Abstract: A method and apparatus for an Internet Caller-ID Delivery Plus Service is presented. The telephone numbers and Internet accounts of a subscriber are aggregated in a database, with one of the telephone numbers being designated as the primary contact number for the subscriber. When the primary contact number is called by a caller attempting to reach the subscriber, the corresponding telephone numbers and Internet accounts of the subscriber are retrieved from the database by the Service. Each telephone number, including the primary contact number, is then dialed by the Service and the call is connected to the first numbers answered. In the case where none of the subscriber's telephone numbers are answered, each Internet account is analyzed to determine if the subscriber is currently on-line. If the subscriber is on-line, a pop-up window with the caller's ID will appear on the screen.

Abstract: A quick-chilling apparatus and method utilizes a continuous flow liquid reservoir located at a first region of a centralized kitchen facility. The reservoir includes insulated walls and a cooling liquid, such as water, that endlessly circulates about submersed evaporator coils. A heat transfer coolant evaporated in the evaporator coils is compressed at a second region of the facility separated from the first region to extract heat from the cooling liquid. A compressor maintains the temperature of the cooling liquid less than about +2° C. Pre-cooked food items, packed in nylon or plastic bags, are submersed at a region of the reservoir downstream of the submersed cooling tubes and removed when chilled to +5° C. or less. Preferably, the reservoir is inclined 3-5° to provide a debris trap at one end thereof. Additives, such as salt, may be mixed with the cooling liquid to improve its thermodynamic cooling capacity.

Abstract: A vertical hearth barbecue grill having a removable, vertical firebox that is backwardly inclined so as to provide a combination of direct and indirect heating. Multiple cooking grids positionable at various heights across the firebox provide an substantial cooking area for grilling, broiling, and searing. Inclination minimizes ash avalanche during briquette burning. A top grid located directly over the firebox provides a surface for searing or high-temperature cooking (i.e., direct heating), a mid-level cooking grid provides medium temperature indirect and/or partial direct heating cooking, and a lower main cooking grid provides indirect medium temperature for broiling or baking. A pair of opposed insulated sidewalls help confine heat in and about the cooking grids and may also support a removable, hinged cover lid that establishes an oven-like enclosure about the mid-level and main cooking grids to provide a baking/broiling chamber.

Abstract: Detachable legs and side handles for a portable barbecue grill that interlock with each side of a barbecue grill wherein the grill has a flexible base to provide self-leveling of the legs. The leg members, among other things, provide stability against rearward tipping of the grill, provide both a stop to restrict opening of the grill's side panels and rotation of the grill lid or dome, and provide an elongated handle spanning the approximate range of the grill's front-to-ear center of gravity. Also, an alternative handle or side shelf may be held in position by friction clamping or complementary interlocking pins/receptacles after clamping the legs to the sides of the grill. The detachable legs may take on a variety of other shapes, including an inverted U-shape, trapezoidal, partial parallelogram, or a combination thereof. The leg assembly is also segmented so that they fit inside the grill for portability, storage, or shipment.

Abstract: A hybrid access system and method using a hybrid access system point of presence router and a remote link adapter to connect a user computer terminal to a network for fast downstream information transfer by high speed information broadcasting with lower speed upstream information transfer through an independent upstream channel to the hybrid access system point of presence router. High speed downstream information transfer passes through a cable TV headend or a TV transmitter or a cell station.

Abstract: A cooking container such as a pot, skillet or deep fryer is geometrically shaped to lie upon and to optimally extract heat from the firebox of a vertical hearth barbecue grill. The container has a bottom heat extraction surface that lie directly over the fuel source and that spans horizontally across the top portion of the firebox to receive direct convection heating. The container hooks onto a frontal surface of the firebox and includes a heat transfer/absorbing panel that is inclined according to any inclination of the firebox to receive at least a combination of direct convection and radiant heating, e.g., direct and indirect heating. A layer of copper may be placed on or embedded within the side and bottom panels of the container to disperse heat more evenly. Heat transfer surfaces of the container may be corrugated or otherwise expanded in area to enhance extraction of heat from the source.

