Abstract: A method of providing ventilatory support or treatment of sleep disordered breathing, implemented using an electrically operated and computer controlled fan or blower, a gas delivery tube, and an atmospherically vented face mask or nasal prongs. The method, over a single respiratory cycle, includes cycling administered pressure between and including an upper pressure and a lower pressure to a user's airway. The lower pressure is greater than atmospheric pressure and is maintained only for as long as is required to allow the immediately prior administered gas volume to be at least substantially expelled from the user's respiratory system by its elastic recoil. The lower pressure is immediately thereafter returned to the upper pressure.

Abstract: A leaf spring suspension system for supporting a vehicle chassis (104) relative to a vehicle axle (105), the suspension system being arranged to be connected between first and second spaced connection locations of said vehicle chassis. The suspension system comprises a first elongate leaf member (10) arranged to be pivotably connected at a first end (14) thereof to the first connection location, and a second leaf member (12) pivotably connected at a second end (16) of said first member (10). A link member (108) is connected between the second leaf member (12) and the second connection location of said chassis, wherein the link member (108) is pivotably connected to the second leaf member at a first end thereof and is connected to the chassis at a second end thereof such that the angular orientation of the link member relative to the chassis can be altered in order to accommodate raising or lowering of the chassis relative to the vehicle axle.

Abstract: A shower arrangement (10) includes a mixer valve assembly (110) and conduit means (120) for the supply of water to the assembly (110). The conduit means (120) includes a conduit casing (2) defining an interior (122), a hot water pipe (3) defining a passage (103) for hot water and a cold water pipe (4) defining a passage (104) for cold water, the hot and cold water pipes (3, 4) being located in the interior (122).

Abstract: An anti-theft device for a bicycle that includes wheels disposed on a front fork and on a rear stay by a nut or bolt system and a saddle tube whose clamping axis comprises a nut or a bolt.

Abstract: This invention relates to a tooling system comprising a plurality of elements (22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42, 44, 46, 48, 50, 52, 54, 56, 58, 60, 62, 64) having tessellating sides arranged in an array. The elements of the array being movable between a closed position in which the elements contact one another, and an open position in which the elements of the array are spaced apart. In the open position the elements are capable of vertical movement relative to one another. Drive means for opening and closing the array are provided and the elements are mounted on supporting rails (2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14) and are driven by the drive means between the open position and the closed position along a drive axis which is at angle to the longitudinal axis of the supporting rails.

Abstract: A surface mount pulse transformer has a drum type core including a core and first and second flanges disposed on both ends of the core and installed on a substrate and a primary winding wire and a secondary winding wire wound around the core and provided with an intermediate tap, respectively, wherein first and second terminal electrodes being connected to each of both ends of the primary winding wire and a third terminal electrode for connecting being connected to the intermediate tap of the secondary winding wire are disposed on the surface of the first flange and a fourth terminal electrode being connected to the intermediate tap of the primary winding wire and fifth and sixth terminal electrodes being connected to each of both ends of the secondary winding wire are disposed on the surface of the second flange.

Abstract: Creative multi-act games for the younger generation of casino players accustomed to creative simulation games such as “The Sims®” and familiar TV characters such as the cast of “Friends.” Stories unfold through acts that have been staged by the player by selecting and placing acting objects. A palette of betting opportunities may be provided in each act in accordance with the staged act to allow the player(s) to place bets. A typical storyboard may include three acts: (a) a construction act, (b) a testing act and (c) a destruction or resolution act. The unfolding of acts may be non-linear and several players may participate simultaneously, sharing the opportunity to affect a storyboard's direction through decision-making.

Abstract: A dispute resolution model for next generation action/skill casino games comprising a variety of friendly onscreen methods to demonstrate the fairness of a disputed game or simply to allow the player to eliminate confusion created by fast action wagering. Such methods may include running on-demand instant replays of segments of wagered games to allow both players and operators to verify those games' fairness and providing the player with historical information regarding the operation of the casino game and/or the gaming machine. The historical information includes historical win information to demonstrate the distribution of previous wins; Skill vs. luck historical information to demonstrate the exact role both luck and skill played in a player's game outcome; and peer comparison historical information to enable the player to compare the recent payback history of a given game to identical games on the casino floor, and to show the player which machines have been the luckiest over a given period of time.

Abstract: Chip-Based Gaming includes methods for playing electronic games of chance or skill that provide players with a greater number of options and greater wagering flexibility than previous methods have afforded them. In the present Chip-Based gaming model, players may select virtual betting chips from an onscreen palette and apply those chips to various wagering opportunities throughout a game. Using this model, players are able to make individual bets on each of a slot machine's paylines or wager on making specific hands in Video Poker. Players are also able to buy and/or wager on symbol “nudges” and to buy symbol “re-spins” within a multi-line slot machine, options which provide the player with a much richer, more flexible gaming experience than he or she had heretofore enjoyed.

Abstract: Creative multi-act games for the younger generation of casino players accustomed to creative simulation games such as “The Sims®” and familiar TV characters such as the cast of “Friends”. Stories unfold through acts that have been staged by the player by selecting and placing acting objects. A palette of betting opportunities may be provided in each act in accordance with the staged act to allow the player(s) to place bets. A typical storyboard may include three acts: (a) a construction act, (b) a testing act and (c) a destruction or resolution act. The unfolding of acts may be non-linear and several players may participate simultaneously, sharing the opportunity to affect a storyboard's direction through decision-making.

