Abstract: An obstacle avoidance system, apparatus, and method is described suitable for use on autonomously guided or man-in-the-loop guided vehicles such as aircraft, missiles, cars, and other types of vehicles. The system provides guidance instructions in the situation where the vehicle encounters an obstacle either directly or indirectly in its path while traveling to a desired destination or where vehicles are traveling in formation. The system can be applied not only to obstacle avoidance but also to trajectory shaping by defining obstacles, operational boundaries and/or threats which influence the trajectory of the vehicle.

Abstract: A drive alert system and method for a host vehicle having an adaptive cruise control system. The driver alert system determines if the adaptive cruise control system is on or off and adjusts the factors for determining braking capability and delay, when determining driver alert situations. The system and method also evaluates a vehicle situation relative to a phase plane, having axes of relative speed and relative acceleration of the host vehicle relative to a preceding vehicle, and compares the vehicle situation to a threshold for a particular region of the phase plane.

Abstract: A method of updating velocity whereby corresponding reflections are identified from P-P and P-S near-offset waves received from a seismic source and reflected by a subsurface layer to form P-P and P-S depth consistent image gathers. A joint velocity inversion in depth is performed on the P-P and P-S depth consistent image gathers to estimate a vertical depth zo, vertical P-wave velocity vpo, and vertical S-wave velocity vso of the subsurface layer. An isotropic depth migration of P-P depth consistent image gathers is determined based upon the depth zo, P-wave velocity vpo, and S-wave velocity vso to estimate a vertical isotropic depth zpp of the subsurface layer. Anisotropic parameters &dgr; and &sgr; are calculated based upon the depth zpp, P-wave velocity vp0, and S-wave velocity vso. The above steps are repeated, beginning with the joint velocity inversion, until the P-wave velocity vpo and S-wave velocity vso are substantially unchanged.

Abstract: The invention provides criteria and methods for selecting optimum subsequence(s) from a target gene for targeting by a zinc finger protein. Some of the methods of target site selection seek to identify one or more target segments having a DNA motif containing one or more so-called D-able subsites having the sequence 5′NNGK3′. Other methods of the invention are directed to selection of target segments within target genes using a correspondence regime between different triplets of three bases and the three possible positions of a triplet within a nine-base site. In another aspect, the invention provides methods of designing zinc finger proteins that bind to a preselected target site. These methods can be used following the preselection of target sites according to the procedures and criteria described above. The methods of design use a database containing information about previously characterized zinc finger proteins.

Abstract: The present invention provides a novel method to identify rearrangements in a test genome, e.g., a tumor genome, when compared to a reference genome. This method provides major improvements over previous methods in terms of efficiency, rapidity, and cost-effectiveness. Briefly, this method involves generating or obtaining a large insert vector library from a test genome, sequencing the ends of the inserts in the library, and comparing the co-linearity of the sequenced ends in the library with corresponding sequences within a substantially-sequenced reference genome. This invention is useful for any of a number of applications, including for identifying rearrangements in tumor genomes and for determining genetic differences between closely related species as well as between different strains of the same species.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for detection of electromechanical and mechanical errors in an electron beam device is provided. First the existing subfield is divided into a gridlike structure where each grid can be considered a target. Then a plurality of target points are provided on each grid for measuring combined directional variances. The separated horizontal and vertical variances is also measured for each of the target points. This leads to the performance of a significance tests, based on the F statistic which we refer to as FHV, for horizontal and vertical values of each target points during which FSTITCH values are also obtained. The FSTITCH values are then compared for horizontal and vertical values and an error alert provided when there is a sufficiently large disparity between the separated FSTITCH values. In an alternate embodiment of the present invention, a three dimensional grid is also provided to be used in a similar manner.

