Abstract: A new and distinct Blueberry cultivar is provided that is the product of a controlled breeding program followed by selection. The cultivar flowers and forms fruit at mid-season. The attractive light blue flattened-round berries exhibit a classical blueberry flavor. The plant is very strong and grows well in various soil types. The plant commonly requires cross pollination, and displays a generally vase-shaped growth habit with attractive evergreen foliage. A low chilling requirement is also exhibited.

Abstract: A new and distinct variety of nectarine tree, denominated ‘Nectarreve’, has fruits of very long shelf life without alteration before and after harvesting, a semi-sweet white flesh of high eating quality and an attractive red skin. Fruits can be consumed crunchy or melting.

Abstract: A new and distinct variety of nectarine tree, denominated ‘Nectarlight’, has fruits of very long shelf life without alteration before and after harvesting, a semi-sweet white flesh of high eating quality and an attractive red skin. Fruits can be consumed crunchy or melting.

Abstract: A new and distinct variety of nectarine tree, denominated ‘Nectapi’, has fruits of very long shelf life withour alteration before and after harvesting, a semi-sweet yellow flesh of high-eating quality and an attractive red skin. Fruits can be consumed crunchy or melting.

Abstract: A new and distinct variety of peach tree, denominated ‘Sweetprim’, has fruits of very long shelf life without alteration before and after harvesting, a semi-sweet white flesh of high eating quality and an attractive red skin. Fruits can be consumed crunchy or melting.

Abstract: A new and distinct variety of peach tree, denominated ‘Sweetmoon’, has fruits of very long shelf life without alteration before and after harvesting, a semi-sweet white flesh of high eating quality and an attractive red skin. Fruits can be consumed crunchy or melting.

Abstract: A new cultivar of Buxus microphylla ‘Gregem’, characterized by its small evergreen leaves, its dense compact growth habit, its vigorous growth rate, its hardiness to U.S.D.A Zone 5, and its ease of propagation by softwood cuttings.

Abstract: A new and distinct cultivar of Rhododendron plant named ‘Fuji’, characterized by its upright to outwardly spreading plant habit; freely branching habit; lanceolate-shaped leaves; freely flowering habit; single dark pink-colored flowers with lanceolate-shaped petals; and good postproduction longevity.

Abstract: A new cultivar of Hydrangea macrophylla named ‘Fanfare’ that is characterized by its ability to re-bloom on new growth after deadheading, its consistently formed rounded, hortensia type inflorescences with sepals that are round to broadly elliptic in shape and blue in color with white to pale pink margins when grown under acidic soil conditions and pink in color with white margins when grown under alkaline soil conditions, its compact growth habit with strong stems that enable pot culture without the need for staking, its dark green glossy foliage and its hardiness at least in U.S.D.A. Zones 5 to 9.

Abstract: A new cultivar of Dianthus plant named ‘STARBURST’ that is characterized by compact habit, grey-green foliage, and semi-double flowers that are cherry red with white markings. In combination these traits set ‘STARBURST’ apart from all other existing varieties of Dianthus known to the inventor.

Abstract: A chrysanthemum plant named ‘Zanmusundance’ characterized by its medium sized blooms with yellow ray florets and prolific branching; natural season flower date October 6–10; blooming for a period of 5 weeks.

Abstract: A chrysanthemum plant named ‘Zanmusundown’ characterized by its medium sized blooms with yellow ray florets and prolific branching; natural season flower date October 6–10; blooming for a period of 5 weeks.

Abstract: A chrysanthemum plant named ‘Zanmurowa’ directed by its medium sized blooms with dark red ray florets and prolific branching; natural season flower date September 22–27; blooming for a period of 4–5 weeks.

Abstract: A new distinct cultivar of Aster plant named ‘DASING’, characterized by its upright and inverted conical plant habit; green and gray-green foliage; decorative, composite-type inflorescence with about 250 purple-violet colored ray florets; and only about 5 to 10 disc florets per inflorescence which are white in color with green spots (almost 100% filled capitulae).

