66results about How to "Promote succession" patented technology

A system and method for improving the performance of a viral marketing program develops a plurality of trials of a viral marketing program having a business objective with each trial having a plurality of attributes at least one of which differs from an attribute of the other of the plurality of trials, exposes a first plurality of users to a first trial and a second plurality of users to a second trial, collects data indicative of the users response to the trial to which they were exposed that is reflective of the likelihood of the trial obtaining the business objective, compares the data to identify a trial more likely to achieve the business objective than a non-identified trial and continues to utilize the identified trial in the viral marketing program while ceasing use of a non-identified trial.

An adjustable fuel delivery regulation assembly is provided which can be disposed within a direct oxidation fuel cell system, or the fuel reservoir or fuel tank that supplies such a system. One embodiment of the fuel delivery regulation assembly is a shutter assembly, which includes two correspondingly perforated components. The two components can be positioned relative to one another such that the apertures in each component are aligned in certain ways. In an open position, the apertures are substantially fully aligned to permit full fuel flow. In a closed position, the apertures are offset such that there is no opening; thereby fuel flow is restricted. Intermediate positions allow adjustments in the amount of fuel flow proportional to the size of the openings. In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, a set of rotatably mounted slotted rods is inserted into a housing through which fuel can flow through openings in the housing. When the rods are rotated to a first position, the slots in the rods are aligned with the openings in the housing. When the rods are rotated to a closed position, the slots are not lined up with the openings, and fuel flow is thereby restricted. Intermediate positions allow controlled fuel delivery. A louvered assembly is also provided. Automatic and manual control systems for the adjustment of the positioning of the various components in the fuel delivery regulation assemblies are also provided.

A method of percutaneously delivering a multi-layered stent assembly to a desired implantation location of a patient including the steps of radially compressing a multi-layered stent assembly to a compressed size for implantation in a patient, the multi-layered stent assembly including a first stent, a second stent coaxially positioned within at least a portion of a length of the first stent, and a valve, wherein the first stent comprises at least one different material property than the second stent. The method further includes delivering the multi-layered stent assembly to the desired implantation location of the patient using a delivery system and substantially simultaneously expanding the first stent and the second stent of the multi-layered stent assembly at the desired implantation location to a radially expanded size that is larger than the compressed size.

The present invention relates to a method for forming a heterogeneous assembly of first and second materials having different coefficients of thermal expansion. The method includes bonding a surface of a first substrate of a first material to a surface of a second substrate of a second material wherein the first substrate includes a zone of weakness therein to define a transfer layer adjacent the first surface, providing a stiffening substrate of a third material to maintain sufficient flatness and prevent breakage of the transfer layer during detachment from the first substrate, and detaching the transfer layer from the first substrate along the zone of weakness to form a heterogeneous assembly of the transfer layer and second substrate. The stiffening substrate is bonded to one of the first or second substrates and the third material has a coefficient of thermal expansion that is the same as or close to that of the material of the substrate to which the stiffening substrate is bonded to facilitate a successful detachment of the transfer layer from the first substrate.

The present invention discloses a method and tools for creating and evaluating a set of system blueprints pertaining to the delivery of a system or a project. Each blueprint is an architecture design/specification that enables analysis of each blueprint, families of blueprints and relationships between blueprint layers. The present invention allows a user to create various system blueprints based on data from existing databases containing requirements, solutions, and deployments of a system or project. First, the user creates a Business Blueprint from the existing requirements database. Next, using the Business Blueprint, the user can create one or more Solution Blueprints based on the solutions in the existing solutions database to satisfy the requirements in the Business Blueprint. Third, the user uses each Solution Blueprint to create one or more Deployment Blueprint based on deployment platforms and milestones in the existing deployment database for the deployment and delivery of the selected solutions. After creating each blueprint, users may view the blueprint to visually detect problems and further revise the blueprint. In addition, for each type of blueprint, the user can evaluate the blueprint against various metrics and criteria related to requirements, solutions, and deployments and view the evaluation results.

