Abstract: A data structure includes variable-size data objects [“VSDOs”] and enables selective and efficient retrieval of data in particular VSDOs. The data structure includes multiple packets. Each packet includes a reference count field, a references field, and an objects field. The references field stores references to VSDOs within the data structure. The reference count field indicates the number of references stored in the references field. The objects field stores the actual VSDOs. To access a particular VSDO, an accessing unit traverses the reference count fields of the multiple packets until the accessing unit finds a packet that includes the reference to the particular VSDO. The accessing unit accesses the particular VSDO based upon the reference. To further improve the efficiency of an access operation, packets form metapackets. A metapacket header sums the reference count fields of the packets within the metapacket.

Abstract: The invention relates to a fluorescent lamp having a transparent or translucent glass bulb of a tubular cross section containing an inert gas such as Neon, Argon, Krypton or Xenon. A means to produce an electric discharge within said bulb will energise a coating of a fluorescent material deposited on the interior surface of the glass bulb in an arbitrary pattern to emit a novelty style visible light.

Abstract: This invention discloses a code division multiple access communications system based on spread sequences designed by using complete factorization of polyphase matrix of a perfect reconstruction (PR) filter bank. The key characteristic is that the length of the spread sequence is longer than the period of the data symbol i.e., the data symbols are spreaded by the spread sequence and overlapped with neighboring data symbols. The design method includes an orthogonal code generator, a number of cascading stages and random permutation matrices. The number of cascading stages and random permutation matrices are selected according to the length of the spread sequence required. The length of the spread sequence could be selected according to the system performance requirement, hence the overlapping factor of spreaded data symbols. Furthermore, this spread sequence assumes integer values instead of binary when the orthogonal code generator generates a Walsh-Hadamard code.

Abstract: A data structure includes variable-size data objects [“VSDOs”] and enables selective and efficient retrieval of data in particular VSDOs. The data structure includes multiple packets. Each packet includes a reference count field, a references field, and an objects field. The references field stores references to VSDOs within the data structure. The reference count field indicates the number of references stored in the references field. The objects field stores the-actual VSDOs. To access a particular VSDO, an accessing unit traverses the reference count fields of the multiple packets until the accessing unit finds a packet that includes the reference to the particular VSDO. The accessing unit accesses the particular VSDO based upon the reference. To further improve the efficiency of an access operation, packets form metapackets. A metapacket header sums the reference count fields of the packets within the metapacket.

Abstract: A data structure includes variable-size data objects [“VSDOs”] and enables selective and efficient retrieval of data in particular VSDOs. The data structure includes multiple packets. Each packet includes a reference count field, a references field, and an objects field. The references field stores references to VSDOs within the data structure. The reference count field indicates the number of references stored in the references field. The objects field stores the actual VSDOs. To access a particular VSDO, an accessing unit traverses the reference count fields of the multiple packets until the accessing unit finds a packet that includes the reference to the particular VSDO. The accessing unit accesses the particular VSDO based upon the reference. To further improve the efficiency of an access operation, packets form metapackets. A metapacket header sums the reference count fields of the packets within the metapacket.

Abstract: Selective quality light field operations efficiently manipulate a multi-resolution representation of a light field. These operations include intra-image and inter-image decomposition and compression of a light field to a multi-resolution representation. These operations also include intra-image and inter-image decompression and reconstruction of a light field at selective quality. These selective quality operations also apply to storage, rendering, and transmission. Various techniques improve spatial displacement estimation of a prediction light field image from a reference light field image. These techniques includes constraining the placement and size of a search window based upon a geometrical relationship between prediction and reference light field images, hierarchical spatial displacement estimation, edge extension of a reference light field image, differential coding of displacement vectors, and multi-predictor spatial displacement estimation.

Abstract: Monitoring the intensity pattern of a radiation beam reflected from a sample tube before and after the tube is tilted from an original alignment to determine signal areas that correspond to the location of a liquid interface within the tube.

Abstract: A pre-processor for use in performing heterogeneous immunoassays on samples for analytes in the sample employing concentrically positioned incubating and processing carousels. A single transfer station permits reaction vessels containing sample and reagents to be moved between the carousels. The samples are separated, washed and mixed on the processing carousel and incubated on the incubating carousel thus speeding up processing throughput.