Abstract: The present invention provides systems, methods, and computer program products for altering delivery of a piece by altering either the delivery address, mode of processing, and/or the mode of delivery. The invention provide an indicia associated with the piece of mail including instructions that are at least one of a different delivery address, mode of processing, or a mode of delivery than that originally designated for the piece of mail. During mail sorting and processing, the indicia associated with the piece of mail are analyzed. Either the delivery address, mode of processing, and/or mode of delivery currently associated with the piece of mail are altered to conform with the delivery address, mode of processing, and/or mode of delivery indicated by the indicia. In some embodiments, the indicia is altered by on a business parameter, such as a monetary value associated with the contents of the piece of mail.

Abstract: Provided is a waterfowl decoy that includes a suction bottom main body in combination with a removable keel. The main body includes extensions on the bottom that are within the cavity, and the keel includes corresponding slots to slideably engage the extensions. The keel also includes a hollow ballast section with an opening for insertion of desired ballast material. The keel is brought into contact with the bottom of the main body and the extensions are slid into the slots. This invention allows for quick, selectable attachment or removal of the keel in the field. The keel also includes a structure for the attachment and wrapping of an anchor cord.

Abstract: A top garment for waterfowl hunters and other outdoorsmen that has the attributes of breathable layering garments beneath the sternum (where waders are generally worn) and the attributes of a coat above the sternum (where waders do not extend). The top portion of the top garment, above the sternum, is made of waterproof and noiseless materials, such as micro-fleece, with an insulated inner lining and a tailored action back and underarm gussets for a full range of motion in the arms and shoulders. The bottom portion, beneath the sternum, is made of a breathable layering material, such as fleece. The upper portion includes an option array of magnetic storage pocket(s) (or hand warmers) designed to provide the hunter with easy access to items when needed, yet to maintain the items in a secure position when not in use.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method for determining whether a bovine animal possesses a gene for ?-casein A2 or the gene for ?-casein A1 in its milk by testing the DNA of the bovine animal for the presence of at least one DNA marker (excluding those DNA markers present in the sequence of the genes themselves). In particular, the method uses SNPs as DNA markers for the ?-casein A2 and ?-casein A1 genes.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for maintaining data throughput in a data element includes receiving a clock and a first plurality of instances of data having a first width on an input, sampling consecutive ones of instances of the data having the first width at consecutive ones of a first rising edge and a first falling edge of the clock, respectively, to generate two plurality of instances of sampled data having a first width. The plurality of instances of sampled data is then sampled at a second rising edge of the clock and parallelized to generate a second plurality of instances of parallel data having a second width greater than the first width. The parallel data may then be processed to for example generate statistics to monitor link integrity, prior to being transmitted. A 10 Gbps data transmission speed may be maintained using the IEEE 802.3ae-specified media independent interface clock.

Abstract: A virtual private network (VPN) service is provided through a shared network infrastructure, with customer edge (CE) devices each having a provider edge (PE) interface having a single layer 3 address in the VPN. An address resolution request message is transmitted by a first CE device on plural layer 2 virtual circuits of its PE interface. The address resolution request message including the layer 3 address allocated to a second CE device of the VPN. In response to reception of such request message at the second CE device, an address resolution response message is returned to the first CE device. In response to reception of this response message, the first CE device maps the layer 3 address allocated to the second CE device to a virtual LAN identifier of the layer 2 virtual circuit on which the response message is received.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for maintaining data throughput in a data element includes receiving a clock and a first plurality of instances of data having a first width on an input, sampling consecutive ones of instances of the data having the first width at consecutive ones of a first rising edge and a first falling edge of the clock, respectively, to generate two plurality of instances of sampled data having a first width. The plurality of instances of sampled data is then sampled at a second rising edge of the clock and parallelized to generate a second plurality of instances of parallel data having a second width greater than the first width. The parallel data may then be processed to for example generate statistics to monitor link integrity, prior to being transmitted. A 10 Gbps data transmission speed may be maintained using the IEEE 802.3ae-specified media independent interface clock.

