Abstract: An improved catalytic reactor includes a housing having a plate positioned therein defining a first zone and a second zone, and a plurality of conduits fabricated from a heat conducting material and adapted for conducting a fluid therethrough. The conduits are positioned within the housing such that the conduit exterior surfaces and the housing interior surface within the second zone define a first flow path while the conduit interior surfaces define a second flow path through the second zone and not in fluid communication with the first flow path. The conduit exits define a second flow path exit, the conduit exits and the first flow path exit being proximately located and interspersed. The conduits define at least one expanded section that contacts adjacent conduits thereby spacing the conduits within the second zone and forming first flow path exit flow orifices having an aggregate exit area greater than a defined percent of the housing exit plane area.

Abstract: The invention provides methods for improving the germination of manufactured seeds. The methods comprise the steps of: (a) culturing a plant embryo in a germination medium; and (b) assembling the cultured plant embryo into a manufactured seed. The methods of the invention are applicable to zygotic and somatic plant embryos.

Abstract: A plastic blow molded container (10) is disclosed as including a freestanding base structure (20) that is constructed with good stability against tipping provided by five alternating hollow legs (22) and five curved ribs (34) that alternate, and a hub (41) from which the legs and ribs extend radially with a construction that provides good stability against tipping as well as the capability of withstanding internal pressure. The legs (22) have lower flat feet (24) of truncated wedge shapes with an outer diameter Df, and the hub (41) has a periphery connected to the feet and ribs with a height Hp such that the ratio of the diameter Df over the height Hp is in the range of about 25 to 90 to maintain strength without the hub engaging the supporting surface on which the feet rest.

Abstract: A method includes providing a debug instruction and providing a debug control register field, where if the debug control register field has a first value, the debug instruction executes a debug operation and where if the debug control register field has a second value, the debug instruction is to be executed as a no-operation (NOP) instruction. A data processing system includes instruction fetch circuitry for receiving a debug instruction, a debug control register field, and debug execution control circuitry for controlling execution of the debug instruction in a first manner if the debug control register field has a first value and in a second manner if the debug control register field has a second value, where in the first manner a debug operation is performed and in the second manner no debug operation is performed.

Abstract: In general, the disclosure describes an RFID tag designed such that the tag is both covert and not easily blocked from the interrogation signal by the hand or other body part of a person. In particular, the RFID tag is designed to have a long, narrow aspect that allows placement of the tag in locations on or in a book that are inconspicuous to the casual observer while extending beyond a hand of a person holding the book by the spine on or near a geometry centerline. The RFID tag includes a dipole segment and a loop segment coupled to the dipole segment. The loop segment of the modified dipole antenna provides the antenna with larger signal strength than conventional dipole antennas. Moreover, the conductive loop segment also provides improved impedance matching capabilities to allow the modified dipole antenna to match the impedance of an integrated circuit (IC) chip of the RFID tag.

Abstract: Methods of forming integrated circuit devices include forming a trench in a surface of semiconductor substrate and filling the trench with an electrically insulating region having a seam therein. The trench may be filled by depositing a sufficiently thick electrically insulating layer on sidewalls and a bottom of the trench. Curing ions are then implanted into the electrically insulating region at a sufficient energy and dose to reduce a degree of atomic order therein. The curing ions may be ones selected from a group consisting of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), boron (B), arsenic (As), carbon (C), argon (Ar), germanium (Ge), helium (He), neon (Ne) and xenon (Xe). These curing ions may be implanted at an energy of at least about 80 KeV and a dose of at least about 5×1014 ions/cm2. The electrically insulating region is then annealed at a sufficient temperature and for a sufficient duration to increase a degree of atomic order within the electrically insulating region.

Abstract: A method for enhancing the valuation protection available to a shipper for a shipment of household goods whereby the carrier offers for financial consideration to waive one or more common law defenses and/or one or more interpretation limit defenses otherwise available to it to mitigate its liability to a shipper for a claim for damaged/lost goods, and an agreement by the carrier to increase its maximum liability by providing the shipper an additional dollar amount, preferably $25,000, of Full Value Protection coverage in addition to the minimums required by the carrier's tariffs, or in addition to the shipper's Full Value Protection valuation declaration. The financial consideration to be paid by a shipper is at least partially determined by the nature and number of defenses offered to be waived. As one or more common law or interpretation limit defenses may exhibit geographical significance, the offerings may include differential pricing for one or more such common law defenses to be waived.

Abstract: A vehicle suspension wear prediction and indication method includes processing data inputs from a suspension system and converting the data inputs into a cumulative wear estimate. The data inputs are selected to model a magnitude factor and a duration factor related to the operation of the suspension system.

