, with both locking systems independently enabling the single shackle to be released and/or lockingly engaged, in combination with a signal/indicator system constructed to provide a positive notification when one of said systems is employed, an effective, easily produced, multi-purpose signal providing padlock is achieved. In the preferred embodiment, a single housing and shackle assembly are employed and constructed for enabling the shackle to be released from locked engagement with the housing using either a rotatable dial combination construction or a key activating tumbler construction. In addition, a signal/indicator is activated whenever the key controlled locking section is employed with the signal/indicator being locked in position, for resetting by only the user/owner.

Abstract: By providing two separate and independent locking systems formed in a single padlock, with both locking systems independently enabling the single shackle to be released and/or lockingly engaged, an effective, easily produced, multi-purpose padlock is achieved. In the preferred embodiment, a single housing and shackle assembly are employed and constructed for enabling the shackle to be released from locked engagement with the housing using either a rotatable dial combination construction or a key activating tumbler construction. In this way, a dual locking and releasing padlock is achieved which virtually eliminates the difficulties typically encountered with known, prior art lock configurations.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are described for mapping a plurality of multimedia streams (e.g., received from a set of satellite transponders) across a lesser plurality of decoders. In one embodiment, arbitration logic allocates the multimedia streams to divide the decoding load equally among the group of decoders (or at least as equally as possible). Allocation may occur statically, when the system is initialized, or dynamically, as the streams are being processed. In addition, in one embodiment, the arbitration logic monitors the amount of multimedia data for each stream stored in a buffer and causes streams to be serviced by the decoders which have relatively more stored multimedia data.

Abstract: By providing an automatically activated positive indicator or signal which is responsive to only the use of a master key, a padlock construction is achieved which is highly effective for providing notice to the user whenever the padlock has been opened by said master key. In accordance with the present invention, the positive indicator or signal is constructed for being automatically activated whenever the master key is employed, with said indicator or signal being locked in its activated position, and capable of being re-set by only the user.

Abstract: By providing two separate and independent locking systems formed in a single padlock, with both locking systems independently enabling a single shackle latching member to be controllably activated for allowing the single shackle to be released and/or lockingly engaged, an effective, easily produced, multi-purpose padlock is achieved. In the preferred embodiment, a single housing and shackle assembly are employed and constructed for enabling the shackle to be released from locked engagement with the shackle latching member by using either a rotatable dial combination construction or a key activating tumbler construction. In this way, a dual locking and releasing padlock is achieved which virtually eliminates the difficulties typically encountered with known, prior art lock configurations.

Abstract: A wheelchair includes upper and lower frame members, front and rear wheels connected to the lower frame member, and a seat on the upper frame member; the lower frame member has two shock absorbers connected to two ends of a rear portion thereof; the upper frame member has a connecting part on a bottom, which is pivoted to two ends of a front portion of the lower frame member at two ends respectively, and which is connected to one of the shock absorbers at each of two ends of a rear portion thereof; thus, the rider won't be subjected to violent shaking movement when the wheelchair is moving across a rugged ground with many holes.

Abstract: By providing a unique cam member which cooperatingly controls shackle locking elements to move between a first locked position and a second unlocked position, an effective, easily produced, high security padlock is achieved. Furthermore, the high security padlock of the present invention is constructed, in one embodiment, for being controlled by use of a combination system and, in an alternate embodiment, for being controlled by using either a combination system or a key and tumbler system.

Abstract: By providing two separate and independent locking systems formed in a single padlock, with both locking systems independently enabling the single shackle to be released and/or lockingly engaged, in combination with a signal/indicator system constructed to provide a positive notification when one of said systems is employed, an effective, easily produced, multi-purpose signal providing padlock is achieved. In the preferred embodiment, a single housing and shackle assembly are employed and constructed for enabling the shackle to be released from locked engagement with the housing using either a rotatable dial combination construction or a key activating tumbler construction. In addition, a signal/indicator is activated whenever the key controlled locking section is employed with the signal/indicator being locked in position, for resetting by only the user/owner.

Abstract: A memory controller includes ports and corresponding tables. Each port is receptive to one or more memory modules. Each table includes entries mapping memory addresses to the memory modules. Each entry corresponds to no more than one of the memory modules. The tables support asymmetric population of the memory modules within the ports; each port is capable of having a different number of memory modules relative to the other ports. The tables impose no restrictions on where the memory modules are to be inserted within the ports, both number-wise and position-wise. The tables are independently configurable; the configuration of each table is modifiable independently of the configurations of the other tables. Each table is dynamically configurable. The entries of a table are modifiable to reflect changes in the number and type of the memory modules connected, without restarting or temporarily halting the computer system containing the memory controller.

Abstract: A system, method and article of manufacture for reducing latencies associated with cache coherence directory misses on external caches in a shared distributed memory data processing system. A cache coherence directory is evaluated for possible prefetching of a directory entry into a directory cache. A prefetch miss indicator is set if the prefetch evaluated results in a directory miss. The prefetch miss indicator is consulted during subsequent processing of a memory block request corresponding to the directory entry. An accelerated snoop response action is taken if the prefetch miss indicator is set. The latency of a second lookup into the cache coherence directory, which would otherwise be required, is thereby avoided.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are described for mapping a plurality of multimedia streams (e.g., received from a set of satellite transponders) across a lesser plurality of decoders. In one embodiment, arbitration logic allocates the multimedia streams to divide the decoding load equally among the group of decoders (or at least as equally as possible). Allocation may occur statically, when the system is initialized, or dynamically, as the streams are being processed. In addition, in one embodiment, the arbitration logic monitors the amount of multimedia data for each stream stored in a buffer and causes streams to be serviced by the decoders which have relatively more stored multimedia data.

Abstract: By providing a unique cam member which cooperatingly controls shackle locking elements to move between a first locked position and a second unlocked position, an effective, easily produced, high security padlock is achieved. Furthermore, the high security padlock of the present invention is constructed, in one embodiment, for being controlled by use of a combination system and, in an alternate embodiment, for bring controlled by using either a combination system or a key and tumbler system.

Abstract: By providing two separate and independent locking systems formed in a single padlock, with both locking systems independently enabling the single shackle to be released and/or lockingly engaged, an effective, easily produced, multi-purpose padlock is achieved. In the preferred embodiment, a single housing and shackle assembly are employed and constructed for enabling the shackle to be released from locked engagement with the housing using either a rotatable dial combination construction or a key activating tumbler construction. In this way, a dual locking and releasing padlock is achieved which virtually eliminates the difficulties typically encountered with known, prior art lock configurations.

Abstract: By forming a combination padlock from heavy duty metal throughout with an enlarged, heavy duty locking bar or shackle being employed having a tamper-proof holding cavity for the terminating, locking end of the locking bar, an effective, easily produced, high security padlock is achieved which employs a combination system for fully operating the padlock. In addition, the combination padlock of the present invention incorporates tumbler or clutch wheel constructions which cooperate with the rotating dials to virtually eliminate any possibility that an unauthorized person would be capable of gaining access to the padlock by known combination lock picking techniques by forming each tumbler or clutch wheel with a plurality of radially extending fins formed thereon, with each of the fins being arcuately spaced from the adjacent fin in a non-symmetrical pattern.