Abstract: A wheel restraint for restraining a vehicle at a loading dock includes various features such as, a wheel chock supported by a spring loaded articulated arm with a spring that can be selectively tightened or released, a sensor that detects whether the chock is solidly against a base plate or floor, a bi-directional pivotal joint between the articulated arm and the wheel chock to ensure that the chock can sit squarely on a mating base plate, a wheel chock that meshes with a hydraulically actuated base plate, pivotal or otherwise movable backstops that prevent a wheel chock from sliding out of position, and a base plate cleaning system. The cleaning system might include a vehicle-actuated brush, fluid spray nozzles, electric heater and removable cover plates.

Abstract: Temperature-controlled pressure regulators are described. An example temperature-controlled pressure regulator described herein includes a regulator body having an inlet fluidly coupled to an outlet via a first passageway. A heat block is disposed within the regulator body and receives at least a portion of the first passageway. The heat block is to provide heat to the process fluid as the process fluid flows through the heat block via the first passageway, which separates the process fluid from the heat block.

Abstract: Any of various features of a workpiece are forged by a common set of tools. The feature is incrementally forged as the tool set is moved to successive forging locations on the surface of the workpiece. One of the tools is used to plasticize and extrude a portion of the workpiece while one or more of the other tools are used to form dams that contain and shape the extruded portions.

Abstract: A vehicle restraint installed within a pit underneath a dock leveler of a loading dock platform includes a single actuator that both extends and raises a barrier into engagement with a vehicle's ICC bar. When the barrier is in a retracted, stored position, the barrier is underneath the dock leveler and behind a front face of the loading dock platform. To engage the vehicle's ICC bar, the single actuator extends to first push the barrier along a first track to an intermediate position. That same actuator then pushes the barrier along a second track to a raised, operative position where the barrier engages and captures the vehicle's ICC bar. A spring coupled to the actuator provides the barrier with freedom to float along the second track to accommodate similar incidental movement of the ICC bar as the vehicle is serviced at the dock.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus to obtain anonymous audience measurement data from network server data for particular demographic and usage profiles are disclosed.

Abstract: Example methods and apparatus to limit a change of a drive value in an electro-pneumatic controller are disclosed. A disclosed example method includes receiving a control signal and a feedback signal, calculating from the control signal and the feedback signal a drive value, determining if a difference between the drive value and a previous drive value is greater than a slew limit of the electro-pneumatic controller, and changing the calculated drive value based on the slew limit.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus to generate smart text are disclosed. An example computer implemented method includes receiving at an input module a query input associated with at least one of a product of interest or a market of interest during a time-frame of interest and identifying at least one candidate external application based on the query input. The example method also includes retrieving volume information from the at least one candidate external application, the retrieved volume information associated with a current time-frame and the time-frame of interest, calculating a change associated with the retrieved volume information, and assigning a market change descriptor to the at least one of the product of interest or the market of interest related to a magnitude of the calculated change, the assigned market change descriptor output to a user via an output module.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus to monitor advertisement exposure are disclosed. An example method includes determining via a meter that a media content segment was presented at a media content presentation device and determining via an activity monitor different than the meter that a computing resource related to the media content segment was accessed by outputting an indication of an association between the computing resource access and the media content presentation after the presentation of the media content segment.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods of managed runtime in an embedded partition are disclosed. An example processor system has a general partition having a central processing unit (CPU) to run a first operating system. An embedded partition has a second central processing unit (CPU) to run a second operating system. An inter-partition bridge exchanges an instruction between the general partition and the embedded partition. The first operating system includes a managed runtime environment filter to evaluate the instruction and determine whether the embedded partition can process the instruction.

Abstract: A example method disclosed herein comprises initiating a first optimistically balanced synchronization to acquire a lock of an object, the first optimistically balanced synchronization comprising a first optimistically balanced acquisition and a first optimistically balanced release to be performed on the lock by a same thread and at a same nesting level, releasing the lock after execution of program code covered by the lock if a stored state of the first optimistically balanced release indicates that the first optimistically balanced release is still valid, the stored state of the first optimistically balanced release being initialized prior to execution of the program code to indicate that the first optimistically balanced release is valid, and throwing an exception after execution of the program code covered by the lock if the stored state of the first optimistically balanced release indicates that the first optimistically balanced release is no longer valid.

Abstract: Example methods and apparatus to perform multi-focal plane image acquisition and compression are disclosed. A disclosed example method includes capturing a first image of a portion of an object at a first focal plane and at a first resolution, computing a contrast metric for the captured first image, comparing the contrast metric to a threshold to determine whether to capture a second image of the portion of the object at the first focal plane and at a second resolution, wherein the second resolution is different from the first resolution, capturing the second image of the portion of the object at the first focal plane and at the second resolution, and storing a first representation of the second image in a file, the file containing a second representation of the portion of the object at a second focal plane, wherein the second representation is at the first resolution.

Abstract: A method for constructing a low-density parity-check (LDPC) code using a structured base parity check matrix with permutation matrix, pseudo-permutation matrix, or zero matrix as constituent sub-matrices; and expanding the structured base parity check matrix into an expanded parity check matrix. A method for constructing a LDPC code using a structured base parity check matrix H=[Hd|Hp], Hd is the data portion, and Hp is the parity portion of the parity check matrix; the parity portion of the structured base parity check matrix is such so that when expanded, an inverse of the parity portion of the expanded parity check matrix is sparse; and expanding the structured base parity check matrix into an expanded parity check matrix. A method for encoding variable sized data by using the expanded LDPC code; and applying shortening, puncturing.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus to specify regions of interest in video frames are disclosed. An example disclosed method comprises determining an initial template region to represent a region of interest whose location is based on a first point selected in a graphical presentation, determining a first modification to perform on the initial template region in response to a second point selected in the graphical presentation, detecting the second selected point in the graphical presentation, and reshaping the initial template region toward the second selected point, the reshaping corresponding to the first modification, the reshaping being performed in response to detecting the second selected point without also requiring the user to select any point substantially on the boundary defining the initial template region to initiate the reshaping.

Abstract: A medical support system and method for performing at least one medical support process relating to diagnosis and treatment of a medical condition and that includes or employs medical records relating to patients and medical support databases including medical guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of a medical condition. A medical support process includes one or more process phases. Each process phase includes one or more process operations wherein each of the process operations of a process phase includes one or more process forms providing interfaces between a user and the process operations. The medical records and the guidelines are to execute an interactive dialogue between the medical support process and the user to provide guidance to the user in performing the medical support process according to the guidelines and dependent upon the user inputs and the medical record.

Abstract: A system and method for routing data, the system having a processor, an interface in communication with the processor and capable of being in communication with a second system for routing data, a memory unit in communication with the processor, the memory unit having a network routing table having a plurality of routes, the plurality of routes having a first route; and a network failure route selection logic including instructions adapted to configure the processor to determine when the first route is inoperative, transmit a first data packet to the second system for routing data when the first route is inoperative and utilize a second route selected from one of the plurality of routes, the second route being different from the first route.

Abstract: A lighting apparatus for a gaming machine cabinet comprising: a spot light source which emits light relative to a central emission axis; and a translucent diffuser spaced from the spot light source, the diffuser comprising an inner portion located so as to intercept light emitted along the emission axis and an outer portion spaced from the emission axis, the inner and outer portions arranged such that the diffuser prevents transmission of more light in the region of the inner portion than in the region of the outer portion.

Abstract: A method of gaming comprising: determining at least one game outcome; determining a total award from the at least one game outcome; modifying the total award based on a size of the total award to obtain a modified total award; and awarding the modified total award.