Abstract: An ion transport membrane system comprising (a) a pressure vessel having an interior, an exterior, an inlet, and an outlet; (b) a plurality of planar ion transport membrane modules disposed in the interior of the pressure vessel and arranged in series, each membrane module comprising mixed metal oxide ceramic material and having an interior region and an exterior region, wherein any inlet and any outlet of the pressure vessel are in flow communication with exterior regions of the membrane modules; and (c) one or more gas manifolds in flow communication with interior regions of the membrane modules and with the exterior of the pressure vessel. The ion transport membrane system may be utilized in a gas separation device to recover oxygen from an oxygen-containing gas or as an oxidation reactor to oxidize compounds in a feed gas stream by oxygen permeated through the mixed metal oxide ceramic material of the membrane modules.

Abstract: A system (10) for storing and using information associated with geographic locations of interest to a mobile user comprises a mobile apparatus (100) and a remote apparatus (200). The mobile apparatus accepts and transmits information associated with a mobile user's geographic position. The remote apparatus (200) receives the transmitted information, stores the information along with data indicative of the position and time as a waypoint, and allows the user to retrieve and manipulate waypoints. The system is preferably realized as a vehicle information system (20) that allows a vehicle user to store waypoints descriptive of different locations encountered during travel. Each waypoint includes the geographic position of its corresponding location, the time, and may include appended information such as a voice message or a picture. The waypoints are stored in a remote server accessible from both the vehicle and an auxiliary apparatus such as a standard telephone (310) or a personal computer (330).

Abstract: An exemplary WDM coupling device may include optical fibers. The coupling device may also include region(s) having varying coefficients of thermal expansion. During a temperature variation, one or more of the region(s) may alter in size to substantially cancel temperature-dependent changes associated with the WDM coupling device.

Abstract: A method and system for adjusting power at output ports of a wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) coupler. A loss element may be placed at one or more of the output ports of the WDM coupler. The loss element may have a filter characteristic that matches the temperature sensitivity coefficient of the WDM coupler. The filter characteristic may reject power at one of the two output ports as a function of temperature. As a result, the loss element may balance the power at the output ports of the WDM coupler despite temperature variations.

Abstract: A navigation system (20) having a service center (24) and a navigation unit (22) and a method of transmitting data to reduce the complexity of the navigation unit (22) and minimize the transmitted data. The navigation unit (22) transmits (202) a current location (or starting point (102)) and a desired destination (or destination point (104)). The service center (24) receives (204) the starting point and the destination point and selects (206) a route (100) between the two points. The service center (24) then generates (210, 212, 214) and transmits (216) data associated with a plurality of points on the selected route (100). These points may include items such as preparation points (140, 142, 144, 146), warning points (130, 132, 134, 136), instruction points (120, 122, 124, 126) and confirmation points (150, 152, 154, 156, 160, 162, 164, 166).

Abstract: A navigation system having a client device and a service center. The client device is capable of transmitting a starting point and a destination point from a user. The client device also includes a memory having a memory limit. The service center is capable of receiving the starting point and the destination point and calculates a route between the starting point and the destination point. The service center further is capable of generating and transmitting data associated with the calculated route to the client device. However, before transmitting the data, the service center makes a determination whether the size of the data associated with the calculated route is greater than the memory limit of the memory in the client device. If so, the data associated with the calculated route is transmitted to the client device in a plurality of segmented data files, each at a different time. The division of data may take a variety of forms including a division by geographic area.

Abstract: A navigation system (20) having a service center (24) and a navigation unit (22) and a method of transmitting data to reduce the complexity of the navigation unit (22) and minimize the transmitted data. The navigation unit (22) transmits (202) a current location (or starting point (102)) and a desired destination (or destination point (104)). The service center (24) receives (204) the starting point and the destination point and selects (206) a route (100) between the two points. The service center (24) then generates (210, 212, 214) and transmits (216) data associated with a plurality of points on the selected route (100). These points may include items such as preparation points (140, 142, 144, 146), warning points (130, 132, 134, 136), instruction points (120, 122, 124, 126) and confirmation points (150, 152, 154, 156, 160, 162, 164, 166).

Abstract: Peptides immunoreactive with antibodies to native proteins, and which have at least two cysteine residues that contribute to mimicking an epitope of the protein, are prepared with the cysteine thiol groups protected. When deprotected, the peptides have enhanced immunoreactivity.

Abstract: A method of optimizing traffic content includes providing a traffic flow algorithm (220) coupled to receive a set of solicited navigation route data (210) and a set of solicited traffic data (212) between a starting location (305, 405) and a destination location (310, 410), where traffic flow algorithm (220) is designed to compute a set of optimized traffic content (230) between a starting location (305, 405) and a destination location (310, 410). A set of unsolicited user-defined navigation route data (215) is received and incorporated into traffic flow algorithm (220).

Abstract: An insufflation device including a flexible tube, at least one resistive heating conductor having a first end and a second end, the at least one resistive heating conductor substantially disposed within the flexible tube and a temperature controller disposed within the flexible tube, the temperature controller electrically connected to the first end.

