Abstract: The cover of a binder is provided with a coating which is receptive to inks which are water based, solvent based or gel based, and which is substantially water-fast after the ink has dried. A coated transparent sheet may be provided on the front cover of the binder to form a pocket so that visual material inserted in the pocket may be traced, and so that the cover may be personalized. The coating may include porous pigment and a binder which includes as a component a water soluble polymer.

Abstract: A high-pressure rotary nozzle includes a magnetic coupling for the purposes of driving a rotor body within the nozzle housing. The nozzle housing defines an internal chamber, and a propulsion ring is retained within the housing such that a liquid introduced into the propulsion ring causes the propulsion ring to rotate and passes into the chamber. The rotor body is pivotally supported within the chamber and is operably coupled to the propulsion ring such that the rotor body moves along with the propulsion ring. The rotor body rotates about the housing, such that the liquid exits the chamber in a rotating jet.

Abstract: An air bed having a pump and a relief valve is operably connected with a control box. The control box is capable of being programmed or receiving scripted information from a media file such that timed pressure changes may be made in the air bed by operation of the pump and the relief valve. These changes are synchronized with a message being played by a media player. Thus the air bed interacts with a person lying on the bed. This interaction is used, preferably in a sales setting, to convey information to the person about the operation and features of the air bed.

Abstract: The key pad assembly includes a housing that attaches to a secure container. The housing has a front wall, and a key pad attaches to the front face of the front wall. A cylindrical side wall extends back from the front wall. The side wall is truncated at an angle to angle the front face to the door. Where the side wall is widest, which should be at the bottom of the housing, the side wall has a removable section through which a battery can be inserted. A cable extends through an opening in the front face from the key pad to a circuit board that mounts the combination sensing circuit. The cable is flat with multiple electric conductors and a slot. When the key pad and circuit board are properly assembled, the cable slot fits over a fixed pin in the housing. The pin secures the cable so that it is not pulled from its connection with the key pad or the circuit board. Other pins within the housing mount the circuit board. Parallel walls from the rear of the front face create a cavity for the battery.

Abstract: An interactive electronic instructional system is a teaching interface between a teacher and students where data is transmitted from the teacher's terminal to the student terminals. The data is received at the student terminals and is separated into execution data and instructional data. The student terminals are grouped into teams allowing student teams to interact with a group decision. This encourages team participation by shy or otherwise reluctant students. Team answer data is transmitted from one of the student terminals in the team to the teacher's terminal. The teacher monitors team answer data to infer class progress towards a goal. The teacher may modify the instructional data based on the progress.

Abstract: Clinkered materials containing high concentrations of {(C,K,N,M)4 (A,F,Mn,P,T,S)3 Cl,{overscore (S)})}(crystal X), and {C2S)3(C{overscore (S)})3Ca(f,Cl)2} or C9S3{overscore (S)}3Ca(f,cl)2 crystal Y), and/or {C5S2{overscore (S)}) (crystal Z) directly from the kiln, rapidly hardening ultra-high early strength cement including these clinkered materials, methods for forming and using said compositions and the cements so produced are claimed. The methods include the steps of forming a mixture of raw material containing CaO, MgO, Al2O3, Fe2O3, TiO2, Mn2O5, SiO2, SO3, Na2O, K2O, P2O5 and F, respectively designated C, M, A, F, T, Mn, S, {overscore (S)}, N, K, P and f, and heating said mixture to an elevated temperature between 900° C. and 1,200° C.; before determining average amount of crystals X, Y, and Z.

Abstract: Systems and methods of increasing the performance of computer networks, especially networks connecting users to the Web, are provided. Performance is increased by reducing the latency the client experiences between sending a request to the server and receiving a response. A connection is obtained by a client device to the network target node addressed by a physical I/O address, to more quickly respond to requests for resource files on data storage devices. This enhancement may be implemented by connecting the controller of the data storage device directly to the network, to reduce the latency involved in mapping the logical I/O address into a physical I/O address. In that case the requested resource file is sent to the client directly by the data storage device controller, thus saving time otherwise spent in sending the request and data between computer network components.

Abstract: An anvil assembly having a housing and two rotatable inserts with flat upper surfaces against which the heated shoes of a package sealing machine may press a covering sheet onto a plastic package tape. The inserts have a limited range of rotation so that they automatically align themselves to be parallel to the heated shoes when they are contacted thereby. This rotatable insert feature obviates the need for precise, laborious alignment efforts. Alternatively, a pair of rotatable blades are pivotally attached to the shoes and act against a fixed anvil surface, thereby automatically aligning themselves to be parallel to the anvil surface.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for providing base service patterns for use in a component-based architecture. A batch job pattern is provided for structuring batch components such that common architectural services are implemented uniformly across the batch components. A batch unit of work pattern is utilized for structuring work to be processed by the batch components so that the work is treated uniformly by the batch components.

