Abstract: In a computer implemented currency trading support system trades are provided to a third party (400) for settlement, and at least one of the parties (1) has a checking system (102) at which trades are checked individually. A method is described in which one or both of the parties receives data relating to individual agreed trades, identifies trades involving the same currency and the same counterparty and aggregates them into a single aggregate trade corresponding to a plurality of individual trades. The data relating to trades is then passed directly to the third party settlement system and the checking system receives data relating to any aggregate trades resulting from the aggregating step as well as data relating to the corresponding individual trades.

Abstract: Silicon-containing products, such as silicon, silicon carbide and silicon nitride, containing less than 0.01 weight percent total mineral impurities and selectively determined carbon-to-silicon ratios. The products are derived from plant matter, such as rice hulls and rice straw, containing at least three weight percent silica. Methods are provided for making such high purity silicon-containing products by leaching silica-containing plant matter with aqueous sulfuric acid under controlled temperatures, pressures and reaction times to remove minerals and metals while adjusting the mole ratio of fixed carbon to silica, and then thermally treating under controlled conditions to produce the desired product.

Abstract: A system and method of allocating orders in an exchange configured for trading by a combination of electronic and open-outcry trading mechanisms is provided. One method includes permitting multiple quotes to be disseminated to the market, but limiting market making to only those entities having a physical presence on the floor of the exchange. Methods of enhancing the hybrid electronic and open-outcry exchange also include automatically eliminating crossed quotes and locked quotes while permitting certain orders to trade against locked quotes.

Abstract: A method and system for controlling the cutting speed of a cutting device employable in an ocular surgical procedure is provided. The apparatus includes a control module, a variable gas pressure regulator arrangement configured to receive gas from a gas pressure supply, wherein the variable pressure regulator arrangement is connected to the control module and the control module is configured to regulate gas received from the gas pressure supply, and an accumulator configured to store gas received from the variable gas regulator arrangement at a selected gas pressure. Gas at the desired pressure is delivered from the accumulator to the cutting device. The gas may be air, and the variable gas pressure arrangement may include a single variable pressure regulator or multiple pressure regulators which typically are not variable with respect to the pressure delivered.

Abstract: A method for producing carbon-silica products from silica-containing plant matter such as rice hulls or straw by leaching with sulfuric acid to remove non-silica minerals and metal while adjusting the mole ratio of fixed carbon to silica in the resultant product. The carbon and silica are intimately mixed on a micron or submicron scale and are characterized by high purity and reactivity, small particle size, high porosity, and contain volatile carbon that can be used as a source of energy for the production of silicon-containing products from the carbon-silica products. High purity silicon-containing products made from the carbon-silica products of the invention are also disclosed.

Abstract: A system, method and computer program product to assist in managing the physical plant mechanisms and market finances for a deregulated electricity grid or regulated utility grid, populated with solar electric generation capacity. This system provides tools to assist grid operators in the scheduling and dispatch of generation resources in an electrical grid populated with solar electric generation capacity, a week in advance, on an hourly basis. It also provides tools to assist companies engaged in generation, distribution and energy marketing, in the electrical power industry, to manage their contractual supply obligations in the day-ahead hourly wholesale market and the spot market, in an electrical grid populated with solar electric generation capacity. This process can also be used to predict solar loading of building structures, using forecast irradiance data as inputs to common building energy modeling programs, a week in advance, on an hourly basis.

Abstract: A method of creating and trading packaged standard option collars on an exchange is provided, as well as a trading facility for trading such packaged standard option collars. Collars are created by identifying an underlying asset, a first leg of a collar is determined by determining the desired strike price for the first leg and selecting a standard option contract traded on the exchange having a strike price closest to the desired strike price. The second leg is determined by selecting another standard option, the opposite of the first leg, having an option price substantially offsetting the option price of the first leg. Once the legs of the collar have been selected the collar package may be listed on the exchange, and orders for the collars may be processed by matching orders for opposite positions in the collar.

Abstract: A system and method of allocating orders in an exchange configured for trading by a combination of electronic and open-outcry trading mechanisms is provided. One method includes permitting multiple quotes to be disseminated to the market, and providing market making rights of varying degrees to entities having a physical presence on the floor of the exchange and entities remotely located away from the trading floor. The system includes a trade engine configured for receiving orders from market makers on and away from the trading floor. The system also includes executable instructions for allocating to designated primary market makers a portion of an incoming order remaining after first trading against public customer orders.

Abstract: A computer peripheral telecommunications device having an electronic interface for connection to a computer and being configured for adding wireless telecommunication functionality to the computer, the device comprising a movable cover portion for covering the electronic interface while not in use and an antenna integrated in the movable cover portion.

Abstract: The invention relates to a retractable antenna structure for use in a telecommunications device. The antenna structure comprising a slide portion adapted for movably mounting the antenna structure in a cavity of a telecommunications device, such that the antenna structure is retractable into the cavity for storage and extensible from the cavity for operation, and an antenna portion carrying a flat radiation element for establishing at least one wireless network connection. The antenna portion comprises a first wing carrying a first part of the radiation element and a second wing carrying a second part of the radiation element. The wings are pivotally connected to each other between a storage position in which the wings lie on top of each other and an operational position in which the wings are spaced apart. The antenna portion further comprises at least one resilient member acting on at least one of the wings for spacing the wings apart.

