Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatus for simulating natural media painting in a digital painting application (or painting simulation module) may more accurately simulate real world painting techniques than conventional painting simulation applications. The digital painting application (or simulation module) may provide a small set of physically meaningful parameters (e.g., canvas wetness, drying rate, and pickup mix ratio). By setting the values of these parameters (or overriding default values for a selected paint type), the user may better control the appearance of brush strokes made by a virtual paint brush on a digital canvas. For example, the length of a brush stroke, the amount of streaking caused by paint picked up during the brush stroke, and/or the mix of paint deposited from a pickup buffer and a reservoir buffer of a brush model may be affected by changing the values of these parameters, thus allowing users to create different realistic painting effects.

Abstract: A gate valve capable of shearing through any downhole tooling and maintaining its seal capability after the shearing operation is complete. The gate valve has a body with a flow passage therein and a gate being linearly movable between a closed position blocking flow through the flow passage and an open position. First and second valve seats are mounted on opposite sides of the gate and have sealing surfaces that engage the gate when the gate is in the closed position. Shear elements are connected to and carried by each of the valve seats and are capable of axial movement relative to the valve seats in response to movement of the gate from the open position to the closed position.

Abstract: A seal assembly for sealing an annulus between inner and outer wellhead members comprises an energizer ring having inner and outer legs separated by a slot, formed of a high strength elastic material and having a central axis and an inner diameter seal ring formed of an inelastic material located on an inner side of the inner leg for creating a seal between the inner wellhead member the energizer. An outer diameter seal ring formed of an inelastic material is located on an outer side of the outer leg for creating a seal between the energizer and the outer wellhead member. The seal assembly may have an initial radial dimension from inner surface of the inner diameter seal ring to an outer surface of the outer diameter seal ring that is adapted to be greater than a radial width of the annulus, causing the legs to deflect towards each other when inserted in the annulus.

Abstract: A seal assembly for use between wellbore tubulars employs an inner seal ring partially circumscribed by an outer seal ring. The seal rings are axially slidable with respect to one another and can be made from pliable inelastic materials such as graphite or a fluoropolymer. The seal rings contact one another along profiled surfaces that are angled such that by axially urging the seal rings towards one another produces a bulge in the seal assembly directed radially outwards and inwards. The bulging seal rings come into contact with opposing sides of the wellbore tubulars to define a sealing surface. Axial supports at opposing lateral ends of the seal rings maintain the seal between the tubulars.

Abstract: To empower a member to make informed health care decisions, a health care organization (HCO) graphically presents the member with a manageable closed universe of health care information via an online interactive visual interface. The online interactive interface comprises a custom category node display of member health care data based on analyzing the member profile in light of the overall health care data taxonomy built by the HCO. Upon identifying the subset of relevant health care data categories, HCO initiates the display of the identified categories by way of a dynamically linked category node interface. To enhance the member's understanding of the relationships between the category nodes, the HCO preferably employs a ring node topology by displaying the online interface as a closed network or map, such as by locating each category node along one or more closed, loop-shaped wireframes, which connect the interrelated categories.

Abstract: A wellhead seal assembly that forms a metal-to-metal seal between inner and outer wellhead members. A bi-metallic U-shaped seal with legs having a low yield metal on the outer portions. During installation of the seal assembly, the legs of the seal are forced outward against the surfaces of the wellhead members, by pressurization of a interim non-metallic seal which forces a wedge into the U-shaped seal, causing localized yielding of the low yield metal to fill defects on wellhead member surfaces.

Abstract: Methods and systems facilitate collaboration between users at an oil well site and users at a remote location. Multiple types of oil well data are collected at the oil well site to form aggregated data. The aggregated data is stored in a data aggregation server at the oil well site. Users at the oil well site and users at the remote location are allowed to access the aggregated data on the data aggregation server using a standard data format.

Abstract: A battery assembly for use in an aircraft. The battery assembly may include a battery and a circuit configured to monitor the battery in situ. The circuit may include at least one sensor positioned to sense at least one property of the battery and a processor in communication with the sensor. The battery assembly may also include a battery housing, wherein the battery and the circuit are positioned within the battery housing. A method for evaluating a battery in an electric device. The method may include collecting operational information from the battery. The operational information may be collected without removing the battery from the electric device. The method may also include comparing the operational information to a degradation routine describing a property of the battery and calculating a capacity of the battery.

Abstract: A battery assembly for use in an aircraft. The battery assembly may include a battery and a circuit configured to monitor the battery in situ. The circuit may include at least one sensor positioned to sense at least one property of the battery and a processor in communication with the sensor. The battery assembly may also include a battery housing, wherein the battery and the circuit are positioned within the battery housing. A method for evaluating a battery in an electric device. The method may include collecting operational information from the battery. The operational information may be collected without removing the battery from the electric device. The method may also include comparing the operational information to a degradation routine describing a property of the battery and calculating a capacity of the battery.

