Abstract: In a mobile communications system 10, a message is sent to a mobile terminal 16 which transmits an acknowledgement signal if the message is received. If the system 10 does not detect an acknowledgement signal, it transmits a high margin notification signal to the mobile terminal 16 to notify the terminal that an attempt was made to send the message. When the mobile terminal 16 has received a notification signal and subsequently comes within range of lower margin signals from the system, it sends a registration signal to the system. The system may then retransmit the message to the mobile terminal 16.

Abstract: A dart that resembles various U.S. military missiles such as Patriot and Bunker Buster missiles, for example. The dart includes a hollow elongate barrel section having a longitudinal axis and including generally conical opposed end portions integral therewith. The end portions thereof define threaded female end portions respectively. The dart further includes a plurality of elongate shaft sections each having a threaded male end portion removably connectable to the threaded female end portions respectively so that the barrel section becomes disposed between the plurality of shaft sections. The plurality of shaft sections each further have a plurality of slits formed therein. The dart further includes a plurality of fin sections removably engageable with the plurality of slits respectively and for assisting the dart to maintain a predetermined flight trajectory. The dart may be painted with a variety of designs such as the American flag and camouflage, for example.

Abstract: A winch includes a chain wheel mounted on a spindle. A clutch is provided to selectively engage or disengage the chain wheel with the spindle. A clutch nut having a central aperture is movable rotationally and longitudinally on the spindle by way of mutually engaging threads on the spindle and central aperture. A stop is provided on the spindle to prevent longitudinal movement of the clutch nut away from the chain plates beyond a predetermined position. A carrier rotates on the spindle and rotational direction limiting structure is provided between the carrier and the spindle.

Abstract: A home theater comprises a video processing sub-system and a PC capable of controlling the sub-system. The sub-system has a de-interlacer/line doubler and the PC has a graphics controller with scaling capability. The combination of the line doubler and the scaler is made to function as a line quadrupler.

Abstract: The invention comprises a winch, including a chain wheel (10, 11) mounted on a spindle (1). A clutch (11) provided to selectively engage or disengage the chain wheel (10, 11) with the spindle (1). A clutch nut (27) having a central aperture, is movable rotationally and longitudinally on the spindle (1) by way of mutually engaging threads (4) on the spindle (1) and central aperture. A stop (30) is provided on the spindle, to prevent longitudinal movement of the clutch nut (27) away from the chain plates beyond a predetermined position. A carrier (24) rotates on the spindle (1) and a rotational direction limiting means is provided between the carrier (24) and the spindle (1).

Abstract: A garment for a personal cooling or warming system, the garment comprising a carrier formed in the shape of the garment, and a bladder comprising at least two channel segments, wherein the channel segments have a substantially flat configuration so as to improve thermal efficiency.

Abstract: A garment for a personal cooling or warming system, the garment comprising a carrier formed in the shape of the garment, and a bladder comprising at least two channel segments, wherein the channel segments have a substantially flat configuration so as to improve thermal efficiency.

Abstract: A method for detecting Helicobacter pylori in a subject's gastroenteral tract involves measuring a change in resistance of an electronic or electrochemical sensor, notably a polypyrrole film, on exposure to gas from the subject's lungs and/or stomach. Depending on the magnitude of the change (if any) a positive or negative result is indicated visually by electronics means. Two sensors are used, one of which receives a sample of gas which has passed through an amonia-absorbing means to provide a corrected baseline value for the ammonia. The invention also provides apparatus suitable for carrying out the method.

Abstract: A plunger assembly includes an outer elongated housing having an open end, an electric match having an electrical initiator and an explosive material, disposed in the housing. A plunger is disposed in and is moveable in the housing. A coupling device is provided for connecting the outer housing open end to a selected plunger receiver which is adapted to actuate a selected event. Application of an electrical charge to the initiator activates the explosive material to produce gas in the outer housing, which drives the plunger through the outer housing and into impact with the plunger receiver to actuate the selected event. In a preferred embodiment, the plunger assembly is a firing pin assembly and the plunger receiver is an explosive primer assembly.

Abstract: The present invention involves a network polling protocol which treats the network as a logical ring or linear sequence of nodes linked together so that a polling request is simply propagated down or around the network one node at a time until a complete inventory of active nodes is achieved. The protocols also includes procedures for curing or repairing breaks in the linking protocol and for adding new nodes to the linking protocol. The linking protocol can also be used to establish hierarchal linked networks where top level hierarchies includes addresses to a permanent member of a linked network and bottom level hierarchies are a given linked network.

