Abstract: A method, apparatus, and system in which a network system includes a virtual graph composed of a plurality individual networks. A first individual network is associated with a first user. The first individual network includes a plurality of service modules modeled to be representing a first set of network elements. The second individual network is associated with a second user. The second individual network includes a plurality of service modules modeled to be representing a second set of network elements. The second set of network element differs in the type of network elements included in the second individual network and the topological order of the network elements in the second individual network than the first set of network elements.

Abstract: A disposable absorbent article including at least one fusion bond accomplished by the application of an electromagnetic field and a method for producing the fusion bond are disclosed. The article includes a first component, a second component underlying the first component; and a third component underlying the second component. The fusion bond is disposed directly above the third component and bonds the first component to second component. The fusion bond includes a receptor susceptible to an electromagnetic field. The first component of the article has an outer surface that includes at least one receptor area disposed directly above the fusion bond. The receptor area can have a tactile property that is a substantially equal to a tactile property of the outer surface surrounding the receptor area.

Abstract: Data which is transmitted over the internet or other transmission networks is first divided up into individual information packets, transmitted and then reassembled into useful data after reception. Parity packets are included in with the information packets in the transmission of data in order to enable the regeneration of any information packets which were lost or damaged during transmission. The grouping of information packets and parity packets derived therefrom is termed a chunk. Chunk arrangements to recover from all cases of single and double lost packets are disclosed. Bursts of lost packets are recovered by interleaving the transmission of packets from different chunks.

Abstract: Data which is transmitted over the internet or other transmission networks is first divided up into individual information packets, transmitted and then reassembled into useful data after reception. Parity packets are included in with the information packets in the transmission of data in order to enable the regeneration of any information packets which were lost or damaged during transmission. The grouping of information packets and parity packets derived therefrom is termed a chunk. Chunk arrangements to recover from all cases of single and double lost packets are disclosed. Bursts of lost packets are recovered by interleaving the transmission of packets from different chunks. If the recovery is not successful then retransmission occurs in a manner similar to TCP.

Abstract: A transfer case motor controls the rotation of a cam. The cam actuates various gear states of a transfer case of a four-wheel-drive vehicle. A contact plate rotates with the cam and encodes the position of the cam as a four-bit binary code. The code is such that when the cam travels between any two gear states, one bit of the four-bit code stays constant from the initial gear state until the final gear state is reached. The single bit can thus be observed to determine that the final gear state has been reached. The encoding scheme is also such that the bit which stays constant always assumes the same state.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided to determine the speed and direction of a rotating shaft, including a rotor with three circumferentially spaced teeth connected to the shaft. The spacing of the center of the second rotor tooth is wider than the spacing of the center of the first tooth and the spacing of the center of the third tooth is wider than the spacing of the center of the second tooth. A sensor detects the center of each tooth and produces a signal in response thereto. The signal is received by a computer. The computer determines the speed and direction of rotation of the shaft by determining a first time period to reach the center of the first tooth, a second time period to reach the center of the second tooth and a third time period to reach the center of the third tooth.

Abstract: A method is provided for determining the speed and direction of a rotating shaft. A rotor is connected to the shaft. The rotor includes three circumferentially spaced teeth, the first of said teeth having a first center spacing, the second of said teeth having a second center spacing different than the center spacing of the first tooth, and the third of said teeth having a third center spacing different than the center spacing of the second tooth. The centers of each of said teeth is sensed and a signal is produced in response thereto. A first time period to reach the center of the first tooth, a second time period to reach the center of the second tooth and a third time period to reach the center of the third tooth are determined, then the speed and direction of rotation of the shaft are established.

Abstract: A veneer packet assembly and delivery apparatus; and, a method of assembling a packet of veneer sheets and delivering the assembled packet for incorporation into a billet being fed into a laminated veneer lumber press. A veneer sheet is aligned atop a first series of spaced horizontal members which are then displaced downwardly by a selected thickness distance and longitudinally by a selected offset distance. Additional sheets are sequentially aligned atop the previous sheet(s) until a packet having the desired number of plys is assembled. The first members are then lowered between a second series of spaced horizontal members, to transfer the packet onto the second members. The second members and the packet are then displaced horizontally away from the first members, over the input end of the press. A third series of spaced horizontal members are then raised between the second members, to transfer the packet onto the third members. The packet is then lowered onto the input end of the press.

Abstract: A touch screen system includes a touch screen having a surface which is adapted to be touched by a user, a resistive substrate which spans the screen and has two opposite boundaries, and a pair of electrodes which are capacitively coupled to the resistive substrate adjacent the two opposite boundaries thereof. The electrodes are adapted to be electrically stimulated from a source to induce reference electrical parameters within the system. Appropriate components are provided for determining changes in electrical parameters at the electrodes as a result of the touch of a location of the screen by the user, and associated componentry is also provided for generating a signal corresponding to the location of the screen touched by the user. The touch screen of the system may be associated with the screen of a CRT for use or placed upon a tabletop for use as a cursor control pad or a keyboard.

