Abstract: In an emergency evacuation reporting system and method, a number of normally open illuminated push button switches are distributed throughout a facility at all normal and alternate exit routes for each area. The push button switches are connected to a command center for the facility. When an emergency area is evacuated, the LEDs representing the affected areas in the facility are energized red on a status panel in the command center. As the evacuation wardens verify each area clear of personnel, they press the most convenient push button switch for their area. This changes the red LED at the status panel to green and also illuminates the push button switch in the affected area.

Abstract: A system and method for coordinated music composition and display among musicians is presented. The system and method enables a conductor, composer or band leader to interactively edit one or more score parts of a composition using a pen-based interface, mouse, alphanumeric keyboard, or a musical keyboard. Hand-written music editing, which is entered with the pen-based interface, may be flexibly converted to a digital music notation format. Connected to the composer station are one or more musician stations that may be arranged as an orchestra. The musical score parts may be selectively transmitted to one or more musician stations by the composer. Thus, an operator of the conductor station can flexibly write and edit music score parts and transmit the parts to musicians over the network. The system and method can also be used to conduct the orchestra in rehearsals or performances.

Abstract: A single slope A/D converter utilizes a sub-nanosecond time digitizer to achieve increased conversion rates independent of a high frequency clock, and so is capable of being implemented in diverse applications. High conversion rates ranging from about 3 MHz to about 12 MHz and higher may be implemented on integrated circuits without using a high frequency clock.

Abstract: A Cooperative Help Assistance (CHA) system and method provide real-time user assistance for one or more windows-based Graphic User Interface (GUI) applications or a single application's different subsections such as web pages, running concurrently in any operating system. The CHA System enables the development of an informative assistance object independently from the original source code or development environment of the target Host Application. The assistance object can be selected by any number of user interfaces from sophisticated inference driven interactive interface search tools or categorized lists. By intercepting and monitoring user actions on a Host Application, the CHA system performs intelligent assistance in the context of the target host application program.

Abstract: An error rate of received signal is measured by a received signal error measuring unit 32, and a target SIR is changed by a target SIR decision unit using the error rate. It is also possible to detect error rate of received signal in an unit of frame using a CRC signal of a frame. It is further possible to detect error rate of received signal by detecting errors of known pilot signals inserted in a constant interval.

Abstract: A target shooting toy which optically projects an image of a target which can be aimed at and hit. The toy includes an image projector that projects an optical image onto a wall or screen and a toy gun which is aimed at the target. The toy detects hits by detecting light received by the gun reflected from the target. The toy has a removable electronics cartridge which has circuitry that customizes image motion, sequences and game play to the particular image being displayed. The toy also has a removable image module that contains the image or images of one type of target. The image modules and the electronics cartridges are matched so the toy may be used with many types of target images and yet be customized for use with each type of target. The projector is driven relative to two coordinates axes to provide more realistic motion and motion sequences. The toy gun has a pump action reload and trigger cocking mechanism, and provides a simulated recoil when fired.

Abstract: The present invention is a security gateway system positioned between an external, untrusted computing environment and an internal, trusted computing environment that converts messages received from the external environment into simplified messages and converts the simplified messages into messages suitable for use on the internal environment. The conversion involves the removal of external environment transfer protocols and the reduction of the content of the messages left after removing the protocols into a simplified representation of the content to create a simplified message. The simplified representation is then converted to an internal message by converting the simplified representation to a representation appropriate to the internal environment, including to applications operating on the internal environment, and adding internal environment protocols, including transfer protocols, to the converted message.

Abstract: A hide and find game includes a first game element to be hidden in a play area and a second, portable game element to be carried by a player through-out the play area. A wireless transmitter is incorporated in one of the first and second game elements to emit a signal of a given strength. A wireless receiver is incorporated in one of the first and second game elements to receive and compare the transmitted signal with a threshold level. The receiver includes a sound generator that is actuable to generate a sound informing the player that a second portable game element has been brought closer than a predetermined distance from the first hidden game piece whereby the player is prompted to find the first, hidden game element. The threshold level is set as a function of the predetermined distance.

Abstract: A method and system recover from a failure of an operational software program. A second software program which is known to function properly and is capable of downloading an updated copy of operational software is stored on the computer with the first software program. The second software program is a boot program which monitors resets of the first software program, determines if the number of resets which have occurred without the operational software first having reached a set operating point (such as establishing communication with a remote computer) reaches a threshold, and preempts operation of the first software program when the threshold is reached.

Abstract: A method and computer program for automatically and continually extracting application protocols (i.e., defining a set of allowable or authorized actions) for any application. The method involves receiving a message from a server before it is sent or in parallel with sending to a client. The message may be in response to a specific request for it from the client. The program then extracts the application protocol data from the server message. Working with a copy of the message, the program strips off the communications protocol(s) from the message and parses the remaining message to identify user-selectable options contained in the message such as commands, fields, etc. These items represent the set of allowable or authorized user actions for the particular “stage” of the current version of the application as set forth in the message. The set of allowable user actions is then stored by the extraction program in a protocol database accessible to a gateway or filter module.

Abstract: Sets of tessellatable elements are disclosed, in which a relatively low number of different elements may be combined together to provide very attractive tessellating patterns. The elements may be in the form of tiles, for paving or for covering flooring or walls, for example, game pieces, including television and computer games, pieces for use in maze construction and for many other applications.

Abstract: Control of a packet communications network in a fixed network used by a mobile communications network is performed. (1) A communication hold mode is set for a user when the traffic volume of the user's transmission or reception of a packet per fixed time period is less than a predetermined value. The communication hold mode is defined as “although the network resources are released once, a mobile station and a gateway center at an interface with an external network behave to the user side and the external side as though the communication hold mode were maintained”. (2) When the user in the communication hold mode restarts the transmission of a packet, the mobile station automatically carries out a recall processing without the intervention of the user, and re-establishes the communication up to the gateway carrier.

Abstract: A CDMA communications system that can shorten a delay time until the establishment of traffic, and prevent excessive transmission power. Although transmission request signals RQ1, RQ2, RQ3, . . . sent from mobile stations through a common channel undergo only open loop power transmission control, and hence have large fluctuations in their received levels, their interference amount to message signals can be kept low because their received power is averagely about 1/a of that of the message signals MSG1, MSG2, MSG3, . . . The message signals are sent from the mobile stations in accordance with the power transmission control bits contained in a forward link signal ACK sent from the base station, followed by closed loop power transmission control. This enables the received level fluctuations at the base station to be kept low.

Abstract: Fully oxidized cutback asphalts suitable for application in roofing, waterproofing, and sealing applications in all weather conditions, including as mastics and other sealants. Compositions according to the invention comprise unprecedented proportions of solids and asphalts yet remain workable to temperatures as low as 20° F. or below. In addition to fully-oxidized roofing-grade asphalts, preferred compositions according to the invention also comprise hydrophobic agents selected from the group comprising fatty acids and amine compounds and may be applied in rain or other wet conditions, and include polybutene or fatty acid peptizers to control the glass transition temperature of the completed mastic and thereby permit application of the composition at extremely low temperatures. Preferred embodiments optionally also comprise fillers such as cellulose fibers, diatomaceous earth, limestone, and asbestos for various advantageous purposes.