Abstract: Many individuals generate excessively loud snoring during their sleep, often to the point where others cannot tolerate sleeping in the same room with them. Most cases of snoring are caused by excessive bulk and flaccidity of soft tissues of the palate and uvula that vibrate as air flows past them. These palate and uvula contain muscles whose contractions can stiffen and displace the soft tissues so that they do not vibrate. The invention provides electrical stimulation that causes the oropharyngeal muscles to contract during sleep using one or more microstimulators injected into or near these muscles or the nerves which innervate them. The invention also provides methods of determining the anatomical structures implicated in snoring and testing such locations for effective placement and stimulation of muscle contraction to decrease the frequency or magnitude of snoring.

Abstract: A gradient coil for a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus (10) includes a primary coil (16) defining an inner cylindrical surface (60), and shield coil (18) or coils defining a coaxial outer cylindrical surface (62). Coil jumps (74)connect the primary and shield coils (16, 18). The coil jumps (74) define a non-planar current-sharing surface (64) extending between inner and outer contours (66, 68) that coincide with the inner and outer cylindrical surfaces (60, 62), respectively. The coil (16, 18, 74) defines a current path that passes across the current sharing surface (64) between the inner and outer contours (66, 68) a plurality of times. Optionally, some primary coil turns (70) are electrically interconnected to define an isolated primary sub coil (P2) that together with a second shield (S2, S2?, S2?) enables a discretely or continuously selectable field of view.

Abstract: A semiconductor device (2) includes a semiconductor substrate (12) having a surface (13) formed with a first recessed region (20). A first dielectric material (60) is deposited in the first recessed region and formed with a second recessed region (76), and a second dielectric material (100) is grown over the first dielectric material to seal the second recessed region.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to compounds of formula (I): wherein R represents a methyl or an ethyl group X represents N, C—H or C—CH3 when X represents C—H or C—CH3, Y represents N when X represents N, Y represents C—H and physiologically functional derivatives thereof, pharmaceutical compositions comprising the compounds, the use of the compounds for the manufacture of medicaments particularly for the treatment of inflammatory and/or allergic conditions, processes for the preparation of the compounds, and chemical intermediates in the processes for the manufacture of the compounds.

Abstract: A pressure control system for controlling pressure of a fluid in a chamber includes a pressure sensor configured to measure the pressure of the fluid in the chamber, and a valve configured to control the pressure of the fluid in the chamber by regulating flow of the fluid from the chamber. The pressure control system further includes a controller. The controller is configured to estimate the volume of the chamber, and to generate a pump speed curve of the valve. The controller is further configured to monitor and modify the pump speed curve so as to maintain a slope of the pump speed curve to at least a minimum value, and to use the modified pump speed curve to adjust the position of the valve in response to pressure measurements by the pressure sensor, so as to maintain the pressure in the chamber at a desired pressure setpoint.

Abstract: A gaming system and method within a gaming establishment having a plurality of electronic gaming devices for a player to play games of chance or skill. A central database stores a financial account for the player. Each of the plurality of gaming devices communicates with the central database either directly or through a central accounting system. An identification device uniquely identifies the player and is utilized by the player to activate a selected gaming device. When the selected gaming device is activated, an account balance for the player is retrieved from the central database. The selected gaming device maintains a record of the player's account balance while the player plays the game, and reports the updated balance to the central database when the player finishes playing. The player can then activate another gaming device and begin playing with his updated account balance.

Abstract: The invention relates to methods, reagents and apparatus for detecting protein isoforms (e.g., those due to alternative splicing, or different disease protein isoforms or degradation products) in a sample, including using combinations of capture agents to identify the isoforms to be detected/measured.

Abstract: The method of producing thin cast strip by continuous casting having a side dam assembly. The side dam assembly includes a side dam having opposite outer surfaces, one surface contacting molten metal and the opposite outer surface having fastening portions capable of attaching the side dam to a side dam holder, to hold the side dam in place during casting without exposed portions of the side dam holder extending substantially, beyond the opposite outer surface toward the outer surface for contacting molten metal.

Abstract: Advertising is presented on a computer screen in the form of an animated multimedia character that will be referred to here as a “Shoshkele™.” The Shoshkele™ appears on the screen in an intrusive way at times which, to the user, are unpredictable, and it is entirely out of his control. The Shoshkele™ can move over the entire screen and is in the top layer of the display of the browser program, so it is not covered up by any window or object. It can also provide sound, including speech, music and sound effects. The sporadic appearance of the Shoshkele™ and its entertainment value draw the attention of the user. The Shoshkele™ character is produced by executeable code provided to the computer, the executeable code being determined by what other executeable code is available on the computer. The present advertising concept and Shoshkeles™ can be realized with existing technology.

Abstract: A data processor comprises a plurality of processing elements arranged in a first plurality of SIMD (single instruction multiple data) processing arrays, and comprises a second plurality of controllers for transferring instructions to the processing arrays. Each controller is operable to transfer at least one instruction stream, and to transfer received instruction streams to at least one of the first plurality of processing arrays.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a separation deck free of stepwise changes in elevation between a first end and a second end, the separation deck comprising a plurality of spaces through which a constituent material may pass, a plurality of scrubbers disposed on the deck, the plurality of scrubbers having a first end disposed at a higher elevation than the deck in at least a first state, and a vibratory generator coupled to the deck. The mixed material moves over the deck and the scrubbers from the first end to the second end by the motion imparted by the vibratory generator. Components of the mixed material move relative to each other as the components move over the scrubbers, thereby causing the constituents material attached to the components of the mixed material to separate and pass through the spaces in the separation deck.

