Abstract: Disclosed herein is a comb sensor for measuring combing resistance, wherein the comb sensor comprises: a comb or brush comprising a handle, a head connected to the handle, and teeth connected to the head; and a bend sensor located on at least one of the teeth, to measure the bending of the one of the teeth. The present invention provides improved sensitivity and/or detailed measurement result.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for the collection and aggregation of genomic, medical, and other data of interest for individuals and populations that may be of interest for analysis, research, pharmaceutical development, medical treatment, and so forth. Contributors become members of a community upon creation of an account and providing of data or files. The data is received and processed, such as to analyze, structure, perform quality control, and curate the data. Value or shares in one or more community databases are computed and attributed to each contributing member. The data is controlled to avoid identification or personalization. Third parties interested in the database information may contribute value (e.g., pay) for access and use. Value flows back to the members and to a system administrative entity.

Abstract: A manufactured wood product in the form of a consolidated monolith comprising a plurality of natural wood pieces adhesively bonded together by a crosslinked thermoplastic adhesive which has been cross linked during processing wherein said manufactured wood product retains its consolidated shape at elevated temperatures and wherein the crosslinked thermoplastic adhesive has a glass transition temperature at or lower than the normal use temperature of the manufactured wood product.

Abstract: A banking system operates responsive to data read from data bearing records. The system includes an automated banking machine comprising a card reader. The card reader includes a movable read head that can read card data along a magnetic stripe of a card that was inserted long-edge first. The card reader includes a card entry gate. The gate is opened for a card that is determined to be properly oriented for data reading. The card reader can encrypt card data, including account data. The machine also includes a PIN keypad. The card reader can send encrypted card data to the keypad. The keypad can decipher the encrypted card data. The keypad can encrypt both deciphered card data and a received user PIN. The card data and the PIN are usable by the machine to authorize a user to carry out a financial transfer involving the account.

Abstract: A filter for a cigarette comprises a porous fitter rod and a material sheet wrapped around the filter rod and a cellulose acetate thread formed from substantially uncrimped cellulose acetate filaments. The cellulose acetate thread is positioned within the filter rod and extends along the central axis of the filter rod.

Abstract: Methods and devices for tensioning a cable are disclosed. The device comprises a nut having two open ends, two bolts, each bolt having a central bore and adapted to mate with one open end of the nut, and two cable securement devices. The cable securement devices are smaller than an inner diameter of the nut and larger than a diameter of the central bores of the bolts.

Abstract: Disclosed is an improved approach for implementing enterprise software systems that addresses the above-described problems with existing systems. The present approach provides an effective and efficient way for defining schemas for services, and to define how to map the schema to particular transactional contexts.

Abstract: A method for designing a system on a target device includes placing the system on the target device. Timing analysis is performed on the placed system to model delays by using a plurality of localized functions that overlap.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for the collection and aggregation of genomic, medical, and other data of interest for individuals and populations that may be of interest for analysis, research, pharmaceutical development, medical treatment, and so forth. Contributors become members of a community upon creation of an account and providing of data or files. The data is received and processed, such as to analyze, structure, perform quality control, and curate the data. Value or shares in one or more community databases are computed and attributed to each contributing member. The data is controlled to avoid identification or personalization. Third parties interested in the database information may contribute value (e.g., pay) for access and use. Value flows back to the members and to a system administrative entity.

Abstract: A filter rod for a cigarette or other smoking article comprising a filter plug having a plurality of threads extending through at least part of the filter plug, and an apparatus and method for manufacturing such a filter rod.

Abstract: A safety device is configured to be attached to components in an electrical substation to provide a physical and visual barrier between de-energized components and energized components in the electrical substation. The safety may include a safety barrier board formed from an electrically insulating material and configured to be attached to fastening devices that attach the safety barrier board to components in the substation. Each fastening device may be an inverted-J-hook configured to be attached to a surface of the safety barrier board or a coupling link attached to a variable length fastening component and an attachment hook.

