Abstract: A vacuum device has a housing. The housing forms an inlet opening and an outlet opening. The housing also forms a viewable compartment for retaining refuse vacuumed by the device. A vacuum motor is located in the housing. The vacuum motor has a suction inlet and a vent outlet. The suction inlet is connected to the viewable compartment. The suction inlet is also connected to the inlet opening of the housing. The vent outlet of the vacuum motor is to the outlet opening of the housing. An electric circuit of the device is connected to the vacuum motor. The electric circuit is connected to a sensor and includes a microcontroller. The sensor, for example, an infrared beam and detector, triggers the electric circuit, and programmed control by the microcontroller, when the beam is broken and not detected by the detector. When the beam is broken, the sensor signals the microcontroller and the microcontroller logically powers-on the vacuum motor to suction the refuse into the housing.

Abstract: A system for cleaning includes a handle and a head having a cleaning surface. The head is connected to the handle and is extendable to selectively widen or narrow the cleaning surface. A gear is fixedly connected to the handle and rotatingly connected to the head, so that twist of the handle rotates the gear. A first series of extension gears operably connect to the gear, and a second series of extension gears also operably connect to the gear. Rotation of the gear via the handle, rotates the first series and the second series. A first head extension is operably connected to the first series, such that rotation of the first series swings the first head extension into laterally aligned extension of the head. A second head extension is operably connected to the second series, such that rotation of the second series swings the second head extension also into laterally aligned extension of the head.

Abstract: A specimen package includes a top, a first side, connected to the top, a bottom, connected to the first side, and a second side, connected to the bottom. The package also includes therein an internal separator. The internal separator forms a first compartment and a second compartment within the package. The top includes a window for viewing the first compartment. The bottom includes a second window for viewing the second compartment. The top, the first side, the bottom, the second side, and the internal separator can all be formed by folding a shaped planar sheet. The first compartment can contain a specimen, placeable within the first compartment. The second compartment can contain a label, placeable within the second compartment. The specimen is viewable through the first window, and the label is viewable through the second window.

Abstract: A communication provider which provides wireless access to a packetized data network, such as the Internet. The provider includes a server computer. The server computer is connected to the network, which is at least in part a wired network. A client device is also connected to the network, including by wireless means. The wired network is connected to a cellular wireless communications system. Payloads of information communicated by the server computer to the client device are assigned corresponding Global Sequence Numbers. By determining a time differential between next succeeding payloads received by the client, a determination is made whether any payload loss occurs on a wired portion of the network or on a wireless portion of the network. Headers of all payloads of information are compressed together and transmitted together, in order to limit communications and amount of data communicated. A send rate of the server computer is adjusted in relation to an effective receive rate of the client device.

Abstract: A system for mobile communications includes a protocol module and a radio component. The radio component includes a socket for electrically connecting to the protocol module and the protocol module is replaceable. The protocol module operates to provide functionality to the system according to at least one communications technology. The communications technologies can include any of CDMA, TDMA, GSM, or others. The protocol module can be replaced, for example, a protocol module for CDMA communications can be used where CDMA communications are possible and a separate protocol module for GSM communications can be used where GSM communications are possible. Because the protocol module is replaceable, any communications protocols and technologies, current and future, are viable for operations of the radio component, merely by replaced with an appropriate protocol module for the particular communications protocols and technologies at the location.

Abstract: An application service provider provides wireless access to a packetized data network, such as the Internet. The application service provider includes a server computer. The server computer is connected to the network, which is at least in part a wired network. The wired network is connected to a cellular wireless communications system. Data is communicated over the network, both wired and wireless, via OSI models, for example, according to TCP/IP protocols or specialized variants. A wireless device, such as a modem-equipped laptop computer or personal digital assistant, a web-enabled telephone, or the like, is communicatively connected to the cellular wireless communications system. The application service provider can maintain a website, including targeted content, on the server computer for access by the wireless device.

