Abstract: There is described a novel apparatus for use in connection with pipe cleaning and monitoring systems. The apparatus is a suspension system adapted to fit a pipeline pig shaft, the pig being provided with a plurality of wheels. The wheels are concentrically mounted around a biasing means which is operable in a direction coplanar with the pig shaft. There is also described a pipeline pig comprising the suspension system and a method of cleaning a pipeline.

Abstract: An interface is provided for storing microfluidic samples in a nanoliter sample chip. A fluid access structure provides a fluid access region to a selected subset of sample wells from an array of sample wells. A fluid introduction mechanism introduces a sample fluid to the fluid access region so that the sample wells in the selected subset are populated with the sample fluid without the unselected sample wells being populated with the sample fluid.

Abstract: Various systems and methods provide users with the ability to track, detect, record analyze and report various events associated with the life of an electronic mail message delivered to any recipient. Some of the events that may be tracked by the systems and methods of the preferred exemplary embodiment include identification of when a recipient views a message and clicks on any web page links contained within the message. In accordance with another aspect of the preferred exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the systems and methods provide a simple mechanism for storing, monitoring and accessing information relating to various events that have transpired with respect to a large volume of electronic mail messages. Electronic mail message list may also be automatically generated with the data acquired by the systems and methods of the present invention.

Abstract: The present invention involves several different embodiments related to a crossover switching valve. The crossover switching valve is preferably designed to receive fluid from a reservoir, or other fluid source, and direct the inflow and outflow of the fluid between the valve and one or more pumps. In one embodiment, the valve is configured to provide a substantially continuous flow rate when used in connection with a double acting pump. In another embodiment, the valve preferably includes an inflow port, an outflow port, and first and second ports configured to be fluidly connected to at least one pump. Another embodiment of the present invention is at least one conduit that preferably provides fluid communication between the first and second ports. Yet another embodiment is a fluid director that is preferably configured to alter flow of fluid through the conduit. Also disclosed is a pumping system that incorporates the crossover switching valve and a pump.

Abstract: The present invention is an improved compound bow. In particular the present invention is directed to an adjustable compound bow for hunting and archery with noise reduction features. The preferred embodiment of the bow comprises a riser having a main riser length with two ends, each end attached to an adjustable hub with a limb base. Each limb base preferably has a pocketless flat surface with vibration dampening material. Each hub is secured to the main riser length by an adjustment screw and a hub pivot. A limb is preferably secured to each limb base at two points on the pocketless flat surface. A bowstring is strung under tension between the limbs. The bowstring's tension can be adjusted by adjusting the adjustable hubs with the adjustment screws. The bow preferably has a storage position and an in-use position caused by rotating the limbs around the adjustable hubs. Adjustment of the bow can be accomplished without use of a bow press.

Abstract: This invention is directed to a system and method for determining the broadcast coverage of an antenna without having to go through the steps of actually building the antenna. The antenna characteristics, including mechanical and electrical beam tilt, are received and intercept points representing a predetermined decreasing signal strength are calculated to define a broadcast area representing predetermined decrease in signal strength. Once this area is determined, it can be overlayed on the geographical information associated with the antenna so that the broadcast area of the decreased signal strength can be shown graphically. This information can then be altered to anticipate the broadcast coverage of an antenna without having to physically construct or manipulate the antenna itself. This invention is a considerable improvement over the current state of technology so as to allow the optimal determination of broadcast areas for an antenna without having to physically construct the antenna themselves.

Abstract: A hydraulic system for a motor vehicle is provided with a pump suction enhancer for boosting the suction of operating oil into a suction port of an oil pump. The pump suction enhancer is composed of a body section for defining a small chamber, a venturi tube passage exposed to the small chamber at an inner end thereof and connected to the suction port of the oil pump, and a nozzle protruding into the small chamber to face the inner end of the venturi tube passage with a space relative to the venturi tube passage in axial alignment with the same for ejecting the operating oil returned from a flow divider into the venturi tube passage thereby to plunge the operating oil from the small chamber into the venturi tube passage. The flow divider divides the operating oil discharged from the oil pump into a return flow to the pump suction enhancer and into a supply flow which passes through a power steering device to return to an oil reservoir.

Abstract: In some embodiments, the invention includes a cylindrical cathode target assembly for use in sputtering target material onto a substrate that comprises a generally cylindrical target, means for rotating the target about its axis during a sputtering operation, an elongated magnet carried within the target for generation of a plasma-containing magnetic field exterior to but adjacent the target, a framework for supporting the magnet against rotation within the target, and a power train for causing the magnet to oscillate within and axially of the target in a substantially asynchronous manner to promote generally uniform target utilization along its length, as well as its method of use. In some embodiments, the magnet is oscillated in response to rotation of the target.

Abstract: The present invention is an improved method of resequencing DNA using microarrays to rapidly map and identify SNPs, deletions and amplification events present in the genome of an organism. The method is performed by hybridizing a reference and a test genome to two separate arrays with each array exhibiting a specific intensity pattern. The intensity differences between the reference and the test genome arrays are used to produce a mutation map. The mapped differences are resequenced on a set of resequencing arrays to identify specific genetic mutations.

