Abstract: A circuit board of a multi-way flashing control box includes a control circuit to be connected electrically to a plurality of LED lamp strings and operable to activate and deactivate the LED lamp strings, and a plurality of connecting units, each of which is for connecting electrically the control circuit to a respective LED lamp string. Each of the connecting units includes a string terminal to be connected electrically to the respective LED lamp string, first and second conductive retainers connected electrically and respectively to the control circuit and the string terminal, and a circuit protection member having opposite ends clamped removably and respectively by the first and second conductive retainers such that the control circuit is connected electrically to the string terminal via the circuit protection member.

Abstract: A method and system for connecting a computer user with an information provider over a digitized speech connection. By determining what information a computer user is viewing, the system determines a telephone number associated with that information. The telephone number can be determined via (1) database lookup, (2) parsing of the information, and (3) a directory service using a portion of the name of the information as the query string. The telephone number can then be used to form a telephone connection with the information provider.

Abstract: A device includes a waveguide layer formed on a substrate. An ultra-small resonant structure emits electromagnetic radiation (EMR) in the waveguide layer. One or more circuits are formed on the waveguide layer and each operatively connected thereto to receive the EMR emitted by the ultra-small resonant structure. The waveguide layer may be transparent at wavelengths corresponding to wavelengths of the EMR emitted by the ultra-small resonant structure. The EMR may be visible light and may encode a data signal such as a clock signal.

Abstract: A lock assembly includes a plurality of lock devices and a locking chain. Each lock device includes: a lock housing unit including upper and lower lock housings respectively formed with a rod hole and a jaw hole; a jaw actuating unit including a jaw actuator operable to move between locking and unlocking positions, and an urging member for urging the jaw actuator to the locking position, the jaw actuator having a ring portion and an operating rod extending through the rod hole; and a jaw unit including two locking jaws each having a hooking section that extends out of the jaw hole and an opposite force bearing section, and two biasing members for biasing the force bearing sections toward each other. The locking chain is extended removably through the positioning rings and the ring portion of each of the lock devices.

Abstract: A remote access device is disclosed for capturing, digitizing and communicating video signals from a host computer to a remote computer. The remote computer returns keyboard and mouse signals through the remote access device to the host computer to control the host computer as though the remote keyboard and mouse were directly connected to the host computer. The remote access device includes a circuit module interface for the host computer that allows the remote access device to operate independently of any operating system characteristics associated with the host computer.

Abstract: A stand for holding a rod-shaped unit, particularly a Christmas tree, comprises a foot part, a seating region for the tree trunk, said seating region being located on the foot part, several holding elements, which are supported around an axis of symmetry of the stand and which are pivotable against spring force out of an open position into a holding position, their pivoting planes intersecting approximately in the axis of symmetry, and at least one flexible force transfer element, particularly a steel cable, which can be actuated by means of a tensioning device and which can be loaded in tension and which engages around the holding elements and which, when tightened, causes the holding elements to pivot towards the axis of symmetry into the holding position.

Abstract: An electronic receiver array for decoding data encoded into electromagnetic radiation (e.g., light) is described. The light is received at an ultra-small resonant structure. The resonant structure generates an electric field in response to the incident light and light received from a local oscillator. An electron beam passing near the resonant structure is altered on at least one characteristic as a result of the electric field. Data is encoded into the light by a characteristic that is seen in the electric field during resonance and therefore in the electron beam as it passes the electric field. Alterations in the electron beam are thus correlated to data values encoded into the light.

Abstract: For ensuring that a vending machine motor will continue to operate until a product has descended through a vending space or an established time interval has elapsed, an optical beam is established across the vend space through which a product must drop. A change in beam intensity is detected. By preference infra red light is emitted at one focal point of an elliptical reflector, and detected at the other focal point. The light is emitted in pulses in the preferred embodiment, and the optical sensing system has automated calibration and error detecting functions.

Abstract: The present invention provides for widening a single bar (18) of a bar code without spoiling the readability of the bar code symbol. Further, the present invention provides for writing at least one sufficiently small letter, icon or other character within a single bar (24, 26) or space (22) of a bar code symbol without spoiling the symbol's readability.

Abstract: A video compression system for compressing a stream of digital video data is disclosed. Known run-length encoding is applied whenever possible to the digital video data stream. When a run is not identified, the encoder determines whether a consecutive series of pixels are identified from only two different colors, and if so creates a make-series command to create bytes with bits encoded as a stream of binary values corresponding to the two pixel colors as they occur in the consecutive series. The make series command continues for as many bytes as the consecutive series of bits will fill, except that, when a make series command applies again to a byte of make-series bits, the make series command is preempted by the applicable run length encoding.

Abstract: A unique abdominal bench with a pivoting torso section has a number of pivots, rods, and levers that allow the fixed seat section, of the abdominal bench to remain a constant distance from the pivoting torso section during an abdominal exercise. The leg section of the abdominal bench pivots towards the abdomen, as does the torso section when the torso is raised. The leg section is pivotably connected to the torso section through a number of rods, pivots and levers such that the gap between the seat and torso section remains the same. A push rod is connected to the pivoting leg brace and is in turn connected to a torso bracket through several guide rods and a dog-leg lever. The push rod, guide rods and the dog-leg lever allow the torso section to remain a constant distance from the fixed seat section.

