Abstract: A hands-free faucet control device includes a water valve assembly, a foot peddle assembly and a pull wire connected there between. A continuously-formed injection molded valve housing includes two cylindrically-shaped apertures disposed adjacent to one another where each has an inlet water port and an outlet water port. A valve is disposed in each of the apertures, where both valves are simultaneously movable between a closed position and an open position. A foot pedal assembly includes a foot peddle bracket and an attached foot pedal, where the foot pedal is movable between an up position and a down position. A pull wire is connected at a pull wire first end to the proximal end of the valve and connected at a pull wire second end to the foot pedal, wherein movement of the foot pedal to the down position by a user moves the valves to the open position.

Abstract: An infrastructure for securely communicating with electronic meters is described, which enables secure communication between a utility and a meter located at a customer, over a communication link or connection such as via a network. This enables messages to be sent from the utility to the meter and vice versa in a secure manner. The network provides a communication medium for communicating via the C12.22 protocol for secure metering. A cryptographic backend is used to cryptographically process messages to be sent to the meter and to similarly cryptographically process messages sent from the meter. By providing appropriate cryptographic measures such as key management, confidentiality and authentication, the meter can only interpret and process messages from a legitimate utility and the utility can ensure that the messages it receives are from a legitimate meter and contain legitimate information.

Abstract: The invention is directed to shaped composite adsorbent material, comprising particulate activated carbon material, bound by a suitable binder, preferably selected from the group of sodium alginate calcium alginate, chitosan, polyacrylamide, polyethylene oxide and mixtures thereof, more in particular a combination of chitosan and alginate, whereby the activation of the carbon material has taken place before binding the material.

Abstract: A water treatment composition includes a water soluble film formed into a sealed pouch. The pouch contains a composite of a phosphate removing substance, a polymer flocculant, or an enzyme, or any combination. The phosphate removing substance, the polymer flocculant, and the enzyme are bound to each other within the composite. The pouch is added to a body of water. The pouch dissolves to release the compounds and treat the water.

Abstract: A multi-ported CAM cell in which the negative effects of increased travel distance have been substantially reduced is provided. The multi-ported CAM cell is achieved in the present invention by utilizing three-dimensional integration in which multiple active circuit layers are vertically stack and vertically aligned interconnects are employed to connect a device from one of the stacked layers to another device in another stack layer. By vertically stacking multiple active circuit layers with vertically aligned interconnects, each compare port of the multi-port CAM can be implemented on a separate layer above or below the primary data storage cell. This allows the multi-port CAM structure to be implemented within the same area footprint as a standard Random Access Memory (RAM) cell, minimizing data access and match compare delays. Each compare match line and data bit line has the length associated with a simple two-dimensional Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) cell array.

Abstract: A multi-ported CAM cell in which the negative effects of increased travel distance have been substantially reduced is provided. The multi-ported CAM cell is achieved in the present invention by utilizing three-dimensional integration in which multiple active circuit layers are vertically stack and vertically aligned interconnects are employed to connect a device from one of the stacked layers to another device in another stack layer. By vertically stacking multiple active circuit layers with vertically aligned interconnects, each compare port of the multi-port CAM can be implemented on a separate layer above or below the primary data storage cell. This allows the multi-port CAM structure to be implemented within the same area footprint as a standard Random Access Memory (RAM) cell, minimizing data access and match compare delays. Each compare match line and data bit line has the length associated with a simple two-dimensional Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) cell array.

Abstract: External data storage device queries the user for a password on at least the first attachment. The password is escrowed in encrypted form. If the user elects this option, the password is then passed to an encryption module which unlocks the encrypted file or partition and upon subsequent attachments of the external data storage device may automatically unlock the encrypted file or partition using the securely escrowed password. The escrow of the encrypted password is managed in an external storage device containing the encrypted file or partition.

Abstract: The invention is directed to shaped composite adsorbent material, comprising particulate activated carbon material, bound by a suitable binder, preferably selected from the group of sodium alginate calcium alginate, chitosan, polyacrylamide, poly-ethylene oxide and mixtures thereof, more in particular a combination of chitosan and alginate, whereby the activation of the carbon material has taken place before binding the material.

Abstract: A multi-ported CAM cell in which the negative effects of increased travel distance have been substantially reduced is provided. The multi-ported CAM cell is achieved in the present invention by utilizing three-dimensional integration in which multiple active circuit layers are vertically stack and vertically aligned interconnects are employed to connect a device from one of the stacked layers to another device in another stack layer. By vertically stacking multiple active circuit layers with vertically aligned interconnects, each compare port of the multi-port CAM can be implemented on a separate layer above or below the primary data storage cell. This allows the multi-port CAM structure to be implemented within the same area footprint as a standard Random Access Memory (RAM) cell, minimizing data access and match compare delays. Each compare match line and data bit line has the length associated with a simple two-dimensional Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) cell array.

