Abstract: Parallel plate bus structures are commonly used for high-current applications where low inductance is a requirement. Such bus structures are very well suited for inverter topologies used to convert from DC to AC power and a capacitor is needed to minimize ripple on the DC bus. However, such arrangements are not able to provide sufficiently low inductance to easily eliminate bypass capacitors which typically requires a system inductance below 10 nH nor do they provide any natural EMI suppression. The present invention utilizes that natural circular symmetry of a circular film capacitor winding by implementing a coaxial shaped bus connection from the capacitor to the switching semiconductors in the DC bus application of DC to AC inverter. The result is an achievement of lower ESL and geometry based EMI suppression without the use of external-lumped filtering components.

Abstract: Parallel plate bus structures are commonly used for high-current applications where low inductance is a requirement. Such bus structures are very well suited for inverter topologies used to convert from DC to AC power and a capacitor is needed to minimize ripple on the DC bus. The present invention provides a method of integrating an annular form factor wound film capacitor into a parallel bus structure to provide a compact geometry with minimal inductance. Furthermore, the capacitor acts as the dielectric spacer between the bus plates, which eliminates the need for separate capacitor terminals and provides the lowest possible profile.

Abstract: A system to signal proximity of at least one object or entity comprises reference means, sensing means for sensing the at least one object or entity in an electric field, and processing means for detecting at least one capacitive change in at least a portion of the electric field. The sensing means is configured to at least partially form the electric field with at least a portion of the reference means. Also provided is a sensing device comprising at least one electrically conductive unit, at least one reference, and an electrical circuit coupled to at least one processor. At least one of the electric circuit and the at least one processor is configured to cause the at least one electrically conductive unit and the at least one reference to form a capacitive relationship, and detect a capacitive change in at least a portion of the electrical field.

Abstract: An advertisement storage and filtering system for selectively identifying targeted advertisements to be stored in the memory of the STB. This storing of the selected advertisements can be accomplished in a number of ways. In one embodiment, the advertisements, in real-time and as they are received at the STB, are processed by the STB and only those advertisements with the appropriate characteristics are stored on the hard drive (HD). This may require some buffering of the advertisements in the STB memory as the STB processes and determines whether or not to store the advertisement. The information required to determine whether or not to store the advertisement could also be sent in advance, e.g., as a data service in an advertisement channel. Alternatively, the STB may store incoming advertisements in a memory temporarily and subsequently determine whether or not to retain the stored advertisements.

Abstract: A system, computer code, and method are provided for automatically managing avail inventory data of media programming streams for a communications network, such as a cable TV network. The computer-implemented method includes the steps of correlating available addressable units of the communications network with the avail inventory data, and generating a proposed price for purchase of at least one avail based on the results of the correlating step.

Abstract: A method and system for the insertion of local signals, including digital media advertisements, into statistically multiplexed streams is presented. The rate control and timing information is computed and is used to specify the insertion time and rate parameters for digital advertisements. In one embodiment, a maximum bit rate over the advertisement duration is specified. The maximum bit rate may be constant or may vary in time, such that high bit rate portions of the advertisement are supported. High bit rate portions of the advertisements in different program streams may be staggered, such that the total bandwidth required does not exceed a maximum, but allowing for high bit rate portions of advertisements. Custom bit rate profiles for advertisements may also be defined, with the profiles being defined at a high granularity or a low granularity.

Abstract: In accordance with the invention, advertisement identifiers are stored in a queue in memory in the set top box or elsewhere corresponding to individual subscribers of a television service delivery network. The advertisements are retrieved and displayed in the order dictated by the queue as advertisement avails are detected in the particular channel information stream being watched by that subscriber. Accordingly, the subscriber sees the advertisements regardless of what channel or television program is being watched and sees them in the order dictated by the queue. The invention also is applicable to other information streams including Internet advertising, audio/radio advertising and advertising in electronic program guides.

