Abstract: A method for communicating parking space availability for a parking facility. A vehicle-based communication link is established between a remote infrastructure and a user interface device. A parking facility is selected utilizing the user interface device. The selected parking facility is communicated to the remote infrastructure from the user interface device via the vehicle-based communication link. Parking space availability within the selected parking facility is determined by the remote infrastructure. The parking space availability of the selected parking facility is communicated from the remote infrastructure to the user interface device.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for roller hemming are disclosed herein. An example of a sheet metal roller hemming apparatus includes a first electrode to electrically connect to an electrical power supply and a sheet metal workpiece. The apparatus further includes a second electrode to electrically connect to the electrical power supply and the sheet metal workpiece to cause pulsed electric current to flow through a portion of the workpiece to locally increase formability in the portion of the workpiece. The apparatus still further includes a roller assembly to contact the workpiece to cause the workpiece to bend in the portion of the workpiece when the pulsed electric current is flowing through the portion of the workpiece, and to form a hem.

Abstract: The embodiments described above provide mechanisms for bump resistivity measurement. By using designated bumps on one or more corners of dies, the resistivity of bumps may be measured without damaging devices and without a customized probing card. In addition, bump resistivity may be collected across the entire wafer. The collected resistivity data may be used to monitor the stability and/or health of processes used to form bumps and their underlying layers.

Abstract: A tool for enhancing surface nanocrystallization includes a tool base to removably attach to a machine, a head portion attached to the tool base, and a plurality of blunt pellets. Each blunt pellet i) has a different shape at a respective workpiece-contacting surface to generate a different pressure distribution and depth of indentation during surface nanocrystallization and extends outward from the head portion, or ii) has a same shape at the respective workpiece-contacting surface and extends outward from the head portion.

Abstract: Examples of methods for treating a cast iron workpiece are disclosed herein. In one example of the method, a nanocrystallized microstructure at a finish surface of the cast iron workpiece is roller burnished. The roller burnishing reduces roughness of the nanocrystallized microstructure. In another example of the method, a machined, finish surface of the cast iron workpiece is deformed by rubbing the machined, finish surface against a blunt tool to form a nanocrystallized microstructure at the machined, finish surface. The machined, finish surface is cooled simultaneously with the deforming to promote nanocrystallization of the machined, finish surface.

Abstract: The invention provides compositions and methods for detecting a neoplasia (e.g., pancreatic cancer, lung cancer, colon cancer) in a subject sample (e.g., serum, blood, plasma, tissue). In particular embodiments, the invention provides methods for detecting BNC1 and ADAMTS1 promoter methylation in circulating DNA in serum.

Abstract: A method of joining multiple components includes stacking the components vertically. Each component includes two opposite substantially planar surfaces that are arranged in a column when the components are stacked. The method also includes placing the stacked components in a clinch-crimping apparatus having a first punch, a second punch, and a crimping element. The method also includes displacing a section of the substantially planar surfaces of the stacked components by driving the first punch in a first direction that is substantially perpendicular to the surfaces. The method additionally includes retracting the first punch from the displaced section and crimping the displaced section by the crimping element to form a crush initiator. The method additionally includes disengaging the crimping element from the crimped, displaced section. Furthermore, the method includes clinching the crimped, displaced section by driving the second punch in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction.

Abstract: A method of separating, detecting and determining a size of each of a plurality of particles in a fluid includes compelling the fluid to flow through a fluid channel such that larger particles of the plurality of particles travel through the fluid channel faster than smaller particles of the plurality of particles; illuminating a detection zone of the fluid channel substantially uniformly across an entire cross section of the fluid channel such that each of the plurality of particles passes through illumination light upon passing through the detection zone; detecting each of the plurality of particles based on corresponding responses to the illuminating to determine a time that each of the plurality of particles passes through the detection zone; and determining a size of each of the plurality of particles based on the time that each of the plurality of particles passes through the detection zone.

Abstract: A method of joining multiple components includes stacking the components vertically. Each component includes two opposite substantially planar surfaces that are arranged in a column when the components are stacked. The method also includes placing the stacked components in a clinch-crimping apparatus having a first punch, a second punch, and a crimping element. The method also includes displacing a section of the substantially planar surfaces of the stacked components by driving the first punch in a first direction that is substantially perpendicular to the surfaces. The method additionally includes retracting the first punch from the displaced section and crimping the displaced section by the crimping element to form a crush initiator. The method additionally includes disengaging the crimping element from the crimped, displaced section. Furthermore, the method includes clinching the crimped, displaced section by driving the second punch in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction.

Abstract: A power-augmenting gear structure for an electric car includes a low-speed and power-augmenting transmitting route additionally installed in a gear case, with an output shaft of an electric motor extending in the gear case. The gear case has transmission gears forming conventional normal speed transmitting routes with normal speed reducing ratio for running on common flat roads, and a low-speed and power-augmenting transmitting route to be used in case of moving up an upward slope or coping with a condition needing a large torque. Then the electric motor may be reduced in its size, weight and cost, without necessity of enlarging it to have a large power.

