Author: claimsbot

1. An acoustic volume indicator comprising:
a resonating means positioned adjacent a wall of a container comprising a volume of liquid or gas therein for impacting and vibrating the container wall;
a resonating detecting means positioned adjacent the container wall for receiving vibration data provided by the container after the resonating means is actuated, and for providing a data signal;
a processing means for receiving the data signal, converting the data signal to frequency information, comparing the frequency information to stored frequency and volume information, and producing an output indicative of a measured volume within the container; and
an indicator for displaying the output in a visual or audible form.
2. The acoustic volume indicator as recited in claim 1 wherein the processing means comprises a electrical microprocessor device.
3. The acoustic volume indicator as recited in claim 2 wherein the electrical microprocessor device includes a housing having a visual display comprising a number of light sources that are configured to represent a different volume in the container, wherein the electrical microprocessor device output operates one or more of the light sources to provide a visual indication of the measured volume.
4. The acoustic volume indicator as recited in claim 1 wherein the processing means comprises a computer and a computer program that is configured to analyze the frequency information to determine a peak frequency, compare the peak frequency to the frequency and volume information, and provide the output indicative of the measured volume within the container.
5. The acoustic volume indicator as recited in claim 4 wherein the indicator is a video display device.
6. The acoustic volume indicator as recited in claim 4 wherein the computer is provided in the form of a portable or handheld device.
7. The acoustic volume indicator as recited in claim 1 wherein the container comprises a volume of liquid therein.
8. The acoustic volume indicator as recited in claim 7 wherein the container includes a pressurized gas-filled bladder disposed therein.
9. The acoustic volume indicator as recited in claim 1 wherein the container comprises a volume of gas therein.
10. An acoustic volume indicator comprising:
a contactor positioned adjacent a wall of a liquid or gas container to momentarily contact the wall to make the wall vibrate;
a detector in contact with the wall for receiving vibration information from the wall;
a processor for receiving a data signal from the detector, converting the data signal to frequency information, comparing the frequency information to characteristic frequency and volume information for the container to determine a volume in the container, and providing an output signal indicating the determined volume; and
an indicator for providing a visual or audio indication of the determined volume.
11. The acoustic volume indicator as recited in claim 10 wherein the processor comprises a housing including a plurality of indicators, and an input for receiving the data signal, wherein the processor is configured so that each indicator represents a volume level in the container, and wherein the processor provides its output signal to one or more of the indicators to indicate the determined volume.
12. The acoustic volume indicator as recited in claim 10 wherein the processor comprises a computer and a computer program configured to analyze the frequency information, compare the frequency information with the characteristic frequency and volume information, wherein the indicator in the form of a display device that visually displays the determined volume.
13. The acoustic volume indicator as recited in claim 12 wherein the computer program comprises a spectrum analyzer that analyzes the frequency information to determine a frequency peak, wherein the frequency peak is compared with the characteristic frequency and volume information to determine the volume in the container.
14. The acoustic volume indicator as recited in claim 12 wherein the computer is a portable or handheld device.
15. A noninvasive method for measuring a volume of liquid or gas within a container comprising the steps of:
vibrating a wall of the container by striking an outside wall surface of the container with a contactor;
receiving vibration data from the liquid container by using a detector placed adjacent the container outside wall surface;
converting the vibration data into frequency information;
comparing the frequency information to characteristic frequency and volume data for the container to determine a liquid or gas volume within the container; and
providing an output indicative of the determined liquid or gas volume.
16. The method as recited in claim 15 wherein the steps of comparing and providing are performed by a electrical microprocessor device comprising a housing and a number of indicators that are configured to represent a different container volume, wherein the microprocessor device is configured to provide an output that causes activation of one of the indicators.
17. The method as recited in claim 15 further comprising, after the step of converting, analyzing the frequency information to determine a frequency peak.
18. The method as recited in claim 15 wherein the steps of converting, converting, and providing are performed by a computer and a computer program that is configured to analyze the frequency information and compare the frequency information with the characteristic frequency and volume information, wherein the computer provides an output to a display device for visually displaying the determined volume.
19. The method as recited in claim 18 wherein the computer program performs a spectrum analysis of the frequency information to determine a frequency peak, and wherein the frequency peak is compared with the characteristic frequency and volume information to determine the volume in the container.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. An apparatus, comprising:
a polarization splitter configured to receive input and pump light, to direct a first polarization component of the received input and pump light to a first optical path, and to direct a second polarization component of the received input and pump light to a separate second optical path;
an optical wavelength-converter having first and second optical ports, the first port being at an end of the first optical path, the second port being at an end of the second optical path, the wavelength-converter being configured to output wavelength-converted light from one of the ports in response to receiving the input and pump light at the other of the ports;
wherein the first optical path comprises a polarization-maintaining optical waveguide; and
wherein the second optical path comprises a polarization-maintaining optical waveguide.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the polarization splitter and first optical path are configured to transmit one intensity of the pump light to the first optical port; and
wherein the polarization splitter and second optical path are configured to transmit substantially the same intensity of the pump light to the second optical port.