Abstract: An ITO (indium tin oxide) layer and a negative photoresist are deposited sequentially on the substrate 100 having a gate wire, a storage wire, a data wire and a storage electrode. The negative photoresist is developed through front exposure and the ITO layer is etched to form a pixel electrode. Because the portions of negative photoresist exposed to light remain after development, pixel defects due to particles placed between pixel regions are reduced. Both the rear exposure and the front exposure may be used. In the rear exposure, it is difficult to remain the portions of the ITO layer at the positions corresponding to the contact portion of the drain electrode and the pixel electrode, the storage line, the gate pads and the data pads. Accordingly, the front exposure is then executed by using the first mask having openings thereon. The negative photoresist is developed, and the ITO layer is patterned.

Abstract: Hybrid crystalline organic-inorganic quantum confined systems are disclosed, which contain alternating layers of a bifunctional organic ligand and a II-VI semiconducting chalcogenide, wherein the semiconducting chalcogenide layers contain chalcogenides have the formula MQ, in which M is independently selected from II-VI semiconductor cationic species and Q is independently selected from S, Se and Te; and the bifunctional organic ligands of each organic ligand layer are bonded by a first functional group to an element M of an adjacent II-VI semiconducting chalcogenide layer and by a second functional group to an element M from the adjacent opposing II-VI semiconducting chalcogenide layer, so that the adjacent opposing II-VI semiconducting chalcogenide layers are linked by the bifunctional organic ligands of the organic ligand layers. Optical absorption experiments show that these systems produce a significant blue shift in their optical absorption edges, 1.2-1.5 eV, compared to a shift of 1.

Abstract: A method and device for the pictorial representation of space-related data, for example, geographical data of the earth. Such methods are used for visualising topographical or meteorological data in the form of weather maps or weather forecast films. Further fields of application are found in tourism, in traffic control, in navigation aids and also in studio technology. The space-related data, for example topography, actual cloud distribution, configurations of roads, rivers or frontiers, satellite images, actual temperatures, historical views, CAD-models, actual camera shots, are called up, stored or generated in a spatially distributed fashion. For a screen representation of a view of the object according to a field of view of a virtual observer, the required data are called up and shown only in the resolution required for each individual section of the image.

Abstract: The invention provides a reliable write method of data on an optical record carrier without changing the conventional configuration of an information recording apparatus. The invention uses the errors occurred in reading ATIP codes and/or the reflected signal from the surface of the record carrier to decide if the storage unit on the record carrier is eligible to store data. The defective storage units are labeled as unrecordable.

Abstract: A rotation control apparatus which can maintain an accurate rotating state even in a high density optical disk (DVD) having a structure such that parts of the sync signal are recorded at an interval different from that of the other sync signal parts. The apparatus has: a unit period signal generator for generating a period signal of a unit period; a pre-pit detector for detecting a pre-pit from the DVD; a phase difference detector for detecting a phase difference between the detection timing of the pre-pit and the unit period signal; and a holding circuit for holding the phase difference detected. The rotation of the DVD is controlled on the basis of the phase difference held at the holding circuit.

Abstract: The present invention proposes a method for generating synchronization bursts for OFDM transmission systems. The symbols of a predefined symbol sequence are mapped according to a predefined mapping scheme on subcarriers of the OFDM systems by a mapping unit (2), wherein the symbols of the predefined symbol sequence represent sub-carriers of the OFDM system with nonzero amplitudes. A synchronization burst is generated by a inverse fast Fourier transforming unit (3) transforming the subcarriers of the OFDM system mapped to said predefined symbol sequence. The mapping (2) of the symbols of the predefined symbol sequence is set such that the resulting time domain signal of the synchronization burst represents a periodic nature. According to the invention the predefined symbol sequence is set such that the envelope fluctuation of the time domain signal of the synchronization burst is minimized. Therefore advantageous symbol sequences reducing said the envelope fluctuation of the time domain signal are proposed.

Abstract: The present invention proposes a method for generating synchronization bursts for OFDM transmission systems. The symbols of a predefined symbol sequence are mapped according to a predefined mapping scheme on subcarriers of the OFDM systems by a mapping unit (2), wherein the symbols of the predefined symbol sequence represent subcarriers of the OFDM system with nonzero amplitudes. A synchronization burst is generated by a inverse fast Fourier transforming unit (3) transforming the subcarriers of the OFDM system mapped to said predefined symbol sequence. The mapping (2) of the symbols of the predefined symbol sequence is set such that the resulting time domain signal of the synchronization burst represents a periodic nature. According to the invention the predefined symbol sequence is set such that the envelope fluctuation of the time domain signal of the synchronization burst is minimized. Therefore advantageous symbol sequences reducing said the envelope fluctuation of the time domain signal are proposed.

