Abstract: A magnetic actuator for reciprocating motion of a compressor diaphragm, piston or the like. The actuator comprises a stator with stator poles, excitation windings, and a backing plate. Non-magnetic support arms carry arced magnet poles and actuate a pair of compressed diaphragms. With the introduction of coil current, magnet poles are attracted to the central stator poles and repulsed by outer poles. A torque about pivot results and hence movement of arms with consequential actuation of the diaphragms. Performance is improved by increasing the flux produced by the electromagnet, thereby reducing flux leakage and fringing.

Abstract: The system and method permit the purchase of audio music files over the Internet. The PC user logs onto the vendor's web site and browses the songs available for purchase. The songs can be arranged by artist, music style, etc., as mentioned above. Further, the vendor can provide suggestions on the web site, directing the PC user to songs that might be desirable, based on that PC user's previous purchases, her indicated preferences, popularity of the songs, paid advertising and the like. If interested in a song, the PC user has the option of clicking on a song to “pre-listen” to it—hearing a 20-second clip, for example. If the PC user then wishes to purchase the song, she can submit her order by clicking on the icons located next to each song/album. The order will be reflected in the shopping basket, always visible on the screen. As the PC user selects more items, each and every item is displayed in the shopping basket.

Abstract: A reflective asphalt emulsion is formed by dispersing asphalt into a slurry of colloidal clay at high shear and thereafter blending titanium dioxide and diatomaceous earth filler, and optionally acrylic latex, at low shear into the emulsion of clay and asphalt to form a white to light gray emulsion having a soft consistency and good shelf life. Particle sizes of the employed asphalt are controlled in order to preserve reflectivity of the finished emulsion.

Abstract: A positioner for an electronic card in a slot, the positioner including a head and at least one leg, the height of the positioner being substantially equal to the width of the slot, the leg being arranged for insertion into an aperture through the electronic card, the bottom of the leg being arranged for alignment with a reference plane of the electronic card and to contact a wall of the slot. Preferably, the positioner includes two legs for insertion into a pair of apertures in an electronic card in a slot.

Abstract: Exceptions allow a circuit designer, working with a circuit synthesis system, to specify certain paths through the circuit to be synthesized as being subject to non-default timing constraints. The additional information provided by the exceptions can allow the synthesis system to produce a more optimal circuit. A tag-based timing analysis tool is presented, which implements exceptions, and can be used in a synthesis system. A circuit is analyzed in “sections,” which comprise a set of “launch” flip flops, non-cyclic combinational circuitry and a set of “capture” flip flops. The tag-based static timing analysis of the present invention is performed in four main steps: preprocessing, pin-labeling, RF timing table propagation and relative constraint analysis. Preprocessing converts the exceptions written by the circuit designer into a certain standard form in which paths through the circuit to be synthesized are expressed in terms of circuit “pins.

Abstract: The system and method permit the purchase of audio music files over the Internet. The PC user logs onto the vendor's web site and browses the songs available for purchase. The songs can be arranged by artist, music style, etc., as mentioned above. Further, the vendor can provide suggestions on the web site, directing the PC user to songs that might be desirable, based on that PC user's previous purchases, her indicated preferences, popularity of the songs, paid advertising and the like. If interested in a song, the PC user has the option of clicking on a song to “pre-listen” to it—hearing a 20-second clip, for example. If the PC user then wishes to purchase the song, she can submit her order by clicking on the icons located next to each song/album. The order will be reflected in the shopping basket, always visible on the screen. As the PC user selects more items, each and every item is displayed in the shopping basket.

Abstract: A system and method for associating and controlling multimedia supporting events with a primary event. The events are translated into tasks and sent to media servers for execution at a predetermined time by being further translated into media specific tasks to control a bit-pump.

Abstract: A telephone operates as a time server for synchronizing an appliance or peripheral by accessing a time service over telephone lines to obtain an accurate geographic time for the telephone, and by transmitting a synchronizing pulse to the appliance at a predetermined time to set the time function of the appliance.

Abstract: An apparatus sets a telephone to an on-hook state. The telephone has a base with at least one cavity forming a cradle for a handset The telephone also has a handset with an operative surface including a mouthpiece microphone and an earpiece speaker. A first surface of the handset is opposite to the operative surface. The apparatus includes a first arm having a surface, and the first arm responds to the surface being pressed by a portion of the handset being positioned in the base. The first arm moves to actuate an on-hook switch to set the telephone to the on-hook state. The surface of the handset which presses the first arm is the operative surface or the first surface. The first arm responds to the handset having the operative surface facing away from the base. The first arm also responds to the handset being positioned entirely out of the cradle by extending from a first slot in the base.