Abstract: A method for determining if deterioration in structural integrity of a pressure vessel, having both sensor and oscillator affixed to or embedded in said exterior surface thereof. An electrical current is provided to the oscillator so as to cause said oscillator to oscillate and produce a mechanical disturbance to the exterior surface and cause a detectable natural frequency response of said pressure vessel. The resultant natural frequency response is detected and recorded. After a period of elapsed time, the natural frequency response is again obtained. It is compared with the recorded natural frequency response first obtained, and if there be a difference therebetween, such as a shift in the frequencies at which the natural resonances occur, or a decrease or increase in the amplitude of one or more of the natural frequency resonances, then a flag is raised. An apparatus for determining if deterioration in structural integrity of a pressure vessel, and a pressure vessel, is further disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention discloses method and apparatus for wafer analysis. First, a plurality of specific distribution maps, which respectively refer to a defect pattern distribution in a pattern group, is defined. Next, a plurality of distribution features is defined so that each specific distribution map correlates to one of the distribution features. Then, each pattern group on the wafer is compared to each specific distribution map in order to relate each pattern group to at least one of the specific distribution maps, and relate each pattern group on the wafer indirectly to at least one of the distribution features while allocating each distribution feature indirectly related to each pattern group with a respective relative value. Finally, the relative values of each distribution feature are totaled on the wafer respectively to obtain total values of the distribution features.

Abstract: A method for monitoring sound in an in-ground pipeline via at least first and second in-ground acoustic sensors wherein the first in-ground acoustic sensor is in contact with the in-ground pipeline and the second in-ground acoustic sensor is spaced from both the first in-ground acoustic sensor and the in-ground pipeline.

Abstract: The invention relates to a mobile measuring device that monitors potential leaks of gas conduits. The device includes a navigation system.

Abstract: A method of providing energy efficiency changes to a plurality of energy consumers. The method includes calculating the energy efficiency changes for the consumers based on energy consumption histories and weather data, wherein the energy efficiency changes are calculated using individual data for each of the consumers. The method also includes reporting the energy efficiency changes to each of the consumers.

Abstract: A method is described that involves forming a product waveform by multiplying a positive signal waveform and negative signal waveform. The positive signal waveform and the negative signal waveform are representative of a logical transition within a differential signal. The crossing point voltage of the logical transition within the differential signal is determined by calculating the square root of a maximum of the product waveform.

Abstract: An eye diagram analyzer equips each SUT data and clock signal input channel with individually variable delays in their respective paths. For a range of signal delay of n-many SUT clock cycles, the SUT clock signal delay might be set at about n/2. For each data channel there is specified a point in time relative to an instance of the delayed clock signal (data signal delay) and a voltage threshold. The specified combination (data signal delay, threshold and which channel) is a location on an eye diagram, although the trace may or may not ever go through that location. A counter counts the number of SUT clock cycles used as instances of the reference for the eye diagram, and another counter counts the number of times the specified combination of conditions was met (“hits”).

Abstract: A system/method of establishing a two-way communication system between a testing/manufacturing site and a component vendor is disclosed. The system allows the test results related to a component failure to be immediately available to a vendor by allowing the vendor password protected access to a product database that contains information regarding the product being tested. The system automatically alerts the vendor associated with the defective component, and allows the vendor to download the vendor's failure analysis report to the product database as soon as it becomes available. Upon receipt of the vendor's failure analysis report, the appropriate testing/manufacturing personnel are notified.

Abstract: In a method for calibrating machine units in machine tools and robotic devices that perform a parallel-kinematic motion in a motion space, the position of the machine unit relative to a reference system is determined from the totality of the positions of all drives operating in parallel of the machine units, whereby each drive moves relative to the reference system a single drivetrain that is associated exclusively with the drive. The machine units can be calibrated using a robust and efficient iterative process that generates a kinematic transformation.

Abstract: A test mechanism includes test equipment to measure frequency-domain data, such as scattering or S parameters. The S parameters are transformed to a different type of network parameters, such as transmission or T parameters. Contributions of test fixtures can be easily removed for the overall T-parameter matrix of a device under test connected in cascade with the test fixture. The test mechanism provides accurate measurement of a device under test represented by a multi-port (greater than two ports) network that is cascaded with another multi-port network representing the test fixture.

Abstract: The invention relates to an integrated circuit, comprising a core logic area having a plurality of components therein, a first test circuit constructed to mimic a data path within the core logic area, a second test circuit constructed with a plurality of traces routed within the core logic area, a third test circuit constructed with a plurality of elements randomly placed within the core logic area, and a fourth test circuit constructed to mimic a data path within the core logic area, the fourth test circuit sharing a power source with at least one of the plurality of components within the core logic area. Each of the test circuits is operable to produce one or more signals for analyzing the effects of on-chip noise on signal propagation.