Abstract: A signal scrambling method is provided for peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR) reduction of STBC MIMO-OFDM signals in a MIMO-OFDM system having Y transmit antenna. In general terms the OFDM sequence of symbols in said signal for each transmit antenna is divided into M sub-blocks of equal size and subclockwise subblockwise rotation and inversions are performed across all transmit antennas to generate [2Y]M permuted sequence sets from the original OFDM sequence. Based on a predetermined criteria, there is then selected from the resulting sets of OFDM sequences the one with the best PAPR properties for transmission. The predetermined criteria preferably comprises identifying maximums for all [2Y]M sequence sets, by calculating the largest PAPR value of Y sequences in each set and selecting a set with the minimum maximum for transmission.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for connection establishment and a radio system relaying packet traffic. A terminal informs the system that it wishes to transmit data. The network part receives the message and allocates default radio resources and informs the allocated resources to the terminal. The terminal sends a first control message to inform the terminal's radio path characteristics. According to the solution of the invention, when allocating the default amount of radio resources to the terminal, the network part is arranged to reserve one or more radio blocks for the terminal's control messages. When the terminal sends the network part information about its radio path characteristics, it is arranged to inform in the message if there are additional characteristics. In that case, the terminal sends a second control message including information about its radio path characteristics.

Abstract: An adaptive variable-length coding/decoding method performs an optimal variable-length coding and decoding depending on an intra mode/inter mode condition, quantization step size and a current zigzag scanning position, such that a plurality of variable-length coding tables having different patterns of a regular region and an escape region according to statistical characteristics of the run level data are set. One of the variable-length coding tables is selected according to mode, quantization step size and scanning position, and the orthogonal transform coefficients according to the selected variable-length coding table are variable-length-coded.

Abstract: A method and apparatus to remove a block effect and a ring effect appearing in a compression-coded image is disclosed. The present invention is especially applicable to an image compression-coded at a low bit rate. In particular, the present invention includes a variety of masks for the removal of the block/ring effect. Thus, one mask is select for a pixel to be filtered. Moreover, candidate pixels to be averaged with the pixel to be filtered is selected from the pixels of the selected mask to better maintain the details of the image, and a weight is applied to improve the calculation speed of the averaging operation. More particularly, the masks according to the present invention have longer tabs toward adjacent blocks at boundaries of the given block to remove the block and ring effect. In an embodiment of the present invention, a pixel of an image is filtered according to a filtering methodology.

Abstract: A method and apparatus to remove a block effect and a ring effect appearing in a compression-coded image is disclosed. The present invention is especially applicable to an image compression-coded at a low bit rate. In particular, the present invention includes a variety of masks for the removal of the block/ring effect. Thus, one mask is select for a pixel to be filtered. Moreover, candidate pixels to be averaged with the pixel to be filtered is selected from the pixels of the selected mask to better maintain the details of the image, and a weight is applied to improve the calculation speed of the averaging operation. More particularly, the masks according to the present invention have longer tabs toward adjacent blocks at boundaries of the given block to remove the block and ring effect. In an embodiment, the filtering unit is configured to select at least four pixels of successive pixels according to a position of a pixel to be filtered.

Abstract: Disclosed is a fiber amplifier system including a gain fiber having a single-mode core containing dopant ions capable of producing stimulated emission of light at wavelength ?s when pumped with light of wavelength ?p. Absorbing ion filtering means is operatively associated with the gain fiber to alter the gain curve. If the absorbing ions are the same as the gain ions of the gain fiber, the system further includes means for preventing pump light from exciting the gain ions of the filtering means. The excitation prevention means may take the form of means for attenuating pump light. If the absorbing ions are different from the dopant ions of the gain fiber, such absorbing ions can be subjected to light at wavelength ?p, but they will remain unexcited. Such absorbing ions can be used to co-dope the gain fiber, or they can be incorporated into the core of a fiber that is in series with the gain fiber.

