Abstract: Methods, services, articles of manufacture comprising computer readable programs, systems, articles and programmable devices are provided for customizing an avatar behavior rule within a virtual universe environment as a function of individual avatar data. It is determined whether the activity of an avatar is relevant to a behavior rule for a virtual universe. If the activity is determined to be relevant to the rule, the rule is customized for the avatar as a function of individual avatar data associated with the avatar, and it is determined whether the activity exceeds a violation threshold of the customized rule. If the activity is determined to exceed the customized rule violation threshold, an appropriate action is taken as specified by the customized rule.

Abstract: Embodiments provide for planetary gearing systems with ring gears comprising cylindrical tooth forms arrayed from a central axis and encompassing at least one planetary sprocket and a sun gear. The sun and ring gears have cylindrical tooth forms. The planetary sprocket teeth are aligned for engagement with at least one of the sun gear and ring gear cylindrical tooth forms at a contact radius from the central axis selected as a function of the sprocket tooth common involute gear shape, the sprocket radius, the sprocket tooth pitch, and of the pitch, gear radius and cylindrical form diameter of the selected at least one gear cylindrical tooth forms.

Abstract: A valve includes a generally cylindrical housing including first and second end portions that are offset from each other along a longitudinal axis of the generally cylindrical housing. First and second inlet ports are arranged on one of said first or second end portions, and at least one outlet port is arranged on one of said first or second end portions. A disk is disposed in the generally cylindrical housing and is configured to independently control both mixing and flow rate of fluid flowing into at least one of the first and second inlet ports.

Abstract: Methods, program products and systems are provided for selectively synchronizing and tracking networked or internet communication message items. An interactive communication application presents a message entry interface enabling a user to select a discrete question for tracking, creating tracking thread. The message is presented by visually distinguishing the tracked question from a remainder of message items, and the thread is updated in response to a reply message comprising a linked answer. A secondary tracking display interface presents thread pluralities and enables a user to select and resend an unanswered question or an unacknowledged answer. An answer may be automatically or explicitly linked to a question. Selecting or linking a question or answer may be effected through a cursor routine or special text string inputs, and the special text string inputs may be user defined.

Abstract: Radio frequency identification is used in cooperation with the computer system aboard a motor vehicle to track service and maintenance activities relating to the vehicle. Each component or part of the vehicle that may require maintenance is provided with a unique passive identification tag. The output data from the tag is read by a reader placed in proximity to the tag, and the data is transmitted to an on-board computer module where it is processed, and the service record is updated. A data stream converter may be used to process the information read by the reader into a format that is acceptable to the on-board computer. The data from the on-board computer is stored in a device external to the computer. Provisions are included for notification to the user, the auto dealer or service other agency as needed.

Abstract: Harmonizing business process tasks comprehends comparing descriptors associated with each of a plurality of business process tasks in response to a process variation input and identifying tasks as a candidate task pair for consolidation. Input and output attributes of the candidate pair tasks are compared and consolidation confirmed if the compared input and output attributes are similar. Consolidating the confirmed candidate pair tasks includes merging the confirmed candidate pair into a new merged task or replacing one with the other, and an output from the consolidated candidate pair is generated as a common harmonized output for the first and second tasks. Identifying the candidate task pairs for consolidation may be a function of similarity of task descriptors, of input/output business process relationships to other candidate task pairs, and also of both.

Abstract: Methods, including service methods, articles of manufacture, systems, articles and programmable devices are provided for performing variation oriented analysis across aspects of service oriented architecture modeling. A commonality or variance of a first process to a second process of an initial model plurality of processes is captured, each having an initial model process format, and also of a third process relative to a fourth process of another model plurality of processes having a different format, wherein the commonalities and variances are stored in a common repository memory device in a repository format different from the model process formats. Processes of a model plurality are then refined as a function of the stored commonalities and variances, wherein refining comprises considering any of the stored commonalities and variances.

Abstract: Apparatus, methods and program products by which the user of a computer system may initiate an interval during which the user leaves the system idle to permit the system to become engaged in peer to peer software distribution.

Abstract: Virtual universe customer service representatives axe cloned and assigned as a function of observing customer behavior, retrieving historical data and creating a customer profile Preferential subavatar assignment parameters are determined for a customer as a function of the customer profile, choosing a subavatar from a plurality of subavatars as a function of a correlation of a subavatar performance characteristic with the preferential subavatar assignment parameter and a store objective, and the clone is populated with the chosen subavatar Choosing a subavatar may comprise preferentially rating subavatars and determining an appropriateness threshold as a function of the subavatar assignment parameter, the performance characteristics and the stole objective.

Abstract: Methods, including service methods, articles of manufacture, systems, articles and programmable devices are provided for adapting the power consumption of a computational device in response to environmental conditions. Operating environmental condition data relevant to the generation of electric power is acquired from an operating environment feed and analyzed to determine a high electric power demand indication. If the analyzing determines a high electric power demand indication, then a computational device automatically reduces an amount of electric power consumption.