Abstract: A method of expression DNA in a cell comprises, in a cell that expresses a replication VpA factor, transfecting the cell with a vector, wherein (i) the vector contains a DNA, or is adapted to receive a DNA, in operative combination with a promoter for expression of the DNA; and (ii) extrachromosomal replication of the vector is dependent upon presence within the cell of the replication factor. Stable El maintenance of the vector and expression of the DNA is thereby achieved. Vectors for expression of DNA are provided as are assays for the effect of expression of DNAs in cells, the DNAs being H expressed from the vectors.

Abstract: In a mobile communications system 10, a message is sent to a mobile terminal 16 which transmits an acknowledgement signal if the message is received. If the system 10 does not detect an acknowledgement signal, it transmits a high margin notification signal to the mobile terminal 16 to notify the terminal that an attempt was made to send the message. When the mobile terminal 16 has received a notification signal and subsequently comes within range of lower margin signals from the system, it sends a registration signal to the system. The system may then retransmit the message to the mobile terminal 16.

Abstract: A home theater comprises a video processing sub-system and a PC capable of controlling the sub-system. The sub-system has a de-interlacer/line doubler and the PC has a graphics controller with scaling capability. The combination of the line doubler and the scaler is made to function as a line quadrupler.

Abstract: A method for detecting Helicobacter pylori in a subject's gastroenteral tract involves measuring a change in resistance of an electronic or electrochemical sensor, notably a polypyrrole film, on exposure to gas from the subject's lungs and/or stomach. Depending on the magnitude of the change (if any) a positive or negative result is indicated visually by electronics means. Two sensors are used, one of which receives a sample of gas which has passed through an ammonia-absorbing means to provide a corrected baseline value for the ammonia. The invention also provides apparatus suitable for carrying out the method.

Abstract: A home theater comprises a video processing sub-system and a PC capable of controlling the sub-system. The sub-system has a de-interlacer/line doubler and the PC has a graphics controller with scaling capability. The combination of the line doubler and the scaler is made to function as a line quadrupler.

Abstract: In a telephone system a mobile radio telephone handset communicates via a satellite 3 and a satellite earth station 5 into a terrestrial system 7 which includes a call diversion center 39. If radio contact is lost with the handset 1, the call diversion center 39 can be telephoned using an alternative telephone 25 and the mobile radio telephone handset 1 used automatically to provide acoustic instructions to the telephone 25 and hence instruct the diversion center 39, whereby calls, directed to the handset 1, are diverted to a selectable other telephone 25. Diversion can terminate as soon as the mobile radio telephone handset 1 once again reestablishes radio contact with the satellite 3 or can be conditional, only operating if the satellite earth station 5 fails to get a call through to the handset 1.

Abstract: A mobile telephone (UT 1) is configured for dual mode operation, so as to communicate either via an earth-orbiting satellite 3a with a satellite network (SAN 1) or through a conventional land-based cellular network (PLMN 9). In order to provide interworking between the satellite network and the land, cellular network 9, an interworking function (IWF 31) provides data to the cellular network 9 concerning the location of the user terminal (UT 1) in relation to the satellite network. The data is transmitted from the satellite visitor location register (VLRSAT 1) to the home location register (HLR) of the cellular network 9. The IWF maintains a list of roaming subscribers provisioned with services which are specific to the visited network and not available in the home network. The (IWF 31) is configured to operate with local GSM, DAMPS, PHS or other local land-based networks, depending on the geographic location of the SAN.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for displaying an anamorphically compressed image on a computer monitor performs a horizontal stretching of the image. An interpolation mechanism is employed to convert a 720×480 pixel resolution image recovered from an image storage medium into a horizontally stretched 800×480 image suitable for display on the computer monitor in a high resolution display mode. The horizontal stretching of the image, in contrast to vertical squeezing of the image, avoids loss of vertical resolution in the displayed image.

Abstract: A device having alternative intercommunication formats, and an automated method of selecting the appropriate format to use, in dependence upon the ability of the device to which it is interconnected to utilize this format. Many devices utilize standard analog formats, such as NTSC, PAL, SECAM, and others, to communicate with other devices; many of these devices utilize digital formats, such as MPEG and others, for internal processing or storage. By appending a supplemental signal to the analog signal, the ability of the device to use a digital format can be communicated to the device to which it is interconnected. By communicating their capabilities, devices which have the ability to utilize the same digital format can automatically switch to this digital format for intercommunication, thereby avoiding the signal degradations typically associated with conversions to and from an analog form.

Abstract: A macro is created for a system that controls multiple electronic devices. Stimuli are supplied to the devices to trigger the desired responses. The responses are recorded. The macro contains a sequence of instructions. Each particular instruction requests the device involved to re-establish its particular state that caused it to provide a particular response.