Abstract: A system for testing with an automated test equipment (ATE). The ATE includes a tester, an interface board connected to the tester, a first socket and a second socket of the interface board, a first manipulator arm connected to the tester, and a second manipulator arm connected to the tester. The first socket and the second socket are parallel-wired to the tester. The ATE also includes a switch connected to the tester and the interface board. The switch selectively effects communicative connection of the tester to either of the first socket or the second socket at each instant. During testing via one of the sockets, one of the manipulator arms moves post-test devices and replaces next devices for testing in the other of the sockets. After testing via one of the sockets is completed, the switch immediately connects the other socket and testing of next devices commences and continues for those devices.

Abstract: A system for cleaning includes a handle and a head having a cleaning surface. The head is connected to the handle and is extendable to selectively widen or narrow the cleaning surface. A gear is fixedly connected to the handle and rotatingly connected to the head, so that twist of the handle rotates the gear. A first series of extension gears operably connect to the gear, and a second series of extension gears also operably connect to the gear. Rotation of the gear via the handle, rotates the first series and the second series. A first head extension is operably connected to the first series, such that rotation of the first series swings the first head extension into laterally aligned extension of the head. A second head extension is operably connected to the second series, such that rotation of the second series swings the second head extension also into laterally aligned extension of the head.

Abstract: A method and system of receiving, storing, and delivering customer comments, including qualitative and quantitative feedback, over a communications network, such as the Internet. Also, the present invention relates to a method and system of rating and ranking companies, including individual merchants and both buyers and sellers, and their products and services based upon comments received and then awarding the companies points based upon their rating.

Abstract: A method for a guided natural language interface includes inputting to a thin client a query, communicating to an interface intermediary, communicating to an interface descriptor data source, generating an interface descriptor, communicating the interface descriptor to the interface intermediary, communicating the interface descriptor to a parser farm, requesting an appropriate parser corresponding to the interface descriptor, assigning an appropriate parser, parsing, communicating a translation from the step of parsing, to the interface intermediary, and communicating the translation to the thin client. The thin client can be geographically remote from any or all of the steps other than the step of inputting, such that the method is performed over a disparate enterprise, such as a network, for example, the Internet.

Abstract: A method for finding a trading ad on a network includes steps of receiving a query, devising a query string from the query, sending the query string to a search engine of the network, searching via the search engine to find the trading ad, returning a search result by the search engine, sifting and extracting the trading ad from the search result, and matching and ranking the trading ad with respect to the query. A trader performs the steps of receiving, devising, sending, sifting and extracting, and matching and ranking. The trader is scalable such that the network can be the Internet, and the trader can be a computer software program.

Abstract: A tailgate seat system for use with a pickup truck includes a back, a seat, and a hinge connecting the seat to the back. The hinge permits the back to freely pivot with respect to the seat, including to form an L-shaped position and also a folded U-shaped position. The tailgate seat system also includes a substantially rigidly supported pole extending along the back to maintain the back in fixed L-shaped or U-shaped position with respect to the seat. The back and the seat each include a rigid panel topped with padding. The back and seat can be upholstered or otherwise treated for comfortable use in seating. The seat can sit atop a tailgate, and the back can extend upright from the seat. The tailgate seat system is conveniently stowable in minimal space of a pickup bed. Additionally, the back of the seat can serve as a display, such as for a design, ad, or team logo.

Abstract: A wireless communications network includes a wireless client device, such as a notebook computer, a personal digital assistant, or a data-enabled telephone. The network includes a router for receiving communications from the wireless client device. The router is connected to an application service provider (ASP) server computer of the network. The ASP server computer of the network has a tiered architecture that includes a deserialized server and a centralization server. The deserialized server functions to handle relatively dynamic information in client-server communications with the wireless client device, and the centralization server functions to handle relatively static information in such communications. A session server of the ASP server computer generates a proxy cookie. The proxy cookie includes all relevant information for the wireless client device for the particular communications session.