Abstract: A multi-ported CAM cell in which the negative effects of increased travel distance have been substantially reduced is provided. The multi-ported CAM cell is achieved in the present invention by utilizing three-dimensional integration in which multiple active circuit layers are vertically stack and vertically aligned interconnects are employed to connect a device from one of the stacked layers to another device in another stack layer. By vertically stacking multiple active circuit layers with vertically aligned interconnects, each compare port of the multi-port CAM can be implemented on a separate layer above or below the primary data storage cell. This allows the multi-port CAM structure to be implemented within the same area footprint as a standard Random Access Memory (RAM) cell, minimizing data access and match compare delays. Each compare match line and data bit line has the length associated with a simple two-dimensional Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) cell array.

Abstract: A system and method for formulating data search queries is presented. A user interface operable to specify an unstructured search criteria for a search query on one or more documents is provided. An input portal is exported to receive a data excerpt selected to be searched against the documents. A selectable inclusiveness control is exported to specify a granularity of inclusion of matching tokens within each document. A selectable proximity control is exported to specify a degree of nearness of the tokens within each document. Tokens derived from the data excerpt and parameters corresponding to the granularity of inclusion and the degree of nearness are compiled into the search query.

Abstract: Electronic data files are broadly characterized as “messages” and a social network is constructed by analyzing one or more messages exchanged between various entities. Additionally, messages from structured and/or unstructured data stores are correlated using one or more common/related data elements from two or more messages. Further, the social network and the concepts contained in the exchanged messages (i.e. semantic network) can be visualized using a series of multi-aspect viewing tools. Finally, in conjunction with the social network and the semantic network, a message network based on the chronological relationship of the messages (event network) can be constructed to analyze and visualize how the messages relate to each other in a time-based reference model. Once visualized, the relationship of the concepts contained in the messages as well as the relationship between the entities and the timing involved in the exchange of messages can be analyzed for desired information.

Abstract: In manufacturing a hose, a liner composed of a polymeric material is provided, as is a rubber outer body. The liner is reduced in diameter, placed into the outer body, and secured to the rubber outer body by thermal treatment.

Abstract: A method of automatically backing up a computer with an external hard drive, combined with a PCMCIA card, comprising connecting the combination of external hard drive and PCMCIA card into the PCMCIA port of a computer, the CPU of the computer scanning, detecting and identifying the external hard drive, the CPU automatically launching the backup procedure to backup the computer source drive onto the external hard drive without operator intervention; and the CPU automatically quitting the backup when the backup is complete without operator intervention.

Abstract: The present invention provides, among other things, a multi-modal device for facilitating wireless communication over any one of a plurality of wireless communication networks operating pursuant to differing transmission protocols and/or over differing radio frequencies.

Abstract: A retrofit fitting for an externally threaded male nut that carries a face seal. The fitting is an adaptor with an internal thread to be threaded onto the male nut and an external thread to receive a female nut. The fitting carries a plurality of blades that engage matching blades on a cage engaged by the female nut. The cage is compressed against a head that bears the face seal by the female nut, so that relative rotation between the heads and face seals is prevented.

Abstract: A method of automatically backing up a computer with an external hard drive, combined with a PCMCIA card, comprising connecting the combination of external hard drive and PCMCIA card into the PCMCIA port of a computer, the CPU of the computer scanning, detecting and identifying the external hard drive, the CPU automatically launching the backup procedure to backup the computer source drive onto the external hard drive without operator intervention; and the CPU automatically quitting the backup when the backup is complete without operator intervention.

Abstract: A play structure building panel comprising of integrally connected spaced-apart curved parallel inner and outer panel walls joined by two side edges and end two end edges. One of the side edges and at one of the end edges have an integral connection means extending therefrom to mate with complementary connection receiving means on an identical panel. Accordingly, one of the side edges and one of the end edges of the panel also have the complementary connections means to receive the connection means extending from another identical panel. Therefore, any number of the panels may be connected to other identical panels along any of the side or end edges.

Abstract: A plastic building element is described which permits a variety of play structures to be assembled. The main building element is a dish-shaped molded plastic part, having a bottom, integral lower side walls projecting generally upwardly from the outer periphery of the bottom to define a lower portion of one nominal diameter, integral generally horizontal portions projecting outwardly from the top of the lower side walls, and integral upper side walls projecting generally upwardly from the outer periphery of the horizontal portion to define an upper portion having a substantially larger nominal diameter. Preferably, the side walls are defined by a number of generally rectangular panels defining a polygonal shape for the building element as viewed in horizontal section. In the preferred embodiment, the structure is hexagonal.

Abstract: A prosthetic foot includes an ankle member, a heel member and a toe member coupled to each other for relative pivotable movement with the pivotable movement resisted by elastomeric pads. The heel and ankle member are connected through a joint allowing for translational and pivotable torsional motion of the ankle with respect to the heel and provided with limit stops in the axle and the side walls of the heel member to limit the torsional and translation motion of the ankle joint. The toe member is formed symmetrically to be used for left and right feet with symmetrically positioned and mirror imaged fore sections.