Abstract: Calendar objects on a data processing system include an item, a due date and a priority value. The objects are reprioritized according to their due dates and priority values. For each object, a difference between the respective due date and a selected date is determined. The selected date is typically the current date. An importance value is determined by combining the difference with the priority value of each object. The objects are sorted and ranked according to their importance values. The sorted objects are then displayed to a user. If the due date is passed the selected date, then a past due notification is provided to the user for that object.

Abstract: An action contained within an electronic mail object is communicated from a data processing system to another data processing system via an audio device. The action is executable on a data processing system. At the sending data processing system, the action is converted to a predetermined audio pattern. The electronic mail object may contain text in addition to an action. The text is also converted to an audio pattern. The audio patterns are then communicated to the audio device over telephone lines or other communication medium. At the receiving end, the audio device records the object. A user can provide the recorded object to a data processing system, which then executes the action and converts the text audio patterns back to text. In addition, the action can be converted to text and displayed on the data processing system.

Abstract: A method and data processing system are disclosed for placing a telephone call. In one embodiment, the invention, in response to user designation of a party and input of a CALL command, searches an electronic calendar database for information describing the scheduled location of the designated party and places a call to the scheduled location of the designated party. In another embodiment, the invention, in response to user selection of an electronic calendar event and input of a CALL command, searches an electronic calendar database for information describing the scheduled location of the event and places a call to the scheduled location of the event. In either embodiment, the invention may search an electronic directory database for a telephone number associated with the scheduled location of the designated party or event.

Abstract: A check valve (170) for the discharge passageway of an aerosol dispensing package, comprising: a chamber (171) having inlet and outlet openings (175,174) for in-line connection in the passageway; a dished seat (176) extending across the chamber between the openings with its dished surface facing towards the outlet opening; and a ball (177) housed in the chamber for free movement between substantial sealing engagement with the outlet opening and direct engagement in the seat; the ball being gravitationally engaged in the seat when the chamber is in a generally upright position with the outlet opening uppermost, the seat acting to deflect discharge flow through the chamber around the ball in these last circumstances, and the dished surface being outwardly divergently shaped to cause the ball to roll therefrom under gravity and move to its outlet opening sealing engagement when the chamber is inclined from the upright position by a substantially predetermined angle towards a horizontal disposition.

Abstract: A pressure regulator suitable for an aerosol dispenser package having a compressed non-liquified gas propellant comprising a chamber (22) forming a successive pair of first and second compartments (23,24) with the first compartment (23) having an inlet opening (26,27) and the second compartment (24) partly defining a restricted passageway (47) leading to an outlet opening (25), a diaphragm (41) closing the first compartment remotely from the second compartment, a spring (60) operable to urge the diaphragm to move into the second compartment towards the outlet, and a piston (44) connected for movement with the diaphragm and located in the second compartment to define the restricted passageway, the second compartment and piston cooperating progressively to increase the effective size of the passageway as the diaphragm moves towards the outlet. Preferably a probe (45) is moved with or by the piston to close the chamber outlet when the diaphragm is subject only to action by the spring.

Abstract: A pump assembly for an atomizing piston pump comprises a first piston slidably located in a first cylinder to define a first variable volume space and a second piston of smaller piston area than the first slidably located in a second cylinder to define a second variable volume space. The two volume spaces are in communication and there is a fluid flow passage through the first piston. A first valve is provided for opening and closing the passage and first biasing means urges the valve into a position closing the passage. Second biasing means urges the second piston towards a position corresponding to the minimum volume of the second volume space. The valve opens in the direction of fluid flow through the passage and fixed means are provided for opening the valve only after a predetermined amount of movement of the first piston.