Abstract: A method of draining moisture from a soil includes steps of providing a first surface in contact with the soil, wherein the first surface is permeable and non-absorbent; providing a plurality of granules in contact with the first surface, wherein the plurality of granules is permeable and non-absorbent; and providing a second surface in contact with the plurality of granules, wherein the second surface is permeable and non-absorbent. The method includes dispersing the moisture via the first surface, the granules, and the second surface, distributing the moisture via the first surface, the granules, and the second surface, and draining the moisture via the first surface, the granules, and the second surface. The dispersing, distibuting and draining are caused by gravitational and capillary effect. The method is performed by a potting insert. The potting insert is located in a potting container, below soil in the container.

Abstract: A method of communications over a network is specially adapted for improved transmission performance with reduced bandwidth requirements in communications networks which are low quality or have widely varied physical channel performance, for example, wireless networks. The method includes steps of packetizing a payload into a series of data packets, inserting header packets at the beginning, middle, and towards the end of the series, transmitting the series, together with the header packets, receiving at least some of the data packets of the series and at least one of the header packets, and sending an acknowledgement. The acknowledgement is either that all data packets and at least one header packet were received; that not all data packets were received and at least one header packet was received; or that some data packets were received, but no header packet was received.

Abstract: A remote viewing system is for viewing digital images of remote locations. The viewing system includes a plurality of digital image acquisition devices. The devices are located at remote locations. The system also includes a plurality of digital image transmission devices connected to respective ones of the digital image acquisition devices. A digital image receiving device is communicatively connected to each of the digital image transmission devices. A digital image server device is connected to the digital image receiving device. The digital image server device is connected to a network, such as the Internet. A network-enabled computer can access select ones of the digital images over the network. The digital image receiving device and the digital image server device cooperate to make available to the network-enabled computer the select ones of the digital images for download from the network.

Abstract: A system for lasing includes a diode laser array for emitting light of wavelength .lambda..sub.0, a tunable Bragg grating fiber laser connected to the diode laser array for emitting single mode light of wavelength 2*.lambda..sub.vis, a cladding pumped power amplifier connected to the diode laser array and the tunable Bragg grating fiber laser, and a second harmonic generator, including an optical cavity and crystal, connected to the cladding pumped power amplifier for emitting light of wavelength .lambda..sub.vis. The second harmonic generator is maximized, thereby maximizing emission of the light of wavelength .lambda..sub.vis, by control electronics connected to the tunable Bragg grating fiber laser, the cladding pumped power amplifier, and the second harmonic generator. The control electronics stabilize the amplitude of the light of wavelength 2*.lambda..sub.vis, emitted by the tunable Bragg grating fiber laser and lock the frequency of the light of wavelength 2*.lambda..sub.

Abstract: A method of treating systemic afflictions includes loading a dental floss with an active therapeutic agents and rubbing the floss against a mouth tissue to release the active therapeutic agent onto the tissue for penetration through the tissue. The active therapeutic agent is selected from the group consisting of zinc sulfate, zinc chloride, zinc acetate, zinc phenol sulfonate, zinc borate, zinc bromide, zinc nitrate, zinc glycerophosphate, zinc benzoate, zinc carbonate, zinc citrate, zinc hexafluorosilicate, zinc diacetate trihydrate, zinc oxide, zinc peroxide, zinc salicylate, zinc silicate, zinc stannate, zinc tannate, zinc titanate, zinc tetrafluoroborate, zinc gluconate, and zinc glycinate. An additional therapeutic agent may also be loaded on the floss, for example, antimicrobials, antibiotics, antioxidants, anti-plaque agents, analgesics, anti-tarter agents, anti-caries agents, hemostatic agents, anti-inflammatory agents, hormones, bleaching agents and vitamins.

Abstract: A volleyball spiking practice device positions a volleyball at a desired elevation above a surface. The device comprises a generally C-shaped head and a support pole attached to the head. The head sufficiently retains a volleyball to be knocked free. The support pole is attached with the head at an angle so that the support pole extends laterally away from the head when vertically disposed, to position the volleyball. The support pole is hand-held.