Abstract: Block copolymers having a polyisobutylene segment and a polycycloaliphatic diene polymer segment are presented. Star block copolymers with 2 to 16 block copolymer arms, wherein each of the arms has a polyisobutylene segment and a polycycloaliphatic diene polymer segment, are presented. The star block copolymers are synthesized via the “core first” method.

Abstract: The present invention relates to microemulsion compositions which can be utilized as coatings to improve the drying rate, protection, and shine of various surfaces, specifically metallic vehicle surfaces. Polyisobutylene, copolymers and derivatives thereof are utilized as a hydrophobe.

Abstract: A system and method supports multiple wireless carrier mobile station location requirements with a common network overlay location system. The common network overlay location system shares geolocation assets such as location measurement units (LMU), geo-location control system (GCS), and, optionally, mobile positioning centers (MPC). The shared location assets are configured to operate with each of the sharing carrier systems. The number of sharing carriers in the same market is not limited. LMUs are configurable and switchable to measure attributes of the transmitted signal from mobile stations belonging to any of the wireless carriers which are used by the common location system to estimate the location of the mobile station using time of arrival, time difference of arrival, angle of arrival, signal power, and combinations of the same. The location of the LMUs are configured to provide an acceptable level of accuracy while minimizing a function such as the need for additional LMUs and cost.

Abstract: The present invention provides high mechanical strength amphiphilic polymeric networks and implantable biological devices made therefrom that are capable of encasing and, thus, immunoisolating biological material from an immunological response of a host individual. The present invention also provides methods for making the amphiphilic networks and implantable biological devices. The present invention also provides a method for the treatment of type I diabetes mellitus comprising the steps of encasing a sufficient amount of islet of Langerhans cells within said biological device, wherein said biological device is capable of immunoisolating said encased islet cells upon implantation into an individual; implanting said biological device into a diabetic host individual; allowing said implanted biological device to remain implanted in said diabetic individual for a time sufficient to normalize the blood glucose level in said diabetic individual.

Abstract: The preparation of allylated poly(vinyl chloride) by utilizing an allyltrialkylsilane in the presence of Friedel-Crafts acids is disclosed. The pendant allyl groups can be further reacted through various functionalization reactions to contain end groups such as epoxy. A method for determination of the labile chlorine content of poly(vinyl chloride) is also disclosed.

Abstract: A system and method for determining the location of a mobile appliance where the tasking of the system to determine the location of the mobile appliance utilizes a first communications protocol standard and the reporting of the location of the mobile appliance utilizes a second communications protocol standard, where the first and second communication protocol standards are not the same and can include any of the commonly used communication protocol standards including TIA defined standards, ETSI standards, and SMR/ESMR defined standards.

Abstract: Block copolymers and star polymers having copolymer arms of PIB-PAN have been synthesized via living carbocationic polymerization and atom transfer radical polymerization in a methylene chloride/cyclohexanone solvent system.

Abstract: The present invention provides high mechanical strength amphiphilic polymeric networks and implantable biological devices made therefrom that are capable of encasing and, thus, immunoisolating biological material from an immunological response of a host individual. The present invention also provides methods for making the amphiphilic networks and implantable biological devices. The present invention also provides a method for the treatment of type I diabetes mellitus comprising the steps of encasing a sufficient amount of islet of Langerhans cells within said biological device, wherein said biological device is capable of immunoisolating said encased islet cells upon implantation into an individual; implanting said biological device into a diabetic host individual; allowing said implanted biological device to remain implanted in said diabetic individual for a time sufficient to normalize the blood glucose level in said diabetic individual.

Abstract: Various novel block cationomers comprising polyisobutylene (PIB) and poly(2-dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate) (PDMAEMA) segments have been synthesized and characterized. The specific targets were various molecular weight diblocks (PDMAEMA+) and triblocks (PDMAEMA+-b-PIB-b-PDMAEMA+) with the PIB blocks in the DPn=50-200−(Mn=3,000-9,000 g/mol) range connected to blocks of PDMAEMA+ cations in the DPn=5-20 range. The overall synthetic strategy for the preparation of these block cationomers comprised four steps: 1) Synthesis by living cationic polymerization of mono- and di-allyltelechelic polyisobutylenes, 2) End group transformation to obtain PIBs fitted with termini capable of mediating the atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) of DMAEMA, 3) ATRP of DMAEMA and 4) Quaternization of PDMAEMA to PDMAEMA+I− by CH3I. Kinetic and model experiments provided guidance to develop convenient synthesis methods.

Abstract: The present invention relates to microemulsion compositions which can be utilized as coatings to improve the drying rate, protection, and shine of various surfaces, specifically metallic vehicle surfaces. Polyisobutylene, copolymers and derivatives thereof are utilized as a hydrophobe.