Abstract: A method of forming a chemical mechanical polishing pad includes providing a first reactant including an isocyanate functional polyurethane prepolymer at a temperature above about 60° C., providing a second reactant including a diamine at a temperature above about 100° C., impingement mixing the first reactant and the second reactant within an impingement mixer to begin formation of a polyurea polyurethane elastomer, wherein the mixing is at a ratio of the first reactant to the second reactant of about 3:1 to about 6:1, casting the polyurea polyurethane elastomer that is formed from the mixed first and second reactants; and forming the polyurea polyurethane elastomer into chemical mechanical polishing pad dimensions. The polyurea polyurethane elastomer may further be provided with surface grooves and can be used as a single layer pad or formed into various stacked pad arrangements.

Abstract: A permutation instruction generates vector elements for a destination register using identified source and destination registers. A plurality of partial table lookups corresponding to an extended table produces a plurality of intermediate results. At least one source register stores a plurality of index values corresponding to the extended table. Out-of-range index values are values that are not contained in at least one additional source register and result in a predetermined constant value being stored into a predetermined vector element of the destination register. The index values are adjusted between the partial table lookups. A final result is formed by performing a logic function with the plurality of intermediate results. The final result is thereby formed without a full table lookup of each element of the final result.

Abstract: A walk-in cooler arranged in accordance with the invention includes a one or more refrigeration sections and a freezing compartment within the refrigeration section. The wall panels defining the freezing compartment are substantially thicker than the wall panels defining the refrigeration section. To accommodate the substantial change in panel thickness, panel conversion members are provided that couple panels having a substantial different in panel thickness, yet maintain a uniform exterior wall appearance. Ceiling conversion panels are also provided to enable a ceiling transition between the refrigeration section and the freezer compartment.

Abstract: A gaming system including a number of host devices each coupled to one or more gaming machines, wherein content provided by the host device is output on the gaming machine. To output the content provided by the remote host, a host-controlled process that is authenticated by the gaming machine and executed in a secure memory location such that it is isolated from other processes executing on the gaming machine may be utilized. The host-controlled processes may be decoupled from the process used to execute the game of chance played on the gaming machine such that the content output by the host-controlled process doesn't alter the play of game of chance.

Abstract: The present invention relates to novel kinase inhibitors and modulator compounds useful for the treatment of various diseases. More particularly, the invention is concerned with such compounds, kinase/compound adducts, methods of treating diseases, and methods of synthesis of the compounds. Preferrably, the compounds are useful for the modulation of kinase activity of Raf kinases and disease polymorphs thereof. Compounds of the present invention find utility in the treatment of mammalian cancers and especially human cancers including but not limited to malignant melanoma, colorectal cancer, ovarian cancer, papillary thyroid carcinoma, non small cell lung cancer, and mesothelioma. Compounds of the present invention also find utility in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and retinopathies including diabetic retinal neuropathy and macular degeneration.

Abstract: A processor in a data processing system executes a permutation instruction which identifies a first source register, at least one other source register, and a destination register. The first source register stores at least one in-range index value for the at least one other source register and at least one out-of-range index value for the at least one other source register. The at least one other source register stores a plurality of vector element values, wherein each in-range index value indicates which vector element value of the at least one other source register is to be stored into a corresponding vector element of the destination register. Each out-of-range index value is used to indicate which one of at least two predetermined constant values is to be stored into a corresponding vector element of the destination register. Partial table lookups using a permutation instruction shortens the time required to retrieve data.

Abstract: A system and method for converting an image to a constrained color palette representation receives a specified color or hue from which an image is to be defined. A conversion is then made from an input color space to a CIELAB representation. Data is converted in CIELAB space, in accordance with a specified hue, to a color space set by the specified color. Once converted, data is converted to a color space corresponding to that of an associated document rendering device.

Abstract: An image analysis and enhancement system is provided with an image processor, imaging metrics, an image storage depository, and a reconfigurable sensor device that can be present at the same location. A remote reconfigurable sensor device is connected to the image processor via a communication link. Both the reconfigurable sensor device and the remote reconfigurable sensor device are equipped with selectable optical elements and imaging elements that are selected in a desired combination and orientation to capture desired image frames from a target scene or object. The selectable optical and imaging elements are provided with actuating devices to move and translate the selected optical and imaging elements into a desired orientation with one another, so that a desired imaging technique can be employed to obtain an enhanced image. The system is applicable to industrial, medical and military use.

Abstract: A method of making fabrics having first and second surfaces that exhibit different performance characteristics by virtue of having been treated with different chemical treatments is described. In addition, fabrics having first and second surfaces that exhibit different performance characteristics, such as one surface exhibiting oil and water repellency and optionally, soil release characteristics, and the opposite surface exhibits moisture transport characteristics.

Abstract: The application of a gel-like material is disclosed for cleaning a surface having foreign matter thereon, such gel-like material produced by magnetically treating and mixing two solutions, the first solution being comprised of water and sodium bicarbonate and the second solution comprised of water and sodium silicate. The first solution is passed through a positively charged magnetic field, and the second solution is passed through a negatively charged magnetic field. The two solutions are then mixed together to form a gel.