Abstract: The present invention relates to diazabicyclic compounds, preferably to N-aryl diazabicyclic compounds. Of particular interest are 2-pyridinyl diazabicyclic compounds, such as (1S,4S)-2-(5-(3-methoxyphenoxy)-3-pyridyl)-2,5-diazabicyclo[2.2.1]heptane. Other exemplary compounds of the present invention include (1S,4S)-2-(5-(4-methoxyphenoxy)-3-pyridyl)-2,5-diazabicyclo[2.2.1]heptane, (1S,4S)-2-(5-(3-thienyl)-3-pyridyl)-2,5-diazabicyclo[2.2.1]heptane, (1S,4S)-2-(5-(4-fluorophenoxy)-3-pyridyl)-2,5-diazabicyclo[2.2.1]heptane, and (1S,4S)-2-(5-benzoyl-3-pyridyl)-2,5-diazabicyclo[2.2.1]heptane. The present invention also relates to prodrug derivatives of the compounds of the present invention.

Abstract: A method and system for gathering enriched web server activity data in a global communications network in which requested information files are cached at a plurality of network devices. With the prevalence of web caching on the Internet, the origin web servers do not serve the majority of requests for web site content. A single pixel clear Graphics Image Format (GIF) request is added to the HyperText Markup Language (HTML) source file for a web page. Appended to the GIF request is a Common Gateway Interface (CGI) string of data that contains enhanced web activity data information, including the number of images (“hits”) that have to be retrieved by a client browser to build the web page, and the referring identifier that resulted in access to the web page. The single pixel clear GIF request is not cacheable and results in the request being transmitted to the origin web server when the client browser interprets the HTML file.

Abstract: A maskable data output buffer includes an output stage receiving data signals from a data coder. The signals output from the data coder are normally complementary data signals corresponding to complementary data input signals. However, in response to receiving a mask signal, the data coder forces the output signals to be other than complementary. The output stage normally generates a data output signal corresponding to the complementary data input signals. However, when the data input signals are other than complementary, the output of the output stage assumes a high impedance condition. Since the timing of the high impedance condition is determined from the data signals themselves, the timing of the mask operation is inherently properly timed to the output of the data from the data output buffer.

Abstract: A calf protector for rowers, comprising a single strip of neoprene (or a similar synthetic or natural rubber) with strips of hook and loop fasteners (commonly known as “VELCRO®”) on its ends. The neoprene strip is wider in the main middle part, and narrower at the ends with the strips of hook and loop fasteners. Hook fasteners on the inside surface at one end of the strip can engage loop fasteners on the outside surface at the opposite end of the strip (or visa versa) so that it forms a loop around the rower's leg, to protect the back of the leg from friction against the front ends of rails on which the seats in a boat move when rowing. The invention may also be used by other persons to protect their legs and/or arms. The invention encompasses both an apparatus and a method for protecting limbs using the apparatus.

Abstract: Protective gear for a wearer's body such as the joint of a limb, that has an attachment system with few components, and integrated with the protective gear. The attachment system uses straps that can be adjusted by a wearer once during a first use and, after removal, retain their adjustments for a second use by the same wearer. Securing the attachment system in place can be accompanied by an auditory signal.

Abstract: A protective-apparel sleeve (10) includes a tubular inner piece (12) of membrane laminated or coated fabric and a tubular outer piece (14) of membrane laminated or coated fabric generally surrounding the tubular inner piece (12). In further detail, the tubular inner piece (12) includes a stitched seam (24) along its length, and the tubular outer piece (14) includes a stitched seam (26) along its length which is circumferentially offset from the seam (24) of the tubular inner piece (12). If desired, the stitched seams (24, 26) may be generally free of a seam sealant. The protective-apparel sleeve (10) and protective-apparel products incorporating the sleeve (10) have a significantly greater liquid-resistance than conventional stitched-seam protective-apparel sleeves and protective-apparel products incorporating such sleeves.

Abstract: Articles of clothing that incorporate fabrics or chemicals having wicking, antibacterial/antifungal and low coefficients of friction either overall or in specific areas of the apparel that will minimize the development of irritation, bacterial and fungal infections of the skin. The invention also includes methods for producing this wicking, antibacterial/antifungal and low coefficient of friction apparel.