An apparatus and method for drilling a well in a heavy oil or bitumen reservoir for in situ recovery of heavy oil and bitumen is provided. More particularly, an apparatus and method for drilling, completing and/or stimulating a heavy oil or bitumen well in a heavy oil or bitumen reservoir is provided, comprising: providing a concentric drill string having an inner tube and an outer tube defining an annulus therebetween, the outer tube further having a plurality of slots sealed with a temporary filler material; drilling a borehole into the reservoir using a drilling member connected at the lower end of the concentric drill string and delivering drilling medium through one of the annulus or inner tube and extracting the exhaust drilling medium through the other of the annulus or inner tube; leaving the concentric drill string in the well after drilling of the borehole is completed; and removing the temporary filler material to expose the plurality of slots in the outer tube and form a slotted liner.

A user-interactive behavioral modification system (10) includes a base module (12) with an input (14) for a first set of personal data (16). A feedback interface (18) provides feedback in response to the first data set (16). A main database (22) maintains the first data set (16). A main controller (24) generates a main output signal (26) for causing feedback to the user (28) according to a predetermined set of behavioral pattern rules (30). The feedback interface (18) receives a feedback input signal (32) and includes a display (34) for displaying an appearance of a character (36) based on the first set of personal data (16) and in response to the received input signal (32). The appearance of the character (36) is controlled to encourage the user (28) to perform desired behavioral responses according to the behavioral pattern rules (30).

A method and system for providing evolving, highly variable, long-term on-going cognitive stimulation over a broad spectrum of cognitive domains. The user is presented with a series of entertaining audio/visual activities customized for the user, based on the user's life experience and cognitive level, each activity providing stimulation in one or more cognitive domains. The activities themselves and their level of challenge may change, in real time, over both the short- and the long term, varying in relation to current and historical user response patterns, creating an experience that remains engaging, with on-going use, over a period of months or years.

The invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition and in particular a dermal patch or wound dressing comprising an acid-hydrolyzing oligomer and/or polymer and an acid-activated prodrug such that the active principle in the pharmaceutical composition or in the dermal patch or wound dressing is formed A from the prodrug under the effect of acid. The invention further relates to a corresponding method for releasing active principles from a pharmaceutical composition.

A track for cognitive and physical training has a figure-eight surface with both or alternate inner and outer borders. Adjustable weight-bearing rails inside and outside the track assist rehabilitation. Gates in outer rails admit users to the track. Oppositely swinging gates at a center of track between the two loops provide supported direction from one track loop to another. Coordinated walking with bodily rotation and turning is promoted by a single off track focus point in a plane through the center separating the two loops. Increased motor, sensory, cognitive and other challenges are added to the walking, turning and lateral rotation.

A method and apparatus is described for coordinating the movement of communication traffic, e.g., a voice call, from a packet switched (PS) domain to a circuit switched (CS) domain in the case that the terminal device cannot communicate with the PS and CS radio technologies simultaneously. Such movement involves the parallel activities of moving the bearer traffic routing from the PS domain to the CS domain, and of moving the radio connection from the PS radio access network to the CS radio access network. An adjustable timer is used to delay either the movement of the terminal device from the PS radio technology to the CS radio technology, or to delay the movement of bearer traffic from the PS domain to the CS domain in order to minimize the gap in bearer traffic delivery to and from the terminal device. In addition, in the case of delaying the movement at the radio access level, additional signaling is described to obtain new radio data that can improve the success rate for movement between the radio access technologies.

The present invention is directed to methods and apparatus for modulation of the sympathetic-parasympathetic balance by application of heat, carotid and/or ocular message to reduce sympathetic tone or increase parasympathetic tone in a target muscle system to relieve a symptom of urinary hesitancy, shy bladder syndrome, DESD, urinary retention, or laryngeal spasm, as well as to monitor the efficacy of treatments for bladder conditions and to assist in the passage of medical devices through bodily sphincters as well as to treat congestive heart failure.

