96results about How to "More selective" patented technology

A method analyzes an image to be scanned and analyzes at least part of the image pixel-by-pixel. Elements in the image are characterized according to a perceived characteristic and each image element having a given characteristic that is adjacent a similar or identical image element is identified. In one form, there are preferably at least three different characteristics, such as black, background and edge, by which the image elements can be characterized. In another form, image elements that are close enough to each other in physical location and close enough to each other in image characteristic are grouped together or included in a blob. Sub-blobs can be found to be part of a more predominant blob. In a further form, image elements are identified that represent an edge in the image, along with identifying those edge elements that are adjacent at least one other edge element.

In accordance with the present invention, a computer-based tool helps a person choose a product from among many possible products. This assistance, sometimes referred to as product brokering, can be useful in electronic commerce for facilitating customer selection of products. An embodiment of the invention enables product selection by a person even if the person is unable to precisely or even explicitly specify what product features or characteristics the person desires. The person is presented with a relatively small set of possible products for comparison, and the computer-based tool solicits opinions from the person about the presented products. The computer-based tool extracts information about product characteristics that appeal to or repulse the person, and uses the extracted information to present the person with additional product choices. With each iteration of product presentation by the computer-based tool and expression of preferences by the person, an optimal product is identified.

A method and apparatus for improving the accuracy and usability of alphanumeric keypads and control functions on touch-screen devices by employing multi-function buttons and the actuation of multiple buttons in sequence by sliding a finger across the touch-screen. Potential applications include cell phones, smart phones, calculators, handheld scanners, gaming systems, remote controls, GPS navigation devices, and ultra small laptop computers. A first embodiment is an alphanumeric keypad for a touch-screen smart phone. In this embodiment, a modified QWERTY keypad layout is employed to allow selection of the most frequently used letters by touching the display and the selection of less frequently used letters by sliding a finger on the display. In this first embodiment, multiple letters can be entered in sequence by sliding from one button to either an adjacent or non-adjacent button. A second embodiment is a numeric keypad for entering phone numbers on a touch-screen phone.

An image display apparatus capable of displaying images in similar image groups to allow the user to determine the difference between the images in each of the similar image groups, and to select an image to be deleted or saved in easier and more efficient way. An evaluation value obtaining means calculates an evaluation value representing the desirability of an image for each of the images in each of the similar image groups using a predetermined evaluation criterion. A sorting means rearranges each of the images in each of the similar image groups in the order of the evaluation value to generate a display order. A display control means causes each of the images in each of the similar image groups to be displayed on a display section according to the display order.

A vending system restricts, limits and / or controls access and / or to various products, and tracks purchases, use or consumption of those products by an individual, group, class or classification, and implements continued decisions regarding future access within the context of a hierarchy of policy enforcement or guideline recommendations. The individual or group is associated with a unique identification, captured by an input device, such that product selection availability is based upon identity, product type, quantity limits, serving recommendations and nutritional guidelines, user preferences, governance and access restrictions. Subsequent tracking of the dispensing of products, permits the system to compare consumption and make future decisions regarding access to products.

A diversity transmitter for use in an OFDM transmission protocol which diversity transmitter comprises: a diversity generator (2) for receiving and diversifying OFDM transmit symbols, and outputting diversified OFDM symbol matrices (DOSM), DOSM symbols within each DOSM being divided into at least two primary streams each comprising different DOSM symbols, a transmit processor for receiving said at least two primary streams of DOSM symbols, and for transforming said each DOSM symbol from the frequency domain into the time domain, and outputting time domain OFDM symbols (TDOSs), a cyclic delay circuit (41 . . . 4P) for dividing at least one of said primary streams of TDOSs into at least two branches of identical TDOSs, each branch for supplying a respective spatial channel for transmission to a receiver, the arrangement being such that, in use, said cyclic delay circuit (41 . . . 4P) applies a cyclic time shift to a TDOS symbol in at least one of said branches before transmission.