Abstract: Methods, services, program products and devices are provided for tracking avatar activities within a virtual universe domain. A proximity threshold of an avatar is defined with respect to proximity to an artifact located within a virtual universe domain. Activity by the avatar within the virtual universe domain is tracked, with activity data generated from the tracking. The activity data is analyzed to determine proximity of the avatar to the artifact within the proximity threshold, and a report is generated from the analyzing, the report noting a determined proximity of the avatar to the artifact within the proximity threshold. In one aspect, the report is provided to a supervisory entity.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a circuit breaker comprising: a vacuum chamber; a fixed contact and a movable contact disposed in a vacuum chamber; a fixed contact stem supporting said fixed contact in said vacuum chamber and extending outwards from a first end of said vacuum chamber; a movable contact stem supporting said movable contact in said vacuum chamber for reciprocal movement between contact with and separated from said fixed contact, and extending outwards from a second end of said vacuum chamber; a first electrical conductor coupled to said fixed contact stem; a second electrical conductor coupled to said movable contact stem; at least one heat dissipating means disposed for at least one of said fixed contact and movable contact; wherein, the heat dissipating means is hollow and has an external surface and internal surface; a plurality of fins provided on said internal surface constitute a passage through which air is convected in a direction parallel to that of reciprocal movement of movable conta

Abstract: A device comprising a swivel mount and its method of use are described. The device can be used in pairs with a variety of different power tools useful for working on metal or wood. The purpose of the tool is to insure a precise linear alignment between the measuring device and the moving part of the power tool that removes material from the wood or metal. The swivel mount includes a mounting block, a ball shank, and a swivel body mounted on the ball of the shank. The swivel mount attaches to one portion of the measuring device that is linearly adjustable with respect to the material removing part of the power tool. A second swivel mount attaches to a portion of the power tool that maintains a fixed distance with respect to the moving part of the power tool.

Abstract: The present invention involves implementation of an intelligent switching program, whereby the processing power required to monitor check-out stations is considerably reduced. The present invention monitors a subset of check-out stations at any given time, instead of monitoring all check-out stations at all times. The subset of check-out stations is determined dynamically according to, but not limited to, cashier records, input parameters from the user, current lane activity, past lane activity, time of day, etc. Statistical models (e.g., effective population sampling and/or population hypothesis tests) are developed along these lines that guide the lane selection process, whereby increases in the false-negative rate due to failure to monitor particular lanes when events of interest occur are controlled. By monitoring fewer check-out stations, while maintaining target performance accuracy, the amount of data that end users must deal with is significantly reduced.

Abstract: A sound muffler combines a resonator chamber with a dissipative layer surrounding a through pipe. The muffler provides sound attenuation over a wide range of sound frequencies while maintaining unimpeded flow of gases through the pipe. This attenuation is achieved by combining dissipation with a frusto-conical resonant chamber. The dissipation is achieved by encircling the through passage with a layer of low density material such as metallic or ceramic foam or loosely packed fibers of a heat resistant material. The low density material attenuates the high frequency waves while permitting the passage of low frequency sound waves into the frusto-conical resonant chamber.

Abstract: Details relating to the operation of a vehicle under adverse conditions are recorded and collected. This data is particularly useful to forestall catastrophic failures, and to provide valuable information for potential buyers of used vehicles. Among the operating conditions that are considered are high levels of air contaminants, operation in extreme hot or cold temperatures, hauling heavy loads, as well as hard braking, turning and acceleration. In addition to the detection and recording of data, prorated maintenance schedules are recalculated and adjusted to accommodate for the operation of the vehicle under these adverse or less than ideal conditions. Typically, the data is stored in the on-board computers present in most vehicles. Periodic off loading of the data to the dealer and service providers is also provided.

Abstract: The present invention includes a method and system for persistently self-replicating multiple ranges of cells through a copy-paste operation, in a multi dimensional spreadsheet. A set of ranges of cells is defined, wherein each range of cells has the same size. Each time the content of a range of cells belonging to this set is changed, a self-replication operation is performed automatically. The self-replication operation includes the steps of copying the changed range of cells onto a buffer; determining the set of ranges of cells to which the changed range of cells belongs to; identifying the ranges of cells belonging to the set; and pasting the content of the buffer in each of identified range of cells belonging to the set.

Abstract: A system includes a multi-threaded processor that executes an instruction of a process of an executing program. The multi-threaded processor includes at least a first and a second thread. First and second sets of source registers are respectively allocated to the first and second threads, and first and second sets of destination registers are respectively allocated to the first and second threads. A resource prefix configuration register includes mappings between each of the source and destination registers and the threads. The multi-threaded processor, during execution of the instruction by one of the first or the second threads of execution, accesses the source and destination registers based on the mapping, wherein at least one of the accessed registers is allocated to the other of the first or the second thread of execution.

Abstract: Methods, program products, services and devices are provided for protecting a protected avatar from actions of a second avatar within a virtual universe. Protection is implemented for a protected avatar from a second avatar within a virtual universe, including identifying an activity of the second avatar and disqualifying the second avatar from engaging in the identified activity within the virtual universe as a function of a relation of the identified activity to the protected avatar. A protective action is defined, associated with the identified activity and executable against the protected avatar or the second avatar. Activity of the protected avatar or the second avatar is monitored within the virtual universe for an occurrence of the identified activity, and the protective action is executed against the protected avatar or the second avatar in response to detecting the occurrence of the identified activity.

Abstract: A new and distinct redbud tree named ‘Pink Heartbreaker’ is characterized by its strong weeping growth. This cultivar also exhibits vigorous growth throughout the growing season and striking clusters of pink flowers during the spring bloom. Like the parent plant, Cercis canadensis, ‘Pink Heartbreaker’ is disease and pest resistant.