Abstract: A porous ceramic support for a gas separation membrane formed by sintering a green body containing grains of a refractory ceramic oxide with a high coefficient of thermal expansion and grains of a reactive binder precursor. Upon sintering, the reactive binder precursor reacts with at least one gaseous, liquid or solid reactant to create a reaction bond that binds the refractory ceramic oxide grains. The support configuration can be a tubular, flat plate, hollow fiber, or multiple-passageway monolith structure.

Abstract: A porous ceramic support for a gas separation membrane formed by sintering a green body containing grains of a refractory ceramic oxide with a high coefficient of thermal expansion and grains of a reactive binder precursor. Upon sintering, the reactive binder precursor reacts with at least one gaseous, liquid or solid reactant to create a reaction bond that binds the refractory ceramic oxide grains. The support configuration can be a tubular, flat plate, hollow fiber, or multiple-passageway monolith structure.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a reflective surface used in conjunction with an aiming device that provides the user targeting information on a surface directly on the aiming device. The reflective surface is moveably mounted directly behind the aiming device, where a user's eye would normally be positioned. In this configuration, a user, positioned at a point not directly behind the aiming device or system being used, may move the mirror to an angle appropriate to see where the system is being aimed, as indicated, on the surface of the aiming device.

Abstract: An optical waveguide structure is provided wherein a controller is configured to provide a TE control voltage to a first set of control electrodes in a first electrooptic functional region and a TM control voltage to a second set of control electrodes in a second electrooptic functional region. The TE control voltage and the first electrooptic functional region are configured to alter the TE polarization mode of an optical signal propagating along the waveguide core through the first electrooptic functional region to a substantially greater extent than the TM polarization mode of the optical signal. Further, the TM control voltage and the second electrooptic functional region are configured to alter the TM polarization mode of an optical signal propagating along the waveguide core through the second electrooptic functional region to a substantially greater extent than the TE polarization mode of the optical signal. Additional embodiments and features are disclosed and claimed.

Abstract: Broadly, then, one aspect of the present invention is a functional optical material composed of a liquid crystal (LC) evidencing a pair of refractive indices (RI's) and a polymer in which the LC is dispersed. The refractive index (RI) of said polymer may be outside of the L C RI's by at least about 0.03. Another aspect of the present invention is a functional optical material composed of a liquid crystal (LC) and a polymer in which the LC is dispersed, wherein said LC is less than about 5% miscible in said polymer. A further aspect of the present invention is a functional optical material composed of a liquid crystal (LC) and a polymer in which the LC is dispersed, wherein the cladding contains not more than about 20 wt-% LC. In all of these embodiments, the functional optical material can be clad to an optical waveguide and can optionally contain a chromophore.

Abstract: The invention pertains to a process for combusting coke of a coke-containing FCC catalyst in a regeneration unit of a FCC unit having the introduction of oxygen-containing gas through a gas-transport unit into the regeneration unit and combusting the coke by means of an oxygen-containing gas, in which the oxygen-containing gas is cooled in a cooling unit before it is brought in contact with the coke-containing FCC catalyst. The invention further relates to an apparatus for performing said process.

Abstract: A cached memory system that can handle high-rate input data and ensure that an embedded DSP can meet real-time constraints is described. The cached memory system includes a cache memory located close to a processor core, an on-chip memory at the next higher memory level, and an external main memory at the topmost memory level. A cache controller handles paging of instructions and data between the cache memory and the on-chip memory for cache misses. A direct memory exchange (DME) controller handles user-controlled paging between the on-chip memory and the external memory. A user/programmer can arrange to have the instructions and data required by the processor core to be present in the on-chip memory well in advance of when they are actually needed by the processor core.

Abstract: A porous ceramic support for a gas separation membrane formed by sintering a green body containing grains of a refractory ceramic oxide with a high coefficient of thermal expansion and grains of a reactive binder precursor. Upon sintering, the reactive binder precursor reacts with at least one gaseous, liquid or solid reactant to create a reaction bond that binds the refractory ceramic oxide grains. The support configuration can be a tubular, flat plate, hollow fiber, or multiple-passageway monolith structure.

Abstract: A porous reaction-bonded magnesia body with small or negligible shrinkage between the green state and the fired state. The body made by forming a green (i.e., unfired) body of mixed powders containing coarse grains of magnesia in combination with at least one reactive element, and optionally other ceramic oxides and/or compounds, followed by sintering in an oxidizing atmosphere. During sintering, oxidation and/or reaction of the element grain results in an overall volume change that is negligibly small or zero. The resulting body is highly porous, and may be used as a support for a semi-permeable membrane, especially relatively high coefficient of thermal expansion, high-temperature gas separation membranes.

Abstract: A system for telephone number portability has a first switch coupled between a first external telephone line and a users telephone. A second switch is coupled between a second external telephone line and the users telephone. A controller selectively opens and closes the first switch based on an incoming telephone call.