A bionic visual navigation control system for autonomous aerial refueling docking includes: a tanker/receiver bottom layer control module, a multi-wind disturbances hose-drogue stable control module, an enable and select module, a close-range bionic vision relative navigation module, and a receiver relative position precise control module. A bionic visual navigation control method for autonomous aerial refueling docking is also provided. The present invention aims at improving the reliability, anti-interference and accuracy of the close-range relative navigation in the autonomous air refueling docking stage, and designs a matching relative position accurate control method with control switch, thereby improving the accuracy of close-range navigation and control, thereby promoting the successful realization of probe-and-drogue autonomous aerial refueling and improving the autonomy of UAVs.

A method of evaluating and acquiring charged-off debt portfolios that includes providing a seller with an assessment mechanism for the debt portfolio, receiving from the seller a proposed price and debt account information for the debt portfolio based on the use of the assessment mechanism, and determining whether to acquire the debt portfolio based on the use of the assessment mechanism. The method may include a computer implemented method of assessing a portfolio of debt accounts using an assessment mechanism that includes collecting debt account information, storing the debt account information in an account record, creating a debt portfolio, and valuating the debt portfolio.

The present invention discloses a 3S technology based method for returning farmland to forests. The method comprises the following steps: determining a returning farmland to forest scheme through remote sensing and GIS monitoring; generating a DEM by digitizing contour lines, and performing overlay analysis on an elevation map, a slope map, an aspect map, a land use map, and a map of returned farmland, to obtain a database of land use, slopes, and aspects; grading soil erosion by using a USLE equation; grading soil fertility and land productivity; performing overlay analysis on the database of land use, slopes, and aspects, soil erosion grading data and land productivity grading data, to obtain a grading and distribution map of returning farmland to forests; performing comprehensive analysis to obtain a planning map for returning farmland to forests; and digitizing collected data, to build a database for returning farmland to forests. The method disclosed by the invention is adapts to local conditions, and is suitable for trees and lands, and the human and capital investment is reduced, so as to meet the requirements for rapid returning farmland to forests and sustainable development.

The invention relates to a method for treating ionic rare-earth in-situ leaching waste land in a red soil region; the method comprises the steps of (1) performing land consolidation on a slope of the rare-earth in-situ leaching waste land to eliminate the slope in order for building steps or terraces; (2) building drainage measures at the slope of the rare-earth in-situ leaching waste land; (3) building ridges at the edge of the rare-earth in-situ leaching waste land; (4) performing soil improvement on the rare-earth in-situ leaching waste land; (5) broadcasting grass seeds to the slope, steps or terraces of the rare-earth in-situ leaching waste land; (6) planting shrubs at the slope bottom and steps or terraces of the rare-earth in-situ leaching waste land, and planting trees in a leaching tank. The method achieves water and soil maintaining and can also improve ecological environment; the method is simple, has low cost, is simple to perform, has sustainable restoration effect; the method is suitable for popularization and application in the treatment of ionic rare-earth ore waste lands in southern red soil eroded regions.

A biodegradable container for planting bulbs may include a plurality of layers with pre-positioned bulbs for each layer. Each layer may be a different species or type of bulb so that the depth of the specific bulb is appropriate for each type of bulb when the container is “planted” in the ground. The container may include a partition to separate each layer, and the partition may hold the layer of bulbs in relative position at a suitable depth throughout shipping of the container and eventual planting of the container. The container may include soil that holds the different bulbs in relative position, with or without the partition. The container permits easy planting of a variety of flowers by a consumer without inordinate labor or much concern about depth levels, since the container automatically establishes a suitable depth for each respective type of bulb therein, once the container is properly positioned in the ground.

An adjustable fuel delivery regulation assembly is provided which can be disposed within a direct oxidation fuel cell system, or the fuel reservoir or fuel tank that supplies such a system. One embodiment of the fuel delivery regulation assembly is a shutter assembly, which includes two correspondingly perforated components. The two components can be positioned relative to one another such that the apertures in each component are aligned in certain ways. In an open position, the apertures are substantially fully aligned to permit full fuel flow. In a closed position, the apertures are offset such that there is no opening; thereby fuel flow is restricted. Intermediate positions allow adjustments in the amount of fuel flow proportional to the size of the openings. In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, a set of rotatably mounted slotted rods is inserted into a housing through which fuel can flow through openings in the housing. When the rods are rotated to a first position, the slots in the rods are aligned with the openings in the housing. When the rods are rotated to a closed position, the slots are not lined up with the openings, and fuel flow is thereby restricted. Intermediate positions allow controlled fuel delivery. A louvered assembly is also provided. Automatic and manual control systems for the adjustment of the positioning of the various components in the fuel delivery regulation assemblies are also provided.