3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a ratio of the intensity of the pump light transmitted to the first optical port to the intensity of the pump light transmitted to the second optical port is in a range of (\xbe) to 1.0.
4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an optical element that is configured to transmit a single, selected, plane-polarization state of the pump light to an input port of the polarization splitter.
5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the optical element comprises a polarization-maintaining optical waveguide.
6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the state has a polarization oriented at an angle of 45\xb0\xb15\xb0 to an optical axis of the polarization splitter.
7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the optical paths comprises a Faraday rotator.
8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the optical paths are configured to deliver polarized light to the splitter such that the delivered polarized light exits the splitter from a different optical port than an optical port of the polarization splitter that received the input light.
9. An apparatus, comprising:
a polarization splitter configured to receive input and pump light, to direct a first polarization component of the received input and pump light to a first optical path, and to direct a second polarization component of the received input and pump light to a separate second optical path;
an optical wavelength-converter having first and second optical ports, the first port being at an end of the first optical path, the second port being at an end of the second optical path, the wavelength-converter being configured to output wavelength-converted light from one of the ports in response to receiving the input light and pump light at the other of the ports;
wherein the polarization splitter and first optical path are configured to transmit an intensity of the received pump light to the first optical port; and
wherein the polarization splitter and second optical path are configured to transmit substantially the same intensity of the received pump light to the second optical port.
10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein a ratio of the intensity of the pump light transmitted to the first optical port to the intensity of the pump light transmitted to the second optical port is in a range of (\xbe) to 1.0.
11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein a ratio of the intensity of the pump light transmitted to the first optical port to the intensity of the pump light transmitted to the second optical port is in a range of 0.9 to 1.0.
12. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising an optical element that is configured to transmit a single, selected, plane-polarization state of the pump light to an input port of the polarization splitter.
13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the selected, plane-polarization state has a polarization oriented at an angle of 45\xb0\xb15\xb0 to an optical splitting axis of the polarization splitter.
14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the first and second optical paths comprise polarization-maintaining optical waveguides.
15. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the optical wavelength-converter comprises periodically-poled lithium niobate, polarization-striped group III-nitride, or striped group III-V semiconductor.
16. A method for wavelength-conversion, comprising:
splitting received input and pump light into a first polarization component and a second polarization component;
transmitting the first polarization component to a first end of an optical path having a path segment, the path segment being a nonlinear optical medium configured for wavelength-conversion;
transmitting the second polarization component to the second end of the optical path; and
recombining light output at the two ends of the optical path in response to the acts of transmitting; and
wherein the splitting and transmitting steps cause the path segment to be optically pumped from each end thereof with substantially the same pump light intensity.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein the splitting and transmitting steps cause the path segment to be optically pumped from both ends with substantially the same pump light polarization.
18. The method of claim 16, wherein a ratio the intensity of the pump light pumping from one end of the path segment to the intensity of the pump light pumping from the other end of the path segment is in a range of (\xbe) to 1.0.
19. The method of claim 16, wherein the splitting further comprises sending the pump light through an optical element that selectively passes a single plane-polarization, the optical element coupling to an input of a polarization splitter that performs the splitting.
20. The method of claim 16, wherein the optical path includes a polarization-maintaining optical waveguide between the first end and the path segment and the optical path includes a polarization-maintaining optical waveguide between the second end and the path segment.

1. A composition for conferring to a subject immunity against a gastrointestinal (GI) pathogen comprising as an active ingredient at least one microorganism transformed with at least one vector comprising a nucleic acid sequence coding for an immunoglobulin-like polypeptide having specific binding affinity for said pathogen and optionally comprising pharmaceutically or veterinarily acceptable carrier, adjuvant or diluent.
2. The composition of claim 1, wherein said pathogen is any one of human and animal gastrointestinal enterobacterium.
3. The composition of claim 2, wherein said gastrointestinal enterobacterium is a Salmonella species.
4. The composition of claim 3, wherein said Salmonella is Salmonella enteriditis serogroup D.
5. The composition of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein said immunoglobulin-like polypeptide is a single chain variable fragment (ScFv) antibody having binding affinity to gastrointestinal enterobacteria, said single chain variable fragment antibody (ScFv) consisting essentially of:
a. a first polypeptide comprising the binding portion of the light chain variable region of an antibody;
b. a second polypeptide comprising the binding portion of the heavy chain variable region of an antibody; and
c. a polypeptide linker linking said first and second polypeptides (a) and (b).
