A method in a data processing system of searching a plurality of electronic files identified by filenames in a first hierarchical file... Show moreA method in a data processing system of searching a plurality of electronic files identified by filenames in a first hierarchical file structure that is on a recordable medium of the data processing system. A user-defined metalabel is assigned to each of the electronic files. The electronic files are organized as a function of the metalabels into a second hierarchical file structure existing simultaneously with the first hierarchical file structure on the recordable medium of the data processing system. A search query is received from a user and the metalabels of the second hierarchical file structure are searched as a function of the query. Each electronic file having a metalabel matching the query is returned to the user as a search result. Sponsorship: Illinois Institute of Technology United States Patent Show less
Retroreflective glass or plastic beads have fluorescent properties when irradiated with ultraviolet light and are emplaced in signs in... Show moreRetroreflective glass or plastic beads have fluorescent properties when irradiated with ultraviolet light and are emplaced in signs in patterns indicative of alphanumeric characters, or embedded in a hot melt comprising road stripes or embedded in the road asphalt or aggregate during construction of the road, to provide effectively bright and clear indications of signs or the extent and direction of the road. The glass beads comprise spherodized soda lime, borosilicate, phosphosilicate or aluminosilicate glasses with low levels of rare-earth dopants mixed therein, such as compounds containing one of the rare earths, or lanthanides. The plastic beads may have fluorescent materials mixed therein, typically organic pigments or dyes based on coumarin and rhodamine or the like. Sponsorship: IIT Research Institute United States Patent Show less
A method in a data processing system and apparatus for organizing files or web pages, structured or unstructured, of multiple users stored... Show moreA method in a data processing system and apparatus for organizing files or web pages, structured or unstructured, of multiple users stored across one or more server computers into hierarchical file structures on a recordable medium of a data processing system. A user-defined metalabel is assigned to each of the electronic files or web pages. The electronic files or web pages are organized as a function of the metalabels into the hierarchical file structures. Sponsorship: Illinois Institute of Technology United States Patent Show less
A process and apparatus for single screw solid state shear extrusion pulverization of polymeric materials in which the polymeric materials are... Show moreA process and apparatus for single screw solid state shear extrusion pulverization of polymeric materials in which the polymeric materials are heated to a temperature suitable for forming a continuous thin film of said polymeric material, and then cooled, and normal and shear forces sufficient to form powder of the polymeric material are applied by a single cylindrical or conical mesh screw. The resulting powder is fluidized upon its discharge. Sponsorship: Illinois Institute of Technology United States Patent Show less
A vehicle capable of both aerial and terrestrial locomotion. The terrestrial and aerial vehicle includes a flying device and a rolling cage... Show moreA vehicle capable of both aerial and terrestrial locomotion. The terrestrial and aerial vehicle includes a flying device and a rolling cage connected to the flying device by at least one revolute joint. The rolling cage at least partially surrounds the flying device and is free-rolling and is not separately powered. Sponsorship: Illinois Institute of Technology United States Patent Show less
An optimized document-indexing device is based on a pruned inverted index structure mapped to hardware. The device can be accommodated on a... Show moreAn optimized document-indexing device is based on a pruned inverted index structure mapped to hardware. The device can be accommodated on a single chip and can be reprogrammed to accommodate index structures of different lengths and support varied posting-list sizes and varied term list sizes, thus sustaining high reusability and efficiency for a single device. The device can be used either as an internal slave component or as an external co-processor. The device controllers are efficient in resource demands and take only a minimal percentage of the logic and memory space of the hardware device. Sponsorship: Illinois Institute of Technology United States Patent Show less
Optimum antenna-like exciters for heating earth media which may be used to recover hydrocarbons. A high frequency power supply is connected to... Show moreOptimum antenna-like exciters for heating earth media which may be used to recover hydrocarbons. A high frequency power supply is connected to an exciter emplaced in the subsurface formation which radiates high frequency power. The exciters include one or more conducting cylinders which make up monopole and dipole antenna-like apparatus. Substantially uniform heating of the subsurface formation is provided thus suppressing excessive heating of edge and power input regions. The equal distribution of electric fields eliminates intense electric fields which would normally exist thus mitigating excessively heated regions and providing substantially uniform heating of the subsurface formation. Sponsorship: IIT Research Institute United States Patent Show less
An electric energy storage system (EESS) for providing a power management solution for a multi-subsystem energy storage in electric, hybrid... Show moreAn electric energy storage system (EESS) for providing a power management solution for a multi-subsystem energy storage in electric, hybrid electric, and fuel cell vehicles. The EESS has a controller that determines when to draw power from each subsystem as needed by the vehicle. Sponsorship: Illinois Institute of Technology United States Patent Show less
An indicator composition for determining a thermal or chronological history during shipping or storage of a product. The composition includes... Show moreAn indicator composition for determining a thermal or chronological history during shipping or storage of a product. The composition includes a plurality of nanoparticles dispersed throughout a matrix. The nanoparticles turn color while dispersed in the matrix as a function at least one of time and temperature. Sponsorship: Illinois Institute of Technology United States Patent Show less
A method and device for monitoring or treating patient glucose levels. The device includes a glucose sensor for measuring a glucose level of a... Show moreA method and device for monitoring or treating patient glucose levels. The device includes a glucose sensor for measuring a glucose level of a patient, a physiological status monitoring system for measuring at least one physical or metabolic variable of the patient, and an automatic controller in communication with the glucose sensor and the physiological status monitoring system. The controller includes a prediction module for automatically predicting a future glucose level using data measured by the glucose sensor and the physiological sensor. Sponsorship: Illinois Institute of Technology United States Patent Show less
A dry deposition sampling apparatus having at least one thin dry deposition plate with sample collection film is maintained on a support... Show moreA dry deposition sampling apparatus having at least one thin dry deposition plate with sample collection film is maintained on a support structure which is rotatable about a vertical axis and has a vane to maintain the sharp leading edge of the dry deposition plate(s) headed into the wind. Covers are positioned over the sample collection films automatically upon commencement of precipitation and are automatically moved to a position exposing the sample collection films to the atmosphere upon cessation of precipitation. The duration of exposure of the collection films to the atmosphere is timed, thus providing a dry deposition sampling apparatus which may be left unattended for long periods of time. Sponsorship: Illinois Institute of Technology United States Patent Show less
A process and apparatus for pulverization of natural and synthetic polymeric material by heating to a pre-melt or softening temperature below... Show moreA process and apparatus for pulverization of natural and synthetic polymeric material by heating to a pre-melt or softening temperature below its melting point, cooling and applying high normal and shear stresses sufficient to form fine powder, and fluidizing the powder in a gas stream preventing its agglomeration. The same process and apparatus is suitable for enhancement of reactivity of polymeric and solid monomeric material to form homopolymers, copolymers, and new polymeric materials. Sponsorship: Illinois Institute of Technology United States Patent Show less
