Abstract: A method of generating steam by heating water in a steam generator comprising a plurality of steam generating channels, wherein water is supplied at a constant rate to each steam generating channel through respective water supply lines, and wherein a sufficient pressure drop is provided across each water supply line in order to prevent flow reversal in the plurality of steam generating channels.

Abstract: A method for generating data indicating a degree of anatomical connectivity for each of a plurality of image elements, each image element representing a part of a body to be imaged. The method comprises for each of a plurality of image elements, that image element and others of said plurality of image elements; for each of said plurality of image elements, generating data indicating a degree of connectivity of that image element, said degree of connectivity being based upon said plurality of generated data sets.

Abstract: A vacuum sealing devices (10) used for surgical procedures, particularly on the eye. The device (10) comprises a flexible sleeve (11) which terminates in a platter (11a) having a sealing suction ring (12, 112, 212). The suction ring (12, 112, 212) couples the sleeve (11) to the body and isolates the surgical site from surrounding tissue. The sleeve (11) may be provided with a opening (22, 113) which allows instrumentation access through and incision such as a corneal incision (13).

Abstract: A method of dynamically generating a user presentation includes selecting and retrieving at least one of a plurality of rules stored in one or more databases in response to a request from an application program, executing the rule to retrieve data from the one or more databases, and generating presentation data based on the data. The presentation data may be for use in the user presentation of the application program.

Abstract: A method for inducing B-party defined behaviour in an A-party communications end-point (5), the method including the steps of receiving a user interface (71) at the A-party communications end-point, the user interface being associated with at least one B-party user or communications service and encoding one or more B-party defined or selected behaviours; invoking the user interface at the A-party communications end-point in response to at least one trigger; and interpreting the user interface at the A-party communications end-point to induce a resultant behaviour.

Abstract: An end effector for a robot having an array of suction cups includes an air control valve connected to each suction cup. Each valve can be individually operated so that specific zones of suction cups may be activated while others are dormant. The dormant suction cups are closed to the sub-atmospheric pressure, so that leakage of air through unused suction cups is avoided, while only the suction cups of the selected zone perform the picking of the work products. This allows the end effector to provide accurate and constant sub-atmospheric pressure to the work products during the picking process.

Abstract: This invention relates to an improved process for providing water repellency and stain resistance to a masonry surface wherein an aqueous based water repellant polymeric coating is applied thereto and the water removed leaving a water repellent polymeric film adhered to the masonry surface. The improvement in the process resides in the use of an aqueous emulsion of a semi-crystalline ethylene-vinyl acetate polymer formed by emulsion polymerization wherein the polymer has: (a) a crystalline melting point ranging from 35 to 110° C. measured at a heat rate of 20° C. per minute; and, (b) a tensile storage modulus of at least 1×105 dynes/cm2 at a temperature of 115° C. and measured at 6.28 rad/sec.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for forming an image from millimeter waves. A field of view scanned using two geometrically orthogonal, intersecting copolarized fan beams (110, 120) to receive millimeter wave radiation. The received millimeter wave radiation from said fan beams are then cross-correlated (250, 650). Also, a method and antenna (400, 610) for receiving millimeter wave radiation are disclosed. The antenna includes first and second fan beam antennas (410, 420) for receiving millimeter wave radiation and a filter (430, 440) for rotating polarization of incident millimeter wave radiation through 90 degrees received by the second fan beam antenna (410). The respective first and second beams (110, 120) intersect and are co-polarized and geometrically orthogonal to each other.

Abstract: The invention includes systems, methods, computer program products, and combinations and sub-combinations thereof for enabling channels specific to a user's interest (as well as other objects) to be loaded on mobile devices (as well as other types of devices), and for users of mobile devices to operate with such channels on their mobile devices in an interactive manner while in an off-line mode.

Abstract: The invention includes systems, methods, computer program products, and combinations and sub-combinations thereof for enabling interactive advertisements (as well as other objects) to be loaded on mobile devices (as well as other types of devices), and for users of mobile devices to operate with such interactive advertisements on their mobile devices in an interactive manner while in an off-line mode.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for forming an image from millimetre waves. A field of view scanned using two geometrically orthogonal, intersecting copolarized fan beams (110, 120) to receive millimetre wave radiation. The received millimetre wave radiation from said fan beams are then cross-correlated (250, 650). Also, a method and antenna (400, 610) for receiving millimetre wave radiation are disclosed. The antenna includes first and second fan beam antennas (410, 420) for receiving millimetre wave radiation and a filter (430, 440) for rotating polarization of incident millimetre wave radiation through 90 degrees received by the second fan beam antenna (410). The respective first and second beams (110, 120) intersect and are co-polarized and geometrically orthogonal to each other.