Abstract: In order to selectively reinforce portions of a material web, a cutting and laminating device efficiently produces the required reinforcing strips and then laminates them to the web. In order to efficiently and accurately produce these reinforcing strips, a cross web shear is utilized which is capable of cutting required reinforcing strips from the fairly large web of reinforcing material in an accurate manner. Once cut, a holding and positioning device is capable of grabbing onto the reinforcing strip and appropriately positioning it next to the primary material web. A separate laminator can then attach this reinforcing strip to the web at a desired location.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for providing an activity framework. First, a plurality of sub-activities are created which each include sub-activity logic adapted to generate an output based on an input received from a user upon execution. Second, a plurality of activities are defined which each execute the sub-activities in a unique manner upon being selected for accomplishing a goal associated with the activity. Selection of one of the activities is allowed by receiving user indicia. An interface is depicted for allowing receipt of the input and display of the output during execution of the sub-activities associated with the selected activity.

Abstract: A light monitoring system provides a sensing unit coupled to a luminaire. The sensing unit monitors both the input and the output of the luminaire for both current and voltage. In this manner, a variety of problems with the luminaire can be detected by the sensor and this information can be passed to monitoring equipment that is either hard-wired or remotely coupled to the sensing unit.

Abstract: A high precision spindle suitable for hard disk drives, optical disk drives, such as DVDs, CD drives, and other applications includes a hub, a hybrid hydrodynamic an aerodynamic bearing system, a brushless motor, a starting/stopping assistant device and a base. The hybrid fluid film bearing system ensures that the spindle works at high precision, low acoustic noise and low power consumption. The starting/stopping assistant device lifts the rotating portion of the spindle and its load by means of magnetic force, hence, reduces the friction between the contacted surfaces of thrust air bearing. It reduces the starting/stopping time and lessens the wear of bearing, therefore, effectively suppresses the contamination caused by wear particles. Magnetic seals are also provide to prevent journal bearing fluid from leaking.

Abstract: A system and method, are provided for structuring batch activities for simplified reconfiguration. A series of processing steps is prepared for performing on input objects being streamed into a batch processing system. Each of the processing steps is encapsulated within at least one of a plurality of filters. The input objects are received and processed in the filters. Results are delivered from the filters incrementally during the processing of the input objects for reducing latency and enabling parallel processing. Connectors are utilized for connecting at least two of the plurality of filters each having a processing step for creating a process. One of the two filters is an input filter of the process and the other of the two filters is an output filter of the process. Connectors are also used for connecting input and output filters of different processes for forming a scalable system.

Abstract: A rigid corner piece for maintaining the square appearance of a mattress having foam sides. The corner piece anchors two of the foam pieces together to form a butt joint. The corner piece is constructed and arranged to be relatively undetectable by a person sitting on the side of the bed. The corner piece preferably defines a groove into which the two foam pieces may be placed at a relatively right angle to each other.

Abstract: According to a broad aspect of a preferred embodiment of the invention, telephone calls, data and other multimedia information is routed through a hybrid network which includes transfer of information across the internet utilizing telephony routing information and internet protocol address information. The hybrid network includes network element management wherein events received from network elements are filtered, correlated, and translated into a standard object format.

Abstract: Extremely hydrophobic nitric oxide (NO) releasing polymers are disclosed. The extremely hydrophobic NO-releasing polymers provided are extensively cross-linked polyamine-derivatized divinylbenzene diazeniumdiolates. These polymers can be loaded with extremely high NO levels and designed to release NO in manners than mimic natural biological systems. The NO-releasing extremely hydrophobic polymers provided can maintain a sustained NO release for periods exceeding nine months. Also provided are related medical devices made using these NO-releasing extremely hydrophobic polymers.

Abstract: A system and method of providing a global internetworking gateway architecture in an e-commerce environment are provided. A plurality of gateways each situated in a distinct geographic location are coupled to an internet. A wide area network, separate from the internet, is coupled to each of the gateways for providing communication between the wide area network and the internet. Coupled to the wide area network is a central database for providing a central storage for data used in e-commerce carried out over the internet. In one embodiment, at least one of the gateways includes at least one screening router coupled to the internet service provider, at least one firewall connected to the screening router, and a choker router coupled between the wide area network and the firewall.