Abstract: A tread for a pneumatic tire includes central tread elements and shoulder tread elements having leading and trailing tread edges. A pair of circumferentially continuous grooves, one on each half ol the tread, and a plurality of lateral grooves extending from each tread edge toward the center of the tread are provided. The lateral grooves adjacent the central tread elements are curved in shape extending along a line, the line extends toward the center of the tread to form an apex from the center extending outwardly across the tread pattern changing in an opposite direction at an intersection of the circumferential groove along a second line adjacent the shoulder tread element. Shoulder tread elements are arranged in two rows, one row adjacent each lateral edge, the leading edges of the shoulder tread elements being inclined relative to the direction of rotation of the tire.

Abstract: A system that facilitates opening of a bank account by banking personnel for a customer. The account opening system includes an automatic rate determination feature that uses customer information, account information and other criteria to determine an account interest rate. The rate determination system may also mediate rate negotiation between a personal banker and the customer by limiting the increase in rate awarded by the personal banker. An auditing system assigns numbers to a series of profiles, each describing a request to open an account. Profiles to be audited are determined by generating random numbers that fall within the range of assigned profile numbers. Random number generation is repeated until a threshold percentage of profiles have been selected for auditing. The account opening system includes a system for tracking the progress of the account application and for organizing information recorded by the personal banker during interactions with the customer.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing message reputation to an end user.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire 10 having a radially outer tread 12, the tread 12 having a plurality of tread elements defined by grooves arranged circumferentially and laterally around the tread 12 between a pair of lateral tread edges TE to define a tread pattern. The tread 12 has a plurality of tread elements extending across the width of the tread between the lateral edges including central tread elements 24, 26, 28 and shoulder tread elements 20, 22 having leading 21, 25 and trailing tread edges 23, 27. The shoulder tread elements 20, 22 are arranged in two rows SH1, SH2, one row adjacent each lateral edge TE. At least one row of shoulder elements has the leading edges inclined relative to the direction of rotation of the tire 10 having an axially outward portion of the leading edge entering and exiting a footprint contact patch 100 prior to the axially inner portion of the leading edge of the shoulder tread elements 20, 22.

Abstract: The coefficient of friction of an elastomeric sample can be determined by: (a) providing a friction test machine having a rigid wheel with an outer surface defining a curvilinear friction surface, a sample holder and, a force measurement device; (b) placing the elastomeric sample onto the sample holder; (c) adjusting the elastomeric sample and the curvilinear friction surface into frictional engagement thereby forming a curvilinear deformation in the elastomeric sample; (d) rotating the rigid wheel; and, (e) using the force measurement device to obtain a geometry independent measurement indicative of the coefficient of friction of the elastomeric sample.

Abstract: An auger for a vertical livestock feed mixer having an open-top mixing tub is provided. The auger includes two flights to draw in feed components from the bottom of the mixer tub and move them to the top. The trailing edge of the upper auger flight includes an upraised portion to deflect feed components towards the sidewalls of the feed mixer. The leading edge of the lower auger flight includes a kicker plate on the topside of the flight to deflect feed components towards the centre of the auger.

Abstract: The coefficient of friction of an elastomeric sample can be determined by: (a) providing a friction test machine having a rigid wheel with an outer surface defining a curvilinear friction surface, a sample holder and, a force measurement device; (b) placing the elastomeric sample onto the sample holder; (c) adjusting the elastomeric sample and the curvilinear friction surface into frictional engagement thereby forming a curvilinear deformation in the elastomeric sample; (d) rotating the rigid wheel; and, (e) using the force measurement device to obtain a geometry independent measurement indicative of the coefficient of friction of the elastomeric sample.