Abstract: The invention relates to a combination for determining the effects of signal noise and cross-talk on on-chip propagation, comprising an integrated circuit, and a testing system having a signal generator, a plurality of ring oscillators responsive to the signal generator and a signal analyzer responsive to the plurality of ring oscillators for dynamically measuring the effects of noise and cross-talk on the integrated circuit. The plurality of ring oscillators includes a first ring oscillator constructed to mimic a data path within the integrated circuit, a second ring oscillator constructed with traces routed within the core logic area, a third ring oscillator randomly placed within the core logic area, and a fourth ring oscillator constructed to mimic a data path within the integrated circuit, the fourth ring oscillator sharing a power source with at least one component of the plurality of components within the core logic area.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for dynamically testing the effects of signal noise and cross-talk on an integrated circuit having a core logic area. The method comprises measuring an inactive operating frequency for each of the plurality of test circuits, measuring an active operating frequency for each of a plurality of test circuits, and analyzing the plurality of inactive operating frequencies and the plurality of active operating frequencies to determine the effects of signal noise and cross-talk on the integrated circuit.

Abstract: A method and circuit for determining the accuracy of a measurement of a bit line voltage or a charge distribution for readout from FeRAM cells uses sense amplifiers to compare a bit line voltage to a series of reference voltages and then determines upper and lower limits of a range of range of reference voltages for which sensing operation provide inconsistent results. One embodiment uses an output signal of a sense amplifier to control a pull-down transistor of an I/O line and alternative precharging schemes for the I/O line allow determining both limits using the same compression circuitry to process a result value stream on the I/O line.

Abstract: A temperature regulating system utilizes changing energy price information to alter the system operation. A performance index value is determined that indicates a balance between a user's preference for maintaining a setpoint temperature and a need for maintaining energy cost savings. The performance index value is related to the current energy price and the system automatically responds to rising energy prices by reducing system operation in a manner that provides cost savings according to a user's specified preference for weighting temperature comfort levels compared to energy cost savings. According to the described example, an optimal control solution is used to determine the performance index value.

Abstract: A device for outputting parameter values and a method of providing parameter values which pertain to the relative kinematic behavior of an object, in particular a first vehicle, and a target object, in particular a second vehicle, a conclusion is drawn based on the parameter values as to whether the object and the target object will probably collide. The method involves providing a sensor system on the object, the sensor system being provided for transmitting and receiving signals to determine measured values ri, vr,i for target object distance r and/or for relative radial velocity vr between the object and the target object, determining measured values ri, vr,i and analyzing measured values ri, vr,i thus determined and providing the parameter values based on the signals received by a receiver.

Abstract: An effective technique for computing a statistical performance measure based on a samples of measured parameter values utilizes a one-time computation based on accumulations of the sum of the sample values and the sum of the squares of the sample values. The preferred embodiment computes variance and/or standard deviation, which can be used to compute other useful performance statistics. Using the accumulated sums, instead of the actual sample values, eliminates the need to store all of the samples until after sampling and the subsequent calculation of the desired performance metrics. The one-time calculation is relatively simple and fast. Because of the reduced data storage requirement and the relatively simple calculation, it is possible to imbed the desired calculation functions in a manufactured device as an automated self-analysis tool, for example, as a function of the processor of a disk drive or a tape drive.

Abstract: A method of determining performance impact of individual components of a power plant on overall thermal performance of the power plant, the method including (a) designing a first thermal model of the power plant using original specification data of the power plant; (b) developing a second thermal model of the power plant from measured performance data of each component of the power plant; and (c) determining the performance impact of a selected component of the power plant on the overall thermal performance of the power plant by substituting design performance data of the selected component in the first thermal model with its measured performance data.

Abstract: A computerized system and methods of ballistic analysis involves comparing land impressions on a plurality of control bullets and computing correlation coefficients corresponding to the land-to-land comparisons in all possible relative orientations. A set of matching coefficients is identified for each bullet pair, and the set of matching coefficients is statistically compared to a set of non-matching coefficients. The gun is concluded to be identifiable where the sets of matching coefficients and non-matching coefficients are not statistically undistinguishable. To evaluate whether an evidence bullet was fired by a suspect gun, land impressions on an evidence bullet are compared with land impressions on a plurality of control bullets in all possible relative orientations, and correlation coefficients are computed for each land-to-land comparison to identify a set of questioned coefficients.