Abstract: Novel non-diffusible pyrazolo-?1,5-a! benzimidazole color couplers having an alkylene-, oxyalkylene- or arylene- thio coupling-off group, substituted with a carboxylic acid or dialkylamino group, have dye-forming and/or bleach-accelerating properties. The couplers are generally associated with a silver halide emulsion layer coated on a support to form a single color or multi-color photographic element.

Abstract: A data transfer method with peripheral precharge wherein a starting portion of an output data block targeted for a peripheral is transferred to an output buffer for the peripheral using programmed I/O or slave cycles and wherein a virtual address of the output data block is translated into a physical address while the peripheral begins transferring the starting portion from the output buffer and over an output path. A direct memory access operation by the peripheral transfers a remainder portion of the output data block into the output buffer.

Abstract: A four-wheel drive vehicle includes a transfer case for controlling the delivery of power between the front and rear wheels of the vehicle. A clutch in the transfer case controls the amount of power delivered to the front and rear wheels in response to a clutch PulseWidth Modulated (PWM) signal which is generated by an electronic powertrain controller. The powertrain controller receives a first signal which is indicative of the rotational speed of a front driveshaft, which transfers motive power from the transfer case to a pair of front wheels, and a second signal which is indicative of the rotational speed of a rear driveshaft, which transfers motive power from the transfer case to a pair of rear wheels.

Abstract: The invention provides a pyrazolo?1,5-a!benzimidazole compound of the formula (I) ##STR1## wherein R to R.sup.4 are selected from H, substituted or unsubstituted alkoxy, anilino, aryl, alkyl or amido groups, and X is H or a coupling-off group; characterized in that said compound of Formula I is linked via any of the moieties R to R.sup.4 or X to a compound of the formula (II): ##STR2## wherein W is an electron withdrawing group and L is a linking group. Compounds with the low pKa phenolic substituent provide improved coupling activity when used with a photographic element and improved contrast.

Abstract: The present invention defines a consistent method and system for enabling components in an information system to invoke operations that may be distributed across multiple computing platforms, through the provision and use of executable operations whose behaviors are determined from information stored and extracted from a Catalog (164) using an Operation Definition Manager (82). The stored information is used by a Surrogate Object Definition Module (96) to define a Surrogate Object Type structure which enables execution of any of the operations described within it. A Surrogate Object Manager (94), along with an Operation Connection Manager (104, 118, 130 or 132), is provided which assists the user in developing applications by providing access to the definition of the input and output arguments of the operations included in the Surrogate Object Type structure (244).

Abstract: In one embodiment of the present invention, a "one-touch-up" power window system is provided for a motor vehicle. The system includes a controller which controls the power window motor. One function of the controller is to determine whether an obstruction impedes travel of the power window. The controller takes a plurality of samples of the electrical current drawn by the power window motor. If the last sample varies by more than a predetermined amount from any of the past samples taken over a predetermined distance of travel of the window, the controller concludes that an obstruction impedes the travel of the window. The controller then stops or reverses the power window motor to stop or reverse travel of the power window. In this embodiment of the present invention, distance of travel of the window can be inferred from rotations of the power window motor.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for the preparation of substantially pure N-benzyl-3-(S)-(4-fluorophenyl)-1,4-oxazin-2-one which comprises:(i) contacting racemic N-benzyl-3-(4-fluorophenyl)-1,4-oxazin-2-one with (-)-3-bromocamphor-8-sulphonic acid (hereinafter referred to as (-)-3-BCS) in the presence of a racemising agent;(ii) collecting the resultant crystalline (-)-3-BCS salt of N-benzyl-3-(S)-(4-fluorophenyl)-1,4-oxazin-2-one; and(iii) liberating the free base of N-benzyl-3-(S)-(4-fluorophenyl)-1,4-oxazin-2-one by treatment of the (-)-3-BCS salt collected in step (ii) with aqueous base.

Abstract: Hydrocolloid/salt blends are prepared which controllably release ions into solution. The blends are especially useful in alginate print paste compositions.

Abstract: An electrographic touch sensor of simplified construction having an increased proportion of area for providing linear output signals. The sensor utilizes a resistive layer of a substantially uniform resistivity throughout. A resistance element of resistance value borders and is in contact with the resistive layer. Positioned along a selected path proximate the resistance element borders are a plurality of insulator regions having a selected effective length along the path to define spaces of a selected effective length therebetween. These spaces, having the resistive layer therein, define resistive electrode elements by which voltages are applied from the resistance element borders into the resistive layer whereby orthogonal electrical fields can be generated in the resistive layer.

Abstract: A fiber optic coupling device for providing simultaneous bi-directional transmission of optical signals within a single wavelength band over a single fiber optic link cable, including a coupler/connector which precisely aligns and longitudinally separates transmit and receive lightguide fibers and a fiber optic link cable. The cores of the transmit and receive lightguide fibers are tightly aligned with a minimum thickness of cladding for increased packing efficiency, and the end faces of the transmit and receive lightguides are maintained parallel to and a predetermined distance from an end face of the fiber optic link cable to ensure that reflected signals will not be detected as received signals and allow simultaneous distinguishable bi-directional communication of optical data within a single wavelength band.