Abstract: A method and apparatus that displays a “delay chart” on a display screen, using a variety of user-selected formats and representing delays of a circuit being debugged. These formats include right-to-left and left-to-right displays. The displays can optionally have duplicative paths merged and zero delay paths removed. The invention also allows the designer to select various parts of the delay chart and then automatically highlights related portions of HDL code for the circuit (which also is displayed on the display screen). Conversely, the designer can select portions of the HDL code and the invention will automatically highlight related portions of the delay chart. Thus, the designer can easily determine which parts of the HDL caused large delays in the circuit being designed and can easily change those parts of the HDL in an attempt to obtain more desirable timing.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for production of asphalt coated sheets comprising materials highly prone to distortion under heat, including polyester and similarly deformable materials, in a coating machine comprising a mat puller adapted to pull the mat at a selectable rate, a coater, and a metering device. The metering device is optionally adapted to pull the mat at a selectable rate. The mat is pulled through the coater and coated with asphalt heated to 250° F. to 500° F., while the rates at which the mat puller and metering device pull the mat are independently and/or jointly adjusted to such that coated sheet may be produced at rates of more than 200 feet per minute, without wrinkling or necking in the mat.

Abstract: A pressure control system for controlling pressure in a fluid system includes a compressor for producing pressurized fluid coupled to a rotor valve, a pressure controller, and a visual low-pressure indicator. A manifold directly supports the valve and has, integrated within, the pressure controller, the low-pressure indicator, and the output connections. The pressure controller includes a plunger and a spring communicating with the fluid system. The pressurized fluid acts against the plunger and the spring, and excess fluid is discharged when pressure exceeds a predetermined value. The low-pressure indicator includes a diaphragm movable away from a transparent window, providing a visual indication of the pressure within the system. The manifold assembly provides connectors for supplying fluid to the system.

Abstract: A method and system for calculating values for fields interrelated by circular formulas in a data network is described. The system contains a first calculator for which a first field serves as an input value and a second field serves as an output and a second calculator for which the second field serves as an input value and the first field serves as an output. A conflict checker determines whether a circular conflict exists after input of the input value into the first field or the second field, and a conflict resolver resolves the conflict by suppressing the input value in the first field or second field upon determination of the circular conflict.

Abstract: A method for protecting an operating environment on a processor from a rogue program operating on the processor comprising isolating simultaneously executing programs or operating systems is disclosed. Memory space for use only by the first program while the first program is executing is allocated. Communication between the first program and the computer's operating environment is accomplished through a single link employing one of several methods including using shared memory space, a dedicated interrupt or a dedicated I/O port. The monitor manages a restricted operating environment for the first program on the processor, the restricted operating environment preventing the first program from accessing resources on the processor except for the allocated memory space the single communication link.

Abstract: A toilet housing and waste collection and treatment system purify wastewater to a satisfactory level. When solid wastes are conveyed from individual toilets (31)-(33) into an active circulation chamber (16) in a toilet housing (10), the solid wastes are subjected to air exposure treatments in the active circulation chamber (16). The wastewater exposed to air in the active circulation chamber (16) is then purified through a three-phase flowing structure in first and second active water chambers (51) and (52), with the three-phase flowing structure including water, air, and carrier particles containing aerobic microorganisms. The wastewater so treated flows into first and second sediment separation chambers (53) and (54) where solid wastes are settled down and separated from the wastewater. The treated water is then supplied to a water reservoir (56) which in turns supplies the water to the respective toilets (31)-(33).

Abstract: A method of formatting digital data and a method of decoding the formatted digital data. User selectable format parameters vary the dimensions and other attributes of spots and the cells containing those spots as well as other features which the formatting process formats into a pattern. A method of encoding the formatted digital data using these format parameters allows for encoding a substrate optimally for any given printer or scanner. One embodiment provides for markers to facilitate determination of cell locations. In one embodiment the decoding process achieves a pyramid gain of knowledge by locating a landmark (801), which is located in a known position relative to a metasector (802), which contains information about the encoding process used to encode the main body of data (803), which the decoding process decodes to recover the original digital data. Further embodiments include encryption, transmission by facsimile, inclusion of human readable information, and automatic launches of computer files.

Abstract: A system and method for compiling source code comprising natural language declarations, natural language method calls, and natural language control structures into computer-executable object code is disclosed. The system and method allow the compilation of source code containing both natural language and computer language into computer-executable object code. The system and method use a component database, containing components and associated natural language instructions, to select one or more components having an instruction declaration associated with the natural language instruction. A solution manager is used to resolve ambiguities inherent in the use of natural language instructions in the source code.

Abstract: The ability to provide certain text in most, if not all, of the documents sent over the network by a server is provided by a mechanism which combines context information with a document, or document fragment, to be sent. The context information can be made dependent on the document type and defined by the style sheet. In particular, it may be defined by the style definition for a header or footer style for the particular document type. Such feature is particularly useful for generating copyright notices, button bars, or other text to be included in most or all document fragments sent over the network. The context information is defined by a declarative specification that operates on document structure which reduces document management effort.

Abstract: An integrated transconductor circuit has an active load element and two parallel sets of transconductor stages. The active load element provides a high impedance without requiring a large area within the integrated transconductor circuit, and provides linear impedance when the active load devices are biased in the triode region of their respective characteristic curves. The multiple transconductor stages prevent saturation from reducing the dynamic range available at the output of the transconductor circuit. The parallel sets of transconductor stages are used to improve output linearity by reducing the differences between the threshold voltages of the serially-connected transconductor stages.