Abstract: An apparatus is described for detecting the early signs of cycle-induced fatigue and thereby predicting failure of the rotating disk in turbo-machinery. It identifies change in shape of the entire disk in radial, tangential and axial directions. It examines these deformations as a function of rotational velocity and compares them to a data base of deformations due to cracks in the rotor. Blade-tip measurements are processed through specialized algorithms to detect such asymmetry during operation, providing a real-time, non-destructive method of prediction. The sensors can be housed within the machinery case, and are capable of operating in harsh environments while maintaining adequate stand-off distance, making the entire apparatus robust enough for conditions in high-speed turbo-machinery.

Abstract: A system for generating a diagnosis of the probable cause of detected faults. Preferably, a user interface is provided and a Bayesien network is employed wherein probabilities are generated automatically and a manual process is used to construct a probability table. The system also allows multiple hypotheses and/or diagnoses to be presented simultaneously to the operator.

Abstract: There are many inventions described herein. In one aspect, the present invention is a method of acoustically monitoring a wind power installation that generates electrical power. The wind power installation includes a plurality of components, including at least rotor blades. The method comprises detecting an operating acoustic spectrum generated by at least one of the components during operation of the wind power installation and comparing the operating acoustic spectrum to a reference acoustic spectrum. The method of this aspect of the invention further comprises detecting a deviation between the operating acoustic spectrum and the reference acoustic spectrum and detecting whether the deviation exceeds a threshold.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and system for efficiently determining grating profiles using dynamic learning in a library generation process. The present invention also relates to a method and system for searching and matching trial grating profiles to determine shape, profile, and spectrum data information associated with an actual grating profile.

Abstract: A threshold value at a side of a bottom value of a sensor signal is renewed by a value calculated by multiplying a minimum value of a deviation between the bottom value and a reference value for the predetermined period of time by a ratio when the minimum value of the deviation is equal to or smaller than the threshold value. A threshold value at a side of a peak value thereof is also renewed by a value calculated by multiplying a minimum vale of a deviation between the peak value and the reference value from the predetermined period of time by a ratio when the minimum value of the deviation is equal to or smaller than the threshold value.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for evaluating a surface quality of a simulated stamping which includes the steps of obtaining a CAD model of a desired part, calculate and display at least one image of true reflect line on the CAD model, obtaining a blank mesh representative of the part before the part is formed, and processing the blank mesh with a springback simulation software to obtain a deformed finite element analysis springback blank. True reflect lines are then calculated and displayed on the deformed FEA springback blank, and the reflect lines are compared with the true reflect lines on the CAD model to determine variance of the deformed springback blank with the CAD model.

Abstract: A method for simulating the dynamic response of a drilling tool assembly is disclosed. Methods for simulating drilling tool assemblies may be used to generate a visual representation of drilling, to design drilling tool assemblies, and to optimize the drilling performance of a drilling tool assembly. One method for designing a drilling tool assembly includes simulating a dynamic response for the drilling tool assembly, adjusting a value of at least one drilling tool assembly design parameter, and repeating the simulating. The method further includes repeating the adjusting and the simulating until at least one drilling performance parameter is determined to be at an optimum value. One method for optimizing at least one drilling operating parameter for a drilling tool assembly includes simulating a dynamic response of the drilling tool assembly, adjusting the value of at least one drilling operating parameter, and repeating the simulating.

Abstract: A method is described for converting a data set for use with a digital model of a hardware cell into an expanded data set for use with an analog model of the hardware cell. The method including the steps of determining the signal required to drive one or more pins of said analog model by analyzing whether the signals used in said digital model are in a first category or a second category, said first category containing relatively simple signals and said second category containing relatively complex signals, and providing the signal required for the one or more pins in the analog model in dependence on said analysis.

Abstract: A chart parser and a method for generating a parse chart for a sequence of input symbols in accordance with an abbreviated representation of a grammar. According to the method, an abbreviated representation of a grammar is stored as a set of finite-state automata, each finite-state automaton corresponding to a rule of the grammar. Chart edges are derived chart edges from the sequence of input symbols in accordance with the set of finite-state automata and are stored in the parse chart.