6. The composition of claim 5, wherein said single chain variable fragment antibody (ScFv) is encoded by the nucleic acid sequence substantially as denoted by SEQ ID NO:1, and consisting essentially of:
a. a first polypeptide comprising the binding portion of the light chain variable region of an antibody against Salmonella enteriditis serogroup D, said polypeptide being encoded by the nucleic acid sequence substantially as denoted by SEQ ID NO:2;
b. a second polypeptide comprising the binding portion of the heavy chain variable region of an antibody against Salmonella enteriditis serogroup D, said polypeptide being encoded by the nucleic acid sequence substantially as denoted by SEQ ID NO:3; and
c. a glycineserine polypeptide linker linking said first and second polypeptides, encoded by the nucleic acid sequence substantially as denoted by SEQ ID NO:4.
7. The composition of claim 6, wherein said transformed microorganism is any one of prokaryotic and eukaryotic microorganism.
8. The composition of claim 7, wherein said microorganism is any one of bacteria and yeast.
9. The composition of claim 8, wherein said bacterium is E. coli.
10. The composition of claim 1, wherein said subject is any one of human and domestic animal.
11. The composition of claim 10, wherein said domestic animal is a domestic bird.
12. An isolated DNA molecule coding for an immunoglobulin-like polypeptide having specific binding affinity for a gastrointestinal (GI) pathogen.
13. The DNA of claim 12, wherein said pathogen is a human or animal gastrointestinal (GI) enterobacterium.
14. The DNA of claim 13, wherein said immunoglobulin-like polypeptide is a single-chain variable fragment (ScFv) antibody.
15. The DNA according to claim 14, wherein said single-chain variable fragment antibody has specific affinity for a gastrointestinal pathogen, said single-chain variable fragment antibody consisting essentially of:
a. a first polypeptide comprising the binding portion of the light chain variable region of an antibody;
b. a second polypeptide comprising the binding portion of the heavy chain variable region of an antibody; and
c. a polypeptide linker linking said first and second polypeptides (a) and (b).
16. The DNA of claim 15, wherein said gastrointestinal pathogen is Salmonella species.
17. The DNA of claim 16, wherein said gastrointestinal pathogen is Salmonella enteriditis serotype D.
18. The DNA of claim 17, being the DNA substantially as denoted by SEQ ID NO:1.
19. A replicable cloning or expression vehicle comprising the DNA molecule of any one of claims 12 to 18.
20. The vehicle of claim 19, which is the pAM20 phagemid substantially as specified in the Examples.
21. A host cell transformed with the vehicle of any one of claims 19 and 20.
22. The host cell of claim 21, which is any one of a prokaryotic and eukaryotic cell.
23. The host cell of claim 22, which is any one of bacterial and yeast cell.
24. The host cell of claim 23, wherein said bacterium is E. coli.
25. The host cell of any one of claims 21 to 24, capable of in vivo producing a biologically active immunoglobulin-like polypeptide that recognizes and specifically binds to a gastrointestinal enteropathogen.
26. The host cell of claim 25, wherein said immunoglobulin-like polypeptide is a single-chain variable fragment (ScFv) antibody that recognizes and specifically binds to said gastrointestinal pathogen.
27. The host cell of claim 26, capable of in vivo producing a single-chain variable fragment (ScFv) antibody that blocks colonization of gastrointestinal pathogens in the intestinal tract of an animal, when introduced to said animal.
28. A single-chain variable fragment (ScFv) antibody molecule having affinity for Salmonella species, said single-chain variable fragment antibody consisting essentially of:
a. a first polypeptide comprising the binding portion of the light chain variable region of an antibody;
b. a second polypeptide comprising the binding portion of the heavy chain variable region of an antibody; and
c. a polypeptide linker linking said first and second polypeptides (a) and (b).
29. The single-chain variable fragment antibody molecule of claim 28, encoded by the nucleic acid sequence substantially as denoted by SEQ ID NO:1.
30. A method of treating infections of gastrointestinal enteropathogens in a subject in need of such treatment, comprising the administration to said subject of microorganisms transformed with DNA encoding at least one immunoglobulin-like polypeptide or with an expression vector comprising the same or of pharmaceutically or veterinary composition comprising the same, wherein said polypeptide has specific binding affinity to said pathogen.
31. The method of claim 30, for treating infections of gastrointestinal enteropathogenic bacteria in a subject, comprising the administration to said subject of microorganisms transformed with DNA encoding at least one single-chain antibody or of an expression a vector comprising the same or of a pharmaceutical or veterinary composition comprising the same, said single-chain antibody comprises:
a. a first polypeptide comprising the binding portion of the light chain variable region of an antibody;
b. a second polypeptide comprising the binding portion of the heavy chain variable region of an antibody; and
c. a polypeptide linker linking said first and second polypeptides (a) and (b).
