Abstract: A bag opener device for facilitating the opening of thin plastic bags comprising a pair of arms operative to angularly move toward and away from each other between a closed position and an open position. Each of the arms has a tab on the distal end thereof and a handle portion, and in one preferred embodiment, an inclined surface which is in a plane transverse to the plane of the arms. In use, the arms are squeezed together to cause the distal tabs to engage each other and grip the sides of the plastic bag to be opened and, upon further squeezing of the arms, to cause the tabs to slip relative to each other and thereby cause the bag sides to slide and thereby open the bag.

Abstract: A device placed or installed in a user's vehicle or other venue and operative to sense the opening and/or closing of a venue door and to be in wireless communication with a user's cell phone. When a user is entering, for example, a vehicle, the device senses door opening and/or closing and is triggered to search for the user's phone. Upon detection of that phone, the device provides an alert to the user that the phone is present. If the phone is not present, the device senses such absence and provides an alert that the phone is not present. Similar alerts are provided by the device when the user exits the vehicle. The device is also useable in other venues having a door. The system can also be used in devices other than cell phones that have similar communications capability to communicate with the system described herein.

Abstract: The present invention provides a body worn or body connected peripheral vision notification method and system to provide a visual indication to the person of limb or body movement or position. The system and method make use of a simple device which typically can be worn on the wrist or ankle of the user and which provides a visual warning or notification to the user while the user is engaged in various activities or actions. As one example, the invention provides a visual warning that the user may be about to touch his or her face with the hand. Such a warning can cause the user to refrain from touching the face. As another example, a wrist worn device in accordance with the invention can signal to a user the correct positioning of arms and hands for training in hitting a baseball. As a further example, an ankle worn device can signal foot position to monitor a person's stride.

Abstract: An alphanumeric keyboard connects to a telephone line and is operable in two operating modes. The keyboard is in a first operating mode when the telephone is in an “off-hook” condition and no connection on the telephone line has been established. In the first operating mode, the keyboard generates telephone number dialing signals on the telephone line as corresponding alphanumeric keys of the keyboard are pressed. Thus for example as a user enters the letters D-O-G by pressing the corresponding single-letter keys of the keyboard, the signaling tones for the digits 3, 6 and 4 are generated on the telephone line. In an enhanced version, the keyboard assigns distinct signal tones, such as an expanded dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF) set, to each alphanumeric character, thereby significantly increasing the quantity of potential telephone numbers. The keyboard operates in a second operating mode when the telephone is in an off-hook condition and a connection on the telephone line has been established.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for screening an incoming telephone call from a caller on an external telephone line connected to an answering device for recording the call includes inserting into the telephone line a circuit comprising a voltage sensitive device and a bridging device for allowing a handset of a telephone set connected to the telephone line and remote from the answering device to be picked up to listen to the call. The handset of the telephone set is picked up to enable a speaker component of the telephone set without interrupting operation of the answering device. The incoming call is listened to via the enabled speaker component while the answering device operates. A microphone component of the telephone set is optionally enabled to speak with the caller. The operation of the answering device may be interrupted by pressing a switch.