Abstract: The dual microprocessor system includes one microprocessor configured to perform wireless telephony functions and another configured to perform personal digital assistant (PDA) functions and other non-telephony functions. A memory system and a digital signal processor (DSP) are shared by the microprocessors. By providing a shared memory system, data required by both data microprocessors is conveniently available to both of the microprocessors and their peripheral components thereby eliminating the need to provide separate memory subsystems and further eliminating the need to transfer data back and forth between the separate memory subsystems. By providing a shared DSP, separate DSP devices need not be provided, yet both microprocessors can take advantage of the processing power of the DSP. In a specific example described herein, the microprocessors selectively program the DSP to perform, for example, vocoder functions, voice recognition functions, handwriting recognition functions, and the like.

Abstract: Memory architectures and techniques that support direct memory swapping between NAND Flash and SRAM with error correction coding (ECC). In a specific design, a memory architecture includes a first storage unit (e.g., an SRAM) operative to provide storage of data, a second storage unit (e.g., a NAND Flash) operative to provide (mass) storage of data, an EMI unit implemented within an ASIC and operative to provide control signals for the storage units, and a data bus coupled to both storage units and the EMI unit. The two storage units are implemented external to the ASIC, and each storage unit is operable to store data from the other storage unit via the data bus when the other storage unit is being accessed by the EMI unit. The EMI unit may include an ECC unit operative to perform block coding of data transferred to/from the second storage unit.

Abstract: The present invention is drawn to a method and apparatus for taking advantage of the always-on nature of a broadband VoIP network connection to provide enhanced services triggered by the off-hook event, bypassing a dial tone. In use, a caller triggers a network based greeting upon the off-hook event of picking up the phone. The greeting can be used for unique branding purposes by speaking a greeting to the caller. After the greeting, the caller can be immediately connected to an array of network-based services. A voice recognition system is employed to permit the caller to use voice dialing. A network interactive voice response unit (VRU) is used with the voice recognition system to allow the user to access services from a menu. The VRU can respond to an affirmative statement from the caller by using a table to lookup the phone number of requested services closest to the caller based on the caller's phone number (i.e., ANI).

Abstract: A backpack which includes a main bag, suspension system, frame, and additional miscellaneous parts. It combines the superior comfort of external frame backpacks, with the elegant style of internal frame backpacks. The frame is strapped within the main bag to create a semi-rigid surface against the back. The suspension system's shoulder harness is removable, and adjustably connected through the semi-rigid surface by screws. The shoulder harness is vertically adjustable and swivels to accommodate different shoulder widths. The suspension system's waist harness is removable, and rigidly connected through the semi-rigid surface by screws. The waist harness provides optimum weight transfer onto the hips and creates an air gap, providing ventilation to the back. By removing the frame and placing a cover on it, a seat is formed. By aligning the seat linearly with additional feet, and inserting elongated rails between them, a frame for a cot is formed.

Abstract: Memory architectures and techniques that support direct memory swapping between NAND Flash and SRAM with error correction coding (ECC). In a specific design, a memory architecture includes a first storage unit (e.g., an SRAM) operative to provide storage of data, a second storage unit (e.g., a NAND Flash) operative to provide (mass) storage of data, an EMI unit implemented within an ASIC and operative to provide control signals for the storage units, and a data bus coupled to both storage units and the EMI unit. The two storage units are implemented external to the ASIC, and each storage unit is operable to store data from the other storage unit via the data bus when the other storage unit is being accessed by the EMI unit. The EMI unit may include an ECC unit operative to perform block coding of data transferred to/from the second storage unit.

Abstract: The virtual device architecture provides physical and logical device drivers for interfacing software programs executing on a microprocessor of the mobile telephone of a wireless communication system with any of a wide variety of hardware devices connectable within the mobile telephone. The logical device drivers convert commands received from the software applications to commands appropriate for use by selected hardware devices. The physical device drivers receive the converted commands from the logical device drivers and in response to the received commands directly control the selected hardware devices. In one example described herein, the logical device drivers provide translation of core commands necessary to control the selected hardware devices and extended commands for enhanced control of the hardware devices. The logical device drivers operate to convert the extended commands into core commands prior to forwarding the commands to the physical device drivers.

Abstract: A backpack which includes a main bag, suspension system, frame, and additional miscellaneous parts. It combines the superior comfort of external frame backpacks, with the elegant style of internal frame backpacks. The frame is strapped within the main bag to create a semi-rigid surface against the back. The suspension system's shoulder harness is removable, and adjustably connected through the semi-rigid surface by screws. The shoulder harness is vertically adjustable and swivels to accommodate different shoulder widths. The suspension system's waist harness is removable, and rigidly connected through the semi-rigid surface by screws. The waist harness provides optimum weight transfer onto the hips and creates an air gap, providing ventilation to the back. By removing the frame and placing a cover on it, a seat is formed. By aligning the seat linearly with additional feet, and inserting elongated rails between them, a frame for a cot (or ladder) is formed.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to a new and unique member of Salvia greggii which occured as a spontaneous mutant on a specimen plant which was being used for asexual propagation of nursery stock in Phoenix, Ariz. This plant, while generally similar to the phenotype of the unnamed parent plant, differs from the parent plant and other plants of the species by having a distinctive marginal variegation which is confined to the foliage of the disclosed plant.