Abstract: The invention includes embodiments of a system and method for managing a sales campaign. The system and methods disclosed herein are particularly useful in the context of an entity in the business of direct marketing and sales.

Abstract: The invention includes embodiments of a system and method for managing a sales campaign. The system and methods disclosed herein are particularly useful in the context of an entity in the business of direct marketing and sales.

Abstract: A Steam-Assisted Gravity Drainage (SAGD) method for recovering hydrocarbons from a reservoir can include generating steam and CO2 from feedwater, fuel and oxygen; transferring a steam-CO2 mixture comprising at least a portion of the steam and at least a portion of the CO2, to a proximate SAGD injection well; injecting the steam-CO2 mixture into the SAGD injection well; obtaining produced fluids from a SAGD production well underlying the SAGD injection well; transferring the produced fluids for separation proximate to the SAGD production well; separating the produced fluids into a produced gas and a produced emulsion; transferring the produced emulsion for separation proximate to the SAGD production well; separating the produced emulsion to obtain a produced hydrocarbon-containing component and produced water; supplying at least a portion of the produced water as at least part of the feedwater; and supplying the produced hydrocarbon-containing component to a central processing facility.

Abstract: A Steam-Assisted Gravity Drainage (SAGD) method for recovering hydrocarbons from a reservoir can include generating steam and CO2 from feedwater, fuel and oxygen; transferring a steam-CO2 mixture comprising at least a portion of the steam and at least a portion of the CO2, to a proximate SAGD injection well; injecting the steam-CO2 mixture into the SAGD injection well; obtaining produced fluids from a SAGD production well underlying the SAGD injection well; transferring the produced fluids for separation proximate to the SAGD production well; separating the produced fluids into a produced gas and a produced emulsion; transferring the produced emulsion for separation proximate to the SAGD production well; separating the produced emulsion to obtain a produced hydrocarbon-containing component and produced water; supplying at least a portion of the produced water as at least part of the feedwater; and supplying the produced hydrocarbon-containing component to a central processing facility.

Abstract: A Steam-Assisted Gravity Drainage (SAGD) method for recovering hydrocarbons from a reservoir can include generating steam and CO2 from feedwater, fuel and oxygen; transferring a steam-CO2 mixture comprising at least a portion of the steam and at least a portion of the CO2, to a proximate SAGD injection well; injecting the steam-CO2 mixture into the SAGD injection well; obtaining produced fluids from a SAGD production well underlying the SAGD injection well; transferring the produced fluids for separation proximate to the SAGD production well; separating the produced fluids into a produced gas and a produced emulsion; transferring the produced emulsion for separation proximate to the SAGD production well; separating the produced emulsion to obtain a produced hydrocarbon-containing component and produced water; supplying at least a portion of the produced water as at least part of the feedwater; and supplying the produced hydrocarbon-containing component to a central processing facility.

Abstract: A Steam-Assisted Gravity Drainage (SAGD) method for recovering hydrocarbons from a reservoir can include generating steam and CO2 from feedwater, fuel and oxygen; transferring a steam-CO2 mixture comprising at least a portion of the steam and at least a portion of the CO2, to a proximate SAGD injection well; injecting the steam-CO2 mixture into the SAGD injection well; obtaining produced fluids from a SAGD production well underlying the SAGD injection well; transferring the produced fluids for separation proximate to the SAGD production well; separating the produced fluids into a produced gas and a produced emulsion; transferring the produced emulsion for separation proximate to the SAGD production well; separating the produced emulsion to obtain a produced hydrocarbon-containing component and produced water; supplying at least a portion of the produced water as at least part of the feedwater; and supplying the produced hydrocarbon-containing component to a central processing facility.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for authenticating a measure of sleepiness in a person in which a measure of the person's sleepiness and an authentication step are performed substantially simultaneously on substantially the same physical attribute of the person. In one form, an eye of a person is scanned under infrared light and a unique identifying code is calculated from the iris as an authentication step. In one form, a measure of the person's sleepiness is determined from changes in the pupil size with time.

Abstract: A postage stamp includes digital information that can be played by the recipient of the letter or parcel bearing the stamp. The information can be digital in format and can be pictures, audio and/or a video presentation that the country issuing the stamp wishes to disseminate.

Abstract: A method for compensating printed circuit board designers includes receiving registration information from a registrant and assigning a unique identifier to the registrant. Printed circuit board designs, which are received from the registrant and which include the unique identifier, are used to provide residual compensation to the registrant. The compensation relates to the manufacture of printed circuit board designs through out a manufacturing life of a printed circuit board product.

Abstract: A system for providing pain relief to a person includes a spinal cord stimulation (SCS) generator, an infusion pump, a controller for selectively controlling generation of an electrical stimulation signal from the SCS generator and for selectively pumping medication from the infusion pump, and a lead adapted for placement along the spinal cord of the person. The lead includes electrodes connected to the SCS generator for providing SCS to a first location on the spinal cord of the person and an infusion port for delivering medication from the infusion pump to a second location on the spinal cord. A corresponding method of providing pain relief includes implanting a combination infusion/spinal cord stimulation device along the spinal cord of the person and then, simultaneously, alternatively, or serially, infusing fluid medication at a first location of the spinal cord using the device and providing SCS at a second location using the same device.

Abstract: An attachment (10) with rigid bridge shelter (14) and rigid perimeter deck runway (12a) connected at the rear with an aft support platform (26) and with collision protection at the front (28). Attachment also comprising a wheelhouse (16) with windows (24) and support ribs (20) which enable attachment to be secured to floating surface.