A diversity transmitter for use in an OFDM transmission protocol which diversity transmitter comprises:a diversity generator (2) for receiving and diversifying OFDM transmit symbols, and outputting diversified OFDM symbol matrices (DOSM), DOSM symbols within each DOSM being divided into at least two primary streams each comprising different DOSM symbols,a transmit processor for receiving said at least two primary streams of DOSM symbols, and for transforming said each DOSM symbol from the frequency domain into the time domain, and outputting time domain OFDM symbols (TDOSs),a cyclic delay circuit (41 . . . 4P) for dividing at least one of said primary streams of TDOSs into at least two branches of identical TDOSs, each branch for supplying a respective spatial channel for transmission to a receiver,the arrangement being such that, in use, said cyclic delay circuit (41 . . . 4P) applies a cyclic time shift to a TDOS symbol in at least one of said branches before transmission.

Disclosed is use of a porous membrane and a composite membrane thereof in a redox flow batteries, and in particular the use thereof in a vanadium redox flow battery. The membrane can effectively realize the separation of ions with different valence states, and an ion transfer without any ion exchange group. The pore size and structure of the porous membrane can be controlled by filling an inorganic substance or grafting an ion exchange group in the pore, in order to improve the barrier properties of the porous membrane for vanadium ions and to increase proton conductivity.

The present invention provides tools to help readers select among large number of written documents by ranking using similarity level in meaning. The ranking tools also can be combined with other ranking methods such as ranking in popularity or ranking by expert opinions. Potential applications include ranking of web pages, electrical mails, academic articles, patent publications, The Bible, or other written documents.

A vessel sealing instrument having an instrument tip that comprises a pair of opposing clamping members movable to clamp a vessel to be sealed. The clamping members include an energy delivery structure capable of delivering localised radiofrequency (RF) electromagnetic (EM) energy and microwave EM energy separately or simultaneously into the vessel. The RF EM energy and the microwave EM energy are received in the energy delivery structure from a coaxial cable. Each energy delivery structure comprises first and second conductive elements separated by a planar dielectric layer. The first and second conductive elements are arranged at the opposed surface of the respective clamping member to act as active and return electrodes to transfer RF EM energy into biological tissue by conduction, and as an antenna to radiate microwave EM energy into biological tissue from the opposed surface.

Embodiments of the invention are directed to a system, method, or computer program product for collecting and distributing after purchase experience data. Customers that have communicated with a merchant may provide more beneficial feedback to the merchants than other individuals. In this way, the system provides mechanisms for the customer to provide feedback if they have communicated with the merchant. Embodiments of the invention allow a customer to provide this feedback for a merchant, a product, or the total purchase experience of a customer. A system then compiles and sorts the data. In turn, a customer, a merchant, or other entities may be able to view the compiled after purchase experience data.

An RF coil docking station (30) comprises: an RF coil receptacle (32, 34, 36, 38) configured to receive and store an RF coil (20, 22, 24) and to convey data between the RF coil docking station and the stored RF coil (22, 24); and a processor (46, 54) configured to control conveyance of data between the RF coil docking station and the stored RF coil to modify an operational state of the stored RF coil. In some embodiments, the RF coil docking station (30) comprises a plurality of RF coil receptacles (32, 34, 36, 38) configured to receive and store RF coils and to identify the stored RF coils, the processor is configured to select one or more of the stored RF coils for performing an identified magnetic resonance procedure (90), and an indicator (52, 55) is configured to indicate the selected one or more of the stored RF coils.

The present invention relates to novel antibodies, antibody fragments and antibody conjugates and single-chain immunotoxins reactive with human carcinoma cells. More particularly, the antibodies, conjugates and single-chain immunotoxins of the invention include: a murine monoclonal antibody, BR96; a human / murine chimeric antibody, ChiBR96; a F(ab')2 fragment of BR96; ChiBR96-PE, ChiBR96-LysPE40, ChiBR96 F(ab')2-LysPE40 and ChiBR96 Fab'-LysPE40 conjugates and recombinant BR96 sFv-PE40 immunotoxin. These molecules are reactive with a cell membrane antigen on the surface of human carcinomas. The BR96 antibody and its functional equivalents, displays a high degree of selectivity for carcinoma cells and possess the ability to mediate antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity and complement-dependent cytotoxicity activity. In addition, the antibodies of the invention internalize within the carcinoma cells to which they bind and are therefore particularly useful for therapeutic applications, for example, as the antibody component of antibody-drug or antibody-toxin conjugates. The antibodies also have a unique feature in that they are cytotoxic when used in the unmodified form, at specified concentrations.