Abstract: An auger for a vertical livestock feed mixer having an open-top mixing tub is provided. The auger includes two flights to draw in feed components from the bottom of the mixer tub and move them to the top. The trailing edge of the upper auger flight includes an upraised portion to deflect feed components towards the sidewalls of the feed mixer. The leading edge of the lower auger flight includes a kicker plate on the topside of the flight to deflect feed components towards the centre of the auger.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device suitable for the investigation of ligand-receptor interactions, in particular for the investigation of an analyte target interaction such as biological and chemical molecules and organic components and their interaction with surfaces, consisting of an attenuated total internal reflection element, transparent in the infra-red and of which at least one surface is chemically activated and covalently grafted with an organic molecule able to immobilize the receptor. The invention further relates to the use of said device and a method for the construction of said device comprising the steps of: surface activation of at least one surface of an attenuated total internal reflection element; surface grafting with an organic molecule of the activated surface obtained in the previous step; and coupling a receptor via covalent fixation on the organic molecule.

Abstract: A system that facilitates opening of a bank account by banking personnel for a customer. The account opening system includes an automatic rate determination feature that uses customer information, account information and other criteria to determine an account interest rate. The rate determination system may also mediate rate negotiation between a personal banker and the customer by limiting the increase in rate awarded by the personal banker. An auditing system assigns numbers to a series of profiles, each describing a request to open an account. Profiles to be audited are determined by generating random numbers that fall within the range of assigned profile numbers. Random number generation is repeated until a threshold percentage of profiles have been selected for auditing. The account opening system includes a system for tracking the progress of the account application and for organizing information recorded by the personal banker during interactions with the customer.

Abstract: The loss of tire contact patch area along the tire's inside shoulder, relative to an oval race course, which occurs during chassis roll and lateral deflection, is reduced by providing an asymmetrical molded tire. The tires are defined by an asymmetrical outer tread profile and the tires are mounted on the rear axle of the race vehicle such that the axially outer portion of the asymmetrical tread region of each tire, relative to the race course, has a greater shoulder drop, wherein the shoulder drop is the difference between the maximum radial diameter of the tread measured on the outer tread contour and the diameter of the tread at the tread edge, than the opposing tire shoulder.

Abstract: A conservative algorithm for pruning data paths during logic circuit timing verification is disclosed. It uses the correlation between delays on data paths and clock paths in order to prune non-critical data paths during the traversal of the network. Subnetworks are identified in the larger network. Pruning data consisting of the minimum possible delay across all possible paths through the subnetwork, the deskewing clocks, the clock arrival times, and hold times at the synchronizers in the subnetwork are identified the first time each subnetwork is analyzed. In later analysis, the pruning data stored for each subnetwork is used to determine whether a data path can be pruned. A path can be pruned if it is shown to be race-free based on the pruning data. In this way, non-critical paths need only be traced once during timing verification.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire having improved wet traction has lugs containing sipes which change direction within the lug and tie bars in the sipes near each point where the sipes change direction. Siping, and the positioning of tie bars, provide means for minimizing the difference of the principle direction of lug stiffness between individual lugs. Also, a tire of the invention has 4 pitch ratios which are distributed around the tire so that extra large pitches are not located next to small pitches.

Abstract: A method for translating a boolean function into a logic circuit using gates from a standard library is provided. The method includes the steps of translating the boolean function into a network comprising a plurality of sub-trees, where each of the sub-trees represents a portion of the function, and where each sub-tree includes a plurality of representations for that portion of the function. The plurality of representations are stored in an alterative logic diagram, which comprises a plurality of ugates. The ugates are data structures which define the inputs and the connectivity of the respective ugate in the sub-tree. The sub-tree is mapped to gates from the standard library by selecting the best sub-tree representation. Accordingly, an improved method of logic synthesis is provided that allows for the optimal representation to be provided by starting with a wider range of inputs to the mapping process.

Abstract: The method for efficiently providing an optimized fanout network includes the steps of providing a series chain of inverters for driving a number of loads. Each load is assigned to a given location of the inverter chain according to the polarity and the required time of the load. Tree-covering techniques are used in conjunction with dynamic programming to minimize the total area of the fanout chain by selecting and sizing the gates to be used in the fanout chain. With such an arrangement, a minimal area fanout chain which satisfies the timing constraints of each load is provided.