Abstract: A system and method for achieving, while using a laser and optical fibers, high signal-to-noise ratio. In particular, the system splits an incoming main light signal into two orthogonal polarization states, which then propagate through an optical circuit before recombining. The use of appropriate path differences ensures that the system is immune from the conversion of mode partition noise to intensity noise arising from the interference between parasitic light waves which traveled through the system in undesired polarization states.

Abstract: A distributed navigation system and method for providing driving instructions to a user. The system includes a service center having a navigation server and associated workstations. The service center stores driving instructions in a continuously updated map database. In response to a user request the instructions are transmitted by way of a wireless network to a client device residing in the user vehicle. The instructions are assembled into sequential stepwise driving directions and stored in a storage device in the client device. Commands from the user trigger playback of the driving instructions in a stepwise fashion.

Abstract: A method of compiling navigation route content (202) in a distributed communications system (100) includes defining a navigation route (306) between a starting location (302) and a destination location (304) that is comprised a plurality of route links (320-332) and defined by a user of a remote communications node (104). The plurality of route links (320-332) are monitored and navigation route content (202) is recorded for each of the route links. Navigation route content (202) is compiled by a navigation route algorithm (204) and navigation route data (206) is calculated for the navigation route (306) between starting location (302) and destination location (304).

Abstract: A distributed navigation system and method for providing driving instructions to a user. The system includes a service center having a navigation server and associated workstations. The service center stores driving instructions in a continuously updated map database. In response to a user request the instructions are transmitted by way of a wireless network to a client device residing in the user vehicle. The instructions are assembled into sequential stepwise driving directions and stored in a storage device in the client device. Commands from the user trigger playback of the driving instructions in a stepwise fashion.

Abstract: A method of compiling navigation route content (202) in a distributed communications system (100) includes defining a navigation route (306) between a starting location (302) and a destination location (304) that is comprised a plurality of route links (320-332) and defined by a user of a remote communications node (104). The plurality of route links (320-332) are monitored and navigation route content (202) is recorded for each of the route links. Navigation route content (202) is compiled by a navigation route algorithm (204) and navigation route data (206) is calculated for the navigation route (306) between starting location (302) and destination location (304).

Abstract: A method of optimizing traffic content includes providing a traffic flow algorithm (220) coupled to receive a set of solicited navigation route data (210) and a set of solicited traffic data (212) between a starting location (305, 405) and a destination location (310, 410), where traffic flow algorithm (220) is designed to compute a set of optimized traffic content (230) between a starting location (305, 405) and a destination location (310, 410). A set of unsolicited user-defined navigation route data (215) is received and incorporated with set of solicited navigation route data (210) and set of solicited traffic data (212) into traffic flow algorithm (220). A set of optimized traffic content (230) is calculated between the starting location (305, 405) and the destination location (310, 410) utilizing at least the set of unsolicited user-defined navigation route data (215).

Abstract: A method of optimizing traffic content includes providing a traffic flow algorithm (220) coupled to receive a set of solicited navigation route data (210) and a set of solicited traffic data (212) between a starting location (305, 405) and a destination location (310, 410), where traffic flow algorithm (220) is designed to compute a set of optimized traffic content (230) between a starting location (305, 405) and a destination location (310, 410). A set of unsolicited user-defined navigation route data (215) is received and incorporated with set of solicited navigation route data (210) and set of solicited traffic data (212) into traffic flow algorithm (220). A set of optimized traffic content (230) is calculated between the starting location (305, 405) and the destination location (310, 410) utilizing at least the set of unsolicited user-defined navigation route data (215).

Abstract: A method of optimizing traffic content includes providing a traffic flow algorithm (220) coupled to receive a set of solicited navigation route data (210) and a set of solicited traffic data (212) between a starting location (305, 405) and a destination location (310, 410), where traffic flow algorithm (220) is designed to compute a set of optimized traffic content (230) between a starting location (305, 405) and a destination location (310, 410). A set of unsolicited user-defined navigation route data (215) is received and incorporated with set of solicited navigation route data (210) and set of solicited traffic data (212) into traffic flow algorithm (220). A set of optimized traffic content (230) is calculated between the starting location (305, 405) and the destination location (310, 410) utilizing at least the set of unsolicited user-defined navigation route data (215).

Abstract: A switch contact for a wireless communication device is disclosed which is comprised of a generally U-shaped spring contact positioned between a printed circuit board and a planar inverted F antenna in a compressed state for electrically connecting the printed circuit board to a feed point on the planar inverted F antenna. The leg portions of the spring contact are provided with spring extensions which are overlapped and which are biased towards one another.

Abstract: A distributed navigation system and method for providing driving instructions to a user. The system includes a service center having a navigation server and associated workstations. The service center stores driving instructions in a continuously updated map database. In response to a user request the instructions are transmitted by way of a wireless network to a client device residing in the user vehicle. The instructions are assembled into sequential stepwise driving directions and stored in a storage device in the client device. Commands from the user trigger playback of the driving instructions in a stepwise fashion.