A charging system for charging accumulator means (2) in an electronic device (1) is provided, the electronic device (1) being adapted to be connected to a charging apparatus (4b) for charging the accumulator means (2). The charging apparatus (4b) is adapted to send, and the electronic device (1) is adapted to receive, and / or the electronic device (1) is adapted to send, and the charging apparatus (4b) is adapted to receive at least one signal according to a communication protocol for configuring the connection between the electronic device (1) and the charging apparatus (4b). Further, the electronic device (1) is adapted to be connected to an external electronic unit (4a), whereby the external electronic unit (4a) is adapted to send, and the electronic device (1) is adapted to receive, and / or the electronic device (1) is adapted to send, and the external electronic unit (4a) is adapted to receive at least one signal according to the communication protocol.

A thermoplastic article is produced by welding or injection molding. The mechanical performance of the article is optimized by a method employing a plurality of test samples also produced by welding or injection molding. For welding, each test sample comprises two thermoplastic workpieces welded at an interface having a preselected shape. The test samples are prepared using different welding conditions and tested. The results are used to select injection molding conditions for the first and second workpieces. For injection molding, each test sample is prepared with a knit line having a preselected shape. The test samples are injection molded using different conditions and tested. The results are used to select welding conditions for the first and second workpieces. The test samples are much easier to prepare than samples that have to be machined from full-scale articles made under the requisite variety of experimental conditions heretofore required for process optimization. As a result, the performance of full-scale articles is more easily and expeditiously optimized.

Energy-saving methods and systems for updating media information on a media equipment device are provided. An update to media information is received at the media equipment device. Data identifying a weight for the update is retrieved from the storage device. The data may be related to the user's media preferences or viewing history of content associated with the update. A weight is then assigned to the update based on the retrieved data. The assigned update weight is compared to a threshold value which is retrieved from the storage device. If the update weight exceeds the threshold value, the device will switch from a first power mode of operation (e.g., sleep mode) to a higher power mode of operation (e.g., active mode) so that the media information may be updated with the information contained in the received update.

A vehicle control apparatus generates an appropriate driving force according to the will of a driver when an internal combustion engine is restarted from a condition in which the idling of the engine is being stopped. In a condition in which the idling of an internal combustion engine 11 is being stopped, in the event that the depressing amount of a brake pedal by the driver is relatively large, an ECU (20) selects a relatively low-speed side gear of a transmission (15) so as to connect an input shaft (15A) and an output shaft (15B) together, and in contrast, in the event that the depressing amount of the brake pedal by the driver is relatively small, the ECU (20) selects a relatively high-speed side gear of the transmission (15) so as to connect the input shaft (15A) and the output shaft (15B) together.

A solar air conditioning device (100) comprises a solar collector assembly (30), an inlet assembly (10) at an entrance of the solar collector assembly, and an outlet assembly (50) at an exit of the solar collector assembly. The solar collector assembly includes a heat-absorbing set (31) and a transparent panel (38) being assembled to a top of the heat-absorbing set. The heat-absorbing set comprises a plurality of heat-absorbing units (32) engaged with each other. A distance between the inlet assembly and the outlet assembly is equal to a longitudinal length of single heat-absorbing unit. The heat-absorbing set defines an air channel with the transparent panel and a heat-absorbing channel below the air channel. The inlet and outlet assemblies are in fluidic communication with the heat-absorbing channel.

The present invention provides a high-lethality low collateral damage fragmentation warhead. The case is formed of a material that is pulverized upon detonation of the explosive. As a result, the lethality radius of the pulverized case fragments is no greater than that of the gas blast, thus reducing potential collateral damage. Warhead lethality is improved by placing a pattern shaper between the fragment assembly and the explosive. The explosive and pattern shaper have a conformal non-planar interface that shapes the pressure wavefront as it propagates there through to expel metal fragments from the fragmentation assembly with a desired pattern density over a prescribed solid angle.