Abstract: The present invention involves several different embodiments related to a crossover switching valve. The crossover switching valve is preferably designed to receive fluid from a reservoir, or other fluid source, and direct the inflow and outflow of the fluid between the valve and one or more pumps. In one embodiment, the valve is configured to provide a substantially continuous flow rate when used in connection with a double acting pump. In another embodiment, the valve preferably includes an inflow port, an outflow port, and first and second ports configured to be fluidly connected to at least one pump. Another embodiment of the present invention is a conduit that preferably provides fluid communication between the first and second ports. Yet another embodiment is a fluid director that is preferably configured to alter flow of fluid through the conduit. In some embodiments, the inflow port is in fluid communication with the first port while the outflow port is in fluid communication with the second port.

Abstract: A system and method are provided in which each reader may conduct concurrent, yet independent, dialog with multiple tags at the same time using two or more phase channels. The reader itself may communicate with multiple tags via the same antenna, or using multiple antennae where each antenna operates on a separate phase channel. Upon receipt from the reader of an instruction for the tags to randomize, the tags randomly choose and assign a phase channel that will be their time reference for subsequent operation, or the channel can be assigned by the reader. The tags receive reader data encoded in the clock signal from the reader, and select the reader data pertaining to the particular tag based on the selected phase channel.

Abstract: A toy comprising a mobile device and a plurality of islands, which can be arranged on a surface (e.g., the floor). During play, the mobile device can be selectively moved to a location within a predetermined proximity of each of the islands. An identification tag is associated with each island and contains information to identify the associated island and distinguish it from the other islands. A reader reads the identification tag when the mobile device is placed in the predetermined proximity of the island, and a different output is generated for each island.

Abstract: A fuel mixture dial for use with a fuel container. The fuel mixture dial having a first body member and a second body member adjacent to another. The dial having a third body member adjacent to the second body member. A fastener extending through all body members. The body members all rotate relative to one another.

Abstract: A toy comprising a host structure, a plurality of attachable items which can be selectively attached to the host structure, and a radio frequency identification device. The radio frequency identification device comprises at least one reader and a plurality of tags which, when read by a reader, provide identification information particular to that tag. Each reader is housed by the host structure and the tags are each housed by one of the plurality of attachable items. The reader reads the identification information from a particular tag when the corresponding attachable item is attached to the host structure and a different output is generated depending upon which item has been attached.

Abstract: A game comprising a plurality of stations, each of which recognizes the accomplishment of a task therewith and communicates this accomplishment to at least one other station. In this manner, at least one of the stations can gather information from all of the stations for score-keeping and other purposes. An output can be generated by one, some, or all of the stations based on an accomplishment with a particular station and/or based on the information gathered from all of the stations. The communication between/among the stations is preferably performed wirelessly by infrared light techniques, radio frequency techniques, and/or ultra high-frequency sound techniques.

Abstract: An audio device having a primary audio purpose of producing a programmed audio output for a listener. The audio device comprises sound-generating components that generate the programmed audio output, and these components include an emitter that audibly emits this programmed output at a playing volume. A proximity sensor senses the distance to the listener, and this sensed distance corresponds to the distance between the listener and the emitter. Volume-adjusting components adjust the playing volume to prevent it from being at an unacceptable level for the sensed distance.

Abstract: A toy comprising a host structure, a plurality of attachable items that can be selectively attached to the host structure, and a radio frequency identification device. The radio frequency identification device comprises at least one reader and a plurality of tags which, when read by a reader, provide identification information particular to each tag. Each reader is housed by the host structure and the tags are each housed by one of the plurality of attachable items. The reader reads the identification information from a particular tag at the time that the corresponding attachable item is attached to the host structure and different outputs are generated depending upon which item is attached.

Abstract: The preparation of vinyl halide monomer, and further to polyvinyl halide, starting from C1 compounds, involving conversion of methane or methanol to methyl halide; condensation of methyl halide to ethylene and co-product hydrogen halide; oxidative halogenation of ethylene to vinyl halide monomer; separation of vinyl halide monomer from any methyl halide present in the vinyl halide monomer stream; optional recycling of the methyl halide recovered to the condensation step; and recovery and optional recycling of the co-product hydrogen halide. Optionally, the vinyl halide monomer may be polymerized to polyvinyl halide to facilitate separation of the monomer from methyl halide. Methyl halide may be obtained via oxidative halogenation of methane in the presence of a rare earth halide or rare earth oxyhalide catalyst. Optionally, the methyl halide may be converted to methanol.

Abstract: A priority encoder (PE) for a CAM, comprising a plurality of PE blocks, each receiving a plurality of match results corresponding to data entries in a corresponding data array block and, for determining an address of a highest priority data entry based on a physical location in the data array block during a CAM search-and-compare operation a register for storing a user defined priority value assigned to each PE block and means for evaluating priority values and the address determined by the plurality of PE blocks to select a PE block having the highest priority data entry.

Abstract: A remote intrusion detection radio appliance includes a housing having a passive motion detector and related circuitry to monitor and warn of unwanted intrusions, by operating an external radio unit or cellular telephone plugged into the appliance. The appliance, when activated, broadcasts an audio output and then monitors an area in which it is located by audio and/or video for an intruder.