Abstract: Chip-Based Gaming includes methods for playing electronic games of chance or skill that provide players with a greater number of options and greater wagering flexibility than previous methods have afforded them. In the present Chip-Based gaming model, players may select virtual betting chips from an onscreen palette and apply those chips to various wagering opportunities throughout a game. Using this model, players are able to make individual bets on each of a slot machine's paylines or wager on making specific hands in Video Poker. Players are also able to buy and/or wager on symbol “nudges” and to buy symbol “re-spins” within a multi-line slot machine, options which provide the player with a much richer, more flexible gaming experience than he or she had heretofore enjoyed.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments of the present Hierarchical-Five Wheel model of gaming include systems in which every wager made on an electronic game of chance may trigger two games: 1) standard play on the machine's primary display and 2) the display of one or more numbers or symbols on the machine's secondary display. The numbers and/or symbols on each machine's secondary display may combine with the numbers or symbols on other player's secondary displays to create a shared game in which certain predetermined symbol combinations equate to jackpots awarded to participating players. Banks of Hierarchical-Five Wheel machines may have two levels of play, as is described above, or may have three, four, five or more levels of game play. Hierarchical Five-Wheel gaming machines are capable of awarding large, life-changing jackpots to players who are not necessarily winners within their primary game, giving the player multiple ways to win.

Abstract: The present invention is provided with a high frequency module comprising a multilayered substrate, a power amplifier IC mounted on the upper surface of the multilayered substrate, first and second filters disposed substantially directly below the power amplifier IC in an inner layer of the multilayered substrate, and coupling-reducing ground vias disposed between the first filter and the second filter. At least the first filter is disposed substantially directly below the power amplifier IC. The coupling-reducing ground vias double as thermal vias for dissipating heat generated by the power amplifier IC.

Abstract: A gaming machine includes a processor adapted to execute a program of a game; a biometric reader configured to capture first biometric data from the player, and a trusted cache. The trusted cache includes a nonvolatile memory that is configured to store the first biometric data; a context data save engine configured to save the context of the program to the nonvolatile memory and to associate the stored first biometric data with the saved context of the program upon the processor receiving a request from the player to suspend game play, and a context data recovery engine configured to recover the saved context from the nonvolatile memory and to cause continued execution of the program from the recovered saved context upon the biometric reader capturing second biometric data from the player that matches the stored first biometric data and receiving a request from the player to resume game play.

Abstract: System architecture and methods for enabling (a) freelance game developers gather intelligence data such as to offer dazzling electronic games to the regulated casino gaming marketplace and receive compensation based on the success of their games, and (b) game operators gather intelligence data to enables them to tailor their regulated game offerings. Intelligence data for both the freelance game developers and the game operators are based on demand/popularity of identical trial games available to the public over a predetermined computer site, the trial games using simulated money only. In addition, players are provided with the location of the casinos offering their favorite game(s) for playing with real money, together with the promotions offered if any. Operators are provided with the contacts of the players and their list of favorite games such as to offer incentives to attract them to their casino.

Abstract: An interactive TV device is configured to receive and process multiple broadband input streams simultaneously. The device includes functionality to perform as a Web browser, HF, cable and satellite TV receiver, a digital PVR, an interactive TV set-top box, an advanced central processing unit and a videoconferencing device, thanks to an integrated videoconferencing camera. The present interactive TV device is configured to manage all multimedia sources identically, whether the input is a TV channel, a Web page, or a video stream played back from a data carrier such as a DVD, for example. The present interactive TV device is also configured to enable a user to watch and record a plurality of video streams simultaneously and to display them on four independently manageable quarter screen segments.

Abstract: A universal method and computer system for downloading game software to legacy gaming machines. A gaming machine includes a locked enclosure; a first computing device disposed within the locked enclosure, the first computing device being programmed to enable game play of the gaming machine; a second computing device disposed within the locked enclosure of the gaming machine, the second computing device being configured for network access, and an interface between the first and the second computing devices. The second computing device is configured to receive game software components over the network that are compatible with (e.g., executable by) the first computing device but not compatible with (e.g., not executable by) the second computing device and to transfer the received game software components to the first computing device over the interface. The second computing device may include, for example, a PC.

Abstract: An antenna apparatus includes an antenna block and a substrate. The antenna block has a base that is made of a substantially cuboid dielectric body, an upper-surface conductor formed on an upper surface of the base, first and second pad electrodes that are formed on both ends of a bottom surface of the base in a longitudinal direction of the base, respectively, and a lateral-surface conductor connecting the upper-surface conductor and the second pad electrode. The substrate has a region mounting the antenna block, a ground pattern provided around the mounting region, first and second lands that are provided within the mounting region so as to correspond to the positions of the first and second pad electrodes, a feed line that is connected to the first land, an impedance-adjusting pattern connecting the first land and the ground pattern, and a frequency-adjusting pattern connecting the second land and the ground pattern.

Abstract: A universal method and system for downloading game software to ROM based legacy gaming machines, activating selected games and providing new services. The method includes a ROM emulator for replacing the game program image and an NVRAM emulator for swapping the game context and critical meters accordingly. The method includes detection of the state of the current game activity such as to activate a new game only at an authorized time, when no player is playing a game or is carded-in for example. The system includes emulation of the original peripherals fitted to the legacy gaming machine such as to offer extended functionality and services. The universal method and system therefore prolongs the useful life of legacy machines which otherwise would be prematurely retired.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method of managing electronic documents includes steps of providing a first electronic document, the first document including a plurality of first document content elements; providing a second electronic document, the second document including a plurality of second document content elements; defining a parent-child relation between the first document and the second document to form a hierarchy of electronic documents that includes the first and second electronic documents; defining an override relation to bind a selected first document content element to a selected second document content element, the override relation specifying an override type that determines whether the selected second document content element should be replaced by, appended to the selected first document content element or removed, and enforcing the at least one override relation binding the selected first document content element to the selected second document content element.