Abstract: The present invention relates to amphiphilic copolymer networks comprising polyisobutylene segments and poly(alkylene glycol) segments. The polyisobutylene segments of the amphiphilic networks are physically crosslinked by hydrophobic forces. The amphiphilic networks have particular use as coatings for biological implants. Also provided is a process for preparing a physically crosslinked amphiphilic copolymer network comprising: providing a block copolymer comprising polyisobutylene segments and poly(alkylene glycol) segments; introducing the block copolymer into an aqueous solvent; and allowing the block copolymer to self-assemble into physically crosslinked a copolymer network.

Abstract: A system and method for geolocating a mobile unit from a single base station is described. Communication signals and pilot signal information from a mobile unit are received at a base station with randomly-located antennas. Certain parameters of the signals are detected and a set of real-time, but ambiguous, location measurements is determined. The real-time measurements are compared to reference measurements previously stored in a database, indexed by range and bearing from the base station, to find the best match and thereby the geolocation of the mobile unit. A time history of the mobile unit's position is stored and compared with static information from maps and other geomorphological data to further refine the geolocation of the mobile unit.

Abstract: Multicomponent networks or membranes of the present invention have good mechanical properties that are permeable to water, hydrocarbons, and oxygen. The networks contain at least two and preferably at least three covalently combined domains, i.e., a hydrophilic, a lipophilic and an oxyphilic polymer segment, that give rise to a multicontinuous domain microstructure. At least one of these domains includes poly(ethylene glycol).

Abstract: Multicomponent networks or membranes of the present invention have good mechanical properties that are permeable to water, hydrocarbons, and oxygen. The networks contain at least two and preferably at least three covalently combined domains, i.e., a hydrophilic, a lipophilic and an oxyphilic polymer segment, that give rise to a multicontinuous domain microstructure. At least one of these domains includes poly(ethylene glycol).

Abstract: The present invention relates to microemulsion compositions which can be utilized as coatings to improve the drying rate, protection, and shine of various surfaces, specifically metallic vehicle surfaces. Polyisobutylene copolymers and derivatives thereof are utilized as a hydrophobe.

Abstract: A system and method for determining the geolocation of autonomous mobile appliances emitting analog waveforms is disclosed. More specifically, the inventive system and method is used to geolocate FM analog signals such as those used in the AMPS cellular radio air standard by using a time difference of arrival (“TDOA”) approach. The inventive system and method uses a novel approach to minimize the amount of data sent between location sensors and the central location processor comprising adaptive signal combining from N channel to a single channel, FM demodulation to reduce bandwidth, Fourier transformation for signal compression, and segmentation of the location sensors into primary and secondary modes to allow for parallel processing to ease the computational burden on the central location processor.

Abstract: A system and method for determining the positioning of mobile-appliance location determining sensors in a mobile-appliance communications network by estimating the positioning accuracy of the sensors.

Abstract: A system and method for determining the geolocation of autonomous mobile appliances using timing measurements from reference signals to determine position. The system and method allows the use of reference signals from disparate communication and navigation networks of which the mobile appliance may or may not be a network member. The system and method also maintains and dynamically updates its database of the location of reference signal transmitters and the reference signals emitted by the reference signal transmitters upon the detection of new reference signals or when the geolocation solution of a mobile appliance is over-determined.

Abstract: The preparation of allylated poly(vinyl chloride) by utilizing an allyltrialkylsilane in the presence of Friedel-Crafts acids is disclosed. The pendant allyl groups can be further reacted through various functionalization reactions to contain end groups such as epoxy and hydroxyl. Alternatively, an unsaturated group can be added to poly(vinyl chloride) utilizing a diene also in the presence of a Friedel-Crafts acid. These pendant groups can also be reacted to contain functional end groups such as hydroxyl and epoxy. In yet a further embodiment, the functionalized end groups such as pendant—OH groups of both the allylated and diene grafted poly(vinyl chloride) are further reacted with other monomers or polymer chains which thus results in a poly(vinyl chloride) chain having pendant monomers or polymers. These compositions are useful as compatibilizers for poly(vinyl chloride) and various other resins.

Abstract: A grafted poly(vinyl chloride) having at least one pendant chain which comprises poly(&agr;-methylstyrene). The graft copolymer has only a single glass transition temperature of from about 100° C. to about 130° C. The poly(vinyl chloride)-g-poly(&agr;-methylstyrene) can be utilized as a high heat distortion poly(vinyl chloride) material, as the single glass transition temperature is considerably higher than that of homopolymer poly(vinyl chloride). The molecular weight of the pendant poly(&agr;-methylstyrene) chain is less than about 10,500 g/mol number average.