Abstract: A poseable figure has a spine system that is capable of a wide range of life-like movement and capable of being positioned and maintained in numerous life-like poses. The spine system includes a plurality of mating spine segments engaged, in a friction fit, with one another such that the mating spine segments swivel with respect to one another. A soft body portion, such as a foam, is disposed around the spine system to simulate the flesh of the figure and to allow the spine system to be moved into a wide range of positions. In-one embodiment, first and second appendage connectors couple a first and second pair of appendages, such as arms and legs, to the spine system such that the appendages swivel with respect to the spine system and can be moved and held in numerous positions. A resilient member preferably extends through the mating spine segments and engages with the head of the figure to hold the head in swiveling engagement with a neck segment coupled to the spine system.

Abstract: A fin of a balloon includes a frame constituted by a pair of opposite and spaced support rods having first and second ends and a cross rod connected between first ends of the support rods. A flexible sheet of material is attached to the frame by having edges thereof forming passage fit over the support rods and the cross rod. Two connectors are mounted to the balloon for receiving and releasably retaining the second ends of the support rods thereby mounting the fin to the balloon.

Abstract: A rocket (100) is disclosed having a body (101) with a bay (102) therein and a latchable hatch (109) which is movable between a bay opened position and a bay closed position by a spring biased hinge (110). A parachute (117) is mounted to the hatch. Upon unlatching the hatch, the drag upon the hatch causes it to move reward thereby pulling the parachute from the bay for deployment.

Abstract: A radio-controlled vehicle toy is disclosed which includes a body, a caster axle mounted on a front end of the body and tilted backward from vertical, a front fork rotatable on the caster axle and rotatably supporting a front vehicle wheel, a rear-wheel drive coupled with a rear vehicle wheel, a radio-control receiver and a power source mounted to the body, and a pair of auxiliary wheels mounted on opposite sides of the vehicle body frame so as to be brought into contact with an underlying surface when the vehicle body frame leans laterally. A steering unit is mounted in a front-end portion of the body and includes a steering mechanism to rotate the front fork based on a control signal issued from the receiver and a resilient coupling which resiliently applies control torque to the front fork.

Abstract: A pacifier holder for holding a pacifier on its upper surface for easy use by an infant. This pacifier holder consists of a soft lightweight elongated generally tubular member that loosely holds a pacifier on its first or upper end region. The holder is configured such that this first end region is offset by curvature from the remainder of the holder so as to position the pacifier in front of the infant's mouth when in use as the remainder of the elongated holder is placed upon the infant's chest. During use, the holder, being placed on top of the infant, will be positioned such that the pacifier is within easy reach of the infant.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a computer-implemented method and apparatus for searching in response to Internet-based search queries using a search engine and an electronic database. According to one example embodiment of the present invention, data sets representing published items are input, for example, scanned-in or sent electronically, and stored in a searchable database. Each data set includes text from at least one published item. Responsive to the search query, a search engine searches for and identifies relevant web pages and data sets representing published items and, in a more specific embodiment, ranked characterizations are returned for the relevant web pages and published items. An electronic path can be provided with the published item for accessing further information about the published item. In one embodiment, the electronic path is a hyperlink from a characterization of a relevant published item to a more complete electronic representation of the relevant published item.

Abstract: The computer-based method and system shares revenue with a content provider and registered users. A web page has supplied electronic content and ads with displays and hyperlinks to a corresponding advertiser designated web site. Associated sales referral fees are tracked based upon user click throughs. The content provider is incentivized because the system shares the associated sales referral fees with him based upon factors such as frequency of posting content, quality rankings by users, gross value referral fees, and page user-visitors. Registered user-visitors are incentivized by providing each with N quality ranking tokens and by sharing the referral fees with users who post tokens on content. The QA ranking formula accounts for the quantity of posted tokens, the sequential order of posting, the number of user-visitors, and the referral fee to the content provider. The fees are paid to debit card, credit card, or cell phone account payment processors.

Abstract: A DTV transmitter includes a pre-processor pre-processing enhanced data, a data formatter generating enhanced data packets including the pre-processed enhanced data, and a multiplexer multiplexing the enhanced data packets with main data packets. The transmitter further includes an RS encoder RS-coding the multiplexed packets by adding systematic RS parity data to each main data packet and by adding non-systematic RS parity place holders to each enhanced data packet, and a data interleaver interleaving the RS-coded packets. The non-systematic RS parity place holders are placed after the enhanced data within each interleaved enhanced data packet, and a sequence of known data place holders is periodically included in the interleaved enhanced data packets.

Abstract: A 3D image playback method includes utilizing a detecting module to detect a visual angle included between a display device and a shutter glasses, playing a plurality of 3D image sets with different visual angles at a specific frequency by the display device, transmitting a synchronization signal corresponding to the visual angle to the shutter glasses by the detecting module, and controlling a switching frequency of the shutter glasses so as to make the shutter glasses capable of receiving one of the plurality of 3D image sets corresponding to the visual angle.

Abstract: A communication system, such as UMTS, comprises a scheduler (12) in a first station (PS) which is able to control a user equipment (UE1, UE2). The scheduler when operating in a data transmission mode, such as HSUPA (High-Speed Uplink Packet Access) controls the user equipment with combinations of absolute grants (AG) and relative grants (RG). The relative grants serve to adapt a transmission parameter relative to a reference value. The reference value for the relative grant is selected dependent on a property of one or more of the grants. Such a property may comprise the absolute grant being an all process grant or a single process grant.

Abstract: A method for tracking prescriptive medications is provided whereby a complete prescriptive medication history including active and inactive prescriptive medications is stored for a plurality of patients utilizing a plurality of pharmacies wherein the pharmacies may be affiliated or unaffiliated. The information may be selectively retrieved through a secure computer connection by entities such as hospitals, doctors, pharmacies, insurance companies, government agencies and the like. The information may be utilized to benefit the patient whereby a doctor is able to obtain an accurate view of the complete prescriptive medication history of the patient including prescriptive medications by other doctors. Hospitals will be able to obtain, in accord with the invention, a prescriptive medication history prior to treatment such as emergency treatment where such information is not normally available.