The invention belongs to the technical field of cloisonne manufacture, in particular to a process for manufacturing cloisonne silverware. A body is made of silver, and filamentary silver is used for filigree; and the process comprises the following process steps of: rolling the body; soldering filigree; welding; filling enamel; firing the enamel; and polishing, wherein after an enamel filling procedure, the inner wall of a silver body is filled with a cool medium material, the cloisonne silverware filled with the cool medium material is put into a furnace for enamel firing, and the cloisonne silverware is immediately taken out of the furnace once the enamel is melted. In the process for manufacturing the cloisonne silverware, the adopted cool medium material effectively reduces the heat conducting or heat dissipating speed of the silver body, the problem of corrosion of a copper body is solved, and the silver is used as an inner body, so that the cloisonne has health-care effect and higher visual aesthetic feeling.

A seed mat structure enables seeds to germinate relatively quickly, have fast maturation rates and be hardier. Seeds and at least one soil amendment component are positioned with a first layer on a second layer. The first layer comprises a reticulate fabric including a grid with openings allowing passage of water. Fibers extending into grid openings facilitate adherence of the seeds within the openings and retention in the grid. The second layer is hygroscopic, and could, for example, comprise absorbent paper towel or heavy tissue. Both layers of the mat are preferably biodegradable. The mat may have zones, each zone being dedicated to a different type of seed or seeds. In a further embodiment, a planting system is provided in which a set of soil amendments external to the seed mat is provided including selected components proportioned to the size of the seed mat and optimized for the seed mat components.

The invention provides a self-heating sludge ultrahigh-temperature aerobic composting method and device with staged strain temperature control. For sludge composting, by inoculating windrow with a compound microbial agent, self-heating ultrahigh-temperature aerobic composting with staged temperature control is achieved. Stages comprise a starting stage, a moderate temperature stage, a high temperature stage, an ultrahigh temperature stage and a compost maturity stage; and the composting device comprises a tank, an automatic temperature and oxygen adjusting device, a bacteria adding device, a stirring device and a condensate water diversion groove. According to the self-heating sludge ultrahigh-temperature aerobic composting method and device with staged strain temperature control, an ultrahigh-temperature aerobic composting system and a staged temperature control composting mode are effectively combined, through heat produced by autophage of strains at the stages, self-heating of the sludge composting system is achieved, not only is an inhibiting effect of indigenous microorganisms of the exogenous microbial agent avoided, but also a good sterilization effect can be conducted on sludge by means of an ultrahigh-temperature condition, sludge moisture can be effectively removed, the residual sludge is deeply reduced, the composting efficiency is improved, a composting cycle is shortened, the problem of land occupation in a sludge composting process can be greatly solved, and the treatment cost is saved.

An apparatus for cognitive and physical training has a figure-eight walking course with both or alternate inner and outer borders. Adjustable rails inside and outside the course assist rehabilitation. Gates in outer rails admit users to the course. Oppositely swinging gates at a center of course between the two loops provide supported direction from one course loop to another. The course may include a knockdown and portable track. Coordinated walking with bodily rotation and turning is promoted by a single off course focus point in a plane through the center separating the two loops. Increased motor, sensory, cognitive and other challenges are added to the walking, turning and lateral rotation. Also disclosed is a sensory-motor game and method of playing the game, which also employs a figure-eight course.

The present invention relates to a method for the preparation of an implantable biomaterial comprising the steps of: obtaining bone tissue; boiling the bone tissue; and treating the bone tissue to remove the collagen. It also provides an implantable biomaterial prepared according to the process.