Abstract: The present invention is a system that provides a pen based computer user with a graphical user interface tool, a pen-mouse, that looks like and functions like a mouse but that is controlled by a limited input device such as a pen or stylus of the pen based computer. The pen-mouse is a tracking menu that tracks the position of the pen. A pen cursor that corresponds to the pen is allowed to be moved about within the pen-mouse graphic by the pen and the pen-mouse remains stationary. The pen-mouse is moved when the location of the pen encounters a tracking boundary of the pen-mouse. The tracking boundary typically coincides with the graphic representing the mouse. While moving within the pen-mouse, the pen can select objects within the pen-mouse body, such as buttons, wheels, etc. The selection of a button or other virtual control causes a corresponding computer mouse button function to be executed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling pulses in a pulse-echo level measurement or time-of-flight ranging system. The apparatus comprises a controller, a transducer, and an energy storage device. The energy storage device is operatively coupled to the transducer through a relay. The relay is enabled and disabled by the controller and in the disabled state the energy storage device is allowed to accumulate energy. The energy is stored in the energy storage at a variable voltage level. The controller includes a component for determining a voltage level corresponding to an acceptable confidence level for echo pulses. The controller includes another component for determining a voltage level an increased response time.

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments of the invention provide a reference harmonic oscillator integrated circuit having three or more terminals, with systems and methods for calibrating the harmonic oscillator to a selected first frequency using a limited number of terminals. An exemplary apparatus comprises: a reference harmonic oscillator, a first terminal to receive a supply voltage, a second terminal to receive a ground potential, a third terminal to provide an output signal having an output frequency, and may also include a fourth terminal. One of the first, second, third or fourth terminals is further adapted for input of a calibration of the first frequency. The exemplary apparatus may enter calibration and testing modes in response to various commands such as a calibration mode signal, and may also be configured through one of the terminals for output frequency selection, spread-spectrum output, and output voltage levels.

Abstract: The invention relates to methods, reagents and apparatus for detecting protein isoforms (e.g., those due to alternative splicing, or different disease protein isoforms or degradation products) in a sample, including using combinations of capture agents, each combination being unique to the splicing variant to be detected/measured.

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments of the invention provide a system, method and apparatus for frequency calibration of a free-running, reference harmonic oscillator. An exemplary system comprises the harmonic oscillator, a frequency divider, a comparator, and a reactance modulator. The reference harmonic oscillator includes a plurality of switchable reactance modules controlled by corresponding coefficients, and provides an oscillation signal having an oscillation frequency, which is divided or multiplied by the frequency divider to provide an output signal having an output frequency. The comparator compares the output frequency to an externally supplied reference frequency using first and second predetermined levels of discrimination, and provides first or second comparison signals when the output frequency is higher or lower than the reference frequency.

Abstract: A method for determining an image of a patterned object formed by a polychromatic lithographic projection system having a laser radiation source of a finite spectral bandwidth and a lens for imaging the patterned object to an image plane within a resist layer. The method comprises providing patterns for the object, a spectrum of the radiation source to be used in the lithographic projection system, an intensity and polarization distribution of the radiation source, and a lens impulse response in the spatial domain or in the spatial frequency domain of the image. The method then includes forming a polychromatic 4D bilinear vector kernel comprising a partially coherent polychromatic joint response between pairs of points in the spatial domain or in the spatial frequency domain, determining the dominant polychromatic 2D kernels of the polychromatic 4D bilinear vector kernel, and determining the image of the patterned object from convolutions of the object patterns with the dominant polychromatic 2D kernels.

Abstract: A radio-frequency transponder device having an antenna circuit configured to receive radio-frequency signals and to return modulated radio-frequency signals via continuous wave backscatter, a modulation circuit coupled to the antenna circuit for generating the modulated radio-frequency signals, and a microprocessor coupled to the antenna circuit and the modulation circuit and configured to receive and extract operating power from the received radio-frequency signals and to monitor inputs on at least one input pin and to generate responsive signals to the modulation circuit for modulating the radio-frequency signals. The microprocessor can be configured to generate output signals on output pins to associated devices for controlling the operation thereof. Electrical energy can be extracted and stored in an optional electrical power storage device.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods are provided for removing sand and/or other fill material located in a wellbore ahead of a coiled tubing tractor and displacing the material behind the tractor. More particularly, the apparatus and methods of the present invention allow a coiled tubing tractor to drive forward in a wellbore by removing fill material in front of the tractor thereby allowing the wheels or traction pads of the tractor to remain in contact with the wellbore.

Abstract: A bus architecture includes master devices that are each capable of initiating a data transfer procedure by generating a bus request signal. Each of the master devices is arranged to transmit an address signal to an address input of a multiplexer, to transmit a data signal to a data input of the multiplexer, and to transmit a control signal to a control input of the multiplexer. The control signals may include burst type control signals. The multiplexer is capable of selectively coupling a selected master device chosen from the group consisting of the master devices to a bus. The bus architecture further includes an arbiter arranged to receive the bus request signals as first inputs and arranged to receive the burst type control signals as second inputs, where the burst type control signals are received from an ingress side of the multiplexer.