Abstract: A load assisted release system for releasably connecting cargo to a primary delivery vehicle, including a releasable connector and a bridle. The bridle includes a bridle attachment point, a slack loop, a first stage release link connecting a slack loop upper end to a slack loop lower end, and a responsive point in the bridle responsive to a releasing of the first stage release link to cause the releasable connector to release the bridle from the primary delivery vehicle once the first stage release link is released and the responsive point has moved away from the slack loop upper end the second predetermined distance. The releasable connector is configured to connect the bridle to the primary delivery vehicle, and a release force required to move the responsive point in the bridle the second predetermined distance is generated by the cargo as it moves away from the primary delivery vehicle.

Abstract: Presenting viewers with an alternative brief version of a recorded advertisement when they choose to fast-forward through or skip (or any other trick play event) the recorded advertisement. The alternative advertisement may be displayed instead of or in conjunction with the recorded advertisement (i.e., fast-forwarding advertisement is displayed in one portion of the screen (i.e., background or portion of a split screen) and the alternative brief version is displayed in another portion). The alternative brief version of the advertisement (trick play advertisement) may be a marketing message that is a static screen presenting a logo or a portion of the recorded advertisement, or may be a condensed version of the actual advertisement. The trick play advertisements may be targeted. An alternate or entirely unrelated advertisement can also be displayed as the trick play advertisement.

Abstract: Method and system for creating one or more advertising avail sections (subavails) and thereupon aggregating the subavails to form one or more groups of subavails. The advertisement opportunities (avails) may be divided into sections (subavails) with each section being directed at a particular target audience (group). The subavails are then aggregated into one or more groups of subavails so that the groups of subavails can be sold to the advertisers. The grouping of subavails is generally based on a correlation wherein the subavails are characterized based on one or more characteristics. The groups of subavails are formed based on one or more shared characteristics. The advertiser has an option to buy a group of subavails (rather than an avail in prior art), whereby the advertiser may reach a targeted group of an audience.

Abstract: Profiling a television viewer by monitoring and processing, locally at a television viewing environment, the viewer's interactivity (e.g., via a remote control unit) with the television viewing environment. Generating one or more profiles for each viewer based on one or more of the multitude of interactions of each viewer and on, in general, the viewing habits and preferences of the viewer. Automatically and reliably, detecting or inferring at a particular time, which specific individual or individuals, are actually interacting with the TV in household comprising more than one individual. Such viewer identification and profile generation can be used to facilitate the delivery of targeted content, including targeted advertising.

Abstract: A method and system whereby conventional television advertisements (i.e., those delivered to viewers while they watch television programming) can be delivered in conjunction with and correlated with advertisements that are presented to viewers in the Interactive Program Guide (IPG). Moreover, the invention described herein provides for delivering highly targeted ads to viewers in both conventional programming avails and in the IPG, and for linking the targeted ads in these two media to provide for enhanced and highly effective advertising campaigns.

Abstract: A drive system for an electric battery powered vehicle including a chassis having a rigid frame, a front axle and a rear axle; a battery system mounted on said chassis; left and right wheels on left and right sides of each of the front axle and the rear axle; one or more motors attached to at least one of the wheels. Each of the one or more motors is driven by rotation of a respective wheel to produce a charge for said battery system.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for the managing advertisements in a digital environment, including methods for selecting suitable advertising based on subscriber profiles, and substituting advertisements in a program stream with targeted advertisements. The Ad Management System (AMS) 100 of the present invention manages the sales and insertion of digital video advertisements in cable television, switched digital video, and streaming video (Internet) based environments. The AMS 100 provides advertisers an ability to describe their advertisements (ads) in terms of target market demographics, required ad bandwidth, ad duration, and other ad specific parameters. The AMS 100 receives the ad descriptions that include some or all of the aforementioned parameters, and matches the ads to the advertising opportunities (“avails”) available in the programming stream. The AMS 100 tracks different avails including duration and bandwidth of the avail, and uses a number of schemes to determine if the ad can be placed in the avail.

