Abstract: A method and system for processing a merchant identification request from a private label payment card issuer is provided. The issuer is communicatively coupled to a multi-party payment card interchange that includes access to a database. The database stores a plurality of historical multi-party payment card transactions.

Abstract: A method of controlling the operation of a wireless network of intelligent kitchen appliances for performing a recipe allows a user to provide authentication of commands received over the network by manual actuation of a touch-sensitive switch mounted to the appliance, and which initiates operation according to the command. A hand-held remote controller has a display for showing instructions to the user. The controller transmits associated appliance commands to the appliance, where they are stored, and the appliance then performs each appliance command conditionally, upon a change of state of the switch.

Abstract: Modified electrically conductive adhesives and methods of preparation thereof, are disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods of reducing angiogenesis in an individual. The methods generally involve administering to the individual an effective amount of a tanshinone compound. The methods are useful to treat conditions associated with or resulting from angiogenesis, particularly pathological angiogenesis. The invention further provides methods of treating a condition associated with or resulting from angiogenesis.

Abstract: The present invention provides extracts of Trapa natans L. useful for inhibiting, interfering and/or controlling pathological angiogenesis or neovascularization of tissues. The invention also provides a method to inhibit metastatis of cancer of colon, lung, liver, kidney, breast and/or cervix in a subject, comprising administering an effective amount of an extract of Trapa natans L. to the subject.

Abstract: The present invention is a method of applying Lotus Effect materials as a (superhydrophobicity) protective coating for various system applications, as well as the method of fabricating/preparing Lotus Effect coatings.

Abstract: An electrical condition monitoring method utilizes measurement of electrical resistivity of a conductive composite degradation sensor to monitor environmentally induced degradation of a polymeric product such as insulated wire and cable. The degradation sensor comprises a polymeric matrix and conductive filler. The polymeric matrix may be a polymer used in the product, or it may be a polymer with degradation properties similar to that of a polymer used in the product. The method comprises a means for communicating the resistivity to a measuring instrument and a means to correlate resistivity of the degradation sensor with environmentally induced degradation of the product.

Abstract: Systems and methods of nanomaterial transfer are described. A method of nanomaterial transfer involving fabricating a template and synthesizing nanomaterials on the template. Subsequently, the nanomaterials are transferred to a substrate by pressing the template onto the substrate. In some embodiments, the step of transferring the nanomaterials involves pressing the template onto the substrate such that the nanomaterials are embedded below a surface layer of the substrate. In some embodiments, the temperature of the plurality of nanomaterials is raised to assist the transfer of the nanomaterials to the substrate.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to conductive polymer composites, electrically conductive adhesives, and methods of producing the same. The conductive polymer composites and electrically conductive adhesives may be used for electronic component interconnects, flip chip interconnections, electrical connections to circuit boards, jumper connections, or similar uses. The method of forming a conductive polymer composite includes mixing conductive metal flakes, functionalized conductive metal nanoparticles, and a polymer precursor and curing the polymer precursor to form a composite. In one embodiment, the conductive polymer composites may be composed of microparticles of silver flake and sintered silver nanoparticles between the silver flakes. The polymer composites have an electrical conductivity of less than 10?5 ?·cm.

Abstract: An electrical condition monitoring method utilizes measurement of electrical resistivity of an age sensor made of a conductive matrix or composite disposed in a polymeric structure such as an electrical cable. The conductive matrix comprises a base polymer and conductive filler. The method includes communicating the resistivity to a measuring instrument and correlating resistivity of the conductive matrix of the polymeric structure with resistivity of an accelerated-aged conductive composite.

Abstract: A radio frequency coil includes an operative radio frequency circuit (100, 100?) and a trap radio frequency circuit (110, 110?). The operative radio frequency circuit is tuned to a magnetic resonance frequency and is spatially configured to at least one of generate magnetic resonance in or receive magnetic resonance from a spatial region of interest. The trap radio frequency circuit is tuned to block a selected frequency and is disposed with the operative radio frequency circuit. The trap radio frequency circuit includes at least a generally linear transmission line (120) having a first end (122, 122?) at which the operative radio frequency circuit and the trap radio frequency circuit are coupled together and a second end (124) at which the generally linear transmission line is terminated with a termination impedance (136).