Abstract: An instrument is provided for reduction of a rod or other elongated member into an implant, such as a bone screw. In one embodiment, such an instrument includes a rod adjusting assembly pivotably attached to an implant holding assembly. The implant holding assembly can be pivotably connected to an implant, and the rod adjusting assembly is operable to move a rod toward or away from the implant holding assembly. In that embodiment, several motions are possible by the instrument so that relatively small or large movements of a rod with respect to an implant may be made.

Abstract: The embodiments described above provide mechanisms for bump resistivity measurement. By using designated bumps on one or more corners of dies, the resistivity of bumps may be measured without damaging devices and without a customized probing card. In addition, bump resistivity may be collected across the entire wafer. The collected resistivity data may be used to monitor the stability and/or health of processes used to form bumps and their underlying layers.

Abstract: Ion wind fans can charge up or spark to the walls of an enclosure. In one embodiment, a heat source can be thermally managed using an ion wind fan by coupling the heat source to a heat spreader that also functions as a wall of an enclosure that contains the ion wind fan. A portion of the heat spreader is then electrically isolated from the ion wind fan, the portion being less than a minimum predetermined distance from the one or more emitter electrodes of the ion wind fan, to avid sparking between the emitters and the enclosure.

Abstract: An electronic catalog is provided that stores items and attributes associated with the items. One or more of the attributes may have more than one value. Items are stored in an item table with different attributes for items stored in different rows in an attribute table. Additional items may be added to a catalog by adding additional rows to the item table, with attributes related to the additional items added as rows into the attribute table. Particular attributes may have multiple values, and attributes with multiple values are associated with sub-items that correspond to different attribute trees or attribute sets associated with the item. Searching can be performed for attribute values and search results returned indicating all items and sub-items that satisfy the search criteria.

Abstract: A consumer electronics device can be thermally managed using forced convection. In one embodiment, the present invention includes such a consumer electronics device having a heat sink thermally coupled to a heat source. The device also includes a power supply configured to power an ion wind fan, and an ion wind fan electrically coupled to the power supply. In one embodiment, the electric coupling is temporary using a non-permanent electrical connector, and electrical contact occurs when the ion wind fan is removably retained by a retention mechanism.

Abstract: An ion wind fan can be incorporated into a solid-state lighting device to thermally manage the lighting device. In one embodiment, the lighting device has the approximate shape of an A-series light bulb and an A-series light bulb and includes a bulb body, a bulb cover coupled to the bulb body defining a bulb cavity and one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs) located inside the bulb cavity. The lighting device further includes a heat pipe to transfer heat from the one or more LEDs to one or more heat sinks, and an ion wind fan to generate an airflow in impinging on the one or more heat sinks.

Abstract: An electronic catalog is provided that stores items and attributes associated with the items. One or more of the attributes may have more than one value. Items are stored in an item table with different attributes for items stored in different rows in an attribute table. Additional items may be added to a catalog by adding additional rows to the item table, with attributes related to the additional items added as rows into the attribute table. Particular attributes may have multiple values, and attributes with multiple values are associated with sub-items that correspond to different attribute trees or attribute sets associated with the item. Searching can be performed for attribute values and search results returned indicating all items and sub-items that satisfy the search criteria.

Abstract: An instrument is provided for reduction of a rod or other elongated member into an implant, such as a bone screw. In one embodiment, such an instrument includes a rod adjusting assembly pivotably attached to an implant holding assembly. The implant holding assembly can be pivotably connected to an implant, and the rod adjusting assembly is operable to move a rod toward or away from the implant holding assembly. In that embodiment, several motions are possible by the instrument so that relatively small or large movements of a rod with respect to an implant may be made.

Abstract: An ion wind fan can be incorporated into a solid-state lighting device to thermally manage the lighting device. In one embodiment, the lighting device includes a bulb body having air intake and exhaust openings, and an ion wind fan to generate airflow between the openings. The lighting device can further include an upstream heat sink disposed upstream of the ion wind fan with respect to the airflow, the upstream heat sink having a shape that provides no direct line of sight from the air intake openings to the ion wind fan.

Abstract: An electronic catalog is provided that stores items and attributes associated with the items. One or more of the attributes may have more than one value. Items are stored in an item table with different attributes for items stored in different rows in an attribute table. Additional items may be added to a catalog by adding additional rows to the item table, with attributes related to the additional items added as rows into the attribute table. Particular attributes may have multiple values, and attributes with multiple values are associated with sub-items that correspond to different attribute trees or attribute sets associated with the item. Searching can be performed for attribute values and search results returned indicating all items and sub-items that satisfy the search criteria.