Abstract: A method of reducing the level of saturated fatty acids relative to the level of unsaturated fatty acids in milk. In particular, the genotyping and/or phenotyping of bovine cows on the basis of the amino acid residue located at position 67 of beta-casein produced in their milk. The invention is based on the finding that there is a correlation between the ratio of saturated to unsaturated fatty acids in milk and the beta-casein variants in milk.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and kitset for rapid collecting and storing of a plurality of biological samples for later identification of the individual sources of the samples. The preferred types of samples described are sources of DNA such as blood. The invention is particularly useful in the tracing of meat specimens back to the carcasses from which they originated, but many other applications are possible.

Abstract: The present invention provides (with reference to FIG. 1) a land vehicle having bodywork which defines an aperture (11) in which a grill (10) is secured by mounting means (20, 21, 22). The mount means (20, 21, 22) comprises an elastically deformable non-metallic material which can deform to allow the grill (10) to move relative to surrounding bodywork when the grill (10) receives an impact, thereby absorbing energy of the impact, and which can subsequently return to the original shape thereof and thereby restore the grill (10) to the pre-impact position thereof. The present invention also relates to a grill (10) compound of a composite material comprising fibres set in a matrix.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of joining a first component (10) of composite material composed of fibres set in a resin with a second component (11) of a different material; the first component (10) is provided with a flanged edge portion (12) and a layer of adhesive extends between said flanged edge portion (12) and the second component (11), the fibres in the flanged edge portion (12) extend into the remainder of the first component (10); and the smallest dimension of the surface area of the flanged portion (12) is no more than thirty-five times greater than the thickness of the layer of adhesive. The present invention also relates to an automobile having a transmission tunnel (10), wherein the transmission tunnel (10) is formed of a composite material composed of fibres set in a resin and the floorpan (11) comprises first and second metal panels (11) bonded one each to a spaced apart pair of longitudinal extending edges (12) of the transmission tunnel (10).

Abstract: A method and apparatus for maintaining data throughput in a data element includes receiving a clock and a first plurality of instances of data having a first width on an input, sampling consecutive ones of instances of the data having the first width at consecutive ones of a first rising edge and a first falling edge of the clock, respectively, to generate two plurality of instances of sampled data having a first width. The plurality of instances of sampled data is then sampled at a second rising edge of the clock and parallelized to generate a second plurality of instances of parallel data having a second width greater than the first width. The parallel data may then be processed to for example generate statistics to monitor link integrity, prior to being transmitted. A 10 Gbps data transmission speed may be maintained using the IEEE 802.3ae-specified media independent interface clock.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for maintaining data throughput in a data element includes receiving a clock and a first plurality of instances of data having a first width on an input, sampling consecutive ones of instances of the data having the first width at consecutive ones of a first rising edge and a first falling edge of the clock, respectively, to generate two plurality of instances of sampled data having a first width. The plurality of instances of sampled data is then sampled at a second rising edge of the clock and parallelized to generate a second plurality of instances of parallel data having a second width greater than the first width. The parallel data may then be processed to for example generate statistics to monitor link integrity, prior to being transmitted. A 10 Gbps data transmission speed may be maintained using the IEEE 802.3ae-specified media independent interface clock.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for maintaining data throughput in a data element includes receiving a clock and a first plurality of instances of data having a first width on an input, sampling consecutive ones of instances of the data having the first width at consecutive ones of a first rising edge and a first falling edge of the clock, respectively, to generate two plurality of instances of sampled data having a first width. The plurality of instances of sampled data is then sampled at a second rising edge of the clock and parallelized to generate a second plurality of instances of parallel data having a second width greater than the first width. The parallel data may then be processed to for example generate statistics to monitor link integrity, prior to being transmitted. A 10 Gbps data transmission speed may be maintained using the IEEE 802.3ae-specified media independent interface clock.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for maintaining data throughput in a data element includes receiving a clock and a first plurality of instances of data having a first width on an input, sampling consecutive ones of instances of the data having the first width at consecutive ones of a first rising edge and a first falling edge of the clock, respectively, to generate two plurality of instances of sampled data having a first width. The plurality of instances of sampled data is then sampled at a second rising edge of the clock and parallelized to generate a second plurality of instances of parallel data having a second width greater than the first width. The parallel data may then be processed to for example generate statistics to monitor link integrity, prior to being transmitted. A 10 Gbps data transmission speed may be maintained using the IEEE 802.3ae-specified media independent interface clock.