Abstract: A method for accessing a smart card from a host device, the smart card being connected to the host device via a telecommunications card, the telecommunications card having a command interpreter for interpreting host device commands and a modem with associated smart card reader for enabling the telecommunication and user identification the modem being only accessible to the host device via the command interpreter, the method including: (a) providing an access command on the host device, the access command instructing the command interpreter to pass on any attached command originating from the host device to the smart card reader; (b) attaching an application command to the access command and forwarding both to the command interpreter; (c) performing the application command on the smart card reader; (d) storing a response given by the smart card to the application command in a first buffer which is accessible towards the host device.

Abstract: A telecommunications card comprising a cavity in which an antenna structure is movably mounted between a first position in which the antenna structure is substantially located within the cavity and a second position in which the antenna structure is extended from the cavity, the telecommunications card further comprising moving means for moving the antenna structure from the first position to the second position, the antenna structure comprising a slide portion and an antenna portion which are movably connected to each other, characterised in that the antenna structure further comprises erecting means for erecting the antenna portion from the second position to a third position suitable for wireless communication with a telecommunications network.

Abstract: The present invention provides a novel method whereby a thermally conductive belt is manufactured through net shape molding. Specifically the method of the present invention is for manufacturing a power transfer belt that is of a highly thermally conductive polymer composition, in contrast to the typical rubber material used to fabricate the belts of the prior art. The new and unique belt of the present invention is manufactured of a thermally conductive polymer material that is easily injection moldable into any desired shape and configuration. Further, the polymer composition is very thermally conductive, which assists in dissipating heat that is generated by the friction created during normal operation of the device. The new belt material and its construction allow heat to be conducted directly through the surface of the belt thus preventing heat buildup within the belt itself, thereby preserving and extending its life.

Abstract: A telecommunications card which includes a cavity in which an antenna structure is movably mounted between a first position in which the antenna structure is substantially located within the cavity and a second position in which the antenna structure is extended from the cavity, the telecommunications card further including moving mechanism for moving the antenna structure from the first position to the second position, the antenna structure comprising a slide portion and an antenna portion which are movably connected to each other, wherein the antenna structure further including an erecting mechanism for erecting the antenna portion from the second position to a third position suitable for wireless communication with a telecommunications network.

Abstract: A polymer composition having high thermal conductivity and dielectric strength is provided. The polymer composition comprises a base polymer matrix and a thermally-conductive, electrically-insulating material. A reinforcing material such as glass can be added to the composition. The polymer composition can be molded into packaging assemblies for electronic devices such as capacitors, transistors, and resistors.

Abstract: A method is provided for forming a net shape molded component that includes an integral metallized coating or layer on the exterior surface thereof. The method includes injecting a carefully matched mixture of a molten polymer resin and a molten metallic alloy into a mold cavity under pressure. Due to the differential in material viscosities, the metal tends to migrate to the outer surface of the molded part when placed under pressure, ultimately creating a net shape molded part having a polymer core with a metallic layer at the exterior surfaces thereof. Further, the present invention provides for the compounding of a feedstock suitable for use in conjunction with the method described above.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of displaying option market information including establishing a communication link between a member computer and a central computer, accessing option trading data from the central computer through the member computer, and inputting at least one signal to the member computer. The signal represents either an underlying asset symbol or an option class symbol of an underlying asset. The method further includes generating a display page listing option trading information for a plurality of option series relating to at least one of the entered underlying asset symbol and the entered option class symbol, and displaying the plurality of option series on the display page such that the option series having a strike price approximately equal to the current trading price of the underlying asset is centrally positioned on the display page.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system and method for calculating an intra-period volatility of a security. The system includes a means for collecting tick or selected time interval data from a data source, an interface or storage means for collecting or retrieving assumptions and variables used in the determination, and a processor programmed to perform iterative processes to determine the intra-period volatility and perform uses thereof. The steps of the method include receiving tick or selected time interval data from a data source, retrieving or inputting a set of assumptions for use in the calculations, simulating entering into a spread of options, and iteratively adjusting a variable in a pricing model to produce an intra-period volatility. The method may also include using the intra-period volatility in variety of option-related activities.

Abstract: An automated trading exchange having integrated quote risk monitoring and quote modification services. An apparatus is implemented using at least one computer, having memory, and a processor. The computer is configured to receive orders and quotes, wherein specified ones of the quotes are contained in a quote group, and have associated trading parameters such as a risk threshold. Not all received quotes are required to have trading parameters as described herein. Preferably, the quote group contains all the quotes, or a subset of quotes, belonging to an individual market-maker for a given class of options contracts, or possibly the quotes of two or more market-makers that have identified themselves as belonging to a group for the purposes of risk monitoring and quote modification. The computer typically generates a trade by matching the received orders and quotes to previously received orders and quotes, and otherwise stores each of the received orders and quotes if a trade is not generated.

Abstract: Welding equipment that includes a tooling cart for transferring interchangeable tooling modules to a welding machine. A latch is mounted to the welding machine for latching the tooling cart to the welding machine, and a latch is provided for latching the tooling modules onto the tooling cart. A two-piece tooling cart includes a removable upper section for securing tooling modules thereto and a reusable lower section for use with other tooling modules. A welding method permits operation of a welding machine using a user interface that permits modular programming of at least one operational sequence of welding machine valves and weld operations for a variety of different tooling modules. An operator inputs a new sequence of operations using the user interface rather than having to rewrite ladder logic just to switch over the welding machine to use with a different tooling module.