Abstract: A cord-releasing safety device includes a casing having a receiving space extending from top to bottom open-end portions thereof, a damping seat inserted into the receiving space and slidable upward and downward relative to the casing, a limiting unit associated with the top open-end portion and the damping seat to limit upward and downward movement of the damping seat relative to the casing, an urging element disposed in the receiving space for urging the damping seat to move upward, and a coupling member connected detachably to a lower connecting portion of the damping seat and adapted to be connected with a pull cord of the window blind.

Abstract: Methods are described for identifying and authenticating goods. A code or checksum based on information or an image relating to a good is derived and associated with a barcode to include on a label. The label is scanned by a recipient to authenticate the goods. Scanable codes are provided based on an image by distilling an image into its hue components and using a grid to create a pattern. The pattern is readable by a scanner to obtain a code directly, or by consulting a look-up table. The code, barcode, digital barcode or scanable code can be included on a label or tag, such as an RFID tag.

Abstract: A method and system for converting the output of a communications port (e.g., a serial port or a USB port) into video signals representing the output of a terminal using a KVM switch. Upon receiving characters from the communications port, the system interprets the characters as terminal emulation commands and internally generates a representation of what a resulting terminal screen would look like. From that internal (digital) representation, the system produces analog outputS representing the terminal screen. The analog outputs are output on the monitor attached to the KVM switch.

Abstract: A video compression system is disclosed that is optimized to take advantage of the types of redundancies typically occurring on computer screens and the types of video loss acceptable to real time interactive computer users. It automatically adapts to a wide variety of changing network bandwidth conditions and can accommodate any video resolution and an unlimited number of colors. The disclosed video compression encoder can be implemented with either hardware or software and it compresses the source video into a series of data packets that are a fixed length of 8 bits or more. Sequences of one or more of these packets create unique encoding “commands” that can be sent over any network and easily decoded (decompressed) with either software or hardware. The commands include 3 dimensional copying (horizontal, vertical and time) and unique efficiencies for screen segments that are comprised of only two colors (such as text).

Abstract: A network interface is described in which a single computer bus is split over a long distance into two or more inter-communicating buses. On one bus, processing and applications are provided and on the other remote bus, peripheral and local controllers are provided. The buses communicate through a series of: bridge, FPGA, FPGA and bridge. Between the FPGAs, a communication path provides long distance communication.

Abstract: A multi-function modulo processor architecture is capable of performing multiple modulo mathematic operations. The modulo processor includes a pipeline processing portion that iteratively computes a running partial modulo product using the operands of a modulo mathematic argument to obtain one or more final partial modulo products. The final partial modulo product is post-processed to obtain the final result.

Abstract: A memory cell (310) for a magnetic memory device (300) includes a free layer (311), a cap layer, an antiferromagnetic layer, and a synthetic antiferromagnetic layer which comprises two or more than two ferromagnetic layers that are antiferromagnetically coupled through non-magnetic space layers. The synthetic antiferromagnetic layer is pinned by antiferromagnetic layer. The antiferromagnetic layer and the synthetic antiferromagnetic layer form a synthetic antiferromagnetic pinned (SAFP) recording layer. The magnetization of the SAFP recording layer can be changed by combining a heating process and an external field induced from currents flowing along the bit line (320) and the word line (330). Therefore, a MRAM with high density, high thermal stability, low power dissipation and high heat tolerance can be achieved after introducing the SAFP recording layer due to the high volume and anisotropy energy of the SAFP recording layer.

Abstract: A group-browsing system for a plurality of clients each including a shared web browser when browsing non-secure parts of a web site. A server is linked to the shared web browser of each client and is configured to monitor the transmission of the web site URL request from the shared web browser of one client of the group and to direct the request to the shared web browser of other clients in the group. A gatekeeper module is configured to first mask the identity of each client's computer on the shared browser. This prevents the web site from retrieving any client's actual identifier. Second, the gatekeeper is also configured to create a same temporary identifier for each client when any client logs on to the web site so that the same web page is displayed for all the clients in the group. When browsing secure parts of a web site, a non-shared web browser is executed instead of using the shared web browser to avoid sharing sensitive or personal information.

Abstract: A computer security lock includes a main housing, a key-operated lock having a lock housing disposed in the main housing and having a lock bar extending movably through the lock housing, and a pair of scissors-type levers. Each lever has opposite proximal and distal end portions, and a medial part between the proximal and distal end portions. The distal end portion has a hook extending outwardly of the main housing to engage a slot in a computer housing. The medial parts of the levers are pivoted to the main housing at a common pivot point. The proximal end portions of the levers are biased to place the hooks in an unlatching position in which the hooks overlap. A cam is moved by the lock bar to extend toward and between the proximal end protions so that the hooks move away from each other. A cable holder extends around the main housing, and a security cable is connected pivotally to the cable holder.