Abstract: A hunter's coat made of waterproof and noiseless material, such as micro-fleece, especially adapted for waterfowl hunters and preferably in a camouflage design, with an insulated inner lining and a tailored action back and underarm gussets for a full range of motion in the arms and shoulders. A variety of customized storage compartments are designed for storage of specific gear and provide the hunter with easy access to the gear when needed, yet maintain the gear in a secure position when not in use. A game bag/pocket attached to the back of the coat carries the ducks and geese, freeing the hunter's hands for other uses. Two hand-warmer pockets are located at breastbone height to allow the hunter to warm his hands while wading in cold waist-deep or higher water. A specially designed dedicated shell pouch, a duck call pouch/pocket, and a call separator allow the hunter to readily access the particular item when needed, yet securely stow the item when not in use.

Abstract: A top garment for waterfowl hunters and other outdoorsmen that has the attributes of breathable layering garment beneath the chest (where waders are generally worn) and the attributes of a coat above the chest (where waders do not extend). The top portion of the top garment is made of waterproof and noiseless material, such as micro-fleece, with an insulated inner lining and a tailored action back and underarm gussets for a full range of motion in the arms and shoulders. The bottom portion is made of a breathable layering material, such as fleece. The upper portion includes an optional array of magnetic storage pocket(s) (or hand warmers) designed to provide the hunter with easy access to items when needed, yet to maintain the items in a secure position when not in use. The all-in one dual function top garment functions as an outer garment and yet when used in conjunction with chest waders eliminates the need to wear layered garments over and under the waders.

Abstract: The present invention provides (with reference to FIG. 1) a land vehicle having bodywork which defines an aperture (11) in which a grill (10) is secured by mounting means (20, 21, 22). The mount means (20, 21, 22) comprises an elastically deformable non-metallic material which can deform to allow the grill (10) to move relative to surrounding bodywork when the grill (10) receives an impact, thereby absorbing energy of the impact, and which can subsequently return to the original shape thereof and thereby restore the grill (10) to the pre-impact position thereof. The present invention also relates to a grill (10) compound of a composite material comprising fibres set in a matrix.

Abstract: A platform is connected over a synchronous network using a GFP encapsulation scheme to a provider device having a first Ethernet interface with a customer device, said platform being arranged for exchanging tagged frames including a virtual LAN identifier (VID) with a service unit over a second Ethernet interface. If an error condition is detected at a GFP port of the platform, a correspondence is retrieved between said GFP port and a VID and a deregistration message including said VID is forwarded to the service unit. If an error condition is detected at the second Ethernet interface responsive to reception of a deregistration message including a VID from the service unit, a correspondence is retrieved between said VID and a GFP port and said deregistration message is forwarded through said GFP port to the provider device in a GFP error message. When several Ethernet interfaces concentrated by a bridge face the provider device, another VID is taken into account in the correspondence retrieving.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of joining a first component (10) of composite material composed of fibres set in a resin with a second component (11) of a different material; the first component (10) is provided with a flanged edge portion (12) and a layer of adhesive extends between said flanged edge portion (12) and the second component (11), the fibres in the flanged edge portion (12) extend into the remainder of the first component (10); and the smallest dimension of the surface area of the flanged portion (12) is no more than thirty-five times greater than the thickness of the layer of adhesive. The present invention also relates to an automobile having a transmission tunnel (10), wherein the transmission tunnel (10) is formed of a composite material composed of fibres set in a resin and the floorpan (11) comprises first and second metal panels (11) bonded one each to a spaced apart pair of longitudinal extending edges (12) of the transmission tunnel (10).