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for reducing motion artifacts in an output image is provided. The method comprises capturing multiple frames of a scene; determining local motion vectors between each pixel in a current frame and a corresponding pixel in the a previous frame; and performing a temporal filtering operation based on the local motion vectors wherein pixels from a plurality frames are integrated to form the output image.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for controlling artifacts in an image due to a presence of flicker in ambient light is provided. The method comprises determining a power frequency for the ambient light; determining a magnitude and phase of flicker fluctuation in the image due to the flicker; and adjusting the image for the flicker fluctuation based on the power frequency, magnitude, and phase.

Abstract: In one embodiment of the invention, a method is provided. The method, comprises (a) determining a white balance correction parameter for a white balance correction processing block for an image sensor, and including the white balance correction parameter in the white balance correction processing block; (b) determining a gamma correction parameter for a gamma correction processing block for the image sensor, and including the gamma correction parameter in the gamma correction processing block; and (c) determining a color correction parameter for a color correction processing block for the image sensor, and including the color correction parameter in the color correction processing block.

Abstract: In one embodiment of the invention, a method is provided. The method, comprises scaling down a Bayer domain image made up of a number of 2×2 basic units, each having a Red (R) pixel, a Blue (B) pixel, and two green (G) pixels arranged in a fixed configuration and replicated throughout the image, the method comprising (a) partitioning the image into 2M×2N input blocks, where M and N are integers greater than or equal to 1; (b) for each 2M×2N input block, averaging a selection of R pixels in the block to produce a R pixel in a scaled down image corresponding to the Bayer domain image; (c) averaging a selection of B pixels in the block to produce a B pixel in the scaled down image; and (d) partitioning the 2M×2N input block into first and second triangular regions, and averaging a selection of pixels in the first triangular region to produce a first G pixel in the scaled down image, and averaging a selection of pixels in the second triangular region to produce a second G pixel in the scaled down image.

Abstract: A poly(arylene ether) polymer includes polymer repeat units of the following structure: —(O—Ar1—O—Ar2)m—(O—Ar3—O—Ar4)n— where Ar1, Ar2, Ar3, and Ar4 are identical or different aryl radicals, m is 0.05 to 0.95, n is 1-m, and at least one of the aryl radicals is grafted to at least one hydroxyalkyl group, such as 2-undecanol. The polymer is especially useful in electrically conductive adhesives.

Abstract: A method of stretching films in which all or a portion of the width of the film is cooled during or just after stretching so as to improve the uniformity of the film. The includes stretching a polymeric film in a tenter that grasps the film with a plurality of clips along the opposing edges of the film and propels the clips to thereby stretch the film. The tenter includes driven clips and idler clips, with at least one idler clip between respective pairs of driven clips. The cooling is done so as to improve the uniformity of the clip spacing relative to the spacing obtained at otherwise identical process conditions without such cooling.

Abstract: The present invention is a method of applying Lotus Effect materials as a (superhydrophobicity) protective coating for external electrical insulation system applications, as well as the method of fabricating/preparing Lotus Effect coatings. Selected inorganic or polymeric materials are applied on the insulating material surface, and stable superhydrophobic coatings can be fabricated. Various UV stabilizers and UV absorbers can be incorporated into the coating system to enhance the coating's UV stability.

Abstract: The present invention provides low stress non-hermetic conformal coatings for the protection of microelectronic devices, such as a Microelectromechanical system (MEMS) based multichip module from adverse environments. The induced stress from these two coatings due to the thermal cycling and manufacture processing will not cause any influence on sensing accuracy of the piezopressure sensor or similar functional MEMS devices. Furthermore, the conformal coatings have the merits of low glass transition temperature, good elongation, low moisture uptake and mobile ion permeation, room temperature curability and good contamination resistance to the jet fume, which promise a high reliability for the aerospace and avionics application. One conformal coating comprises a composition/formulation containing a rubber, siloxane or urethane oligomer modified epoxy and an organic hardener, and optionally an organic diluent and a curing catalyst.

Abstract: The present invention provides extracts of Lycium barbarum useful for inhibiting, interfering and/or controlling pathological angiogenesis or neovascularization of tissues. The invention also provides a method to inhibit metastasis of cancer of colon, lung, liver, kidney, breast and/or cervix in a subject, comprising administering an effective amount of an extract of Lycium barbarum to the subject.