Abstract: A utility meter device (1002) including a communications receiver (110) for receiving file fragments for the device, a processing means (150), eg microprocessor, microcontroller, and programmable non-volatile memory means (120), eg flash, EEPROM, for building and storing application and data files from the fragments, and executing a meter application of the device by processing at least one application file and associated data identified by configuration instructions in at least one of the fragments to provide data for reconfiguring a meter through a control interface (1016).

Abstract: The present invention relates to improvements in filters for use in smoking articles such as cigarettes, cigars and cigarillos. The improvements, particularly but not exclusively, relate to filter capabilities and to the manufacture of such filters. In one example, a filter for a smoking article comprises a first fibrous filter material having an average fiber denier in the range 7 to 9 and a second fibrous filter material having an average fiber denier of below 7. The application also describes a filter for a smoking article comprising various other filter arrangements including absorbent and/or adsorbent materials.

Abstract: Techniques for use by a mobile device configured to operate in a wireless network for the communication of data messages with a server are described. When the mobile device does not have an open session with the server, the mobile device receives from a service node via the wireless network a message which informs the mobile device that a data message has arrived at the server and needs to be retrieved. The message includes an identifier which identifies the data message at the server. In response to opening an application at the mobile device, the mobile device communicates directly with the server via the wireless network for retrieving the data message. This involves commencing an open session with the server, sending to the server a command for retrieving the data message, and receiving from the server the data message in response to sending the command. The mobile device may use the identifier for retrieving the data message from the server.

Abstract: Disclosed is an improved approach for implementing enterprise software systems that addresses the above-described problems with existing systems. The present approach provides an effective and efficient way for defining schemas for services, and to define how to map the schema to particular transactional contexts.

Abstract: A portable shelter framing system is disclosed herein. The portable shelter framing system includes a plurality of corner support assemblies; a plurality of crossbeam members, at least some of the crossbeam members configured to be connected between a pair of the plurality of corner support assemblies without the use of tools; and a plurality of roof frame members, each of the roof frame members configured to be coupled to one of the plurality of corner support assemblies or one of the plurality of crossbeam members without the use of tools. In one or more embodiments, each of the plurality of corner support assemblies of portable shelter framing system comprises spaced apart apertures disposed at the top thereof, each of the spaced apart apertures configured to receive a respective downwardly extending portion of one of the plurality of roof frame members.

Abstract: Logic elements (LE) that can provide a number of features. For example, the LE can provide efficient and flexible use of look up tables (LUTs) and input sharing. The LE may also provide for flexible use of one or more dedicated adders and include register functionality to provide various modes of operation that enable the various features of the LE.

Abstract: An integrated circuit may have pipelined interconnects that are configurable to operate in registered single data rate mode, registered double data rate mode, or in combinational mode. The pipelined interconnect may include routing multiplexers for selecting incoming signals, circuitry for serialization and de-serialization, and memory elements that are configurable to store one or two signals per clock period. Operating the pipeline interconnects in double data rate mode may provide a trade-off between reducing the number of physical wires that are required to implement a design at a constant bandwidth or increasing the bandwidth while keeping the number of physical wires constant.

Abstract: Techniques for use by a mobile device configured to operate in a wireless network for the communication of data messages with a server are described. When the mobile device does not have an open session with the server, the mobile device receives from a service node via the wireless network a message which informs the mobile device that a data message has arrived at the server and needs to be retrieved. The message includes an identifier which identifies the data message at the server. In response to opening an application at the mobile device, the mobile device communicates directly with the server via the wireless network for retrieving the data message. This involves commencing an open session with the server, sending to the server a command for retrieving the data message, and receiving from the server the data message in response to sending the command. The mobile device may use the identifier for retrieving the data message from the server.

Abstract: A fertiliser pellet comprising: a first region of a nitrogen-providing fertiliser composition; and a second region adhered to the exterior of the first region, the second region comprising a fertiliser composition capable of providing (a) two or more alkali metal and/or alkaline earth metal nutrients and (b) sulphur.