Abstract: To improve the efficiency of bounding volumes in a hardware based ray tracer, we employ a sheared axis-aligned bounding box to approximate an oriented bounding box typically defined by rotations. To achieve this, the bounding volume hierarchy builder shears an axis-aligned box to fit tightly around its enclosed oriented geometry in top level or bottom level space, then computes the inverse shear transform. The bounds are still stored as axis-aligned boxes in memory, now defined in the new sheared coordinate system, along with the derived parameters to transform a ray into the sheared coordinate system before testing intersection with the boxes. The ray-bounding volume intersection test is performed as usual, just in the new sheared coordinate system.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for radially expanding a tubular member.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for forming or repairing a wellbore casing, a pipeline, or a structural support. An expandable tubular member is radially expanded and plastically deformed by an expansion cone that is displaced by hydraulic pressure. Before or after the radial expansion of the expandable tubular member, a sliding sleeve valve within the apparatus permit a hardenable fluidic sealing material to be injected into an annulus between the expandable tubular member and a preexisting structure.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for forming or repairing a wellbore casing, a pipeline, or a structural support. An expandable tubular member is radially expanded and plastically deformed by an expansion cone that is displaced by hydraulic pressure. Before or after the radial expansion of the expandable tubular member, a sliding sleeve valve within the apparatus permit a hardenable fluidic sealing material to be injected into an annulus between the expandable tubular member and a preexisting structure.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for forming or repairing a wellbore casing, a pipeline, or a structural support. An expandable tubular member is radially expanded and plastically deformed by an expansion cone that is displaced by hydraulic pressure. Before or after the radial expansion of the expandable tubular member, a sliding sleeve valve within the apparatus permit a hardenable fluidic sealing material to be injected into an annulus between the expandable tubular member and a preexisting structure.

Abstract: A computer system 200 having a hierarchical file directory system in which a user's patterns of use are analyzed when the user calls a file access routine such that the system tracks 904 which directories and files are accessed most frequently by the user when in a particular application 906. Upon the user accessing a particular application, the system then presents the user with a list of files or directories 908, 910 in order of most likely use from the particular application.

Abstract: A method and system for limiting scrolling and the movement of a cursor in a computer application. The computer application is operated on a computer system that has a display device with a display area. The computer application has a work area that is larger than the display area of the display device and a cursor that indicates an active area. Upper and lower and/or left and right boundaries are established by a user. Movement of the cursor is limited to the area of the computer application that is defined by the user-established boundaries. Viewing of the work area of the computer application may also be limited to the area of the computer application that is defined by the user-established boundaries. In a preferred embodiment, the method and system is applied to a computer spreadsheet application.

Abstract: A process for producing a food product having portions simulating in color the appearance of lean meat and other portions simulating in color the appearance of fat, comprising the steps of compounding together, with heating sufficient at least to pasteurize, a first portion of food components incorporating a material imparting to the first portion a color simulating that of lean meat; compounding together, with heating sufficient at least to pasteurize, a second portion of food components incorporating a material imparting to the second portion a color simulating that of fat, at least one of said portions containing protein, thereafter cooling the said portions so as to establish, between the cooled portions, a temperature difference of 5-25.degree. C.; and commingling the differentially-temperatured portions at a temperature below about 50.degree. C., whereby the colored portions are cohesive one to the other without excessive deleterious bleeding therebetween.