Abstract: Compounds of formula (I): wherein R1, R2, R3, R4, n and m are as defined herein. The compounds are useful as inhibitors of HCV NS3 protease.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an illuminator (10) comprising a substrate (12), a structured conductive layer (16) applied to one surface of the substrate, and at least one light source (18, 26) connected to the structured conductive layer. The illuminator is characterized in that it further comprises an unstructured reflective layer (24) applied on top of said structured conductive layer, which unstructured reflective layer has an essentially continuous extension at least in a surrounding of the at least one light source. Due to the unstructured reflective layer, the optical efficiency of the illuminator can be improved. The invention also relates to a method for producing such illuminator.

Abstract: Lubricant base oil blends and finished lubricating compositions having low deposition tendency are provided. The base oil blends consist essentially of about 20 wt % to about 80 wt %, based on the total weight of the blend, of an F-T Group III base oil having less than 5 wt % cycloparaffins, the balance of the blend being a Group III base oil having at least 35 wt % cycloparaffins. The finished lubricating compositions comprise a major amount of the base oil blend of the invention and at least one engine oil additive.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a frame for an in-line roller skate and as well as a roller skate having such a frame. This roller skate has a shoe and a wheel supporting frame extending therefrom said shoe for supporting aligned wheels. The frame includes a main frame body mounted to the shoe and at least one auxiliary frame body for supporting a wheel and being pivotally mounted to the main frame body. A resilient and deformable member is interposed between the auxiliary frame body and the shoe. The auxiliary frame body is so pivotable as to provide for moving the wheel towards and away the shoe for a distance determined by the extension and compression of the resilient and deformable member.

Abstract: For the production of a SLM device, one mounts a spatial light modulator (SLM) (2) on a substrate (3) of the same material as the main material of the SLM (2) to be juxtaposed with the substrate (3). Particularly, silicon based SLMs (2) are mounted on a silicon substrate (3). This leads to arrays of SLMs (2) that maintain a high accuracy with respect to position of the SLMs (2) and planarity. To further improve the planarity, it is preferred to mount the SLMs (2) on the substrate (3) by soldering, using the self-aligning effect of solder connections (20).

Abstract: The resistance to oxidation and nitration of a gas engine oil is improved by the use of a combination of a hindered phenolic antioxidant and an (alkylated) phenyl-?-naphthylamine antioxidant. The additional use of an organo molybdenum compound further enhances the resistance to oxidation and nitration.

Abstract: A sulky shaft connector device includes a swivel ball joint arrangement whereby the sulky shaft is allowed relative damped vertical movement with respect to the harness. A sulky shaft connector member, removably connected to the sulky shaft, forming part of the device also provides for quick and releasable engagement between the sulky shaft and the sulky shaft connector device.

Abstract: Articles containing thermoplastic material are welded together by placing a heating element between an overlapping side edges of the articles to define a weld area between the overlapping side edges with the heating element extending outwardly therebeyond, effecting relative movement between electrodes in contact with the exposed sides of the heating element and the articles while applying current to the electrodes to create a moving localized melt zone, and applying pressure to the melt zone immediately following creation of the zone to fuse the articles to each other and to the heating element.

Abstract: A thermal lithographic printing plate overcoat composition comprising (a) a water-soluble polymeric dye having an absorption band between about 300 and about 600 nm; and (b) micro-particles or nano-particles is provided. A negative-working thermal lithographic printing plate comprising (a) a hydrophilic substrate; (b) a near infrared imaging layer disposed on the hydrophilic substrate; and (c) an overcoat layer disposed on the imaging layer, said overcoat layer comprising a water-soluble polymeric dye having an absorption band between about 300 and about 600 nm; and micro-particles or nano-particles is also provided. Finally, a water-soluble polymeric dye having an absorption band between about 300 and about 600 nm is provided.

Abstract: The addition of alkyl salicylic acids and esters represented by Formula I where R1?H or C12 to C22 linear alkyl group; R2?H or linear C12 to C22 carbonyl group; and R3=linear C12 to C22 alkyl group reduces the pour point of a hydrocarbon base oil. Thus, both a method for reducing the pour point of hydrocarbon oils and lubricating composition containing pour point reducing salicylates are provided. The hydrocarbon base oil in such method and composition preferably is a Group III base oil.

Abstract: A damper assembly, comprising: a support means defining a plurality of (air) openings; damper means mounted or connected to the support means in relation to the openings for the periodic closure and opening of such openings; a crankshaft means coupled to the damper means such that rotation of the crankshaft means is able to induce displacement of the damper positions to respective second damper positions and back to the first position for adjusting air flow through said openings.