Abstract: A personal protection system is mountable to a user for distributing air to the user includes a shell providing structure. A fan module is supported by the shell for generating a flow of air. Cushioning is provided between the fan module and the shell to reduce vibrations and noise. The fan module includes a fan with blades having an airfoil shape for added noise reduction. An air flow channel is in fluid communication with the fan module for routing the flow of air. A pair of nozzle tips are in fluid communication with the air flow channel and are rotatably adjustable to allow directional adjustment of the flow of air toward a neck of the user. The personal protection system also includes a face shield with multiple removable layers which are sterilized as a unit using gamma radiation.

Abstract: A helmet jacket for covering and protecting a helmet and for substantially and releasably enclosing the volume inside the helmet to allow the covered helmet to function as a sealed carrying and storage container. The jacket may include elastic segments that define respective constricted openings through which the chin straps of the helmet extend on opposed sides of a releasable fastening element so that the chin straps may be used to carry the helmet while the fastened jacket material substantially encloses the volume inside the helmet to define a storage volume within the helmet.

Abstract: A combination cleaning tool and plunger integrates a cleaning tool and plunger in a single shafted tool to save storage space and provide the tools required for non-invasive plumbing maintenance in one convenient tool assembly. The plunger portion of the tool may be attached in a position near the lower end of the shaft for use in plunging a drain, or slidably moved to be attached in a position near the shaft handle at the upper end of the shaft, exposing the cleaning tool at the lower end of the shaft for use. No disassembly of parts or handling of the working parts is required to use either tool.

Abstract: An improved automated spa cover lifting device and thermally efficient, foldable spa cover, the lifting device having a motorized expandable and retractable strut attachable to a spa housing and to at least one of two pivotal side arms that connect or support a folded spa cover to the spa housing during displacement with the preferred spa cover having a bevel at the fold to improve the thermal efficiency of the cover.

Abstract: A shower pan includes a draining base portion that drains to an orifice. The draining base portion includes a support structure for supporting a slab floor member (for example, a single piece of granite, marble, or engineered stone) above the orifice such that a planar upper surface of the floor member has a slight tilt. The pan is installed such that the tilt is toward a shower head. The shower enclosure is finished by cladding the enclosure walls with a finishing material (for example, granite, marble or engineered stone) such that the finishing material extends down into the pan. The floor member is placed on the support structure such that water from the shower head that falls on the floor member runs off one or more edges of the floor member and is conducted to the orifice under the floor member by a draining portion of the draining base portion.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for transferring patients are provided. A patient transfer device may have a wheeled base and a lateral transfer structure. A patient may lie supine on a patient support structure on top of a transfer sheet. Airbags may be adjusted beneath the transfer sheet to form channels. To transfer the patient from the patient support structure to the wheeled base, the lateral transfer structure is extended into the channels beneath the patient. A stretcher frame is formed from the extended lateral transfer structure. A stretcher that supports the patient is formed by attaching the transfer sheet to the stretcher frame. After the stretcher has been formed, the extended portions of the lateral transfer structure may be retracted to move the stretcher and patient on top of the wheeled base. The patient transfer device may be adjusted to allow the patient to assume a sitting position during transit.

Abstract: Playard has a frame body that includes a top frame, a plurality of standing posts, and a bottom frame pivoting to one another so that the playard is foldable. A top corner of the standing post, top rails adjacent to the top corner, and the corresponding post body of the standing post form an arc-shaped surface structure. The top corner is mounted above the post body of the standing post by coupling a plug of the top corner to a socket of the post body. The standing post has two first engagements at two sides of its arc shape post body or on the wall of the socket. The enclosure has a second engagement at one end that can engage with the first engagement by sliding up and down relative to the standing post so that the enclosure is easily attached to or detached from the standing post.

Abstract: A connecting arrangement for slidably securing a drop side rail to vertical posts of the headboard and footboard of a crib, including first and second elongated slots in the vertical posts of the headboard and footboard, respectively, third and fourth elongated slots at opposite sides of the drop side rail, first and second levers having one end pivotally mounted to opposite sides of the drop side rail and an opposite end slidably mounted with the first and second elongated slots, respectively, third and fourth levers having one end pivotally mounted to the vertical post of the headboard and footboard, respectively, and an opposite end slidably mounted with the third and fourth elongated slots, respectively, and a holding arrangement for releasably holding the drop side rail in an upper raised position.

