Abstract: In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a cooking apparatus is provided. The cooking apparatus comprises a cooking surface, at least one grate, and a guard. The cooking surface includes at least one heat source and a control panel. The at least one grate is provided over a portion of the cooking surface. The guard is coupled to the at least one grate. The guard includes a first side and a second side. The first side of the guard is configured to deflect heat radiating from the at least one heat source. The second side of the guard corresponds with a sidewall of the cooking surface to form a channel between the guard and the sidewall. The channel is configured to create a thermal barrier between the at least one heat source and the control panel.

Abstract: A method and system for improving data coherency in a parallel rendering system is disclosed. Specifically, one embodiment of the present invention sets forth a method, which includes the steps of receiving a common input stream, tracking a periodic event associated with the common input stream, generating a plurality of fragment streams from the common input stream, inserting a marker based on an occurrence of the periodic event in a first fragment stream in the multiple fragment streams, and utilizing the marker to influence the processing of the first fragment stream so that a plurality of raster operation (ROP) request streams maintains substantially the same coherence as the common input stream. Each fragment stream is independently processed and corresponds to one of the ROP request streams.

Abstract: Methods and systems for reusing memory addresses in a graphics system are disclosed, so that instances of address translation hardware can be reduced. One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a method, which includes mapping a footprint on a display screen to a group of contiguous physical memory locations in a memory system, determining an anchor physical memory address from a first transaction associated with the footprint, wherein the anchor physical memory address corresponds to an anchor in the group of contiguous physical memory locations, determining a second transaction that is also associated with the footprint, determining a set of least significant bits (LSBs) associated with the second transaction, and combining the anchor physical memory address with the set of LSBs associated with the second transaction to generate a second physical memory address for the second transaction, thereby avoiding a second full address translation.

Abstract: A kitchen range subframe includes air channels for passively directing air to and/or from an element enclosure within the kitchen range, and a range component shelf that is configured to mount one or more range components to the kitchen range subframe. The kitchen range subframe provides improved ventilation for the kitchen range, and mounting locations for range components such as gas lines and kitchen range controls.

Abstract: Methods and systems for reusing memory addresses in a graphics system are disclosed, so that instances of address translation hardware can be reduced. One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a method, which includes mapping a footprint in screen space to a group of contiguous physical memory locations in a memory system, determining a first physical memory address for a first transaction associated with the footprint, wherein the first physical memory address is within the group of contiguous physical memory locations, determining a second transaction that is also associated with the footprint, determining a set of least significant bits associated with the second transaction, and combining a portion of the first physical memory address with the set of least significant bits associated with the second transaction to generate a second physical memory address for the second transaction, thereby avoiding a second full address translation.

Abstract: Apparatus for loading and feeding hay bales including a transport vehicle having a flatbed and a tiltable support frame mounted to the flatbed for carrying a stack of bales. A hoist is used to tilt the support frame from a horizontal hay bale transport position to a vertical position against a bale stack for picking up a bale stack. Squeeze arms are used to secure the bale stack to the support frame. An endless chain on the support frame is used to selectively move the bales forwardly. A flaker is mounted at a forward end of the flatbed for receiving a bale advanced thereon and selectively flaking off portions of the bale. A tipping apparatus is provided for selectively tipping a bale advanced by the endless chain from the support frame onto the flaker.

Abstract: Prescient cache management methods and systems are disclosed. In one embodiment, a local cache that operates within a raster engine operations stage of a graphics rendering pipeline is managed by following a number of caching decisions related to a number of cached tiles. Each of these cached tiles has a certain priority to remain in the local cache, with the priority corresponding to a conflict type received from a buffer operating within a pre-raster engine operations stage of the graphics rendering pipeline.

Abstract: Prescient cache management methods and systems are disclosed. In one embodiment, within a pre-raster engine operations stage in a graphics rendering pipeline, tile entries are stored in a buffer. Each of these tile entries is related a transaction request that enters the pre-raster engine operations stage and has a screen coordinates field and a conflict field. If this buffer includes a first tile entry, which is related to a first transaction request associated with a first tile, and a second tile entry, which is related to a second transaction request that enters the pre-raster engine operations stage after the first transaction request and is also associated with the first tile, the conflict field of the first tile entry is updated with a conflict type that reflects a number of tile entries between the first tile entry and the second tile entry.

Abstract: A kitchen range subframe includes air channels for passively directing air to and/or from an element enclosure within the kitchen range, and a range component shelf that is configured to mount one or more range components to the kitchen range subframe. The kitchen range subframe provides improved ventilation for the kitchen range, and mounting locations for range components such as gas lines and kitchen range controls.