Abstract: A screen basket with replaceable profiled bars and method of making such screen basket are described herein. The screen basket includes profiled bars evenly spaced circumferentially to form a plurality of continuous slots that covers the whole basket length. The profiled bars are fixed in place by a backing structure, including support rings. In pulp and paper industry, this type of basket is mainly used for pulp screening and is commonly referred to as wedge wire basket. As opposed to conventional wedge wire baskets, in which the profiled bars are permanently joined to the rings, the present invention allows replacing the profiled bars when required and to fully re-use the main structural elements. This is achieved with an assembly that allows to insert the profiled bars, preferably consecutively sled into each aligned ring grooves in a vertical movement. The ring grooves are profiled such that there is sufficient clearance for sliding in the profiled bars.

Abstract: At least one exemplary embodiment is directed to an earpiece and method for call control is provided. The method includes receiving an incoming call from a caller, accepting the incoming call in a subscriber non-speech mode, receiving and presenting speech communication from the caller, and responding to the speech communication to a subscriber by way of non-spoken subscriber response messages. The Subscriber can respond to the caller via text-to-speech messages by way of a keypad. The subscriber non-speech mode permits a non-spoken communication dialogue from the Subscriber to the Caller. A first method alerts a subscriber of an incoming call, and a second method permits the Subscriber to respond. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: An earpiece (100) and a method (640) for acoustic management of multiple microphones is provided. The method can include capturing an ambient acoustic signal from an Ambient Sound Microphone (ASM) to produce an electronic ambient signal, capturing in an ear canal an internal sound from an Ear Canal Microphone (ECM) to produce an electronic internal signal, measuring a background noise signal, and mixing the electronic ambient signal with the electronic internal signal in a ratio dependent on the background noise signal to produce a mixed signal. The mixing can adjust an internal gain of the electronic internal signal and an external gain of the electronic ambient signal based on the background noise characteristics. The mixing can account for an acoustic attenuation level and an audio content level of the earpiece. Other embodiments are provided.

Abstract: An earpiece (100) and a method (640) for acoustic management of multiple microphones is provided. The method can include capturing an ambient acoustic signal from an Ambient Sound Microphone (ASM) to produce an electronic ambient signal, capturing in an ear canal an internal sound from an Ear Canal Microphone (ECM) to produce an electronic internal signal, measuring a background noise signal, and mixing the electronic ambient signal with the electronic internal signal in a ratio dependent on the background noise signal to produce a mixed signal. The mixing can adjust an internal gain of the electronic internal signal and an external gain of the electronic ambient signal based on the background noise characteristics. The mixing can account for an acoustic attenuation level and an audio content level of the earpiece. Other embodiments are provided.

Abstract: An earpiece (100) and a method (300) personalized voice operable control can include capturing (302) an ambient sound from an Ambient Sound Microphone (111) to produce an electronic ambient signal (426), delivering (304) audio content (402) to an ear canal (131) by way of an Ear Canal Receiver (125) to produce an acoustic audio content (404), capturing (306) in the ear canal an internal sound (402) from an Ear Canal Microphone (123) to produce an electronic internal signal (410), wherein the electronic internal signal includes an echo of the acoustic audio content and a spoken voice generated by a wearer of the earpiece, detecting (312) the spoken voice in the electronic internal signal in the presence of the echo, and controlling (314) a voice operation of the earpiece when the spoken voice is detected.

Abstract: At least one exemplary embodiment is directed to a method and/or a device for voice operated control. The method can include method measuring an ambient sound received from at least one Ambient Sound Microphone, measuring an internal sound received from at least one Ear Canal Microphone, detecting a spoken voice from a wearer of the earpiece based on an analysis of the ambient sound and the internal sound, and controlling at least one voice operation of the earpiece if the presence of spoken voice is detected. The analysis can be a non-difference comparison such as a correlation analysis, a cross-correlation analysis, and a coherence analysis.

Abstract: At least one exemplary embodiment is directed to a method for audio processing suitable for use with an earpiece is provided that comprises the steps of delivering audio to an ear canal, measuring a residual background noise level within the ear canal, and adjusting the audio based on characteristics of the residual background noise level to maintain a natural audio level. A mixing of an ambient sound signal and an ear canal signal can be used to calculate the residual background noise level. The method can include compensating the residual measurement based on microphone sensitivities. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A method, system, apparatus, and article of manufacture provide the ability to conduct a hybrid raster/vector based paint operation. A user commences a raster based paint operation. Based on the raster operation, vector-based information is determined and recorded. The system then determines if a requested user operation requires the vector-based information. If the requested user operation requires the vector-based information, a representative raster based stroke is generated/recreated based on the vector-based information and the requested user operation is performed on the representative raster based stroke.