Abstract: A Hard-Body assembly/apparatus with a deck and cabin (FIGS. 1-2). Which is designed to fit over a generic inflatable pontoon. The hard-top apparatus significantly increases the useable space and the applications to which inflatable boats can be adapted.

Abstract: A hair devise is used to decorate hair or to hold hair in fixed position. The hair device includes a bendable wire encased in plastic for bending around the hair. The wire is encased in two or more appendages per side extending from a central body. The configuration of the devise may stimulate a character or animal. The appendages grip the hair by simulating prongs that clamp around the hair instead of performing as a continuous wrap or band. This structure reduces the risk of breaking the hair when applying and removing from the head. Multiple appendages also facilitate application by the person by gripping the hair in more than one place thus securing the attachment sooner than in wrapping a single strand. Specific weights and measurements are important to the function of this devise.

Abstract: A combination scratching post with a touch activated component and motorized mechanism for domestic cats that moves a mouse toy in an irregular manner that is intended to attract cats for the purpose of using the scratching post for play and exercise as well as grooming in the form of cleaning and sharpening its claws on the scratching post. The mouse toy is constructed in such a way as to allow the inside to be filled and refilled with catnip, a substance which cats find attractive, each time being resealed by means of an enclosure at the base of the toy. The mouse toy is activated to move via a motor inside the scratching post by a two step procedure. First, the device is “turned on” by a switch at the base of the post. This action does not activate the motor.

Abstract: A hair device is used to decorate hair or to hold hair in a fixed position. The hair device includes a plastic coated wire strand for bending around the hair. The hair device can be a single plastic coated wire strand that can be wrapped around hair in various configurations, or the device can also be configured to form a representation of a character, including animals. When configured to represent a character with arms or legs, the arms or legs of the character are comprised of plastic coated wire strands. The arms or legs of the character are bendable to wrap around hair to secure the hair device in place for decorative purposes, or to hold the hair in a desired style. The hair device may be made of various lengths and weights so as to serve different purposes such as for use with thinner or thicker hair, or to hold different amounts of hair, such as a ponytail or smaller sections of hair.

Abstract: A dispenser or shaker is used to store and dispense powdery or granular substances, and a sealing device for the shaker forms a seal against the escape of the substance between the lid and the shaker body. The lid can be placed around the mouth of the shaker body, and they can be rotated relative to one another to "lock" the lid onto the shaker body. The lid contains a number of dispensing holes through which the powdery or granular substance contained within the container body may be dispensed. The sealing device is located within the sealing lid, and provides a seal between the lid and the container body to prevent the powdery or granular substance from being ejected from the space between the sealing lid and the container body. The sealing device includes an inner and an outer ring made of materials that allow effective mounting of the device within the lid and formation of an effective seal, yet that provide for easy removal of the sealing device for cleaning.

Abstract: A modulator that modulates and encodes data using data symbols, interspersed with pilot symbols, for transmission to another modem, and a demodulator that decodes data symbols of a signal received from another modem. In the demodulator, a received signal is sampled at four times the symbol rate. The sampled signal is converted to quadrature signals and low-pass filtered to produce a complex baseband signal. Data symbols in the complex baseband signal are sampled in synchronization with the start of each symbol based on the pilot symbols that are interspersed in the signal. By processing the pilot symbols, full modem synchronization is maintained down to a very low signal-to-noise ratio, through noise bursts, or even when the data symbols representing data are replaced by predefined sequences of data symbols that convey the dots and dashes of Morse code identifying the station transmitting the modulated signal.

Abstract: A modulator that modulates and encodes data using data symbols, interspersed with pilot symbols, for transmission to another modem, and a demodulator that decodes data symbols of a signal received from another modem. In the demodulator, a received signal is sampled at four times the symbol rate. The sampled signal is converted to quadrature signals and low-pass filtered to produce a complex baseband signal. Data symbols in the complex baseband signal are sampled in synchronization with the start of each symbol based on the pilot symbols that are interspersed in the signal. By processing the pilot symbols, full modem synchronization is maintained down to a very low signal-to-noise ratio, through noise bursts, or even when the data symbols representing data are replaced by predefined sequences of data symbols that convey the dots and dashes of Morse code identifying the station transmitting the modulated signal.

Abstract: In a simulcast communication system, a method and apparatus for compensating differences in propagation time, lack of synchronization in transmitters, and multipath fading to recover data transmitted to a receiving device. In a simulcast communication system(26) that comprises a plurality of transmitters (32), a receiver (36) includes a digital signal processor (DSP) (86) that processes a demodulated received signal to adaptively compensate for changes in the channel through which a multipath signal is propagated from the transmitters to the receiver. In one embodiment, the DSP comprises a decision feedback equalizer. An error signal is produced by the equalizer through a comparison of the estimated symbols with symbols most likely transmitted, for use in updating filter coefficients used by the equalizer in processing the received signal. Alternatively, in a linear adaptive equalizer, reference or pilot symbols transmitted with the data symbols are used to determine the error signal.

Abstract: A method and apparatus provide an equalization time delay to synchronize a plurality of paging transmitters in a simulcast paging system. A delay equalization circuit (41 ) appropriate for use with an analog input signal includes a coder/decoder (CODEC) (50) and a digital signal processor (DSP) (58). An analog input signal is digitized or sampled by an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) in the CODEC, producing corresponding digital values that are input to the DSP. The DSP employs a selected finite impulse filter to interpolate between the sampled digital values from the CODEC to provide enhanced resolution in delaying a signal output that is output. The DSP determines a major sample index and an interpolated filter index to achieve the desired equalization time delay. These variables define two delay intervals that are combined to provide the required equalization time delay.