32. The method of any one of claims 30 and 31, wherein said subject is any one of human or domestic animal.
33. The method of claim 32, wherein said gastrointestinal enterobacterium is Salmonella species.
34. The method of claim 33, wherein said single-chain variable fragment (ScFv) antibody is encoded by the nucleic acid sequence substantially as denoted by SEQ ID NO:1, and consists essentially of:
a. a first polypeptide comprising the binding portion of the light chain variable region of an antibody against Salmonella enteriditis serogroup D, said polypeptide being encoded by the nucleic acid sequence substantially as denoted by SEQ ID NO:2;
b. a second polypeptide comprising the binding portion of the heavy chain variable region of an antibody against Salmonella enteriditis serogroup D, said polypeptide being encoded by the nucleic acid sequence substantially as denoted by SEQ ID NO:3; and
c. a glycineserine polypeptide liner linking said first and second polypeptides (a) and (b) encoded by the nucleic acid sequence substantially as denoted by SEQ ID NO:4.
35. The method of claim 30, wherein upon administration to said subject said microorganism in vivo produces an immunoglobulin-like polypeptide in said subject, which polypeptide recognizes and specifically binds to an enterogenic pathogen.
36. The method of claim 35, wherein upon administration to said subject said microorganism in vivo produces a single-chain variable fragment antibody in said subject intestine, which antibody recognizes and specifically binds to a gastrointestinal pathogen.
37. The method of claim 36, wherein said single-chain variable fragment antibody blocks colonization of gastrointestinal pathogens in the intestinal tract of said subject.
38. The method of claim 37, wherein said subject is any one of human or domestic animal.
39. The method of claim 38, wherein said domestic animal is a domestic bird.
40. The method of any one of claims 30 to 39, wherein said microorganism is any one of prokaryotic and eukaryotic microorganisms.
41. The method of claim 40, wherein said microorganism is any one of bacteria and yeast.
42. The method of claim 41, wherein said bacteria is E. coli.
43. The method of any one of claims 30 to 42, wherein said composition is administered via drinking water, feed, spraying, oral gavage andor directly into the digestive tract.
44. The method of any one of claims 30 to 43, further comprising the step of controlling the expression of said single-chain variable fragment antibody by continuously inducing the production of said single-chain variable fragment antibody.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A method for providing status update of a transaction in a network environment, the method comprising:
receiving a status update request by a server, from a communication device of a user, to track status of the transaction between the user and another party, wherein the status update request comprises at least one of tracking parameters and update parameters, associated with the status update, and wherein the update parameters define preferences of the user;
polling the other party through a communication network, based on the tracking parameters and the update parameters to obtain an updated status of the transaction; and
providing the updated status of the transaction to the communication device of the user based on the update parameters.
2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the receiving comprises obtaining the status update request through at least one of USSD message, SMS, e-mail, and Interactive Voice Response Systems.
3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the receiving further comprises obtaining at least one of the tracking parameters and the update parameters associated with the transaction, in a separate message from the user.
4. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the obtaining comprises:
providing to the user an exhaustive list of the other party details and the update parameters; and
receiving the user response corresponding to the tracking parameters and the update parameters.
5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the status update request is associated with a unique reference number (URN), wherein the URN allows unique identification of the tracking parameters and the update parameters associated with the status update request.
6. A system for providing updated status of a transaction comprises:
a processor;
a request analysis module coupled to the processor, configured to receive a status update request, from a user, to track status of the transaction between the user and other party, wherein the status update request comprises at least one of tracking parameters and update parameters, associated with the status update;
a querying module coupled to the processor, configured to poll the other party based on the tracking parameters and the update parameters to obtain an updated status of the transaction; and
a reporting module coupled to the processor, configured to provide the updated status of the transaction to the user based on the update parameters.
7. The system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the request analysis module is further configured to obtain at least one of the tracking parameters and the update parameters associated with the transaction from the user.
8. The system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the request analysis module is configured to:
provide an exhaustive list of other party details and update parameters to the user; and
receive the user response corresponding to the tracking parameters and update parameters.
9. The system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the request analysis module is further configured to associate the status update request with a unique reference number, wherein the URN allows unique identification of the tracking parameters and the update parameters associated with the status update request.
10. A computer readable medium having embodied thereon a computer program for executing a method for providing status update for a transaction, the method comprising:
receiving a status update request, from a user, to track status of the transaction between the user and other party, wherein the status update request comprises at least of tracking parameters and update parameters associated with the status update;
polling the other party based on the tracking parameters and the user preferences to obtain an updated status of the transaction; and
providing the updated status of the transaction to the user based on the user preferences.