Abstract: With respect to data having periodicity to be compressed, windows of the same size are set for every two sections according to an interval of peaks appearing substantially periodically and processing for sorting sample data alternately among the set windows of the same size is sequentially performed, whereby a frequency of data having periodicity is replaced with an approximately half frequency without damaging reproducibility to original data at all to make it possible to apply compression processing to data of the replaced low frequency. If this sorting processing is applied to compression processing having a characteristic that a compression ratio is not increased in a high-frequency region, it becomes possible to improve a compression ratio without damaging a quality of reproduced data by decompression at all.

Abstract: An efficient and accurate classification method for classifying speech and music signals, or other diverse signal types, is provided. The method and system are especially, although not exclusively, suited for use in real-time applications. Long-term and short-term features are extracted relative to each frame, whereby short-term features are used to detect a potential switching point at which to switch a coder operating mode, and long-term features are used to classify each frame and validate the potential switch at the potential switch point according to the classification and a predefined criterion.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and system to improve the cookbook search algorithm used in a coding/decoding device or routine. The codebook search algorithm is performed by a processing system that allows for parallel execution of instructions, for example a DSP. An embodiment of the present invention provides a method for coding of a first waveform. First a plurality of vectors determined from a plurality of waveforms is stored in a memory. Next a minimum weighted error using a plurality of filter coefficients and the plurality of vectors is determined. The minimum weighted error gives a closest match between the first waveform and a second waveform synthesized from a selected vector of the plurality of vectors. Then an indication of said selected vector is provided as part of a code of the first waveform.

Abstract: A method of speech recognition including receiving speech signals into a front-end processor and storing at least some resources used for speech recognition in a network-attached server. The front-end processor is coupled to the network-attached server to perform the speech recognition.

Abstract: A system and method for performing speech recognition in cyclostationary noise environments includes a characterization module that may access original cyclostationary noise from an intended operating environment of a speech recognition device. The characterization module may then convert the original cyclostationary noise into target stationary noise which retains characteristics of the original cyclostationary noise. A conversion module may then generate a modified training database by utilizing the target stationary noise to modify an original training database that was prepared for training a recognizer in the speech recognition device. A training module may then train the recognizer with the modified training database to thereby optimize speech recognition procedures in cyclostationary noise environments.

Abstract: A method for converting speech to text and vice versa. The method for converting speech to text includes receiving a spoken input having a non-verbal characteristic, and automatically generating a text output, responsive to the spoken input, having a variable format characteristic corresponding to the non-verbal characteristic of the spoken input. The method for converting text to speech includes receiving a text input having a given variable format characteristic and synthesizing speech corresponding to the text input and having a non-verbal characteristic corresponding to the variable format characteristic of the text input.

Abstract: Generally, the present invention provides the ability to present a mixed display of a transcription to a user. The mixed display is preferably organized in a hierarchical fashion. Words, syllables and phones can be placed on the same display by the present invention, and the present invention can select the appropriate symbol transcription based on the parts of speech that meet minimum confidences. Words are displayed if they meet a minimum confidence or else syllables, which make up the word, are displayed. Additionally, if a syllable does not meet a predetermined confidence, then phones, which make up the syllable, may be displayed. A transcription, in one aspect of the present invention, may also be described as a hierarchical transcription, because a unique confidence is derived that accounts for mixed word/syllable/phone data.

Abstract: The present invention provides a dialog system in which the subsystems are integrated under a single technology model. In particular, each of the sub-systems uses stochastic modeling to identify a probability for its respective output. The combined probabilities identify a most probable action to be taken by the dialog system given the latest input from the user and the past dialog states. An additional aspect of the present invention is an embodiment in which the sub-systems communicate with one another through XML pages, thus allowing the sub-systems to be distributed across a distributed network.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for improved duration modeling of phonemes in a speech synthesis system are provided. According to one aspect, text is received into a processor of a speech synthesis system. The received text is processed using a sum-of-products phoneme duration model that is used in either the formant method or the concatenative method of speech generation. The phoneme duration model, which is used along with a phoneme pitch model, is produced by developing a non-exponential functional transformation form for use with a generalized additive model. The non-exponential functional transformation form comprises a root sinusoidal transformation that is controlled in response to a minimum phoneme duration and a maximum phoneme duration. The minimum and maximum phoneme durations are observed in training data. The received text is processed by specifying at least one of a number of contextual factors for the generalized additive model.