Abstract: In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a cooking apparatus is provided. The cooking apparatus comprises a cooking surface, at least one grate, and a guard. The cooking surface includes at least one heat source and a control panel. The at least one grate is provided over a portion of the cooking surface. The guard is coupled to the at least one grate. The guard includes a first side and a second side. The first side of the guard is configured to deflect heat radiating from the at least one heat source. The second side of the guard corresponds with a sidewall of the cooking surface to form a channel between the guard and the sidewall. The channel is configured to create a thermal barrier between the at least one heat source and the control panel.

Abstract: The disclosed assembly comprises a holding device assembly comprising a plurality of external face plates. The external face plates overlap at bolt joints so that the loading of the device bolts acts to secure the external face plates into a unitary structure that resists movement upon application of external load to the axis of a tubular member held thereby. In a preferred embodiment the external face plates are bolted to the base plate, which is secured to a foundation. The inventive holding device assembly is used for lamp posts and for related applications and is made of aluminum or steel.

Abstract: An in-grade light fixture is described herein. The in-grade light fixture has a main housing having an open top end with a lens covering the open top end. A side car splice compartment is adjacent to the lens along an upper portion of the housing. A hydraulic isolation chamber extends vertically downward from the splice compartment to a receptacle which is an electrical connection to a lamping module contained within the housing. A ballast may be utilized for proper supply of power to the lamp if a non-incandescent lamp is utilized. The hydraulic isolation chamber is filled with the potting material and prevents wicking of moisture through the receptacle into the main housing.

Abstract: Data values are encoded by mapping multi-dimensional parameters of the data values to respective one-dimensional parameters and creating a table of encoded data values in which the data values are represented by their respective encoded counterparts utilizing the one-dimensional parameters and in which redundant ones of the encoded data values share common table entries; further compressing the table of encoded data values using a data compression process; and transmitting the further compressed table of encoded data values. Additionally, a set of reference data values may be transmitted for use by a decoder when decoding the table of encoded data values. The data compression process used to further compress the table of encoded data values may be a lossless compression process. (e.g., run length encoding) or a lossy compression process. The data values may be scaled prior to creating the table of encoded data values.

Abstract: Audio information is encoded, sample by sample, by creating a table of encoded audio sample values in which redundant ones of the encoded audio sample values share common table entries. The encoding method may include comparing a current audio data sample to be encoded to previously encoded audio data samples to determine if the current audio data sample value is a redundant value, and if it is a redundant value, a pointer to the table location of the first occurrence of the redundant previously encoded audio data value is entered into the table of encoded audio sample values.

Abstract: A method for encoding and decoding video comprises receiving the video as a plurality of pixel value sets, wherein each pixel value set of the plurality of pixel value sets represents a digitized pixel of the video. The plurality of pixel value sets are grouped into a plurality of digitized video frames. Each pixel value set of the plurality of pixel value sets includes a first portion and a second portion. The first portion of each pixel value set is encoded to provide a plurality of dominant color values. The plurality of dominant color values are stored in an encoded video file. The encoded video file including the plurality of dominant color values is decoded using a plurality of reference pixel value sets to provide a decoded video version of the video.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for encoding a frame of audio/video data, segment by segment, comprising a number of pixels each having a plurality of pixel color components by creating a frame group table in which each pixel entry includes a dominant pixel color component of the plurality of pixel color components, and determining a set of segment reference pixels for each encoded segment, wherein each one of the segment reference pixels is a pixel within each one of the encoded segments having a most intense dominant pixel color value.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for encoding, segment by segment, frames of audio/video data, including pixels each having a plurality of pixel color components by creating a frame group table of encoded pixel values in which each pixel entry includes a dominant pixel color component of the plurality of pixel color components, determining a set of segment reference pixels for each encoded segment, wherein each one of the segment reference pixels is comprised of segment reference pixel parameter values and is a pixel within each one of the encoded segments having a most intense dominant pixel color value, communicating the frame group table and the segment reference pixels over a network to a receiver, and at the receiver, decoding the frame group table on a pixel-by-pixel basis by scaling the segment reference pixel parameter values according to each entry in the frame group table of encoded pixel parameter.

Abstract: A method for decoding a compressed video file comprises receiving the encoded video file, wherein the encoded video file includes a plurality of encoded video data tables and a plurality of reference pixel value sets. The plurality of encoded video data tables are decoded using the plurality of reference pixel value sets. Decoded video data is returned.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for decoding, on a pixel-by-pixel basis, audio/video data using a table of encoded pixel parameter values, wherein each pixel is represented by an entry including a dominant pixel color component and by scaling a set of segment reference pixels comprised of segment reference pixel values according to each entry in the table of encoded pixel parameter values to produce decoded pixels comprised of decoded pixel parameter values.