Abstract: An electronic device comprising voltage switchable dielectric material (VSD) material that is composed in part of organic particles.

Abstract: One or more embodiments provide for a composition that includes (i) organic material that is conductive or semi-conductive, and (ii) conductor and/or semiconductor particles other than the organic material. The organic material and the conductor and/or semiconductor particles are combined to provide the composition with a characteristic of being (i) dielectric in absence of a voltage that exceeds a characteristic voltage level, and (ii) conductive with application of the voltage exceeding the characteristic voltage level.

Abstract: A composition of voltage switchable dielectric (VSD) material that utilizes semi-conductive or conductive materials that have a relatively high aspect ratio for purpose of enhancing mechanical and electrical characteristics of the VSD material.

Abstract: One or more embodiments provide for a device that utilizes voltage switchable dielectric material having semi-conductive or conductive materials that have a relatively high aspect ratio for purpose of enhancing mechanical and electrical characteristics of the VSD material on the device.

Abstract: A chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear weapon detection system is disclosed that heightens its acuity and alertness when it senses that a chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear weapon attack is more likely. For example, it is well understood that a chemical gas attack is likely to be less effective when it is raining than when it is clear because the rain will suppress and dilute the chemical agent. Therefore, the likelihood of a chemical gas attack is higher when it is clear. In light of this and similar knowledge, the illustrative embodiment checks for evidence of an attack more frequently and with great acuity than when the ambient environmental (e.g., meteorological, etc.) characteristics (e.g., whether is it precipitating or not, whether it is sunny or not, etc) suggest that an attack is more likely. This enables the embodiment to conserve consumables that are used in detecting attacks for when the attacks are more likely.

Abstract: Compounds of the formula (I), or a pharmaceutically-acceptable salt, or an in-vivo-hydrolysable ester thereof, wherein —N-HET is, for example, (Ic) or (If) wherein R1 is, for example, halogen or a (1–4C)alkyl group which is substituted by one substituent selected from, for example, hydroxy, (1–4C)alkoxy, amino, cyano or azido; Q is selected from, for example, Q1 wherein R2 and R3 are independently hydrogen or fluoro; T is selected from a range of groups, for example, wherein m is 0, 1 or 2; are useful as antibacterial agents; and processes for their manufacture and pharmaceutical compositions containing them are described.

Abstract: A lift caddy for a personnel lift having at least one horizontal member, an engaging surface, and a work platform disposed below the horizontal member in spaced apart vertical relation. The lift caddy includes a container, a mounting hook extending from the container, and a pin insertable through an aperture in the upper portion of the mounting hook to limit horizontal travel of the retaining hook relative to the horizontal member when the mounting hook is positioned on the horizontal member. The container is sized so that at least a portion of the exterior surface rests against the engaging surface of the personnel lift to support the container in a substantially vertical orientation when the mounting hook is positioned on the horizontal member.

Abstract: The integration of a puzzle within a coupon marketing environment using traditional print and/or digital media as a distribution vehicle, or some combination thereof. By using such an approach, the user is further motivated to proactively participate in the coupon marketing experience due to the desire to assemble the puzzle and, in some cases, use the information to enter a contest or take part in another event. The invention can be applied to coupon marketing environments of unlimited variety, including single and multiple coupons, as well as wide variety of puzzles that motivate the consumer to participate. The value of this coupon marketing process is to provide a more effective way for marketers to capture the user's attention and get their coupon offer in the user's possession and/or used digitally in an electronic environment.

Abstract: A building protection system comprises a filtration unit, an air handling unit, an emergency exhaust subsystem, a first damper positioned between the filtration unit and the air handling unit, and a second damper positioned between the emergency exhaust subsystem and the filtration unit. The first damper is selectively opened and the second damper is selectively closed to filter outside air as it enters a building, and the first damper is selectively closed and the second damper is selectively opened to filter inside air as it is exhausted from, the building.

Abstract: A device or an enclosed area that can cause or is sensitive to electromagnetic interference (EMI) is shielded by at least partially surrounding the device or the area with a visible light-transmissive film comprising a flexible support, an extensible visible light-transmissive metal or metal alloy layer and a visible light-transmissive crosslinked polymeric protective layer, and optionally connecting at least one grounding electrode to the metal or metal alloy layer. The film has reduced susceptibility to fracture or corrosion compared to commercially available EMI shielding films, especially when bent or deformed.