Abstract: At least certain embodiments of the invention disclose a digital media sharing system for providing online album hosting services including receiving, at a web-album server, low-resolution versions of digital images from a client over a network instead of full-resolution versions of the digital images, wherein the full-resolution versions of the digital images remain stored locally at the client and storing the low-resolution versions of digital images at the web-album server instead of storing full-resolution images.

Abstract: A battery assembly for use in an aircraft. The battery assembly may include a battery and a circuit configured to monitor the battery in situ. The circuit may include at least one sensor positioned to sense at least one property of the battery and a processor in communication with the sensor. The battery assembly may also include a battery housing, wherein the battery and the circuit are positioned within the battery housing. A method for evaluating a battery in an electric device. The method may include collecting operational information from the battery. The operational information may be collected without removing the battery from the electric device. The method may also include comparing the operational information to a degradation routine describing a property of the battery and calculating a capacity of the battery.

Abstract: The subject of this patent is a system to generate RF frequency hopped signals that can be used to test radio receivers over the range of their signal specifications. The hop sequence and symbols in the signal is decoded from signals transmitted by the same or different radio of the same specification. The system can set various signal parameters to any prescribed value. These parameters include carrier frequency error, bit rate error, rise and fall times, amplitude ripple and roll off, modulation depth, nonlinearities, burst duration, burst start time and burst interval. Signal interference can be added to the signal including tones, other signals, noise and other signals of the same as the test radio. Similarly other communications equipment can be tested by the combination of receiving and demodulating a transmitted and regenerating the signal with the same symbols with specified signal parameters.

Abstract: To empower a member to make informed health care decisions, a health care organization (HCO) graphically presents the member with a manageable closed universe of health care information via an online interactive visual interface. The online interactive interface comprises a custom category node display of member health care data based on analyzing the member profile in light of the overall health care data taxonomy built by the HCO. Upon identifying the subset of relevant health care data categories, HCO initiates the display of the identified categories by way of a dynamically linked category node interface. To enhance the member's understanding of the relationships between the category nodes, the HCO preferably employs a ring node topology by displaying the online interface as a closed network or map, such as by locating each category node along one or more closed, loop-shaped wireframes, which connect the interrelated categories.

Abstract: Methods and systems facilitate collaboration between users at an oil well site and users at a remote location. Multiple types of oil well data are collected at the oil well site to form aggregated data. The aggregated data is stored in a data aggregation server at the oil well site. Users at the oil well site and users at the remote location are allowed to access the aggregated data on the data aggregation server using a standard data format.

Abstract: A signal analyzer to characterize the RF signal transmitted by a frequency hopping radio transmitter. The transmitted signal is analyzed while hopping across a broad frequency band without knowledge of the hop frequencies, timing or signal bandwidth. A wide range of signal parameters are measured on the dehopped signal to characterize the radio performance and the compliance to the radio specifications.

Abstract: One aspect of the present invention is a container that includes a microwave interactive web at least partially overlying and joined to a three-dimensional support, wherein the three-dimensional support may be formed prior to having the microwave interactive web mounted thereto. The three-dimensional support may be a preformed container that is sufficiently rigid and dimensionally stable for use in containing food.

Abstract: A coition activated inflatable reservoir condom. The condom comprises a various number of inflatable tubular portions on its shaft and an anterior inflatable dome. A fluid filled reservoir attached to the base of the condom to supply the fluid into the inflatable portions by body pressure between the users. One handheld pump with a tube connected to the reservoir as the source of additional fluid for the reservoir. One receiving empty container with a relief valve also is included to release the fluid from the inflated portions and to reduce the size of the condom during the intercourse per users' discretion. This invention is a condom that provides for an enhanced sexual experience.

Abstract: The invention relates to a seal for use with a pipe and flange assembly. The seal is intended to prevent leakage during axial movement of the pipe relative to a flange.

Abstract: A system and method for determining the track of a projectile use a thermal signature of the projectile. Sequential infrared image frames are acquired from a sensor at a given position. A set of frames containing spots with characteristics consistent with a projectile in flight are identified. A possible projectile track solution for said spots is identified. A thermal signature value for each pixel of each spot of the possible solution is determined. The determined thermal signature is then compared to an actual thermal signature for a substantially similar projectile track to ascertain whether the determined thermal signature substantially matches the actual thermal signature, which indicates that the possible projectile track solution is the correct solution.

Abstract: An anchoring system for a craft according to one embodiment includes a first portion for forming, a first loop around a handlebar the first portion having a free end; a second portion for forming a second loop around the handlebar the second portion having, a free end, and a cross member extending between the first and second portions wherein a length of the cross member is selectively adjustable. Tension exerted on the free end of the first portion causes the first loop to exert a wrapping force on the handlebar when wrapped therearound.