Abstract: Acoustic coaxing induced microcavitation (ACIM) for controlling the onset, evolution, and/or intensity of microcavitation events in a liquid or fluid medium to perform nanometer or micrometer particle detection in ultrapure liquids, sub-micron particle removal for precision cleaning of semiconductor wafers, deinking of paper or pulp, thin film removal from substrates, depainting substrates or panels, destructive and nondestructive measuring and testing of thin films, sculpting or erosion of surfaces, or control or acceleration of liquid-based chemical reactions. Instead of using a pair of sinusoidally excited, acoustically focused transducers operating at different fundamental resonance frequencies, ACIM events are instead generated using a single transducer and a waveform generator, e.g.

Abstract: A copy machine having a high accuracy sheet registration system for precise placement of images on each copy sheet. The copy machine includes sensors with charge coupled devices (CCDs) that detect the sheet positions in two dimensions within the machine, and detect sheet arrival times at various positions with the machine. Using this detected information, the copy machine employs a multi-stage process to bring the sheet into contact with a color image moving on a photoreceptor belt, in synchronism with the position and speed of the image on the belt. The copy machine also monitors its own condition and makes predictions about needed preventive maintenance, to instruct personnel to service the machine before the machine fails.

Abstract: A removable firebox for use in a portable, collapsible barbecue grill including retractable heating grate on top of the firebox and a retractable mid-level cooking grill for providing high-temperature cooking. A lower main grill is disposed in a base cavity of the barbecue grill for providing moderate temperature cooking. The firebox rests in the base cavity of the grill housing and provides heat to a cooking area defined by the base cavity, an upper lid of the housing and a pair of side walls extending upward from the base cavity. The firebox and/or the upper lid includes insulation and/or cooling baffles to protect users from heated surfaces. Venting is provided from the sides and rear of the grill housing. When collapsed, the grate and grills fold onto or are retracted within the firebox, and the entire firebox assembly is stowed in a sealed grill housing. The top and bottom portions of the grill housing mate to form a sealed container-like structure for convenient transportability or storage.

Abstract: A medium access controller for a multi-user network that assigns or changes the operating protocol of multiple upstream channels according to user loading, user status, and/or type of payload data transfers requested by the user or detected by the controller. One group of upstream channels utilizes a contention-only protocol for non-responding or off-line users, a second group utilizes a limited type polling protocol for users requiring only brief transfers of payload data, and a third group utilizes an exhaustive polling protocol user requiring large amounts of payload data transfers. Limited type polling provides low latency for quick response to accommodate multiple users, while exhaustive polling provides large data throughput at the expense of latency. Additional levels of limited or exhaustive polling may be employed to accommodate a larger variety of users needs.

Abstract: A printing machine that records information about resources expended to carry out a printing request. The recorded resource information may include quantities of particular paper types and colored toner needed to satisfy the printing request. Subsequently, before carrying out another printing request, the printing machine uses the recorded information to make a prediction or estimate of resources required to carry out the printing request. The printing machine thus reduces uncertainty about whether there are sufficient resources to satisfy the next request, and alleviates the burden of maintaining excessive consumables in inventory.

Abstract: A highly sensitive, high-speed dual tunnel diode detector is described for use in Ultra Wideband (UWB) object detection systems, such as a radar. The extended capability of the detector to both extremely short (sub-foot) and long distance (tens of thousands of feet) ranges is unique and permits the application of low power UWB radar to a wide variety of applications including high resolution radar altimetry at altitudes exceeding 10,000 feet and for autonomous on-deck landing operations (e.g., one-foot altitudes), the detection of extremely low radar cross section (RCS) targets for such applications as suspended wire detection for helicopters and other manned and unmanned craft, etc. High noise and interference immunity of the detector permits co-location of a UWB radar sensor with other active systems. The invention has immediate and significant application to all areas, both military and commercial, of precision distance measurement, intrusion detection, targeting, etc. over a wide range of distances.

Abstract: A removable firebox for use in a portable, collapsible barbecue grill including retractable heating grate on top of the firebox and a retractable mid-level cooking grill for providing high-temperature cooking. A lower main grill is disposed in a base cavity of the barbecue grill for providing moderate temperature cooking. The firebox rests in the base cavity of the grill housing and provides heat to a cooking area defined by the base cavity, an upper lid of the housing and a pair of side walls extending upward from the base cavity. The firebox and/or the upper lid includes insulation and/or cooling baffles to protect users from heated surfaces. Venting is provided from the sides and rear of the grill housing. When collapsed, the grate and grills fold onto or are retracted within the firebox, and the entire firebox assembly is stowed in a sealed grill housing. The top and bottom portions of the grill housing mate to form a sealed container-like structure for convenient transportability or storage.