Abstract: A chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear weapon detection system is disclosed that incorporates a mechanism to reduce the probability that a false alarm will be issued. In particular, the mechanism causes an alarm to be triggered when the amount of a hazardous material reaches a threshold, but changes the threshold based, at least in part, on environmental (e.g., meteorological, etc.) characteristics (e.g., whether is it precipitating or not, whether it is sunny or not, etc) that effect the efficacy of a chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear weapon. Given that there are environmental factors that make an attack less effective, and given that terrorists are aware of this, the illustrative embodiment is less likely to issue an alarm when the environmental factors suggest that an attack is less effective, and, therefore, less likely. The illustrative embodiment accomplishes this by changing the threshold needed to issue an alarm based on one or more the environmental factors.

Abstract: Electrically conductive films comprising a flexible support, an extensible metal or metal alloy layer, and a crosslinked polymeric protective layer have at least one permanently deformed curved region. The films can be light transmissive and can have regions of compound curvature, and the metal or metal alloy layer can be substantially continuous. The films have reduced susceptibility to fracture or corrosion compared to commercially available electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding films.

Abstract: An electrically conductive film contains electrically connected first and second visible light-transmissive metal or metal alloy layers separated by a visible light-transmissive crosslinked polymeric layer. The film can be joined or laminated into glazing (especially non-planar vehicular safety glazing) with reduced likelihood that the metal or metal alloy layers will be damaged or distorted. The film also can transparently shield a device that can cause or is sensitive to electromagnetic interference with reduced likelihood that the metal or metal alloy layers will fracture.

Abstract: Color shifting retroreflective articles can provide features such as decorative effects, evidence of tampering, security authentication or positional information. In some embodiments, the color shifting retroreflective article includes a layer of microspheres, and a reflective coating that is disposed in optical association with the layer of microspheres. The reflective coating includes a spacer layer disposed between a semitransparent first reflective layer and a second reflective layer. The first reflective layer includes a reflective layer disposed adjacent the layer of microspheres. At least one layer of the reflective coating includes a non-uniform thickness associated with each of a plurality of microspheres such that light incident on the article from a first direction is retroreflected at a first color and light incident on the article from a second direction is retroreflected at a second color visibly different from the first color.

Abstract: A method of making a polymer coating on a microstructured substrate. The method may be performed by vaporizing a liquid monomer or other pre-polymer composition and condensing the vaporized material onto a microstructured substrate, followed by curing. The resulting article may possess a coating that preserves the underlying microstructural feature profile. Such a profile-preserving polymer coating can be used to change or enhance the surface properties of the microstructured substrate while maintaining the function of the structure.

Abstract: The invention includes a system and a method for efficiently bounding the life of an event subscription to the availability of an object in a common object server environment. In particular, the invention provides a method for defining a quality of service for a subscription that mandates an automatic cancellation of the subscription when the object subscriber becomes unreachable. In one embodiment this quality of service may be specified as persistent or transient. The administrator can specify administrative limits associated with each or all subscription that determine the frequency with which checks are made. When a subscription with a transient quality of service is created, the event system periodically determines whether the object is reachable or not. If the object is reachable then it does nothing, but if the object is unreachable it may cancel the subscription.

Abstract: A flush toilet for a recreational vehicle has a flush mechanism including a lever that can be either depressed to cause a full flush of the toilet, or raised to rinse the bowl only. The lever operates a linkage that is designed so that, even after a partial failure of the linkage, the linkage can still be operated to introduce water into the bowl.

Abstract: A flush toilet for a recreational vehicle has a flush mechanism including a pair of foot pedals, one for opening the bowl outlet closure of the toilet, and the other for opening the flush water valve. Depression of the first foot pedal also depresses the water valve foot pedal, though that pedal can also be operated separately. An actuating cable for the water valve extends through the arm of the bowl closure foot pedal so that, if the water valve foot pedal breaks or is damaged, the water valve can still be opened for rinsing the bowl.

Abstract: A flush toilet, for example, for use in a recreational vehicle comprises two main plastic mouldings, one of which includes the toilet bowl and the other of which forms a "shell" or outer housing in which the bowl is supported so that the bowl outlet is located in an internal space defined by the shell. In accordance with the invention, the toilet is provided with a flushing mechanism that includes a bowl rinse nozzle adjacent the rim of the bowl and an internal rinse nozzle for rinsing the walls of the internal space and flushing mechanism within the outer shell. This reduces the risk of odours developing from contamination of the shell and also means that the shell is relatively clean inside in the event that servicing of the toilet is required.

Abstract: A VSAT satellite communications network utilizes parallel concatenated coding on its inbound or outbound links, or both. For short data blocks, nonrecursive systematic tail-biting convolutional codes are used. For longer data blocks, recursive systematic convolutional codes are used. These parallel concatenated coding techniques are used in conjunction with spread-spectrum modulation to provide a VSAT communications system which meets FCC regulations on the total power spectral density of transmitted signals as well as mitigates interference from adjacent satellites.