Abstract: A speech-enabled distributed processing system forming a Voice Web includes a gateway, one or more voice content sites coupled to the gateway over a wide area network, and a browser coupled to the gateway over a network, which may or may not be the wide area network. The gateway receives telephone calls from one or more users over telephony connections and performs endpointing of speech of each user. The browser provides the gateway with information enabling the gateway to selectively direct the endpointed speech to a voice content site via the wide area network. The gateway outputs the endpointed speech in the form of application protocol requests onto the wide area network to the appropriate site, as specified by the browser, or to the browser. The gateway receives prompts in the form of application protocol responses from the browser or a voice content site and plays the prompts to the appropriate user over the telephony connection.

Abstract: A distributed speech recognition system includes a speech processor linked to a plurality of speech recognition engines. The speech processor includes an input for receiving speech files from a plurality of users and storage means for storing the received speech files until such a time that they are forwarded to a selected speech recognition engine for processing. Each of the speech recognition engines includes a plurality of servers selectively performing different functions. The system further includes means for selectively activating or deactivating the plurality of servers based upon usage of the distributed speech recognition system.

Abstract: Different dynamic range control values are applied to the 2-channel and m-channel outputs without repeating the inverse transform or the windowing of the audio samples. First, m-channel dynamic range control values are applied to audio samples in the frequency domain (“frequency samples” or “frequency coefficients”). The frequency samples are then inverse transformed to generate audio samples in the time domain (“time samples”) and windowed to generate windowed time samples. The windowed time samples are saved and the 2-channel dynamic range control values are applied to the windowed time samples. 2-channel dynamic range control values include 2-channel scale factors that, when multiplied with groups of the windowed time samples, at least partially remove the effects of windowing and the m-ch dynamic range control values applied in the frequency domain and readjust the dynamic range for 2-channel output.

Abstract: A device (100) for receiving, storing and playing back digital audio radio signals comprises a receiver (203), a decoder (502 and/or 504), a user input (516), a storage medium (510) coupled to the decoder, and a system controller (508) coupled to the user input. The receiver receives a digitally encoded bit stream (300) on a plurality of communication resources (104), wherein each communication resource contains content and associated index information. The decoder selectively decodes a selected plurality of communication resources and the user input selects the selected plurality based on the associated index information and selects a portion of the content contained in selected plurality to be retrieved. The storage medium stores the content and associated index information contained in the selected plurality of communication resources and the system controller stores and retrieves content to and from the storage medium based on input received at the user input.

Abstract: A digital signal processor includes a coded audio data generation unit for generating coded audio data; an audio data generation unit for generating audio data; a signal switching unit for outputting one of the coded audio data and the audio data respectively supplied from the coded audio data generation unit and the audio data generation unit, and switching the output between these data; and a signal switching control unit for detecting the periodicity of the coded audio data outputted from the coded audio data generation unit, and controlling the signal switching unit so as to switch the output at the boundary of periods of the coded audio data.

Abstract: System and method for managing the cancellation of equipment lease contracts on a date prior to the date set forth in the contract (Dt) wherein a database of lease contracts comprising a plurality of account entries is maintained, each account entry including lease contract information comprising the name of the lessor, the normal contract lease termination date (Dt), the amount (Pa) and number (Pn) of periodic payments, the remaining time on the contract at termination (Rt), the identity (Ei) and class (Ec) of equipment which is the subject matter of the lease contract. Another database comprises all classes of equipment (Ec) owned by the lessor and the number of items of each class of equipment presently in inventory, the number of items of the class which are presently leased, the historical utilization rate of the class (Hu), the historical lease rate (Hlr), and the historical time to lease items of the class following return of item of the class to inventory after a previous lease is terminated (Ht).

Abstract: A technique for implementing in a networked client-server environment, e.g., the Internet, network-distributed advertising in which advertisements are downloaded, from an advertising server to a browser executing at a client computer, in a manner transparent to a user situated at the browser, and subsequently displayed, by that browser on an interstitial basis, in response to a click-stream generated by the user to move from one web page to the next. Specifically, an HTML advertising tag is embedded into a referring web page. This tag contains two components. One component effectively downloads, from an distribution web server and to an extent necessary, and then persistently instantiates an agent at the client browser.