Abstract: In collating packaging equipment and the like, a novel flight that comprises a flight body including at least one spring loaded arm that engages the conveyor drive chain to allow rapid and simplified interchangeability of flight arrangements, i.e. pitch or pocket size, without the need for disassembly and re-assembly of the entire flight drive mechanism.

Abstract: A vacuum sealing devices (10) used for surgical procedures, particularly on the eye. The device (10) comprises a flexible sleeve (11) which terminates in a platter (11a) having a sealing suction ring (12, 112, 212). The suction ring (12, 112, 212) couples the sleeve (11) to the body and isolates the surgical site from surrounding tissue. The sleeve (11) may be provided with a opening (22, 113) which allows instrumentation access through and incision such as a corneal incision (13).

Abstract: An oiling system for an internal combustion engine includes a cover for enclosing lower portion of a cylinder block. The cover has an oil reservoir and oil inlet and an integral transfer tube having an outlet which is coupled directly to the inlet of the engine's oil pump.

Abstract: An irregular arrangement of slots in a cylindrical slot-array antenna is used to control the radiation pattern, achieving a variation of gain and/or beam tilt with azimuth. A design methodology for slot-array antennas achieves efficient and rapid optimization by minimizing the number of degrees of freedom and the number of significant mutual-coupling interactions. A useful range of designs is achieved by requiring that the slots are arranged in bays and that all slots, and their probes, are identical. Bays are separated by approximately a wavelength and, therefore, mutual coupling between bays can be ignored. Although the antenna slots are physically grouped into bays, the analytical approach groups the slots into paths defined by a simultaneous variation in z and &phgr; coordinates of the slots.

Abstract: A two axis, two drive mechanism, two belt design Cartesian robot wherein each axis is independently controlled and all applied forces are along the centerline of the robot structure. This unique design allows for the use of a low cost control system since a so-called “multi-axis motion controller” is not required. Co-location of the drive systems allows support of the robot from one end. Centering of forces acting on a carriage assembly allows for the reduction of the weight of the robot for a given payload.

Abstract: An irregular arrangement of slots in a cylindrical slot-array antenna is used to control the radiation pattern, achieving a variation of gain and/or beam tilt with azimuth. A design methodology for slot-array antennas achieves efficient and rapid optimization by minimizing the number of degrees of freedom and the number of significant mutual-coupling interactions. A useful range of designs is achieved by requiring that the slots are arranged in bays and that all slots, and their probes, are identical. Bays are separated by approximately a wavelength and, therefore, mutual coupling between bays can be ignored. Although the antenna slots are physically grouped into bays, the analytical approach groups the slots into paths defined by a simultaneous variation in z and 0 coordinates of the slots.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for speech recognition. The systems and methods are operative to evaluate a spoken word and determine one or more characteristics of a speech waveform corresponding to the spoken word. The speech waveform is converted to a digital pulse waveform based on a threshold level. One or more characteristics of the speech waveform can be analyzed utilizing the digital pulse waveform. The threshold level can be adjustable so that varying voltage amplitudes of speech waveforms can be considered. The one or more characteristics can be matched with one or more stored characteristics to determine the spoken word associated with the speech waveform between a set of selectable words having different waveform characteristics.

Abstract: The invention includes systems, methods, computer program products, and combinations and sub-combinations thereof for enabling channels specific to a user's interest (as well as other objects) to be loaded on mobile devices (as well as other types of devices), and for users of mobile devices to operate with such channels on their mobile devices in an interactive manner while in an off-line mode.

Abstract: A burner for an external combustion engine using liquid or gaseous fuel, the burner being arranged for heat exchange between the inlet air to the burner and the exhaust air from the burner. The burner includes an external housing, a shroud within this housing, which shroud forms part of the centrally positioned combustion chamber. The burner includes air inlet apparatus and guide apparatus for guiding the inlet air to the combustion chamber, an igniter and fuel inlet apparatus and gas exhaust apparatus. The external housing, an element of the inlet apparatus, the guide apparatus, and heat exchange elements are formed as inverted shaped dishes or shells about the combustion chamber.