34005results about How to "Reduce difficulty" patented technology

A method and apparatus for calculating, displaying and acting upon relationships in a social network is described. A computer system collects descriptive data about various individuals and allows those individuals to indicate other individuals with whom they have a personal relationship. The descriptive data and the relationship data are integrated and processed to reveal the series of social relationships connecting any two individuals within a social network. The pathways connecting any two individuals can be displayed. Further, the social network itself can be displayed to any number of degrees of separation. A user of the system can determine the optimal relationship path (i.e., contact pathway) to reach desired individuals. A communications tool allows individuals in the system to be introduced (or introduce themselves) and initiate direct communication.

A method for making a hypermedium page interactive, the hypermedium page displayed by a network browser, includes the step of selecting a hyperlink on the hypermedium page displayed on a client machine, the hyperlink identifying a desired computing resource. A hyperlink configuration file is retrieved, the hyperlink configuration file corresponding to the hyperlink and identifying a server machine. A client agent is started on the client machine. The client agent creates, via a terminal services session, a communication link to a virtual machine executing on the server identified by the hyperlink configuration file, the virtual machine executed by a hypervisor executing in the terminal services session provided by an operating system executing on the server. The client agent receives data from the virtual machine and displays, on the client machine, the received data without intervention by the network browser.

A method for providing access to a computing environment includes the step of receiving a request from a client system for an enumeration of available computing environments. Collected data regarding available computing environments are accessed. Accessed data are transmitted to a client system, the accessed data indicating to the client system each computing environment available to a user of the client system. A request is received from the client system to access one of the computing environments. A connection is established between the client system and a virtual machine hosting the requested computing environment.

A technique for quantitatively expressing a manufacturing difficulty level of a photomask and for efficiently manufacturing the photomask is provided. A mask manufacturing difficulty level different for each mask layout, product, and mask layer is relatively recognized with a mask manufacturing load index calculated by a mask manufacturing load prediction system, and when layout correction is possible, the final layout is corrected to a layout with a low difficulty level, and a mask ordering party provides a mask manufacturer with information regarding the mask manufacturing difficulty level in an early stage. The mask manufacturing load index is expressed with a defect guarantee load index and a lithography load index.

The present invention, in one form, is a multimode imaging system which, in one embodiment, includes a substantially C-shaped arm movably coupled to a movable base to reduce difficulty of scanning an object. A source assembly having a x-ray source and a detector assembly having a detector are movably coupled to the arm. The source assembly and the detector assembly are independently movable relative to each other and to the arm. In one embodiment, an operator selects one or more modes of operation of the imaging system so that various types of image data are displayed.

A computer-implemented method for enhancing cognition, e.g., for improving cognitive ability of a participant using visual stimuli. A set (or sets) of visual stimuli is provided for visual presentation to the participant. A visual stimulus from the set is visually presented to the participant. The participant is required to respond to the visual stimulus. A determination is made regarding whether the participant responded correctly. The stimulus intensity of the visual stimuli presented may be adjusted based on the correctness/incorrectness of the participant's response according to a single-stair maximum likelihood (e.g., ZEST) or N-up/M-down procedure. The visually presenting, requiring, and determining are repeated one or more times in an iterative manner to improve the participant's cognition, e.g., ability to process visual information, memory, etc. Assessments may be performed during the repeating according to a dual-stair maximum likelihood (e.g., ZEST) or N-up/M-down procedure. The repeating may include performing multiple exercises using visual stimuli.

Split hardware transaction techniques may support execution of serial and parallel nesting of code within an atomic block to an arbitrary nesting depth. An atomic block including child code sequences nested within a parent code sequence may be executed using separate hardware transactions for each child, but the execution of the parent code sequence, the child code sequences, and other code within the atomic block may appear to have been executed as a single transaction. If a child transaction fails, it may be retried without retrying the parent code sequence or other child code sequences. Before a child transaction is executed, a determination of memory consistency may be made. If a memory inconsistency is detected, the child transaction may be retried or control may be returned to its parent. Memory inconsistencies between parallel child transactions may be resolved by serializing their execution before retrying at least one of them.