Described are computer-based methods and apparatuses, including computer program products, for a method and system of queued management of multimedia storage. In some examples, a queue management module receives a message to queue location information for multimedia content. The queue management module stores the location information in a queue corresponding to a subscriber. The queue management module receives a message for location information from a video distribution module. The queue management module transmits a message for retrieval of multimedia content to the video distribution module. In other examples, a queue agent module transmits a message for location information for multimedia content to a queue management module. The queue agent module receives a message for retrieval of content from the queue management module. The queue agent module retrieves the multimedia content from the remote content server using the location information received in the message for retrieval of content. A data storage module identifies available storage in limited storage provided for the subscriber and stores the retrieved multimedia content in the limited storage for the subscriber.

A method and an apparatus for processing wood chips, wherein the wood chips are treated with steam in a gas removal apparatus. The condensate formed in the gas removal apparatus is removed from the gas removal apparatus and the wood chips are treated with a processing solution in order to remove metal ions from the wood chips. Condensate formed in the gas removal apparatus is used as processing solution.

System, includes devices, methods, and kits, for fixing bone and / or repairing connective tissue associated with bone using a fastener constructed as a bone nail that includes at least one helical ridge having a large pitch. The large pitch permits the nail to be driven into bone by application of axial force to the nail, to secure the nail in the bone. In some embodiments, the bone nail may have a variable pitch that decreases toward the trailing end of the nail.

A system and method for the treatment of kidney disease, either acute or chronic, in a mammal is disclosed. The method addresses the needs of a patient exhibiting fibrosis formation associated with levels of Gal-3 above normal. Removal of Gal-3 may make conventional treatments of kidney disease more effective, and help stabilize or improve the condition allowing avoidance of progression to end stage renal disease requiring hemodialysis or transplant. Depending on the condition of the patient, the treatment may help stabilize patients to avoid hemodialysis and allow the patient to wait until a transplant may be made available. A suitable patient is treated through apheresis where the patient's blood is withdrawn and ex vivo is treated to remove at least ten percent of Gal-3 from the withdrawn blood. Higher levels, and frequent repetition, may be needed to stabilize and / or improve kidney function in a patient sufficient for ongoing management.

A system for removing photoresist from semiconductor wafers is disclosed. The system utilizes a solid-state laser having wavelengths in the near-visible and visible portions of the electromagnetic spectrum to remove photoresist without requiring hazardous gases or wet solutions. In addition, the system does not damage the substrate being cleaned, nor leave a carbon residue requiring further processing to remove. The system uses photon energy, oxygen, water vapor and ozone to interact with contaminants on a surface, forming a gas reaction zone (GRZ). The GRZ reacts and completely removes the photoresist or other unwanted contamination.

Disclosed is a kit in parts comprising(i) a visualiser for a dental implant which comprisesa) a mechanical connection part to a predetermined implant root defining, relative to the visualiser, the vector of the implant root along the axis of orientation, andb) at least three markers, contrasting under electromagnetic radiation with their an observable and recognizable by an electromagnetic recognition technique, whereby the markers define a geometric pattern of which the recognition technique is capable of collecting the spatial information, and(ii) a data file from which the spatial information of the geometric pattern may be retrieved and referenced to information determining the vector of the implant root relative to the pattern, and also identifying the visualiser and the predetermined implant root.Further disclosed is a method for preparing a dental prosthesis using the kit, as well as the visualiser itself.

A catalyst composition contains an inorganic porous material with pore diameters of at least 2 nm and of crystals of molecular sieve. The crystals of molecular sieve have an average diameter, measured by scanning electron microscopy, not bigger than 50 nm. The catalyst composition has a concentration of acid sites ranges from 50 to 1200 μmol / g measured by TPD NH3 adsorption. An XRD pattern of the catalyst composition is the same as an XRD pattern of the inorganic porous material.