Abstract: The invented system includes a beacon affixed to the object subject to loss and a tracker held by the owner of the lost object, the tracker repeatedly, electronically ‘interrogating’ the beacon with a radio frequency (RF) signal, the beacon repeatedly responding to the interrogation, and the tracker effectively triangulating to determine the lost object's nominal location by a measure of distance and direction. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, the tracker includes one or more antenna each coupled with a power amplifier to determine in real time the distance and direction of the beacon from the tracker. In this embodiment, the tracker indicates both distance and direction of the object-affixed beacon to the tracker-holding owner via a simple color-coded light array. In one embodiment of the invention, the invented antenna of which there is one (or more) includes a helically wound conductor of elliptical cross section disposed around the hollow interior surface of a hollow mandrel.

Abstract: In a communications network for accessing an account, conducting a transaction, obtaining services or obtaining information from a remote location, a programmable user interface is adapted to provide a multiplicity of separate choices perceptible to a user on a user operable terminal. The terminal is capable of registering for transmission to a service platform, a user's input to the terminal corresponding to at least one choice from the multiplicity, including banking, bill paying, shopping, travel, flowers and gifts and information. The user interface includes means for communicating the user selected choice to a service platform, means for communicating by voice, TDD or data transmission through the service platform, and means in the terminal for permitting the user to communicate directly by at least one of an interactive voice, TDD or data transmission communication with respect to a provider in the user's selection from the multiplicity.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of generating a gene library from an environmental pool of organisms, which gene library is enriched in DNA encoding a polypeptide with an activity of interest. Also, the invention provides a method of selecting a DNA sequence of interest from an environmental pool of organisms. Further, the invention relates to a gene library prepared from an enriched environmental pool of organisms enriched in DNA encoding a polypeptide with an activity of interest.

Abstract: The present invention provides systems and methods for phase shifting signals wherein the phase shifting circuitry may be disposed in a relatively small footprint. The preferred embodiment utilizes PIN diodes to provide switched line phase shifting, wherein the switched lines are microstrip and/or stripline transmission lines of predetermined lengths. To minimize the space required, the switched lines of the preferred embodiment are disposed on different layers of a multi-layered support structure, such as a multi-layer circuit board. Layer changing vias are preferably adapted to provide a constant impedance to thereby make changes in layers in the transmission path electrically transparent to a transmitted signal.