Abstract: A sleeping bag sized to enclose the body of a user from at least the neck to the toes has a plurality of transverse ingress/egress openings in the top cover disposed between the head end and foot end in parallel longitudinally spaced apart relation at locations corresponding generally to various body areas and segments of a human body that enable concurrent passage of selected parts or segments of the user's body into and out of the interior space such that at least one selected part or segment of the user's body can be extended into the interior space to be covered, while concurrently therewith, other selected parts or segments of the user's body can be left out or extended out of the interior space through other respective openings to be uncovered. The openings may be provided with closures and portions of the closures may be luminescent.

Abstract: An infant mattress includes a core and a cover. The core is made from a resilient material and has a top surface and a bottom surface. The top surface is inclined with respect to the bottom surface and includes a depression. The cover covers the core and includes a mesh-like material that forms an inclined hammock over the depression. The head and torso of an infant are placed on the hammock. One or more sidewalls of the depression may have one or more openings to facilitate air circulation within the depression cavity. The external ends of the openings may connect to an air or aerosol source to inject air or aerosols into the depression cavity. The core may be coated with an impermeable water-proofing layer.

Abstract: A baby changing apparatus in a pillow is disclosed. A flexible pad unfolds lengthwise from a pocket. The pad has a plurality of parallel, joined folding sections. A pillow-forming section is one of the sections, at a first end of the pad. The pillow-forming section has fabric defining the pocket. The pillow-forming section may be openable towards an opposing second end of the pad. A stowage section is one of the sections. The stowage section has a first storage volume. The stowage section may have a second storage volume. The opened pillow-forming section may receive the remaining folded sections folded and inserted to form the pillow. The pad may fold such that the pillow-forming section receives the remaining or residual folding sections tucked into the pocket to form the pillow. The folding sections may include a first middle section, and may include an adjacent second middle section.

Abstract: A mattress assembly for a playard has a plurality of support panels coupled to one another and movable relative to one another. The support panels are movable between a generally planar in-use configuration having a top side and a bottom side and a multi-sided storage configuration with an interior space sized to surround a collapsed playard. A mattress pad is detachable from and attachable to the plurality of support panels. The mattress pad lies against the top side of the plurality of support panels and is movable with the plurality of support panels between the in-use configuration and the storage configuration. A plurality of attachment devices are provided for selectively attaching the mattress pad to and detaching the mattress pad from the plurality of support panels.

Abstract: A dehydration controlling apparatus for a washing machine, and a method thereof. The apparatus including: a storage unit in which an acceleration rate, an allowable maximum unbalance amount and an allowable minimum unbalance amount according to an amount of laundry are pre-stored; and a controlling unit for repeatedly controlling an operation of increasing and decreasing a Rotation Per Minute (RPM) of a motor of the washing machine in a region between the acceptable maximum unbalance amount and the acceptable minimum unbalance amount until an unbalance amount detected is less than the acceptable minimum unbalance amount.

Abstract: Provided are, among other things, systems, methods and techniques for manufacturing a shoe sole, in which a shoe sole is preliminarily assembled by bonding together a plurality of layers with a temporary insert disposed between two adjacent layers. Then, an outer edge of the shoe sole is ground and, following that, the temporary insert is removed and a permanent insert is bonded in place of the temporary insert, such that the permanent insert forms a portion of a side wall of the shoe sole.

Abstract: A height-adjustable docking buffer is described for protecting facades when vehicles are docked in building openings. The docking buffer is made up of a fixed mounting frame and a height-adjustable buffer block for a loading ramp or a transfer bridge. The buffer block is designed as an essentially horizontal bumper bar, and includes an inflatable gasket, the ends of which are height-adjustably supported on two spaced, fixed mounting frames, preferably in the form of pillars. A method for operating the docking bar is also disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a sealed box apparatus for a pool cleaning machine wherein the sealed box is installed inside the body of the pool cleaning machine. The box contains and seals electronic devices for the cleaning machine. At least one waterproofed tube is provided for inputting and outputting wires for connecting the electronic devices sealed inside the box with peripherals. A transparent portion is installed on one side of the box. A humidity display is installed inside the box, and corresponds to the position of the transparent portion. The sealed box provides an excellent airproof seal for protecting the inside electronic circuits from being waterlogged, and to provide excellent heat elimination, while leakage into the sealed box may be conveniently monitored in real-time.