Abstract: Systems and methods for a porous pavement system are described. The porous pavement system includes paver blocks designed to facilitate water seepage between the paver blocks and to permit water storage within the blocks. The paver blocks may be cabled together to create paving units that facilitate installation and maintenance of the pavement system. The porous pavement system provides improved management of stormwater, reducing runoff and facilitating infiltration of stormwater into the subgrade below the paving system.

Abstract: A self-service change redemption machine (10) has an intake area (18) for receiving batches of mixed coinage and conveying the coins to a coin sorter (22) for sorting, counting and directing coins into a plurality of coin chutes (26). From there, the coins are routed to coin receptacles such as bags (60). Multiple bags are provided for certain denominations. To fill multiple bags for a given denomination, repositionable diverter mechanisms (30) are provided between the chutes (26) and pluralities of bags for the respective denominations. The bags are held by bag holders (34) which extend downward from a substantially rigid one-piece chassis (40), which also supports the diverter mechanisms (30). The machine (10) has buttons (80) responsive to inputs from a user to turn on the machine, to process coins that are input through the intake area (18) and to issue the voucher or other form of credit. Instructions for using the machine (10) and other information are displayed on a screen display (15).

Abstract: A hard side shelter is convertible between transport and deployed modes. When in the transport mode, the shelter has an envelope identical to an ISO-cargo container. A side section floor and cover are each connected to the center section for rotating between being coplanar with the center section floor and roof when in the deployed mode, and being vertical and lying in a center section side planes when in a transport mode. Each side section has end and middle panels that are turnable relative to each other, and a door assembly that is turnable relative to the middle panels. Locking bars engaged the center section floor when the shelter is in a transport mode, and engage the side section floors when the shelter is in the deployed mode. The shelter is handleable by pallet handling systems and includes insulation panels to enhance the heat transfer characteristics of the shelter.

Abstract: A system for facilitating patient ownership of his or her medical data through the use of third-party health repositories that preserves the maximum information content of the medical records by displaying information relevant to the authority of the medical data as reflected by its source and types of modification as it has moved between institutions, as well as the data itself. In this way, improved use of this data is made possible.

Abstract: A network for an industrial control system employs a ring topology that is normally opened by a ring supervisor at the ring supervisor. Upon failure of the network, the ring supervisor reconnects the ring to provide an alternative transmission path around the failure point. High speed operation is reconciled with the ability to use commercial switching integrated circuits through a dual communication channel of communicating a network state as either closed or open using both high-speed hardware handled beacon frames and low-speed software processed announce frames.

Abstract: A versioning system for electronic textbooks provided to a variety of textbook readers uses a highly abstracted content file tagged with content identifiers allowing this content file to be readily re-edited into multiple versions compatible with different curricula and suitable for a range of different reader types.

Abstract: A disposable litter pan that is made of a flexible material, preferably biodegradable non-plastic material, such as thermally pressed cardboard or other paper fiber material treated with an aqueous coating that inhibits degradation of the pan in the presence of fluids. The pan is a generally self-supporting pan structure having two end walls, two sidewalls, and a floor; wherein the floor having several perforations, openings, or orifices sized to allow unused cat litter to be sifted into a retaining pan underneath that can be of the same or imperforate construction. The litter pan folds, allowing the sidewalls to engage in a manner that does not allow litter or excrement to escape. The pan can be retained in the folded condition by an integral latching arrangement that also can serve as a handle.

Abstract: A bicycle frame assembly having a number of rotatable members configured to absorb shocks and impacts associated with operation of the bicycle. The assembly includes a frame constructed to support a rider and a chain stay having a rearward end that extends toward a wheel hub and a forward end that is pivotably connected to the frame. An absorber is pivotably connected to the forward end of the chain stay and extends to a rocker arm that is pivotably connected to the frame. A seat stay is pivotably connected to a rearward end of the rocker arm and extends to the rearward end of the chain stay. The rearward ends of the seat stay and the chain stay are pivotably connected to rotate about a common axis.

Abstract: A furniture glide is provided that is receivable on a foot of a piece of furniture. The furniture glide includes a rentention boot including a bottom wall, upper wall and a sidewall that define a cavity for receiving the foot therein. The upper wall has a central opening therethrough that communicates with the cavity. A neck projects from the upper wall and extends about the opening. A slider bonded to the bottom wall of the retention boot to facilitate the sliding of the piece of furniture over a supporting surface such a floor or the like.

Abstract: A fecal matter scooper having a manipulable handle attached to an elongate handle extension from which a pair of opposable scoop jaws extend that define a fecal matter holding scoop bucket when disposed in a closed position and which define a pedestal or base upon which the scooper can be stored in an uprightly standing position when the jaws are disposed in an open pedestal position. When stored uprightly, the handle can be grasped to pick up and maneuver the scooper without the user having to bend over. A biasing arrangement is disposed in operable cooperation with at least one jaw for urging at least one of the jaws toward such an open pedestal position. In a method of operation, at least one of the jaws is perforate enabling sifting unspoiled litter back into a litter box when removing clumped fecal matter or urine from the litter box.

Abstract: An acid-functional polymer is reacted with a transition metal compound having an average particle size small enough to react with the polymer at a temperature below the glass transition temperature of the polymer, e.g., at room temperature, to produce cross-linked polymer. The process produces a liquid polymer product that dries to a cross-linked film without the required presence of volatile ligands. Improved coatings such as floor polishes that can be formed from these cross-linked polymers are also disclosed.

Abstract: A lampshade system which utilizes a simplified lampshade design that does not require integrally manufactured frame components. The lampshade can be manufactured in a flattened position to optimize shipping, storage and display space and which may be easily assembled into a three-dimensional lampshade position by an end user at the point of use.

Abstract: A drilling and/or percussive hammer comprises a handle and a hammer housing, which can move relative to the handle and inside of which, among other things, a pneumatic spring percussive mechanism is housed. The pneumatic spring of the pneumatic spring percussive mechanism can be ventilated via a no-load operation duct that is opened and closed by a valve. The valve can be opened and closed according to a pressing force acting upon the handle. A delay device controls the valve during closing so that the valve reaches the position corresponding to the detected pressing force only with a time delay. This causes a smooth transition from the no-load operation to the percussive operation.

Abstract: A method of fabricating nanowires or microwires employs a robust conductive surface whose edges define electrodes for promoting electrochemical deposition of nanowire material at those edges. Controlled deposition times and thin conductive layers allow extremely small diameter wires to be created and then removed without destruction of the pattern and the wires to be applied to a second substrate or used for composite materials.

Abstract: The present concrete vibrator inline transmission is a unique combination of gears that changes the speed of a primary power source so that a remote concrete tool runs at a speed different than that of the primary power source. This unique apparatus allows for unique methods of using the concrete vibrator inline transmission.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for classifying received packets using a hardware cache of evolving rules and a software cache having an original rule set. The method including receiving a packet, processing the received packet through a hardware-based packet classifier having at least one evolving rule to identify at least one cache miss packet, and processing the cache miss packet through a software based packet classifier including an original rule set. Processing the cache miss packet includes determining whether to expand at least one of the at least one evolving rules in the hardware-based packet classifier based on the cache miss packet. The determination includes determining whether an evolving rule has both the same action and lies entirely within one of the rule of the original rule set.