Abstract: An advertising monitoring system is presented in which subscriber selections including channel changes are monitored, and in which information regarding an advertisement is extracted from text related to the advertisement. The text related to the advertisement is in the form of closed caption text, data transmitted with the advertisement, or other associated text. A record of the effectiveness of the advertisement is created in which measurements of the percentage of the advertisement which was viewed are stored. Such records allow a manufacturer or advertiser to determine if their advertisement is being watched by subscribers. The system can be realized in a client-sever mode in which subscriber selection requests are transmitted to a server for fulfillment, in which case the advertisement monitoring takes place at the server side.

Abstract: A database of consumer profiles is generated from multiple sources of information including demographic databases identifying demographic attributes of the consumers and transaction records for the consumers. The transaction records are processed to generate transaction attributes and interests of the consumer. The consumer profiles identify deterministic and probabilistic attributes about the consumer, but do not contain privacy violating information such as raw transaction records. The consumer profiles may be maintained in a plurality of distributed databases. Advertisers generate profiles that identify attributes of an intended target market of the advertisement. The advertisement profiles are in the form of operators that can be applied to the database of consumer profiles to determine applicability of advertisements to the subscribers. The operators may only be applied to or make measurements on certain “observables”.

Abstract: A mechanism for matching Electronic Program Guide (EPG) advertisements to subscribers or groups of subscribers and delivering those advertisements within the EPG. The subscribers are initially characterized in different groups by using commercially available data, such as demographic data. Furthermore, the groups of subscribers may be formed according to their characteristics. These characteristics may be derived from, but are not limited to, demographic data, geographic information or individual subscriber selection data. Subsequent to the formation of the groups, suitable advertisements to be placed in the EPG avails are selected, based on the matching of the advertisement characteristics to the characteristics of the groups, wherein the EPG avails are the advertising opportunities available within the EPG. Different versions of the EPG having targeted advertisements may be created, and the different versions may be placed on a download server for transmission over an access system to the subscriber.

Abstract: An advertisement storage and filtering system for selectively identifying targeted advertisements to be stored in the memory of the STB. This storing of the selected advertisements can be accomplished in a number of ways. In one embodiment, the advertisements, in real-time and as they are received at the STB, are processed by the STB and only those advertisements with the appropriate characteristics are stored on the hard drive (HD). This may require some buffering of the advertisements in the STB memory as the STB processes and determines whether or not to store the advertisement. The information required to determine whether or not to store the advertisement could also be sent in advance, e.g., as a data service in an advertisement channel. Alternatively, the STB may store incoming advertisements in a memory temporarily and subsequently determine whether or not to retain the stored advertisements.

Abstract: In a method and system for controlling a revolving door that has a plurality of chambers defined by wings of a revolver, at least one imaging sensor is provided for acquiring images of a first area where the plurality of chambers rotatably pass by or through. A drive causes the revolver to rotate in a first direction from a first position where a user can enter a first chamber via the first opening. Images are acquired by the one imaging sensor and signals are acquired from a position sensor that is operative for outputting signals indicative of the angular position of the revolver. Based on the signals acquired from the position sensor, each imaging sensor or its output is disabled and/or each image acquired by each imaging sensor is ignored when each door wing is in field-of-view of the imaging sensor.

Abstract: An advertising monitoring system is presented in which subscriber selections including channel changes are monitored, and in which information regarding an advertisement is extracted from text related to the advertisement. The text related to the advertisement is in the form of closed caption text, data transmitted with the advertisement, or other associated text. A record of the effectiveness of the advertisement is created in which measurements of the percentage of the advertisement which was viewed are stored. Such records allow a manufacturer or advertiser to determine if their advertisement is being watched by subscribers. The system can be realized in a client-sever mode in which subscriber selection requests are transmitted to a server for fulfillment, in which case the advertisement monitoring takes place at the server side.