An intragastric balloon and method of adding and/or removing fluid therefrom are disclosed. The intragastric balloon includes a shell, a grasping tab, and a self-sealing portion. A gastroscopic instrument which includes a grasping tool is inserted into the stomach of a patient and used to grasp the grasping tab located on the surface of the shell. Using the grasping tool, the intragastric balloon is securely fastened to the gastroscopic instrument. A filling instrument, such as a needle, is advanced through the self-sealing portion of the shell for the filling or deflating of the intragastric balloon. After inflation or deflation is complete, the filling instrument is then withdrawn from the balloon and the gastroscopic instrument withdrawn from the stomach.

Methods, apparatuses, and systems for computer-aided tracking, navigation, and motion tracking. In one embodiment, a system for determining a spatial position, including a tracking device and a processor. The tracking devices has a working end, a reference end, a plurality of links connecting the working end to the reference end, wherein each link has at least one degree of freedom relative to an adjacent link, and a plurality of sensors measuring the orientation of the links in a plurality of degrees of freedom, wherein X is a minimum number of degrees of freedom about which information is required to define the spatial position. The processor receives information from the sensors and determine the spatial position of the working end of the tracking device relative to the reference end of the tracking device based on information from the sensors measuring Y degrees of freedom, wherein Y is greater than X.

A Chinese text entry system with eye-tracking technique can be used for computer input of Chinese characters. The system is comprised of two main components: the Chinese pinyin software and the eye-tracking system. Chinese characters corresponding to pinyin input are selected from a list of candidate characters by selecting the proper character through eye-tracking identification and confirming the selection by pressing a readily accessible confirmation key. The Chinese pinyin software implements pinyin input at both the character and word level, choosing from multiple character or word homonyms as pinyin is entered. The system uses eye-tracking technology that is only used to identify the correct Chinese character, with the character selection and entry occurring when the confirmation key is pressed.

A ceramic forming batch mixture including inorganic batch materials, such as sources of alumina, titania, and silica, a pore former combination including first and second pore formers with different compositions; an organic binder; and a solvent. Also disclosed is a method for producing a ceramic article involving mixing the inorganic batch materials with the pore former combination having first and second pore formers of different composition, adding an organic binder and a solvent, forming a green body; and firing the green body. A green body having a combination of first and second pore formers with different compositions is disclosed, as are several methods for firing to produce ceramic articles such as aluminum titanate.

A hemostatic article, e.g., a sponge is pretreated with predetermined quantities of selected hemostatic agents to assist hemostasis in surgical or traumatic wounds. The hemostatic article is provided with a visible marking/indication of the strength of the hemostatic agent. The visible indication may be color coding, or, the marking could take the form 20%, 40%, 60% and, 80%. The hemostatic agent may be any substance assisting in hemostasis, may be in powder or fluid form, and may be one or more of Thrombin, Gelform, Fibrinogen, or other hemostatic substances. The hemostatic article could include at least one radio-opaque element which may take the form of a thread or a strip. Alternatively, a radio chip embedded in the hemostatic article may be used. The visible markings per se could be made radio-opaque, thereby obviating a separate radio-opaque element. The pretreated marked hemostatic articles are sterilized for medical use in any known manner.

A housing having an actuator mechanism and a replaceable carousel having a series of lancets. The carousel is removably received in the housing and the actuator mechanism is operable to actuate the individual lancets. In exemplary embodiments the lancing device has, amongst other features, key and detent mechanisms for orienting and securing the carousel in the housing, tangentially configured lancets for compactness, actuator alignment features for aligning the actuator with the lancets, charging mechanisms for ease in charging the lancets for launching, and shutter mechanisms for retaining the lancets in the housing after launching. Also included is a method for lancing using a lancing device according to the invention.